"Young Master, Young Master?"
Repeated calls of 'Young Master' echoed in Alistair's ears, gradually bringing his consciousness back.
"Ugh... I feel dizzy. What happened?"
Alistair felt completely drained of energy, like the limp, soft sensation after sleeping too long. It was slightly uncomfortable but tolerable.
"Young Master, please drink some water first."
Hisae attentively handed him a glass of water without immediately explaining the situation. She figured Alistair had fallen asleep here. Although she didn't know why, Alistair would surely be groggy immediately after waking up. A glass of cold water would help clear his head.
"Oh, thanks."
Alistair propped himself up, took the cup, and drank it all in one go. The cold sensation flowed down his esophagus, stimulating his brain and making him feel much clearer.
"Ah~~~ Much better."
Alistair exhaled and tried to organize his slightly jumbled thoughts.
"Ah, right, I came here to take refuge. What time is it now?"
Alistair followed his line of thought, then suddenly turned to Hisae and asked.
"It's around seven forty. Would you like to go have dinner?"
Hisae replied, then asked if Alistair wanted dinner. Dinner is usually between five and six o'clock; seven is considered late. It was almost eight, so Alistair was probably hungry, but Hisae didn't know Alistair's habits and didn't want to presume.
"No, I don't feel like eating right now... Actually, keep some porridge ready. Any kind but plain porridge. I might eat it later."
Alistair was about to refuse but then reconsidered. Although he didn't feel like eating now, that might change once he recovered. So, he just asked her to prepare some porridge.
"Understood."
Hisae nodded and stood aside. Seeing that Alistair didn't seem to be moving, she took out her phone to make arrangements. As a large company with decent benefits, they had a company cafeteria. Even if they couldn't cook it fresh, she could call someone to buy it outside. She was now in a position above ten thousand, well, a thousand people; she just needed to send a message to get things done.
Alistair, slumped on the bench, wasn't immobile because he didn't want to move; his body was simply too weak. Furthermore, the cold water had only helped him barely regain consciousness. In his current state, he couldn't even summon [The World], let alone resist. Thinking this, Alistair gave up. He couldn't deal with those entities like this anyway, so he might as well just collapse here. Moreover, his current state was likely caused by those people.
If it's a blessing, it can't be avoided; if it's a misfortune, it can't be hidden. He experienced it this morning, and unexpectedly, it happened again in the evening. This feeling was genuinely annoying.
Alistair felt his powerless body, his heart filled with helplessness. The memory of his wanderings in the park was, as expected, missing a piece again. Alistair was at a loss now. The resistance capability that came with [The World] only works against threats that aren't significantly stronger than him. The fact that the entity could bypass [The World]'s resistance and directly 'modify' Alistair's soul meant their 'Mystery' was far, far superior to his.
Wait a minute, where is the twenty percent 'Evolution' progress bar? It's gone?
Alistair felt his 'Mystery'-less body, and his expression immediately crumpled.
Holy shit! My 'Mystery' is gone? Not a single bit left; it was all taken? Fuck!
Alistair's face fell as he carefully examined his state again, finally accepting the fact that his 'Mystery' had been completely stolen by the entity that attacked him earlier. It seemed the entity from last night likely left something behind, or came to confirm his 'Mystery,' and today was the day to harvest the 'fruit.'
Sigh, forget it. Better to live miserably than to die. There will always be a chance for revenge later.
Fortunately, Alistair's physical condition remained, although it became somewhat twisted due to the loss of 'Mystery.' In simple terms, Alistair's 'strength' was weakened. To what extent? Probably just basic compliance with his appearance: a slender, delicate young man who clearly couldn't carry a load or lift his hands, commonly known as a person without the strength to truss a chicken.
However, his physical quality was still there because his body's toughness remained. At least his resistance to injury, recovery ability, and various senses were not weakened; they had even become stronger. The twisted part was that he couldn't exert the physical strength he should possess. In this state, let alone pushing a girl down, even a slender girl like President Rina, if she were determined, could ride him mercilessly.
As for the Ox and Horse Talismans, they were even less likely to work. These two items were themselves manifestations of 'Mystery.' When they came to this world, they must undergo some modifications according to this world's rules; otherwise, different worlds simply couldn't be compatible. In this world, 'Mystery' is the foundation that drives all idealistic abilities. Even Alistair, when he first arrived, contained a faint amount of 'Mystery.'
Now, Alistair truly has not even a tiny bit of 'Mystery' left. It was a testament to his good psychological resilience that he hadn't broken down. Fortunately, the Horse Talisman had already integrated, and it still provided some effect even without the drive of 'Mystery.' Although full limb regeneration was impossible, minor injuries were fine.
Furthermore, [The World], perhaps because it was an ability born from Alistair's soul, could still be used. However, due to the lack of 'Mystery' enhancement, it was significantly weaker. But given the circumstances, being able to use it at all was enough.
"Let's go. We'll head back first."
After recovering slightly, Alistair stood up and said in a somewhat low-spirited tone.
"Okay."
Hisae obediently replied. Alistair was clearly in a very bad mood right now, so it was best not to say too much; otherwise, even a few words of concern might earn her his wrath.
Ugh, how annoying. I have to go to the church for a routine activity sometime soon. I'd rather sleep.
Alistair suddenly remembered the church activities scheduled for the near future. Already annoyed, he became even more irritable. He was the Grand Patriarch and absolutely couldn't miss it. That was bad enough, but he still didn't know what he was supposed to do, and he would have to ask Miss Itsuki for instructions. They were all acting like riddle-speakers; it was such a hassle.
Hisae behind him also noticed Alistair's murmuring. Although the sound was muffled, she still caught a few words, such as 'church' and 'Grand Patriarch.' This confused her. She had checked some of Alistair's information, but none of it mentioned him joining any church.
Is it some kind of game?
Hisae thought.
Meanwhile, Alistair, walking ahead, had absolutely no idea why he so naturally assumed he was the Grand Patriarch of some religious group, nor did he realize when he came to know this 'Miss Itsuki'...