Darkness clung to Noel's mind like a stubborn fog, refusing to lift. Shapes twisted within it grotesque yet strangely absurd. A massive cyclops stood before him, its single eye wobbling comically as it tried to focus.
Its enormous hand reached out… only to trip over its own feet and crash face-first into the ground with a thunderous thud.
The earth shook, but instead of fear, a strange echoing boing rang out, like something out of a child's toy.
Then the scene shifted.
The cyclops rose again but now it wore a crooked crown, far too small for its head, and spoke in a high-pitched, almost whining voice.
"Come back here, little knight!"
it cried, chasing Noel in exaggerated, clumsy strides. Its footsteps splashed through puddles that hadn't been there before, each step sending up bursts of bright, unnatural colors. Noel tried to run, but his legs felt like they were stuck in syrup.
The ground stretched endlessly beneath him, warping and bending, while the cyclops grew both larger and smaller at the same time. Its eye spun like a wheel, locking onto him and suddenly snapped open.
Noel jolted awake, his breath uneven.
For a moment, he couldn't understand where he was. The strange dream still lingered, its absurd terror clinging to the edges of his thoughts. But reality soon forced its way in.
He was lying down.
Wrapped.
Completely wrapped.
Bandages covered nearly every inch of his body, layered thickly around his arms, chest, and legs. Even his shoulders felt stiff under the tight bindings. He stared at himself in confusion, trying to move his fingers, then his arm—
Pain answered immediately. Not sharp, not unbearable… but deep and stubborn. The kind that came from exhaustion, from a body pushed far beyond its limits. Every muscle protested, stiff and heavy, as if he hadn't moved in days.
What… happened…? His thoughts felt sluggish, like wading through mud.
Then—
"Thank God you're awake, young master."
The voice cut through the haze. Noel turned his head slowly, the simple motion sending a dull ache through his neck. Standing beside him was Lily. Her eyes met his, and for a brief moment, something broke through her usual composure. Relief flooded her expression, followed by a warmth .
A small, almost trembling smile touched her lips.
"You're finally awake…" she said softly.
Noel blinked, trying to process everything at once. He shifted slightly, attempting to sit up
"Ah—"
A strained sound escaped him as his body protested violently. His muscles screamed, his joints stiff and uncooperative. It wasn't the agony of fresh wounds, but the lingering weight of fatigue and healing.
"Don't move." Lily's voice sharpened, stepping closer. "You're still injured. You need rest."
Noel paused, breathing unevenly. Slowly, he let himself sink back down, though the tension in his body didn't fully fade. His mind, however, refused to stay still.
Fragments began to return. The road… the mountains… the soldiers. The cyclops. Its towering form. The overwhelming pressure. The fear that had gripped everyone.
And then his father.
The memory struck him like a sudden blow. Noel's eyes widened slightly as everything came rushing back in full. The battle. The chaos. His father standing before him—back turned, facing the monster.
"Father…" Noel's voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper.
Lily stiffened almost imperceptibly.
"What happened…?" he continued, forcing the words out. "The cyclops… and—"
He hesitated for only a second.
"My father… what happened to him?"
For a brief moment, the room fell silent. Lily's expression did not change, but something in her posture did.
A faint tension crept into her shoulders, so subtle it could easily be missed. Her gaze shifted ever so slightly, not quite meeting his.
"It's not something you should worry about right now," she said calmly. Her tone was steady, controlled. Too controlled. "You need to focus on recovering."
Noel frowned faintly, confusion flickering across his face. "But—"
"You've been unconscious for twenty-one days," she continued, gently but firmly cutting him off.
"Your body needs time. Don't strain yourself with unnecessary thoughts."
Her words were careful, measured, deliberate.
Noel lay still, staring at the ceiling as Lily's words echoed in his mind. Twenty-one days… I've been unconscious for twenty-one days… The thought felt unreal.
It was as if time had slipped through his fingers without him even noticing. His body certainly felt it heavy, stiff, unfamiliar.
Lily watched him quietly for a moment, as if gauging whether he would push himself again.
Then her expression softened, though her voice remained firm. "You need rest,"
she said.
"I'll go meet the priest and make arrangements. Once everything is ready, we'll return to the Hendrix family estate."
Noel didn't respond immediately. His thoughts were elsewhere, tangled in questions he couldn't ignore.
Lily turned and walked toward the door. For a brief second she paused, but without looking back, she stepped out and closed the door gently behind her.
Silence settled in the room. Noel's eyes shifted slightly, his gaze unfocused. Father… The memory resurfaced again clearer this time.
