"Ugh… sniff… ngh…" Damien was still crying, unable to say a word or return the smile.
He had promised himself that when Theo woke up, he would smile. But now... he couldn't do anything, not even embrace him.
It was frustrating.
But... he wanted to hug him.
How long would he have to wait for that?
"Um, Teacher?" Theo's voice interrupted his thoughts. "I think I can move a little now... how long do I need to stay still?"
Was Theo asking because he could sense Damien's feelings, or did he share the same thoughts? Either way, he asked the question, and Damien felt his heart race.
Yes! Could he finally release the beast inside of him? Could it happen now?!
"You can't just dump a massive amount of mana into an empty body like that, or it'll break," the elf explained, his tone calm. "That light is here to adjust things. Once the mana in you has reached a point where it can absorb directly from the source, it will fade away on its own. Until then, you'll need to wait."
