CHAPTER 203: SEPHRINA [3]

It’s been more than half a month since Akamir has been trapped in the weird World.

For most of the time, he was stuck with Sephrina who always finds him.

She has been forcing him to play with her all the time, leaving him alone only at night.

’This body is such a pain.’

After playing all day with the enthusiastic girl, Akamir barely had any strength at night.

So, he slept most of his time in the night, leaving only a few hours for him to find a way out.

’Sigh, this is such a pain.’

Sitting on his bed with his legs crossed, Akamir thought, rubbing his temples.

Time and time again, whatever he tried, they all failed without any success.

’Well, I think I do have some idea about how to get out.’

For that, Akamir had to find a way to increase his spirit core.

The spirit energy is the only thing in all the methods he tried that gave some results.

’Well, if I use it properly, maybe I can find a way.’

But right now, he was in no position to increase it quickly.

"Akamir!"

A sweet, ring-like voice jolted him as Sephrina quickly entered his room.

"Let’s go, play!"

Akamir opened one eye, staring at the bouncing girl in the doorway.

She was smiling so brightly it was almost blinding.

"No." He flopped backward onto the bed, pulling the blanket over his head.

"Yes!" she chirped, marching right over and yanking the blanket off him with surprising strength for someone her size. "You promised yesterday!"

"I promised nothing," he muttered, sitting up with a glare. "And even if I did, promises expire after eight hours."

Sephrina puffed her cheeks, clearly unimpressed. "That’s not how promises work!"

"It is now."

She leaned forward, her hair brushing his shoulder. "Come on, I found something fun. It’s not just games this time. You’ll like it."

Akamir narrowed his eyes. "Define ’fun.’"

Her lips curled into a mischievous grin. "It involves running and maybe chasing and maybe—."

"Alright, shut up." Akamir said, pinching her lips with his hand. "God, you talk a lot."

She nodded quickly, grabbing his wrist. "Yep. But you have to come right now."

Against his better judgment, Akamir let her drag him out of the room.

"Where are we going?" he asked, not bothering to hide the boredom in his voice.

"You’ll see," Sephrina said, practically skipping ahead while still holding his wrist.

"That’s not an answer."

"It’s the only one you’re getting." She shot him a teasing look over her shoulder, her golden hair swaying with each step.

They reached a tall set of double doors.

Sephrina pushed them open with both hands, and a blast of warm air hit his face.

Inside was a wide, grassy field under a sky so blue it looked painted on.

A faint breeze carried the scent of flowers, though Akamir didn’t see any.

In the middle of the field... stood a strange creature.

It was about the size of a cow but covered in scales instead of fur.

Two long ears twitched atop its head, and its eyes glowed a soft gold.

"What is that?" Akamir asked flatly.

"A Zephyrhorn!" Sephrina announced proudly. "Fastest thing you’ll ever see in this world. And we’re gonna race it."

He gave her a deadpan stare. "...We’re what?"

"Race it," she repeated, as if he were the slow one. "If you win, you get a prize."

Akamir frowned at her words. "What prize?"

"Anything!" She replied. "It can give you anything."

Akamir gave her a look that clearly said ’are you stupid or something?’

Sephrina pouted, crossing her arms. "I am not lying."

Akamir sighed as he pinched the girl’s cheeks while staring at the beast.

’What the fuck is it?’

No matter how much he tried, Akamir couldn’t remember what that thing is.

He has never seen anything like that in his entire time in this World.

’Then again, I am not in my own world as well.’

Lili zipped towards him in an instant, startling him.

Her chest heaved as she stared at both of them.

"What?" Akamir asked, tilting his head.

"Come with me!" Lili grabbed his sleeve with her tiny hands.

She pulled him away from Sephrina who looked at them curiously.

"Something is definitely wrong with Sephrina." She said, her voice low. "She is not herself."

"I know that much—."

"No!" She cut him off, pointing at the thing. "You see that beast, Sephrina made him out of thin air."

Akamir’s gaze flicked from Lili’s serious face to the golden-eyed beast standing lazily in the field.

"...She made that?" he asked slowly.

Lili nodded, her small wings fluttering in agitation. "I saw it with my own eyes. No summoning circle, no chant—nothing. She just... imagined it, and it was there."

