Sylvia slowly opened her eyes, her vision settling on the ceiling above her while her mind struggled to catch up. For a few moments, she didn't move, letting the haze clear as fragments of memory surfaced one after another.
The fall.
The rush of air.
The monstrous figure towering over the street.
Her breath hitched slightly as the images sharpened, her fingers tightening against the bedsheet.
"I seriously need some counseling…" she murmured, pushing herself upright. "That was way too vivid to be a normal dream."
She sat at the edge of the bed, pressing her hand lightly against her temple as she tried to steady herself.
Then she looked around.
The room didn't match.
The layout, the furniture, even the lighting felt unfamiliar. Nothing here belonged to her, and that realization cut through whatever denial she still had.
Her expression shifted, the last bit of doubt fading.
"Don't tell me…" she said slowly, her voice lowering as the pieces came together.
"All of that… was real."
She stepped out of the room slowly, pushing the door open just enough to slip through. For a moment, she kept her body half-hidden behind it, leaning her head out first as her eyes scanned the unfamiliar space.
Then she heard a voice.
"Uncle, if you're going to throw your problems at me, at least bother to tell me so that I can be prepared."
Sylvia paused, listening.
Curiosity took over.
She stepped out fully and followed the sound, moving carefully until she reached the hall.
What she saw made her stop.
Daniel was sitting on the sofa, completely at ease, while in front of him hovered a projection—clear, stable, not something simple or low-grade. The figure inside it looked real enough to be standing there in person.
Luke.
He stood with one hand against his chin, as if casually thinking through the conversation.
"Didn't I explain this the last time we met?" Luke said, his tone calm, almost conversational. "That you might run into some of my enemies, and that they wouldn't be easy to kill."
Daniel didn't react.
His face remained flat.
"No, you didn't," he said.
Luke paused for a moment, then gave a small nod as if reconsidering.
"Hmmm… is that so," he replied. "Then I've said it now. Problem solved."
Daniel stared at him.
There was a short silence before his expression shifted, not dramatically, but enough to show what he thought of that answer.
"Uncle," he said, his tone lowering, "where are you right now?"
Luke raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Why?" he asked.
Daniel leaned forward a little, his gaze fixed on him.
"I really want to express some family love," Daniel said, his voice calm but carrying weight. "What do you mean 'problem solved'? You throw that mess at me and just walk away?"
Luke didn't look bothered.
"But haven't you always liked problems?" he replied, as if the answer was obvious. "And you already have the Mark of Nexus. That thing is not ordinary—it can control both time and space. It should be more than enough to handle anything you run into."
Daniel leaned back slightly, exhaling.
"Yeah, I figured that part out after messing with it," he said. "It's not exactly the easiest thing to understand."
Luke nodded, as if that was expected.
"There's more to it," he added. "The mark has a hidden function. Not that I think you're weak enough to die—you are my nephew, after all, and that system was designed by me—but in case something does go wrong…"
"The time aspect will activate on its own. It will roll you back two days. You won't die."
Daniel's expression shifted, this time with clear interest.
"So it does that too," he said. "Looks like I underestimated you again."
For all his complaints, he knew what that meant.
A safety net.
Luke gave a faint smile, about to continue.
Then something small dropped into frame.
A little girl appeared out of nowhere and landed on his shoulders, grabbing his hair without hesitation.
"Daddy, take me to play," she said, tugging at him insistently.
Luke sighed, clearly used to it.
"Nora, can't you see I'm busy right now?" he said, trying to maintain composure.
"I don't care," she replied immediately, her cheeks puffing slightly. "Mommy said it's your time to play with me, and if you don't come, I won't talk to you."
Daniel watched the entire exchange, his expression shifting into something closer to amusement.
"…Wow," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Uncle, you actually have a kid."
Luke didn't deny it.
Daniel leaned forward a little, a grin forming.
"Now I really want to meet you."
Luke let out a small laugh.
"You will," he said. "Soon enough. Until then… take care."
The projection flickered, its light breaking apart into faint fragments before disappearing completely, leaving the room quiet again.
Daniel let out a slow sigh, leaning back into the sofa.
"So he shows up only after I deal with the problem," he muttered. "Figures."
It wasn't the first time. His uncle had a habit of appearing after things were already finished, as if just to confirm everything had gone according to plan before leaving again.
Daniel's gaze shifted slightly.
"Sylvia… doesn't your neck hurt from sneaking around like that?" he said casually. "You can come out. It's not like I'm going to eat you."
Near the hallway, Sylvia froze.
She had been standing just out of sight, trying to stay quiet while listening, but his voice landed directly on her position.
Her balance slipped for a second, her foot nearly sliding against the floor before she caught herself.
How did he—
Her eyes widened slightly as she steadied herself.
She hadn't made a sound.
For a moment, she just stood there, staring toward the hall, the question repeating in her mind.
Does this guy have eyes on his back?
*****
A/N: If you'd like to read ahead of the Webnovel release schedule, you can join my Patreon!
The Patreon version is 30 chapters ahead.
👉 patreon.com/Universal_Peace