"Where…?"
Arius was lying on the bed when he suddenly woke up from his dream. The moment he tried to sit up, a wave of unbearable pain shot through his head and body. His entire being felt disturbed—different, almost as if something inside him had changed.
He forced himself to rise on shaky legs, testing the ground beneath him as he staggered toward the nearest window of the room, desperate to confirm whether it was real or not.
Sunlight streamed through the nearest window—the only one left open in the entire room.
He tried to walk, but his body refused to cooperate. Shattered by agony, every movement tore at him. He managed only a few steps before his legs gave out. After three pained strides, he collapsed to the floor once again.
Is this the consequence of the interaction… and the agreement?
When he had first woken, a faint screen had appeared before his eyes, but he hadn't focused on it. It displayed only one message:
[The new system is uploading]
Now lying helpless on the ground, the pain within him intensified to an unbearable degree. It felt as though his very body was breaking apart, crumbling from within. Suddenly, his stomach twisted violently, and a hot rush forced its way up his throat. He began vomiting blood—thick, heavy, and in terrifying amounts.
[The New System has been completely uploaded]
"Hhhkk—splhhhk!"
Blood gushed from Arius's mouth as he continued to vomit violently. The agony tearing through his body had reached its peak—so unbearable that he could no longer endure it. His strength was slipping away, and he felt himself slowly fading into unconsciousness.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder with each passing second. A moment later, the door swung open. But it was already too late Arius had collapsed, his body limp, his mind consumed by darkness.
"Young master!"
A heavy voice rang out, filled with horror.
[The system is completely uploaded]
[A new quest has appeared]
---
More than two hours later, Arius finally woke up.
As his eyes slowly opened, a glowing screen hovered in front of him, displaying new messages.
He pushed himself upright on the bed, surprised to find that the pain which had tormented his body and head was completely gone. His thoughts drifted back, trying to recall that strange meeting with Oblivionis.
A calm voice spoke softly nearby.
"Are you all right, young master?"
Turning his head, Arius noticed someone standing close to the bed—it was his maid, Della.
"Yes," he replied gently, "I'm feeling better now." He still didn't know how he had survived, or how he ended up here. Perhaps someone had saved him… or perhaps it was something else entirely.
Hearing his reply, Della gave a small nod and quietly left the room. Arius knew the reason—she had gone to inform the Patriarch that he had finally awakened.
After causing so much trouble, it was only natural that the matter would be reported to the Patriarch.
Arius was still lost in thought about his last meeting, but soon his attention shifted to the screen before his eyes—it had changed.
[ONGOING QUEST]
[UNCLAIMED REWARDS]
[STATUS]
He tapped on [UNCLAIMED REWARDS].
But the screen was completely empty, showing only a single message: None.
Frowning, Arius shifted his hand and tried pressing [ONGOING QUEST].
What is this thing…? I don't understand anything. Some kind of system? Was it given to me by Oblivionis… or not?
Before he could press further, the door to the room creaked open. An old man with long white hair and a beard stepped inside. It was Arius's grandfather—Roman von Korvis.
The Patriarch of House Korvis.
Roman approached the bed slowly, his expression calm but his presence carrying the weight of authority. Arius quietly observed him, already thinking of what explanation he could possibly give.
"Did you push yourself too hard in training?" Roman asked in a gentle, almost caring voice.
Arius blinked, caught off guard. He had expected his grandfather to question him about the mission, yet instead Roman believed this state was the result of excessive training.
His thoughts grew muddled as he tried to recall. Training…? No… it wasn't training. He hesitated, lost in the haze of memories and questions.
"Well," Roman continued, "why don't you tell me how you ended up in such a terrible state? You were completely fine at dinner last evening."
Dinner? The word struck Arius like ice. Dinner… last evening? His grandfather's words didn't make sense. How could he have been present at dinner when he remembered nothing of it?
His mind raced, trying to piece everything together. Then a chilling thought struck him—what about the strange screen hovering in front of his eyes?
Can they see it too…? Or is it something only I can perceive?
Arius paused for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts before finally speaking.
"I'll tell you everything… but before that, can you tell me how I ended up here? I mean, who saved me?"
Roman and the nearby servant exchanged confused and concerned looks. What is he asking? Saved him—from what?
