The small office of the car wash had a narrow window that let in the afternoon light, illuminating the robust figure of Mr. Hendricks.
He leaned against the wooden desk, arms crossed, his expression stern.
Beside him, Leah, his daughter, looked at Evan with furrowed brows, clearly irritated.
"I already told you, Evan, you're not working today. You shouldn't even be walking around."
Hendricks's voice was firm, but there was a trace of concern in it.
Evan, standing in the middle of the small office, looked slightly out of place.
His posture was stiff, and the faint discomfort on his face betrayed that he had anticipated this reaction, but it didn't stop him from trying.
"Mr. Hendricks, I'm fine. It was just a bit of exhaustion, nothing that a little rest hasn't already fixed. I can't just sit around and let things pile up here."
"Magical exhaustion is no small thing, Evan."
Leah interjected, crossing her arms as she stared at him.
"I called Spectra earlier since you hadn't shown up yet. They said you were unconscious, for God's sake! Do you want to collapse again?"
Evan averted his gaze momentarily, as if trying to hold back a response he knew wouldn't help.
Leah pointed a finger at him as she continued.
"You should be resting, not dragging yourself here to wash cars. You shouldn't even be on your feet yet!"
"She's right."
Hendricks nodded, agreeing with everything Leah said, which seemed almost comical to Evan.
"I'm not letting you work today. Not tomorrow, either. Take the next few days off to rest. That's not a request; it's an order."
"That's right! Wait… Leah! I'm the one who gives orders here."
Evan sighed, running a hand over his neck as he glanced from Leah to Hendricks, who were now bickering.
As stubborn as he was, he knew he was at a disadvantage in this situation.
"I really am fine, but…"
He hesitated, feeling their firm gazes on him.
"Alright, I get it. I'll go home."
"Not home," Leah corrected immediately.
"Look, instead of going back to Spectra, why don't you stay here?"
She gestured toward the house next door, visible through the office window.
"You're worn out, Evan. I'm not letting you wander around looking like you're about to pass out again."
Evan frowned, surprised by the suggestion.
"Stay here? Leah, I don't want to be a bother. Besides, my siblings get out of school at 4:30. I need to pick them up."
"Evan, listen, you don't need to push yourself like this."
"She's right, kid. But I understand that you want to pick up your siblings."
Leah narrowed her eyes, clearly dissatisfied.
"In that case, I'm going with you."
Evan raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Leah, that's not necessary…"
"Yes, it is."
She interrupted firmly.
"I want to make sure you're okay. And don't bother arguing, because that's what's going to happen."
Hendricks chuckled lightly, shaking his head.
"Look, if she's decided, there's not much you can do. Besides, it's good to know someone will be there just in case."
"Hmpf."
Evan huffed, knowing that arguing would be pointless.
"You two are impossible."
As Leah pulled Evan by the arm, guiding him toward the house, Hendricks watched them. His stern expression softened for a moment.
To him, Evan was like a son, and seeing him take care of himself—even reluctantly—was a relief.
—————————————————————————————————
3:43 PM
The silence of the infirmary was broken only by the occasional sound of footsteps and muffled voices in the distance.
Seraphina remained lying down, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, while her thoughts spun uncontrollably.
The entity's words echoed in her mind—a recent memory, but one that seemed to have taken deep root.
It was unsettling.
Evan was a mystery to her: arrogant and distant, offering little more than sarcasm and indifference.
And now, he was at the center of a mystery she couldn't ignore.
She sighed deeply, covering her eyes with one arm.
'And that thing the entity said? About him trying to die for us… no one would do something like that for someone they didn't consider important.'
The thought brought a weight to her chest, something she couldn't shake off.
'And what did he mean by only having four years?'
The questions seemed to multiply, each unanswered, leaving her restless.
But there was something even more troubling.
Seraphina couldn't ignore the feeling that the woman—that enigmatic entity—knew more than she let on.
'What if she knew… about my father?'
