Outside, the sun was gentle and warm.
Soft rays of light slipped through the window and spilled into the room where Raven lay asleep.
"...Huh?"
His black lashes trembled faintly as the sunlight brushed against them.
Slowly, he opened his silver eyes.
What time is it...?
He tried to move his hand.
"Damn..."
A sharp pulse of pain stopped him at once.
"At least... it's better than yesterday."
With a slow breath, Raven pushed himself upright and began removing the bandages wrapped around his body.
His body looked mostly healed. The surface wounds he had suffered were already gone.
"That's good."
"But..."
His gaze shifted toward his right arm.
A dreadful scar stretched from his shoulder downward, like the mark of a terrible burn.
"I don't think this will heal anytime soon."
He carefully moved the rest of his body.
The broken bones and internal injuries had recovered far more than he expected.
Crack... crack...
As he tried to stand, his joints let out stiff sounds.
"I feel like I slept for days."
"You did."
The door opened, and a familiar voice cut through his thoughts.
"You were asleep for three days, kid."
Marcus stepped into the room with his usual lively presence.
As always, his bright green eyes shone with confidence, his white hair neat, and a warm smile resting on his face.
"Three days?"
Raven stared in surprise.
"Just how bad were my injuries...?"
"Would you like to tell me now what exactly caused you to end up like this?"
Marcus asked again, though this time his expression had grown serious.
Raven nodded and began recounting everything that had happened inside the Rift.
Several minutes later...
"So, let me get this straight."
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"You charged like an idiot at a monster whose level you didn't even know?"
"Cough..."
"I didn't know there was something wrong with the dungeon."
"kid..."
Marcus sighed deeply.
"You truly are something else."
He poured himself a glass of water and drank it in one go.
"Originally, I was planning to charge you 50 gold coins for staying here and for the treatment."
He glanced at Raven.
"But now... I don't think I can do that."
"Marcus, I have a question."
Raven cut in suddenly.
There was something that had been bothering him for a while.
"Why does Marcella treat me so kindly?"
Confusion filled his voice as he looked at the old man.
Marcus opened his mouth, then closed it again.
"That..."
He silent
"I can't tell you, kid."
After a long silence, he finally spoke again.
"If you want to know, ask her yourself."
The atmosphere in the room grew strangely heavy.
A faint sadness seemed to drift from the old man before him.
Raven remained silent out of respect, though his curiosity only deepened.
What happened to make someone as strong as Marcus carry that kind of sorrow...?
He felt as if he already knew the answer somewhere deep inside, but he could not bring himself to ask.
So he stayed quiet.
"kid, since you're healed enough now, you should head back soon."
Marcus' voice rang out again, cutting through the awkward silence.
"Alright."
Raven nodded.
Marcus turned and left, the door closing behind him.
I should leave too.
Raven reached for the coat beside his bed.
"But this..."
He lifted it and frowned.
It was covered in burns and tears.
He let out a sigh.
"My favorite coat..."
Then suddenly
"Wait."
A thought froze him in place.
"Damn!"
He quickly looked down at his hand.
At his finger.
"Haaah..."
A deep breath of relief escaped him when he saw the small black ring still resting there.
It had once been said that the ring was bound to its owner and would always return even if broken.
But fear still lingered inside him.
It must have happened when the snake's fang pierced my hand...
He touched his scarred arm again.
Especially the burns.
"Snake..."
The words slipped out, heavy with fear.
He had nearly died because of his own recklessness.
If not for the creature's arrogance ...if not for the way it treated him like prey
He would be dead.
But then another feeling rose within him.
His entire being trembled.
He was angry.
Furiously angry.
Angry at the snake.
But even more angry at himself.
He had been a fool.
He had nearly died many times over the past two months.
But never like that.
Never so close to true death.
The moment he faced that snake
A fierce killing intent surged from the depths of his heart.
Mana stirred violently inside him.
A deep violet light began to spread across the surface of his body.
"Control yourself kid."
A voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
But...
It hadn't come from outside.
It had sounded inside his head.
Cold sweat began to run down Raven's forehead.
"I forgot..."
"That man..."
"The Dream Wanderer."
A bitter smile appeared on his lips as he noticed his back drenched in cold sweat.