Chapter 28: Okay Time For Break

John looked closely at Elenore. Now that the adrenaline from the battle was fading, he noticed the faint trembling in her hands and the paleness returning to her face.

She had been sealed in a crystal for centuries, drained of all her mana, and unconscious in a hospital bed for three days straight. Waking up in a panic, fighting two security guards, running across an unfamiliar military base, and then watching a modern naval battle in the command center was simply too much strain on her recovering body.

"Alright," John said, turning away from the main console. "We’re heading back. You need to rest."

Elenore blinked, looking up at him in surprise. "Rest? But John, I just woke up after being asleep for three entire days. I am not tired. Besides, I want to help you."

"You’re not helping anyone if you collapse again," John replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You might have slept for three days, but your body was basically in a coma. The moment you opened your eyes, you ripped out an IV line, used martial arts on two grown soldiers, ran out into the heat, and took in a ton of information you’ve never seen before. That puts massive stress on your nervous system."

Elenore opened her mouth to object, but as she took a single step forward, her knees buckled slightly.

John caught her by the elbow, steadying her effortlessly.

"See?" John said, raising an eyebrow. "Your body is running on empty. You need proper rest, real sleep, and time for your system to stabilize. That’s an order."

Elenore looked down at her white shoes, her long, pointed ears drooping in mild defeat. She knew he was right. Her muscles felt heavy, and a dull ache was slowly creeping behind her eyes.

"I understand," she murmured softly. "Thank you for your concern, John."

"Come on. I’ll take you to your quarters."

John guided her out of the Tactical Operations Center. They took the elevator back up to the surface level, where the armored JLTV was parked. John opened the heavy door, helped her climb inside, and got behind the wheel.

Instead of driving back to the sterile hospital ward, John took the highway toward the base residential sector. He knew putting her back in a hospital bed with beeping monitors might make her feel trapped or anxious. Instead, he drove to the officer housing area, where modern, fully furnished guest suites were set up.

The vehicle stopped in front of a quiet, two-story apartment building surrounded by neatly paved walkways and green lawns.

John helped Elenore out of the truck and led her inside to a private suite on the first floor.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, flicking on the warm living room lights. The apartment had a soft carpet, a comfortable sofa, a small dining table, a kitchen with a stocked refrigerator, and a private bedroom in the back.

Elenore walked inside, her low-heeled shoes making soft thuds against the carpet. She looked around the warm, quiet space with wide eyes.

"Is this... a dwelling?" she asked, running her hand across the edge of the smooth wooden table. "It feels very peaceful."

"It’s your room," John said, walking over to the bedroom door and opening it. "You have a private bathroom, a real bed, fresh blankets, and clean clothes in the closet. The fridge in the kitchen has water, fruit juices, and snacks. If you need hot food, you can pick up the phone by the bed and press ’0’ to reach the dining facility. They’ll bring whatever you want."

Elenore walked into the bedroom. She looked at the large bed fitted with clean white sheets and a thick, soft comforter. She gently pressed her hand onto the mattress, surprised by how plush and warm it felt compared to the hard stones of the dungeon or the stiff hospital cot.

Her pointed ears gave a small, contented twitch.

"This is far too kind, John," Elenore said, turning back to him with a look of genuine gratitude. "You saved my life, gave me food, gave me clothes, and now you provide me with such a comfortable home. I have done nothing to earn this."

John offered a faint, reassuring smile. "You don’t need to earn basic decency. You went through hell in that dungeon. Taking care of you is the right thing to do."

He walked over to the nightstand, placed a bottle of fresh water on the surface, and checked the air conditioning controls on the wall to make sure the room temperature was comfortable.

"Get some real sleep," John continued, looking at her with steady blue eyes. "Don’t worry about the beastkin, the monsters in the sea, or the mainland. My men and I have everything under control. When you wake up and feel ready, we’ll talk about our next steps."

Elenore felt a warm, soothing comfort settle in her chest. For the first time since waking up in this strange era, the lingering fear and confusion completely left her mind.

"Thank you, John," she said softly, offering him a gentle, radiant smile. "I will rest."

"Good. Call if you need anything."

John stepped out of the bedroom, closed the suite door behind him, and walked back out into the bright afternoon sunlight.

He climbed back into his JLTV, started the diesel engine, and pulled out onto the road. Now that Elenore was safe and resting, it was time for him to return to command and prepare their first expeditionary force for the Beastkin continent.