My consciousness slowly returned.
The first thing I saw was a white ceiling.
Spotlessly white.
Not the ceiling of my inn room.
Nor the ceiling of the ruined Green Serpent mansion.
I blinked several times.
My vision was still blurry.
A few seconds later, I realized something was covering my face.
An oxygen mask.
I tried taking a breath, and cool air immediately flowed into my lungs.
Then I noticed something else.
Several transparent tubes were connected to my arm.
Another was attached to my chest.
Slowly, I turned my head.
Beside the bed stood a holographic monitor.
Beep...
Beep...
A green line moved slowly across the screen in rhythm with my heartbeat.
"..."
A hospital?
But...
This place was far cleaner than Ryvolin's shabby clinic.
The walls were white.
The equipment looked brand new.
Even the air lacked the overwhelming smell of medicine.
As I tried to sit up—
"ARCHE!!"
I flinched.
Reina was floating right beside me.
Digital tears filled her eyes.
"Thank goodness... you're awake..."
"I... I really..."
Her voice trembled.
I looked down at my chest.
The entire left side was wrapped in thick bandages.
Between them, I could still see a transparent tube running into my body.
"..."
Ah.
Right.
I died.
Riven shot me.
The memory came flooding back.
Then...
I looked back at Reina.
She was speaking rapidly.
I had no idea what she was saying.
I couldn't really hear her.
My head still felt empty.
"So, Reina..."
I interrupted her.
"Was it you who saved me again?"
Reina immediately fell silent.
She quickly wiped away her digital tears.
"Close... but not quite."
"I only shut down your vital organs temporarily."
"..."
"I put you into a state of suspended death for several minutes."
"If Riven had realized you were still alive..."
"...he would've shot you again."
I fell silent.
I see.
So...
I really had died.
After a moment, I smiled faintly.
"It seems..."
"...I really can't survive without you, Reina."
"Thank you."
Reina froze.
Her face immediately turned bright red.
Then—
"Arche, you idiot! Do you have any idea how terrified I was?! You're always doing something reckless! If it had missed by just a little! If they'd arrived only a few minutes later! If—"
She started talking at incredible speed.
I didn't catch every word.
But I knew.
She was scolding me.
Just like always.
I simply smiled and listened.
A while later, Reina finally let out a long sigh.
"...Haaah."
I asked again,
"Then..."
"Who brought me here?"
Reina's expression turned serious again.
"Vela."
"Anna."
"And their friends."
"They risked their lives to enter Green Serpent's headquarters to save you."
"They're the ones who brought you to this hospital."
I stared back at the ceiling.
Vela...
Anna...
I imagined them fighting outside the mansion.
Then charging inside anyway...
Just to find me.
"If they hadn't come..."
Reina continued,
"...after I sent an SOS through your A.R.M...."
"...you would've remained in suspended death much longer."
"And if it had lasted too long..."
"...there was a very high chance your brain would've suffered permanent damage."
I fell silent once more.
My chest felt strangely heavy.
"I see..."
"It looks like..."
"...I owe them a great deal."
Reina nodded firmly.
"You certainly do."
"I convinced Riven that you were dead."
"But after that..."
"...I entrusted your life to those two."
"I had no other choice."
She looked straight at me.
"The ones who truly saved you..."
"...were Vela and Anna."
I turned toward her.
"What about you?"
Reina blinked.
"If it weren't for you..."
"...I'd truly be dead as well."
Reina said nothing.
Several seconds later, she smiled softly.
"Now..."
"...that finally sounds like something you should say."
Then she crossed her arms with a quiet huff.
"So from now on..."
"...don't go dying so carelessly again, Arche."
I chuckled.
"Alright."
"I'll do my best."
***
The hospital waiting room had fallen silent once more.
On one of the long benches, Vela slept with her head resting against the wall.
Every now and then, a small laugh escaped her lips.
"Hehe..."
Anna, sitting beside her, could only sigh.
"What is she dreaming about this time...?"
She stood up and walked toward the reception desk.
"Excuse me."
The receptionist looked up.
"Yes, how can I help you?"
"I'd like to ask about a patient named Archemidas."
The receptionist nodded and opened a holographic display.
Her fingers quickly searched through the records.
"Hmm..."
"Patient Archemidas has passed the critical stage."
Anna unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
"He also regained consciousness just a few minutes ago."
"Even so, we recommend that family members and visitors avoid overstimulating him. He's still very weak."
"I understand."
"Thank you."
Anna gave a brief bow before returning to the waiting room.
Vela was still fast asleep.
In fact, her smile had grown even wider.
"Hehehe..."
Anna gently shook her head.
She tapped Vela's shoulder.
"Vela."
No response.
"Vela."
Still nothing.
Anna sighed.
"Vela."
