Thus, the crimson energy that reappeared in the air once more all instantly sank into Leo's hands and vanished, like fledglings returning to their nest.
At the same time, Master Ancient One's body relaxed. The pressure that had seemed to bring the sky crashing down disappeared as the crimson energy entered her.
She finally stood...
"I'm a failure. I barely ever notice whether the sun is shining brightly or not, because I don't have the time.
"My parents couldn't provide me with any support, and my education wasn't impressive either. I was alone in the city, searching for a future.
"I looked for many jobs, but none of them hired me. Perhaps no one likes someone who isn't good at speaking, doesn't enjoy socializing, and hasn't displayed enough ability.
Content.
"For three whole days, I ate only two loaves of bread. Hunger kept me from sleeping at night. Fortunately, I had paid a month's rent in advance, so I could continue living in that dark basement without going outside to endure the unusually cold winter wind.
"Finally, I found a job. I worked night shifts at a hospital, guarding the morgue.
"The hospital was even colder at night than I had imagined. The wall lamps in the corridors weren't lit, and everywhere was dim. I could only rely on the faint light spilling from the rooms to see where I was walking.
"The smell there was awful. From time to time, a dead person would arrive stuffed into a body bag, and we would work together to carry them into the morgue.
"It wasn't a good job, but at least it allowed me to afford bread. I could also use my free time at night to study. After all, hardly anyone was willing to come to the morgue unless a