The night felt so distant, while the cold wind gust pierced Geoffrey's skin. His hair fluttered wildly, while his pupils stared toward the river that reflected the moonlight.
"...Seriously, you really don't have anything you want to do?"
Geoffrey blinked several times and chuckled. He could hear his friend's voice that sounded somewhat annoyed.
"Seems like it," He answered.
His friend slapped his back hard. That made Geoffrey somewhat flinch in surprise, while his friend stared at him sharply.
"Seriously? Really serious? Come on, I think... What's wrong with having something you really want?"
Geoffrey rubbed his back annoyedly, while his friend continued:
"Think about it, there must be something...! Something you really want!"
Being forced like that, Geoffrey contemplated. He sank for a few moments later, laughing amusedly.
"...There seems to be one, but you might laugh when you hear it."
"Huh? Impossible! I won't laugh."
Of course, Geoffrey believed in the only person he could probably consider as a friend.
Because of that, Geoffrey smiled thinly and said in a low voice:
"I just want a peaceful, calm and untroubled life."
...
Geoffrey's eyes opened wide. He gasped, feeling sweat pouring down his face.
It felt like he had been asleep for a very long time. Every part of his body felt so stiff, even his right arm was far more chaotic and difficult to move, there was a somewhat heavy and stiff feeling.
Calming himself, Geoffrey looked around.
He found himself in a luxurious room, a high ceiling and a luxurious crystal chandelier.
"Ah." A certain memory had crossed his mind, so that unconsciously Geoffrey smiled amusedly.
"I'm still alive, how ridiculous." He muttered in a low and weak voice.
He didn't know how he could survive. But if he wanted to draw a conclusion, clearly the reason lay with the Emperor and Nevier.
Besides that...
"....What the hell was that?" Geoffrey felt his entire body shudder, followed by his hands sweating.
His body trembled from terror of the unknown creature.
Since when did such a creature exist?
Geoffrey never remembered such detail in his novel at all. A creature capable of freezing time, wasn't that on the same level as the demon king, or even exceeding the demon king?
'How is this possible?'
Geoffrey sighed. He calmed his hands that trembled incessantly. That fear stuck and seemingly wouldn't disappear anytime soon.
Then, Geoffrey glanced at his right arm which had felt so heavy and difficult to lift all this time.
His eyes immediately narrowed because of an unfamiliar feeling. Something so rotten and had an aura that was too dirty.
His hand turned out to have been infected by Cascading Decay. And now, that curse was wrapped behind a white bandage.
Geoffrey's body froze at that moment, his heart pounded loudly because it seemed; even when he managed to survive now, his future could already be ascertained.
He didn't know why this curse that had an instant contagion effect didn't immediately kill him or infect the surrounding environment, but its existence already indicated something very bad.
'Really merciless huh?' Geoffrey smiled thinly, but fake tears flowed in both his eyes.
Really... He really just wanted to live peacefully.
At that moment, the door opened. Geoffrey stopped his overly dramatic attitude and stared toward Nevier who entered with a perfectly shocked expression.
"Oh."
"..."
"...You're really awake?"
"Seems like it."
"Ah... Thank goodness..." After that, Nevier seemed to put both hands together and cried with full gratitude.
No need to guess the reason. Geoffrey immediately knew that he must have been forced to exert everything to cure Geoffrey.
The Emperor valued results above all else, because of that he was always dissatisfied with those who failed to give him positive results and openly showed his dissatisfaction through excessive punishment.
"How do you feel?" Nevier immediately approached weakly, but his face seemed filled with relief.
Geoffrey himself didn't feel anything bad. Maybe just a mild headache from sleeping too long.
As for...
"Besides my hand, everything seems fine."
Right. Only his hand seemed problematic. It was so heavy that Geoffrey had difficulty moving it, even if he could, the movement became very stiff.
Also, giving an extraordinary stinging pain.
Hearing that, Nevier could only look at him with full sympathy. "It's a miracle when you managed to survive. I don't know how it happened, but it's better not to approach the princess first, or even return to the academy anytime soon. At least, until you've really recovered enough."
Because that came from the words of a genius, Geoffrey had no choice but to agree, he was also too lazy to return to the academy.
Especially when thinking that there would be several large-scale scenarios that would definitely involve him if he was at the academy.
While staring at Nevier, Geoffrey hesitantly asked, "I feel like I've been sleeping too long. Actually, how long have I been asleep?"
Geoffrey wouldn't be surprised if Nevier said he had slept all day. However...
"Ah, that's natural. After all, you slept for three full days. Fortunately we have potions that can help you to keep surviving even without consuming food and water at all."
Geoffrey momentarily doubted his hearing, but once again he ultimately just accepted the truth and didn't act to debate.
After that, news that Geoffrey had woken up reached the Emperor's ears. Because Geoffrey was a patient, and apparently the Emperor had questions he really needed to ask.
Here he was.
The Emperor visited him directly and pulled a wooden chair to sit facing Geoffrey who was leaning on the luxurious bed's headboard.
For a moment, as usual, that tyrant Emperor would only be silent and contemplate for a while, observing Geoffrey intently. Something that made Geoffrey inevitably have to feel awkward and nervous.
Fortunately Geoffrey was able to endure the Emperor's attitude like that.
"What happened?" No greeting or anything, the Emperor really saved every word and went straight to the important point he wanted to ask.
'That question must be about what happened to me at that time.'
Geoffrey always felt afraid when thinking about that creature. Even now, his brain always automatically formed the visual of that creature according to his memory, making him break out in cold sweat every time.
Now...
Geoffrey had to consider whether he should tell the Emperor honestly, or keep that secret to himself?
Geoffrey was tempted to keep all of that to himself. Because there was a possibility the plot would become more chaotic. It's just that he discarded that and had decided that the plot indeed could no longer be maintained.
It would be better if that terrifying entity was handled by capable people.
So Geoffrey didn't hesitate when he explained everything directly to the Emperor. Nevier who listened beside him seemed to make an expression that denied such existence.
However, strangely, the Emperor was unmoved. Didn't even deny it.
After all, the Emperor indeed saw it even if only briefly. For the umpteenth time, the Emperor's expression wrinkled complicatedly.
"...For now think of something that can help you deal with your arm. You don't want to lose your arm right?"
Geoffrey nodded.
'That's my plan for now.'
No matter what, since he could no longer maintain the original storyline, then so be it, just destroy it.
Geoffrey intended to do anything to be able to survive.
After all, he was always like that. Whether in his previous life or now, regardless of how bad his life was.
He was always resigned and only struggled to save himself.
This time was no different either.
***