Martial Online.

After opening his eyes, Ambrose was welcomed by the smell of food wafting through the air.

"Oh, welcome back!"

Ambrose sat up and looked towards the corner kitchen, which was barely big enough for one person to stand in.

Bella, her hair tied up in a loose bun, was bustling around the stove with a spatula in hand.

She wore a floral apron over her dress, with the ruby pendant around her neck catching the light and her smile radiating warmth and joy.

Ambrose sighed, his lips cracking a small smile as he watched her move by gracefully.

Bella glanced away from the stove and caught the sight of his smile, a small blush creeping up on her cheeks.

"What are you smiling for?" She asked, her curiosity and shyness evident in her voice.

"No reason." Ambrose shook his head and stood up with one hand touching his sword scabbard. "I'll be on the balcony if you need me."

"All right." Bella smiled and returned to making food while humming a certain lullaby.

Creak—Ambrose opened the balcony door and stepped outside.

The cool morning air brushed against his face as he took in the sights of Hightown.

As he leaned against the railing, he watched the townspeople walk by down below, living their lives and going about their daily routines.

'I told myself to lower my expectations, yet I am again disappointed.' He sighed with a heavy look. 'Will things ever change? I am fighting every day just to die at the age of thirty.'

"Sheesh." He let out a deep breath and chuckled. "I am a fool."

Hiss—Ambrose pulled out his Black Sword and slashed it through the air, the blade glinting in the sunlight.

"Whoo..." He closed his eyes and felt like the world had slowed down around him.

He could hear the distant sound of birds chirping and the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind.

'What will be my reason for waking up in the morning? Why should I raise my sword and fight? Is this something I should do until the day of my death? What is my reason?'

Creak—the door opened, and Bella stood at the doorway, gently knocking against the frame.

"Food is ready; are you hungry?"

Ambrose opened his eyes and slowly slipped his sword back into the scabbard.

"Is everything alright?" Bella asked curiously, concern etched on her face as she couldn't see the usual sparkle in his eyes.

His eyes seemed duller than before.

"I have just been wondering." Ambrose turned around and leaned his back against the railing. "Bella, what is your reason for waking up in the morning? Why do you keep going on?"

"Eh?" Bella didn't expect such a deep question from Ambrose.

She paused for a moment, considering her response.

Ambrose looked at her beautiful face in the silence while the wind blew through their hair.

"Because I can't sleep forever?" Bella innocently smiled before laughing. "Because life is too short to waste it all on dreams."

"Waste it all on dreams..." Ambrose frowned. "Do you still hope to recover from your coma?"

"Of course." Bella walked next to him, grabbed the railing, and looked across the town. "I hope that one day, when I woke up from my sleep, I will wake up in the hospital bed."

"What if you learned that it was impossible?" Ambrose asked. "What if, one day, when you go to bed, you won't wake up ever again?"

"I would be sad." Bella rested her chin on her hands, deep in thought. "But I guess it's just a part of life that we all have to accept. Everything won't go according to dreams. That's why the phrase waking to reality, has been created."

"Doesn't it demoralize you?" Ambrose turned to look at her.

"It can be disheartening, but it also pushes us to make the most of what we have and find happiness in unexpected places." She smiled and glanced at him sideways before blushing and looking away.

"In the end, whatever happens, I will wake up with a grateful heart." Bella smiled, her dimples showing. "If I knew that I would live till I was 200 years old, it still wouldn't make me happier."

"Why?" Ambrose asked.

"Because happiness is not measured by the length of our lives but by the moments that truly make us feel alive," Bella replied, her eyes sparkling with joy. "And those moments can happen in an instant or over the course of a lifetime.

"So, just do what you are happiest doing and cherish every moment along the way."

"Whoah." Ambrose chuckled before laughing loudly. "Hah, my mother would really like you."

"Y-your mother?" Bella looked at him shyly.

"Yeah, my new mother, who is also Emma's mother. You two are quite similar." Ambrose chuckled and playfully pinched her cheek.

"Mm!" Bella blushed and escaped from his pinching fingers. "What did you do that for?"

"I was just checking whether you were actually her, wearing a mask." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the town's streets. "What you said was enlightening."

Bella rubbed her numb cheek and asked. "Did something happen back in reality that made you lose hope?"

"Yes." Ambrose sighed. "It was my own doing, giving myself hope that was never going to be fulfilled."

"Mm..." Bella wondered what happened. "By the way, why have you never asked about what happened to my mother?"

"When you mentioned her, your voice sounded painful." Ambrose said. "I didn't want to bring up any more pain for you."

"I appreciate that..." Bella smiled with gratitude. "But I should tell you."

Ambrose looked at her, listening.

"She also ended up in a deep coma, but her injuries were much harsher than mine." Bella's face turned sad. "She was going to die; the doctors couldn't do anything.

"My father, as a last resort, tried using his creation, Martial Online, to cure her.

"Everyone was apparently opposed to that idea, but if he didn't do anything, she would still die.

"Therefore, he decided to give it a try despite the risks and uncertainties.

"My mother was the first person to enter Martial Online as a player. With the help of the game, she managed to heal herself and make her real-life body stronger and more charming.

"After a while, she managed to wake up from her coma.

"It was ground-breakingly amazing.

"However, before my father planned to use that to cure me, he first ran some tests on her.

"On the first day, she looked amazing. She even managed to bench press 100 kg and run the distance of 100 meters in 10 seconds.

"On the second day, she became slightly ill and couldn't really do any of the tests that day.

"On the morning of the third day, her organs melted off, as did her skin. Nothing was left of her."

Ambrose's eyes opened in shock, and he touched his chest, feeling his beating heart.

'Doesn't that sound eerily a lot like my headset? Able to change a person's body with the help of stat points?

'I swear if I suddenly have my organs and skin melted off, I will storm inside Martial Company and kill them all!'

"I have been blaming my father for her death." Bella bit her lip and sadly whispered. "Not anymore... I realized that if he had done nothing, she would have still died. He tried his best..."

"Ahem, is your father still attempting to cure you with that?" Ambrose asked curiously, wondering about the connection between his VR headset and the one her mother used.

"No, not anymore." Bella shook her head. "He doesn't want to risk my life by using experimental treatments anymore. He said the doctors treating me are the world's finest and that they will cure me, but I doubt it..."

"I see..." Ambrose took a deep breath and looked at her sad face.

His fingers flinched, but finally he extended his arm and put it over her shoulders.

Bella's eyes widened, and she looked at him in surprise.

"I never thought you would be the one to offer comfort." She whispered before blossoming into a smile. 

She then put her head on his chest. "But I am glad you did..."

Her soft whisper was inaudible.

Ambrose, even though he couldn't hear her words, could sense the gratitude.

"You comforted me; I returned the favor." Ambrose smiled and looked back into the room. "You said food is ready? I am starving."

"You can't get full here." Bella smiled, almost bursting to laugh. "I am not really a good cook, but I hope you enjoy it."

"Haha, this is actually my first proper meal inside Martial Online." Ambrose smiled and entered the room with Bella. "I have eaten only steam buns, apples, and bread."

"I hope it won't be disappointing." Bella turned very nervous, not realizing the stakes at hand before.