Knock!
Knock!
The loud, annoying knocking echoed through the silent room, reaching Sollivan’s ears as he lay unconscious. His eyelids trembled slowly before he opened his foggy eyes. He shook his hand and rubbed his aching temple, muttering sarcastically, ’What a busy week.’
Knock!
’What does this annoying warrior want now?’ He wanted to stand and head to the door, but he stumbled due to his lifeless legs. It was then that clarity returned, and he remembered he was back in his own world.
His thoughts raced as he recalled his long absence. The neighbors must have noticed something was wrong. Quickly, he ordered Noctis to wheel him to the door. As soon as he reached it, he grabbed the handle but froze when he saw the blue bloodstains on the back of his hand. He hesitated, staring at the door for a few seconds before shouting, "Who’s there?"
"Mr. Sollivan, are you alright?" A familiar voice, filled with relief, came from the other side, making him pause for a moment. "Devlin, is that you?"
"Yes, sir. I was really worried about you."
"Wait a moment," Sollivan said hurriedly. He glanced around, then quickly moved to the water basin, washing his hands and wiping the blood off his face. When he was done, he pulled out a cracked, fragmented mirror and examined his face carefully. His eyes scanned every part of his face, and when he saw his forehead free of the fine scales, he relaxed a little. However, the change in his eye color bothered him slightly. Still, it didn’t concern him much. He frowned again when he noticed dark spots on his clothes. He sighed in disappointment but felt no fear, confident that people wouldn’t connect the stains to his blood. He adjusted his posture, feigning laziness and exhaustion, before ordering Noctis to disappear into the shadows of the room.
He slowly pushed his wheelchair forward and opened the door to greet the familiar face filled with worry and anticipation. As soon as their eyes met, he noticed a faint sigh of relief from Devlin.
Without speaking, Sollivan first scanned the narrow alley and noticed several pairs of eyes watching them silently, which annoyed him slightly.
Devlin noticed his discomfort and apologized sincerely, "Sorry, Mr. Sollivan. I was in a hurry and drew too much attention."
Sollivan’s irritation faded quickly. He raised his head to look at the sincere boy and said calmly, though his voice was slightly strained, "Come in first, and then we’ll talk."
After entering and parking his wheelchair behind the cluttered table, Sollivan said quietly, "Take these dirty dishes and clean up the place."
Without hesitation or complaint, Devlin began cleaning. He washed the dishes, gathered the crumpled papers scattered around, and threw them into the fireplace. As he worked, he glanced at the pile of firewood with confusion and wondered, ’Did someone bring firewood for the master?’ He didn’t dwell on it, nor did he consider the possibility that Sollivan hadn’t lit a fire for days. After finishing the dishes and collecting the trash, he grabbed a broom and swept the dirty floor.
Sollivan watched all of this with a slightly lost expression. Now that things had calmed down a bit, he began to think carefully about his next steps. In the past, when he was disabled and had no hope of recovery, he had dreamed of the moment he would regain his life. On many nights, as he lay his head on the pillow, he imagined his life after recovery and the steps he would take to achieve his revenge. However, all those fantasies and thoughts became useless once his dream became reality. Although he hadn’t regained the ability to walk, he now had a contracted beast, had learned a living language that might prove useful later, and, most importantly, he had gained knowledge of body-training techniques that offered hope for his recovery.
’If I awaken my blood and transform all my organs, reaching the stage of complete transformation, I’ll be able to heal all my physical injuries, even my shattered spine.’ The idea lingered in his mind, but he felt no joy.
’This is difficult. It won’t be easy under normal circumstances, not to mention the restrictions imposed by the world and the fact that my body isn’t entirely healthy. I need to strengthen my body first, but the real problem is that I can’t train. Even my family’s body-strengthening techniques won’t help much.’ He raised his hand and scratched his chin in confusion.
"Mr. Sollivan, I’m done. Do you need anything else?" Devlin’s voice, filled with curiosity and hesitation, brought Sollivan back to the present. He looked at the boy for a moment, noticing his inquisitive gaze, and asked indifferently, "What’s on your mind? Do you want to ask me something?"
Devlin felt a little embarrassed, as his curiosity had been exposed. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Mr. Sollivan, where have you been these past few days? I came to your house three times and got no response."
Sollivan smiled mysteriously and didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, "Is that why you almost broke the door with your knocking? Did you think something bad had happened to me?"
Devlin nodded sheepishly.
