Chapter 16

Xain stood within the confines of a tastefully decorated apartment, complete with inviting interiors and large windows that offered a picturesque view of the bustling street below. The sunlight streamed in, casting a warm glow across the room. He watched the lively activities outside, observing steamwagons whizzing by, and people strolling along the sidewalk. The weather seemed to be in perfect harmony with Ironhelm, inviting the residents to enjoy the day, perhaps in one of the city's parks.

Wearing a smart, middle-range shirt and comfortably barefoot, Xain gazed out at the scene below. He then strolled over to the living room, where a soft rug covered the floor. In this inviting space, a low table surrounded by three couches created a warm and homely atmosphere. But the room's charm extended beyond the furnishings.

Seated on the floor beside the table were four individuals engaged in lively conversation. A bald man in his late twenties, with red eyes and a scar across his left eye, donned casual attire suitable for a friendly gathering; the same goes for all the others in the room. Leaning on the table, he spoke animatedly to another man in his mid-twenties. This second individual possessed neat black hair, captivating blue eyes, and a handsome face. Sipping tea from a cup, he laughed along with the red-eyed man's anecdotes.

Xain strolled over to the group, catching the gaze of another individual—a man with black eyes and hair. The man's eyes appeared lifeless, devoid of any glimmer, but that didn't deter Xain or anyone else in the room. The man with the seemingly dead eyes tapped on the floor beside him, extending an invitation for Xain to join the gathering. Eagerly accepting, Xain happily took a seat.

Beside him, Xain sensed the comforting weight of someone leaning on him. He turned to see someone, someone whose face he couldn't see, someone whose body he couldn't discern, someone whose promise he broke. Despite this, all five of them sat together around the table. They talked, they joked, they laughed, and had fun. To Xain, this was his paradise, his dream.

But that's all it was—a dream, a dream from which he would soon wake up. So Xain stood up and took a look around at everyone and everything. He gazed at the life he wanted but knew he couldn't have. Suddenly, the room around the apartment shattered like glass, the people in front of him dissolved, and the entire scene crumbled as Xain woke up from the dream.

Slowly opening his eyes, Xain felt what was becoming routine after waking up—pain. "Ow," Xain groaned, gazing up at an unfamiliar ceiling. "You're finally awake," a voice beside him remarked.

Xain turned his attention toward the source of the voice and laid eyes on a man with cat ears comfortably seated in a chair. "Alcor, right?" Xain asked, and the man nodded in affirmation. "Correct. I recommend you not move; most of your wounds are still delicate, as my magic isn't all that powerful," Alcor advised. Undeterred, Xain grinned, "Don't worry, doc. I've had worse injuries than this, so I can—ugh!" His attempt to rise was met with a swift rejection from his entire body. Alcor sighed, "I told you, didn't I? Do not move unless you're a masochist," scolding Xain, who managed to give a shaky thumbs up.

"I'll go get your friends, so just try to rest," Alcor said, rising from his chair and starting to walk away. Panicking, Xain called out, "Wait, how's Zee? Is she okay?" Alcor paused and turned to respond, "She's fine. She's an elf; they can handle a lot," before continuing on his way. Relief washed over Xain, "Oh, thank the goddess," he breathed out a sigh of relief. Then, something Alcor had mentioned caught his attention. "Wait, what!?" he exclaimed, realizing that Alcor referred to Zee as an elf.

Xain's mind raced with questions. *Wasn't she trying to hide that? How did he find out? Did she tell him?* he continued to ponder. *Goddess, I just hope none of the villagers freak out!* he thought further. Unable to do much, Xain decided to survey his surroundings, beginning with the bed he was lying on. It was a simple bed with plain white pillows and a blanket, but it was comfortable. The room featured a window, though it wasn't one he could peer out of without getting up; it was positioned on the wall behind him to the left. The room seemed to be predominantly crafted from wood, akin to a cabin, setting it apart from the village's other buildings made of materials like brick, stone, and wood.

Beyond these observations, the room held little else of note, except for the herbal scent lingering in the air, likely emanating from the herbs used in basic medicinal preparations. As Xain tried to heed Alcor's advice and relax, he suddenly realized that something vital was missing from his body. "Where are my clothes?" he wondered aloud.

Xain lifted the blanket to inspect himself, confirming that he was, indeed, not wearing clothes. Almost entirely naked, he found only his underwear still on. "Why am I not wearing my garb?" he voiced his confusion. Surveying the room once more, he looked for any sign of his clothes but found nothing. There was nada—no trace of his garments. Besides the door Alcor used to exit, there wasn't much else in the room: just basic furnishings like a chair, a desk, and some drinking water beside Xain. "Why did he take off my clothes?" Xain asked aloud, because he's an idiot who doesn't understand that you need to take off someone's clothes to pull out splinters from their back. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached the door from outside. "Crap," he muttered, hastily covering himself with the blanket again as the doorknob turned and the door swung open.