"What… happened?"
All I could see was a blur of bright ceiling lights, which made me more disoriented.
The cold floor pressed against my back, and my whole body felt sticky, as if I had been bathed in glue.
Several nurses rushed in, their voices loud and worried. Two of them grabbed my arms to help me up, while another fixed the IV stand that had tipped over.
One nurse pressed her hand against my chest, checking if my heart was beating too fast.
I blinked a few times, confused and dizzy, the strange pain in my chest was gone.
Right now, it looked like half the hospital staff had piled into my room just to keep me from collapsing again.
They laid me back on the bed and swapped out the blanket, stained with the black residue from my breakthrough.
"W…W" I tried to speak, but I blacked out before I could finish.
***
***
***
Opening my eyes, I saw that the sun had already risen. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, brightening the room.
Ellie was sitting beside my bed, waiting quietly for me.
"I'm glad you're okay now," she grabbed my hands as tears started falling.
"What happened to me?" I asked. After that snap, I had completely lost consciousness, but now I felt stronger, and I wasn't paralyzed anymore.
"You're finally awake. Doctor Sera said that because of what happened, you were cured instantly."
"I… I awakened?" I raised an eyebrow.
From what I remembered, people who awakened always knew their abilities right away—but I didn't. Could it be that they just assumed it after seeing all that dark liquid?
"Yes, you did. This is good news. Now you can live your life normally again."
Her excitement was so infectious that I subconsciously tightened my grip on her hand.
"Thank you… for staying by my side all this time, Aunt Ellie."
She paused, swallowing nervously. A light blush colored her cheeks, and her voice shook a little.
"I've already taken care of everything. We can go home anytime. I'm sure your father will be happy to see you again."
"I doubt that," I said, shaking my head. "He didn't even come here after hearing the news."
But it was fine—I didn't really want to pretend to be a good son anyway. Besides, if my mother's words were true, then that man was one of the people responsible for her death.
"Let's go home. I'm so sick of this place."
That was the plan, but then Dr. Kim entered.
"I can't let you leave just yet, Mr. Ace. We still have to conduct a check-up.'"
Under ordinary circumstances I would trust a physician, yet I could tell from a mile away he harbored another motive for keeping me here.
"Do you really think I need tests?"
"Yes," He nodded firmly.
I pushed myself up and latched onto the metal rail. One squeeze, and it groaned and bent.
It shocked me , and everyone else in the room.
I triggered my Acting Card before the awkwardness could show, smoothing my expression into confidence as I cleared my throat.
"Sorry about that. I still can't control my abilities. Is this hospital even equipped to check people who awaken?"
I narrowed my eyes, putting the doctor on the spot.
"No—wait, you don't understand," Dr. Kim stepped forward. He tried to explain, but I didn't give him the chance.
"Save it. No tests needed. I'm an adult; I decide what happens to my body. And frankly, I won't allow anyone not accredited to examine my body."
Ellie stood up as well. "As his guardian, I want him discharged immediately too."
Faced with the two of us, he had no choice but to concede.
"I'll take care of this, Mrs. Ellie. Give my regards to your husband." With a short bow, he turned and left.
After a while, a nurse returned with the paperwork I needed.
I signed the release papers and took the bag Ellie brought.
Inside were my clothes: simple, clean, and comfortable.
A few minutes in the bathroom were enough to get me dressed in a white shirt and black pants. It was simple and comfortable.
"Let's go." I led the way, not wanting to spend another second in this place.
Outside, four black SUVs waited in formation.
These weren't standard showroom models; they were reinforced SUVs, built to stop bullets and command attention.
I took a seat in the third SUV with Ellie.
With nothing else to do, I turned to the window. Even with Ace's memories, the city still left me in awe .
Holograms flickered on tall buildings, casting vibrant reflections on the glass. It looked something out of a sci-fi movie.
I tilted my head upward. Dozens of sky roads wove across one another, tier upon tier, like strands in a colossal web. I used to think my old world was advanced, but compared to this, it was primitive.
Moments later, the SUV went into a downward incline that revealed yet another level below. The hospital was actually sitting on another huge structure that housed shops and residences beneath it.
But this wasn't our final destination.
The Mercer family lived closer to the heart of the city, and to reach that district, we had to pass through may district first.
"How are you feeling right now?" Ellie broke the silence.
Honestly, if I weren't equipping the Acting Card, I would be grinning like a kid stepping into a theme park.
But with it, staying composed came much easier. After all, Francis was a man who dealt with awkward situations on a daily basis. It also helped that I already had a general sense of this world.
"I'm just glad I'm okay now. I've missed so much after being stuck in that hospital for years."
Secretly, I reached for her hand, and she slipped her bag between us to keep the driver from noticing.
Her fingers lingered in mine longer than necessary, and the faint blush on her cheeks said more than words ever could.