Nnenna's mind was clouded, her thoughts barely coherent as the weight of her failing body threatened to pull her into darkness.
Still, she fought with everything she had left. Her lips trembled, her throat burned, but she forced out a single, faint whisper.
"Yes..."
The word was fragile, barely audible, but it was enough. The system's relief was almost palpable.
The love system's notification sounded again, bringing a sense of strange relief.
Ding!
"One thousand good points deducted. Life extension is now one month."
As the words lingered in the air, the tension in the room remained thick. Director Ikenna, Four, and the attending doctors stood frozen, still trying to grasp what had just occurred.
The girl who had been seizing a moment ago, seemingly on the brink of death, was now eerily still, her body relaxed as if nothing had happened. It was as though the seizure had never occurred.
The attending doctor, Dr. Chidi, was the first to move. He rushed to Nnenna's side, checking her pulse. It was steady. A sharp intake of breath escaped him as he placed a stethoscope to her chest.
"Her heartbeat's stable," he muttered in disbelief, looking up at Director Ikenna, who had been silently observing, brow furrowed.
Four watched, his mind racing. He knew Nnenna had somehow defied the odds, but how? He hadn't seen such a quick recovery from a seizure before, especially after someone had been as close to death as Nnenna was moments ago.
Dr. Chidi quickly moved to check her airway, ensuring it was clear and unobstructed. He performed a visual check, verifying her pupils were responsive to light.
To his surprise, they reacted normally, indicating her brain functions hadn't been impaired in the wake of the seizure.
"We need to move fast," the doctor said, his voice urgent but controlled. "I'll prepare the IV fluids, she needs hydration and stabilization. She could still be at risk for another seizure, or for complications."
Nnenna's eyelids fluttered slightly, as though she was beginning to stir. The doctors exchanged glances, both relieved and cautious. They knew that seizures, though often brief, could cause lingering effects. They would need to monitor her closely.
"Start an EEG," Dr. Chidi ordered. "We need to check for any electrical disturbances in her brain. This recovery is... unusual."
A nurse quickly set up the electroencephalogram machine, placing the electrodes carefully on Nnenna's scalp, connecting them to the device that would track her brain's electrical activity.
"Let's also get a CT scan, just to be safe," Dr. Moses added. "I want to make sure there's no underlying cause we missed."
As they prepared to move Nnenna for the scan, her body suddenly twitched, then stilled again. It was as if her body was still trying to process what had just happened.
Four looked at the girl one more time then silently wheeled himself away but didn't notice Ebere staring a him with infatuation in her eyes and a ting of disappointment at his non functioning legs.
"Her pupils are responding, and the EEG looks normal so far," Dr. Chidi said, examining the readings with growing relief. "It's... remarkable. Whatever happened, she's recovering faster than I would've expected."
It wasn't just her physical recovery that was astounding, her mental clarity seemed to be returning too. Slowly, Nnenna's eyes began to open wider, and her gaze flicked between the people around her.
Nnenna was regaining consciousness. Despite the odds, her body had fought back, and against all expectations, she was alive.
But as she blinked slowly, the room remained silent, waiting for her to speak.
The love system had granted her an extension of life, but now, it was up to her to take the next step in her journey and get more good points.
"Please, ma'am, sirs, miss, come with me. We need you all to wait in the reception while we run some tests," a nurse said politely to the Achebe family, her expression calm but firm.
"Tests? She's fine. She looks fine to me!" Queen Chioma interjected sharply, her arms crossed. "And these tests cost money, you know."
The nurse blinked, momentarily taken aback. Was money truly an issue for the royal family? Were they not here for their daughter's well being?
She hesitated before clarifying. "Ma'am, these are necessary tests. They're important to ensure that your daughter is stable and that nothing else happens."
Abuchi, standing silent at first, frowned slightly. "Necessary, you say?" he asked, his tone calculated. His gaze shifted to Nnenna, who, despite appearing calm now, had been fighting for her life just moments ago.
"Yes, sir," the nurse confirmed, her tone steady. "While she seems fine on the surface, sudden seizures can be unpredictable. We need to understand what caused it to avoid future complications."
Chidera rolled his eyes. "More expenses. Is all this really worth it?" he muttered under his breath.
Obinna, however, stepped forward, placing a hand on Chidera's shoulder. "It's not about the cost, Chidera. It's her life," he said firmly, though his expression betrayed his reluctance. There was need to keep up appearances in public.
King Ikechukwu, standing a little apart from the rest of the family, sighed softly. "Let them do their job," he said, his voice calm but laced with authority. "We'll wait."
"But she's fi—" Queen Chioma started to argue, but King Ikechukwu silenced her with a stern look that made her lips clamp shut.
His expression made it clear, he hadn't come all the way here to watch the girl die over unresolved arguments.
Reluctantly, the family filed out of the room, each carrying varying degrees of irritation and concern. However, Somto lingered behind. His gaze sharpened as he turned towards Ikenna, who stood near the doctors.
"You're all running tests," Somto began, his voice measured but cutting. "CT scans, blood tests, all of it. Fine. But tell me this, didn't you just say she was getting better?
How does someone who's supposedly recovering suddenly have a seizure like that? Are you messing with me?" He stepped forward slightly, his presence commanding and his words filled with quiet menace.