Nolan, still processing what had happened, felt a wave of confusion.

His time-stopping magic had never activated on its own before. He had always been the one to invoke it, struggling to maintain control, but this time, it had been different.

Had the imminent threat of death triggered something new in his ability?

Nolan knew this wasn't the moment to analyze the development. Time had resumed, and every second that passed in this state added to the cooldown before he could use his magic again.

He had to decide quickly.

Instinct told him he could use this pause to escape and save himself.

But as he looked at the girls around him, he felt unable to leave them behind.

The healer had been helping him, Emily didn't deserve to be caught in this, and Iris, the princess...

He couldn't let them die like this.

'I have to rewind time…' he thought.

It was the only option.

But the question was, how much time?

If he rewound too much, his body would feel the strain, and he wouldn't be able to use his power again if something else happened.

If he rewound too little, there wouldn't be enough time to act before the explosion occurred.

And if he rewound too much, he'd lose the chance to see who planted the explosive or stop them.

The pain in his chest began to intensify.

Every second in this state weighed more heavily, and four seconds had already passed with time frozen.

He couldn't afford any more.

Finally, Nolan made his decision.

'I'll rewind just until the princess entered.'

That would give him an advantage, though it would leave him vulnerable afterward. But there was no time for further calculations.

Nolan closed his eyes and conjured his magic.

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The world around him began to move in reverse.

The explosion rewound, wooden splinters and metal fragments reassembled.

The dust that had filled the air dissipated, returning to its place on the walls and floor.

Emily, the healer, and the princess—everything reversed while he remained still, frozen in place, watching as time flowed backward.

When the door opened again and Princess Iris stepped through, time returned to normal.

The healer, startled by Nolan's sudden surge of energy, jumped when she saw him rise, even though he should still have been in pain from the treatment.

The pain in his chest was real, but Nolan ignored it, focusing on what was about to happen.

"Mr. Nolan, what are you doing?" the healer asked, bewildered, while Emily stared wide-eyed.

But Nolan didn't answer.

Instead, he moved quickly to the door where, in just a few moments, the attacker would appear.

He motioned for them to stay quiet, and all of them, confused, watched him silently.

Nolan counted the seconds in his mind, taking deep breaths to bear the pain.

Just before anything could happen, he flung the door open, and there he was: a nobleman crouched down, placing dynamite at the entrance.

Without hesitation, Nolan kneed the man in the face, taking advantage of his vulnerable position.

The noble, unable to react in time, let out a grunt as he fell backward.

The girls, still inside the room, watched the scene in astonishment.

Nolan, staying calm, quickly extinguished the dynamite's fuse with his hands.

The heat from the explosive burned his palms, but he managed to snuff it out before it could fully ignite.

The noble, gritting his teeth in frustration, tried to get up and flee. But Nolan was faster and grabbed him by the tunic, slamming him against the wall.

The man tried to break free, but Nolan held him firmly in place.

"What the hell were you trying to do?" Nolan growled, bringing his face close to the nobleman's.

Iris, shocked, immediately recognized the man.

"Alistair! What are you doing?" the princess exclaimed, utterly incredulous.

Emily, unable to tear her eyes from the scene, felt her heart race. The healer was equally dumbfounded.

Alistair, a noble who had recently confessed his love to the princess but had been rejected, now glared at her with hatred.

"Damn you!" he cursed at Nolan, though his eyes remained fixed on Iris, who took a step back, horrified.

More people began arriving, drawn by the noise and commotion.

Guards and staff rushed in, asking what had happened.

Nolan, still holding Alistair, glanced at the newcomers and, with tense calm, explained,

"This bastard tried to set off an explosive to kill us."

The room fell into absolute silence.

Nolan's words left everyone in shock.

Emily, trembling, crouched down and picked up the extinguished dynamite, staring at it with shaking hands.

'Is this for real…?' she thought. 'Was I that close to dying…?'

Iris approached Alistair, her face a mix of disbelief and hurt.

"Why, Alistair?" she asked. "Why would you do something like this?"

The noble looked at her with contempt.

"You and your damn royal family will never understand. People like you don't deserve to live."

The guards finally took control of the situation and dragged Alistair away.

Nolan, exhausted, felt his body paying the price for rewinding time and the physical effort.

Yet deep down, a spark of excitement flickered.

He had discovered something new, an advance in his magic he hadn't expected.

But that small victory was snuffed out when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Something in his mana core had changed.

The cracks had spread.