"F*ck… He tricked me."
A sharp pain shot through his hand as blood trickled with each pulse, sending waves of agony up his arm.
Yet he remained still, unbothered by the pain or even the shards of glass embedded in his fist.
"Sir, what have you done...?"
The nurse rushed to him, frantically tending to his wounds.
Richard paid no heed to her.
His brows furrowed, jaw clenched as he thought of the genie.
"I even freed him, that ungrateful swine," he muttered, tightening his already bleeding fist, making the nurse's job more difficult.
"Mr. Auric..." She wanted to scold him but, noticing his dark expression, hesitated—averting her gaze as she continued cleaning his wound.
"Sigh... Getting angry won't settle anything."
Richard forced himself to relax.
He wasn't one to lose composure—even in insurmountable situations—and this was no different.
What had happened had happened.
He had only reacted, as he had given it his all to prevent any trickery—even freeing the genie when he could have gotten another wish.
All for naught.
"Despite all my caution, I still got tricked... Is my life always one where I'm used and betrayed?" He exhaled heavily, pushing all the negativity out of his lungs.
"Sigh…"
He released all his exasperation. It was not the time for despair.
He was in the prime of his life, and even if he was as broke as a hermit crab, he would find a way up.
His mind calmed, finally noticing the nurse tending to his wounds.
"What a beauty," he thought, a sly grin playing on his lips.
The nurse was unaware of his gaze.
She focused on cleaning his wounds, meticulously picking out the glass shards.
Luckily, none were deeply embedded—only shallow and easily removable.
She continued to work, deliberately avoiding Richard's gaze, afraid he still wore that dark expression.
Richard, on the other hand, looked at her—admiring her features, her blonde hair, and the sweet aroma of flowers wafting from her.
His gaze, somewhat lecherous, continued to linger, going further down as he scrutinized each part of her.
…
The nurse finally finished treating his wounds, wrapping the bandages gently around his hand.
"Hi there, Kiku," Richard finally called to her, his voice suddenly smooth as silk.
"Are you calling me?" The nurse turned, tilting her head in confusion.
She had assumed Richard was still angry—the sudden switch in tone caught her off guard.
"Yes, Kiku," Richard replied, his gaze softening—more seductive.
"I'm not Kiku," she said, but her eyes flickered—unconsciously drawn to his gemlike emerald eyes.
"Oh, really? But your golden hair reminds me of the Golden Chrysanthemum. Not to mention the noble air around you."
He reached out as if to touch her hair, pausing just short—waiting for permission.
Caught off guard by the compliment, she leaned slightly closer without realizing it.
"Me? Noble?"
A blush crept up her cheeks as she twirled a strand of blonde hair, giggling sheepishly.
"Yeah. Why don't you sit down and tell me more about yourself? I could be wrong."
He patted the space beside him on the bed.
The nurse hesitated, searching his face for any ill intent—but his warm gaze and striking features disarmed her.
She gave in, sitting next to him.
Before she knew it, they were chatting like old friends, with Richard guiding the conversation effortlessly—saying little, drawing more of her voice while listening intently.
"Master Richard, are you ready—?"
Kaida's voice cut through the moment as she entered.
The nurse jolted upright, looking like a fox caught in a henhouse.
"Huh, why did I…?"
After rising, she questioned herself. Her reaction, even to her own mind, seemed uncalled for.
She wasn't even doing anything bad... or was she?
Her own conscience judged her.
Meanwhile, Richard was cussing Kaida internally—she had interrupted his plan.
"No. Wait outside," he snapped, his displeasure sharp.
Kaida noticed the fidgeting nurse, raising her eyebrows, understanding dawning in her gaze.
"I'll be outside," she said, stepping back out and leaving them alone.
"Finally."
Richard's features once again relaxed as he turned to the nurse.
"Don't be like that. Sit back down," Richard coaxed, but the nurse shook her head.
"That red-haired spoiled my game," he grunted internally, yet his expression remained warm.
"Sigh... Can you at least help me dress? My hand is..."
He glanced meaningfully at his bandaged hand.
"Okay," she relented, helping him remove his hospital gown.
Feeling a bit of resistance, she looked down to the source—Richard's "wingman" at attention, twitching with each heartbeat.
"Pay him no heed," Richard smiled, not the least embarrassed.
Noticing the nurse was unresponsive, he smirked.
"And little Richie strikes again."
"It's okay if it's making you uncomfortable, I'll try to dress myself," he added, his composure not betraying the smugness he felt inside.
Awkwardly, he took the change of clothes on the bed with his left hand, while the nurse, on the other hand, couldn't even hear him—her gaze locked on the pulsating shaft, following its movements as Richard awkwardly began to dress.
