Lloyd's consciousness became increasingly clear.
His senses began to awaken, though for some reason, he couldn't breathe.
A sensation of cold and humidity enveloped him, as if he were floating in a liquid.
Though upon opening his eyes, he realized that's exactly what was happening to him.
His mouth opened, letting out bubbles of water and what should have been a scream but was drowned in the liquid surrounding him.
Lloyd began to writhe, trying to understand what was happening.
"Oh, it seems he's woken up, Marid let him go," a man's voice said.
The enormous mass of water suspended in the air exploded like a bubble, letting him fall onto the wooden floor.
The boy sat up quickly, somewhat confused.
"What the hell?"
Lloyd looked around confused, he relaxed a bit recognizing the mansion's aesthetic, but was still nervous; not only because of the situation, but because he didn't know the two individuals who were with him.
A disheveled-looking man with tired eyes, wearing a doctor's coat.
On the other hand, a woman whose head was hidden behind several turbans.
"A pleasure to meet you, I'm Asclepius and this is Marid. You shouldn't worry about us, I know we look suspicious but we're just servants of your uncle," the man quickly explained.
Lloyd stood up still analyzing his surroundings, for some reason he wasn't wet even after being in that mass of water.
It surely wasn't normal water.
"What happened?" the boy demanded to know.
Asclepius rolled his eyes.
"I see you're definitely a Regulus. Well, when you were handed to us you didn't present any physical wounds, however your root was very damaged, as if you'd used it excessively. In fact, if you'd forced it a bit more you surely would have been crippled for life."
Lloyd let out a small sigh, he'd gone too far in combat.
He'd forgotten his objective was only to buy time.
He couldn't let himself be carried away by his feelings like that.
"But it's strange, normally the core acts like the body, your own subconscious prevents you from using all your strength to avoid injuring yourself. It's rare for a child to have been able to demand so much from their root. It's not my business so I won't ask what the hell you did, however I recommend you don't repeat it. Oh and you'll have to rest for a month and a half, it's necessary for your core to repair itself, don't use magic during that time."
Lloyd made a face of displeasure, he didn't like the idea of not being able to train for so long.
"Is that all doctor?" Lloyd asked.
The boy no longer needed to ask what had happened because he could assume it had been solved.
Surely thanks to his uncle.
Lloyd knew Alioth from the original owner of that body's memories and from the novel.
Though the information he had was vague, at least he could deduce his uncle would be a great ally.
"Yes, we analyzed you and everything is in order," Asclepius replied.
Lloyd just nodded and headed out of the room.
While walking through the hallway, the blond wondered if he hadn't been hasty.
He hadn't asked about Calypso or how much time had passed since he lost consciousness.
"Son, I see you woke up," a voice returned him to reality.
The boy looked up, it was his father, Baltazar Morfeus.
"Hello father, that's right. They told me I was fine, I just overexerted my core too much, though with some rest it will heal," the boy said.
The man nodded calmly, he seemed relieved Lloyd was well.
"I see, you must tell me what you used to manage to damage Leona, that woman is very strong."
Baltazar was curious, after all Leona herself had told him Lloyd was even more resourceful than him.
"Oh, well I thought of many things. I reversed gravity, made the ground liquid, oh and remember when you used [involution]? Well, I reversed it to create [evolution]."
Baltazar's eyes opened wide at such surprise.
"You used reversed involution? Can you use antithesis just by remembering phenomena?"
Lloyd nodded without understanding his father's surprise.
He didn't know it, but antithesis allowed manipulating phenomena opposite to those that were occurring or had occurred recently.
Then, one could no longer use them.
Baltazar stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Unlike for example, a technique that reflects damage, the opposite abilities one acquires with antithesis are temporary and can't be used again unless one sees the ability again.
However, Lloyd had another power in his blood.
Mammon's authority, it's said an ancestor in the Regulus family managed to trick a demon lord to obtain his power.
Barbara wasn't the heir of her family, so Lloyd couldn't inherit the power completely.
But that ritual could mix with antithesis, and give him the ability to store the powers he acquired.
It was a too powerful combination.
"Well, and the reason I think I ended up crippled is because I tried to use antithesis to obtain unlimited magical power," Lloyd deduced, pulling Baltazar from his thoughts.
A slight smile appeared on the man's face: he himself had tried to do that years ago.
Though unfortunately, his core could only withstand a few minutes with that pressure.
"I see son, be more careful next time."
He extended his hand, stroking Lloyd's head.
"W-what are you doing?" the boy said moving away, somewhat embarrassed.
His body had reacted on its own, but he also felt strange inside.
Baltazar was in his eyes practically a stranger, but his heart reacted differently.
He felt like his father, and it made him happy that he worried about him.
"What's wrong? Can't I pet my own son?"
He wasn't angry, in fact the man couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"Don't laugh," the blond grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Alright," the man made a small pause, then continued. "You know, at first the Morfeus family sold a substance called 'Tears of Yog-Sothoth.' It was a very peculiar drug, it made the fool intelligent, the insecure confident. It was a very popular drug."
Lloyd looked at his father curious about what he was telling.
"That drug was as you can imagine, the prototype of antithesis. They created it with their magical power, but little by little it evolved until becoming what it is today, an unbeatable ritual."
The boy tilted his head.
"What are you getting at?"
The man placed one of his hands on the minor's shoulder.
"I know Gustavo's death affected you, but there's no rush, you don't have to get strong immediately, take it easy," the man advised. "And take the rest seriously."
Lloyd nodded.
"Alright, I can be calm for two weeks," Lloyd assured.
Baltazar raised an eyebrow.
"Two weeks? I doubt that's enough rest, how long did they recommend you wait?" the man asked, somewhat skeptical.
Lloyd sighed.
"It's just that waiting a month is too much," he affirmed, feigning annoyance.
"Well, let's do this, you'll wait three weeks, and I'll train you myself on Saturdays if I have time. Deal?" the man asked.
The boy showed surprise.
"Really? Okay!"
Why did he feel so much excitement? He didn't even know himself, maybe the desire to obtain recognition from Lloyd original's father endured in that body.
"We have a deal then."
His father extended his hand, and he accepted it, giving him a handshake.
He'd reduced his "waiting time" by half, and one of the strongest characters in the novel was going to train him personally.
Getting stronger would be easier from now on.