ââŚGood night, Bianca.â
As she finally passed out in my arms, I gently laid Bianca on the ground.
As I caressed her softly, I could feel the mana in her body was completely exhausted. Come to think of it, it made sense. After all, she had just fought Aria in a bloody battle and then fought me right after. It wasnât unreasonable for her to lose consciousness like this.
ââŚHaâŚâ
I took a deep breath and exhaled deeply. As I released the tension from my body, which had been pushed to its limits, an indescribable and excruciating pain surged through me.
ââŚAh, ugh.â
My entire body was covered in scars. My left arm, which had borne the brunt of Biancaâs Sigh of White Flame, was barely attached and completely numb. It was twisted and shattered.
The skin across my body was torn and tattered like rags, marred by lacerations, burns, and frostbite. Perhaps because I had recklessly converted my life force into an aura, my body had no strength left. It felt as though the very concept of vitality had vanished from me.
Judging by the aftermath of my fight with Bianca, I estimated that at least a few months of my lifespan had been cut short.
ââŚThereâs nothing left.â
It was an inevitable outcome. My opponent had been one of the strongest mages in existenceâone of humanity’s strongest. It was a miracle I had managed to defeat her, even with injuries this severe.
âŚStill, wasnât it a hundred times better to lose a few months of my life than to see either Aria or Bianca dead? That thought aside, my entire body felt like it had been utterly destroyed.
ââŚCoughâ!â
I spat out black, clotted blood. Lately, the frequency of vomiting blood had increased alarmingly. The grim thought crossed my mind that I might not even get the chance to die peacefully. My vision blurred as the blood loss began to take its toll.
TuckâŚTuckâŚ
It was then that I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
âGood work, Young Lord.â
ââŚAria.â
As my hazy vision struggled to focus, I recognized a figure coming closer. For a moment, I couldnât identify the person, but her voice confirmed it was Aria.
ââŚYou overdid it. Thatâs impressive, too,â she said, wiping the sweat and blood from my face with the hem of her dress. Her pristine attire was quickly stained, but she didnât seem to care. She meticulously cleaned me, then stepped back with a satisfied expression.
ââŚYou didnât have to get your clothes dirty for this.â
âHow can you say such things? Iâm your exclusive maid, Young Lord. Right now, this is all I can do for you.â
Aria offered a serene, mature smile, far from her usual demeanor.
âYoung Lord, may I ask you something? If itâs not too much trouble, of course.â
ââŚWhat is it? And please be quick about it. Iâm starting to see double.â
âItâs nothing complicated, just a simple check. After Bianca del Castana kidnapped you, you lost your memory, didnât you?â
ââŚYes, I did.â
There was no point in denying it; Aria must have overheard my conversation with Bianca. I nodded in acknowledgment.
âBut, Young Lord Cain, your memories arenât fully restored, are they?â
My body froze at her words, and my fading consciousness sharpened in an instant.
âYou know, while you were away, your personality changed a lot. It hasnât shifted fundamentally, but it feels⌠more serious and calm,â Aria observed thoughtfully.
She muttered to herself, âWell, it doesnât matter whether itâs your past self or your current self; both are within acceptable bounds.â
âŚAria was right. Though I had regained my memories, they were incomplete. A significant gap remained, though it didnât hinder my daily life or my relationships. Still, it meant I wasnât entirely the same as the âmeâ from before.
ââŚHow did you know? Was it that obvious?â
I wasnât trying to interrogate her; it was more of a self-deprecating question, wondering if I had been so transparent.
âPersonality is naturally linked to memory, right? As experiences accumulate through memories, a personâs personality gradually evolves over time. But even considering that, I feel like your personality, Young Lord, has changed noticeably. To me, it seems a bit dramatic for such a shift to occur in just 40 days.â
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