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Slowly, I opened my eyes.
The sound of heavy rain filled the room, falling against the windows in a steady, muffled, and oddly comforting rhythm.
The air was cold and thick, carrying the scent of wet earth — and something else, something distant… something I couldn't name, but that made breathing feel heavier.
For a few seconds, I just stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out where I was. My mind turned slowly, as if I had just woken up from a dream.
Fragmented memories came back piece by piece — the dizziness, the blood, the pain… and that instant when everything went dark. And before I passed out, the unmistakable feeling of being watched.
I turned my head, and the first thing I saw was a strand of pink hair.
Merlin was lying beside me, staring directly at me. Her face held that calm, unreadable expression as always, but her eyes — large and bright pink — studied me with a mix of curiosity and silent concern.
"Merlin…" My voice came out hoarse and weak. "Were you the one who put me in bed?"
She only nodded, without looking away.
"I see…"
I sighed, tired. Typical of her. She probably stayed here all night, keeping watch.
I knew her well enough to understand that asking her to rest would be pointless.
"Did you tell Burst and Jane?"
"No."
Her answer came firm, though her tone still carried the soft hesitation of someone learning to speak.
A small wave of relief ran through me. If Jane had found out, I wouldn't have a minute of peace — I'd probably be under strict supervision by now.
"Thanks, Merlin."
She didn't reply right away. She just blinked slowly, then leaned closer, pressing her forehead gently against mine. Her skin was cold, but the gesture felt soft — almost human.
"You… look bad. What happened?" she asked with effort, her voice trembling slightly, as if searching for the right sound for each syllable.
"The truth is, I'm not even sure…" I murmured.
I ran a hand down my face, trying to organize my thoughts. "My head hurts, I get dizzy… sometimes I see things and hear voices, like someone talking inside my mind. That's why I passed out."
She stayed quiet for a few seconds, her gaze fixed on me.
"Strange energy."
"What?"
"When you… left. [Enlightened] saw it." She blinked slowly. "It was bad."
"So you saw strange energy in me when I came into the room?"
She nodded lightly.
"And now?"
"Now… no."
The sound of rain seemed more distant now, as if the world outside were fading away.
"I'm not feeling anything either. No pain, no voices… but it still feels wrong."
I closed my eyes for a moment.
There was something — an uneasy feeling that refused to go away.
It was like being under the gaze of something unseen — a presence, a constant weight, watching from some dark corner.
"Merlin… I feel eyes on me," I whispered.
"Eyes?"
"Yes. Like something's watching me."
She frowned slightly and closed her eyes for a few seconds, as if focusing her perception. The room went completely silent — only the rain broke the stillness.
"I feel nothing."
"Maybe it's just in my head…" I muttered, forcing a smile.
I got out of bed and slowly pulled the curtains open. The glass was covered in streaks of water, and the street outside looked deserted — swallowed by fog and darkness. Not a single movement.
I sighed and closed the window.
"Better this way."
Merlin was still lying there, quietly watching me. I lay back down, pulling the blanket over us both.
"When you go to sleep, remember to close the windows and cover yourself, okay, Merlin?"
"But… I'm a spirit," she said, her tone almost innocent.
"Yeah, but it's cozier this way, don't you think?"
She looked at the blanket covering her and touched the fabric with her fingertips.
"I think so."
I smiled, satisfied, watching her curious expression.
It was strange how human she seemed now — her gestures, the slow way she blinked, the way she turned her head when I stared too long.
"Your speech is improving."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. I'm sure you'll get used to your new body soon."
She stayed quiet, watching me for a moment before nestling into her pillow.
"Let's sleep. Tomorrow we'll do lots of things together, okay?"
"Okay," she replied, her voice almost fading into the sound of the rain.
The room sank into silence.
Merlin closed her eyes, peaceful, while I stayed awake a little longer, feeling that bitter sensation rise in my throat again.
That feeling wouldn't leave me.
Even with my eyes closed, I could still feel it.
Outside… someone was watching me.
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The rain had stopped by dawn. The sound of droplets was gone, leaving only the soft wind whispering through the window cracks.
