I went silent for a moment, the memory of that searing pain still fresh in my nerves.
This was the hardest part to explain—not because it was complicated, but because it would reveal just how close I'd come to actually dying.
"...As soon as the explosion hit," I began, my voice low, "I activated the Dark Verdant Shield."
Zephyr's eyes flickered in recognition—the defensive feature I got from Virion's Blessing. It could withstand a single lethal blow, but it only lasted for half a second.
"And then," I continued, "I used [Veil of the Unseen Burden], it's a resonant relic I prepared beforehand."
Another half-second of protection.
Just enough time for the final relic—[The Last Embrace]—to wrap itself around me.
The bandages had been a reward from that damn ball incident, a hidden objective I'd unknowingly completed. They could absorb catastrophic damage… for exactly one second.
If Virion had been even a fraction slower—
"I wouldn't be here right now," I finished quietly, glancing at the serpent. "I'd be gone."
Virion, uncharacteristically solemn, gave a slow nod. "If not for that old hag's interference, I would've snatched you out sooner." His tail flicked irritably. "But thankfully, everything worked out. It was quite thrilling, actually—I even managed to let off some steam."
I nodded, though my thoughts were darker.
Thrilling wasn't the word I'd use.
The truth? The shield and the Veil had only lasted three-quarters of a second combined, leaving me exposed for that terrifying sliver of time before the bandages finished weaving around me.
And that fraction of a second had been enough.
Even now, just remembering it—
The way the heat and things I couldn't describe had seared through my skin before the bandages could fully protect me.
The way my vision had whited out from pain.
The way my lungs had burned, like I'd inhaled liquid fire.
A shudder ran through me, my bandaged fingers twitching involuntarily.
Zephyr noticed. Of course he did.
His gaze sharpened, lingering on the way my shoulders had tensed. "How much of the explosion hit you before the bandages activated?"
"It wasn't that bad," I said simply.
The words hung in the air, heavy with everything I wasn't saying.
Enough to scar.
Enough to haunt me.
Enough that even now, sometimes, I wake up choking on the smell of my own burning flesh.
Virion's tail tapped against the floor, breaking the silence. "Jie jie~ No need for such gloomy faces! You survived, didn't you? And now—" His grin turned sharp. "You're officially dead as you wanted. That's something worth celebrating for!"
Zephyr's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue.
Because Virion was right.
The plan had worked.
I was free now.
But as the phantom pain lanced through my ribs again, I couldn't help but wonder—
At what cost?
"..."
The silence stretched between us as I wrestled with my thoughts.
The pain, the cost—it was too easy to get lost in those dark memories. I shook my head inwardly, forcing myself to focus on the positives.
I hadn't come out of this empty-handed either.
There was one (un)expected benefit—the System had finally finished updating. I still remembered that distinctive ding cutting through the explosion's roar, the last thing I'd heard before losing consciousness.
And when I'd woken up in Virion's domain, the first thing I saw was that mocking notification:
[Congratulations! You have died.]
My soul had nearly left my body all over again from shock.
I was gonna curse the system a lot after that if not for the good news it brought.
Finally, I-
"-Aman!"
Zephyr's deep voice jolted me from my thoughts.
"W-what?" I replied awkwardly, blinking up at him.
He studied me with that piercing gaze of his. "I asked what you were going to do next?"
The question hung in the air between us. After a pause, he added, "Don't you want to see your family?"
I fell silent again. This wasn't a decision I'd made lightly.
"Actually... I've been thinking about it for the past days," I admitted. "And I've decided—I'm going to travel the world."
I turned the question over in my mind, weighing all the possibilities I'd considered during my recovery.
I could have settled into another academy/kingdom or even continent—I would have hidden my identity, started fresh. But the thought of sitting through lectures again made my skin crawl. I could always learn on my own anyway, or from Zephyr.
On the other hand, I could have joined Cassandra and the princess in the Empire. I could have gotten into the business under a new identity, and with my "death," no one would connect us. And we could build that business empire.
But that path came with its own complications—political/business games, noble expectations, and Cassandra's... particular brand of intensity. I would probably be buried under work and stress, and I clearly didn't want that.
Adventuring had its appeal too. Roaming from town to town, taking odd jobs, living free. But it felt too aimless for what I needed now.
No—what I wanted was something more.
To see the world beyond textbooks and academy walls.
To learn from masters in hidden dojos, from rogue mages in forgotten ruins, from warriors who'd never set foot in a sanctioned training ground.
To chase the mysteries of my lost memories while sharpening myself against the world's challenges.
And yes—to keep my promise about Aeron's sword, though that would have to wait until I could reveal myself again. Or I could always contact him through Zephyr later.
But one thing was already clear...
This wouldn't be some leisurely tour.
It would be a journey of growth, of discovery, of becoming someone who could someday finally stand unshaken against whatever came next.
My fingers absently traced the edge of my bandages as I met Zephyr's gaze.
And...
"My homeland will be the first stop."
The words settled between us, simple but weighted with meaning. It was where everything had begun—where my fractured memories and unanswered questions waited. Where I could finally see my family, even if only from the shadows.
And after that?
The world was wide, and I intended to walk every corner of it.