His father standing before him, unmoving, unwavering. Facing the cyclops alone. What happened after that…? His fingers curled slightly against the sheets. Does Mother know…?
A faint unease crept into his chest. Lily's reaction earlier her avoidance, her carefully chosen words it didn't sit right with him. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Just then, a muffled noise drifted in from outside the room. Voices. Footsteps. The faint clatter of something metallic. Noel's attention snapped toward the door.
He hesitated for a moment, then slowly pushed himself up.
"Ah…"
A quiet groan escaped him as pain flared through his body. His muscles protested immediately, stiff and strained from days of stillness, but it wasn't unbearable.
It was manageable. Gritting his teeth, Noel swung his legs over the side of the bed. The ground felt strangely cold beneath his feet as he steadied himself. His body trembled slightly, not from weakness alone, but from the effort of forcing it to move.
Step by step, he made his way to the door. Each movement sent dull aches through his limbs, but he endured it.
Curiosity and something deeper pushed him forward. He reached out, grasped the handle, and slowly pulled the door open.
What greeted him made him freeze.
The hallway beyond was filled with people. many he didn't recognise lay on rows of beds stretching down the corridor.
Some were unconscious, their bodies wrapped in bandages like his.
Others groaned softly, shifting in pain. The air was thick with the scent of medicine and blood, barely masked by burning incense. Many of them were heavily wounded. Far worse than him.
Noel's breath caught slightly as his eyes moved from one figure to another. This wasn't just a recovery room. It was a place for the broken. A place for those who had barely survived. His grip on the door tightened. This many…?
And yet among all these wounded soldiers, there was one person he couldn't see. His chest tightened again, the unease from before growing heavier. Father… where are you…?
Lily walked briskly through the corridor, her thoughts still lingering on her conversation with the priest.
Her steps were quick, controlled but the moment she reached Noel's room and saw the door open, her composure faltered. Her eyes widened.
"Noel—"
She rushed forward, only to find him already standing outside, leaning slightly against the doorway. For a brief moment, relief washed over her again, but it was quickly replaced by concern.
"Young master, you should not come out," she said, her voice urgent as she reached his side.
Noel didn't move. He didn't even look at her right away. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the rows of wounded soldiers before him. When he finally spoke, his voice cut through the air sharp, strained, and filled with confusion.
"What happened…?"
The question was simple, but the weight behind it was not.
Lily froze. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
The answer sat heavily in her chest, yet refused to leave her mouth.
Noel turned his head slowly, his eyes locking onto hers.
"I asked… what happened?" he repeated,
his tone firmer this time.
Lily stiffened under his gaze. "You…" She hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly at her sides.
"You will understand after we return to the family estate."
Her voice was steady, but there was something beneath it. Worry. Hesitation. And something she was trying very hard to hide.
Noel felt it immediately. That small pause. That careful choice of words. It sent an unsettling feeling creeping into his chest, heavier than before.
But his body was still weak, and whatever answers he sought he wasn't going to get them here.
Not long after, they were seated inside a carriage. The wheels rolled steadily along the rough road, each turn sending faint jolts through Noel's already sore body. He leaned slightly against the side, silent, his eyes fixed on the world outside.
What he saw made his chest tighten.
Villages lay in ruin. Houses once whole were now broken shells, their roofs collapsed, their walls cracked and blackened.
Some stood barely upright, while others had been reduced to nothing more than scattered debris. The land itself looked wounded. Empty. Lifeless.
Here and there, people moved through the remains slowly, aimlessly. Some sat on the ground, unmoving, their faces hollow.
Others wept openly, clutching what little they had left. A woman cried out, her voice breaking as she held onto something unseen. Children wandered nearby, their faces streaked with tears. Some called out for their parents—voices small, desperate, unanswered.
Noel's hands clenched slightly. What… happened here…? This wasn't just a battle. This was devastation. The further they traveled, the more of it he saw. The destruction stretched on, as if the land itself had suffered under something far beyond control. A heavy, unsettling feeling settled deep within him, growing with every passing moment.
Beside him, Lily remained silent. She did not look outside.
By the time they reached the Hendrix family estate, the sun had begun to lower. The carriage slowed. Then stopped.
Noel lifted his gaze.
And for a moment, he could not speak.
The estate was damaged. The once-proud structure stood wounded, much like everything else he had seen.
Parts of the outer walls were cracked, sections of the building broken. The gates hung unevenly, barely holding together. Even the grounds once well-kept looked neglected, disturbed, as if they too had been caught in the aftermath of something terrible.
Noel stared, his chest tightening once more.
Even here…
There was no escaping it. Whatever had happened—it had reached everywhere.