Akamir squinted, his eyes narrowing at Sephrina, who was now petting the Zephyrhorn’s snout like it was some oversized pet rabbit.

"That’s... not normal," he muttered.

"It’s impossible," Lili corrected sharply. "No one can make living things. No one!"

Akamir rubbed his chin as he looked at the girl.

’Wait, will everything happen if she imagines it?’

Akamir thought as ideas began to flow in his mind.

He quickly walked towards the girl who was playing with the beast.

"Hey Sephrina." He said, taking her attention. "Can you imagine what I am about to say?"

She blinked before she smiled mischievously. "Of course." She replied. "Only if you do one thing."

Akamir blinked. "What?"

She pointed at the beast. "Defeat him in a race!"

Akamir frowned. "What?"

"Right now!" She replied, grinning. "And I will do whatever you say!"

Akamir grumbled underneath his breath as he replied. "...Fine."

’This isn’t a real beast nor is this world real, so by that real life logic shouldn’t work here as well.’

Akamir stepped onto the grassy field, his eyes still on the creature’s golden gaze.

The Zephyrhorn tilted its head at him, almost smug, like it already knew how this would end.

"You better not hold back," Sephrina called out cheerfully from the sidelines.

She had her hands cupped around her mouth, grinning like she was about to watch the funniest thing in her life.

Akamir cracked his neck. "I never hold back."

Lili floated beside him, whispering, "Are you seriously doing this? That thing’s probably faster than wind itself."

"I’m not here to win," Akamir muttered. "I just need her to keep her end of the deal."

The Zephyrhorn pawed at the ground, releasing small puffs of dust.

A faint shimmer of wind wrapped around its legs like it was already preparing to bolt.

Sephrina clapped her hands. "Alright! First one to touch the far rock wins!" She pointed at a massive boulder about half a kilometer away. "Ready? Three... two... one—go!"

The Zephyrhorn exploded forward like it had been shot from a bow.

Akamir pushed off the ground in the same instant, his spirit energy flooding into his legs.

’It’s fast... too fast.’

Every second it widened the gap, its form blurring against the field.

But Akamir did something else.

He quickly sent a bolt of lightning towards the creature’s leg.

It connected, and the creature rolled on the ground, coming to a halt.

Sephrina’s jaw dropped. "Hey! That’s cheating!"

Akamir didn’t slow down.

He passed the beast in a blur, his feet kicking up tufts of grass until he reached the far boulder.

He smacked it with one hand and turned back toward her with the most infuriatingly smug smile.

"Win’s a win," he said.

Sephrina stomped toward him, cheeks puffed like she might explode. "You’re impossible! The whole point was to race!"

"I did race," Akamir replied coolly, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve. "You just didn’t say how I had to win."

Lili zipped in, covering her mouth to hide a laugh. "You... you actually zapped it. I didn’t think you’d go that far."

Sephrina marched up to him, hands on her hips. "Fine. A deal’s a deal. What do you want me to imagine?"

Akamir’s eyes glinted faintly. "Something useful," he said, stepping closer so only she could hear. "I want you to imagine a door."

She blinked before she nodded. "Okay."

She raised her hand, pushed it down, and in an instant, a door appeared in front of them.

Akamir looked at the door as he let out a sigh.

’But why the fuck does she have this ability?’

Akamir couldn’t help but wonder as he looked at the cute little girl.

’Urgh, whatever.’

"Alright." He said, clapping his hands. "Now, can you make it so it can take us out of this place?"

Sephrina blinked innocently. "What do you mean?"

"Like to get—oh right."

Akamir let out a sigh as he rubbed his hair.

’For her, this is the real world.’

It wouldn’t make sense to ask her to let them out.

She can’t imagine what she has no idea about.

Akamir looked at the sky as he thought of something.

"Hey, Sephrina?" He mumbled aloud. "Can you vanish the sky?"

The little girl blinked before she replied. "Okay!"

She waved her hand, and almost instantly, the sky vanished.

’....’

What replaced it was a full body of an enormous being that floated face first.

Akamir felt his breath leaving his body as he whispered. "Kros."

But before he could do anything, the sky returned once again.

"Akamir...."

A weak voice made him look at Sephrina.

"Huh?"

Who was now bleeding through her eyes and nose.

"Sephrina!"