The idea made her heart race. For years, she had sought answers, chasing any lead, any fragment that might reveal the truth about his death.
'That woman… she seemed to know so much about me, about Evan… Could she also know who killed him?'
The possibility felt so real it hurt.
It was as if, for the first time, the truth was within reach yet entirely out of her control.
"Creeeak."
The soft creak of the door broke her concentration, pulling her back to reality.
Dr. Livia entered the room, holding a clipboard.
She looked surprised to see Seraphina awake.
"Oh, Seraphina! You're awake already? Since when?" Dr. Livia asked, approaching with curiosity.
Seraphina sat up in bed, hiding her inner turmoil behind a neutral expression.
"Just now."
The lie slipped out effortlessly as she tried to appear indifferent.
"And the boy? He was here with you, wasn't he?"
The doctor looked around as if expecting to find Evan hiding somewhere in the room.
Seraphina furrowed her brow slightly, feigning confusion.
"Who, Evan? When I woke up, I was alone."
Dr. Livia sighed, shaking her head.
"Tsk. He already left? He's not in any condition to be walking around. He should be resting."
The doctor's concerned tone stirred something strange in Seraphina's chest.
Before she could stop herself, the words slipped out.
"Is he… unwell?"
"No, nothing serious," Dr. Livia replied, nodding reassuringly.
"He just exhausted a lot of magical energy. He needs rest, that's all."
Seraphina relaxed slightly, but her curiosity lingered.
She wanted to understand why Evan was so determined, even in a weakened state.
"..."
As if sensing Seraphina's thoughts, Dr. Livia added with a slight smile.
"He showed the same concern when he saw you here, unconscious."
Those words caught Seraphina off guard.
She tried to hide her reaction, but the faint warmth rising to her face betrayed her discomfort.
The memories came flooding back.
Evan's voice, the words he had spoken while she pretended to be asleep.
"She's important to me."
The words echoed in her mind, intertwining with Dr. Livia's revelation.
Seraphina lowered her gaze, trying to process it all.
'What did he mean by that? Why am I important to him?'
For a moment, she sat in silence, her eyes fixed on the bedsheet as a whirlwind of emotions stirred within her chest.
'It doesn't make sense… or does it?'
Taking a deep breath, Seraphina raised her head, striving to maintain her composure.
Her mind buzzed with questions and suppositions that left her restless.
Dr. Livia, still standing beside the bed, noticed Seraphina's silent turmoil and asked gently,
"Seraphina, can you tell me what happened during the trial?"
The question was direct but not intrusive, spoken with the calm of someone accustomed to dealing with young people in difficult situations.
Seraphina froze for a moment.
She knew exactly what to say.
'If I say something she shouldn't know… no, it's better to stick to the story Evan told.'
Seraphina met Dr. Livia's gaze and responded, keeping her tone casual.
"I don't really remember. It all happened so fast. A monster appeared, and then everything got confusing. When I woke up, I was already here. We were already exhausted from the previous battle."
Dr. Livia studied her for a moment, as if analyzing her words. Then, with a small smile, she nodded.
"Don't worry, that's quite common. Practical trials at Spectra can be exhausting. Many students end up fainting and forgetting parts of what happened, especially when they're at their magical energy limit."
There was a brief silence before Dr. Livia continued, her tone reassuring.
"Okay, I won't bother you anymore for now. You need to rest. If you need anything, I'll be nearby," she said with a gentle smile before standing and leaving the room with silent steps.
"....."
"..."
Sigh
Seraphina ran a hand through her hair, trying to dispel the confusion dominating her thoughts.
'I can't just ignore this.'
Her eyes turned toward the window, the soft afternoon light filtering through the glass but offering no clarity to her mind.
'I need to talk to him.'
The decision formed in her mind like a blade.
Seraphina knew she had to confront Evan, question him about what he knew, what he had said, and what was really going on.
The silence of my room felt like a heavy blanket, bringing with it a sense of loneliness and introspection.
