CH 38

When I opened my eyes, I was lying somewhere.

“Ah, are you awake?”

Before I could comprehend the whole situation, suddenly, golden hair fell in front of my eyes. I looked up along the hair and saw a very soft-looking person looking down at me.

Long eyelashes fluttered, and green eyes disappeared and appeared several times. I couldn’t see a single bit of malice from the gentle eyes, but the person had a faint smile on the corner of her lips as if to reassure me more. Wow, what a beauty.

My throat is still aching, but I feel at ease, so I guess I’m alive. After blinking for a moment, I got up and sat down on the bed, when I heard the bed creak.

Perhaps the place I was in was a barracks set up for the purpose of treatment. Cots and several tables were placed in a fairly large space, and medical supplies such as medicine bottles and bandages were rolling around on the tables.

It looked like a hastily equipped place, but it had everything one might need for first aid. As I looked around, the blonde-haired beauty sitting next to me got up and cleared the table of medical supplies.

I can’t see anyone else around, and she looked good at tidying up. Looking at the situation, it seemed that this person was probably the one who treated me.

Well, is she a doctor then? I tilt my head for a moment to the weird atmosphere.

“This is a temporary treatment center.”

The person with a kind smile spoke to me.

“My group was passing through here. However, my colleagues said they heard monsters crying, so when I came here, everyone was under attack.”

“…”

“Ah, don’t worry. We took care of all the monsters, and there were few people injured. All of them were also treated.”

“…”

“It’s a relief, isn’t it?”

The person in front of me smiled brightly. I nodded involuntarily as I felt like I couldn’t refuse to answer, only to realize that my voice wasn’t coming out.

The person who introduced himself as a healer, probably aware of my bewilderment for a moment, held out a cup containing a liquid that looked like water.

How I knew for sure that it wasn’t water, but a liquid that looked like one, because it was really tasteless. I felt the pressure from the smiley face, so I drank it all, but it was really tasteless. Ew.

“If you have finished, please give me the cup.”

Still, the throbbing definitely seemed to have gotten a little better. I tilted my head at the remark that I would be able to speak now, then I opened my mouth.

I had an unpleasant foreign body sensation, as if something sharp was constantly scratching his throat, but that feeling quickly dissipated as I raised my voice.

“Excuse me, ahem.”

“Yes, please.”

The healer responded kindly.

“Did I die, no. How long did I collapse?”

For a moment, I almost asked, “Did I die?” Even though it was clear that if I had died, I would have been somewhere else, not a treatment center. For example, a sack.

At my question, the healer stared at me for a moment, then spoke in a soft voice.

“You woke up in less than a day. If you have to ask… You must have collapsed for half a day.”

“Ah.”

Somehow the sun was rising outside. It was evening when I fainted, so if it’s half a day now… It must be around morning.

As I listened, I heard the sound of people moving around outside the tent. Looking at the atmosphere, it seems that all the injured people have been treated as the healer said, and it seemed that I was the only one who had woken up after fainting until now.

I guess I was in bed after passing out because I continued to inhale the unknown gas. I frowned as if I had unintentionally caused a nuisance.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes.”

Soon after, the healer began asking questions about whether there was any discomfort. Asked if I didn’t feel something stuck in my throat, asked if my arms or legs were throbbing, and so many questions were asked that it was a bit excessive for dealing with a normal patient.

I had no real pain, so I had no choice but to shake my head to answer every question. Looking at the situation, it seems that I just fainted and woke up, but wouldn’t it be more strange if there was a particularly sore spot?

However, despite my honest answer, the healer’s face became increasingly serious. Once again, she asked if my throat was really fine, and the healer closed the question for the last time.

Is there a problem? The healer, who had been sitting with a face as if she was struggling with something, opened her mouth again.

“Actually, everyone was worried about you. My colleagues were also very surprised.”

Well, it’s understandable that the merchants are concerned… Was I so miserable that people whom I just met for the first time would be surprised? I tilted my head as I recalled the moment before I passed out. I don’t think there was anything wrong except that I kept coughing.

But when I heard what followed, there was nothing much.

