Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

When Rune woke up, the first thing he felt was light.

It wasn't the soft morning light filtering through the curtains of my own bedroom, but a brighter, almost sacred light—pouring down from the high window frame and casting long, slanted streaks of light on the terrazzo floor.

He moved his fingers.

A dull pain shot through his left arm, but it was much milder than he remembered. He looked down and saw that the four gruesome wounds had disappeared, leaving only a few light pink new marks, like old wounds that had healed several days ago.

The scratch on my forehead has disappeared, and my skin is as smooth as ever.

"Slander can heal."

Rune whispered the name of the spell.

Second rank in the Faith system. For the temple, this is already a rather generous act of healing.

After all, if a civilian is injured, being able to receive a first-tier spell that can "heal minor injuries" is already a blessing, and that's assuming the civilian can afford the cost.

He looked around.

It was a small room, simply yet neatly furnished. The walls were made of light gray stone bricks, and in the corner stood a half-human-sized statue of a water goddess—a girl holding a water jug, her face compassionate. Faintly, the sound of chanting, like sacred hymns, drifted from outside the window, mingled with a faint scent of incense.

Temple of the Water God.

One of the largest temples in the capital, dedicated to the water god who governs purification and healing.

Just as Rune was about to sit up, the door was pushed open.

A priest in a white robe peeked in and, seeing Rune with his eyes open, showed obvious surprise on his face.

She walked over quickly, bent down to check on Rune's condition, and reached out to touch his forehead.

"It's good that you're awake." She said softly, her tone filled with relief. "Young Master of the Aindora family, you've been unconscious for most of the day. I'll go and inform your father."

Before Rune could answer, she had already turned and left, her footsteps fading into the distance down the corridor.

Rune leaned against the headboard, his gaze fixed on the light streaming through the window.

Most of the day.

In other words, only a few hours have passed since he fainted.

Rune looked down at the light pink marks on his arm and his lips twitched slightly.

This magical alternate world is truly unreasonable; it would take at least a month to recover in the original world.

The door was pushed open again.

This time, the footsteps were hurried and heavy.

"Runes!"

Count Alves practically stormed in.

His usual composed demeanor was gone; his brow was furrowed, and his face was paler than usual. He strode to the bedside, bent down, and carefully examined Rune, his gaze sweeping from his forehead to his shoulders and then to his arms, as if to confirm that his son was truly unharmed.

"Father," Rune said, "I'm alright."

The count did not answer.

He reached out and placed his hand on Rune's shoulder, the pressure a little heavy, as if confirming something. After a few seconds, he slowly released his hand, straightened up, and the tension on his face eased slightly, but his brows remained furrowed.

"What happened?"

His voice was low and carried a seriousness that only a father and son could understand.

Rune opened his mouth, but before he could speak—

"Lord Alves, why the rush?"

An unfamiliar voice came from the doorway.

The sound was not loud, even gentle, but it carried a natural, undeniable presence.

The tone wasn't questioning, nor was it commanding; it was something in between—as if he was certain that what he said would be obeyed.

Rune looked past his father's shoulder toward the doorway.

The person was walking into the room.

He was tall and thin, wearing an exquisitely tailored dark blue suit with intricate silver embroidery on the collar and cuffs.

His golden hair was meticulously combed back into a slicked-back style, revealing a broad forehead. His skin was an unhealthy paleness, clearly the result of infrequent sun exposure.

A pair of slender blue eyes.

Her lips are very thin.

He looked older than his actual age, but the light in his eyes was sharper than that of any young person.

Elias Brandt Dale Raven.

Marquis Raven, one of the six noble families of the Kingdom of Ri Yestize.

Rune's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

But in just a moment, his expression returned to calm—the kind of slightly bewildered calm that a six-year-old should have.

Raven entered the room, his steps unhurried. He glanced at Count Alves, a perfectly timed smile appearing on his lips—polite, friendly, but somehow somehow off.

"Lord Alvis, Rune has just woken up. Asking questions too hastily will frighten the child."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Rune on the bed.

Those slender blue eyes lingered on Rune's face for a moment, as if he were examining something interesting. Then he smiled, his smile becoming even more amiable.

"Little Rune, how are you feeling? Is there anything else that's bothering you?"

Little Rune.

Rune pondered the title in his mind. How could someone be so familiar with calling someone by their name when they were meeting for the first time?

Without feeling out of place at all, "Bat's" social skills are also quite impressive.

Rune looked at his father with feigned confusion.

Rune looked at his father.

Count Alves received his son's gaze, and his brow twitched almost imperceptibly—a reaction so subtle that Rune wouldn't have noticed it if he hadn't known him well enough.

But the count said nothing.

He simply turned to the side, making room for himself on the edge of the bed, and nodded to Rune.

"Runn, this is Lord Marquis Raven."

His voice had returned to its usual calm and steady tone, and the tense demeanor he had just displayed had completely disappeared, as if it had never existed.

"The Marquis came to visit you after hearing that you were injured."

I came here specifically to visit you.

Rune pondered these words in his mind.

A noble marquis, the most powerful among the six noble families, made a special trip to the Water God Temple to visit a six-year-old child who was injured.

Who would believe that if I told them?

But Rune's face showed no sign of anything amiss.

He braced himself against the edge of the bed, making a gesture as if he wanted to get up and bow, his movements subtly conveying his weakness. His brows furrowed slightly, and his body swayed.

"No need for such formalities."

Lei Wenhou reached out and gently pressed down on him, gesturing for him to lie down. The gesture was gentle and natural, as if it came from genuine concern.

"Rune, you've just woken up and your body hasn't fully recovered yet. It's fine to talk while lying down."

Rune lay back down, his eyes filled with the timid curiosity a child has towards a strange adult.

"Thank you, Your Excellency Marquis."

His voice was soft and sweet, with a slight hoarseness from just waking up.

Lei Wenhou smiled.

That smile was incredibly warm and friendly.

"Little Rune, is your body still in pain?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore." Rune shook his head. "The lord of the temple healed me."

"That's good." Raven nodded, his gaze lingering on Rune's face for a moment. "Before you passed out, you seemed to say something. Would you mind telling your uncle?"

coming.

Rune's nerves tensed instantly, his mind racing with calculations.

But the expression on his face changed to one of lingering fear, much like a child who had survived a disaster.