Chapter 181: Answer that begets even more questions

Valen.

It meant 'healthy'. When I knew what that name meant, I was already sick, so it felt like a cruel irony to me. Perhaps, my grandfather wanted me to grow up healthy, unlike my grandma who I resembled the most. 

After I found myself in Valmeier's body, I started to introduce myself simply as 'Val', so every time people called me, I would be able to feel like they were actually calling me, and not Valmeier. Just a little silly trick of the mind. 

I had hoped, I had wished, but I had never ever thought that someone would utter that name as they called me.

But why was it, that the name came out of Natha's mouth?

"What--" 

I stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the demon walking toward me. I was too stunned to even make a move, and before long, he stood in front of me.

With that moonlight gaze, he said it again. "Valen."