Chapter 71: A Prophecy from The Past: Part - II

Anastasia swept into the mansion like a breath of fresh air, her silver hair catching the moonlight filtering through the windows. Her arrival was as unexpected as it was unconventional—around the time when most sensible people slept. She grinned mischievously, ready to tease Hiro and Sakura about their late-night rendezvous.

She hears footsteps coming to her, as she looks up and speaks. "Surprise! Arriving precisely when everyone else dreams." Her voice cheerful, chuckling. She adds further, "Hope I didn't interru-"

But then she's interrupted, as she saw their faces—the fear etched in Hiro's eyes, the tear-streaked cheeks of Sakura—and her playful demeanor vanished. "What's wrong?" she demanded; her voice sharp with concern.

Hiro and Sakura stumbled over their words, explaining Kai's inexplicable slumber. Anastasia wasted no time. She hurried to Kai's room, her healer's instincts kicking in. The door creaked open, revealing Lala and Aiden, along with the physician and the still figure on the bed. She reached out to Kai's bed, knelt beside him, her touch gentle yet urgent, seeking answers in the magic that clung to him like a shroud.

Hiro and Sakura entered the room, their eyes drawn to Anastasia as she bent over Kai's still form. Hiro wasted no time. "Did you find anything strange?" he asked, but Anastasia hushed him, urging quiet.

Her fingers traced Kai's mana flow, and her expression shifted from curiosity to alarm. The energy surged and waned, like a tempest held at bay. She stood abruptly, placing her bag on the table.

"Anastasia?"

"What's wrong?"

Hiro and Sakura pressed for answers, but she rummaged through her bag, pulling out a stack of ancient tomes. She scanned their titles until she found the one, she sought. "Codex of Arcane Afflictions"

Turning its pages, her eyes widened, and then the book slipped from her grasp. Everyone in the room stared, waiting for her revelation. "How can this be..." she murmured; her gaze fixed on Kai.

Sakura's voice trembled. "Anastasia...? Did you find out something?"

Anastasia's reply was heavy with regret. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you." Hiro stepped forward, demanding answers. "What do you mean you can't help?" he paused, before continuing. "At least tell us why isn't Kai waking up?"

To Hiro's question, her words hung in the air, chilling. "Currently, your son is in a state of no return," she said. "He's in the state of 'Mana Explosion'."

Anastasia's words hung heavily in the room, leaving everyone bewildered. Hiro's voice broke the silence. "What is mana explosion?"

Anastasia hesitated, her gaze shifting between the couple. "There's no proper explanation," she began, "but once someone enters that state, there's no recovery." She paused, her eyes distant. "It was widespread five centuries ago—a phenomenon that defied healing. According to the ancient records, the mana explosion state affected a significant number of people around 500 years ago. Estimates suggest that 100 to 300 individuals experienced this catastrophic condition. To put it in perspective, that's roughly equivalent to the population of 3 to 4 villages."

Sakura's tears flowed freely now, and she moved toward Kai, as if drawn by an invisible thread. Hiro, still grappling with disbelief, stood rooted in place. The room remained silent, everyone unsure of what to say.

But then Ainz shattered the quiet. "Isn't that only half the information?" he interjected. "We've both read that book. It's incomplete."

Hiro quickly looked over Ainz. "Really?"

Anastasia nodded solemnly. "Yes. The passage is ancient, and much has been lost over time. We're dealing with fragments, memories fading like ink on old parchment."

Hiro's resolve wavered. He started to march forward. "Ainz, look around here till I am back," he ordered. But Anastasia's grip on his arm halted him. Her gaze bore into him, and she said softly, "I think you should think again." Her eyes shifted to Sakura, who clung to Kai's hand, her grief palpable.

Hiro met Sakura's tear-filled eyes, and something shifted within him. He stepped back, reassessing. Anastasia released her hold, and Hiro returned to Sakura's side. His voice was steady as he whispered, "I will find a solution for it. Everything will be fine."

