After that night, I kept taking the pills every evening just to fall asleep. One pill, then another, until the days blurred together. Three weeks passed like that, and soon, the small bottle was empty.
When I reached into the drawer and found nothing left, a heavy weight pressed on my chest. That night, I lay in bed with no escape, staring into the darkness as the nightmares crept back.
At first, it was only shadows whispering at the edge of my mind. But then I heard it again — that same voice. Faingh.
Only this time, it didn't sound tired or weak. It was sharper, commanding, almost echoing inside my skull.
My body froze. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. The air felt heavy, like something unseen was pressing me down.
And then… a faint purple glow flickered in the corner of my vision.
Then it vanished. The purple light winked out as suddenly as it had come, and a cold fear flooded me. My vision went white at the edges, my legs gave way, and the world tipped. I barely had time to gasp before everything went black — I fainted.
The next morning, I woke up feeling drained, my body heavy and my mind foggy. I stared at the ceiling for a long while, trying to remember what had happened the night before. My parents, worried, came to check on me, their faces full of concern, but I barely noticed them.
Eventually, I dragged myself to the mirror to see my reflection. That's when I saw it — a faint purple mark around my inner eye. I studied it closely, wondering if it was some strange phase, something everyone went through.
But as I looked again, a chill ran through me. No one else had noticed it. Not my parents, not even the priest I had spoken to the day before. Only I could see it.
I touched the mark lightly, my fingers trembling. Something about it felt… different," as if it carried a presence only, I could sense.
At noon, I went outside to play with some kids. I ran to join them, but when I got there, I noticed a few new faces I didn't recognize. At first, they looked at me strangely, assuming I was a noble because of my gold hair, soft skin, and confident attitude. One of the kids quickly assured them I was just like them, and soon, we were all playing together.
We played until the sun began to dip, and it was time to head home. On my way, I bumped into a group of people. At first, they just stared at me, but then one of them spat, "He dares to touch our leader? We need to teach him a lesson."
Before I could react, they started attacking me. My arms and legs ached under their blows, and I struggled to stay upright. Then, a girl's voice cut through the chaos.
The group immediately bowed.
She was young, about my age, with long crimson hair, flawless skin, and a beauty that could make anyone fall in love. But when her eyes met mine, I felt only disgust.
"I'm bored," she said coolly. "You better make this worth my time."
"Yes, Lady Elara Luminara!" the group chorused. Even the so-called leader bowed to her.
Then they turned back to me and resumed the attack. I didn't know what came over me, but suddenly, a purple aura erupted from my body, overlaid with a golden light. Energy surged through me, and a massive explosion sent all of them flying unconscious.
The girl staggered and fell back, her expression shocked. "How… who taught you this spell?" she demanded.
She studied me, narrowing her eyes. "I can tell… you're not a commoner. You belong to a noble…"
Before she could finish, I bolted, sprinting all the way home. Once inside, I rushed to my bed, collapsing and closing my eyes..
The next day, I woke up to a body screaming in agony. Every inch of me ached, yet I could feel nothing except pain. Then, the purple glow appeared again, wrapping around my body. Slowly, it began to shift, turning golden.
In an instant, my body was healed. I couldn't believe it at first. Tentatively, I tried to stand — and I was fine, even stronger than before. Amazement and fascination coursed through me all at once.
My father called me for breakfast, and I went down to eat. Afterward, I set out to chop some wood.
Nearby, Duke Theron was training with a knight when he noticed me. "What a coincidence," he said. I could tell, though, that my appearance annoyed him slightly.
"What a coincidence, Duke Theron," I replied boldly.
He looked at me for a long moment, then said, "I want to know… about your family. With your appearance, you can't be a commoner."
"I won't push you if you don't want to," he added.
I was caught off guard.
"I'm not like the other nobles," he continued. "I was a commoner once, just like you, before I awakened my world. After that, people treated me differently. On a battlefield with the 2nd Dimension Army, I awakened my world. From that day, I became a noble."
He patted my head with a warm smile. "Let's meet here every two days. I might be able to do something for you, but first, you need to enroll in a Level 1 school." Then, teasingly, he added, "You look so beautiful, I might have to take you as my wife."
With that, he left. I was confused yet excited.
On my way home, carrying the chopped wood, I couldn't stop thinking about Duke Theron's words — that he might do something for me, but only after I enrolled in school. That thought kept me happy and eager.
Once home, I ate and talked with my family. I told them I wanted to enroll in school. My father was thrilled and chose a school for me. "You'll have to wait three months until it opens," he said. My mother patted my head gently and told me to go to sleep.
But that night was different. I couldn't sleep. I stared out the window, and my eyes shimmered with purple and golden lines. I stared at the ceiling for a long time, lost in thought, until sleep finally claimed me.
In my dream, the voice returned. "You did well," it said. "But don't forget — your time will come. Goodbye for now, until we speak again."
I slept peacefully after that, a sense of calm settling over me...
..