“Because you collapsed vomiting blood.”

…Somehow, right before I passed out, I thought something was coming up from inside.

Unknowingly, I brought my hand to my neck and glanced at the healer. But she seemed to be sitting next to the bed I was reclining on, thinking about something.

In a word, I felt distracted elsewhere.

“Normally, ah, Granault is the monster that appeared yesterday. Patients who have collapsed after inhaling Granault’s fumes often wake up three to four days after taking the medicine. Granault’s poison is unique, so once the antidote is in it, it actually helps the body recover.”

Knock, knock. There was the sound of fingers tapping the armrests of the chair.

“From the fact that you vomited blood, it appeared that you had inhaled a lot of smoke, so I thought you would have to wait at least four days before waking up.”

“…Yes.”

“I decided to stay in this barracks for just one day, and I was checking to make sure your condition didn’t get worse…”

The moment she stopped talking, her face looked puzzled.

“You’re awake now.”

“…”

“Not only  that you woke up… You don’t seem to be in pain at all.”

“…Yes.”

I should’ve kept fainting. At least pretend to be sick. I swallowed the words that came to my mind and slowly turned my head away to avoid her eyes.

The gaze staring at me as if it would pierce my face in the stillness was burdensome.

However, the silence continued for a while, and the healer spoke cautiously.

“Um, perhaps…”

Perhaps, what. I feel like my anxiety is amplified by such a vague word.

“Have you ever run into Granault somewhere before?”

“Pardon?”

Have I ever met that? I can say that I have lived for quite a long time, but I have never seen a monster up close.

However, it was faster for the healer to follow through than for me to tell the truth straight away.

“Is that why you are resistant to poison, I wonder”

Rather than asking me for an answer, it was more like muttering. After hearing that, I thought for a moment, then quickly nodded.

I assure you, that me being able to answer this quickly is only one of the few times in my 200 years of life. Thanks for making up my excuse, healer. Thank you for saving my life.

As if she wasn’t satisfied with my quick answer, the healer still had a worried expression, yet she nodded soon. She couldn’t seem to find any other reason why I was able to recover so quickly if it wasn’t for me being poison resistant.

I let out a sigh of relief, relieved that she wasn’t suspecting me, but she suddenly bowed in my direction.

“I’m glad you got up early, though.”

“Ah, thank you for treating me…”

Thank you. I was trying to say that. If that person hadn’t stretched out her hand over my face and a magic circle floating on her fingertips, I would have said that.

A bright green light flashed in front of my eyes, and at the same time as the golden magic circle emitted light, my head became clear and energy began to flow through my body.

Magician?

As soon as I thought that, I wondered if a specific name popped up in my head that I opened my mouth involuntarily.

“Sister Lily! Are you done with treatment?”

It was then that the curtains in the barracks were pulled back along with someone’s voice. Thanks to that,  I bit my tongue when I was about to speak, and the healer looked at me and made a sick face.

“Ivan! If you come in so suddenly, the patient will be surprised!”

“Huh?”

The person who entered the barracks was a boy with dark red hair and yellow eyes.

When the boy, who was called Ivan, was pointed out, he quickly put on a look that he had made a mistake, and bowed his head as he hurriedly handed me his apology. I felt even more sorry as the child who looked so young by my standards, who seemed to be between a boy and a young man, lowered his head.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were awake… Because I can’t knock.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Aside from being a patient, I felt apologetic even more for biting my tongue. As I turned my eyes in a little embarrassment, the healer sighed and asked the restless boy,

“So, what brought you here?”

“Ah. The merchants over there told Sister Lily to come out because they have something to say… Hmm.”

He glanced at me without speaking.

“Since you woke up, I think you should come out too.”

***

The news that came out wasn’t very good. No, it was bad beyond not-so-good.

“Some of the carriages were broken and some people were injured, so we’re trying to return to the capital. We were going to leave as soon as you wake up, but it turned out great!”

People packing their luggage, the scenery that seemed to be almost ready for departure, and the cheerful smile of the branch manager came into my eyes one after another.

Wow, I shouldn’t go back to the capital again.

What should I do?