But just as Asher closed his eyes, ready to drift off again after sleeping for twenty two hours, a soft knock echoed from the door.
"Come in," he answered lazily, still sprawled in his relaxed position on the bed.
"Good morning, Young Master," Lyra greeted with a respectful bow, just as she had done every single day for the past six months.
"Morning," Asher replied casually.
"Young Master, is there anything wrong? Are you experiencing any complications?" Lyra asked, her tone holding a trace of concern, almost shaky.
’Is it because I slept almost a full day?’ Asher wondered to himself.
"I’m fine, Lyra. I was just getting some well-needed rest. After coming so close to death, it’s only fair that I start appreciating simple things like sleep," Asher replied with a faint smirk.
"You’ll get used to it soon," Lyra responded calmly.
’Getting used to almost dying,’ Asher echoed her words in his thoughts. But he wasn’t surprised. In this world, death came as frequently as sunrise. Emovirae rose daily, born from the unending tide of human emotion. At a certain point, people simply had to grow numb to it.
No species in this world adapted faster, or more ruthlessly, than humans.
"Well, the First Sun and Second Moon were asking about you. But since you slept this long, I was sent to check if anything was wrong," Lyra informed him before continuing. "I’ll return after reporting back to them, Young Master." With another graceful bow, she turned and exited the room.
Asher had told her numerous times to stop bowing so often, but Lyra had refused, stating that once a single line is crossed, others quickly follow, and soon all boundaries become blurred. Asher never pressed her on what she meant, he already understood.
With a lazy yawn, Asher closed his eyes once again. Although he was admittedly bored, it didn’t mean he was going to start actively looking for something to do. He had made up his mind, today, he would waste the entire day in bed.
However, only a few minutes passed before Lyra returned, this time pushing in a cart laden with food. Asher stared at the cart, unsure of what to say. After the feast he had indulged in the day before, he wasn’t even slightly hungry.
"Lyra, you know exactly how much I ate yesterday. Yet here you are again with another full meal. Are you trying to fatten me up or something?" he asked with a raised brow, half amused and half suspicious.
Lyra had a tendency to prepare meals ahead of time as though she were a secret foodie herself.
"I always bring three meals a day, Young Master. And considering you’ve gone nearly a whole day without eating, it’s only proper," Lyra replied smoothly.
"You can take it back. I’m fine for now," Asher said, waving a dismissive hand.
Lyra didn’t argue. She simply nodded, then wheeled the cart back to the kitchen before returning to Asher’s side.
"I thought Big Brother and Big Sister would have left by now. Weren’t they always complaining about how busy they were?" Asher asked, stretching lazily.
"I do not know exactly when they plan to leave, Young Master. But none of the Suns or Moons have departed the estate yet. It seems they intend to spend a brief amount of time within the estate before resuming their duties. After all, it isn’t every day that the entire family gathers under one roof," Lyra explained.
"Understandable," Asher nodded in agreement.
"But Lyra, I have something to ask," he said, his tone shifting slightly.
"I will answer to the best of my abilities, Young Master," she replied dutifully.
"What do people my age do for fun around here?" Asher inquired.
Although he had claimed he would remain in bed all day doing nothing, his curiosity got the better of him. There was truly no one better to ask than Lyra.
He had a few colleagues here, Ella, Hito, and Tom, but he wasn’t quite sure how to categorize them. Were they friends? Or perhaps something closer to ’work companions’?
Either way, he figured they were all currently at the First Training Ground, being pushed to their physical limits by Instructor Harold.
Lyra fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
’It seems the Young Master is seeking something entertaining to do. Since he doesn’t have any close companions his age, there really isn’t much to suggest,’ she pondered internally.
After a few seconds of consideration, she finally replied, "Young Master, there isn’t a great deal one can do for amusement at your age without friends. However, you could try learning to ride a horse. While many don’t bother since they’re faster than horses themselves, you’d be doing it for enjoyment, and besides, who knows when such a skill might come in handy?"
Asher smiled. Indeed, he had never learned how to ride a horse. Not in his past life as Ethan, and not in this one either. The original Asher had spent his entire life maximizing his physique, leaving no room for such leisurely pursuits.
Although he was fairly certain he’d master horse riding instantly due to his physique and instincts, that wasn’t the point. The joy wasn’t in learning how to ride, it was in the experience of riding itself.
"I like that suggestion. Anything else?" Asher asked, intrigued.
𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
But Lyra simply shook her head and said, "I can’t think of much else. Perhaps only training and sparring, but I assume those are not what you’re looking for today."
Asher let out a sigh. He had seen that one coming. Sparring and training weren’t ’fun’ to him, they were tools for progress and discipline. He would never treat them as mere hobbies.
"But, Young Master, since you love combat so much, why don’t you go into the forest and fight a few beasts?" Lyra suggested lightly.
"I’ve no interest in creatures that rely solely on instinct. It’s not exciting if I can predict their every move like a child playing pretend," Asher replied, sounding more bored than dismissive.
"Perhaps an Emovira would suffice," Asher mused aloud. Since he had awakened in this world, he hadn’t encountered a single one. He had half-expected to see one during the True Awakening, but none had appeared.
Lyra remained silent. She neither encouraged nor discouraged the thought. In the end, it didn’t matter what she said. Asher was a Wargrave. His path would inevitably cross with an Emovira, soon.
Suddenly, a wide smile spread across Asher’s face. His lips curved upward, his expression lit with mischief or perhaps recognition, as he turned his head slightly and spoke to seemingly no one.
"Come in."