Chapter 106 - What It Means To Be Perfect

Suddenly, Mildred backed off. It was as though she couldn't believe what she had done.

"I... I..."

The tavern was empty.

All the others had left while the bartender himself abandoned his post.

It was getting hard to breathe through my lungs as they had been pierced by the bone fragments. If I didn't do anything about it, I would die in just a few moments.

Mildred covered her trembling lips with both of her hands.

"What... what have I done..."

A weak smile formed on my face.

"...I see now. I was too selfish."

I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Everyone is their own person. I tried to fit you into who I wanted you to be."

Mildred didn't seem to hear me.

"Oh... oh god."

I reached my hand out and lightly brushed against Mildred's cheek.

"Don't worry... I'm fine."

Mildred held her forehead with her hand.

"What? But, but..."

I closed my eyes. The surrounding wind whipped wildly while my skin tore apart. The tears in my lungs made me choke and even worsened from the mana gathered.

...But moments later, a gentle sensation spread throughout my body, washing away the pain.

The bone fragments were pushed out of my lungs, letting them heal over. My twisted ligaments reorganized themselves while my bones regenerated.

...Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration.

I coughed up a mouthful of blood. My body was still pretty ruined even after the healing spell did its work. At least my torn skin healed.

"Hold on, I got this."

Mildred blinked a few times in shock.

"What?... A healing spell?"

Wind whipped around me as my skin tore open. A pained smile formed on my face.

"Ah, yeah. It's just something I picked up on."

Mildred opened and closed her mouth a few times, taking her time to form her words.

"It's... so strong."

My mind finished casting the healing spell, letting another gentle feeling brush past my body. It was almost like my body was laid down on a bed of flowers.

My bones were put back into place, but hadn't fully mended. As for my bent fingers, they were back to normal.

A bitter smile formed on my face.

"Is it strong? I need to cast this quite a few times..."

Mildred lightly caressed the skin that just regrew on my body, where she last shattered my ribcage. It hurt a little because my bones still didn't heal fully.

Mildred blinked a few times, as though she was trying to dispel an illusion.

"I... I've never seen a spell that can bring someone back from the brink of death."

I chuckled and weakly waved.

"I feel you're exaggerating it a bit. I've been in worse condition."

Mildred took a deep breath. She trembled faintly.

"Am I?..."

My mind cast one last healing spell, affixing my bones in the right places and regrowing my muscles. Though, my body felt really stiff.

"Yeah, look, I'm fine."

With a groan, I stood up. I pressed my hands against my back, cracking my spine. After a few stretches, my body was as good as new.

Mildred furrowed her brows and held the side of her head. Her hands were still covered in my blood. She trembled a little more.

"But how..."

I shrugged my shoulders as a small smile spread out on my face.

"There's no need to think about it too much. I'm fine, see?"

Mildred looked at me while I spread out my arms and did a few jumping jacks. Her trembling seemed to calm down a bit.

"Ah, I suppose so..."

Mildred walked over to a table. She pulled out a seat and sat down while clutching her scalp.

"My head aches tremendously..."

Mildred laid an elbow on the table and continued supporting her head. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

"Am I dreaming?"

I pulled out the seat opposite to Mildred and sat down with her. The seat was rather dirty, but not to the point it felt disgusting to sit on it. As for the table, there were many dried beer stains. There was even a mug that tipped over, spilling some alcohol over the table.

I leaned back against the seat, letting out a long sigh. My eyelids gradually shut, while Mildred was still freaking out a little bit.

It was nearly silent in the tavern. The only sounds I could make out were my own breathing and the rolling sounds of a few mugs of beer.

The contrast was quite jarring, considering how boisterous it was just moments ago. It was as though this place was ravaged by a hurricane just a few moments ago. And now, only the aftermath was left while the winds have gone quiet.

After resting for a few moments in this silence, I spoke up.

"You know..."

Mildred slowly lifted up her head.

"Huh?"

I slowly opened my eyes.

"I've never really thought about it before, but people are so complicated."

Mildred rubbed the side of her head.

"I suppose so..."

A faint chuckle escaped me.

"Even something as simple as being happy, or being sad..."

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the ceiling.

"..Can completely change someone. It's almost magical, in a sense."

Mildred leaned back in her seat while holding her forehead.

"Well, a lot of things are magical. Even the showers in the palace are powered through magic."

A bitter smile emerged on my face and raised a hand in the air.

"No, no. I don't mean it like that. I just..."

I sighed helplessly and let my hand fall onto my leg.

"Nevermind, haha."

Mildred shook her head.

"Ugh... I feel terrible."

Without knowing it, my eyes drifted towards Mildred.

"What do you mean?"

Mildred rubbed her eyes.

"I just feel sick."

I put my elbow on the table and rested my head in my palm.

"Hmm... sick?"

My mind slowly gathered mana, slowly forming the healing spell. After a few moments, I casted it on Mildred.

Her expression dulled, almost like she was no longer part of this world.

Mildred froze in place. The only proof that she didn't become a statue was the faint trembling in her fingers. It seemed like... she was thinking about something.

Without warning, tears began falling from Mildred's face. Her voice became soft.

"...It's so warm."

A small smile formed on my face.

"Haha, the spell does feel pretty nice."

Mildred furrowed her brows, then looked at me with confusion. Suddenly, she stood up from her seat and hunched forward.

Mildred reached out her index finger, holding it right in front of my face. While trembling, she lightly touched my nose.

"It's... real?"

I shrugged my shoulders with a casual smile.

"Well... it would be pretty concerning if I wasn't real."

Mildred took a deep breath.

"I... I did all those things."

A laugh escaped me.

"Yes, but it was mostly because of me."

Mildred shook her head.

"What? No... if I just wasn't..."

A sad smile formed on my face.

"Haha... it's because I couldn't accept you for who you were."

My vision grew blurry.

"For some reason, I believed people were like sheets of paper."

I reached out my hand and looked into my palm.

"I wanted to cling to this notion. That I could understand people clearly."

My voice softened.

"That only the good side of people existed."

Mildred looked at me with a bit of confusion.

"So... I suppose I would be considered a bad person."

I clenched my hand into a fist.

"No..."

Mildred tilted her head to the side.

"Are you trying to say I'm a good person?"

I laughed.

"No..."

Mildred furrowed her brows and let out a soft sigh.

"Then what are you trying to say?"

I scratched my cheek with my forefinger.

"Well... you can't just label someone. In the end, that label will always be wrong in some way. Simply because people are far too complex."

I tapped the table with my finger.

"That's why you can't say that someone's a good or bad person. Because that's just not how it works."

Mildred frowned.

"...So what is it that I am supposed to think?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Nothing, really."

Mildred raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

I chuckled.

"It's me that should've accepted you for the way you were. That you weren't some cake to be cut into pieces."

I sucked in a deep breath.

"So... sorry."

Mildred smiled sadly.

"For what? Frankly, I should be the one apologizing."

She brushed aside her hair.

"I was the one that dragged you along because I wanted someone else to be with me."

Mildred's voice softened, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"Yet, I..."

I slowly raised my hand.

"You've been doing the best with what we have been given."

My heart ached.

"I know this now. I finally truly understand that you are a person that goes through suffering and hope like me. A person that's trying to understand the wide world around them."

Mildred looked at me with a bit of shock. Her lips were parted ever so slightly.

I shook my head.

"From what makes you good to what makes you bad, I wouldn't have it any other way."

A bright smile formed on my face.

"I've realized you are perfect just the way you are."