The first thing he saw was a pair of green eyes—transparent, like glass marbles.

“He’s awake.”

Immediately, several faces popped into view. Minggijeok, the boy, Jeong Bin, Bae Wonwoo, Kang Jisoo, Honeybee, Yoon Gaeul—even Kkokko. Every one of them wore a grave expression, and Gaeul was crying so hard her face had gone completely red.

“What on earth—”

Uijae reached for his face mid-sentence. Thankfully, the mask was still on. He slowly pushed himself upright, brain working. He’d gone in to view a Fragment inside Minggijeok’s shadow. But now he was...

A hospital room?

It was a room in the Seowon Guild’s infirmary. He had no idea what had happened in between. Gaeul, catching the confusion on his face, blew her nose into a tissue with a honk and mumbled in a stuffy voice.