To avoid being severely punished by his father, Lucas revealed much more about the actions his mother had coerced him into. While many of these actions were things he had done willingly, he still blamed his mother for everything.
Karol was conflicted. Despite his inner turmoil, he knew he had to do something about what had transpired. He felt especially responsible, as all of this had occurred under his roof, and he had been oblivious to it for years.
Once everything was settled, a physician was called to examine Wystan, whose body was still riddled with injuries.
"You just need to rest, Young Master Wystan. Although your core spirit is still weak, I'm glad that you're okay," the physician said with a smile, tending to Wystan's wounds. "You'll need to be careful when bathing as well. I suggest you have someone assist you whenever you want to take a bath."
Wystan nodded, curling up into the bed with a smile on his face. If this had happened before, none of it would have been possible. He couldn't help but wonder what the Almighty thought of him right now.
Is the Almighty counting this as one of his good deeds?
After the physician left, leaving behind a prescription for medicine, Darius remained with Wystan. The moment the physician exited, Darius's gaze landed on Wystan, who was still grinning widely. His brow furrowed in curiosity.
"I wonder what Father is going to do with them. I just hope he sends them away from here," Wystan remarked, his smile widening even further.
"He can't. Lucas will be whipped forty times and then made to work with the maids on the farm for a week. The Madam will be placed under house arrest," Darius replied, tilting his head thoughtfully. "You've really changed, you know."
Wystan's expression faltered as his eyes met Darius's. "Well, maybe."
"You've started calling Lord Eryndor 'Father.' You've never spoken to him since you came to this house, and you even went against Lady Marla. This is the first time you've spoken so clearly like this. And your demeanor... everything is different," Darius said, squinting as he rubbed the back of his neck.
Wystan sighed deeply, torn between telling Darius the truth. Should he reveal that the boy he once was had died, and that he, having spent five thousand years in hell, had been given a second chance to amend his past mistakes in this boy's body?
It doesn't even make sense...
"You know what? It's fine! Everything is okay, as long as you don't let anyone bully you!" Darius exclaimed, waving his hand in the air when he noticed Wystan staring off into space. "You need to rest, Young Master Wystan. If you need anything, just ring the bell. I'll be here as soon as possible."
With that, Darius left the room, leaving Wystan alone.
"What are you planning, Old Creature?" Wystan muttered to himself, his thoughts swirling in a chaotic whirlwind.
The Almighty must have had a reason for sending him here, but why Wystan Eryndor? His core spirit was the weakest the Almighty had ever seen. He was half human, half Eridian, powerless, and practically useless with his fragile core.
As his thoughts swirled, Wystan finally drifted into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how long he slept, but when he woke, it was dark—very dark. Fortunately, he felt much better compared to a few hours ago, when he had first awakened in this body.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and it opened to reveal Darius, still smiling as he entered. Everything that had happened earlier felt surreal, but Wystan couldn't suppress his happiness.
"You haven't eaten anything since yesterday, Young Master Wystan. Dinner is ready, and Lord Karol wants you to join us tonight."
Wystan's stomach growled loudly at the mention of dinner, as if his body was in perfect sync with the words.
For the first time since arriving at the Eryndor Mansion, Wystan was invited to the dining hall. He was too hungry to notice the stares of the people around him, fixated only on the food. Without a second thought, he grabbed a piece of meat, shoving it into his mouth and gesturing excitedly to Darius to show him just how delicious it was.
"Darius, would you like to have a taste? Oh God! I haven't eaten good meat in years!" Wystan exclaimed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. Darius quickly rushed over, alarm flashing across his face.
"Young Master, you have to wait for the Patriarch's arrival!" Darius whispered urgently, bowing his head to apologize to the others at the table. "He hit his head when he went missing, so please don't mind him."
Wystan froze, realizing what he had done, but his hunger was too overwhelming to let go of the chunk of meat in his hand. After the scene he caused at the table, Karol finally arrived. His gaze was as cold as ice.
The atmosphere at the Eryndor house had been unnervingly silent following the earlier commotion. Some members despised Wystan, but others were glad to see him stand up for himself after years of being silent.
Karol cleared his throat as he sat down at his seat, his eyes locking on Wystan. Something had changed about the boy, but Karol couldn't quite pinpoint it. He still couldn't quite believe Wystan had actually called him "Father" and asked for his help after years of silence.
"Let's eat," Karol said, taking a sip of wine.
Wystan didn't waste any time and dove into the food, savoring each bite. The meal was so delicious that it felt like the only thing worth savoring on Earth.
"Wystan," Karol suddenly called, making Wystan look up, his mouth full of food. "A letter arrived from the academy. You're to resume your studies there next semester."
Wystan blinked in confusion, his forehead creasing. The academy? What was the Old Creature thinking when he slipped his soul into someone like this, who still needed to go to school?!