Short story: Aftermath and a new beginning.

Noah's POV:

My black long sleeve T-shirt billowed in the wind, the fabric dancing as I watched the chaotic aftermath beneath me.

The front garden of Geniva Mansion was overcome with a frenzy of activity. Cars and ambulances filled the space, their presence testifying to the urgency of the situation. Frantic individuals rushed about, their movements swift as they tended to the injured.

As I took in the scene before me, the wind continued to possess a restless nature, relentlessly gusting and causing my hair, which had grown slightly longer than usual, to flutter in its wake.

My body was now devoid of the once present beads of sweat, replaced instead by a chilling coldness. Blood adorned my entire form, its stains marring both my skin and my garments.

Under the veil of a moonless night, I found myself positioned atop the open roof of Geniva Mansion. Standing at the farthest corner, a single step would be all it would take to plummet into the abyss. It was to this secluded spot that I had teleported, having killed vampiress.

"Haaa!" —I let out a deep, much-needed sigh, trying to gather my thoughts around all the things that have happened.

The things that have happened, and the things that are yet to come. The things I have deliberately avoided until now, and the things that remain unknown to me.

For instance, the case of the Memorial diamond — one of the few things I am completely clueless about.

When I first transmigrated in this world, I naively believed that I knew everything within it.

Slowly I learned how deeply wrong I was.

The gaps that I had left in my novel were filled with stories of their own in this world. There were numerous things that I had no knowledge of: memorial diamonds, Double dungeons, Galndrath, and the eight national treasures... The only thing I was certain of was how the plot would unfold.

But my meddling with the timeline had introduced an ominous uncertainty—a Pandora's box harboring a series of undesired butterfly effects.

Among the many things I sought to avoid, there was one that stood out: Noah's past.

Not my own past but rather the past of the original Noah Grey, which loomed over my consciousness, threatening to expose secrets that were best left buried.

No matter how hard I tried to recollect, I couldn't remember anything about Noah's childhood.

The further I delved into his past, the hazier the memories became.

Initially, I thought it was a mere issue of poor memory, but then I realized that I could recall everything clearly about Noah's past until the age of ten.

Yet, as I attempted to journey further back in time, a dense fog descended upon my memories, obscuring the once vivid events. It was as if an invisible force stood guard, vehemently prohibiting me from trespassing into the uncharted territories of Noah's past.

No matter how hard I tried, memories halted abruptly at the age of seven.

[Interlink initiated]—Nano's mechanical voice echoed in my mind, and a viscous black substance emerged from my back, swiftly morphing into a magnificent pair of silvery metal wings with realistic feathers.

Both the wings were larger than my own body size.

Leaping from the rooftop, I propelled myself into the air, aided by the sturdy steel wings.

The cloak of darkness offered by the moonless night concealed my figure from those below, granting me the freedom to ascend to great heights, akin to a majestic dark eagle soaring through the heavens.

[Call from Crimson Viper] —flashed a notification in my augmented reality field of vision.

[Connecting call...]

[Connected]

Click—"Hello?" a deep voice greeted me.

"Yes,.. what is it?"

"I have both good news and, well, not-so-good news for you", came the reply.

"News is news, just tell me what it is", I urged, eager to know the details.

"The good news is that the workshop plan is proceeding smoothly. A reliable dealer has arrived, and with your payment, everything will be sorted", Crimson Viper informed me, his voice filled with a tone of assurance.

"That's excellent to hear... Now, what's the other news?", I probed, sensing a hint of anticipation mingled with caution.

After a short pause, he continued, "Someone recently attempted to unearth your past."

Instantly, an involuntary frown creased my forehead.

"WHAT?!"

***

Aurora's POV(Point of view) :

"So, any specific details about the appearance of this mystery guy?" inquired the union officer in a formal manner.

At present, I found myself amidst a series of interrogations, with union officers eager to unravel the events that took place.

