I didn't sleep.
Not because I couldn't. Because I didn't want to. Every time I closed my eyes, that countdown blinked in my brain like an overly clingy ex.
[29 Days, 07 Hours, 13 Minutes.]
Mocking. Taunting. Breathing.
If the system had a face, I'd slap it.
So yeah. Morning came, and I was… a shell.
My soul had clocked out of this existence.
I dragged myself out of bed, hair a mess, shirt half-buttoned, eyes dead. The mirror showed Leonhart's model-perfect face, but the vibe? Full-on haunted anime protagonist after his village burned down.
The guild hall buzzed downstairs with chatter, clinking plates, and the smell of breakfast. Normal people being normal. Couldn't relate.
I stepped down the stairs like a ghost descending into the mortal realm. Someone waved. I blinked. Didn't wave back.
By the time I reached the dining area, people were staring.
