Riven had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but the first thing he saw when his eyes fluttered open was a ceiling. Not the sagging, cobweb-ridden ceiling of a makeshift shelter or the cracked plaster of a rundown hovel. No. This ceiling was fine. Its surface was clean, carved with care, and from its center hung a small crystal lamp that spilled a warm, gentle light.

He pushed himself halfway upright, pressing a hand to his throbbing temple. His head was spinning, heavy as if it had been struck with a stone. Yet that pain was nothing compared to the storm of questions that immediately surged through his mind.

The last thing he remembered… he had fallen asleep in Ashtoria’s embrace, surrounded by chaos as the beasts swarmed in. And then?

What happened after that?

Why had all those beasts panicked, fleeing in the same direction as if something far more terrifying had driven them away?

Why hadn’t they attacked the three of them?

Who was Ashtoria, really?

Had she slaughtered every last creature in an instant?

Just how strong was she?

And… who was she, truly?

But the questions didn’t end there.

Where am I?

Where’s my sister? Where’s she? Are they safe?

Why am I still alive? And why am I lying in such a comfortable room?

Each question piled heavier onto his mind. What had started as a dull ache grew into sharp, stabbing pulses. He shut his eyes, trying to quiet the storm in his head, but it was useless.

Then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed something.

He turned his head slowly.

Beside the bed, Melly was asleep, slumped over with her head resting against the mattress. Her breathing was soft, her cheeks faintly flushed from her awkward position. Her hair was messy, her clothes disheveled, yet she looked peaceful. In her arms was a blanket—one she must have tried to drape over him.

Riven stared at her for a long time.

Gradually, a smile tugged at his lips. Small, faint… but sincere.

She was alive.

His sister had survived.

And somehow, they were safe.

For now, the questions could wait.

Riven leaned down carefully, lifting his sister and laying her onto the bed. His movements were tender, deliberate. Even as he shifted her, Melly didn’t stir. Her breaths stayed steady, her expression serene, as if the outside world had no permission to enter her dreams.

He gazed at her for a moment, then exhaled slowly. Memories resurfaced—the forest trembling with the roars and thunder of beasts, the ground shaking, the skies quaking… and through it all, Melly had slept soundly, as though it had been nothing more than a midnight rain.

He looked at her in disbelief, pinching her soft cheek and muttering inwardly,

“How can you sleep so soundly? If the world ended right now… you’d probably still keep dreaming, wouldn’t you?”

A faint smile touched his lips, though the anxiety in his chest refused to vanish.

After tucking the blanket snugly over Melly, Riven turned to check himself. He remembered vividly. The deep slashes, the vicious bites tearing into his chest during that desperate fight with the bear.

Hesitant, he unbuttoned his shirt.

His eyes widened.

The wounds… had completely dried. No blood, no pain. Only several scarred lines traced across his chest, back, and shoulders—deep enough to mark him, yet strangely making him look rugged, even striking.

“Huh… not bad,” he muttered softly, staring at them in a mix of awe and bewilderment.

He checked his other injuries: the gash on his shoulder, the stab at his waist, the bruised knee. But…

All healed.

Entirely. Only faint scars remained.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His confusion twisted into a creeping horror. A drop slid down his temple as he whispered, “Don’t tell me… this is some expensive hospital.”

His eyes darted around the room. Everything was too pristine. Too comfortable. Too luxurious for someone like him.

He had already drained most of his money paying for treatments in the last village. Those costs had nearly strangled him. He couldn’t imagine how much something like this would demand. They might even take Riftmaker by force as payment.

“Damn it. If they send me the bill, my life is over!”

The fear of medical debt instantly overshadowed the mysteries of the beasts, the forest, and Ashtoria’s power.

He made a snap decision: escape before they handed him the invoice.

He hadn’t wanted to wake his sister, but this emergency left no room to hesitate.

Panicked but gentle, he tapped Melly’s shoulder. No response.

He shook her lightly. Still nothing.

Finally, he gripped both her shoulders and sat her upright, shaking her more firmly.

“Melly! Wake up! We have to run before they charge us for treatment!”

Melly didn’t wake. She only squirmed a little, groaning softly like a cat disturbed from an afternoon nap.

Riven gritted his teeth, refusing to give up. He shook her harder.

“This is life and death, you hear?! If the bill hits ten thousand gold coins, I’ll faint all over again!”

Melly seemed half-conscious now. Her eyes cracked open just a little, dazed and cloudy, as if she were being dragged unwillingly from her dreams. She blinked slowly, her gaze unfocused, not fully awake.

Meanwhile, Riven shifted his focus, scanning the room in a rush. His hands searched under the bed, behind the small cabinet, behind the curtain—

And in the corner, he found it.

Riftmaker.

The weapon stood propped against the wall, untouched, faintly gleaming under the daylight lamp. Relief swept over him like a tide. It was like regaining half of his soul.

“At least you’re still here…” he murmured, brushing his fingers lightly against the hilt.

He glanced quickly back at Melly, hoping she could tell him what had happened after he’d collapsed. But all he saw was her small frame, curled up, already drifting back to sleep.

He leaned closer, shaking her shoulder gently but firmly. “Melly, wake up. Come on. This is important.”

Melly groaned, rubbing her eyes without opening them, then rolled toward him, tugging the blanket closer around her chin. Her face looked weary, but her voice, faint and sluggish, still slipped out like a half-dreaming mumble.

“…why… disturb my sleep…”

Riven exhaled sharply, then asked outright, “What happened after I passed out? Where’s that woman, Aria? Wait, where are we now?”

Melly was silent for a moment. Her breathing deepened, eyes shut tight. Then, in a weak and drowsy voice, she mumbled,

“…Glimfell… she’s gone…”

Silence stretched for several seconds. The breeze from the open window stirred the curtains gently, their slow motion a sharp contrast to the storm erupting inside Riven.

And Melly, of course, had already drifted back into deep slumber.

Suddenly, the door creaked open.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep