"Was that really the best way to do it..?"


    Turning around to avoid my piercing gaze, Alya shrugged her shoulders before replying.


    "It was the fastest way..."


    Shaking my head, I turned to Zach, who was slowly lifting himself from the bed and asked.


    "What exactly were you t-...on second thought, I''m alright."


    "..?"


    ncing between Alya, thepletely clean room, and I, Zach pondered for a moment before asking.


    "Wait... I th-"


    However, before Zach could finish his sentence, Alya interrupted.


    "You thought wrong."


    Continuing, Alya assumed a deadly serious tone before pointing at me and saying.


    "We think we might have a way to help you.."


    As soon as those words came out from Alya''s mouth, Zach''s amber-brown eyes seemed to light up with hope.


    Yet, a secondter, that fire in Zach''s eyes disappeared as he shook his head and replied.


    "I really do appreciate you two trying to help me...but after everything, I''m not too sure I have any hope left."


    Zach must have gone through countless attempts by the main cast to restore himself back to his main conditions, each resulting in failure.


    Imagine having your hope extinguished over and over again... until finally, there''s no more left.


    The worst part?


    Zach couldn''t even show any emotions like defeat or exhaustion.


    The main cast all felt partially responsible for what happened to Zach as they had all failed to notice Zach''s possession by the spirit.


    The guilt they were all feeling, especially Alya, was already immense.


    The only way to alleviate that guilt?


    Zach had to pretend to be fine... every second of the day, concealing his true pain.


    If Zach showed the least bit of sadness, the burden on the main cast would increase tenfold, and Zach knew that.


    That''s why he simply put on a mask of false-happiness, hoping to alleviate the worries of the main cast.


    Even in his current terrible conditions... he was still thinking about the emotions of others.


    A true team yer... that was Zach from beginning to start.


    Picking up the cat and cing it on myp, I replied.


    "I can''t guarantee it''ll work, but it''s at least worth a shot."


    Tired and exhausted, Zachid down on my bed, staring at the ceiling, before asking.


    "Alright, what do I need to do this time?"


    Lifting the cat from myp, I ced it right in front of my head, making it look directly into my eyes.


    Holding the cat right in front of me with its whole body dangling in the air, I sighed.


    "Now... how do I make it break its contract with me?"


    As Zach and Alya stared at me in confusion and unease, I tried inwardly... and outwardlymanding the cat to break the contract.


    And, as anyone could tell, nothing happened.


    After around a minute of me making eye contact with the cat non-stop in pure and awkward silence, the cat seemed to finally get sick of it.


    Squirming between my hands, the cat dropped from my hands downwards,nding leg-first on the bed.


    The next second, the cat elegantly walked over to Zach before jumping on hisp.


    ...what the hell is going on?


    Looking around the room, I saw Alya and Zach looking at the cat with expressions of anticipation and excitement.


    ...did those idiots really think this was part of the n!?!?!?


    Waiting a moment and staring as my ck cat settled down in Zach''sp under his gaze of expectation, I got up from the bed.


    This n... most definitely had not worked.


    To be honest, I honestly had no idea what I was expecting.


    But could you me me?


    That cat had traveled back in time with me!


    Purifying someone''s soul and solving their internal issues were nothingpared to that!


    "...purifying?"


    There were purification magic rituals, but they wouldn''t be developed till muchter.


    The main use of them was to purify djinns, reverting them back to humanity, alongside curing disease.


    Of course, such a ritual was veryplicated.


    And I wasn''t some brainiac or something with photographic memory, so there was no I would be able to find it and use it.


    It was probably somewhere in my memory as it was one of the few illustrations that the author had released alongside the book, but finding it would be impossible.


    Sure, I could draw out its main symbol that was present, but making all the lines at exact distances and other smaller details was not a realistic option.


    If only I had the Dragon''s eyes back in the real world.


    Well, I probably wouldn''t have died in the first ce if I had the ability to perceive everything and slow time though...


    With the incident fast approaching, which would need the main cast at max morale alongside Zach in his best condition, waiting over a year for the ritual to be invented wasn''t an option.


    Leaning against a nearby chair, I watched Alya and Zach''s expressions dry up as the cat simplyy down in Zach''sp, not doing anything beneficial or useful.


    A momentter, the cat jumped off Zach''sp before slowly walking towards me.


    "Oh? Are you finally deciding to listen to me?


    Alya, from the chair next to me, asked, breaking the silence


    "...is it talking to your cat normal for you?"


    "..? Is this now the time?"


    As the cat approached me, Zach sat up on the bed before leaning against the windowsill and staring outside.


    Ignoring Alya''s gaze, I leaned down to the level of the cat before making eye contact with it once again.


    Ignoring my gaze, the cat simply continued walking until it was eventually right in front of me.


    Standing in front of me, the ck cat let out a soft meow before stretching out its back, exposing it fully to me.


    From beside me, Alya asked.


    "I think... it wants to be pet."


    Raising my hand, I moved it along the cat''s back, feeling its soft fur brush against my fingertips.