Catalyst of Enigma

[Woah… I… I look amazing.] Aizer's thoughts raced as he stared at his reflection in the ornate, gilded mirror.

[No, forget amazing I look stunning. With this face, I could be a damn model back on Earth.]

He leaned in closer, examining every detail: the sharp jawline, the clear, flawless skin, the piercing eyes. It was surreal, like staring at an idealised version of himself.

[Wait a minute… why is such a good-looking noble lying in bed? I don't feel any pain in my body, and there aren't any visible scars or injuries. Don't tell me… did this guy die in his sleep?]

A heavy sigh escaped him, unbidden.

[Damn, what a way to go. Oh well, he's gone now.]

Shaking his head, Aizer stepped back from the mirror. The extravagance of the room hadn't fully sunk in earlier, but now it pressed upon him—the golden accents, the lavish tapestries, the enormous bed. He turned on his heel, heading toward the grand double doors.

As he opened them and stepped into the hallway, a sudden sound behind him broke the silence.

*Thud*

"Hm?"

Aizer turned back, startled, and saw a young woman sprawled on the floor, her broom rolling to a stop beside her. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Young... young master, you're awake?"

[Young master?] Aizer thought, furrowing his brow. [She's talking about me, right?]

Turning fully, he took in the sight of the maid. She looked to be in her early twenties, her uniform neat but worn, and her face a mask of shock and confusion.

"Is there something wrong?" Aizer asked, his tone measured, though curiosity flickered behind his words.

"Ah, forgive me, young master. It's just… it's been so long since you… well, since you awakened. I was momentarily startled. I.. I'll inform the head maid immediately!"

She hastily bowed, lifting her skirt slightly as she spun on her heel and dashed away, leaving her fallen broom behind.

Aizer watched her retreating figure with a mix of disappointment and bemusement. [Well, that's kinda disappointing. She's the first person I've seen since waking up, and I didn't even get a chance to ask her anything. Just ran off babbling about some head maid.]

His gaze drifted to the broom still lying on the floor. [Oh well. It's not like I didn't learn anything. So, the original owner of this body had been asleep for a long time. Why? No idea… yet.]

With that thought, Aizer decided to follow the direction the maid had run, though the grand corridors quickly turned into a labyrinth. As he wandered aimlessly, the distant sound of hurried footsteps and voices caught his attention.

"Young master!"

"Young master!"

"Young master!"

Aizer turned to see the maid from earlier, now accompanied by two others—a woman who exuded authority, presumably the head maid, and a middle-aged butler with a stern yet dignified expression.

[Well, well, looks like she's finally come back.]

The head maid's eyes widened in shock as she stopped a few steps away. "Young master, you… you're actually awake," she said, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Aizer raised an eyebrow at her reaction, his curiosity growing. "How long was I asleep for?"

The head maid hesitated, glancing at the others for reassurance before answering. "Four years, young master… You've been bedridden for four years."

[Four years?] Aizer's mind reeled. His expression hardened slightly as confusion and disbelief flooded his features.

"How did I end up in bed for four years?" he asked, his voice sharper now.

The head maid wrung her hands nervously. "Do you not remember, young master?"

His blank expression was enough of an answer for her to continue. "When you were twelve, the fourth princess… she… she accidentally attacked you during a training exercise. You were hit by a spell and fell, striking your head. Ever since that day, you've been in a coma."

[Attacked? A spell? What kind of attack was it that it put me into a coma for four years?!]

"You said she attacked me," Aizer pressed. "What did she attack me with?"

The head maid hesitated again before answering. "The fourth princess had only just signed a contract with a spirit. She was testing one of the creature's abilities when she lost control of the spell. It… it hit you by mistake."

[Wait. Hold on. Did I hear her correctly? Spirits? Contracts? Spells? This world… has magic?!]

Aizer's heart raced, his thoughts spiralling into an explosion of excitement. Images from anime, manhwa, and novels flashed through his mind—mages casting fireballs, warriors wielding enchanted blades, and villains bending the elements to their will.

[This is it! This is my chance to be like those protagonists I always admired!]

He remained silent for a moment, letting the revelation sink in. Then, almost in a trance, he spoke, his voice filled with wonder.

"…Magic."

"Huh?" The head maid tilted her head, confused. "Excuse me, young master. What did you just say?"

"You said I was hit by a spell, right?"

"Yes… that's correct."

"Teach me!" Aizer exclaimed, his sudden intensity making the head maid flinch. He stepped closer, grabbing her by the shoulders, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. "Teach me how to use abilities like the fourth princess!"

The head maid blinked. The butler and the other maid exchanged bewildered glances, clearly unprepared for this outburst.

"Young master… I… I'm not sure I'm qualified to—"

"Answer me! You've got to teach me! I want to use magic!" Aizer's grin stretched wide, his mind already envisioning himself hurling fireballs and summoning storms.