"Mim, you can trust this man okay?" I said after Ryan had arrived, telling her to lie in bed without letting a single moment pass.
"...okay brother—I trust you..." She lay down after I told her he wanted to help her.
He pulled the chair, turning it towards the bed as he sat down,
"Hi, my name is Ryan—what is yours?" He waved with concise motions, while talking in a soft tone—one reminiscent of the pillow from last night.
"...h-hi... my name is Mim." It almost seemed like the whispers of the wind, while she avoided his eyes.
"I am here to help you today—okay?"
"Help...? Why... help me?" Her fingers were clenched into the blanket.
"Because I am a friend of Katherine and Edward, and they asked me to help you—" He turned towards me "Yesterday I came by as well, even your big brother knows me—right Tjer?"
"Yes Ryan is really nice!" I nodded, while smiling at her.
"See—is it alright if I help you now?"
"You know they are really worried about you—you are really loved!"
"Okay..." She returned the smile, her face flushed red.
"Please lie on your back, eyes closed." Ryan leaned forward.
She couldn't hold her jaw still as she closed her eyes.
"You won't even realize when I have started and when I am done!"
"O-okay..." She said, unable to say more than that.
At least the trembling stopped.
Once again the three circles appeared above her head, he knew what to do after he had discussed it with Katherine.
He would look at the difference overnight, what the possible cause is of her sleepiness, and how much time she has.
Those were the main things he had to find out.
I looked over at Mim, who was lying unmoving.
She really can't feel anything.
I looked to my right, and saw Katherine next to the wall, her eyes unmoving off Mim and Ryan, her foot tapping the ground while holding her trembling hand at her lips.
I looked back after she didn't notice me glance over—or maybe it simply didn't matter to her.
The time was passing slower than yesterday, unable to keep my legs still, and unable to take my eyes off Mim any longer.
"Ahhh...okay, it's done!"
"See you didn't feel anything, right!?" Ryan said, wiping his hand past his forehead.
"Yes... you were right!" She looked into his eyes for the first time today.
"I am happy to hear that!" He said as he stood up, facing us.
"Katherine let's talk outside."
Katherine hesitated before she walked behind him, passing a glance at Mim followed by me.
"Tjer you can come with us—you want to hear it as well of course."
"Mim can you wait here for just a little bit?" I said, and walked behind them.
We closed the door behind us as we stood in the hallway, and before any of us could take a single breath Katherine spoke,
"Tell me everything—please."
Ryan's face was expressionless as he started speaking.
"Of course..."
"I was able to find everything you needed—and it was better than expected."
"So let's start off with the first question." He put a single finger up.
"Simply said, all she lost was a small part overnight, helped by my healing from yesterday alongside the sleep she was able to get." And now came his second finger.
"Along with that I was able to discover that her sleep is a way to deal with the loss of self, and her sleep increases as the loss worsens."
So it's just as we theorized then... I looked up at Katherine who bit into the skin of her finger waiting patiently for Ryan to continue.
After I saw her the trembling of my legs increased, making me look at Ryan once again.
His third finger came up, and didn't diverge from our eyes.
"How much time she has left."
"I believe she has around four years in total, only able to heal her once more."
"BUT only if she is able to finish her entire sleep. Each time she gets woken up the corrupted essence spikes, increasing the amount taken away from her."
Neither of us dared to interrupt him.
He brought both of his hands up, and with each syllable he pronounced, he pushed his hands towards us.
"So you should never wake her up—no matter what."
"And the amount of sleep will increase with each passing day, so even if she were to sleep for successive days, you need to let her sleep."
Four years... that is quite a while is it not? I looked to my right, and saw a tear fall down her cheek while she kept the piece of skin between her teeth.
I was unsure whether she was glad, or sad—the smile and eyes were contradicting one another.
"And to be sure I will come check in every day, and whenever you need me come and get me—I will always be ready." He smiled again as he finished talking.
"Thank you so much." Katherine let go of her hand, wiping her tears away.
"Thank you a lot, I'll surely repay you." I lowered my head to him.
I felt a hand touch the back of my head.
"Please don't worry about it, the lord asked me for it, and I did it for myself as well." He put his hand opposite of his heart.
"So don't think of repaying me."
"...thank you."
"Go in now, she is waiting for you." Before I could respond he had lifted his hand and turned away—disappearing into the end of the hallway.
We had already entered the room before the steps on the stairs could be heard.
"Mim how are you feeling?" I asked holding my chin up high, my teeth showing.
"I'm feeling great...I'm not as tired as I was before actually!" She returned a bigger smile of her own.
"In that case do you want to explore the city?"
"YES!! It was so big, and beautiful~"
"Can we go now!?" She had jumped up before I could respond.
"Yes, yes—of course we are going now..." I turned around, and saw Katherine standing behind us in silence.
Her eyes looked down.
"Do you want to come along Kather—"
She shook her head before I could finish.
"Oh... of course..."
She would be recognized otherwise...
"But be careful not to be followed—you can go outside through the basement, and return through it as well, okay?"
"Thank you—I'll be careful."
"Mim let's go..." I could see her narrowing her eyes while looking at Katherine, but Mim stayed silent.