Meanwhile, the beautiful girl patted him gently, carefully brushing every speck of dirt from his clothes. She only stopped when she was fully satisfied.
Then she looked at him again. Her crimson eyes brimmed with love and care — the kind of gaze that sent a shiver running down his spine.
"Tell me, really… who did this to you? I promise they'll regret it for the rest of their lives."
Her voice was soft, but beneath it was a coldness that could freeze blood. Bruce, who knew nothing about her, could tell she meant every word.
The atmosphere thickened instantly. Not only her, but everyone around was now waiting for his reply. The tension was so suffocating that a few people in the crowd took cautious steps back, unwilling to get implicated.
Bruce sighed. Aware of the weight of everyone's stares, he finally spoke.
"Nothing happened, really. I just felt weak all of a sudden and fell…"
His words were honest enough — but the girl's eyes narrowed. The look she gave him was the clear: 'I know you're lying, covering things up, but can't prove it.' kind of look
That look told Bruce plenty. The previous owner of this body must not only have been mocked, but bullied often. Worse, the fool must have alway try to hide it from her, afraid of making things escalate. He was different.
'Maybe the past owner of this body really was the weakling they said he was. But things will be different now that I'm here,' Bruce vowed silently.
The beautiful girl then reached for his hand, holding it firmly and said in a soft voice, "Please tell me if anyone bullies you next time, okay?"
Obviously she didn't believe him. She still believes that he was bullied and he's trying to cover things up...
"…Ok." Bruce nodded.
'It feels weird… being protected by a girl like this.' he sighed.
This wasn't Bruce's style. While he was practically immune to damage and immortal, he still needed to increase his strength. He had to create a few OP attack skills related to his Godly Healer class. With his experience as a surgeon and the knowledge he'd gained from reading, he could already think of several OP skills — along with the patterns and logic behind their creation.
But that aside, now that he had gotten what he had always wanted — a crucial source of information…
He would have to explain his predicament to her. And maybe, just maybe, she would tell him all the things he desperately needed to know about this him… and this new world.
He didn't know if it was okay to do it here in the middle of the gathering, but he still guided her to a secluded corner…
Whispers immediately began to spread.
"Why is he acting so… strange?"
"Yes, now that you mention it, Bruce has never acted this dominant before. Sophie's always the one making the moves, but that fool always acted oblivious…"
A blush spread across Sophie's face as Bruce dragged her along. He had never behaved like this, and for some reason, she loved this side of him. This Bruce made her heart flutter.
'So her name is Sophie, huh? What a cute name.' Bruce however, ever attentive, took a mental note of this crucial piece of information.
Once they reached the corner, Bruce lowered his voice, his tone serious.
"Sophie, I have something to say to you."
Sophie nodded, giving him the go-ahead, though her heart pounded in her chest. She had never felt this way before in her life.
Is he going to propose to me? Is he finally going to tell me he loves me… just like I do?
Her heart raced with anticipation.
Bruce broke the silence.
"You remember when I told you I felt weak and fell? I also suffered from memory loss then… I've practically forgotten everything about myself and this world. I don't know a lot of things."
Sophie froze. She wouldn't lie to herself — she was disappointed. This wasn't what she expected at all. But then a look of resolve appeared in her eyes.
"Don't worry, Bruce. I'm here for you. I'll give you all the support you need. Ask me anything."
"The little I know is what I've picked up from whispers around me," Bruce admitted, "so my questions are as follows: Who am I? What's my surname? Do I have a family? What is this world? How does one get stronger here? And lastly… who are you? What are you to me?"
He let it all out at once.
Sophie nodded slowly, determination on her face.
"Don't worry. I'll answer everything."
She drew in a breath before speaking.
"As for who you are — you're Bruce Ackerman, son of Bane Ackerman and Lucy Ackerman. Yes, you do have a family. But… your father has been missing for a few years now. All you have left is your mother, your sister, and your other relatives."
She paused before continuing.
"As for this world, this is the magical realm of Velmora. The power system here is based on Awakening. Ranks go from F to A, then S, SS, and SSS. Anything above that… is unknown. You get stronger by accumulating Titles through achievements. The more achievements you earn, the higher your chances of ranking up. Each rank-up boosts your physical stats significantly, and you awaken an additional class skill — on top of the one skill you awaken during the Awakening Ceremony."
Bruce listened carefully, every detail sinking into his sharp mind.
Then Sophie's voice softened.
"As for who I am…"
Her cheeks flushed a rosy shade, her red eyes wavering slightly as she whispered:
"I'm Sophie Reign. And I'm… your lover. We're… lovers."
"Really?" Bruce raised a brow.
"Yes…" Sophie nodded meekly, blushing hard, her face burning red.