It was terrifying to think of it—Noah Caelthorn, himself, alive again after his heart had been completely destroyed. He had a penetrating chest wound and a heartbeat that should have stopped forever, yet he was still breathing normally.
Unconsciously, Noah moved his hand to his chest. Beneath the tightly closed skin, he felt a steady heartbeat. Not weak or fragile, but strong. Impossible. It didn't make sense.
"Even an Extreme Healer Sentinel can only repair eighty percent of a damaged heart," Lucas said softly, still finding it hard to believe what he was witnessing. "But your heart was completely destroyed by that stab. And you're still alive." Everyone in the palace is in a frenzy about it. That's why you're under close surveillance."
Lucas's words were cut off by the mechanical click of an automatic metal door. The door slid aside, and three figures in white robes entered the room: Two women and one man. All three carried the distinctive aura of a Sentinel Healer—calm, bright, and full of authority.
They bowed slightly in respect before the man with jet-black hair approached first.
"Prince Noah," he said softly. "I'm Daniel, and I'm in charge of monitoring your recovery progress."
Noah simply nodded curtly. There was no point in overdoing it—even one word might arouse suspicion.
Daniel removed the bandage from Noah's chest and raised his palm. A golden light emerged and flowed into Noah's body. It felt warm, yet strange, as if it were touching something hidden deep within Noah.
Daniel's brow furrowed for a moment, then smoothed back out. He looked professional but clearly shocked.
When the light dissipated, his voice was a mixture of relief and amazement.
"Your heart is beating normally. Your mana flow is fine and is even showing improvement. Up until now, these results are still hard to believe." A Healer-type Sentinel Extreme might be able to repair a hole in a heart, but a heart shattered into pieces? Impossible. That's far beyond our capabilities."
Noah unconsciously performed a Caelthorn habit, scratching his cheek with a finger. The reflex made him pause for a split second. How much could this habit affect him later?
"Does that seem strange?" he asked uncertainly. "Sir Daniel, is there an explanation for all this? How can my heart be restored to its original state?"
Daniel sighed softly, not in frustration, but in uncertainty.
"That's what we're trying to figure out. We're investigating all the possibilities. But seeing your condition improve so much faster than expected is wonderful news."
He patted Noah respectfully on the shoulder.
"Prince Noah, please rest. I will convey this news to His Majesty immediately. He's very worried about you."
The three Sentinel Healers bowed before leaving the room at a steady pace.
Noah was stunned.
"Your Majesty? The king? Noah Caelthorn's father?"
***
Two days had passed since Noah was hospitalized, and today he was discharged. The strangeness of his body and resurrection continued to swirl in his mind, leaving a mountain of unanswered questions. The only conclusion that made sense to him was that he—his soul—had transmigrated to another world and taken over the body of a prince of the Arathen Empire, Earth Realm.
Earth Realm. It looked similar to Earth yet was clearly not the same. The technology here seemed far more advanced. The black, silver-striped car they were riding in had no wheels. Four circular plates were embedded beneath the car, allowing it to hover just above the road. Its shape was futuristic, yet the rhythm of traffic and bustle of the city felt familiar.
Lucas drove while Noah leaned his head against the window and stared out at the daytime bustle with blank brown eyes. His body was recovering, but his mind never stopped working.
"Noah Caelthorn, the crown prince of Arathen, is dead. All that remains are the memories, characteristics, and feelings of this body that are not mine. This means that before I died on Earth, my soul transmigrated into the body of someone who was already dead."
He sighed softly, trying to come to terms with this new reality.
The car stopped when the traffic light turned red. Noah unintentionally saw a middle-aged woman with a metal cane and a young man holding her hand to help her cross the street. The simple sight hit him like a blow.
If he had truly died on Earth, there was no going back. All he could do was hope that his mother wouldn't suffer from his loss. He hoped that she would never realize that her only son was gone forever, that she would still think he was busking on the streets and scavenging for food in trash cans while her husband served in the military.
"Mom's mental illness is probably severe and incurable," Noah muttered to himself.
"Perhaps it would be better if she didn't know her son was dead."
The car resumed its pace and finally entered the grounds of the Blue Lagoon Palace. The grounds were vast, with majestic palace buildings towering high above. The interior was even more astonishing, blending classical architecture with luxury and technology.
As soon as Noah stepped out of the car, the armored guards and servants bowed in unison.
"Welcome back, Prince Noah."
It was an overly grand welcome for someone who had only been in a coma for a week. A feeling of discomfort shot through Caelthorn's body, reacting automatically as if accustomed to being the center of attention yet refusing to be treated like a precious object.
The greeting from the servants and guards was so overbearing and awkward that Noah didn't know how to react. He simply passed by, pretending not to hear anything. Once he reached his room, he hurriedly closed the door, asking everyone to stay outside and claiming that he still needed to rest.
He hadn't yet met his parents, who were apparently very busy with royal affairs. For him, that was a small relief. He needed time to breathe and adjust to his new role as crown prince.
Noah stood in the middle of the room, surveying his new abode. It was spacious and luxurious, with a large, soft bed; a long sofa; a built-in wardrobe; and soft lighting that followed his movements. His gaze then fell on a long metal board on the table.
Despite his past on Earth being filled with poverty, violence, and cold survival tactics, his curiosity never wavered. He approached the metal board.
"What's this metal board for?" he muttered under his breath.
He found a thin, rectangular metal object and pressed it at random, and a transparent blue light immediately appeared, projecting a hologram-like image before him.
"Oh, a transparent television. How interesting."
Noah had indeed been transmigrated to a strange and unique place full of mystery that piqued his curiosity.
He spent time exploring the room's various features, including the bathroom. It was even more advanced than the master bedroom, with an Earth-style bathtub whose walls were lined with metal rings that emitted warm steam when touched. The temperature of the water could be controlled simply by touch.
After washing himself, Noah changed into an elegant white shirt with gold stripes, perhaps the casual attire of a prince.
That afternoon, Noah stood alone on his balcony, gazing at the fading orange sky. He held a hexagonal object engraved with the name "Noah Caelthorn." It was clearly important to Caelthorn—perhaps the key to his identity, powers, or past.
"Unfortunately, I have no idea how to open or activate this object," Noah said, sighing in disappointment.
Suddenly, the metal door to his room swung open without warning.
Noah turned quickly. A beautiful, graceful woman stood in the doorway. Her sharp, haughty eyes locked onto his without mercy. Her dark purple dress flowed down to the floor, exuding authority and coldness.