"Hmm," Sollivan felt a warmth in his heart. The people who would worry about him were few, almost nonexistent. ’Thinking about it, isn’t Devlin a suitable candidate for the Well’s Seal? If I give him a Vein-Opening Pill and train him harshly, he could become useful quickly due to his great talent.’
His eyebrows suddenly furrowed, and he shook his head in annoyance. ’No, I can’t do that. Even though having enslaved individuals would benefit me, I won’t go so far as to discard this friend.’
After silently scolding himself, he looked into Devlin’s eyes and said sternly, "I need you to buy some things for me."
Devlin nodded. "Sure, what do you need? Do you want some herbs for your cold? You look very sick."
"No, no," Sollivan pulled out a large, strangely gleaming gold coin, causing Devlin, who had never seen one before, to step back involuntarily. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting between the coin and Sollivan before glancing at the closed door to ensure no one was watching. After calming his fears, he stared at the coin in awe.
"Sir, where did you get this?" The words slipped out, laced with suspicion and disbelief.
All he received in return was a simple smile and a sarcastic remark, "Are you really this surprised by a gold coin?"
Devlin shook his head.
"Alright, alright, don’t overreact. Focus on what I’m about to say."
"Listen carefully. Take this coin and go to the market near the Bell Tower. You’ll find a shop specializing in herbs and medicinal grains. Buy me one Vitality Enhancement Pill and three Strengthening Pills. Then, head to the western part of the city where the wholesale shops are and buy two bottles of Foundation Pills. On your way back, buy five kilograms of beef."
"One Vitality Enhancement Pill, three Strengthening Pills, two bottles of Foundation Pills, and five kilograms of beef," Devlin repeated quickly, taking the coin and heading for the door.
"Tsk," Sollivan frowned at his haste and stopped him. "Wait, I’m not done."
Devlin’s steps halted abruptly, and he turned to look at Sollivan.
"Hide the gold coin. Your eagerness and hesitation will draw attention. Anyway, when you leave my house, go about your daily activities as usual. As sunset approaches, go buy the things I mentioned. Be careful not to be followed by anyone suspicious. It’s best to wander around the market a bit before returning."
Sollivan’s stern words calmed the astonished Devlin. He hid the coin under his clothes, patting it five times to ensure it was secure, before adjusting his expression and exhaling deeply. Then he left, repeating everything in his mind.
Sollivan looked at the closed door and sighed. ’He’s just a child, after all.’
He cleared his mind and stopped thinking about the matter, relaxing in his chair. He pulled out a random book and began reading, but his empty stomach growled suddenly. He raised his head and looked at the box where no edible potatoes remained, sighing.
After a moment of hesitation and laziness, he transferred his vision to Noctis without encountering any resistance this time and prepared a simple soup of water and wheat flour. Although it was almost tasteless, it satisfied his hunger.
Afterward, he parked his wheelchair in front of the heater and continued reading quietly. Although he had only spent five days in the other world, he had experienced various dangers and nearly lost his life multiple times. This had kept him in a constant state of tension and fear. Even after things calmed down in the tribe, he still felt insecure. Now, back in his old, familiar home, his sense of peace returned, and he enjoyed the usual quiet.
Time passed slowly, and Devlin hadn’t returned yet. However, Sollivan wasn’t worried, as he had instructed him to take his time. Besides, he was so engrossed in reading that he forgot about the world around him.
After a while, he raised his head and stared at the fire, which was about to go out, sighing slightly. ’My memory has improved. Even though I didn’t try to memorize the book’s contents, I remember several parts in detail.’
He shook his head slightly and smiled with satisfaction. He stretched his stiff arms and yawned sleepily.
Knock!
The soft knocking brought him back to focus. His fatigue disappeared, and he sent orders to Noctis to be ready. He pushed his wheelchair forward and opened the door slowly. Upon seeing Devlin’s face, he felt a little relieved. He glanced at the darkening alley and, after ensuring everything was normal, closed the door.
He then looked at Devlin, who let out a relieved sigh upon entering. ’It seems he remained tense even after I tried to calm him down.’
After thinking silently, Sollivan asked, "How did it go?"
"Huff," Devlin exhaled again as if he had been running and answered happily, "Everything’s fine. I got everything you asked for." He placed a large linen bag on the floor in front of him and opened it to reveal its contents.
Sollivan’s eyebrows raised at the sight of potatoes and onions, but he quickly understood the purpose and praised, "You’re really clever. It was good to buy some things at the market to make your shopping seem convincing."
Devlin felt a little embarrassed and said, "No, no, sir. I just noticed some people giving me strange looks when I left the herb shop, so I wandered around for a while and bought some cheap things you might need to avoid suspicion."