Regrettably, I responded with complete honesty, "No, I'm afraid I can't recollect much about his facial features."

The officer nodded understandingly before assuring me, "If we require any further information, we may reach out to you again. However, please rest assured that you need not respond if you feel uncomfortable. It is merely a procedural measure."

With those words, the union officer concluded our conversation, walking away to delve into other inquiries.

In the wake of the QnA session with the officers, a concerned PA from my family hastily arrived, his worry palpable.

I promptly dismissed his concerns, assuring that everything was already resolved and I was perfectly fine.

But it seemed that my ever-protective father had taken matters into his own hands.

He insisted on assigning guards to shadow me constantly, an idea which I adamantly opposed.

Regardless, I could already envision an elite squad being dispatched, their watchful gaze lingering on me ceaselessly.

"Great... just another headache", I muttered, shaking my head in exasperation, before releasing a deep sigh of resignation.

Before long, I found myself reunited with Emily and the rest of our group.

"How are you holding up?" I inquired, shifting my gaze towards Takahashi, concern etched across my face.

"Not so good, as you can plainly see," he responded, lifting his arm to reveal the bandaged area underneath, emphasizing the extent of his injuries.

A perplexed expression crossed my features as I questioned, "Why didn't they administer any healing potions? It seems odd?"

He dismissed my concern with a dismissive wave of his hand, explaining, "There was a scarcity of healing potions, and others required them more urgently than I did. I will take one once I return to the Academy."

My attention then shifted towards Emily, who seemed lost in a sea of thoughts, her gaze fixated on her shoes.

Sensing her distress, I gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and softly spoke, "What's troubling you, Emi?"

She glanced up at me, her eyes flickering with a mixture of vulnerability and determination, as she attempted to mask her inner fears.

Instantly, a pang of regret washed over me, realizing that my question had touched upon a sensitive topic. I bit my lip, acknowledging my mistake, and silently vowed to be more understanding in the future. But I knew better that my tounge would slip soon, breaking my vow.

"Today, I could have lost my life"— Emily responded, her voice filled with a mixture of anguish and vulnerability, as she once again directed her gaze downwards. "I felt completely helpless and trapped, watching death inch its way towards me", she whispered softly, her words tinged with lingering fear.

"If it weren't for that guy", she continued, her voice barely audible now, trailing off into uncertainty.

Takahashi, clenching his head, most likely in minor headache directed his gaze towards me. "Who are you guys talking about? What guy?" he questioned.

Right, Takahashi went unconscious before he saw what happened.

I proceeded to recount the entire sequence of events to Takahashi, leaving no detail untold.

Upon hearing my account, he lowered his head, his tone tinged with the realization, "So, I was essentially on borrowed time, saved only by luck?" he mumbled somberly.

Observing his reaction, I couldn't help but shake my head, understanding the weight and impact such an intense experience can have on a person.

It was no surprise that their behavior seemed affected by the encounter – after all, facing a life-or-death situation leaves lasting scars.

But they were strong.

Takahashi asked nonchalantly, "By the way, who was that guy? The one who came to our aid?", he retrieved his phone from his pocket, revealing a crack on the screen, likely caused in the midst of the chaos.

With a dismissive shrug of my shoulders, I muttered, "Who knows?"

And just like that, everyone dispersed, returning to their respective company or reuniting with their concerned loved ones.

As for me, a personal assistant from my family was assigned to accompany me for a while, and I was immediately told to return to Lewis Manor.

"Who knows", I repeated to the empty air, but a lingering doubt began to creep into my thoughts.

'Who knows... those grey eyes.'

The image of the machete flashed in my mind.

Everything about it felt eerily similar to one particular guy... but how could that be possible?

My intuition, which I usually trusted without fail, was now screaming at me, insisting something that I could only dismiss as nonsensical.

"There is no way"

***

A/N: And thus, the final chapter of the first volume draws to a close.