"Shivana… Shivana! Are you alright?"
Those were the last words I spoke inside that restaurant before everything collapsed.
Nearly seven hours have passed since that moment.
I carried her here immediately—to that house near Arcadia, the same place where the thieves attacked before. It seems the waves of panic and fear that have haunted her for so long have finally begun to damage her health. Over time, a deep-rooted terror of humans and other races has taken hold of her, born from forced isolation and the massacres that queen once carried out against her own people.
I looked down at my hands thoughtfully.
My mind drifted back to the night I left the elves behind. At the time, none of them realized that the mission I had set out on was nothing short of suicide.
I had infiltrated Nira's castle after discovering its weaknesses. When I finally confronted her, that queen possessed a terrifying power—one that nearly pushed me to the brink of death.
If it weren't for the "miracle" that lives inside me, I would not have survived.
Even now, that power remains a mystery, hiding a secret far greater than I understand. It is completely different from the mana used in this world.
Defeating Nira should have been impossible.
Yet the impossible happened.
Not because I am some extraordinary being… but because the dark power within me is the only exception to the rules of this world.
Soon, I will find answers to my questions.
The image of that distorted white crown that haunts my dreams is becoming clearer—as if it were a warning of something enormous approaching.
But for now, I must focus on those around me.
Especially this girl.
For some reason, I have a strong feeling that she will play an important role in my future.
While I was lost in my endless thoughts, Shivana finally began to wake from her long sleep.
She moved slowly, pain pressing against her head. I was sitting beside her in that small room, illuminated only by the faint glow of a candle as night settled outside.
"So… you're finally awake, Shivana," I said quietly.
She looked at me with confusion in her eyes.
"My lord… is that you? What happened?"
"You collapsed while we were leaving the restaurant," I replied. "You've been unconscious for more than seven hours."
She lowered her gaze with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Lord Nico… I don't know what happened to me."
My voice hardened slightly, a cold edge creeping in.
"You know exactly what happened. Tell me… how long has this been going on?"
She lowered her head further.
"About a week… I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to distract you from your important responsibilities."
"That was unacceptable," I said firmly. "No matter how busy I am, you should have told me."
I paused before continuing more calmly.
"But what's done is done. The important thing now is understanding why you collapsed."
"Your body broke down because of overwhelming fear and stress. Even the pure blood of your people—which grants your kind natural healing—couldn't save you. Because the problem isn't physical."
"It's psychological."
"And you must learn to control it as soon as possible."
I fell silent for a moment before asking more sharply,
"What exactly keeps feeding this terror inside you, Shivana?"
Tears suddenly streamed down her face.
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
"The truth is… I'm still terrified that Queen Nira might return."
"I'm afraid she'll come back and devour us all again."
Her breathing grew uneven.
"I'll never forget the sight of her tearing into my parents in front of me… ripping their flesh apart and drinking their blood."
"She tortured them slowly… refusing to grant them even the mercy of a quick death."
"They offered themselves to her instead of me—just to buy me enough time to escape."
Her shoulders trembled.
"And since that day… fear has never left my fragile heart."
She hesitated before adding softly,
"And then there was the human named Jacker… the one who killed the rest of my family."
I sighed quietly to myself.
Just as I expected.
The trauma she suffered as a child had carved deep wounds in her mind, wounds that had now begun to destroy her from the inside.
"Shivana," I said gently.
"Yes, Lord Nico… I hope I didn't trouble you with my sad story."
"You didn't," I replied calmly. "But there is something you must know if you want to be free from that fear."
I looked directly into her eyes.
"Queen Nira is dead."
Shivana's eyes widened in shock.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
"T-That's impossible… How? What happened to her?"
"I killed her," I answered coldly.
"I've kept it a secret from everyone. If the world discovers the truth, it could destabilize the balance of power and cause several empires to see me as an enemy."
"So for now… the news remains hidden."
She stared at me as if she were looking at something divine.
"Are you… a god, Lord Nico?"
"No," I replied calmly. "I'm not a god."
"I'm simply someone searching for answers to questions about my own identity."
I paused before continuing.
"You and the others are not just strangers I happened to encounter along my path. I chose to protect you because your people are the purest race I have ever known."
"You seek nothing but peace."
"And I have a feeling that your existence will become important to my future."
Shivana's eyes filled with emotion.
"Thank you, Lord Nico… I can't believe how lucky we are to have met you. You're a miracle in our lives."
Suddenly she stood up and threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly as she cried.
"Thank you… my great lord. Words alone aren't enough."
I smiled faintly and returned the embrace.
"You deserve better, Shivana. Your loyalty deserves to be rewarded."
"As long as I am here, no one will dare harm you."
"I will make this world respect your people—whether through diplomacy… or through force."
I paused before adding,
"And soon, I'm going to make a major change in you."
She looked up at me curiously.
"What do you mean, my lord? What will you do to me?"
I answered with quiet confidence.
"Soon, you will become a completely different person."
"Someone will oversee your training—and I will personally guide you as well."
"You will no longer remain that frightened girl."
"You will gain a power of your own."
I looked directly at her left eye.
"And what I placed in your left eye…"
A faint smile crossed my face.
"…is my surprise for you."
After a brief moment of silence, Shivana regained her smile.
"You truly are the best, Nico. I'm ready to do anything you ask of me—even if the price is my life."
Nico smiled faintly and replied, "I appreciate your loyalty, Shivana, but let's put aside this gloomy atmosphere for now. I'll go out and bring us something to eat."
Shivana answered quickly, "There's no need, Lord Nico. I can cook something for us. I still have a few supplies stored away for emergencies."
Nico looked at her with concern. "But you're still tired, Shivana, aren't you?"
"It's alright," she replied gently. "I'm feeling better now, and I don't want to stay lying down for too long."
Nico nodded. "Very well. In that case, I'll stay with you and we can cook together."
Shivana's face brightened. "Of course, Lord Nico! I can even teach you a few dishes if you'd like."
"It would be my honor," Nico replied calmly. "Knowledge, no matter its form, is always valuable to the one who possesses it."
Shivana smiled shyly. "You're right… then let's begin."
---
I spent a wonderful time with this girl.
My purpose in spending time with these beings is simple—I want to understand their feelings and emotions. I want to feel as though I am one of them, rather than some strange existence with an unknown identity wandering through this vast world.
How long will I remain like this?
Sometimes it feels as if I'm trapped inside a burning cage, the strangeness of my existence slowly consuming me day by day.
Who am I?
Why do I exist in this place?
What purpose was I created for?
These questions constantly echo in my mind.
Even though I've learned much and begun to understand their emotions, the result still feels shallow—nothing more than a wandering soul inhabiting a body.
I don't know whether I will become a light of hope for these beings… or the darkness that brings them despair.
After all, I am a creature born from nothing—yet aware, conscious.
Am I truly Nico Sigmund, the human they believe me to be?
Or am I simply hiding from the truth—that I am something beyond this world, created for a purpose I have yet to understand?
During my journey, I became certain of something.
What humans see when they sleep—what they call dreams—is completely different from what I experience.
And that realization only makes everything worse.
For now, I only hope that things remain stable.
I need more time among these beings… more time to feel what they feel.
Who knows?
Perhaps things will turn out well.
Or perhaps everything will collapse without warning.
Sometimes I feel as though this world will never accept what I truly am… and that one day, they may all turn against me without hesitation.
[End of Chapter 53]