As the room held its collective breath, time seemed to stretch infinitely. Anastasia, her resolve unwavering, slipped out of the room and made her way to the mansion's library. There, amidst dusty tomes and ancient scrolls, she scoured for any records related to the history of mana explosion. The flickering candlelight danced across her face as she delved into forgotten texts, seeking answers that might save Kai. As the morning came, Ellysia and Ana stirred, their eyes fluttering open. But finding the others, they stumbled into Kai's room, where everyone resided. Many questions ran in their mind; why everyone was there? Why Kai was sleeping even when they were calling out to him?

Later as Aiden and Ainz explained the situation, they too joined along the rest, waiting for Kai to wake up. Then, as if the universe relented (to them), Kai stirred. His eyelids fluttered, and he blinked, disoriented. The faces of his makeshift family swam into focus—Hiro, Sakura, Elysia, Ana and Lala—all gathered around him, finally seeing him waking up.

Back in the present:

Sakura and Hiro sat in silence; their worry etched into every line of their faces. Anastasia leaned in, her eyes probing. "Did he had any recent incident, which was related to his mana flow?" she asked.

Hiro and Sakura exchanged helpless glances. The memory of seeing the ghostly figure last night in Kai's room came to his mind, but he ignored it. "We don't know," Sakura whispered. But Anastasia persisted. "What about his time in Willowshade?"

They both hesitated. They knew little about Kai's upbringing there—only that Emily had raised him. No medical records, no details of his life. Hiro, still holding Sakura's hand, met Anastasia's gaze. "I'll find out," he declared.

Anastasia nodded, her expression grave. But then a knock interrupted their conversation. Hiro granted entry, and Ainz stepped in. "Your Grace," he said, "the crown prince is here."

Sakura and Hiro exchanged puzzled glances. "In the early morning?" Sakura murmured. "Is it urgent?"

Ainz hesitated. "I'm not sure, but he seemed rather upset. He insisted on seeing the young master."

The scene shifted as Ray hurried toward Kai's room, urgency in every step.

Kai had just finished his breakfast, and Lala insisted on taking care of the tray. Elysia had already retreated to her room to prepare for lessons, with Ana tagging along, eager to learn. The room was quiet—just the two of them—when suddenly, the door slammed open. Ray stormed in, and both Kai and Lala turned to face him. Kai sighed inwardly. "Guess he found out," he thought.

Lala stepped back, her confusion evident. Ray approached Kai, placing both hands on his shoulders. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "I asked you to act normal, didn't I?" Ray's frustration simmered beneath the surface.

Kai nodded, but Ray's next words echoed through the room. "Then why did you did that in the dinner party!?"

Flashback: The Noble Dinner Party

The grand dining hall hummed with nobles and their heirs, each vying for supremacy in the intricate dance of power. Ray—who was Kai—swept into the opulent room, greeted by bows and feigned respect. Maximus, the host, gestured for him to take a seat beside Marquis Lucrus. The marquis exchanged pleasantries, and the maids glided in, bearing lavish dishes.

As the feast unfolded, the nobles reveled in their privilege. Yet, beneath the veneer of elegance, tensions simmered. Marquis Lucrus's son, Harold, leaned toward Damian, heir to Earl Cedric. His voice carried across the room; veiled insults aimed indirectly at Ray.

"Hey, Damian," Harold called out, a smirk playing on his lips. "Remember the opera? The commoner who played the prince? Quite the act, wasn't it?"

Damian's eyes widened slightly, and he smirked in return. "Indeed," he replied. "But beneath that borrowed facade, he's still a peasant. Did you notice his table manners? Atrocious."

Their conversation echoed, tension thickening the air. Maximus, torn between duty and his promise to Ray, watched helplessly. "If only Ray didn't ask me not to interfere in this matter…," Maximus muse to himself. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

Ray—actually Kai—stood abruptly, pushing his chair behind, his expression unreadable. The room held its breath, wondering what would happen next.

