Surprised?

"Then just say it," Eleonora's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, her tone slightly impatient. 

Leonar rolled his eyes before responding. 

"Say what?" 

"Status. Say it. It's the simplest way to check everything you need to know about yourself." 

Leonar hesitated for a few seconds, still trying to get used to Eleonora's voice resonating in his head as if it were one of his own thoughts. Finally, he sighed and muttered: 

"Status." 

The moment the word left his mouth, a translucent window appeared before him, floating in midair. 

[Status Window] 

Name: Leonar Hart 

Level: 11 

Class: None 

HP: 275/275 

MP: 60/60 

[Attributes] 

Strength: 25 

Endurance: 30 

Agility: 22 

Intelligence: 18 

Perception: 20 

[Skills] 

Soul Sight Lv. 9 (90%) 

Regeneration Lv. 1 (27%) 

Water Control Lv. 1 (78%) 

Soul Bond with Eleonora Lv. 3 (64%) 

"What the hell?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes as he examined the window's contents. "This is... insanely detailed." 

"Surprised?" Eleonora asked mockingly. "It's not that hard to figure out." 

Leonar gestured toward the window, knowing full well Eleonora couldn't physically see him. 

"What are these percentages next to the skills? And what the hell is this Soul Bond with you? Why is it already at level 3 and 64%?!" 

An uncomfortable silence filled his mind. Eleonora seemed to be thinking, which didn't help his patience. Finally, she replied, her tone carrying an uncharacteristic hint of hesitation. 

"That... obviously is part of the contract you made with me." 

Leonar frowned deeper, propping himself up on the bed with both hands. 

"Uh-huh, but why is it more advanced than skills like Regeneration or Water Control? That makes no sense." 

Eleonora stayed quiet for a few more seconds before responding in a dry voice: 

"I don't know." 

"What do you mean you don't know?" 

Leonar crossed his arms and tilted his head in disbelief. 

"Aren't you supposed to be the expert here?" 

"Listen, human..." Eleonora sighed audibly, though her voice was still in his mind. 

"I spent years trapped in that wretched place, unable to do anything. Forgive me if I don't have perfect answers to your trivial questions." 

Leonar opened his mouth to retort, but Eleonora cut him off before he could. 

"And yes, that means we'll be stuck together for a long time. Didn't I already tell you that?" Her tone dripped with sarcasm. 

Leonar closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling a faint headache forming between his brows. 

"Fine, fine. I get it." 

He let himself fall back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with a loud sigh. 

"But at the very least, you could warn me before you decide to take off without permission again. This is already complicated enough without you causing me more problems." 

Eleonora let out a soft laugh in his mind but said nothing else. After a moment of silence, she decided to change the subject. 

"I see you've made good progress with the Soul Sight skill. Level 9 isn't bad at all." 

Leonar couldn't help but chuckle dryly. 

"And why's that? I've been using that skill for months, and I still don't even know why the hell it's called that." 

"Maybe you should reflect more on how you use it and what it actually does." 

Leonar chose not to respond, knowing he wouldn't get anything more useful out of her at the moment. Instead, he got up from the bed and began looking for his shoes. 

"What are you doing now?" Eleonora asked curiously. 

"I'm going out. I need some air... and to make some money. Now that I can use my skill again, it's time to recover some of what I lost." 

Eleonora sighed lightly but didn't say anything else. 

Leonar left the room, handing in his keys at reception before heading into the bustling city streets. The smell of street food filled the air as he walked along a crowded avenue. Finally, his eyes landed on a small hot dog cart. 

The vendor prepared one after another with quick, precise movements. The buns were slightly toasted, enough to add a bit of texture while keeping them soft. The sausages, juicy and fresh off the grill, were carefully placed before being smothered in generous amounts of ketchup and mayonnaise. Finally, a crispy layer of fried potato sticks crowned the creation, making Leonar's stomach growl with hunger. 

"Four, please," he said, pulling some bills from his pocket. 

The vendor nodded with a smile as he finished preparing the hot dog. Leonar took the food with both hands, staring at it for a moment before taking a big bite. The contrast between the crunch of the potatoes and the softness of the bun made him pause for a moment, savoring the flavor. 

"This is life..." he murmured to himself, ignoring the noise of the street around him. 

After finishing his improvised breakfast, his steps led him to a nearby casino. Leonar stared at the entrance for a few seconds before approaching, but just as he was about to enter, a voice stopped him. 

"Excuse me, sir." 

Leonar turned to find a man in the casino's security uniform. 

"Are you an Awakened?" 

The question caught Leonar off guard, and a slight tension crept into his body. Should he tell the truth? 

He hesitated for a few seconds before mentally asking for help. 

'Eleonora, can you do the thing again?' 

"Of course, but make it quick. We don't have all day," Eleonora replied, slightly annoyed. 

Leonar nodded almost imperceptibly before answering the guard in a calm voice. 

"No, I'm not." 

The guard, doubtful, pulled a crystal from his pocket and held it out to him. 

"Please hold this for a moment." 

Leonar took it curiously, but as soon as he touched it, the crystal began to emit a faint, unusual glow. The guard observed him with a mix of resignation and distrust before sighing. 

"I'm sorry, but you can't enter." 

Leonar frowned in confusion. 

"Why not?" 

"It's casino policy. We don't allow Awakened to gamble. They've caused too many problems in the past, whether it's cheating with their abilities or reacting violently when they lose." 

Leonar let out a dry laugh. This was absurd. 

So many months entering without issue, only to be stopped now by a damn crystal that reminded him of his old job as a scavenger! 

"Wow, that's ridiculous. I don't even have skills useful for that." 

The guard shook his head, his tone firm but not aggressive. 

"I'm sorry, sir. It's nothing personal. Also, I'd advise against gambling in illegal establishments. A new law was just passed, and the penalties for that are severe." 

Leonar chuckled under his breath as he turned to leave. 

Was that guy reading his mind despite Eleonora supposedly preventing it? 

How did he know he was about to try underground gambling?! 

"What a load of crap policy," he muttered, walking away as his thoughts began planning his next move.