Chapter 9 (1/2)

“…I have to deliver the flowers.”

“You, even in this situation!”

“…I shouldn’t do this, but…please help me. I can’t walk anymore…”

The harsh breathing didn’t let my words to come out properly, but Lennox seemed to understand it.

He frowned angrily, then stared at me with a look of concern.

“Help, I’ll help you, so don’t lose your consciousness… No, rather be asleep, because if you are asleep, it won’t hurt…”

His gaze was directed not toward my face but towards my feet. Lennox hugged me, held me firmly in his arms, and began to move quickly with an effort.

It’s the first time someone held me tight like this, apart from my mom.

I know he’s the first stranger I met today, but won’t his body get tired?

Strangely, his arms were very comfortable. Feeling my tension being relieved, I slowly began to close my eyes again to forget the pain. Through my closed eyes, I could see the purple butterfly slowly disappearing.

Thank you.

“… Good-bye, Butterfly.”

And then I completely lost my consciousness.

***

My body was burning. It was hot, like a fireball, as if I were having a cold or flu. Besides, my breath was rough, and the cough continued to erupt.

Even breathing is painful and, I don’t even know how many times I’ve uttered nonsense in my head because of the pain that keeps coming from the wound.

It was only after a few days of turmoil with a fever that I felt the hazy mist had already been removed from my head. I opened my eyes holding on to the consciousness that barely came back.

“Aa- Aah.”

A rough voice came out harshly with a sore throat. As I called a few more times, a glass of water suddenly appeared next to me. Without hesitation, I took the glass and drank the water. The warm water ran down my throat, and finally, I was able to wake up a bit. When I looked around, I saw a place that I had never seen before.

Then a small laugh came out of the side. As I turned my head back towards the sound, there was a boy who looked a few years younger than Lennox.

Under the light pink hair, the red eyes in the round glasses had a feeling of favor. The boy’s eyes curved when my eyes met his.

‘…Red eyes.’

It is the same color as Chloe. Now that I see it, I think they look quite similar…

“Are you feeling better now?”

“… Who are you?”

“Ah, shall we introduce ourselves first?”

I couldn’t relax my guard and asked in a harsh voice, but the boy only grinned. The boy pointed his finger at him and slowly began to introduce himself as if he were talking to a child.

“My name is Ricarda Benedito, the person who’s been taking care of you all this time.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“Not a doctor, but someone who can imitate it?”

What’s that?

If you’re a doctor, you’re a doctor.

When my eyes filled with disbelief, Ricarda began to panic and feel embarrassed.

“I, I’m a wizard! Usually, doctors are the job chosen by healing wizards, but I do that because healing is not my main major.”

“Wizard…”

“Yes, yes.”

As Ricarda’s explanation continued, I slowly lowered my head and saw a bandage wrapped around my arms.

Wondering, I pulled down my blanket and found my injured right foot firmly fixed from the knee to the bottom of it.

It looked like a cast I had seen in my previous life, so I looked at it for a long time, and soon I heard a sigh of relief from the side.

“I’m glad you are better after several days of sickness due to high fever. I don’t think the temperature is going to go up any further now…”

“What happened to my leg?”

“Huh?”

Ricarda paused at my words and tried to change the subject with an awkward smile. I asked again, seeing his apparent reaction.

“Can’t I use my legs anymore?”

“What do you mean! That’s not true!”

“What happened then? Has it been maimed?”

When there was a sound of pain in my voice, Ricarda asked me with a solemn expression.

“If your legs were maimed… what would you think?”

“… I should think it was a cheap price compared to my life.”

Unfortunately.

At the added words, Ricarda looked at me, speechless. With his shocked expression, I tilted my head thinking I’d done something wrong.

Ricarda, agape with astonishment, stood up from his seat.

“No! Absolutely not!”

“?”

Ricarda’s red eyes were flushed, and he said with a stiff expression.

“I’ll cure you somehow! Even though it’s so serious that you can’t even talk about it! I’ll make you all better!”

Ricarda tried to change the subject about my condition until the end. Perhaps the injury was more severe than I thought.

My legs could really be maimed. No, but seeing that I’ve come this far…

Like I said before if I compare the price of my leg for my life, isn’t it cheap to use my legs at a small price?

As if he didn’t see me on deep thought, Ricarda continuously told me that I had been sick for the last three days.

The wound might cause scars, but I still couldn’t trust his words about him taking responsibility for it and healing it.

After speaking for a long time without feeling my gaze at him, he finished what he had to say and sat down again in the chair.

Then he held my hand firmly and said, “Yes, yes. From now on, I’m your brother, so I’ll fix it for you! So, just trust me.”

What are you talking about?