The two twins spent a few hours in the hospital room, eating lunch together, chatting about their childhood, which, for Alex, felt like listening to stories about strangers.
Sera would recount tales of their youth, of sword training sessions, of sneaking out of the castle at night to go to the city, of shared secrets and rivalries with other noble children. She painted a picture of a childhood that was both privileged and lonely, of two royal twins set apart from the world by their blood and their talent.
Alex listened, asking questions here and there, trying to piece together the fragments of a life he didn't remember. Sera was a natural storyteller, her accounts filled with vivid detail and emotion. She made the old Alex sound like a tragic, isolated figure—a prodigy burdened by his own talent, a young man who pushed everyone away, including the family who loved him.
"He was always so serious," Sera said, munching on a grape from the fruit bowl on the bedside table. "Even as a child. You were born with a sword in your hand. You were dueling the master-at-arms by the time you were eight."
Alex stared at his own hands. They looked strong, capable, but he couldn't imagine them holding a sword with any skill. He felt like an imposter, a ghost wearing a dead man's skin.
[Don't worry, Alex.] Lily's voice was surprisingly gentle in his mind. [Muscle memory is a powerful thing. The skill is still in there, dormant. We just need to awaken it. It's like riding a bicycle.]
"You were always the best," Sera continued, her voice softer. "Everyone said so. But you never enjoyed it. You never enjoyed the praise, the admiration. You just... did it. Like it was a chore."
"Sounds like a fun guy," Alex said, the words laced with a sarcasm that he didn't truly feel.
"He was complicated," Sera defended, though there was no real heat in her voice. "He carried a lot of pressure. One that I didn't understand. Still don't, to be honest."
"And what about you?" Alex asked, genuinely curious. "What were you like?"
"Me? Oh, I was the perfect daughter," she said with a dramatic flourish. "Graceful, charming, the perfect future queen. But also a handful. I got into trouble. I loved gossip and parties. You were the stoic hero; I was the mischievous princess. We balanced each other out. Or at least, that's what mother used to say."
She leaned forward, her sapphire eyes serious.
"You were my anchor, Alex. When I got into trouble, you were always there to pull me out. You never said much, but you were always there. I think... I think that's why it hurt so much when you pushed me away. When the... accident happened."
Alex saw the flicker of pain in her eyes, and it pricked at something in his own chest. He wanted to comfort her, to tell her it was okay, but the words felt hollow coming from him. He wasn't the brother she remembered. He was someone else entirely.
"I'm sorry you went through that," he said, choosing his words with care. "I'm sorry I wasn't... there for you."
"You're here now," she said, her expression brightening. She reached out and took his hand, her fingers lacing through his. "That's all that matters."
Her touch was warm, and he found himself squeezing her hand back. For the first time since he woke up, he felt a small, fragile connection to this world, to this person. It was terrifying, but also... comforting.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the only sound the ticking of a small clock on the wall and the distant hum of the hospital.
"There's something I've been wondering," Alex said, breaking the silence. "You said I was a prodigy. A sword genius. What exactly does that mean in this world? What kind of... system do you guys use? Levels? Classes?"
Sera looked at him as if he'd just asked her to explain the color blue.
"Hmm?" she asked, her head tilted. "Levels? Like in those cheap storybooks they sell in the lower city? Yes, we have levels, but It's... more intuitive. More... real."
She leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful.
"It's about attunement," she explained. "And understanding. Everyone has some capacity to manipulate mana, but very few can truly attune themselves to it. To become one with it."
"It's like an instrument," she continued, her eyes lighting up with passion. "Most people can pluck a string or two. They can learn simple cantrips, light a fire, maybe heal a small cut. But someone like you... You don't just play the instrument. You are the instrument." Read the latest chapters at NovelPing.
"You don't 'level up'," she said, a slight hint of condescension in her tone. "You understand. You delve deeper into the nature of mana, of the world, of yourself. You learn its secrets, its rhythms. The sword arts you mastered... they weren't just techniques. They were expressions of your will, your understanding of the very fabric of reality."
[She's not wrong,] Lily's mental voice cut in. [This world has its own kind of power structure. Crude, but effective. They rely on intuition and natural talent, whereas the world I came from had... more formalized methods. Different paths to the same destination, I suppose.]
"As for classes," Sera went on, "yes, we have them. Everyone gets a chance to awaken one at the age of 18 if they have a 'class,' and their class determines their general aptitude. Knights, Mages, Healers, Artificers."
"Do you have a class?" Alex asked.
"Not yet, brother," she replied with a playful smile, throwing another grape in her mouth. "You and I will turn 18 next month. And I, for one, can't wait to see what I'll get."
'So I'm 18,' Alex thought. 'Great. Just great... a fucking teen with a dick-addicted sister and a soul-sucking succubus in my head.'
[Cute,] Lily scoffed. [And this 'teen' has more potential than most 'adults' in this world will ever see.]
'Fuck you, Lily!'
"Anyway, I think it's time for me to head back," Sera said as she stood up.
"Leaving already?" Alex asked, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Sorry about that, brother." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Mother went to receive our younger sister; they finally let her out of that 'magic academy' for the winter break. As for our older sister... she... let's just say that some people in the north are having a very bad day."
Sera then opened the bag and took out a small black object that looked like a smartphone and handed it to Alex.
"Here, take this." She handed it to him. "It's a new model I got for you. I know it's boring to just stare at the wall all day."
"Thanks." Alex took the phone-like object.
'With this, I'll be able to get information about this world.'
"You're welcome." She then leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Make sure to call me tonight... I want to hear your voice before I sleep."
Sera winked at him, gave him one last, lingering kiss that tasted of grapes and honey, then turned and sashayed out of the room, leaving behind a faint trail of her floral perfume and a silence that suddenly felt deafening.
"Sigh..." Alex let out a defeated sigh, but the curve of his lips was undeniable. "She's... a handful."
[And you love it,] Lily sang in his mind. [Don't try to deny it.]
'Shut up, Lily.'
[Make me,] she shot back, a playful challenge in her mental voice.
Alex didn't reply. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. He needed to process... everything.
But just as he was about to rest his head on the pillow. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
Ding!
That familiar notification sound echoed in his mind.
...
[A New Quest]
[Quest: The Way of Survival]
[Quest objective: Drain essence from three different targets]
[Time limit: 72 hours]
[Reward: Inventory, Bronze treasure chest]
[Failure: 50% Life Force reduction]
...
'50%?! Are they trying to kill me?!' Alex screamed in his mind.
[We have no choice, dear,] Lily replied calmly. [And besides, we need to finish it quickly; the inventory is a must.]
"Why did this quest come early?" Alex asked aloud, shaking his head. "We already drained two different people, but they don't count."
[Dr. Linda is here, and we can consider the nurse who brought you the food as another one, but we still need one more, and your twin sister said we are leaving the hospital tomorrow.]
"Damn it!" Alex was really getting annoyed by this system. "So we have no choice but to drain from Dr. Linda again."
[Or... we could find someone else in the hospital,] Lily suggested, her mental voice dripping with mischief. [A lonely nurse, a visiting family member... Just sneak into the bathroom, and I'll put them to sleep with my charm.]
"I'm not going to suck a man's dick, Lily! So don't even think about it."
[I never said anything about a man,] Lily protested innocently. [There are plenty of women with cocks in this hospital. And besides, I can handle it from here, so you won't have to do anything.]
"No," Alex said, his voice firm.
[Sigh... you are no fun.]
"I'm going to take a nap," he said, ignoring her. "Wake me up in an hour."
[Sure thing, sweetcheeks.]
...