Chapter 18

I slowly opened my eyes, the haze of sleep still clouding my vision. As I surveyed my surroundings, I found myself in a dark room. I couldn't discern anything around me that would give me a clue as to where I was. The only thing I could feel was the softness of the bed beneath me, and that was enough to let me know that I was back at Daruis's mansion, lying on his infirmary bed.

I tried to piece together what had happened, but my head throbbed with pain as the memories flooded back. The last thing I remembered was laying in Daruis embrace, and then everything went black. Now, I was here, in Daruis's mansion, and I had no idea how much time had passed. My heart raced with anxiety.

I took a deep breath and gazed upwards, searching for a glimpse of the ceiling. It was pitch black, and I couldn't make out its shape, but I knew every inch of it. I lay still, enveloped in a serene calm, trying to convince myself that there was nothing left for me to do but accept my destiny. I had been in t