Suddenly, the excruciating cold disappeared.
Arata jolted upright in bed, breathing heavily as he desperately felt his own legs, chest, and arms.
There was no ice.
There was no frost anymore.
When he looked at his hands, he noticed that they were completely clean, without any of the cuts or bandages that had tormented him over the previous days.
A familiar, sweet, and comforting scent filled his nostrils.
It was Emma's perfume.
He blinked repeatedly, adjusting to the brightness of the morning, and found Emma sitting in the wooden chair right beside his bed.
"Are you okay, Arata?" she asked with a relieved expression. "I just finished healing the injuries caused by the fall and the thorns on your body."
"Emma... What happened?" Arata asked, still somewhat dazed by the abrupt transition caused by his death.
"Sumire and Loiry told me that you left your room and ended up entering the Library of Knowledge.
Lady Lia expelled you from there by firing a very powerful spiritual blast... You went through the open window and fell straight onto the grass outside. I healed the injuries caused by the fall, Arata."
Arata brought a hand to his chin, processing the situation as his mind worked at high speed.
"So I returned exactly to the morning of the first day... That means I have until the early hours of the fifth day to figure out who the hell that mysterious killer is and find a way to survive."
"Wait... Emma has ice powers. No, impossible. There is no way it could have been her! And Buck also has cryokinesis, but he can't stay awake for very long during the early hours of the morning... Besides, neither of them would have any reason to kill me."
He clenched his fists, determined.
"I know the attack happens a few hours after 11:50 PM on the fifth day. The only way to discover the truth is to wait until then. For now, I'll try to repeat everything exactly the same way so I don't alter the timeline!"
"Hey? Arata? Are you listening to me? Are you okay?" Emma called, waving her hand magnetically in front of his face.
"But OF COURSE I'm perfectly fine, my cutie! Why wouldn't I be?!" Arata exclaimed, recovering his usual energetic demeanor.
"I don't know... You looked completely lost in deep thought," she commented, smiling slightly.
"It's nothing! I was just philosophizing a little over here," Arata brushed it off, immediately changing the subject. "Emma, let me ask you something... Your power, I mean, your innate ice magic, is it really strong?"
"Innate magic?" Emma furrowed her brow, confused by the term. "Oh, it's not my own innate magic. It's an ability I acquired when I formed my spiritual contract with Buck.
The healing magic I used on you falls under that as well. It comes directly from him. The two of us share exactly the same abilities: cryokinesis and healing."
"I see! But why don't you have your own magic?"
"You really don't understand much about our world, do you?" Emma let out a restrained laugh. "People who are born with the aptitude to form contracts with spirits cannot have their own innate magic.
We strictly use the abilities of the spirit we're bonded with."
"Oh, I get it! It's just that in my homeland, we didn't really study much about these things," Arata quickly made up.
"Well, just to make the explanation more complete: People with innate magic possess powers they are born with. The most common ones are elemental magic and magic connected to the user's own body. However, there are some much rarer ones called Blessed Magic. Unlike ordinary magic, they tend to possess unique and differentiated abilities, and some are much more versatile.
Like Kauã's, which is capable of manifesting abilities for himself whenever he needs them."
"Understood, Professor! And what about Authorities? Where do they fit into this whole picture?" Arata stretched his neck, curious.
Emma's expression became a little more serious upon hearing that word.
"Authorities are dark powers granted directly by the Traitor Witch, Marina. They say that each of the other three Conceptual Witches was capable of doing that as well, just like Marina.
Marina distributed these profane powers among each of the five Bishops of the Cult of One.
Authorities are feared because they are abilities that break the very laws of the world. Authorities do not belong to Lugiri's natural system.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
While innate magic and Blessed Magic obey the laws of the world and require mana, Authorities are capable of surpassing them and do not require mana."
"Got it! Is there any other important information about this power system, or is that all?"
"I didn't really understand what you meant by 'power system,' but there is indeed a type of person who is an absolute exception in terms of rarity: those who possess innate magic from birth and are still capable of forming a contract with a spirit.
They combine their own element with the creature's powers. This ability is almost legendary in Lugiri... In the past, I met, and still know, only one person in the entire world capable of doing this... At least, I know one..."
Emma's face changed for a few seconds after speaking about her past.
"Emma...?"
Emma blinked.
"It was nothing..."
