LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 4: What was happening inside?
What was happening inside?
Ed was approached by one of his future "selves"—at least, that's what he assumed. This doppelgänger looked injured, but unlike some of the other Eds, who appeared to be dead, this one was wrapped in bandages, clearly in the process of healing.
Despite the urge to speak, to ask what was going on, Ed knew that in this space, words still held no power.
Suddenly, Future Ed reached out his hand toward Present Ed. His eyes began to glow with an unearthly, almost sacred light, deep within which strange mechanisms were moving—like gears, endlessly turning in an infinite cycle.
Instinctively, Ed reached out as well, cautiously clasping Future Ed's hand. The moment their hands touched, the space around them was consumed by a blinding flash. The light was so intense that Ed reflexively squeezed his eyes shut. And then—he felt something change.
When the brilliance finally faded, he slowly opened his eyes…
A massive crowd stood before him.
Ed instinctively began scanning their faces, trying to recognize someone—anyone. His gaze darted from one person to another, until he finally spotted a few familiar figures: Taylor, Alvira, Klebius, Princess Phoenia, Jix, Lorethel, Yanika…
And to his greatest surprise—Lucy, the strongest student in the academy.
They were all staring straight at him. Some in astonishment, others in disbelief. Their gazes, filled with doubts and questions, seemed to pierce through him. It was as if they were trying to figure out who he was—who this man, emerging from the light, really was.
— "Is that… Is that Ed Rottaylor?!"—one of the students suddenly exclaimed.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a buzz of chatter.
— "That bastard… Did he just cast that kind of magic?!"—Klebius shouted, barely believing what he was seeing. "No way! That's impossible!"
— "He was one of the worst in magic this year! There's no way he could've done something like this!"—Alvira added, disbelief evident in her voice.
— "And what's with his body?!"—another student suddenly blurted out.
— "Yeah! He definitely wasn't in such good shape the last time we saw him!"—another chimed in, studying Ed carefully.
— "Not only that… Was he even injured before?"—a third student questioned, eyeing the bandages on Ed's body with confusion.
The crowd was growing restless. More and more questions filled the air, their concern escalating. But Ed himself still had no answers. The people around him whispered among themselves, their wary glances burning into him. He could feel their unease, but he didn't understand the reason.
And then, only when he finally looked down at his own body, reality started to click into place. The bandages… They weren't just there for no reason. Something had changed. His body… It looked different. His thoughts were a whirlwind, questions swirled in his mind, but before he could even begin to process it all, something strange happened.
Like a shadow emerging from nowhere, Lucy suddenly appeared right in front of him.
Her serious gaze, filled with an unreadable meaning, made him freeze. A chill ran down his spine—a cold premonition of something important. But then, suddenly, everything shifted. The anxiety disappeared, as if it had never been there. His thoughts became clear, his mind calm. It felt as if he had known Lucy for a long time, though he couldn't recall why.
She studied him closely, then began circling around him.
One lap.
Two laps.
Three… Four.
Stopping in front of him, she finally spoke:
— "You couldn't have cast that magic… But…"—she hesitated, her eyes narrowing with even greater curiosity. "There's something strange about you. You're surrounded by a mysterious magic."
The moment those words left her lips, the professors of the academy appeared behind her—along with the headmaster of Sylvania himself.
Author's Note: Dear readers, can someone remind me of his name? He wasn't the most memorable character, so I kind of forgot what he's called.
The headmaster studied Ed carefully for a moment, then finally spoke:
— "Ed Rottaylor…" His voice was deep and commanding. "Come to my office. There's something we need to discuss."
Ed clenched his fists instinctively. There were too many eyes on him. Thousands of gazes, filled with curiosity, suspicion, and even fear, were locked onto him.
All he wanted at that moment was to get away from the crowd.
Looking at the headmaster, he gave a short nod.
— "Alright. Let's go now."
With those words, he followed the headmaster, leaving behind the murmuring whispers and watchful stares, sensing that something far more important awaited him beyond this conversation.
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Hey guys!
I sincerely apologize for the week-long delay. That was never part of my plan, but unfortunately, things turned out that way.
As an apology, I'll do my best to release chapters every day until the end of this month!