The Last Archmage Reborn as the Forgotten Heir

Chapter 05

Lyra’s apartment was on the second floor of an old building just a few minutes away from the alley. Kaelan walked in without saying much. The room was small, but clean. A worn-out sofa, a study desk piled high with college textbooks, and a tiny kitchen merged into a single space.

"Please have a seat."

Kaelan sat down slowly on the sofa. The ache in his ribs flared up the moment his body relaxed. Lyra placed her bag of bread on the table, then fetched a first-aid kit from the cabinet. "I'll just clean the wounds. After that, you can rest."

"No need to bother."

"I've been bothering since earlier."

That response made Kaelan choose to stay silent. Lyra dampened a cotton ball with antiseptic. "This is going to sting a little."

"I've experienced worse."

Lyra paused for a brief moment before continuing to clean the wound on his temple. "Do you often get into fights?"

"No."

"Then why did you end up like this?"

Kaelan didn't answer. Lyra eventually gave up chasing answers; after placing a bandage on Kaelan's temple, she pushed a glass of water and a pastry toward him. "Eat."

Kaelan stared at the bread for a few seconds before picking it up. "Thank you."

Lyra only nodded. The atmosphere returned to silence, accompanied solely by the sound of light rain outside the window. A moment later, Lyra broke the quiet. "Why didn't you contact your girlfriend?"

Kaelan's hand stopped in mid-air. "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah... Olivia Carter."

The name sounded both utterly foreign and annoying. Kaelan raised his gaze. "She is not my girlfriend."

Lyra blinked. "...Huh?"

"She is not my girlfriend." The answer came out flat, without any burden.

Lyra genuinely fell silent. The entire campus knew Kaelan always followed Olivia everywhere carrying her assignments, waiting outside her classes, and even willing to be the butt of jokes just for that girl. If anyone referred to Olivia as his girlfriend, Kaelan never used to deny it.

Lyra frowned. "You guys... weren't you close?"

"No."

"Seriously?"

Kaelan calmly took a bite of the bread. "Never."

Lyra studied his face for a few moments. Strange... There was something different. It wasn't his words, but his gaze. The Kaelan she knew always looked nervous whenever Olivia's name was mentioned. Now, the man's expression was blank, as if he were talking about someone entirely insignificant.

Maybe he's just hurt, Lyra thought internally, shaking her head lightly to clear her own mind. "Fine. Don't think about it right now."

She stood up and grabbed a blanket from the cupboard. "You can sleep on the sofa. I'll be in my room."

"I won't be long."

"Leave tomorrow morning." Without waiting for an answer, Lyra walked into her small bedroom and closed the door.

The room grew quiet once more. Kaelan sat for a while before closing his eyes. The cracked Mana Core spun slowly, drawing the residual wisps of mana in the air little by little into the nearly empty core. It wasn't much, but it was enough to stabilize his breathing again.

This body needs time. And I won't waste it.

Sunlight pierced through the window curtains the following morning. Kaelan opened his eyes first; the pain in his chest had not completely vanished, but this body felt much stronger compared to last night.

The bedroom door opened, revealing Lyra already dressed for campus with a backpack over her shoulder. "Oh... you're awake."

Kaelan nodded.

"I have to head to work before my classes start." She picked up her apartment keys from the table. "If you're strong enough, just pull the door shut from the outside. I won't lock it."

Kaelan stood up slowly. "Thank you."

Lyra smiled faintly and nodded. "Take care of yourself." She stepped out without saying another word.

The apartment door closed slowly, leaving the room in stillness. Kaelan picked up his shabby wallet from the table. Inside was still an ID card bearing the name Kaelan Garrison.

His gaze lingered on the name for a few seconds before he slipped the wallet into the pocket of his torn hoodie.

It's time to go home.

He opened the apartment door and stepped out, heading toward the place Kaelan Garrison called home.