[The 3rd Lobby.]
I woke up. I could see from both eyes, and it felt like I was on something hard…hmmm. It’s not numb anymore.
I can feel again…this is not marble.
This is wood…
The feeling of my throat being cut apart has disappeared, my blood leaking out from my body as well.
I…can feel my arm…?
My left arm…
Where am I?
“Ugh…”
With a pained groan, I stood up and took in the surroundings.
It…was a simple wooden room.
The room’s walls are adorned with a strange light, honey-colored paneling which showcases the beauty of the natural wood grain, the planks that make the floor are seamlessly and tightly nailed to one another, providing a smooth but rigid surface to walk on.
A small table is situated in the center of the room. Small cushions accompany it.
Above, a gently curved wooden ceiling arches gracefully, adding a sense of depth and airiness to the space. Wooden beams, polished to a soft sheen…wait.
‘Traditional Chinese Architecture…’
I thought to myself, after observing the room for a bit I was sure of it.
The room literally screams ancient Chinese.
Soft, diffused natural light filters through wooden lattice screens or delicate bamboo blinds, casting gentle patterns and shadows on the wooden surfaces….it’s quite peaceful.
“Finally awake?”
Waking me up from my amazement was a voice, from beside me, a little bit behind.
I reacted immediately and turned around to elbow whoever the voice belonged to. With all that I had. I couldn’t help it. The fight with the Sword Emperor was still vivid in my mind.
My elbow was stopped by a palm.
“It’s me.”
Wait.
I recognize this voice.
“…president?”
I muttered, taking a closer look at the owner of the voice. The ebony black hair, the perfectly sculpted face that was both loveable and despicable. The perfect eyebrows…A beauty that compared with Sabrina’s…but on the male side.
Daniel Khorsch, the Student council president and the strongest third-year in Shield.
“Yep.”
He laughed and let go of my elbow. I calmed down and looked at him.
“What happened?”
I asked. His clothes were torn apart but his body was fine. It was as if he just fought a devastating battle where his body was impenetrable but armor was not.
It was confusing.
“What do you think..? I failed.”
‘Failed?’
I pondered, not having understood what the President was saying.
“What do you mean…?”
I asked, uncertain. Somehow, I don’t like this.
“I failed again Alan…Come on, sit beside me.”
I sat beside him, both of our backs resting against the wall.
The president was a respectable man, although it wasn’t well known. I was the Treasurer of the Student Council. All I had to do was manage some finances, and I didn’t really attend the meetings so it was unknown it was me. Only the people in the Student council knew of it.
Was it Miss Elena or the Sage who suggested the position? I forgot. 𝘪𝘳.𝘤𝑜
I didn’t really do my job well anyway, I did do the paperwork and other things assigned to me but I was almost never at the meetings. I remember talking to Daniel when he visited my dorm to drag me to the meetings.
Haha, that was a fun encounter.
“You are amazing.”
Suddenly, His praise confused me.
Me? I mean yeah but why?
“Why?”
I asked, tired and confused. It seems the fight with the sword emperor has taken a toll on me.
A physical and mental toll…Although I wonder how my injuries healed.
Wait a minute, Now that I think about it…My state is not so different from The president…
My clothes, or rather my armor…Where is it?
Even though I am wearing torn robes…where is my armor and cape?
Did they get destroyed…? I hope not. Those are priceless artifacts.
I hurriedly checked my inventory and heaved a sigh of relief. My equipment was there…But in bad condition. The Sword emperor really did a number on them.
‘Damn…’
I cursed.
“You passed the trials till the 29th floor…it took Humanity years to do so…”
Daniel Khorsch looked at the ceiling with an apprehensive gaze and let out a laugh.
“You are an even bigger monster than me…”
He seemed glad.
But I know I am not. Daniel, in many aspects, is greater than me.
“Thank you…But I don’t think I am above you.”
He was the only person to have ties with Ezra, and he is well-liked by almost everyone. Even though he comes from a humble background, unlike me, who had the support of twilight and the two supreme dragons, Daniel had nothing. He climbed his way to the top using whatever he had. Now? He was one of the most promising aspects that the Association wanted.
He was that good!
He had single handedly climbed so high that almost everyone had wanted to. There were even debates about who would win between the two of them. Alan or Daniel.
I respected him.
“Haha…”
Daniel’s tone is worrying me…It appears as if he is tired.
Who am I to say? I’m also tired.
“You were in quite a mess when you appeared, you know? I was scared shitless whether you were dead or not.”
Huh?
What?
Noticing the look of confusion on my face, he explained.
“You were almost dead when you came to the lobby, I healed you.”
…
…
…
So it was not the tower…I thought maybe this lobby had a healing power.
But it seems I was wrong. My assumption that we looked like this was because the tower healed our wounds but not our equipment.
Wait a minute…
Daniel doesn’t have any healing skills…Not to my knowledge at least.
“I healed you using this.” .
He opened his palm and my eyes widened.
In his hand was a radiant, teardrop-shaped crystal with a mesmerizing, ever-shifting, and ethereal glow, possessing a pure white color.
He handed it to me and I checked its description.
“…What?!’
You had something like this?!
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