Merlin slept quietly beside me, her pink hair slightly messy over the pillow. Her serene face made me want to stay there, just watching. She didn't move much in her sleep.
I decided to let her rest a little longer.
I got up carefully, feeling the cold floor beneath my feet. The smell of fresh coffee hit me as soon as I stepped out of the room — warm and familiar. For a moment, all the worries from the previous night disappeared.
"Good morning, Victor," Jane said, already dressed and with her hair tied up.
"Morning. You're up early today, huh?"
She sighed, adjusting the cuffs of her gloves.
"Yeah. I'm going with Burst to check out a new training hall in the west district. We have to be there before noon."
Right after, Burst showed up with his usual grin and a backpack slung over his shoulder.
"Good morning, Mr. Victor. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, much better. Thanks." — I lied.
"That's good." He crossed his arms. "Try not to push yourself today, alright? Take a break from Jane's training for once."
I feigned indignation. "How generous of you. But I can handle a little headache, no problem."
Jane raised an eyebrow, and Burst laughed.
"Maybe your training was too intense," he teased.
"Oh please," Jane scoffed. "That doesn't happen even to rookie soldiers. You really think Victor would end up like that?"
They started bickering again, and I couldn't help but laugh.
They always did that — and strangely, they were starting to get along better. There was a warmth in seeing that.
"I'll stay quiet today, promise. You two can go without worrying," I said, waving.
Jane sighed but gave a small smile before leaving with Burst.
When the house grew silent again, I poured myself another cup of coffee and sat on the couch.
The distant sounds of the city slowly returned — footsteps, vehicles, the wind brushing against the windows.
A little while later, I heard soft footsteps behind me.
Merlin appeared in the hallway, her hair even messier, her expression sleepy.
Wearing her pajamas, walking barefoot, rubbing her eyes.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."
She let out a low groan, her voice husky.
"Morning…"
"You still look sleepy."
"My energy… ran out."
Ah, right. Her rest mode. After evolving, her energy consumption must've increased — which explained the deep sleep.
"You can go back to sleep if you want. I'm not going anywhere."
"If I do that, you'll be alone."
I smiled faintly. "That's okay. Some time alone might help me relax."
She looked at me for a moment, then walked over and sat beside me, leaning her head gently on my shoulder.
"No. Being alone isn't good. Especially… when you feel bad."
For a moment, I couldn't say anything.
Her voice — so simple and direct — carried something from old memories. Merlin knew what loneliness was. She knew it too well.
That moment reminded me of when we first met, hiding from the rain in a cave. It was kind of like this.
"Then go get your coffee and come watch TV with me," I murmured. "After that, we'll practice your speech. You're doing great, by the way."
She nodded slowly and stood up. A small speech balloon formed above her head, filled with bouncing star emojis. It made me laugh without meaning to.
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The day went by slowly.
Merlin stayed close the whole time — sometimes lying on the couch, sometimes wandering around the room with that distant look. We put on some random TV show, and I barely noticed the hours pass.
From time to time, that strange uneasiness returned — a distant, subtle sense of being watched, like an echo deep in my mind.
But I ignored it.
I didn't want to worry Merlin again.
The sky began to darken, and the sound of rain returned — light but steady. The house filled with that same damp air from the night before. My body felt heavy, as if something was slowly draining my strength.
It wasn't even that late, but I could barely stay awake. Burst and Jane hadn't returned yet, but I couldn't wait for them.
"Merlin… I think I'll sleep early tonight."
She turned to me from the couch and nodded.
"Okay. I'll sleep too."
"You don't have to…" I murmured, but she was already following me, her gaze firm — like she was guarding against something unseen.
Seeing there was no stopping her, I lay down and pulled the blanket over myself. The sound of rain filled the room again. Merlin lay beside me and closed her eyes. Mine were heavy too.
Before I drifted off, I could've sworn I saw a shadow move past the crack in the door. I blinked. But nothing was there — just the faint light from the living room and the distant rain…
Still, for some reason, the silence felt different this time.
As if, somewhere in the house…
something else was awake.
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