The maid wore a traditional black and white uniform, her long black skirt brushing the tops of her polished shoes, a crisp white apron tied neatly at her waist. Her collar was high, pristine against the black of her dress, while delicate lace edged the sleeves and hem.

  The outfit was simple yet elegant, a reminder of an era where servants blended seamlessly into the background—until they were needed.

  She glanced at her phone, then raised it to her ear, a bright smile crossing her face as she answered the call.

  "Yes! I love the job, no worries," she said, her voice upbeat as she continued her casual stroll along the mansion's entrance. "Yeah, the woman is a bit... odd," she added, her tone dropping to a more conspiratorial whisper. "But it's fine, nothing too—"

  Her words cut off abruptly as her gaze shifted, suddenly sensing the rough, erratic ripples in the air. The maid's smile faltered, confusion etching her features.

  "What—" she muttered, her voice trailing off. Her eyes locked on a figure flying through the air, high above, suspended unnaturally about three stories up.

  Leonardo, dazed and barely conscious, registered the dizzying height. His mind struggled to keep up with his body's violent, uncontrollable flight. He was floating—no, falling. His thoughts were jumbled, chaotic, but through the haze, he recognized where he was.

  "The front?" he thought in disbelief. "I'm... in the front of the mansion?"

  He was right. He hadn't noticed the fountain earlier—hadn't been able to, thanks to Elara's barrier separating them all—but now it stood clearly below him. The grand stone structure gleamed in the morning, its cascading water glinting with a strange, cold beauty.

  "This entire place looks the same," Leonardo scoffed to himself, frustration flaring within him as he plummeted toward the ground.

  The maid, standing frozen in shock, looked up, then darted away. She sprinted toward one of the many houses surrounding the mansion's entrance, her footsteps echoing off the stone pathways.

  Leonardo had no such luxury of escape. Gravity pulled him down with relentless force, his body spinning helplessly through the air.

  Time seemed to slow as he descended, the wind whipping past his ears, the ground rushing up to meet him. For a moment, there was a surreal stillness, the world frozen in the space between breaths.

  Then, with a sickening crunch, Leonardo's body collided with the fountain. He crashed into the stone structure, ribs cracking under the impact, bones shattering as he crumpled against the hard surface.

  The pain was instant, blinding. His lungs seized as he tried to scream, but the sound caught in his throat. Then, with a long, agonizing breath, he let out a scream—a harsh, desperate cry that echoed through the courtyard. The sound was raw, primal, filled with the agony of a man who knew he was at death's door.

  Every inch of his body throbbed with pain. His ribs were definitely ruptured; he could feel the sharp, jagged edges pressing against his insides, every breath sending a fresh wave of torment through him.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  His legs were useless, twisted at unnatural angles, and his left arm hung limp, shattered beyond repair.

  The world around him seemed to blur, the edges of his vision darkening as consciousness threatened to slip away.

  His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out the distant sounds of the mansion. Somewhere, far above him, Adelaide was watching.

  She appeared in the window he had shattered, standing in the broken frame like some regal figure surveying her kingdom. Unlike before when he first met her at the balcony, there was no shadow hiding her now. She was fully revealed in the light,

  Adelaide's red hair flowed around her like flames, and her gown—a blend of nobility and war—seemed to shimmer in the darkness. Her sword was drawn, the blade glinting as she stepped forward to the edge of the window. The light reflected off the ornate jewels embedded in the hilt, casting a faint, eerie glow.

  Leonardo groaned, struggling to move. His body refused to cooperate, every movement sending fresh agony through his already broken bones.

  He was barely able to lift his head, let alone stand. Blood trickled from his mouth, the metallic taste filling his senses as he fought to stay conscious.

  "I wolde nat deyen as now..." Leonardo muttered through clenched teeth, slipping into the olden medical English he'd been trained in. His voice trailed off, and he cursed himself under his breath.

  He realises he still talking in his original tongue, He had been thinking in—Kol-nic?

  He didn't have time to reflect any further.

  "Woman," he finally spat, forcing the words out with what little strength he had left. His voice was hoarse, barely more than a rasp. The courtyard, so still and peaceful moments ago, seemed to grow even quieter, as if the very air was holding its breath.

  Above him, Adelaide stood still, her red hair blowing gently in the night breeze. Her blade, now fully extended, pulsed with heat, a faint red glow forming at its tip. The orb of energy was small, but its intensity was palpable. The heat radiated outward, warping the air around it.

  "If that thing were any bigger..." Leonardo's voice was weak, but his wit hadn't abandoned him. His mind, on the other hand, was struggling to keep pace.

  And then, finally, after all this time, his attachment skill activated.

  [Adaptive Evolution]

  "Finally," he thought with grim satisfaction. "This stupid skill."

  A surge of energy rippled through him, but it wasn't the grand, overwhelming power he had hoped for.. wished even. Instead, it was subtle—almost frustratingly so. He felt his vocal cords tighten and expand slightly, enhancing them in some way.

  [Minimal enhanced vocal cords]

  Leonardo blinked in disbelief, holding his throat. Was this it? Was his skill trying to tell him that he needed to scream? His throat seemed to grow slightly larger, but it was hardly the upgrade he was expecting.

  He barely had time to process this when he noticed the orb at the tip of Adelaide's sword was shrinking, condensing. She was preparing to unleash it in a single, decisive strike.

  Leonardo's heart raced. He couldn't move. His legs were useless, his body broken. He couldn't escape this time.

  Adelaide's eyes locked onto him, her expression unreadable. "Leonardo," she said softly, her voice carrying a strange calmness, "I'll find a better guide. Don't worry."

  Her sword shifted slightly, and with a soft hum, the orb of red energy was released.

  The blast tore through the air, a streak of crimson cutting through the night like a falling star, similar to the right star flying in the night-sky. It was beautiful, in a way, the way it glowed and shimmered as it flew toward him.

  Leonardo's mind raced, but his body refused to respond. He was trapped, helpless, watching as his death approached. The red hue burned into his vision, the heat of it already searing his skin even before it reached him.

  Was this how it ends?

  His attachment skill, his adaptive evolution, was useless in this moment. His enhanced vocal cords weren't going to save him. His mind was sharp, but that wouldn't stop the blast from incinerating him where he lay.

  "When i just get home too" he says sighing.