Kai walked up to Harold's seat, behind him. As he stood behind Harold, the room held its breath. The nobles' held their focus on them, as to waiting how things will unfold.

Harold's smile faltered as he looked behind. "Did you need something, Crown Prince?" Harold asked, feigning innocence. But behind his face, his mind wandered. "What does he need? Well, not like he will do anything now, will he?"

But his luck had reached its limit. With a force that defied mere human strength, Kai pushed Harold's head down onto the table. The impact echoed, and blood seeped from Harold's brow. Cracks spiderwebbed across the once-immaculate surface.

"Enough of your childish games," Kai declared, his grip unyielding. Harold struggled; his eyes wide with panic. The nobles around the table gaped, their polished manners shattered. Even Maximus, usually unflappable, looked more shocked than anyone else. Marquis Lucrus's spoon slipped from his hand, clattering to the floor, mirroring the chaos unfolding before them. The grand dining table itself seemed to groan under the strain, splitting in half with a resounding crack. Crystal glasses tumbled, their delicate forms shattering against the marble tiles. Kai's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper; eyes locked on his adversary. "Continue, and those glass shards will find their way into your throat."

He yanked Harold up by his hair, eyes unyielding. The room watched in stunned silence as Kai tossed Harold aside, leaving a trail of chaos in his wake. "And this applies to anyone who dares to do such in the future," saying so, Kai, in Ray's body exited, leaving Maximus, nobles and heirs alike speechless.

Back to the present:

Ray's frustration simmered, and he couldn't hold back any longer. "Kai," he demanded, "why did you have to slam Harold's head on the table? And with such force that the damn thing split in half! I mean, sure, I wanted to beat him up, but not like you!" His voice echoed in Kai's opulent chamber.

Kai remained unfazed, his eyes cool as ice. He gestured for Lala to exit the room, and she slipped away hesitantly, leaving Kai alone with a complaining Ray.

"You don't know what looks I got last night, thanks to you," Ray continued, his frustration boiling over. "People think I've gone mad!"

Kai chuckled, a low rumble that seemed to resonate. He lifted his finger, and the air shimmered. A projection materialized, words forming in midair. "Take it easy, will you?" it read.

Ray blinked, stunned. "What is this?" he wondered aloud, staring at the magical display. He looked over at Kai, asking, "Your magic?"

Kai's lips curved into a half-smile as he nodded in confirmation. "It's too much trouble to write everything out every time, so I came up with this," the words shifted again, rearranging themselves. "Better, right?"

Ray shook his head, torn between annoyance and awe. "You're something else, Kai," he muttered. "But seriously, next time, warn me before you go all table-smashing on someone. My nerves can't take it."

Kai responded with a thumbs-up, his enigmatic smile intact. Ray wondered, "How did I became best friends with a guy who treated magic like a casual convenience?" Somehow, he doubted it.

As the early morning light filtered through the stained glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic patterns on the chamber floor. Kai reclined on his bed, turning to face Ray, who had taken a seat nearby. "By the way, why are you here so early?" he asked through the projection, before the words changed. "Is it merely to complain about the chaos I caused last night?"

As Ray read it, he shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Kai's intense scrutiny. "No," he replied, a hint of defiance in his tone. "I just...felt like coming."

Kai's eyebrow arched. He wasn't one to accept half-truths easily. His mind started to wonder, when his eyes fell on his notebook. His thought raced back to the texts he read last time. Kai understood the whole situation. There was more to this—something Ray wasn't saying.

With a resigned sigh, the projection materialized once more. "You messed up big time with her, didn't you?" the words hung in the air, accusatory and sharp.

Ray stumbled backward, caught off guard. "What do you mean?" His voice wavered, and he clutched the edge of the table for support.

Kai's fingers traced the leather-bound notebook lying there. "I had read everything," words shifted in the projection, Kai's gaze unyielding. The silence that followed was heavy, charged with unspoken truths. Ray's widened eyes met Kai's narrowed ones, as they both looked at each other in silence.

-To be continued