The Vengeful Extra's Ascension-Chapter 229: Healing and Relaxation!

The night ticked by and the environment returned to something resembling normalcy as a new morning crept fully into the city. Despite the defeat of the Everglade Clan, there wasn’t any celebrations or immediate proclamations.

Instead, there was a subdued tension woven through every corridor and courtyard, everyone nervous about what would happen in the future. Servants moved about quietly, while all the guards were speaking in very hushed tones.

It was as if the entire estate Albedo was staying at provided to him by Raven was holding its breath, as if afraid that raising its voice might draw something terrible back out of the shadows.

Albedo felt it even as he finally lowered himself into a chair near the window of his room, looking out at the city that looked relatively normal at the moment.

The adrenaline had worn off for him now, and all that remained was exhaustion so deep it felt structural, as if his bones themselves were dead. He could barely moved, absolutely stunlocked with tiredness.

His Mana Pool was also a crater, as this was the first ever time he had truly run out of Mana in this life. Every attempt he made to draw out Mana returned nothing but a dull ache behind Albedo’s eyes, so he just had to patiently wait for his mana to refill.

Albedo leaned back, letting his head rest against the wall, and closed his eyes while sitting in the chair, doing nothing as seconds quickly turned into minutes, time becoming fuzzy, all the way until a knock came softly at the door of his room.

Albedo opened one eye and looked towards the door, immediately saying, "Come in."

The door creaked open, and Elara slipped inside, her usual composed demeanor cracked just enough to show the worry she’d been carrying. Her auburn hair was pulled back hastily, clothes still bearing faint traces of travel dust, and her eyes immediately went past him toward the bed.

"Is she, " Elara started, then stopped herself, swallowing as she nervously continued, "Is Lilian...?"

"She’s sleeping," Albedo said quietly. "Healing up all her injuries. Raven confirmed it, don’t worry,"

Elara let out a breath she’d clearly been holding since she arrived, shoulders sagging as relief washed over her, "Thank the gods."

She crossed the room carefully, as if afraid even her footsteps might disturb Lilian, and stopped a few feet from the bed. For a moment, she simply stood there, hands clasped tightly in front of her, watching Lilian’s steady breathing.

"I heard rumors," Elara said softly. "About Everglade. About an Abyssal summoning. I came back as fast as I could."

"You made it in time," Albedo replied, "That’s what matters, Lilian will be glad to know that you came and checked on her,"

Elara turned to him then, really looking at him for the first time. Her eyes widened slightly. "You look awful."

He snorted weakly. "I feel worse."

She frowned and moved closer, placing a hand on his arm without hesitation, "Sit. Properly, I mean. You’re in no condition to pretend you’re fine."

Albedo didn’t argue. He shifted, letting her guide him back into a more stable position on the chair. Elara reached into her satchel and pulled out a small vial, the liquid inside glowing faintly green.

"Don’t even think about saying no," she said firmly. "This isn’t a combat potion. It’s restorative. Slow, gentle. Exactly what you need."

He accepted it and drank without protest. The effect wasn’t immediate or dramatic, but within moments, the sharp edge of his fatigue dulled slightly, the ache behind his eyes easing enough to let him breathe easier.

"Thanks," he murmured as he felt the healing energy easing through him.

Elara sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb Lilian, and studied him from there. "You saved her," she said after a moment. "Everyone’s saying it already."

Albedo shook his head faintly. "Raven did the heavy lifting."

"She always does," Elara replied, then looked back at Lilian. "But she couldn’t have done that if Lilian was already gone."

That earned no response. Albedo’s gaze drifted to the floor, thoughts turning inward despite himself. The ritual array. The desynchronization. The moment he’d felt the Abyss push back.

"I didn’t have a plan," he admitted quietly. "Not a clean one. Just... instinct and math and hoping I didn’t misread the whole thing."

Elara smiled faintly. "That sounds like every breakthrough you’ve ever had."

He huffed, conceding the point.

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, broken only by the soft sounds of the city waking beyond the window and Lilian’s steady breathing. Elara eventually stood and busied herself brewing tea at the small table near the wall, filling the room with a gentle herbal scent that eased the tension further.

"You should rest too," she said as she handed him a cup. "Not sleep, if you can’t. Just... exist. Let your body catch up."

Albedo wrapped his hands around the warm porcelain and nodded. "That’s the plan."

He sipped slowly, feeling the heat seep into him, grounding him in the present. The danger was over. The Abyss was gone. Lilian was alive. Those truths settled deeper with every quiet second.

Elara glanced between him and Lilian once more before heading for the door. "I’ll check in later," she said softly. "If you need anything—anything at all—send for me."

"I will," Albedo replied.

When she left, the room returned to stillness.

Albedo closed his eyes again, focusing inward this time, not pushing, not forcing. Just feeling. His mana stirred faintly, sluggish but alive, threads slowly reconnecting as his body repaired what the night had torn apart. It would take time. Days, maybe longer.

That was fine. For now, he stayed where he was, listening to Lilian breathe, letting the world exist without him needing to fight it for once.

He wanted to be here for when Lilian woke up, so he leaned back in his chair once more, closing his eyes and waiting till he sensed her awakening.