[19th June]
The bandages continued coming off.
Layer after layer.
The quiet atmosphere inside the medic hall slowly turned strange.
Heavy.
Unsettling.
One by one, the expressions on the doctors' faces began changing.
Hosric's relaxed posture stiffened slightly.
A medic unwrapping Rey's arm suddenly stopped midway.
Another blinked twice, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Then the final layer around Rey's torso loosened—
And the entire room froze.
Silence swallowed the medic hall whole.
Because beneath the countless wrappings…
There was nothing.
No horrifying wounds.
No torn flesh.
No deep punctures left by Raviel's blades.
No mangled skin.
Only faint reddish marks remained across Rey's body like fading scars from injuries that had healed weeks ago.
One doctor slowly reached toward Rey's shoulder.
His fingers trembled slightly as he touched the spot where Raviel's sword had pierced clean through him.
The flesh there was smooth.
Completely sealed.
Another medic hurriedly checked the wound near his stomach.
Same result.
Gone.
Fully healed.
The older medic who had personally stitched Rey's thigh wound the previous night staggered backwards in disbelief.
"That's impossible…"
His voice came out dry.
Hosric's eyes widened visibly.
Even he looked shaken now.
Every single doctor in the room stared at Rey like they were looking at something unnatural.
One younger doctor even removed his glasses nervously and cleaned them before checking again.
Still the same result.
Nothing changed.
No wounds.
No damage.
Nothing except traces of redness left behind.
A younger medic swallowed hard.
"…Am I dreaming right now?"
Nobody answered him.
Because everyone else was thinking the exact same thing.
The atmosphere inside the room turned eerily quiet.
Even Rey himself avoided speaking.
Honestly…
Even though he already expected this outcome, watching everyone react like this still felt awkward.
Hosric finally regained his composure first.
Though confusion still lingered heavily in his eyes.
The head doctor slowly looked toward him.
"Sir Hosric…"
His expression turned serious.
"I believe we need to discuss this privately."
"…Fine."
Hosric nodded slowly.
The head doctors and senior medics quietly left the room alongside him.
The moment the door closed behind them—
The older doctor immediately turned toward Hosric.
"Sir… may I ask something directly?"
Hosric frowned slightly.
"What is it?"
The doctor hesitated briefly before speaking.
"Was Mr. Edvarin involved in this recovery?"
Hosric's eyes narrowed slightly.
The doctor continued quickly.
"I mean… did he perhaps use that strange blood essence again?"
"Similar to what happened with Young Master Fenlor."
He lowered his voice instinctively.
"Because other than that… there is no logical explanation for this."
"We are required to submit complete medical reports for every contestant."
"And what happened here…"
He glanced back toward Rey's room.
"…cannot be explained through normal means."
"We need a valid reason before this reaches higher authorities."
Hosric went silent.
Internally, his thoughts were already in complete disorder.
Because, unlike the doctors—
He knew something was wrong with Rey.
That horrifying force he once saw within Rey's body…
The devouring presence hidden inside him…
Hosric had never forgotten it for even a second.
And now this abnormal regeneration…
It only deepened his suspicions further.
Still—
There was no way he could reveal any of that.
Not here.
Not now.
So instead, he immediately grabbed onto the explanation the doctors themselves had offered.
"Hm… yes."
Hosric nodded calmly.
"It was because of Father's blood essence."
"He handed it over personally to help Rey recover."
"You may write that in the report."
Honestly, even he hated how weak the explanation sounded.
But compared to the truth?
This was far safer.
The doctors exchanged glances with one another.
Then slowly nodded.
That answer made more sense to them than anything else.
Because someone at Rey's level recovering from such injuries overnight was absurd.
Only an Acolyte-ranked artist or some legendary healing treasure could accomplish something like that.
And Rey was obviously neither.
At least…
That was what they believed.
The discussion ended there.
Everyone returned inside the room shortly afterwards.
Though the way they looked at Rey had completely changed now.
There was caution in their eyes.
Confusion too.
Almost like they were observing some unknown creature disguised as a human.