’My teachings didn’t go to waste.’ It could be said that Sollivan was the one who shaped Devlin into who he was now. In the past, when he taught and trained him, he repeatedly emphasized the importance of caution, even if everything seemed normal, and scolded him for any carelessness. This was why Sollivan himself acted with extreme caution. Any sudden, significant change in him could attract attention, especially from the gossipy neighbors, among whom there might be informants or spies working for some power, like the government.
When he was younger, his father had warned him several times about people of unknown origin, and he understood the reason.
Devlin walked over and handed him a few silver coins and four small bottles. Sollivan took them without a second thought and stuffed them into his pockets before asking with a wide smile, "Do you still know how to cook?"
Devlin was surprised but also felt a surge of happiness, though he didn’t show it on his face. He answered hesitantly, "Yes, Mr. Sollivan, but I should go now."
"Tsk, enough with the lies. You’re free and want to eat meat. Your eyes haven’t left the bag. Come on, help me. We’ll prepare a hearty meal today."
Devlin bowed his head slightly, looking embarrassed. "You always see through me, sir. Can’t you just not say it so directly?" Despite his words, he showed no displeasure and was, in fact, happy.
"Enough talk. Let’s cook. Take out two kilograms of meat, some potatoes, and onions." Sollivan paused for a moment, thinking carefully before remembering, "A meal like this needs good seasoning." He pulled out a silver coin from his pocket and handed it to Devlin. "Go get some sea salt, red pepper powder, a hundred grams of butter, some turmeric, and don’t forget the bread."
Devlin left quickly and returned a few minutes later with his hands and pockets full.
After washing the ingredients, the two sat around the table and stared at the meat in confusion. After a brief silence, Devlin asked, "What are we making?"
"You know, one dish isn’t enough for the occasion. Let’s divide the meat. We’ll marinate one kilogram and grill it directly over the fire. The other kilogram we’ll use to make onion and potato stew, seasoned with pepper powder and salt. Thinking about it, I still have some dried pepper pieces. They’ll enhance the flavor." After explaining, he looked at Devlin, who was almost drooling at the thought.
Without delay, the two began their plan. They prepared a simple, primitive marinade before taking out a small, rudimentary grill. Devlin lit the fire inside, placed a thin metal sheet as insulation, greased the surface with butter, and added the marinated meat.
On the other side, Sollivan sprinkled a little vegetable oil on the bottom of the old pot before adding onion slices and the spice mix. After waiting a few seconds for the mixture to fry well, he added the chopped meat and some water.
He watched the mixture for a moment before covering the pot, then sat down and began chatting with Devlin. He asked about his well-being and how he was spending the winter. Slowly, the atmosphere in the spacious room grew warm.
As the delicious aroma filled the narrow, impoverished alley, several curious neighbors peeked out, eager to know its source.
The dark, cold night fell, and the two lit candles to illuminate the room. They cleared the table of books and manuscripts, arranging them in an old wooden box. After setting the table with dishes, they sat in silence, staring greedily at the fatty meat slices and rich stew. After a moment of stillness, they began eating. No more words were exchanged—only the sound of chewing. After a long while, they finished and relaxed in their seats.
The candlelight reflected off the empty plates. After patting his full stomach, Devlin had a sudden realization. He sat up straight, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Mr. Sollivan, are you planning to leave? It’s not like you to be so generous, and you disappeared suddenly for several days."
Even after hearing his anxious questions, Sollivan showed no clear emotions and remained relaxed in his chair. After a moment of silence, he replied sarcastically, "Boy, I’m not going anywhere. And also, are you saying I’m stingy?" A slight look of annoyance appeared on his face, making Devlin nervous.
Quickly, Devlin adjusted his stance. "No, no, sir. All I meant was that you’re usually thrifty."
Sollivan raised his hand and scratched his chin in disappointment. "What you’re saying is the same thing. It seems you become rude when you’re full."
The anxious questions suddenly turned into a playful argument between the two. After laughing heartily and reassuringly, Sollivan kicked Devlin out of his house, telling him to come early the next day to help clean up the cooking mess.
After cleaning up and taking care of his needs, Sollivan headed to his familiar bed. With Noctis’s help, he lay down, covered himself well, and as he stared at the dark ceiling, he realized he wasn’t really sleepy. However, he was too lazy to change his position to read, nor did he want to disturb his rest by thinking about solutions to his problems. After a brief moment of confusion, he remembered he could st ill transfer his vision to Noctis.
He closed his eyes carefully and transferred his senses to the shadow, which suddenly appeared beside him.