The projector faintly illuminated the darkness of the small office. At the front, it displayed the brain scans of Demund over the past three days. The doctors all had their eyes glued on the screen, every single one of them showing signs of disbelief.

“…and this was his brain that was taken just hours before. As you can see, the dark regions have all been replaced with healthy tissue.”

“This…how can this be?” asked one of the doctors. “The brain cannot heal itself that quickly!”

“It is unclear,” explained the doctor, “but it may have something to do with this patient’s supernatural ability. According to his prior examinations, he possessed a D-class ability that allowed him to dream of another world.”

“D class?”

“Correct. And yet…the test results that were taken while the patient was in a coma displayed SAP levels that were B class, maybe even up to A class.”

“How about now? Did you take it after the patient regained consciousness?”

“Yes. It was back to D class levels.”

“Did the patient show any signs of discomfort or memory loss?” asked another doctor. “Maybe the inability to carry out certain motions or speech impediment? Emotional instability?”

“None. The patient was deemed to be healthy, with the exception of the shock from losing a limb.”

“Unbelievable…”

A low whisper went through the room. Fluctuating SAP levels? Complete recovery after fatal brain damage? Many unexplainable things had happened since the discovery of supernatural abilities, but this was something entirely new. Limbs could be replaced but recovering brain memory after critical trauma was nigh impossible. Only the S class hero codenamed ‘Immortal’ had documented cases of recovering memory after suffering brain injuries.

“Does the patient have any other supernatural abilities?”

“None. Besides the complete brain recovery, he does not display special features that can be noted.”

“Perhaps that is the true extent of his power…”

The doctors murmured amongst themselves again. However, this was nothing more than an interesting incident. It could not be applied nor replicated anywhere else. Demund’s records would be lost under the piles and piles of documented supernatural occurrences that existed throughout the world.

〄 〄 〄

“It is a miracle,” stated the doctor.

Demund’s head was facing the window. His mother held his hand worryingly. They had told her that he would definitely stay asleep. They had told her he would keep his eyes closed. But she had waited. Despite her husband’s persuading, she had waited. On the chair outside of the operating room, outside the room with Demund’s body.

They had taken his body away every day. And each day, they would tell her to eat something. Her son was recovering. It was a miracle. She had to stay strong. He was recovering, but who knew what he would be like when he woke up.

She had waited.

“Demund, are you okay?” she said softly.

Demund turned his head and faced the doctor and his mother. His eyes looked distant.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Was I supposed to die?”

“Your recovery was unprecedented. It is a miracle that you survived."

Demund pulled his eyes away from the doctor and looked at the blankets.

“What exactly happened?”

“You were hit by a car. A self-driving one, in fact. It was delivering supplies to the school when it hit you along the road.”

“Why weren’t the lights on? Why didn’t it sense me?”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“It was an older model that lacked biological sensors. Your bike was also an older model that lacked the machinery to deliver the signal. As for the lights…I am not sure.”

Mrs. Blanner worriedly glanced at Demund.

“If there is anything you need, please let us know.”

“My leg, what happened?”

Demund suddenly spoke up without turning his head away from the blankets. Mrs. Blanner’s anxiety grew.

“The car…it crushed it. All the bones and tissue were ripped apart. Amputation was the only option.”

“……………………”

“Let the nurses know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, doctor,” said Mrs. Blanner. Demund was still looking at the blankets silently. His eyes didn’t move. They were frozen solid like ice.

The doctor left the room.

“Mom, can you get me some water? Or is there juice?” asked Demund quietly.

“There’s grape juice, your favorite. Do you want some?”

Demund nodded. Mrs. Blanner got up from the side of the bed and took out a bottle of grape juice from the fridge. She passed it to Demund and watched him sip out of it.

“Where’s Dad?”

“He had work to do. I messaged him that you were awake. He will visit soon.”

“I see…my phone?”

“We’ll get you a new one.”

“Homework? Any news from the school?”

“It’s break, Demund. Did you forget?”

“Oh yeah…”

Demund blinked his eyes a few times. His eyes went beyond the window again, into the clouds.

