Chapter 231
Finally, Aivina rummaged through the cabinets and found a wooden bucket and a ladle that looked barely used. After filling the ladle with tap water, she walked straight to the living room and held it up to Shar's lips.
“Shar, have some water.”
As soon as Aivina spoke, she quickly withdrew her hand. “Sorry, I need to wash this…”
The clear water in the ladle had turned murky and tinged with red after a few shakes, accompanied by an indescribable metallic scent.
Is this blood…?
In the kitchen, Aivina scrubbed at the stains on the ladle with her hands, but after a long struggle, the water remained cloudy, only slightly lighter in color.
Having never done housework in her life, Aivina was on the verge of losing her mind.
When she finally managed to fill the ladle with what she hoped was clear water and brought it back to the living room, she found Shar curled up on the small sofa, its surface cracked, already fast asleep.
About thirty minutes later, Nia returned to the factory, only to find it empty. After Aivina briefed her on a few things, Nia headed out again.
Following Aivina's instructions, Nia first went to the clinic in the jewelry district to summon Adele, then returned to the unfinished factory to clean up the bodies inside.
When Adele arrived at Shar's home, she conducted a routine examination.
Once again, no physical issues were found; Shar's symptoms were a result of mental exhaustion. After documenting all of Shar's current ailments, Adele hurried back to the clinic's lab to prepare new medication.
Throughout this process, Aivina stayed by Shar's side, observing her mental state.
At this moment, Shar was in a natural sleep, naturally recovering. As long as no worsening symptoms appeared, Aivina wouldn’t intervene.
Mental healing isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. If it were that simple, there wouldn’t be so many deranged extraordinary beings.
Meanwhile, in her dream, Shar was experiencing a vivid vision.
In the dream, Shar found herself in a vast, misty room, her feet on creaking wooden floors.
No matter where she walked through the fog, there seemed to be no end in sight. She wandered through this nearly infinite space, but her mind grew increasingly frantic.
She began to run, sprinting with all her might, but all she saw ahead was more fog, as if it would never cease.
Just as Shar was about to exhaust herself, she stepped on a loose floorboard, shattering it beneath her, and fell into the boundless darkness below.
In that instant, Shar jolted awake, greeted by the warm glow of candlelight.
Looking down, she noticed a soft, warm blanket draped over her, though she couldn’t recall when it had been placed there.
As she raised her right hand to rub her eyes, she was startled by the sight of crimson tendrils reaching toward her. It reminded her that her vision was still tainted, and the damage to her spiritual body remained.
However, compared to before, the dizziness in her mind had significantly lessened.
Most importantly, the overwhelming sensation of mental overload had dissipated, and her body temperature had returned to normal.
Aside from the lingering hallucinations and the constant roar of monsters echoing in her mind, Shar's mental state had improved considerably.
Pushing herself up with her right hand, she gently rubbed her forehead with her left.
The version of herself in the simulation hadn’t been unconscious for this long… and it hadn’t described a state resembling a high fever. This could be attributed to the absorption of the "Uniqueness" gear.
After all, the difference between reality and simulation lies in whether one truly absorbs the "Uniqueness."
“System, has all that knowledge been sealed in my mind?”
Shar asked the system in her thoughts.
【We can’t waste my memory, can we? ^^】
Wow… the knowledge sealed in my mind comes with a fee when I want to access it…
【Just enjoy it; at least you don’t have to worry about being controlled by others anymore.】
No longer having to worry about being controlled… Does that mean the situation where the quill manipulated her body in the simulation won’t happen again?
That was good news for Shar.
Following the warm candlelight, she looked around. The fire in the fireplace crackled behind the screen, providing warmth to the room.
On the table were several bottles of fine wine, a silver teapot, and a few cups—clearly not items from her own home. One bottle of wine was half empty.
Turning to her left, she spotted a familiar figure slumped in an armchair, head tilted, asleep.
Her glasses perched on her nose, black hair cascading down her pale cheeks, Aivina’s current position was anything but comfortable.
Feeling parched, Shar picked up the teapot, lifted the lid, and confirmed it contained only ordinary black tea, not wine. She poured herself a cup and drank it down in one go.
The warm tea flowed down her throat, making her feel revitalized.
After pouring herself another cup and finishing it, Shar turned her gaze back to Aivina.
Had Aivina stayed by her side the whole time she was unconscious?
Even in summer, the nighttime temperature in Boren City barely reached above ten degrees, hardly warm. Sleeping in the living room was not only uncomfortable but would definitely lead to a cold.
Shar stood up, stretched her back a bit, and confirmed that she felt relatively well before walking over to Aivina and gently lifting her.
Aivina felt surprisingly light in Shar's arms, and Shar easily cradled her in a princess carry, slowly making her way upstairs.
After pushing open her bedroom door with her back, Shar laid Aivina down on her bed, unfolded a blanket that had been folded nearby, and covered her with it.
After removing Aivina's glasses and placing them on the table, Shar lit the candle.
Just as she finished lighting the candle and was about to leave, Aivina, lying in bed, slightly squinted her eyes.
In fact, she had woken up when Shar picked her up, but had remained silent until Shar was ready to leave. Then she opened her eyes and softly spoke:
“Shar…”
Hearing her voice, Shar turned around to see Aivina propped up on her elbows, looking at her with concern.
“What’s wrong?”
Shar asked.
“Where are you going?” Aivina inquired.
At this point, Shar had given Aivina a fixed impression; it seemed that whenever she left, it was to do something particularly dangerous.
“Nowhere.”
Shar shook her head. She had only intended to go downstairs to grab something to eat; after nearly a whole day without food, she was feeling a bit hungry.
“Then you should rest well.”
Aivina lifted the blanket slightly, patting the somewhat firm mattress as she spoke.
For some reason, despite maintaining a neutral expression, Aivina's tone and actions gave off a hint of playfulness.
Moreover, without her glasses, Aivina's gaze appeared somewhat dreamy, reminding Shar of the half-empty bottle of wine downstairs.
Thinking back, she had indeed caught a faint scent of alcohol when carrying Aivina upstairs.
“Did you get drunk?”
Shar sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Aivina with curiosity.
“No.”
Aivina shook her head, lying back down and staring at the ceiling. “I’m just thirsty.”
Shar understood this; many nobles drank wine and tea as if they were water, rarely opting for plain water.
In the minds of most nobles, water was still considered an unclean beverage, while wine was better and could even “disinfect.”
Of course, Shar had always boiled water to drink, but aside from her and her sister, she hadn’t seen anyone else with that habit.
Still, this was the first time Shar had seen Aivina a bit tipsy… at least her expressions were more animated.
“How are you feeling now?”
Aivina turned her face to look at Shar, asking.
Lying on Shar's bed, despite the hard mattress and somewhat rough blanket, Aivina felt enveloped by Shar's scent.
The slight blush on Aivina's cheeks could be attributed to either the lingering aroma or the effects of the wine.
“Much better,” Shar replied sincerely, looking at Aivina. “Thank you, Aivina.”
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