Soft shadows slipped through the window, quietly dancing across the walls.
Haruka slowly woke up, the first thing she felt being a light dizziness spinning in her head.
She blinked her eyes, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above her.
When she looked around, she found herself lying on a soft bed in a room she didn't recognize.
Beside her, "Yu" was sitting calmly, reading a book in his hands.
He lifted his eyes when he noticed her movement and said in a low voice that carried a hint of relief:
"You're finally awake."
Haruka looked at him with wide eyes, ignoring the dizziness, and asked:
"Where… where am I? The last thing I remember is that I fell…"
Then her eyes widened suddenly as she shouted:
"Emi! Is she okay?!"
Yu looked at her calmly, then hit her head with the corner of the book and said:
"She's fine, you idiot."
She screamed while holding her head and replied:
"That hurts, you bastard!"
He said:
"Hah? I didn't even hit you with the strength of my palm. Stop pretending."
She replied angrily:
"How about you give me the book and I train its corner on your head, and then you'll see whether I'm pretending or not?"
He replied:
"Hah? And why would I do that?"
She answered:
"Because I know you did it on purpose, that's why you don't want to give it to me."
While they were arguing…
At that moment, the door slowly opened, and Emi entered carrying a small bowl in her hands.
"Haruka! You finally woke up! I was really worried… you slept for two whole days!"
"What?! Two days?!" Haruka said in shock.
Yu said:
"You really worried me. I thought you were dead."
Haruka looked at him and said:
"Were you worried about me?!"
He replied:
"Of course."
Haruka thought to herself in shock:
(D-Did he have this gentle side??)
Then Yu added:
"After all, you haven't paid me anything yet. You can die after returning the money."
Haruka was shocked and said:
"Damn this money-obsessed bastard! What was I thinking to even believe he was nice?!"
Emi approached with a smile and handed the bowl to Haruka:
"Drink this. It's a soup made from healing herbs. It will help you feel better."
Haruka took the first sip, then frowned and stuck out her tongue, saying:
"It's bitter!"
Emi laughed softly and said:
"I know… but you have to drink it if you want to recover."
Haruka forced herself to drink it until the end, then suddenly noticed that the hand which had been injured was completely healed.
She stared at it in surprise, and Emi noticed and said gently:
"Sora is the one who healed your wounds. She's a healer."
Haruka thought in amazement:
(Wow… they can heal wounds with magic too? That's amazing!)
Yu stood up from the chair and said calmly:
"Alright, we can go now."
Emi shouted as she approached:
"What?! I don't think she's fully recovered yet!"
But Haruka slowly got up from the bed and said:
"I'm fine, Emi. I can walk, and my wounds are completely healed."
Yu smiled and said as he headed toward the door:
"You heard her, Emi."
Before they left, Emi waved to them from the guild entrance and said:
"Take care of yourselves!"
…
Yu and Haruka went out into the streets of the capital, walking among the crowds and markets.
Time passed in silence until Yu looked at her face and noticed that she seemed a little distracted, her gaze sad.
He said calmly:
"They told me what you did."
Haruka looked at him, then sighed:
"Ah… so they told you."
A wide smile appeared on his lips as he said sarcastically:
"If I had been there, I would have burst out laughing at what you did."
Then he burst into laughter as he walked ahead.
Haruka's face turned red with embarrassment, and she said while trying to stop him:
"Stop!!"
But he continued mocking her, imitating her voice:
"I will make this world a safe place!"
And he burst out laughing again.
She ran toward him and lightly slapped his arm. He smiled and lowered his voice, saying:
"…But you did the right thing."
Then he gently patted her head, smiling.
At that moment, before she could reply—
Suddenly, a faint magical boom was heard, accompanied by lights dancing behind one of the alleys.
To be continued…