After a few more minutes of exploring the vast, magical landscape, Fainyx raised his hand and tore open the spatial rift.
The three of them stepped through the glowing portal, leaving the sunlit, vibrant Aetherium behind. The rift snapped shut, plunging them back into the dark, quiet reality of Fainyx's bedroom. The transition was jarring.
Yong stretched his arms high above his head, letting out a loud groan as his joints popped. "Man, it feels so restrictive out here. I already miss it in there. It's so much more comfortable."
"It is because the ambient mana in his dimension is incredibly warm and pure,"
Ruth explained, his golden eyes still reflecting a lingering sense of awe.
"But I must admit, it is truly fascinating. To witness a completely new form of magic, one that even my ancient kind cannot replicate, is an honor. You are full of surprises, Fainyx."
Fainyx reached up and carefully untied the black blindfold, letting it drop to the floor.
He looked at his two masters. Instantly, the familiar, heavy psychological block clamped down on his throat.
His vocal cords tightened, refusing to let a single sound out while making eye contact. However, despite the silence, the crushing anxiety that usually accompanied it was gone. He looked at them with soft, relaxed eyes.
He couldn't speak, but he felt genuinely comfortable around them. It was a massive step forward.
Seeing the boy's calm expression, Yong smiled gently. "Lumi fell asleep, huh?"
Fainyx nodded, pointing a thumb toward where the portal had been. He had left the exhausted little spirit sleeping safely in a basket inside the Aetherium's wooden villa.
Ruth stepped forward, his towering frame dropping to one knee so he was closer to Fainyx's eye level. "Fainyx, your magical pathways are stable for now. But regarding your... psychological trauma. The block in your mind. If you are willing, Yong and I would like to help you overcome it. We cannot erase your past, but perhaps we can help you find your voice in this world."
"I'll help too, kiddo," Yong added, placing a reassuring hand on Fainyx's shoulder.
"We're in this together now."
Fainyx's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but a deep sense of gratitude quickly followed. He gave them both a firm, determined nod.
With their new bond solidified, Yong and Ruth slipped back out the window into the night.
Left alone in the quiet room, Fainyx climbed into his bed. Despite the physical exhaustion, he felt lighter than he had in years. He was incredibly happy that he finally got to tell the truth to someone.
To think that a restaurant owner and also his goofy history instructor was not only from his exact same Earth, but was a famously overpowered S-Rank Hunter, it felt like a bizarre fate that brought them together.
As he pulled the heavy blankets up to his chin, his thoughts drifted to the mysterious, incomplete cave in the Aetherium.
'It felt like it was leading somewhere,' Fainyx thought, his eyelids growing heavy.
'I just hope it doesn't become a problem in the future.' With a soft sigh of absolute satisfaction, Fainyx finally fell asleep.
***
The next morning, the atmosphere in the bedroom was entirely different. It was suffocatingly tense.
Sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating the worried faces gathered around Fainyx's bed.
Physician Michael was carefully checking the boy's pulse and temperature, a deep frown on his face. Standing right behind him was the Duke, radiating an aura of sheer, terrifying anxiety.
Liam and Adam were also there, holding onto the edge of the mattress, looking at their little brother with teary, frightened eyes.
"His fever has completely down, Your Grace," Michael reported, placing Fainyx's small wrist back under the covers.
"However, the sheer amount of blood he coughed up yesterday... his internal constitution is still incredibly volatile. He needs absolute rest."
The Duke rubbed his face, looking exhausted. He hadn't slept a wink. "Just... do whatever it takes, Michael. Whatever it takes."
Before the physician could respond, the heavy bedroom door creaked open. Weinhart, the elderly butler, stepped inside, his expression perfectly composed but carrying a hint of urgency.
"Pardon the intrusion, Your Grace," Weinhart bowed deeply. "But Sir Yong, the young master's history instructor, has arrived at the estate. He has brought a stranger with him."
The Duke's silver eyes narrowed dangerously. "I am not taking visitors right now, Weinhart. Tell him to leave."
"I attempted to, Your Grace," Weinhart replied smoothly. "But Master Yong was highly insistent. He claims that this stranger has something to say regarding Young Master Fainyx's condition. He specifically requested that you speak with them privately in your study."
Fainyx, who was quietly sipping a cup of warm water, paused. A small, hidden smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
'So... the plan is finally in motion.'
The Duke looked at Fainyx, then back at Weinhart. Desperation warred with suspicion in his eyes. "Adam, Liam. Stay here with your brother." The Duke stood up, his heavy cape billowing behind him. "Let us see what this history instructor has brought into my home."
The Duke marched out of the room, leaving the children behind.
Down the hall, inside the Duke's private study, the air was thick with tension.
The Duke slammed the door shut, his terrifying, bloodthirsty aura immediately flooding the room. The mahogany furniture groaned under the sheer pressure of his magical intent.
"What is the meaning of this, Marquis Yong?" the Duke demanded, his voice cold as ice. "You claim you brought someone who can cure him? Are you absolutely certain about this? If you are giving me false hope, I will have your head."
Yong, playing the role of the humble instructor perfectly, bowed respectfully, though he didn't even flinch under the Duke's crushing aura.
"I swear on my life, Your Grace," Yong said smoothly. "I know how dire the young master's situation is. By pure chance, I encountered an incredibly rare wanderer passing through the territory.
When I described the symptoms of the Hollow Constitution, he immediately recognized the ailment. He is the one who can help."
Yong stepped aside, gesturing to the tall figure standing beside him.
The stranger was completely hidden beneath a heavy, dark green traveling cloak. The Duke's eyes narrowed. "Remove the cloak. Now."
The figure reached up with elegant, gloved hands and slowly pulled the hood back.
The Duke's eyes widened in genuine shock.
The stranger possessed an otherworldly, ethereal beauty. Long, lustrous silver hair flowed perfectly down his back, framing a sharp, aristocratic face.
His eyes were a striking, ancient gold. But the most fascinating and undeniable feature was his ears, they were elegantly elongated and sharply pointed.
"An elf?" the Duke muttered, his hostile aura receding slightly in sheer surprise.
"Not just an elf, Your Grace," Yong corrected, gesturing grandly. "A High Elf. He originates from the deep sanctuaries of the ancient forests."
Ruth, flawlessly utilizing the advanced Polymorph spell to compress his draconic features into the guise of a High Elf, looked down at the Duke with a perfectly crafted expression of serene, ancient arrogance.
"Greetings, Duke," Ruth said, his voice deep, resonant, and dripping with mystical authority. "As your subordinate stated, I heard of your son's affliction. The Hollow Constitution is a tragic decay of the mana pathways making their body suffer pain. However... it is not entirely incurable."
The Duke took a desperate step forward, all of his noble composure shattering. "Can you really cure it? Truly?"
Ruth maintained his calm, elven facade. "It is not a matter of a single, miraculous wave of a wand, Duke. The treatment requires a highly potent, ancient medicine that I possess. It flushes the dead mana from the body which often results in coughing up corrupted blood and slowly reinforces the vessels."
Ruth looked the Duke directly in the eyes. "As long as the decay has not yet reached the boy's heart, my medicine will work. It will be a slow process, but I give you my word as a High Elf, every time I administer this treatment, your son will grow steadily healthier."