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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Lian was unaccustomed to injuries.
Despite possessing an unparalleled, history-altering talent for healing, the mere sight of blood was enough to make her faint.
I remembered her saying when we first met, “I haven’t been on many battlefields, so I’m not used to blood and injuries.”
Ironically, she was the one who had witnessed more bloodshed than any of us…
Or perhaps, it was because of her past that she developed such a trauma.
In any case, I could understand her reaction.
I recalled an image of Lian standing at the very back during one of the first proper battles we fought together.
She had her eyes tightly shut, blindly casting healing magic in every direction.
Thank goodness Sola hadn’t been with us then.
If she had witnessed that scene, she probably would have blown a fuse, showering us with a torrent of insults and tears before storming off.
Even if Lian’s condition had improved over time, the deeply ingrained fear of blood wouldn’t have vanished completely.
It was understandable for her to react this way, seeing a former comrade inflict injuries upon himself.
Rain had changed as well, and Sola’s personality had undergone a noticeable shift.
I didn’t know much about Odrox, since we hadn’t known each other for very long.
Still, it wasn’t a short period either, so any changes in him wouldn’t be surprising.
Perhaps the years we spent on those brutal battlefields had tempered our spirits, leaving us less prone to such emotional outbursts.
“Ron… Ron… Ron…”
Lian reached out and touched my bandages, her fingers tracing the scars beneath as if trying to feel their depth.
Her voice was barely a whisper, low and filled with a sorrow that was difficult to ignore.
It was the kind of action that could easily be misinterpreted.
“Saintess, please refrain from touching him.”
Prometheus gently pulled Lian’s hand away from my face.
“W-What are you…”
“We don’t know what kind of germs might be on those bandages and scars. You’ve spent a long time secluded in the Church, your immune system must be weakened. It’s best not to…”
“Prometheus.”
Rain interrupted him, her voice sharp and laced with an authority I had never heard before.
Her golden mana flared, its presence pressing against Prometheus like a physical threat.
“Y-Yes… Yes…? Hero?”
“Watch your mouth.”
“W-What?”
From the moment we met to the day we parted ways, I had never seen Rain curse.
It was a simple phrase, “Watch your mouth,” nothing compared to the colorful insults others might hurl, yet for Rain to utter such words was shocking.
We were heroes, celebrated for our deeds, yet not everyone viewed us with respect.
Some, even those whose lives we had saved, hurled insults our way.
We each had our own way of dealing with it.
I would feign ignorance.
Odrox would remain stoic, politely brushing it off.
Lian would cry, and Sola would unleash a torrent of anger.
But Rain?
She would apologize, bowing her head to those who insulted her, as if taking the blame upon herself.
She would say, “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you sooner,” even when she had nothing to apologize for.
“H-Hero?”
Prometheus, stunned by Rain’s outburst, looked around for support, but Merton and Len avoided his gaze.
The others, including Sola and Odrox who had been on the verge of attacking each other just moments ago, were focused solely on Rain, as if waiting for her next words.
“You were about to say something.”
“W-Well, I… Hero…”
“Before that.”
This was getting out of hand.
If this continued, things would escalate further.
I pulled a potion from my bag, interrupting their tense exchange.
“Sorry to interrupt, but just give me a second.”
“What? What are you…”
I gently tilted Rain’s chin, whispering, “Just bear with me,” before prying open her mouth and pouring the potion down her throat.
It was a potent calming draught, purchased at a hefty price.
I had a feeling it might come in handy.
Merlin, the alchemist at the academy, was incredibly skilled, so the potion should have some effect, even if the academy’s overall standards were unknown.
Rain swallowed the thick liquid with a gulp, her movements momentarily stilled.
“There. Feeling better?”
“I… haven’t finished. You were saying something about the 7-Star title…”
That damn Merlin.
Maybe the potion needed more time to take effect.
I tried again, hoping to steer the conversation away from danger.