Several more examinations followed immediately afterwards.
Rey was transferred to a separate room for a complete physical checkup.
And unfortunately for him—
That meant absolutely everything.
"Do we really need to do this part too…?"
"Yes."
"Can't we skip it?"
"No."
A few minutes later, Rey sat there completely expressionless while multiple doctors carefully examined every inch of his body.
At this point, his dignity had already died.
The only remaining positive outcome was that the doctors confirmed something shocking.
Other than minor soreness and a few lingering red scars…
His body was practically fine.
Even his internal injuries had mostly stabilised.
The older doctors looked increasingly disturbed as more results came back.
One report after another completely overturned medical logic.
Eventually, the head doctor released a long, exhausted sigh.
"…There is no reason to continue treatment anymore."
Rey almost smiled immediately.
Finally.
Freedom.
He was given several ointments for the remaining scars along with pain-relief medicine to suppress lingering soreness.
Though honestly—
He doubted he even needed them.
A few hours later, discharge approval was completed.
Morning sunlight had already begun spreading across the city outside as the next day of tournament matches approached once more.
Hosric arranged a vehicle to take Rey home.
But throughout the entire process…
His expression remained complicated.
Even now, he couldn't stop remembering that horrifying presence hidden inside Rey.
That devouring force.
That monstrous thing sleeping within him.
And slowly—
A disturbing thought began taking root inside his mind.
Maybe…
Rey's impossible recovery…
Was connected to that.
The bloodline of the Dragonstorm family had never been ordinary.
Even buried beneath ruin…
Even dragged through mud…
Even after years of decline…
There were still monsters hidden within it.
And Hosric knew that better than anyone.
As he watched Rey sitting on the bed inside the Medic Hall, looking almost completely recovered after suffering injuries that should have crippled him for months…
That thought only grew stronger.
The devouring force he had once sensed inside Rey's body resurfaced in his memory again.
That terrifying sensation.
That unnatural hunger.
It wasn't something a normal human possessed.
And now, seeing wounds close overnight as they had never existed…
Hosric was almost certain.
The secret behind Rey's terrifying recovery wasn't medicine.
It was something inside him.
Something inherited.
Something dangerous.
But Hosric chose not to ask further.
Some truths were better left untouched.
Especially when they belonged to the remnants of a fallen Duke family.
He exhaled slowly before helping Rey sit properly on one of the resting seats near the hall entrance.
"You stay here. I'll check whether the car has arrived or not."
Rey nodded lightly.
"And call your mother," Hosric added while narrowing his eyes. "She almost lost her sanity yesterday."
Rey immediately stiffened.
"…Right."
The moment Hosric disappeared outside the hall, Rey pulled out his phone from his inventory.
The screen lit up.
And his expression instantly froze.
57 missed calls.
Most of them from Jasmine.
Some from Hosric.
Rey quietly swallowed.
"…I'm dead."
He immediately pressed the call button.
The phone didn't even ring for five full seconds before the call connected.
Silence followed.
Rey blinked.
He checked the screen once.
The call was still active.
"…Mother?" he called carefully.
Then the hurried voice came the next second.
"Rey?!"
The amount of panic and relief mixed inside Jasmine's voice made Rey instinctively sit straighter.
"Are you alright?!"
"Yes, Mother. I'm fine. Really. Just tired—"
"Don't you dare lie to me!"
Her voice instantly rose.
Rey winced.
"I saw your condition! Do you even know what I went through while watching that match?!"
Her breathing trembled through the phone.
"When they pinned you down… when that boy kept hurting you… I thought…"
Her voice cracked for a moment.
"…I thought I was going to lose my son."
Rey quietly lowered his gaze.
The usual playful expression on his face faded slightly.
Jasmine continued without stopping.
"Why couldn't you surrender?! Why do you always push yourself like this?! Other contestants surrendered and walked away safely! Why must you keep destroying yourself every single time?!"
Rey scratched his cheek helplessly.
"Sorry…"
"Sorry?! That's all you have to say?!"
