Victoria paced around her son's bed with the restless energy of a caged lioness, her path creating an invisible groove in the expensive carpet. Every few circuits, she would pause to glare at the ornate wall clock, then direct a murderous gaze at the physician before resuming her anxious patrol. Friedrich, in stark contrast, remained perfectly still, his unwavering attention fixed on his son's unconscious form as if trying to will him awake through sheer paternal determination.
Suddenly, Friedrich's eyes blazed with golden light. "He's woken up," he announced, his voice carrying absolute certainty. The room's occupants barely had time to register their surprise before Ambrose began stirring, his body slowly rising to a sitting position as he clutched his head.
When he opened his eyes, the sight was extraordinary. His left eye radiated an ethereal blue glow, containing what appeared to be an actual star suspended in its depths - perfectly formed but eerily static. His right eye shone with golden brilliance, housing the image of a motionless clock. The dichotomy of his eyes created an almost hypnotic effect, as if one was gazing into two different aspects of the universe itself.
Friedrich's response was immediate and overwhelming. His own golden eyes intensified, revealing spinning clock faces within their depths. A wave of golden energy pulsed outward from him, expanding to fill the entire chamber before settling into an invisible barrier. As it took hold, time itself seemed to freeze, creating a pocket of absolute stillness.
Not to be outdone, Victoria's eyes erupted with celestial blue light, revealing rotating stars that seemed more vibrant and real than those in her son's gaze. Unlike her husband's all-encompassing temporal field, she created a more focused barrier that enveloped only the area around the bed, encompassing their small family while leaving the others frozen in Friedrich's time-lock.
Ambrose, still adjusting to consciousness, watched this display of power with carefully concealed awe. His inherited memories had hinted at his parents' strength, but witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different matter. Their presence felt like that of ancient dragons to his ant-like existence - beings so far beyond his comprehension that the mere concept of measurement seemed laughable.
Fear crept into his thoughts as he wondered if they had somehow detected his true nature. Had they discovered that their son's body now housed a different soul? Before his anxiety could spiral further, Victoria shattered the tension in the most unexpected way - by launching herself at him with a mother's unbridled joy, her words dissolving into happy, unintelligible sounds of relief.
Friedrich, displaying a surprising degree of familiarity with his wife's behavior, smoothly detached her from their son and set her aside with the practiced ease of someone handling an overexcited kitten. He knew from experience that she would never calm down otherwise.
When Friedrich turned back to face his son, Ambrose noticed something that sent relief flooding through his system - a faint blush coloring his father's usually composed features. "It seems I haven't been exposed," he thought, carefully maintaining his exterior calm while internally sighing with relief.
…
Friedrich cleared his throat deliberately, drawing his son's attention. "Do you understand what just happened?" he asked, his tone carrying the weight of generations of noble authority. Ambrose could only stare back, his mind racing to find an appropriate response from his borrowed memories.
Seeing his son's confusion, Friedrich abandoned subtlety. "You just awakened your second talent," he stated plainly. "Although awakening a second talent isn't impossible, it doesn't commonly happen." His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.
Victoria, having regained her composure, interjected with motherly enthusiasm. "It seems this talent awakening has relieved some of the restrictions of the Weak Body Physique," she observed, her trained eyes assessing her son's condition. "You should be able to at least move around freely now." Her words carried both hope and carefully measured excitement.
Friedrich's booming laugh suddenly filled the chamber. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Who says my son has ordinary talent?" His voice swelled with paternal pride. "And from the looks of it, you've inherited both my time and your mother's space talent..." His voice trailed off as the full implications of his words sank in. He exchanged a loaded glance with Victoria, their expressions shifting to something more complex and uneasy.
Before Ambrose could question their sudden change in demeanor, Victoria materialized at his side. With gentle fingers, she touched his face, and the supernatural glow in his eyes faded, returning to their natural brown. "Son, we have something to discuss so we won't be spending any more time with you," she said, her voice carefully controlled. "Also, don't tell anyone about your second talent awakening." The warning in her tone was unmistakable.
As the spatial and temporal barriers dissolved, the frozen world resumed its natural flow. The physician's eyes widened with realization, but one look at the noble couple's expressions convinced him to hold his tongue.
Friedrich turned to the physician, his voice now cold and formal. "My son has recovered. Thanks for your help. I won't be escorting you back." The dismissal was crystal clear.
The physician, well-versed in noble politics, caught the underlying message. "Then I'll be taking my leave. Thanks for having me," he responded smoothly, while internally noting the irony of being treated like an intruder after being summoned for help.
"Wait!" Friedrich's command froze the physician mid-step. "I would appreciate it if you forgot everything that happened here and anything you think you saw."
Without turning, the physician replied with practiced casualness, "What are you talking about? I just came to borrow some money for my research but it seemed you were busy so I didn't dare disturb you."
"Good," Friedrich's approval carried both satisfaction and warning.
Victoria placed a tender kiss on her son's forehead before embracing Friedrich from behind. A flash of blue light enveloped them, and they vanished as if they'd never existed, leaving only disturbed air in their wake.
Ambrose sat alone in the suddenly empty room, his mind whirling with questions. "What just happened? Who am I? Where am I?"