"So... Lugiri has a pretty unique system! And regarding contracts, there are different types, right?" he pressed.
"Yes, there are various types of contracts and pacts," Emma explained, becoming more animated by his interest.
"The more advanced pacts allow the user to temporarily merge their own body with that of the spirit. This temporary fusion increases both of their powers exponentially."
"Wow! If you were my teacher back at my old school, I guarantee I wouldn't have skipped a single class!" Arata flirted, winking with one eye.
Emma smiled openly and stood up from the chair, shaking her head.
"Yeah, apparently you've already completely recovered! If you're already making your usual jokes, you must definitely be in perfect condition."
"I am! But I'll confess that I'd really like to rest a little longer if it were on a soft lap... Specifically yours!" he joked, throwing his arms behind his head.
"Come on, Arata," Emma called, walking toward the door with rosy cheeks. "Let's go to the garden and do something."
"Sure thing! I was thinking about practicing some calisthenics! What do you think?"
"Of course... I have absolutely no idea what the term 'calisthenics' means, but let's try!" she agreed, amused.
With that, the two left the room, officially beginning the first day of the new loop.
Moments later...
Arata and Emma were in Joseph's mansion backyard.
The boy took a deep breath, taking in the fresh scent of leaves coming from the low vegetation.
Looking around, he took in the vastness of the place: there were several ancient trees and a tool shed right in the center of the grounds, positioned beside a pleasant recreational area equipped with tables and umbrellas.
"This place is huge! It doesn't even look like an ordinary backyard. It's so enormous," Arata commented, impressed.
"It's more like an open field than a mansion garden."
Without wasting any time, the young man spread his legs and began stretching his muscles.
"What are you doing, Arata?" Emma asked, tilting her head to the side.
"It's a training method from my homeland," he explained, stretching his arms. "It's called stretching. Want to try it too?"
Arata finished the sequence and began making small jumps in place, using both legs.
"Hmm... Alright, I'll try!" Emma agreed, imitating the boy's movements.
Within a few minutes, the two were engaged in calisthenics exercises in the middle of the lawn.
"Hey, Emma, let's raise our hands and shout together!" Arata suggested excitedly.
The two raised their arms toward the sky and exclaimed in unison:
"Long live!"
The crystal around Emma's neck glowed, and Buck appeared in his small blue spiritual dragon form, also raising one of his little paws toward the sky.
"Long live! Long live! Good morning, Ma!" the little creature greeted.
"Good morning, Buck!" Emma smiled, allowing the creature to land on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, Ma..." Buck murmured, lowering his ears guiltily. "You must have gone through a really rough time because I couldn't remain manifested for very long..."
"It was nothing, Buck. Arata and Kauã Alves saved me just in time."
The little dragon flew toward the boy, stopping right at eye level.
"Thank you very much, Arata! Thanks to the two of you, my Ma is safe and sound."
"Well then! If that's the case, I demand a reward from you, Mr. Buck!" Arata demanded with a playful look.
"And what would that be?" the dragon asked curiously.
"I want the absolute right to hug you and pet you whenever I want!"
Without waiting for permission, Arata pulled the little blue creature into a tight hug and began scratching its head.
"Ah...! I love being petted!" Buck immediately gave in, relaxing in his arms.
Emma watched the scene with a shy smile on her lips.
"Is that really all you want, Arata?"
"That's right."
"Arata..." she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "You really are kind of a strange boy..."
"What is it, Emma?"
"Nothing," she brushed it off.
While Arata continued pampering the spiritual dragon, Loiry and Sumire appeared at the entrance to the backyard, walking with impeccable posture.
"Good morning, Loiry, Sumire," Emma greeted them. "What brings you two outside?"
"Miss Emma, we only came to inform you that Master Joseph has just returned," Loiry announced respectfully.
"I see. Then let's go inside," Emma nodded.
"See you later, Arata!" Buck said goodbye, dematerializing and returning inside the crystal.
"No! My supply of cuteness is gone!" Arata lamented dramatically.
"Come on, Arata, let's go inside..." Emma called, gesturing toward the way.
"Let's go, then."
The group crossed through the property's doors. Immediately, the rustic scent of freshly cut grass was replaced by the sophisticated, clean, and distinctive smell of the mansion's luxurious corridors.
