"that being said, life is weird" – a still sleepy philosopher

Light worms itself into Alex's eyes, forcing him awake.

'Why does this feel familiar?'

Alex takes a moment blinking his eyes, and sees a, no his, room.

'Oh right, this is my room.'

he ponders for a moment

'When are my father and that woman going to visit, I still have questions…'

Alex sits up and looks around.

'Now that I think about it, what was that pain earlier…'

Alex starts touching the back of his head, twitching at the pain he feels from it.

'is it an injury, no… maybe it's the result of the surgery.'

Alex sighs.

'It's definitely tender though, but this just brings more questions, and even though it hasn't been long, I'm tired of waiting, and I'm parched so…'

"Hello, is anyone there?"

At the sound of Alex's voice, the same white-clad figure enters the room as he had seen once before.

"Um… could I have some water, please?"

The figure suddenly speaks,

"Of course, sir, is there anything else you need?"

Alex thinks for a moment

'I think I'll ask him some questions before anything else.'

"If you could just talk with me for a bit, that would be great," Alex says with a smile.

The figure nods and then proceeds to leave, closing the door softly behind him. Alex hears some footsteps, and then peace returns to the room.

'I wonder who that was, possibly a butler, maid, or servant?'

Not 5 minutes later, the figure returns, along with another one clad much the same.

"So you're awake then Alex, I'm glad to see that the worst has been avoided," says one of the figures, its voice more feminine and different from the one that Lex had asked to get him water, "If you don't mind I'm going to run a general diagnostic on you, the mana is sparse here, but that should still be easy enough."

'mana, diagnostic, what?'

"could you wait-"

Before Alex can finish speaking, the figure(lady?) starts waving their hands around in what seems to be a semi-erratic fashion. The room suddenly seems darker to Alex, just for a moment, and then the light returns.

"Everything seems to be in order, no major infections as of yet and the suture seems to be holding, at this rate the plates will re-merge and you'll be back up in no time, I was expecting a much worse outcome even with my expertise" the figure continues "You should be glad that your dad and I are old friends, I don't go on calls for just anyone you know, especially in a mana-deprived area such as this." The figure clumsily circles her finger in the air as she finishes her rant at her patient.

"Milady, maybe to you this area is so-called 'deprived' but it has been the birthplace to generations of mages, even if Albent manor has seen better days, I cannot have you blaspheming its name," the other figure finishes his forceful declaration even while gently placing a glass of water on the side-table, one which Alex quickly grabs and chugs.

'Gosh, I was thirsty, but what are they on about? This place is Albent manor? And how are they able to speak so clearly through such a heavy layer of clothing, unless… Is that really clothing or is that part of their body.'

The boy contemplates the notion and shivers at the thought

'no, I doubt something that unnatural could exist, anyway I cannot let this chance go.'

Alex pulls on the closer figure's clothing, looks up at them, and asks, "Can we talk for a bit?"

Both figures stand stock still for a moment and then the one who had 'diagnosed' Alex starts talking, "What is it that you want to talk about, I'm sure we could both spare a minute or two, right Robert" while looking at the other figure.

'He must be Robert then, huh; I wonder what her name is.'

"Sure, unless talking to Alex is a waste of your so-valuable time, Ivona."

'Well, that answers that question, though I still have many more.'

"I just want to know about what, um surgery, I went through, and why?"

'among other things'

The other figure, Ivona, looks at me for a moment and then starts to speak.