This time, the girl slowly blinked.
"Hm...?"
"What is it...?"
"Arche's awake."
The words instantly erased every trace of sleepiness.
"Huh?"
"Really?!"
She jumped to her feet so quickly that she nearly lost her balance.
"Come on! Let's go see him!"
She had barely taken two steps before Anna stopped her.
"Wait."
"What?"
Anna pointed at her face.
"Are you really going to visit someone looking like that?"
Vela tilted her head.
"Huh?"
She touched her own cheek.
"..."
Only then did she notice a bit of drool at the corner of her mouth.
"Ahahaha..."
"In that case..."
"...I'll stop by the restroom first."
Anna sighed once again.
"Go ahead."
"Arche isn't going anywhere."
A few minutes later...
Vela emerged from the restroom with her hair neatly fixed.
Her face was bright again.
"Ready!"
"Let's go see him!"
Anna smiled faintly and walked beside her.
Halfway to the hospital room...
Anna suddenly spoke.
"Vela."
"Hm?"
"When we see him, don't mention that the Bio Synthetic Trauma Kit came from Olfein."
Vela blinked.
"Huh?"
"Why?"
"If you tell him..."
"...Arche will know we have connections with Olfein."
"That's not information we should be spreading."
Vela thought for a few seconds.
"Hmmmm..."
"Good point."
"Alright."
"I won't mention it."
Not long afterward, they stopped in front of a door.
A nameplate was attached to it.
ARCHEMIDAS
Vela raised her hand to open the door.
But...
Her hand froze in midair.
Anna looked at her in confusion.
"What?"
Vela turned around awkwardly.
"What..."
"...am I supposed to say when I see him?"
Anna simply sighed.
"Just say something normal."
Before Vela could reply—
Click.
Anna had already opened the door.
"W-Wait!"
Too late.
The door swung open.
Inside...
Arche was already sitting upright on the hospital bed.
Several tubes were still connected to his body.
He immediately turned toward them.
Vela walked in with an awkward laugh.
"A-Ahahaha..."
"H-How are you feeling, Arche?"
But...
Instead of answering...
Arche lowered his head.
"Thank you."
"Vela."
"Anna."
"You saved me."
"I owe both of you a great deal."
"If you hadn't come to Green Serpent's headquarters..."
"...I'd be dead."
"The reason I'm still alive..."
"...is because of you."
Vela froze.
"Huh...?"
"Oh..."
"R-Right..."
Her reply came out painfully stiff.
Anna began asking Arche about his condition.
But Vela barely heard the conversation.
Her mind was blank.
Her emotions felt strange.
She had never experienced anything like this before.
The person who had always seemed so strong...
Someone everyone could rely on...
Was now bowing his head to her.
"Arche..."
"The boy I once wanted to recruit..."
"The boy Anna once suspected because he cared too much about money..."
"And now..."
"...he owes me his life?"
The corners of her lips slowly curled upward.
Without her even realizing it.
"Ehehe..."
"Now that I think about it..."
"...he's completely helpless right now."
Tubes still covered Arche's body.
Without all those machines...
He probably wouldn't even survive.
"So that means..."
"...his life..."
"...is in my hands now?"
"Ehehe..."
"Vela."
"...Vela."
"Vela!"
She jolted.
"Huh?!"
Anna stared at her strangely.
Arche also looked puzzled.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"What's going on?"
Vela's face immediately turned bright red.
"Ah!"
"Ahahaha..."
"Sorry..."
"I was spacing out."
"What were you saying?"
Arche let out a quiet sigh.
"So..."
"How much do I owe you?"
"I probably don't have as much money as you do."
"But I'll pay it back."
"Just tell me the amount."
Vela immediately shook her head.
"There's no need."
"I'm... actually pretty wealthy."
She gave a small laugh.
"I'm not trying to brag."
"But I really don't need money in return."
Arche looked confused.
"Huh?"
"Then..."
"How am I supposed to repay all of this?"
Vela's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Then..."
"Just join our team!"
"You can repay us with your abilities!"
"I just happen to be looking for a veteran scavenger!"
Arche blinked.
"But..."
"I'm not a veteran scavenger."
"That doesn't matter!"
Vela answered without hesitation.
"The more members we have, the better our chances of surviving."
"Especially if it's someone like you."
Beside her, Anna silently watched the exchange.
Back then...
She really had doubted Arche.
She believed he was obsessed with money.
Someone difficult to trust.
But things were different now.
Arche owed Vela his life.
Not just an ordinary debt.
On top of that, Arche's combat abilities had already been proven.
If he joined their team...
Their growth would undoubtedly become much faster.
And Vela...
Would move one step closer to the recognition she had always dreamed of.
Perhaps...
One day...
They really would return to Olfein together.