As they proceeded, Arata spotted the imposing silhouette he already knew: an extremely tall man, standing at 1.89 meters, slender and very pale-skinned. His hair was a vibrant cyan color, long and straight, falling perfectly past his shoulders.
He wore a small black top hat tilted on his head, a long dark coat with a high collar and red inner lining, as well as a tight-fitting jacket and pants combining shades of pink, lilac, and dark purple, covered in pointed details and asymmetrical seams reminiscent of the classic clothing of a medieval jester. On his feet were black and red high-top boots with subtly curved tips.
Knowing exactly what he needed to do to repeat the loop, Arata approached with a wide smile and began casually patting the nobleman's back.
"So you hired a clown to entertain the household?! What a unique gig! Hey, clown, tell us a good joke!"
"Hey, Arata...!" Emma quickly intervened, her eyes widening in panic. "That's not a clown..."
The man slowly turned his head, fixing his mysterious eyes on the boy.
"I am Joseph. The rightful owner of this mansion, do you hear me? Arata Ryusei," he introduced himself in a slow and imposing voice.
"My bad! Sorry about the blunder!" Arata exclaimed, pretending to be surprised as he clasped his hands together in an apology.
"It's nothing..." Joseph dismissed it with a subtle nod. "Let's just sit down in the meeting room."
Inside the mansion's meeting room...
Arata and Emma settled into the chairs around the enormous wooden table, while Joseph occupied the central seat. Loiry stood to his right, while Sumire watched over the room from the left in the same upright posture.
Loiry moved gracefully, serving generous and fragrant dishes to Joseph, Emma, and finally Arata.
"Thank you very much!" Arata said gratefully, picking up his utensils.
Joseph raised an elegant wine glass, taking a slow sip of the reddish liquid before speaking.
"Splendid... Did you know, Arata Ryusei, that my wines are considered the finest in the entire region?"
"No, I didn't!" Arata replied, pretending to be ignorant of the local geography. "But let me ask you something... Which state of Kakariki is this mansion located in?"
"It is located in one of our famed nation's states called Karramagi," Joseph patiently explained. "We are approximately ten hours away from the capital of Kakariki by travel."
"I see! That's pretty cool."
Arata brought a generous portion of food to his mouth, savoring the familiar taste of the twin's recipe.
"Wow! Who made this amazing food?!" he asked with his mouth full.
"Loiry's cooking really is magnificent, isn't it?" Joseph commented, satisfied.
"I did," Loiry spoke up, lowering her head slightly. "I am the official person in charge of this mansion's kitchen."
"Damn, girl, your food is insanely good!" Arata praised, determined to make the same joke from the previous loop to test their reactions.
"I think I've figured out how you two work! You're a prodigy in the kitchen and terrible at the other household chores, while your sister handles the heavy cleaning because she's good at it, right?"
Loiry narrowed her icy eyes at him before replying:
"My sister is indeed excellent at household chores, but I am not bad at absolutely anything. I am perfectly qualified to cook, clean the house, organize the rooms, or perform any other necessary task."
"Jeez... Then what is your sister good for, anyway?!" Arata fired off the comedic joke.
Before Sumire could protest, Joseph cleared his throat, bringing the conversation back into focus.
"I was informed that you helped Emma recover her necklace..."
"That's right! I did it myself!" Arata confirmed, puffing out his chest.
"That accessory is extremely important, as it is the last memento she possesses of her deceased parents, who were high-ranking nobles within Kakariki," Joseph revealed with a serious expression.
"You recovered the object and saved her from Yumi's clutches... We rarely hear news of people who survived after crossing paths with that Ripper Assassin. Therefore, we owe you our sincerest gratitude for that."
"Oh, it was nothing! Hehe!" Arata scratched the back of his head, boasting.
"Thank you very much, Arata-kun..." Emma added, looking at him gratefully.
"Well, surely such a grand achievement deserves a reward to match, don't you think?!" the boy prompted, smiling from the corner of his mouth.
"Very well. What do you desire?" Joseph offered, opening his arms generously. "We can grant you practically anything within our means."
Arata straightened his posture in the chair and fixed his gaze on the owner of the property, uttering the exact words that would restart his journey:
"I want... to work here!"
The sudden, confused silence that settled over the room was broken only by Sumire's loud and awkward sneeze.
End of Chapter 25...
To be continued in Chapter 26...