"…Sorry."
"And don't repeat it again!"
"…Yes."
"Promise me!"
"…I promise."
"You promised last time, too!"
Rey instantly fell silent.
That only made Jasmine continue for another several minutes.
She explained how terrified she had been.
How she kept calling Hosric repeatedly during the match.
How Emmy had started crying after seeing Rey pinned beneath the daggers.
How helpless she felt watching from the screen while unable to do anything.
Rey listened quietly this time.
He no longer interrupted.
Because for the first time since the battle ended…
He truly realised how close he had come to dying.
And how terrifying it must have looked from the outside.
After nearly ten whole minutes, Jasmine's voice finally softened slightly.
"…You really are alright?"
"Yes, Mother," Rey replied gently this time. "I'm okay now."
"…Don't scare me like that again."
"I'll try."
"Not try. Promise."
"…Promise."
Only then did Jasmine finally calm down a little.
But before Rey could relax—
Hosric returned.
And Rey's eyes instantly lit up like he had found salvation.
"Mother," he spoke quickly, "Uncle wants to talk to you."
Before Hosric could even react—
Rey shoved the phone directly into his hand.
Hosric stared at him in disbelief.
"You little—"
Too late.
Jasmine's voice already exploded from the other side.
"HOSRIC!"
The mighty, cold-faced warrior who could pressure countless people into silence immediately straightened his back like a child caught stealing.
"Yes… sister."
Rey immediately looked away toward the ceiling, pretending to count the lights above.
Hosric glared at him with murderous intent while enduring five full minutes of relentless scolding.
And Rey almost laughed himself to death watching it happen.
Eventually, Hosric somehow managed to escape by explaining they were already heading home.
The call finally ended.
Silence returned.
Hosric slowly lowered the phone before turning toward Rey with a dark expression.
Rey immediately looked somewhere else again.
"Hm… interesting ceiling design."
"You're enjoying this too much."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Hosric almost smacked him.
Instead, he exhaled deeply.
"Come on. You've been discharged."
Rey blinked.
"…Already?"
"You healed like a monster overnight. The doctors practically lost their minds earlier."
Rey coughed awkwardly.
"Well… lucky me?"
Hosric narrowed his eyes suspiciously before helping him stand up.
Even though Rey insisted he could walk properly now, Hosric still supported him carefully.
The soreness throughout Rey's body still remained.
Every muscle felt heavy from overexertion.
Especially after abusing multiple enhancement skills one after another.
The two slowly walked outside the Medic Hall.
And the moment Rey stepped out into the stadium entrance area…
He paused.
Thousands of people were already entering for the next day's matches.
Voices echoed everywhere.
Excitement filled the atmosphere once again.
But this time…
He was no longer part of it.
His tournament had ended.
The realisation settled quietly inside him.
The rankings for defeated contestants would later be decided by the judges.
Somewhere within the Top 17–25 range, most likely.
Still enough for Royal University admission.
Still enough to shock the kingdom.
But the road he wanted…
The victory he wanted…
He hadn't reached it.
His gaze slowly lifted toward the massive stadium one final time.
The same battlefield where he had nearly died yesterday.
Where his identity had been exposed before the entire kingdom.
Where Raviel had trampled over his family name.
Where he himself had lost control in fury.
A long breath escaped his lips.
"My part in the tournament is over…"
Hosric glanced at him but remained silent.
Rey looked away from the stadium afterwards.
His eyes gradually steadied.
There was frustration.
Anger.
Regret.
But beneath all of it—
Something sharper was beginning to form.
Resolve.
"There's still too much left to do," Rey thought quietly.
"The path ahead is far longer than this."
"I don't have the luxury to keep staring backwards forever."
With that—
He stepped into the car.
And this time…
He didn't look back at the stadium again.
__
A/N: Hello everyone,
I know the story's pacing has slowed a bit, but I'm working on improving it. I'd appreciate your reviews on what I can do better or any issues that need addressing to enhance the story.
Also, I'd love your support too! (～￣▽￣)～