The warmth didn't fade as long as her hand continued to glow green. Noticing Max's stunned expression, Rosalia let out a soft giggle.
"Am I so pretty that you lost your breath?" she teased, leaning a little closer.
"No, I mean, yes, but no— not because of that, I..." His face flushed red as panic set in, but he quickly let out a breath and tried to steady himself. "You're pretty..." Rosalia drew back slightly at his honest words, a pink blush spreading across her pale cheeks. "But what I meant to say is... I've never seen this before..." He pointed at her glowing hand, his eyes still fixed on the green light.
"You've never seen magic? How?" Her eyes widened. The man before her seemed more and more mysterious.
Not knowing what to say in a situation like this without sounding too suspicious, he nodded. The thought of magic made his heart race, but he knew that he and she were not the same. After all, he possessed no magic, because he was not from this world.
"I find it hard to believe. In this world, who is born without magic?" Her eyes searched his carefully, trying to dig out the truth. But no matter how closely she looked, the gaze he gave her felt far too genuine.
"Let's say it's true, that you've never seen magic. Does that mean you grew up all alone? Where is your family, Max? Do they also possess no magic?" Her gentle words squeezed at his heart. Family was a sensitive wound for him, but to survive until he learned how to return to his original world, he had to lie his way out.
"From where I came from, nobody ever had any magic... so that's why I was so surprised. I had heard rumors, so I ventured out, searching for adventure... haha... look how I ended up..." He lowered his face, hoping his lie would sound convincing enough.
"Everybody has magic inside them. I believe you do as well, but perhaps your clan did not know how to awaken their inner powers..." she said, half confident. Then she gently shook her head. "You definitely have powers." Her smile shone so brightly it almost made him believe her without question.
"Do you truly mean that? Me? I—" His eyes genuinely lit up, catching Rosalia off guard. "I can be like you and wield magic?" He lowered his gaze, drifting away for a second. "I can hold my fate in my hands with magic... no more suffering..."
Rosalia watched him murmur under his breath, catching only fragments of his words, and the sight left her conflicted. Should she trust him, or should she remain cautious?
"Of course, Max. I sincerely believe you will be able to use magic, but you must undergo awakening. Only then will we find out what talent you possess. It's just..." She bit her finger, hesitation flickering across her face.
"What? Is something wrong?" Max asked, noticing the concern in her eyes.
"No, nothing. Let me tell you about magic awakening instead."
They spoke for around an hour about magic while she constantly channeled her power to heal his wound. Only when the color drained from her face did she finally stop, breathing heavily.
"Done..." she sighed heavily, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Just like that, my wound is gone?" Max wore a stunned expression. He pulled aside the animal skin and checked the place where his wound had been. It had sealed up and vanished as if it had never been there. "It's amazing. You're amazing, Rosalia."
He was so excited that he didn't notice the dark expression on Rosalia's face. She looked cold, as if staring at an enemy. But the moment their eyes met, her face lit up with a warm smile.
"Rest well for today. Somebody will come see you and bring you some food." She got up, swaying slightly, but quickly caught herself.
"Will I see you again?" Max blurted out, his eyes scanning her face desperately.
"Of course." Rosalia gave him a faint smile before slowly leaving the old hut, which had no windows and only a creaking wooden door.
-------
A few rays of sunlight spilled through the poorly fitted wooden walls, washing over Max's solemn face. He didn't know what to do now. On one hand, he wanted to return to his original world. On the other hand, he didn't know how—or whether it was even worth returning to a place where nobody was waiting for him anyway.
Here, life had meaning. He could start fresh, learn magic, and perhaps build a family of his own one day, one where his children would never need to suffer the same fate as him. Perhaps here, he could gain the power to stand out, to become the man he had always wanted to be.
"What the hell is going on..." he muttered with a bitter little laugh, peering through the cracks in the wall at the outside world, which looked far too simple. He could spot a few villagers carrying hay in the distance. "They are human just like me, right?"
But then, the air in front of him rippled like water disturbed by a pebble. Something dark began to take shape; a small screen he recognized almost instantly. He had seen things like that in movies before: a digital panel floating right in front of him. He studied the black surface carefully, his fingers reaching toward it. When they brushed against it, it felt solid, far too real to be dismissed as a hallucination.
"What is this?" he whispered under his breath.
Suddenly, the black screen lit up with letters as blue as ice, forming words one after another.
[I am the system assigned to aid you in your quest, dear user.]
Max jerked his fingers back, his expression turning dumbfounded.
"I must have hit my head too hard... or am I really dead? All of this... doesn't feel real..." he muttered to himself, shaking his head and slapping his cheeks. The events of the day had completely shattered what little composure he had left.
[You are neither dead nor dreaming. You have traversed worlds. Your physical body and soul now reside in the world of magic, far beyond any visible galaxy from your old world.]
"Even if that's true, why me? On Earth, nobody had magic, me included. How am I supposed to survive here?" he asked calmly.
[That is why I have been assigned to you: to rebuild your body so it may be ready to house the powers of magic, and most importantly, the power of Supreme Bloodline Evolution.]
Those words gave him the hope he desperately needed, shattering any remaining desire to return to his old world. "Does that mean I already have magic? How do I—?" But the system cut him off.
[Your body will be ready in 168 hours. Once that time has passed, you will awaken your first magical powers based on your affinity. As your bloodline evolves, you will gain additional affinities and gradually awaken your original power.]
The system's words made his heart race. For once in his life, he had found something to live for. For once in his life, he had found a desire and a goal he could not refuse...