“What’s happening…?” Kai wondered, looking at the crowd in front. Everyone was looking at him with a face of relief, yet with tears. Kai looked around, checked himself up, but nothing seemed wrong. As he was wondering about the situation, Eva’s voice reached to him.

{Welcome back, sir.} she said, as Kai asked her straight away. “Did something happen while I was asleep?”

To his question, Eva stayed silent for a while. But slowly replied, {The Archduke and the duchess came to check on you, but you didn’t wake up when they call out for you, so they got worried and stayed up all night.} As Eva explained the situation to Kai, he sighs lightly, unaware to the rest. “Curse that confounded system…” he thinks to himself.

“Brother!” Elysia’s voice caught his mind, as he looked at her. “Why weren’t you waking up? Mom, I and dad kept calling for you, but you didn’t respond to us at all…” she said, her voice shaky. Looking at her teary eyes, Kai moved to pat her. “I need to act…,” he mused, as he looked over the notebook and pen. He extended his hand to reach out to them, but a thought hit him. “Wait… I think I can do this now,” he wondered as he asked Eva. “Eva, start the projection.”

He said so, as he moved his hand to the level of his shoulder, his finger pointed in the air. Just then, a projection like appeared just above his finger. Everyone in the room was taken a back, as the words slowly started to form in it. “I am not sure what happened, but I am sorry that I worried you.” The words formed, as everyone read it. “I can’t tell them everything yet,” Kai mused to himself.

“Is this…,” Hiro spoke up, as Kai nodded. The words in the projection started to change again. “That’s right. It’s my words through my magic.” Kai smiled, as everyone in the room looked at him, understanding that it’s Kai words. “It’s like a hologram screen…,” Sakura whispered to herself. But these words reached to Kai, making him froze in his position. He looked over her, hiding his surprise. “Wait… did she just say ‘hologram’?” he wondered to himself, when Elysia came and sat besides him. He looked over her, but glancing at Sakura as well. “How does she know of it?” he started to wonder, but decided to think later.

“So,” words starting to change again. “What happened last night?” he asked.

“Young master, you don’t know anything that happened last night?” Aiden asked, as Kai shook his head. “All I remember is I came back and fell asleep,” his words forming in the projection. “Later to be summoned in the dungeon and fighting off some mad monsters,” he muses, the words kept to his mind. Just then, Sakura, sitting beside him, embraces Kai again. “Everything is fine now since you are awake,” she says, but there is a slight hint of fear in her voice. Hiro put his hand on her shoulder, as he looks over Kai with a smile.

Feeling the warmth of his new family, Kai couldn’t help but just smile. But then, he felt a tug on his cloth. He looked over, as he saw Ana with a worried look, looking at him. “Were you sick…?” She asks, her voice shaky with tears falling off her cheeks. Kai looks at her, slowly a smile forming on his face. “I was a little tired, that’s all.” Words formed in the projection, reassuring Ana. “I guess I worried a lot of people this time, huh,” Kai’s words take form in the projection, as he looks over Ainz, then to Aiden, and lastly Lala, who gave him a warm smile, with a tear falling off her cheek.

As the atmosphere in the room started to warm up, the door to the room creaked opened. To the sound, a hush fell over the room. All eyes turned to the figure standing in the threshold—a woman of dignified bearing, her silver hair framing a face marked by wisdom and time. "Looks like the prince is awake," she said, her voice carrying a gentle authority that resonated through the chamber.

The woman stepped into the light, her presence commanding yet comforting. She was clad in the traditional garb of a medieval healer, her robes a rich tapestry of deep blues and greens, embroidered with silver threads that caught the light with every movement. A cloak of midnight velvet draped over her shoulders, fastened at the neck with a brooch that bore the emblem of a phoenix—symbol of rebirth and healing.

Kai's gaze lingered on the unfamiliar figure, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. "The emblem... I'm certain I've seen it before, but where?" He wondered. His eyes swept over her once more, taking in her poised stature. "She appears to be in her mid-fifties, yet there's a vitality in her step that speaks of diligent self-care. She must possess extensive knowledge in health and wellness."

Hiro and Sakura exchanged a look of relief; as Sakura looked over Kai with a smile. "Let me introduce her to you," she said, motioning her arm towards the woman. "You remember we told you about how there is someone who can heal your legs, right?" she asked, while Kai nodded. Sakura looked ahead, "This is the person we had spoken of, the one who had once helped us a long time ago."

"Anastasia Bennett," Sakura introduced, as Anatasia walked forward to them. "Lady Anastasia had arrived late last night, without any form of notice ahead." Ainz explained, as Anastasia chuckles. "You are still mad about it, Ainz?"

Sakura stood up, besides Hiro as they both bowed to her.

"Anastasia," Hiro greeted her with a respectful nod. "Once again, thank you for coming." Both Hiro and Sakura stood, as Anastasia came to them. “I wish I could have arrived early, but I had other matters to take care of.” She says, while Kai just looks at her, comfortably speaking with Hiro and Sakura. Anatasia looked over Kai, as she noticed he was looking at her.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

As Anastasia’s eyes met Kai’s, she lowered herself to his level, a warm smile gracing her features. “Last night, you were sleeping like a princess,” she remarked with a twinkle in her eye. “But now, you look every bit the proper prince.”

Kai’s fingers moved, and the words formed in the air above them. "Sorry I wasn’t able to greet you when you arrived."

