Chapter 3 - Memories

My memory is still hazy. I can't quite grasp the situation right now. Based on the last fragment of memory I gathered, it appears that I am in a captive situation.

It seems that for these past four years, my body has been operating purely on instinct, lacking conscious planning and long-term decision-making abilities.

Let's focus on cultivating so that I can regain full control of my body.

As I cultivate and establish a stronger connection to my astral body, I have begun to experience some progress. I am now able to perceive the outside situation, although only for a brief moment. Nevertheless, it is a significant improvement compared to having no perception at all.

As I slowly collect and piece together fragmented memories, I carefully arrange them in the right places within the chambers of my mind palace. I now recall that my name is Anastasia Mae Montclair, and it appears that I belong to a noble family known as Montclair.

My family hails from a noble lineage, and it appears that my father holds the esteemed title of Count. His name is Lord Cedric Montclair. From what I can gather, my father possesses a military background.

Furthermore, my mother's name is Seraphine Mae. Judging by their appearances, both my parents seem to be relatively young adult and possess attractive features. I can't help but hope that I have inherited some of their positive genetic traits.

As my memories continue to resurface, it becomes apparent that I am the only child my parents have. However, during the past four years, when my body operated purely on instinct, it appears that my parents believed I was a disabled individual.

I find it difficult to engage in conversations with my parents. Instead, I often mumble words and constantly run around, exploring my surroundings. It appears that my parents have had a challenging time raising me.

Typically, at the age of four, children begin to seek social interaction. However, I seem to be different in that regard. I don't actively seek social interaction and instead, after my explorations and running around, I often find myself sitting down with a doing nothing.

This behavior occasionally prompts concern from my parents and the household staff like maids and butler, as they observe my seemingly detached demeanor. Maybe they are thinking I'm some child with special needs.

In terms of my emotional expressions, I find myself consistently happy when eating and easily becoming upset when someone disrupts my activities. Speaking of activities, my favorite pastime involves running around in the garden and climbing trees.

My fragmented memories slowly construct a clearer picture, I begin to perceive the world in which I reside. It seems to resemble a setting reminiscent of the Victorian era, characterized by a stark distinction between the noble class and the commoners.

However, in addition to societal divisions, magic is also present. I recall my mother mentioning a magical tower exclusive to magicians from our kingdom, and it seems that only individuals with exceptional abilities can venture down this path.

I remember when my mom cast some magic. At that time, I instinctively looked at my mother without saying a word. I simply murmured gibberish, trying to imitate her actions. She was casting a cleaning spell.

"Atthy, finally you're looking at me," my mother said, a glimmer of joy in her eyes. It seemed she was genuinely pleased by my attention.

"It appears that magic truly captivates you, huh?" she continued. As my body continued to respond instinctively, I remained silent, not offering a direct response to my mother. Instead, I rambled nonsensical words, hoping she would repeat her spell once more.

Well my mother keep doing her spell unit she ran out of mana (I think?)

Thankfully, my mother possesses some knowledge in magic, although I remain uncertain about her exact level of proficiency.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure about the power levels in this world. Is there another portal that leads to a different realm in this world? Is there any great sage or arch mage? Is there any demon or angel?

While I'm uncertain about the power levels in this world, particularly regarding the presence of magic, I find myself unsure about which path of my cultivation power that lies ahead for me.

While I possess a cultivation method from Murim world, I remain unsure about how to integrate it with the magical realm. Thinking about this makes me filled with excitement.

I hope the world I live in is not some overly dangerous place, where the strong devour the weak like in the Murim world. All I desire is to explore and document the countless mysteries and publish some books and contribute to community.

In the realm of the purgatory, I often pondered about the possible worlds I might inhabit. I wonder if there could be a world akin to Doraemon, with its futuristic gadgets. I can just ask him for adventure.

Thinking of another world, as an avid enthusiast of web novels, the concept of a world where systems and awakened individuals exist certainly piques my interest.

In an attempt to explore this idea, I cautiously try various commands like "System", "Status", "Login", "sudo su", and even "Grant admin privilege". However, it seems that nothing happens in response to these commands.

Well, it was worth a try, I suppose.

Now, regarding my current predicament, it saddens me greatly. Despite having almost all of my memories back, I find myself unable to control my own body.

It merely moves based on instinct, which is a constant source of frustration.

To make matters worse, I find myself in captivity, trapped and unable to escape. Well, come to think of it, isn't kidnapping noble children a death sentence? Who's brave enough to do something like this?

From my memory, I was simply playing in the garden when suddenly a grey-robed individual grabbed my hand, struck my head, and I lost consciousness.

I didn't even have a moment to react. The current situation I find myself in involves my hands and legs being bound, confined to a room with only a bed and a chair.

In the dimly lit room, I found myself imprisoned, surrounded by an eerie darkness. The heavy creak of the door echoed through the air as it swung open, revealing a figure shrouded in a sinister gray hood.

"Ah, it seems our captive still alive" the hooded figure remarked, a twisted smile playing upon their lips. They turned to address another person in the room, their robes drenched in blood, a chilling aura emanating from them.

"Prepare for the next phase," the gray-hooded individual commanded, their voice laced with sadistic anticipation.

Without warning, the bloodied figure seized my ankle and wrist, forcefully restraining me on the bed. My heart pounded in my chest as dread filled the room, thick with an ominous presence.

Slowly, methodically, the hooded figure began to dissect my trembling heart, reveling in the macabre ritual. The room echoed with the sound of my muffled screams, swallowed by the darkness that witnessed my torment.

As the cruel ritual continued, my body endured the relentless dissection, but the pain and horror eventually overwhelmed my senses.

The passage of time became a blur, and before long, my consciousness faded into darkness, unable to withstand the torment any longer, I lost consciousness.