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☾ twenty - one ☾

I sported a slight frown when I felt a sudden headache.

'Haaa, I'm...so tired.'

I was worried about how to avoid the disaster that suddenly appeared and threatened my future.

'What am I going to do?'

My mind was full of concerns, but the fatigue that took over my whole body was much stronger.

I decided to stop fighting and let my eyes close on their own.

_

As Max departed from the mansion at a rapid pace, he became sensitive to his surroundings as his whole body regained the tension that he had lost the past few days.

'It's back to normal.'

Max stopped in his tracks.

'Would she have read the letter by now?'

He turned to look back at the mansion.

Only when the white marble building came into view did Max realize what he was doing and scowled.

'A letter...'

It was certainly out of character for him to leave a letter.

'Why did I do that?'

Since childhood, carelessness had always been associated with death, so Max found himself always living on the edge.

Yet, for some strange reason, the tension in his body had unwittingly loosened — he felt relaxed — while staying in Juvellian's room the past couple of days.

'If no one came to find me, I might've stayed there without a second thought.'

It was an incomprehensible change in how he usually felt — it was as if he were under some kind of magic spell.

He contemplated over what could've caused the change but soon brushed it aside.

'Let's just go back for now. There are other matters I need to resolve first.'

Kicking the ground again with his long legs, Max moved briskly towards his destination.

_

'Huh, why is it so bright?'

I was surprised when I glanced at the clock.

I had only meant to rest for a little while but I never thought that I'd fall into a deep sleep.

My father's apprentice relied on me for meals so I was confused he didn't wake me up.

'He must've been hungry so why didn't he wake me...Oh.'

To think I would automatically look for someone who had already left–habits were quite scary.

'But if he left this abruptly without a word, does it mean he found a place to stay?'

I had some money for travel expenses set aside for him that I had planned on giving him when he was ready to leave.

I didn't think he'd leave so suddenly without saying anything.

'Still, he should've at least said goodbye.'

I sighed at the sudden feeling of disappointment, but then let out a bitter laugh.

'No, we're just strangers.'

Although I tried to think about it in that way, it would be a lie to say that I didn't feel a little empty.