A black-clad man stood in front of a door as his raised fist lingered in the air. A moment passed as the black-clad man gulped and his fist fell on the door gently.

“Enter.” A deep voice resounded and Kiran clenched and unclenched his fist for a moment before he entered and greeted the man sitting behind the desk with folded hands.

The man, seated behind the desk, was middle-aged but his body was strong. His shoulders were broad and his chest was wide. A thick moustache and a short beard enveloped his face but they complemented his deep voice all the same.

The man put down his pen as his brown eyes fell on the black robes and the long uncut hair that Kiran now sported. “I see.”

“I-”

“How long has it been since your hair was returned?” The deep voice cut in.

The fallen ascetic clenched his fist before slowly unclenching it. “Two years.”

“Two years. And what have you been doing in those two years?”

“I-”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You have been a waste of resources and food.”

“I have been healin-”

“But your Class and Skill Levels has been constantly falling. You can still heal now, but will you be able to do so when we return?”

“I-”

“No. You won’t. If you still think you can, then your delusion runs deeper than I had thought.”

The ascetic said nothing and the man pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you even want to return?”

The silence of the black-clad man was his only answer.

“I see.” The moustached man picked up his pen and averted his eyes. “What did you come to me for?”

The fallen ascetic unclenched his clenched fist and breathed deeply. “I request access to a chambermaid.”

The man’s pen paused before he slammed it down on the table. “Still! You are focused on it still!? That cursed creature has nothing to do with your condition!”

“She said so herself!” Kiran’s eyes were crazed. “She did this to me.”

“That creature is not a woman! Stop treating it as such.” The moustached man snapped. “Despite what it says, that creature has nothing to do with your condition. Its mana was bound and Essence altered by a [Curse Smith]. Do you think someone with bound mana can affect you such?”

“It was her. I know it was her!” Kiran nose flared and his face twisted. “She cursed me. She said it would be soon. She told me I would come to her. She told me she would laugh at my face. It all happened! It was her!”

The moustached man scoffed. “What was so hard to predict about that?”

“Huh?”

“Yes. What was so hard to predict about that?” The man’s derision cut at the black-clad man. “You had been so engrossed in that creature that you lost yourself. Your life that should have revolving around healing, had become centred around that creature. It is still a surprise that your sacrifice was not returned sooner.”

Kiran stumbled as if hit. “Yo-you are lying. That is not true. I did not get lost. I was abandoned!”

“Look here, you ungrateful swine.” The man’s deep voice seemed to press down on the fallen ascetic. “I am Sagar Manthan, the [Ship Captain] of the ship on which you travelled here. There exists not a single thing on my ship that I do not see and do not know. For all intents and purposes, I am this ship.”

The [Ship Captain]’s voice became heavy with spoken word and the fallen ascetic couldn’t bear to stand straight as he fell.

“I know what happened. When it happened and why it happened. I know this not because I paid attention but because this is my ship.” The man had not moved from his place but his presence had become unbearable. “You can trap yourself in all the delusions you want, I care not. But dare not to drag me in those delusions.”

“The-then why would she say that she did it?” Kiran picked himself up and pushed against the presence of the man. “She said so. She acknowledged. She accepted!”

“Just how low is your [Reflection]?” The [Ship Captain] pulled back his presence and allowed the black-clad man to stand back up. “That creature remains trapped in a cell when it is not being made use of. Why would it not mess with you when it can?”

“No! She accepted. She acknowledged.” Kiran mumbled and he clenched his fist. “It is her doing!”

“How did you even gain this Class?” The captain sighed. “How could an ascetic be this delusional?”

“Please! Allow me access to the chambermaid!” Kiran folded his hands and fell onto his knees. “I beg you. I must find out how she did it. Please!”

“Why should I make an exception for you?” The other man messaged his forehead. “Do you think you are something special?”

The words of the captain reminded Kiran of the words of the chambermaid. ‘You are just another faceless man that makes use of me. You are nothing special.’

Kiran grit his teeth and unclenched his closed fists. “I can heal. I can heal all day long!”

“That’s your job.” The captain snapped. “You should already be doing that.”

“I-I-”

“You have nothing. You are nothing.” The moustached man picked up his pen again. “Get out.”

“I-”

“Get out before I throw you out.” The captain’s deep voice rumbled as he began to finish the paperwork that the black-clad man had interrupted.

Kiran’s crazed eyes whirled as his mind raced. His fists were clenched and his nails dug into his flesh. His breathing was ragged and his flesh hot. Blood raced faster with every passing moment in his veins and the sound of his own heartbeat threatened to deafen the man.

“I-I can give you an Inheritance Scroll!!”

The moustached man’s mouth fell open and his eyes went wide. The pen in his hands fell as his grip loosened. His pupils dilated and goosebumps erupted on his skin. “What?!”

-X-

Within a desolate desert, inside a dilapidated shop, on a simple chair, a youth seemingly slept.

-X-