…Light.
Faint at first.
Then clearer.
My eyes opened slowly.
The ceiling above me was unfamiliar.
Not in appearance—but in certainty.
It felt like a place I should recognize.
But didn't.
I remained still for a moment, observing.
Bandages wrapped around my body. My limbs felt heavy. There was a dull ache beneath the surface—controlled, manageable.
"…Injured."
A simple conclusion.
I pushed myself up slightly, ignoring the discomfort.
There were no memories of how I got here.
No recollection of a battle.
No trace of what led to this condition.
…
A knock.
"Enter."
The door opened, and a maid stepped in. The moment her eyes met mine, relief washed over her expression.
"Sir Cain… you've awakened."
I studied her for a brief moment.
"I'm glad you are alright. I'll let the Duke know that you're awake."
"…The Duke…?"
She blinked.
"…My lord?"
...
"Where am I?"
A pause.
Confusion flickered across her face.
"You are at the estate of His Highness, Sir Lucien Valencrest," she said carefully. "You have been residing here for some time now."
…
Residing?
"…Have I been unconscious this entire time?"
"No, sir," she replied immediately. "You only lost consciousness two days ago."
I frowned slightly.
"Two days…"
"Yes. You were attacked within the estate. An assassin targeted you. You collapsed shortly after."
I remained silent.
"…Prior to that?" I asked.
"You had been awake for several days," she said. "Interacting with the household as usual."
…
A gap.
Not partial.
Not unclear.
Missing.
"…I see."
The maid hesitated, then asked softly,
"Are you… feeling unwell, sir?"
"…It is likely that my memory has not fully recovered yet."
The answer came easily.
Reasonable.
Acceptable.
Even to myself.
"I require an audience with the Duke."
"At once, sir."
The estate was… orderly.
Servants moved with discipline.
Knights stood at attention.
Everything functioned as it should.
And yet—
"…I do not remember any of this."
Not the place.
Not the people.
Not even the events that supposedly took place here.
The door to the office. That's where I stood.
I look at a mirror right beside the wall.
A chiselled face was in front of me. As usual. No beard. Blonde hair that dropped to my neck. Sapphire eyes.
My face is the same. Nothing looks different.
But... It feels off.
"Enter."
I stepped into the chamber.
Lucien Valencrest stood near the window, his presence alone enough to fill the room.
Even without action, I could tell- He was far stronger than I was now.
In strength. As well as in Authority.
His gaze shifted toward me.
"…Cain."
I lowered my head.
"Your Highness."
"You've awakened."
"I have."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"Forgive me," I said calmly, "but it appears I have lost a portion of my memory."
His eyes narrowed, ever so slightly.
"…Explain."
"I have no recollection of my time within this estate," I continued. "Nor of any recent interactions."
Silence.
Then he spoke-
"…The curse," he said after a moment. "It seems to have affected more than just your strength."
"I cannot confirm the cause."
"No," he said. "But it is the most likely explanation."
He accepted it.
Or chose to.
"If there is anything I must know," I continued, "I would ask that you inform me."
The Duke studied me for a moment.
"…Nothing of note," he said at last. "Aside from the assassination attempt."
"I have been informed."
"We have already begun our investigation."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"The family responsible has been identified."
"It looks like the Salazar Barony still held contempt for you."
Salazar.
If I'm remembering right, that was the the Barony I ousted for human trafficking.
"…I see."
"You exposed their corruption not long ago," he added. "It seems they chose retaliation."
That explained enough.
Wait. Seraphina.
…She stabbed me.
Betrayed me.
The memory was clear.
The reason… was not.
"…There must be a cause."
"…What happened to Seraphina?"
The Duke paused.
"…Even after she drove a blade through your heart, you still ask about her."
"I intend to ask her why."
A quiet response.
Measured.
"…She surrendered," he said. "Confessed before the royal court."
My gaze remained steady.
"And her punishment?"
"…Undecided."
A brief silence lingered.
"So it would be okay if I visited her-
"-For now," the Duke continued, "you should focus on your recovery."
"…Understood."
I almost lost my composure there.
"You will be informed when a verdict is reached."
"...Alright."
I inclined my head.
The corridor was silent as I walked back.
Each step steady.
Controlled.
And yet—
"…I was awake."
For days.
Interacting.
Speaking.
Acting.
And I remember none of it.
"…Impossible."
Memory loss did not function this way.
Not without cause.
My hand clenched slightly.
Then relaxed.
"…Irrelevant."
For now.
My strength had diminished.
Severely.
But—
"…Strength can always be regained."
I turned toward the training grounds.
--------------------------------------------
…Darkness.
Heavy.
Endless.
Elias pushed upward.
For the first time—
He moved.
His body still felt distant, but the pressure had lessened. The suffocating weight that held him down had begun to fade.
"…I'm… moving…"
Slowly.
Painfully.
But moving.
Light.
Faint.
Above.
He reached for it—
And broke through.
|Achievements Unlocked|
|Near-Death Experience|
|Reward: Skill- Lupin's Disguise (D), 400 coins|
|Survived Lethal Poison|
|Reward: Poison Resistance (F)|
|Maximum HP has been increased by 5 (40->45)|
|Survived Soul Resonance|
|Reward: 200 coins|
|Innate Trait Unlocked: True Vision (F)[Growth]|
...Silence.
Then-
Awareness.