Roman's voice deepened, carrying a heavy tone born of his own uncertainty.
"Are you talking about the incident that happened this morning?"
Morning…? Huh? Arius felt a wave of confusion wash over room him. None of this made sense. He couldn't understand what was happening, so he forced himself to sit quietly, trying to calm his thoughts and consider a reply.
But before he could answer, Roman spoke again.
"Very well. Why don't you rest for now, and we can discuss this later?" His tone was still firm, but there was a trace of concern hidden beneath it. Roman assumed Arius wasn't thinking clearly, and perhaps a little rest would help him recover.
Before leaving the room, Roman didn't even wait for Arius's response. He turned and walked out in silence.
But as he stepped into the corridor, a faint unease stirred within him. Something was off.
The boy had been perfectly fine the previous night when Roman last saw him—yet now his actions, his words, even the way he looked at things, were completely different. It was as if Arius had lived through some terrible incident in the morning, something Roman himself knew had never occurred.
And it was no ordinary matter. What had happened to Arius was unlike anything that had ever occurred within House Korvis. Roman's mind began racing, considering countless possibilities.
Did the boy attempt some forbidden ritual in secret? Or perhaps he consumed an unknown potion?
If that were the case, Roman should have known by now. He had already ordered physicians to treat Arius, and if anything unnatural had taken root in his body, surely they would have discovered it. Yet nothing had been found.
---
Arius remained confused, but he agreed with his grandfather leaving the room—perhaps Roman's absence would give him the chance to find some real answers about the situation.
Turning his gaze, he noticed that only his maid, Della, was still in the room. If anyone could shed light on what had happened, it would be her.
He moved closer to her, his voice low and cautious.
"Can you tell me… what exactly happened to me this morning?" He needed to understand what Roman had been referring to.
Della lowered her head respectfully before answering.
"Yes, young master. This morning, when I entered your room after hearing strange noises, I found you lying on the ground… covered in blood."
She paused, watching him carefully for a reaction, then continued.
"I immediately reported it to the Patriarch and began tending to you as best I could." She hesitated again, her tone softer now. "After that, the doctors were summoned to check your condition."
After hearing Della's explanation, Arius finally understood what Roman had been talking about. They were referring to his condition that morning—the moment when he had collapsed and vomited blood.
Even I don't fully know why that happened to me… he thought. Maybe it was because of the agreement… or perhaps some unknown side effect. Arius kept searching for answers within his mind, but no matter how long he pondered—minutes passing by in silence—he still couldn't make sense of it.
Leaning forward again, he asked another question, his tone cautious.
"Tell me, Della… can you see anything in front of me? Something like a screen?"
He needed confirmation about the strange panels appearing before his eyes.
But Della's response was exactly what he had expected. She looked at him with confusion and simply shook her head. No—she couldn't see anything. Whatever this screen was, it belonged to him alone.
After confirming this, Arius pressed on with another question.
"Then… can you tell me how many of us managed to survive from the Labyrinths?"
But Della's reply wasn't what he anticipated.
"I'm sorry, young master… but I don't know what you're talking about. Survive from the tomb?"
Her words struck him deeply, filling him with unease. Arius frowned, a strange chill running through his chest.
He drew in a sharp breath before speaking again.
"Didn't I… go to clean the Labyrinths on the eastern side?"
This time, his voice was more serious, almost demanding. He wanted answers—because so far, nothing he remembered matched the reality unfolding around him.
Again, the same response came from Della as before—she had no idea what he was talking about.
Arius stood speechless. Didn't I… raid the eastern Labyrinths? Didn't I die there… and meet Oblivionis?
His thoughts spiraled, desperate to grasp an answer. Slowly, he pushed himself up from the bed. Della rushed forward to help, but he refused her hand, forcing himself to stand on his own.
He walked toward the nearest window, sunlight spilling across the floorboards. Standing there, he tilted his head upward, his eyes searching the sky as though it might reveal the truth he craved.
After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm.
"What day is it today?"
Della, who remained close by in case he faltered, answered softly, "Today is the 12th of March."
At her words, Arius's lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile. A dry chuckle escaped him as if the final piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.
He hadn't imagined it. He hadn't dreamed it.
He had gone back—regressed exactly ten days into the past.