Chapter 37: Ch 37: Memory from the past

Gray stirred slowly, his head heavy and throbbing. "Urgh… my head… like i was hit by a brick or something.... where am I?" he muttered, his voice raspy and weak. As his eyes fluttered open, the blurred outlines of his surroundings began to sharpen, revealing familiar stone walls bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. He recognized the room—it was the guest quarters in the castle. The memories of the battle with King Almiro and his strange return to the game world began to flood his mind.

He shifted slightly, wincing at the dull ache that radiated through his body. His gaze drifted to his right, and his heart softened. There, lying beside him on the bed, was Vanisa, her head gently resting on the edge of the mattress. Her green hair framed her peaceful face as she slept, her expression serene, though traces of worry still lingered in the creases of her brow. She had been watching over him, he realized. Protecting him, even in his most vulnerable state.