Arsh already felt uneasy about the excessive kindness and hospitality they were showing him. He was sure something was going on—but it wasn't what he had imagined. He looked at Professor Reiner with a look of suspicion.
When the professor realized what was going through Arsh's mind, he paused for a moment, then let out a laugh.
"My apologies, I didn't mention it. I thought Mes already had. I'm a doctor, and a healer. My siuni helps me understand a person's physical condition and heal them."
Arsh remembered Mes saying that the Professor was the one who had kept him alive.
"Your physical condition isn't bad. However, since you have been through a lot and are exhausted, there are some issues with both your mental and physical health. But I can say that you are strong in both aspects. Now, let me heal your wounds."
Leaving his hesitation behind, Arsh took off his shirt. There were still scratches from when he had first fallen into the well, some bruises, and the burn mark left by the man at the Royal Hotel.
The Professor ran his hand lightly over the scars. Thin green lights unfurled from his fingertips like worms, curling and sweeping across the wounds. The sensation wasn't painful—it felt more like countless tiny needles gently pricking his skin. It didn't hurt, but it did tingle. Within moments, every wound on his body had healed completely.
"How is it? Do you feel better now?"
"Yes. My body feels more relaxed now. Thank you."
He realized his body felt lighter. It was as if the fatigue he had been carrying had started to fade. His injuries hadn't been serious or particularly painful, but it was still impressive to see the burn—which would normally take weeks to heal—completely gone.
While Arsh was putting his shirt back on, the Professor reached out and held his head.
"We're not finished yet. Sorry, but this might hurt a bit."
Before Arsh could understand what Professor Reiner was trying to do, his whole body suddenly trembled as if struck by an invisible force. The sensation lasted only a few seconds before the pain went away.
He stared at the Professor, his eyes wide with shock. Even though the pain had gone, he could feel every hair on his body standing on end.
"What was that?"
"It was something for your mental state. It's not powerful, but it will help you feel more relaxed and sleep better without any nightmares for a while."
"How do you know that I have nightmares?"
The Professor sat back in his armchair and picked up his teacup again.
"I've treated many people who have been through terrible situations. They rarely slept well, often suffering from nightmares and insomnia. Sadness, anger, stress—these emotions terribly affect someone's body. A person's health is usually affected by their mental well-being... And for someone who has endured what you have, it would be impossible not to have nightmares."
Professor Reiner was right. After everything that had happened, nightmares haunted his sleep every single night. Even though he couldn't remember exactly what he saw in those dreams, he could feel how much they were wearing him down. Although his exhaustion helped him fall asleep, these nights brought him no real rest. Falling asleep felt less like resting and more like surrendering, night after night, into the arms of a torturer.
"Thank you," he said. He was curious if he would finally be able to sleep well tonight.
"I've realized that your desire for revenge and your determination have made you more stable than I expected," the Professor said. "You are okay for now. But if you ever feel overwhelmed by anything, come to me. I will help you."
Arsh thanked him once more and left the sitting room.
...
He headed toward the stairs leading to the room where he had stayed before. There, he saw Bera and Mes; they were waiting for him right in front of the door.
"Did you talk with the Professor?" asked Mes.
"Yes, we did. He checked my health, and it seems I am okay."
"Gather your belongings. Let's go to where you'll be staying from now on. Then we can start your training. I want to see what you are capable of first," Bera said.
'How direct,' thought Arsh. He was ready to head out and begin the training, but Mes interrupted Bera.
"He's only just arrived from a long journey. He's not at full strength yet. Let him rest. Arsh, you can start tomorrow."
"Most of the time, real fights don't happen when you're in perfect condition. That's why it's better to do the first training while he's like this. It'll help me understand him better." Bera replied.
"I'm fine with that. The Professor already healed me; I'm feeling much better," Arsh said. After his morning sleep, a good meal, and Professor Reiner's treatment, he felt energized. He was still tired, but Bera had a point.
"Then let's go."
Arsh went into his room, closed the door, and gathered his belongings. He placed the notebook and the dagger he'd hidden among his clothes into his suitcase, then headed downstairs.
Together with Mes and Bera, he began walking toward the forest just behind the manor. There was no visible path, but Arsh followed them without question.
At first, there seemed to be nothing but trees around them. But soon, a two-story building emerged from between the trees. It wasn't as grand as the manor, but it was still impressive. Tucked away behind the trees, the building was invisible from the forest's edge.
"You will stay here with us from now on. There are other people staying here. But at the moment, only Bera, Walter, and I are here. You will meet with Walter later. I have a room here, but since I don't like being alone, I've been staying in the manor. I'll move back today, since the place is no longer empty."
When they reached the door, Mes stopped Arsh.
"Before you go in…" Mes started, but he didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he stepped closer and plucked a single strand of hair from Arsh's head.
"Why did you do that?" Arsh let out a small cry.
"When Professor Reiner built this house, he used a rare artifact. For someone to enter, it requires a strand of hair or a drop of blood belonging to that person. The artifact recognizes them, understands their intent, and then decides whether to allow entry."
There really are strange things in this world, Arsh thought.
"What happens if it doesn't accept me?"
"I'm not sure. I've never seen that happen. Have you, Bera?"
Bera slowly shook his head in response.
Mes tossed the strand of hair toward the doorway. Arsh watched as it was slowly wrapped in a faint light, then scattered into the air like dust. Soon, rattles and creaks began to echo from the walls, windows, and the door. The humming sound grew louder and louder.
At that moment, Arsh began to question whether he had any ill intentions. He couldn't say his intentions were entirely pure, but after all, they weren't directed at these people.
When the humming finally stopped, he looked at Mes to understand what had happened.
"You can enter now. It is okay."
'Just like that?' Arsh stepped slowly through the doorway. He half-expected something strange to happen to him as well—to be wrapped in light or something similar—but nothing happened.
The inside of the house was nothing like the manor. It wasn't grand or imposing; instead, it felt warm and welcoming. Arsh liked it immediately.
The house had many rooms.
"This house was built for people like Bera, you, and me," Mes said. "For those who don't want to blend into the city or live among other people."
"Doesn't Mr. Herman stay here? I didn't see him at lunch."
"No. He's married and has children. Also, even though he's affiliated with the FFSD, he works as a police officer. So he doesn't live here… I've prepared the room next to Walter's for you. Mine is also directly across from yours."
After leaving his belongings in the room Mes showed him, they went back downstairs. Before he could even settle into his new room, he had to complete his first training session with Bera. He was so impatient that he hadn't even come inside the house.
When Arsh came back down with Mes, Bera was waiting for them outside, standing in the center of the open field in front of the house.
"Today, we'll just test your physical capacity," Bera said. "Juan said your reflexes aren't bad."
Before Arsh could even open his mouth to answer, a sharp blow slammed into his stomach. Bera hadn't waited even a second. The blow left him gasping, and in that instant, Juan's claim of his skill was exposed as a lie.