He woke up…
Slowly.
A strange heaviness pressed down on his body from all sides.
It felt as though his limbs no longer belonged to him, as if someone had strapped weights onto every part of his body.
His vision was blurry at first.
The sounds around him were muffled and distant, as though he were hearing the world from behind a thick wall.
He tried to move—
A wave of dizziness immediately swept through his head.
He stopped and settled back down.
Taking a slow, deep breath, he filled his lungs with the room’s air before letting it out gradually.
Then another.
And after a few moments…
Reality began to take shape.
A gray canvas ceiling hung above him.
The air carried the faintly sharp scent of medicinal herbs.
Soft sounds drifted through the tent—wounded patients groaning quietly or speaking in hushed voices.
A tent.
Slowly sitting up, he finally understood.
A treatment tent.
The injured lay on beds positioned close to the ground.
Some slept.
Others stared blankly at the ceiling.
The place wasn’t crowded.
It was almost as if the war had truly ended.
He had barely managed to sit upright when he noticed sudden movement.
A young nurse with tied-back hair and simple, clean clothing hurried toward him.
“Patient Daron!”
She stopped in front of him and examined him from head to toe, genuine concern visible in her eyes.
“Do you feel any pain?
Dizziness?
Difficulty breathing?
Headaches?”
He looked at her and tried to assess himself.
Everything seemed to be functioning normally.
“I’m…
fine.”
After a brief hesitation, he asked,
“Was I asleep for long?”
She exchanged a quick glance with another nurse in the corner before turning back to him.
Her expression remained calm, but there was a noticeable weight behind it.
“Two days.”
Silence.
“You were unconscious…
for two full days.”
Her voice lowered.
“You suffered a severe mental collapse.
Honestly, we weren’t sure you’d survive.”
His eyes widened slightly.
But he didn’t comment.
He simply absorbed the information.
After several minutes of examinations and confirmation that he was stable, they allowed him to leave.
The moment he stepped out of the tent—
He ran straight into Amy.
She stood beneath the daylight, her expression troubled and worried.
There were faint signs of exhaustion on her face, as though she hadn’t slept much.
The instant she saw him, she hurried over.
“Are you okay?!”
“You idiot!
You had me worried sick!”
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Then he began explaining what had happened.
As they walked together beneath the daylight, they talked.
And much of what he learned was completely new to him.
First…
The war was over.
They had won.
But it hadn’t been a complete victory.
Neither of the Great Knights had died.
Although the giant had suffered injuries so severe that even the soldiers were terrified by them.
Even that monster…
Could be wounded.
Second…
The war had officially been declared over.
They were already on their way back to Veron Province.
The journey normally took three days.
But he had already slept through two of them.
“We’ll arrive this evening.”
She said it casually.
As if everything was already over.
But for him…
Things had only just begun.
Because there was something far more important.
Something much more important.
“The wind…
and the fire.”
He looked at her intently.
“What exactly was that…?”
She remained silent for a moment before answering.
“Abilities.”
“Everyone…
has an ability.”
“It’s one of the fundamental truths of this world.”
She raised a finger.
“The only difference is between those with dormant abilities and those with active abilities.”
She continued,
“You can possess more than one ability.
They vary from person to person.
Some control nature.
Some can change their form.
Some strengthen their bodies.
Others influence people in strange ways.”
She paused before looking at him seriously.
“But the strength of an ability depends on your will.”
Something stirred inside him.
“The stronger your will…”
“The stronger your ability becomes.”
“Those who can sense will are stronger than ordinary people.”
“And those who can control it are far stronger.”
She looked ahead.
“As for the people you saw…”
“They’re something else entirely.”
A small smile appeared on her face.
“By the way…
my ability enhances my speed and agility.”
Silence.
An ability…
Did he have one?
Dormant?
Active?
He tried to feel something.
Anything.
But—
Nothing.
Only emptiness.
He frowned.
Was he someone without an ability?
Before he could sink deeper into those thoughts—
Something landed in his lap.
A pouch.
He opened it.
Ten silver coins.
He looked up.
“What’s this?”
Amy smiled.
“Your pay.”
“The reward for participating in the war, you idiot.”
Several minutes of comfortable silence passed.
Then he asked,
“Will you…
return to your family?”
She stopped walking.
Then answered calmly,
“I don’t have a family.
But I do have companions…
fellow mercenaries like me.”
He lowered his gaze.
“That’s nice…”
“I don’t have anything.”
“Not even a friend.”
Smack.
A hand struck his back.
“What are you talking about?!”
She looked at him with genuine annoyance.
“Aren’t we friends?!
Stop sulking!”
Then she smiled with unwavering confidence.
“I’ll introduce you to my friends.”
“And we can work together as mercenaries.”
She stepped a little closer.
“So…”
“Smile.”
“And be optimistic.”
He looked at her.
For several long seconds.
Then—
He felt it.
For the first time since waking up in this world.
A warm feeling.
A peaceful feeling.
Something that resembled belonging.
He smiled.
A real smile.
“Thank you…”
“Truly.”