Nil repeatedly massaged his temples to reduce the headache he had. It was the physical toll of a cognitive miracle: he had learned an entirely alien language in three hours. Just three hours!
Although Etam's subconscious mind had helped him in setting the foundation, the process had to go through his own conscious. He suspected Corbenic had been intentionally ruthless. The "artificial spirit" hadn't just taught him common syntax; it had flooded his mind with over three thousand words, and some unnecessary things Nil had forgotten by now.
Yet he realized something during the lesson: the fact that he understood the verbal language of "Edema"—the official language of Aturn—from the start meant he could access Etam's subconscious. This meant he could also access Etam's sorcery. Ultimately, he could learn and master sorcery faster than anyone else, perhaps one day becoming as strong as Etam himself.
If things went as planned, he might even find a way back home.
"Wait, wait, wait... what was I thinking?"
Nil suddenly found a flaw in his logic.
After facing many social and psychological situations in his past and talking with many who had struggled in life, he could summarize one rule: Don't become blindly reliant on someone or something. A healthy sense of paranoia was always necessary.
Nil usually only depended on people when he knew he could get away even if they betrayed him. But now, things were difficult. He was totally reliant on Corbenic, and he had no idea if the entity wanted to harm him or not. Thinking about it further, Nil realized another thing: Etam must have had an ulterior motive for giving up his body. Whether that motive was good or bad was a different question.
Nil was currently reclining in the bathtub. This was the only place he could think freely, as Corbenic was forbidden from accessing the bathrooms, for obvious reasons.
However, even this sanctuary had a flaw; the room was a total mess and filled with pests. Since Corbenic could access every other part of the castle, the pests had seemingly found the bathroom to be the safest place to hide. These pests belonged to different species than those on Earth, making them even creepier.
So Nil had to rub and kill every one of the pests on his own. He wondered if the elf didn't bathe at all. How can one take a relaxing bath in such a place? Nil thought.
"In every story I read, the protagonist gets a 'cheat' life," Nil whispered to the steam. "They get a harem, a status screen, and a kingdom. But all I get is chronic mental exhaustion, a bathtub full of alien spiders, and a talking house that makes me look like a schizophrenic talking to the walls."
He laughed, but it turned into a jagged, dry cough. "Why do I suddenly feel like life back home was actually fair? Compared to this, it was a paradise."
The thought triggered a landslide of memories. He saw his mother cooking and calling him to come down to the dining hall for the umpteenth time until she starts to yell. He saw his father making scornful comments about his studies, hobbies, friends, and even relationships.
He broke into tears, muttering, "Mom, Dad... I promise to be a good son... I would never ever disappoint you and never complain anymore... Where are you?"
Tears fell and mixed into the lukewarm water of this other world.
***
Drying off, Nil changed into casual attire and attempted at navigating the labyrinthine hallways to find the dining hall.
"Where are you going?" Corbenic's voice boomed from the walls, making Nil jump.
"Trying to find the dining hall," Nil snapped, still feeling raw from his breakdown.
"Then you are going in the totally wrong direction. Turn around and take the third archway on the left, Master Nil."
Nil sighed. "I see."
Corbenic guided him to the hall. As Nil entered the chamber, he was immediately welcomed by the beautiful fragrance of food. The long table was filled with chicken, salads, bread, and delicacies Nil couldn't have dreamed of.
Without delay, he dived in. He realized that elves had a stronger appetite than humans—perhaps a result of a higher metabolism.
"Thanks for the meal, Corbenic," Nil said with immense gratitude.
"Fine. Now that you've eaten, we will get the basics of sorcery cleared."
The pain and stress that had left him while he was eating returned instantly, now doubled by fatigue.
"Check this ring."
A shimmering ring flew toward him, losing its luster as soon as it dropped into his hand. Magic perception is so annoying; it makes me feel like those glitching games, Nil grumbled internally.
"Put it on."
Nil did as he was told.
"Now, target the pen in the inkpot."
Nil looked at the quill and aligned his fist with his line of vision.
"Focus!" The voice resounded throughout the room like a thunderclap. Nil grew nervous, and his hand wavered.
"Calm your breath and focus. Breathe slowly and silently, like a hunter."
"A hunter?"
"Think of the quill feather as a real pigeon, perched on an ebony branch."
As he imagined it, his breathing spontaneously slowed and steadied.
"The bird can fly away!" Corbenic hissed in a whisper.
Everything other than the pigeon-like quill blurred.
"What can you see other than the bird?"
It took a moment for Nil to reply; he was actually irritated. "I don't want to see anything else."
"Great. Now, pull it."
With a jolt, Nil pulled. As he did, he saw the pen gleam with a new, different light. It immediately flew toward him like a bullet.
"What?"
Before Nil could react, the nib of the pen was inches from his face, suspended in mid-air.
"Fabulous!" the room echoed.
So much drama just to use a normal artifact? I should rather use a sword, Nil scoffed inwardly.
"It's not about the ring," Corbenic said. "That was just for measuring your focus power."
"Eh?"
"Congratulations. You are a once-in-a-millennium talent."