“Haha, don’t you think you were being a bit harsh?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t forgive him.”
Damn you, Merlin!!!!
Still, she was using polite speech now.
Perhaps a shred of reason had returned.
“B-But Hero, who is this man…?”
Prometheus finally voiced the fundamental question.
Rain hesitated, as if replaying her earlier outburst in her mind.
She glanced at me, her body trembling as the potion’s effects became apparent.
She was realizing the weight of her words, the inappropriateness of her actions.
She realized what she had done.
“W-Why did you heal him with that magic, Saintess? You healed my injury with a simple healing spell, even when half my face was gone…”
“That’s right…”
Len, recounting her gruesome experience with a disturbing lack of emotion, added fuel to the fire, causing Lian to flinch.
Had Rain intervened because she thought it wasn’t my place to explain?
“W-Well…”
Lian stammered, glancing at me before grabbing my sleeve, seeking support.
No, if you react like that now, it’ll only lead to more misunderstandings.
Grab Odrox’s sleeve… but his biceps… maybe not.
“He probably inflicts those injuries upon himself. It’s understandable for you to be shocked, seeing something like that for the first time.”
The explanation seemed to placate Lian, who nodded frantically.
She did appear genuinely disturbed, which lent credence to my words.
“But still…”
“Stop nitpicking and get to the point.”
Sola intervened.
“Right. Just let it go.”
Odrox joined in, the tension between him and Sola seemingly forgotten.
My unintentional intervention had inadvertently brought them together.
“What? But…”
Odrox silenced the three of them with a single blow from his greatsword.
A resounding clang echoed through the clearing as he struck their heads with the flat of his blade.
Thankfully, Lian and Rain reacted quickly, casting healing magic to prevent any serious injuries.
“Ugh…”
Sola, caught off guard, let out a soft groan.
With a flick of her wrist, Sola activated her teleportation magic, sending the trio away.
The moment they vanished, leaving only the four of us at the entrance of the Demon Realm, Lian let out a shaky breath.
“Thank goodness… That was close…”
“You guys work well together.”
“We’ve been keeping in touch, you know.”
“We received our 7-Star titles and worked together on several occasions. Especially me and Odrox, we teamed up quite often.”
“That’s right. Sola showed up every now and then, but Lian never came to our 7-Star gatherings, always busy receiving divine messages.”
“Is that so? So, Lian, you’re done with that?”
Their conversation, so familiar and reminiscent of our time together, brought a smile to my face.
But our trip down memory lane was short-lived. Odrox turned to me, his expression serious.
“So, what happened to you? What was with that self-harm? And why did you suddenly cough up blood?”
“Hold your horses, I can’t answer all those questions at once. Patience is a virtue, my friend.”
“Don’t joke around, Ron. I’m serious.”
He remained unchanged.
His imposing figure and serious expression, a thinly veiled threat, sent a shiver down my spine.
Even if he meant well, his approach was terrifying.
“Anyway, it was great seeing you all again! We should do this more often. Odrox, Lian, it was nice catching up! But I have to go now!”
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“Gulp.”
I tried to make a run for it, but failed miserably.
Odrox caught me by the scruff of my neck and dragged me back.
I was surrounded.
Lian, Sola, and Rain all stared at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
The weight of their attention was suffocating.
“Uh… Um…”
At that moment, a familiar, unwelcome sensation gripped my insides.
A churning, burning feeling that made me want to double over.
Oh no, not now…
But it was too late.
The pressure building in my gut was unstoppable.
“Urgh…”
I retched, a wave of nausea overwhelming me.
Thud!
Splat!
A wet, heavy mass landed on the ground, shattering the tense silence.
It made the already chilly atmosphere even more frigid.
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[This is the continuation of the previous chapter, it might have been a remake of the last chapter because its really similar, i dont really know. just as confused as you are]
Didn’t she completely heal him though? Or maybe it’s cuz of the curse