Chapter 16: Salvation
Lilia was speaking calmly with her two friends behind the shop counter when the bell above the door suddenly rang.
She turned instinctively and began in a flat tone,
"Welco—"
Her words stopped short.
Akira staggered into the shop, his body drenched in blood, one trembling hand clutching his chest. He didn't say a word. He swayed… then collapsed onto the floor.
The two girls rushed toward him. One of them knelt beside his body, examining him with experienced eyes.
"Two bullets to the chest… massive blood loss. Anyone else would be dead by now."
Lilia stepped closer, staring at him silently for a long moment before asking,
"Do you know him?"
Her friend answered without hesitation,
"Not really. He's only visited the shop twice recently."
The other girl murmured uncertainly,
"I think he only recently became a Hunter…"
The second girl glanced at Lilia cautiously.
"So… what are you going to do?"
A brief silence followed.
Then Lilia whispered,
"…We save him."
She dropped to her knees, placing her palm over Akira's chest, murmuring words too faint to hear.
A soft golden light bloomed from her hand and flowed into his body. The wounded area shifted unnaturally—forcing the bullets out as flesh and muscle began to regenerate at an abnormal speed.
"He'll live," Lilia said calmly. "But he's lost a lot of blood."
One of the girls smirked lightly.
"He'll wake up owing you his life."
Lilia stood, eyeing the blood stains on the floor with irritation.
"Let's clean this up before a customer walks in and finds a bleeding corpse."
She lifted Akira effortlessly and carried him to the storage room, laying him down on a makeshift bed. Moments later, she returned with cleaning supplies.
"Girls… it's time to clean."
"I'm not helping," Luna said firmly, arms crossed, glaring at Lilia.
Clara replied with a teasing but warm tone,
"Oh, you will. You're her favorite, aren't you? I doubt you'll refuse."
Luna sighed in defeat.
"You'll owe me a favor."
Clara smiled gently, patting her shoulder.
"No need. I'm always on your side, right?"
Lilia cut in sharply,
"Enough. This boy was injured in a fight between humans. If someone tracks him here, we're in trouble. Move fast."
They cleaned the corridor in silence, each moving with practiced efficiency—as if this wasn't the first time they'd dealt with such a situation.
After a few minutes, Lilia looked up at her friends.
"Luna, Clara… can you take him to the inn? I can't be seen in the streets right now."
"No problem," Clara replied.
She wrapped Akira in a thick blanket and carried him carefully out the back door, where a vehicle was waiting. Luna opened the door, helping her place him in the back seat.
Without another word, they drove off into the city.
In this city, sheltering an injured stranger was nothing unusual.
But deep in their hearts… each of them felt that this boy—Akira—would not remain a mere passerby.
---
Three days later.
Akira slowly opened his eyes, his body feeling unnaturally heavy. Then a simpler thought overtook him.
This ceiling… he didn't recognize it.
He sat up slowly. The bed beneath him was soft—too soft. The room was quiet… far too quiet.
Then a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Finally awake! I thought you decided to sleep forever."
That childish, teasing face appeared in the corner of his vision—the girl whose voice usually echoed inside his head.
Alice continued cheerfully,
"Did you enjoy the comfortable bed? Don't tell me you're starting to like luxury. That's not like you."
Akira ignored her, immediately placing a hand on his chest, searching for pain—for proof that what happened hadn't been a dream.
"Where am I?" he asked seriously.
Alice's tone lost its playfulness.
"You're safe. This is Lilia's house."
She paused before adding,
"She's the one who saved you. After you lost consciousness, she brought you here."
Memories flooded back—pain, bullets, blood… then darkness.
He pulled aside his clothes, searching for the wound. There was nothing. His skin was unblemished—as if nothing had ever happened.
"I… healed?" he whispered.
"Yes," Alice replied simply.
She explained what had happened while he was unconscious, keeping the details light and cautious.
After a moment of silence, Akira asked warily,
"They didn't do anything strange to me… right?"
Alice hesitated.
"Hmm… no."
The mental link cut abruptly.
"…?"
Akira frowned.
"What the hell did they do to me?"
After a pause, Alice answered coldly,
"Forget it. It doesn't matter. It's better you don't know."
"…Fine."
"I'm leaving."
He got out of bed and approached the door. No handle. No lock.
"How do you open this thing?"
"With the digital panel," Alice said, pointing beside it.
Akira touched the panel—
A piercing alarm blared.
He jumped back, eyes wide.
"What's happening?!"
"Idiot!" Alice snapped. "You triggered the alarm!"
Footsteps rushed closer. The alarm stopped, and the door slid open automatically.
A girl with short hair and dark skin stood there, wearing a blue dress that draped elegantly over her body.
She wasn't looking at him kindly.
Her eyes were sharp—filled with anger.