Chapter 71 Falling into Deep Sleep

Chapter 71 Falling into Deep Sleep

Evelyn's POV

When my consciousness floated up from the deep darkness, slowly drifting toward the light, it carried a hazy warmth.

My eyelids felt as heavy as lead weights. Every attempt to open them required enormous effort.

I could feel my body sinking into the soft bedding. The blanket carried the fluffy scent of sun-dried fabric, along with a faint trace of Kane's scent - clean and reassuring, like an invisible barrier shutting out all the chaos of the outside world.

That was a big part of why I could rest peacefully.

How long... have I been asleep?

My body felt like it had been taken apart and hastily put back together. Every inch of muscle was silently protesting.

The aching sensation seeped out from between my bones. Even my fingertips carried a floating sense of weakness. My head felt foggy, like it was stuffed with water-soaked cotton - heavy and stuffy. Every thought felt like trudging through a swamp.

My memories scattered like beads from a broken string, tumbling out with blurry images and fragmented sounds.

The classroom... that poisoned girl, her face purple, breathing shallow... then the magic power that suddenly erupted from within me, as if forcibly awakened by some power, surging out uncontrollably... blinding white light, and what seemed like... antlers on my head?

I instinctively raised my hand, trying to touch my head. Smooth skin, warm body temperature - no hard, cold antlers, no fuzzy texture either.

I instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness...

But everything before shouldn't have been a hallucination. I really did turn into a deer.

The images in my memory suddenly became clear. He burst through the classroom door, not even wearing his coat, sweat beading on his forehead, the anxiety and worry in his eyes almost overflowing. He looked at me - not at a monster, but at me.

I felt his voice trembling, yet incredibly gentle, like a pair of warm hands softly smoothing away all my panic, calming all my emotions.

"Don't be afraid."

"I'm here."

His palm pressed against my neck, warm and firm, carrying a soothing power. I remember how scared I was then - scared I'd never change back, scared he'd be frightened away, scared that uncontrolled power would hurt others.

It was him, guiding me bit by bit, helping me learn to control that power, helping me find my way back to my own form.

Kane sat right there, looking somewhat tired. He wore a simple black shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the smooth lines of his forearms.

On the low table in front of him lay an incredibly thick ancient book. The pages were yellowed, edges worn badly, looking like they might crumble at any moment.

He kept his head down, fingers gently brushing over the text on the pages, brow slightly furrowed, expression focused. Even his breathing was light, lost in thought about something.

Has he... not slept at all?

This thought made my chest tighten slightly.

"Kane..." I spoke, my voice so hoarse it was barely audible.

But Kane looked up almost immediately. The red veins in his eyes were clearly visible in the light, with faint dark circles underneath. Yet the moment he heard my voice, the tired look was replaced by joy and relief.

"Evelyn! You're finally awake!" He immediately put down the book and leaned over, his warm palm covering my forehead. The warmth from his hand made me flinch slightly.

"Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Dizzy? Want some water? Hungry?"

His questions came one after another, his tone filled with concern and a hint of barely noticeable panic.

"How long... have I been asleep?" My lips felt really dry, my voice still as hoarse as before.

"Almost twenty hours." His voice carried a trace of lingering fear.

"You were unconscious the whole time. No matter how I tried to wake you, you wouldn't respond. Your breathing was so weak... I..." He paused, didn't continue, just gripped my hand tightly.

"Thank goodness you woke up."

Twenty hours... no wonder my body felt so exhausted. I shifted slightly, feeling the aching sensation under the blanket still there, but better than before.

"After I... changed back..." I hesitated, not knowing how to continue asking.

Kane was silent for a moment. He reached out to pull up the blanket that had slipped down.

"You were very weak. Your magic power was almost completely drained."

He kept his tone as steady as possible and continued.

"But other than that... nothing serious. Just the backlash from forcibly draining your magic power. You need good rest."

But I felt like he hadn't finished saying everything.

"What are you... looking up?" I looked at the open ancient book, unable to make out the patterns or words on it.

Kane followed my gaze, his expression darkening. He picked up the book and returned to my side, saying in a low voice, "I'm researching you."

"Me?" I was confused.

"Yes." He took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"The moment I saw you, I had an idea, but I needed materials to confirm it. That's why I went through some archives and ancient texts, and in this book, I seem to have found some clues."

He flipped to a certain page and pushed it in front of me.

On the page was a drawing of a snow-white creature, its fur like woven silk, glowing softly in the moonlight. It had antlers on its head flowing with starlight, the tips radiating a faint silver glow, surrounded by delicate vines and points of light. Those light points seemed alive, gently swaying on the page. That image, it was...

"Steldeer." Kane's voice was low, carrying a barely noticeable tremor. "A magical creature from legend, long extinct."

I stared at the drawing, my heartbeat inexplicably quickening.

"The book says Steldeer have extremely strong empathic abilities. They can directly sense others' pain and emotions, and can even convert their own life force into the purest healing energy, healing almost any injury or poison."

"Empathy... healing..." I murmured, repeating the words. Those instinctive powers actually had names.

I still remember when I saw that girl suffering, I had only one thought - to save her. No hesitation, no thinking, as if some instinct in my body had been awakened.

"But precisely because this ability is so rare and so powerful, they became targets for hunting." Kane's tone turned cold.

"Humans coveted their healing power, believing it was a 'cure-all' that could heal any disease and extend life. Some forces even used their empathic ability as a lie detector, or even... a weapon."

"Lie detector... weapon?" I felt a chill spreading from my feet all the way to the top of my head.

"Steldeer tears, the glow from their antler tips, even their blood - all were believed to contain powerful magic." Kane closed the book, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. He looked even angrier than I was.

"So..."