Aldrich woke up feeling slightly nauseous, his head heavy with the remnants of sleep.
His stiff body groaned in protest as he stretched, joints popping in a strangely satisfying symphony.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he tried to reorient himself, his mind still lagging behind the present moment.
Dragging himself out of the room, he shuffled to the refrigerator in the living room, opening it with a lethargic pull.
Grabbing a chilled bottle of water, he twisted the cap off and drank deeply, guzzling down half the bottle in one go.
The cool liquid was a balm to his parched throat, and he sighed in relief as he set the bottle back inside the fridge.
Turning around, he almost dropped dead from fright.
"Holy shit!" he blurted, clutching his chest as his heart pounded furiously.
A ghostly figure loomed in the dim light, its silver hair dishevelled and face obscured by shadows.
For a split second, his mind conjured images of a low-budget horror film ghost.
Then the figure moved, and he realized who it was.
"What the hell, Sal? You scared the shit out of me!" he snapped, glaring at his sister, Saldrich.
She stood there in her nightgown, hair a tangled mess, dark circles under her eyes peeking through the strands like a creepy spectre.
Her appearance only added to the horror movie vibe.
"And whose fault is it that I look like this?" Saldrich shot back, stepping forward to rummage through the fridge.
Aldrich muttered something under his breath and moved aside, still trying to calm his racing heart.
"Are you saying it's my fault you woke up looking like a runaway bride?"
He plopped onto the couch, picked up the remote and switched on the TV.
He cycled through the channels, searching for something to distract himself.
"Your results for the Eldora Institute assessment come out today," Saldrich said, her voice sharp as she grabbed a bottle of water for herself.
Aldrich waved dismissively. "Exactly, Sal. My results. How does that affect you?"
Saldrich rolled her eyes. "Because, Al, I'm worried about you. Look at yourself! A result that could decide your entire future is coming out, and you're just... unbothered."
He leaned back on the couch, his posture relaxed. "I appreciate the concern, Sal, but I don't see the point in stressing over it. If I get in, great. If not, I'll figure something out. Maybe another school. No big deal."
She gawked at him, incredulous. "Another school? This is Eldora Institute we're talking about. What could possibly substitute for it?"
"Trove Academy, maybe?" Aldrich suggested with a shrug, his tone nonchalant.
On a continental scale, Trove Academy pales to Eldora Institute.
But if we are talking within Eldorado continent? The Trove Academy can be thought of as a viable option to get into and be assured of a bright future.
The only problem with it is...
Saldrich snorted. "Right. And where is Dad supposed to find the money to pay their insane tuition fees? Trove's for the ultra-rich, remember?"
She wasn't wrong.
Their family, living in a rented apartment in Midstate, didn't exactly scream ultra-rich.
Still, Aldrich shrugged off her concerns.
"You don't need to worry about that," he said confidently. "I've got a knack for figuring things like that out."
"Oh sure, Al. Because being in a coma for five years magically gave you the ability to print money," she retorted, sarcasm dripping from every word.
A mischievous grin spread across Aldrich's face. "Oh, dear sister, you have no idea how close to the truth you are."
Saldrich's expression twisted in mock disgust. "Call me 'dear sister one more time and with that tone, and I promise to skin you alive, dear brother."
Recognizing the deadly seriousness in her glare, Aldrich wisely decided to drop the subject.
But deep down, he was confident.
Being an outsider to this world came with its perks, and he had plenty of knowledge from the story to generate income if he needed to.
He hadn't acted on it yet—mostly out of laziness—but he knew opportunities would come.
For now, things were fine as they were.
And if he did get into Eldora Institute, funding himself from within wouldn't be a problem either.
"But seriously, Al," Saldrich pressed, her tone softening. "This isn't something to joke about."
Her concern was evident.
She wanted him to get in—not just for his future, but so she could keep an eye on him.
The thought touched Aldrich more than he let on.
"I know," he said, his voice quiet. "And the truth is, I'm freaking out like crazy."
He really was. But worrying didn't help, so he pushed the anxiety aside and told himself there were always alternatives.
Saldrich sighed, taking a seat beside him. "Don't worry, Al. I'm sure you'll get in."
He appreciated her attempt at reassurance, even if her sleep-deprived state made it less convincing.
Her dark circles told the story of sleepless nights spent worrying about him, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
She cared deeply, more than he let himself acknowledge.
As they sat together, the TV droned on in the background, displaying a soap opera.
His eyes were on the scene displayed but his thoughts had drifted off, counting down the time of his result announcement.
Despite his outward calm, Aldrich felt the weight of the moment creeping in.
If he got in, it would change everything.
He'd be one step closer to navigating the events of the story, meeting key characters, and—hopefully—ensuring things didn't spiral out of control.
If he didn't get in... well, that was a bridge he'd cross if he came to it.
For now, he focused on the present.
Saldrich was right; this wasn't a joke. But neither was it the end of the world.
"Thanks," he said after a moment, his voice sincere. "For worrying about me."
She smiled faintly, her usual sass replaced by genuine affection. "Someone has to. You're hopeless on your own."
He chuckled, the tension easing slightly.
Whatever happened next, he'd face it head-on.
After all, he had more at stake than just his enrollment in Eldora Institute. He had a story to live—and rewrite, if necessary.