I leaned against the edge of the mattress, closing my eyes for a moment.
When I opened them again, the system window was there, an invisible presence to the world but inescapable to me.
"Today was… complicated," I murmured to myself, my voice cutting through the silence.
My mind revisited the day's events.
The entity.
Seraphina.
Leah.
Hendricks's concern and Leah's insistence on helping me.
It was strange how these connections felt so real now, so different from the idea of a story I had written.
I touched my left shoulder, still feeling a subtle weight, as if that woman… or entity's… embrace lingered.
'What did she want from me? And why did she seem to know so much about the future?'
The memory of her gaze and her cryptic words sent a chill through me.
Yet, at the same time, another scene persisted in my mind.
Leah, dragging me home with Noah and Emma, practically forcing me to rest.
"Heh."
"They care too much," I murmured with a faint smile.
Leah and Hendricks had always treated Evan like family, something I, now living his life, could barely comprehend.
But in some ways, that warmth made me feel better.
I sat on the mattress I was calling a bed, trying to organize my thoughts.
'I need to prepare.'
The system window hovered in my vision, an extension of my mind.
[Name: Evan]
[Age: 17 years]
[Vitality: 7.2]
[Stamina: 3.4]
[Magical Power: 6.7]
[Physical Strength: 3.1]
[Abilities:]
• Shadow Manipulation
[Available Points: 260]
I stared at the screen for a moment, feeling the weight of the decision I was about to make.
Each point was precious, a reflection of battles won and challenges overcome.
"260 points…"
Haha.
A laugh escaped before I realized it, breaking the silence.
'I never imagined I'd have so many points so soon.'
I scanned the interface, analyzing the options.
▷ Ethereal Shadow Cloak [Cost: 200 Points]
▷ Blades of the Black Moon [Cost: 500 Points]
My gaze dropped to the option further down, the one that had been stuck in my mind since I first saw it.
▷ Eyes of the Abyss [1000 Points → 200]
Sigh…
I let out a long breath.
The choice seemed simple, but its weight was immense.
"Eyes of the Abyss…"
I knew I couldn't use this ability's full potential immediately, but its power was undeniable.
It was the only logical choice, especially after the encounter with that entity.
[Are you sure you want to purchase Eyes of the Abyss for 200 points?]
The window seemed to wait, almost expectantly, as I hesitated for a brief moment.
'Yes!'
My confirmation echoed through the system window, and the ability was acquired.
★ Ability Acquired: Eyes of the Abyss ★
[Current Points = 60]
I let my shoulders relax for a moment, but before I could feel relief, a strange sensation began forming in my eyes.
"Hngh…"
A sudden discomfort surged through them, like an intense pressure building rapidly.
Instinctively, I brought my hands to my face.
The soft light of the room transformed into an explosion of blinding intensity, burning as if it were pure fire.
"Ugh!"
I closed my eyes, but there was no relief.
The pain tore through my skull like thousands of searing needles piercing every nerve.
My breathing grew irregular, and the world around me began to change.
The walls rippled like waves on a furious ocean, the floor seemed to melt, and a low buzzing in my ears grew louder and louder until it became deafening.
"What… the hell is this?!"
The pain reached an unbearable peak.
It felt like something inside me was breaking, opening a door that should have remained locked.
And then, it happened.
A wave of energy erupted from my eyes, rippling through everything around me.
For a moment, everything went dark—an intense darkness that swallowed the world.
Even with my eyes closed, I could see.
"Author's Note: Image"
The room, the furniture, every detail… and beyond that, I could sense.
I felt Noah and Emma in the room next door, their breaths soft in their dreams.
Every pulse, every detail of the environment around me was imprinted in my mind like a pulsating light.
But the moment was brief.
The wave of energy disappeared as quickly as it came, and with it, my strength.
"Damn…"
My voice was barely a whisper as my body collapsed onto the mattress, drained.
The last thing I felt was the void pulling me in, before everything faded into darkness.