“You can go home, Mom. Come back with Dad or rest. You were up all night, weren’t you?”

Mrs. Blanner let out a small smile. “It’s okay. I can stay a little longer.”

Demund scratched his head. He sighed, barely audibly.

“……Mom. Can I get some time alone?”

Mrs. Blanner’s smile died.

She wanted to comfort her son. She wanted to stay by him and say it was okay. He was alive, and that was what mattered. But looking at her son’s distant face, looking at his sullen eyes…

There was nothing she could do.

“Of course. I’ll be back with your dad.”

She fetched her small bag and walked out of the room, slowly closing the door behind her. She stood in front of the room for a few seconds, thinking of anything that she could do. Anything to make her child happier.

*BANG*

The sound of an object hitting something came through the door.

Mrs. Blanner hurried away, trying to hold back her tears again.

〄 〄 〄

Demund stared at his bottle that he had flung. His temper, which he had kept under control, had gotten the better of him. He had to do something to let the stress out. Anything. He had nothing but the dull gray streets of the city to comfort him.

He grabbed his hair. He pulled it. If he had been more patient, if he hadn’t been so desperate to please Enariss, this would have never happened. If he hadn’t been in love, his right leg would still exist. He banged his hand against the side of the bed and cursed internally.

It was all somebody else’s fault.

He shook his head and slapped himself on the cheeks. No, that was wrong. He should have been more careful. He should have kept his eyes on the road instead of cycling as hard as he could like a maniac. He couldn’t blame the car. There was no driver.

He banged his hand against the side of the bed again. He absentmindedly started at the blankets. He lifted the blankets with his hands and pulled it away.

His leg was still missing. In its place was a stump covered in bandages. He slowly reached out with his trembling hand and touched it. It was gone. His leg really was gone.

Demund took a deep breath and fell on his pillow. His eyes faced the empty ceiling.

“Sh*t,” he breathed. “F*ck.”

He spoke no further. Cussing wouldn’t return his leg. He realized he shouldn’t have thrown his drink. He would have gone and fetched it if his leg wasn’t missing. His temper rose again, and he held his head to calm himself. He tightened his fists and relaxed again.

And he lay there without a movement. He let the emptiness fill his head. But it went further beyond. It spread into his body, his arms and leg, his senses. It filled his heart.

Demund felt empty.

〄 〄 〄

Shaden opened his eyes and looked around. He instantly shot up from his bed and did a few hops.

He stared at his body. Two arms, two legs. Nothing unusual. This was how things should have been. He ran around the room a few times and felt his legs stomp against the wooden floor. It felt great. It felt better than anything like he had been released from a kind of prison.

He touched his right leg. It was there.

“Ha…aha…AHAHAHA!”

Shaden burst out into laughter. It engulfed him until he was on the floor, tears streaming down his eyes. He lay on the wood for the longest time, rolled up and clenching his legs close to himself.

“Shaden, are you awake?” shouted Rother from beyond the door. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing!” Shaden yelled back. He got up from the floor and breathed in deeply, releasing it with a great sigh. He wiped the tears off his eyes and stretched himself.

Yes, he had this. This life of seven days in another world. Even if he lost all of his arms and legs in the other world, this world would always be there for him. A world without worry, a world of dreams. A world where he could do what he wanted.

Shaden went to the window and opened it. The fresh, cold air of the morning greeted him with the crisp breath of the coming winter. He took a greedy breath, cherishing the wind and atmosphere of fantasy.

He changed clothes and went outside to eat breakfast. His brother and father were already dressed, and Melany was in a baby chair, energetically reaching out for food.

“You’re up pretty late today, dear~,” said Melsei.

“Sorry. It was cold.”

Rother helped Shaden up to his chair and passed him the eating utensils. The food looked great. Everything about this world was great.

Melsei felt as if something was amiss with her son. Her son felt…melancholy? It was just a hunch. But Shaden was still a child. The weather was possibly getting into him. Nothing big. Nothing important. Her son was a diligent and healthy child.

The family ate together happily, enjoying the coming of Winter. Though the environment was becoming harsh, their closeness with each other would keep them warm throughout the cold and pain.

Shaden felt much better.