Anastasia straightened up, her smile broadening at Kai’s careful choice of words through his magic. “There’s no need for apologies,” she said. “You should eat your breakfast first. After that, I shall take a look at your condition.”

Kai nodded in agreement, grateful for her understanding. Sakura called out to Mary waiting outside, as she brought in the morning breakfast for Kai.

Later, one by one, Hiro and Sakura, along with the others, excused themselves from the room to attend to their morning duties. Elysia and Ana chose to stay behind, their concern for Kai keeping them rooted by his side. Lala remained as well, her presence a comforting constant as she engaged in light conversation with Kai.

The room filled with a quiet buzz of whispered conversations and the clinking of cutlery as Kai began his meal, surrounded by those who cared for him most. As Kai settled into the comforting routine of his morning meal, Ana and Elysia eagerly recounted their day at the mansion. Their voices were light, filled with the innocent excitement of sharing stories with Kai. They spoke of the how Elysia and Ana ate cookies made by the maids and the lessons where Ana joined her as well, painting a vivid picture.

Meanwhile, Lala sat quietly beside Kai, her eyes occasionally meeting his, as she would shyly look away. But as Ana and Elysia started to talk about the incident last night, Lala started to speak about the garden’s new blooms to Kai, deliberately steering the conversation away from the events of the previous night. Kai noticed the subtle shift but chose not to press further, sensing her need to protect him from something yet unknown.

In a separate chamber, Hiro and Sakura sat with Anastasia, the air heavy with unspoken worries. A maid came in with a tray of tea for them, later slowly exiting on Hiro’s order. “It’s a miracle he woke up,” Anastasia broke the silence, sipping her cup of tea. Hiro nodded, his usual composure tinged with an unmistakable trace of fear. Sakura remained quiet, lowering her head, her thoughts seemingly far away. “Never in my years,” Anastasia continued, “have I heard of someone safely waking up after enduring THAT.”

Hiro leaned forward, his brow furrowed with concern. “Can you tell us more about this condition?” he asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.

Anastasia hesitated, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. “I’ve only read about such cases,” she admitted. “But this is the first time I’ve witnessed it firsthand. Kai’s symptoms align precisely with those described in the ancient medical texts.”

A heavy sigh escaped Hiro’s lips, a silent acknowledgment of their helplessness. Beside him, Sakura trembled.

Sakura’s composure crumbled like a delicate facade, her body quaking as the dam of her emotions breached. “My son… my precious son…” she murmured, each word soaked in a mother’s deep-seated fear.

Hiro, ever her pillar, wrapped his arms around her, but even his strength couldn’t shield her from the tempest of her own heart. Her breath hitched, a prelude to the sorrow that poured forth. “I can’t—I can’t bear the thought…” she gasped, her voice dissolving into sobs.

She buried her face in Hiro’s chest, her tears seeping into the fabric of his tunic as if trying to anchor herself in the storm. “I don’t want to lose my son again,” she cried out, each word punctuated by the raw agony of memories too painful to bear. Her body shook with the weight of unspoken nightmares, her cries a haunting echo in the solemn chamber.

Flashback:

The room was steeped in confusion as Hiro recounted the night's harrowing events, Lala standing by his side. Aiden and the knights exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to grasp the reality of Hiro's tale. "It's hard to believe... even for me," Hiro confessed, his voice laced with incredulity.

Sakura listened intently, her concern for Kai overshadowing her need for answers. She slipped away from the group, drawn to Kai's room by a mother's intuition. As she entered, a peculiar stillness greeted her—a strange, charged air that made her pause. She shook off the feeling and approached Kai's bedside.

"Kai?" she called softly, her voice a warm caress in the quiet room. No response came. "Kai?" she tried again, a hint of worry creeping into her tone. Silence. She started to wonder if he was in deep sleep, just when a strange sensation hit her.

A sense of dread began to coil within her as she noticed an odd magic emanating from Kai. It was subtle at first but grew more pronounced as she focused. "Kai?" Her voice rose in urgency as she shook him gently—still no response.

Panic flared within her, "K-kai...? Hey... wake up..." Her hands trembled as she shook him with more force. The room remained silent except for her increasingly frantic pleas.

"Kai!? Hey! Wake up..." Her voice echoed through the chamber, drawing the attention of everyone present. Hiro rushed to her side, his face etched with worry. "What happened?" he asked.

"He's not waking up... Kai? Hey wake up..." Sakura's voice broke as she spoke, her fear palpable. Together they called out to him, their voices intertwining in a chorus of desperation—but Kai remained unresponsive.

Hiro and Sakura tried everything to rouse Kai from his slumber, but their efforts were in vain. In a tone laced with urgency, Hiro commanded Aiden, “Call for the physician—now!”

Aiden nodded sharply and dashed off, returning moments later with the physician in tow. The room tensed as the physician examined Kai, his practiced hands moving with methodical precision. Aiden stood by, his expression grim, while Lala, unable to tear herself away from Kai’s side, watched on with bated breath.

“There seems to be nothing wrong with the young master,” the physician finally said, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “It’s like… he’s in a deep sleep, oblivious to his surroundings.”

Sakura remained seated beside Kai, her fingers entwined with his, as silent tears traced paths down her cheeks. The physician continued his examination when suddenly Ainz burst into the room.

“Your Grace,” he called out, his voice cutting through the tension. “There’s a guest who has just arrived.”

“A guest at this hour?” Hiro questioned, a frown creasing his brow. “It’s her…” Ainz replied hesitantly. “Anastasia Bennett.”

-To be continued