Where am I?
Is this… a hospital?
The thought barely formed before I dismissed it. This place felt nothing like one. Above me, the ceiling glimmered faintly, as though countless tiny lights were embedded within it. It reminded me of a star-filled night sky—quiet, distant, unreal. Yet sunlight poured in through a nearby window, warm and unmistakably bright. Day and night shouldn't exist together like this.
My head throbbed with confusion.
Then a voice cut through the stillness.
"The Lady is awake! Call for His Grace and the Lord!"
I shifted my gaze toward the sound. A middle-aged woman stood beside the bed, dressed neatly in what looked like a maid's uniform. The sight alone made my chest tighten. Nothing about her—or this place—felt familiar.
That was when it hit me.
The last thing I remembered… was dying.
The memories surged forward before I could stop them. Fear, pain, disbelief—all tangled together. I remembered trying to escape. I remembered collapsing. I remembered the way my voice failed me when I needed it most.
I had tried to scream.
But no sound had come out.
"Is Yeon-su here?"
The voice was unfamiliar—low and calm, belonging to a man I had never heard before.
"Yes," came the reply. "She's in the basement. We did what you asked. When will we receive our payment?"
That voice…
I used to call it father.
"Your one hundred million won will be transferred after—"
The rest faded away. My vision had blurred then, my body growing unbearably heavy. Heat spread through me, overwhelming my senses, until even the pain began to disappear. I remembered slipping into darkness, unable to fight it any longer.
And then—nothing.
Complete emptiness.
Now, somehow, I was here.
I don't know where "here" is.
I tried to sit up, determined to leave this bed, but my body refused to respond. A sharp wave of panic washed over me. Maybe it was because of my injuries. Maybe I just needed help.
I opened my mouth to speak.
"Blau…"
The sound startled me.
Was that… my voice?
It was weak, broken—nothing like what I remembered. Fear crept into my chest. Had I lost my ability to speak?
I tried to move my arm, hoping to catch someone's attention.
Nothing.
My heart pounded harder. I tried again. Still nothing.
It was no use.
My body felt trapped, as if I were sealed inside something I couldn't escape. No matter how hard I tried, my arms and legs wouldn't move. Panic threatened to swallow me whole.
The only things that still responded were my fingers…
And my eyes, blinking slowly.
I was awake.
But completely powerless.