Chapter 7: Too Much Attention.
The moment Ren's eyes fluttered open, he knew it was exactly 5 AM. He didn't need an alarm. He didn't need to check the time.
His internal clock was as precise as any advanced chronometer, a habit forged through years of rigorous discipline in his past life.
Waking up at the same time every day had been essential for his research, his experiments, his relentless pursuit of knowledge.
Even in this new world, with a new body, that fundamental trait remained unchanged.
As he sat up, the dim glow of the room's ambient lighting cast soft shadows across the walls.
The space was still and quiet, save for the slow, rhythmic breathing of the only other person in the room; Lia.
Ren turned his head and took in the sight of her. She was curled up in a seated position on her own bed, her head drooping slightly to the side, her arms loosely wrapped around herself.
She looked strangely adorable like this, a stark contrast to the sheer terror she had exhibited last night. But Ren's sharp mind immediately analyzed the implications of her posture.
There were two likely possibilities: either she had fallen asleep while doing "immersion," whatever that was, or she had deliberately kept herself upright to avoid accidentally dozing off in his presence.
Given her visible wariness of him after last night's unfortunate... revelation, the latter seemed highly probable.
Ren sighed, rubbing his temples as he recalled the events of the previous evening.