She was a nurse, and this wasn't an unusual sight, yet she couldn't avert her gaze.
"What... How... It's..." She couldn't form coherent words, entranced by Richard's wingman.
"He just couldn't resist the sight of you, Kiku. I'd be impotent if he didn't react," Richard smiled as he awkwardly wore his underwear, skillfully tucking in his wingman.
Finally, the nurse averted her gaze, her cheeks flushed beet red, unable to look at Richard.
"Did he notice me staring?"
Her eyes darted around, avoiding eye contact with him.
"I'm sorry for showing such a sight," Richard said apologetically, yet the internal smugness continued.
"No, don't worry, it was nothing… You shouldn't apologize," she quickly replied.
"Let me help you with the rest."
She clumsily helped him dress, her gaze occasionally shifting to Richard's wingman.
A smirk played on Richard's lips.
"I guess I'll see you again. Here's my—"
Richard paused, realizing this was not his world, and thus he did not have his business card.
"It seems I don't have my card here. I'll come by later then..." He scratched his head awkwardly.
"I'd like that..." The nurse unconsciously blurted out, pleasing Richard.
"Okay, then I'll see you again."
He opened the door, leaving the nurse alone in the room as it closed behind him.
The nurse's gaze never left the door.
"Mr. Auric spoke to me, and we might even—"
Her voice hitched, her face turning beet red as a lustful gleam filled her eyes at the memory of Richard's wingman.
---
. . .
---
"So the doctor says I've lost my memory," Richard summarized Kaida's report, his legs crossed as he sat comfortably in his limousine, Kaida seated at his right.
"Yes, Master. The poison seems to have interfered with your memory," Kaida explained, borrowing the doctor's words.
"Poison? That means someone was out to get me?" Richard asked, his gaze narrowed in suspicion.
"No!! That's not it. No one would dare..." Kaida quickly corrected.
"Huh?"
"You truly have lost your memory..." Kaida muttered under her breath, as mana poisoning was common knowledge even among the unawakened.
"Yes, I have, Miss Dzo. Can you explain to me what mana poisoning is?" Richard inquired, his tone polite, his gaze though controlled, occasionally scanning the limousine.
"It seems the genie granted the wish of wealth…" he thought happily—at least he wasn't completely screwed in this new world.
To learn more about this new world, he had decided to accept the state of amnesia he was supposedly in. It was an easy way to gain information without seeming strange.
"Sorry, Master. And please, as said earlier, I am just a personal assistant of yours. There is no need to be formal." She corrected Richard, the latter nodding in acknowledgement.
"Okay. You were not poisoned by someone; it's just that the artifacts in your room seemed to have poisoned you over time..."
Hesitating, she spoke, her eyes darting around, averting Richard's gaze.
"I told you to get rid of them, yet you didn't listen," she added quickly, defending herself even though no one blamed her.
"So, like cancer from being exposed to too much radiation," Richard concluded internally.
"Don't worry about it. I believe you..."
Richard comforted, getting the gist of the situation.
"Huh?"
Kaida quickly turned her head, her gaze fixed on Richard—shocked at his response.
"He didn't snap or insult me..." She thought, surprised—shocked even—by Richard's behavior.
"So this is amnesia."
The old Richard was a typical rich kid who didn't listen to anyone but his own ego.
Uncomfortable with her gaze, Richard shifted his own—turning to the tinted windows of the limousine, observing the new world outside.
The scenery, despite supposedly being 1997, was just as modern as 2025—slightly less advanced than his era but nevertheless too advanced for what he remembered.
Not to mention the occasional flying creatures and people dressed as if they were cosplaying.
Swords at their hips, shields on their backs—they chatted away as they moved to their various destinations.
Just like the healer, some were dressed like nuns—though their "cosplay" looked cheaper.
Others dressed as wizards, blending their own hybrid of modern and magic.
"I'm really in another world..."
He muttered, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowing to deadly slits.
"Well, at least I'm not poor." He sighed, shifting his gaze to admire the limousine's interior.
"Master, are you alright?..." Kaida's voice cut through his stupor, bringing him back to reality.
"Yeah, just admiring this new world," he turned back to her.
"Can you tell me about myself... Who am I? As you've said yourself, I've lost my memory. I don't even know who you are..."
Richard leaned forward.
"He really doesn't remember? Yet his philanderer instincts kick in the moment he wakes," Kaida thought to herself, remembering what happened in the hospital room.
"What's wrong?" Richard inquired, as Kaida had taken too long to answer.
"Oh, nothing, Master. I'll tell you a little about yourself and some basic knowledge of this world..."