Tensei Oujo wa Kyou mo Hata o Tatakioru Chapter 85

   After reluctantly letting go of me, Michael turned to face the other two.

   However, Wolf and the doctor seemed to be having a hard time believing in magic. The Kingdom of Nabel still had users of magic, but other countries thought it absurd and pa.s.sed it off as rumors. But Michael was set to prove them wrong. He cut his own hand with a knife and healed the wound in front of their eyes.

“There are still limits to my healing powers.”

   Michael uttered, breaking the silence in the room.

   Even if it was called ‘healing magic’, not everything could be cured.

   It seemed that he could only bring out the innate self-healing power of that human being.

“I can’t cure illnesses or wounds that require medication or surgery to heal. It’s the same with poison as well.”

   He said all he could do was ‘close the wound’.

“If you can stop the bleeding, then that’s plenty.”

   Wolf quickly regained composure after finding himself speechless from surprise and nodded, saying that he could use any help he can get.

“However, there are dangers with the magic. Since the procedure forces the body to heal, it requires considerable physical strength. If his body gives in before the wound closes…”

   Michael’s words trailed off at the end but I understood. I gathered the meaning behind it.

   I dropped my line of sight down towards Klaus. Will he have enough strength left to fight his large wounds, despite being as pale as a sheet?

   My head turned blank. I felt as if I could crumble if I didn’t pull myself together.

“Then, even more reason to begin the procedure now.”

“Yeah. Let’s get started.”

   Wolf and the doctor agreed with powerful conviction in their voices.

   Following the other two that went back to work, Michael turned around and began his preparations. The only one left unsure of what to do was me.

“Mary.”

“Y-Yes!”

   I raised my face after Wolf called. My body tensed when I thought that I would be scolded again.

   But what happened was far from

it. Instead, Wolf sent me a gentle gaze.

“Don’t wear yourself out. Have a seat over there.”

“N-No! I will also stay here…”

“I won’t kick you out. Please calm yourself down, and be a voice to guide him.”

“Eh?”

   I had always thought that one day, when I can’t be of any use, they would tell me to go away. And when that happens, I would have no right to be there alongside them. I had always thought so.

   Once tears started blurring my vision, Wolf smiled bitterly as he called out to me, telling me to stop.

“I am certain your voice will reach him, so please don’t cry.”

“…Yes!”

   I wiped my tears and knelt down beside Klaus.

   Staring at his face, I gently brushed away the strands on his cheeks with my fingers. As I heard a dry, faint sound, red powder crumbled onto my hands. Was this Klaus’ blood or someone else’s? I did not know. His whole body was covered in blood.

   His figure was sullied with blood and dirt, and underneath it all were countless cuts and wounds running through his skin. How much effort did he put forth when trying to protect me? How tirelessly did he fight for my sake?

“Klaus.”

   I softly stroked his cheek. My other hand held onto the back of his hand. The size difference was so jarring, it seemed as if he was the one holding my hand instead.

“Klaus, please.”

   ‘Do your best.’

   I repeated those words numerous times. As I lost count, Klaus’ body flinched.

   His eyes remained closed but creases were carved deeply between his brows. It was clear that he was in pain. Klaus leaked out a groan once the agony became unbearable.

   His pained voice blended together with the sound of a knife cutting through flesh. An incision without anesthesia was not just painful, it was torture.

“Ugh…!!”

“Klaus!”

   I firmly grabbed both of his large hands. It might hinder the operation, but I couldn’t stand doing nothing.

   I called out his name again and again like an idiot.

“Hold that side down!”

“Understood!”

   Michael responded to Wolf’s

Wolf’s instructions. Klaus’ body that contorted to escape from the pain was being pinned down by two people.

“Ku-AAAAAAHHHH!!”

   The piece of cloth that held his voice fell off from his mouth. His piercing scream rang out like a beast’s roar.

   He’ll bite his tongue like this!

   In a hurry, I tried to insert the cloth back into his mouth but that was an impossible task while he was moving about.

   In the end, he bit down hard. A stream of blood flowed from the corners of his lips.

   I believed that he had bit his tongue and turned blue from shock.

“Klaus! Klaus!!”

   While holding onto his face, I shouted out his name.

   *Gachan!*

   The metal tools were dropped.

   The doctor took a deep breath before yelling to Michael.

“It’s done! I’ll leave the rest to you, boy!”

“Yes!”

   As Michael answered the doctor, his hands were already over the incision.

   His eyes, glaring sharply at his hands, were filled with an unyielding will. Sweat started popping up on his forehead. It was apparent this took a lot of concentration. Right in front of me, his eyes turned from black to a mixture of blue and green. It was not bright like Lutz’s or Theo’s but instead was rather complex and beautiful, like a clear, deep lake.

   Michael’s hands were now emitting a warm light. The soft glow brightly illuminated the surroundings and painted shadows on his delicate face.

   It took some time before Klaus showed any signs of change.

   His stiff body started to relax, the fingers that gripped the sheets loosened, and the veins that throbbed on his hands faded.

   It’s good that you’re feeling better.

   But after I saw his complexion, I realised it was still too early to judge.

   Klaus’ brows no longer had wrinkles between them. Instead of feeling relieved, it made me even more uneasy. He looked too relaxed, like a doll without life.

   My uneasiness didn’t subside and Klaus’ back muscles began contracting uncontrollably.

   I felt his back with my hand. It was ice cold. The terror I felt then made me want to scream.

   I could hear Death’s

hear Death’s shallow footsteps approaching.

“K…Klaus!!”

   I cried out as loud as I could to shake off my fears.

“I won’t forgive you! If you die without my permission, I will never forgive you!”

   My voice was shaken as my body quivered. But I continued my cries regardless.

“Aren’t you my escort?! How dare you die at a place like this?! How irresponsible can you get!?!”

   I wanted to slap myself for saying that.

   He had protected me countless times already. He had also worked his hardest and fulfilled his duties.

   I was the one who was irresponsible. I had wanted to go to a dangerous place like this, and yet I still had the audacity to depend on others to protect me when I couldn’t even protect myself.

   Hey, Klaus. I wonder if I shouldn’t have asked you to come with me.

   Or if I shouldn’t have gone on a journey in the first place.

   I thought that a powerless girl like me could change the world. And now you were paying the price for my arrogance.

   My large teardrops fell onto the back of Klaus’ hand. They mixed with the dried blood and traveled down to the sheets, creating a thin, red line.

“Klaus… Hey, Klaus!”

   If you die now, how will I ever repay you?

   I rejected your advances to close our distance many times.

   Whether it be your love or your obstinate loyalty, I had never tried to understand you better.

   No matter how much time pa.s.sed, you were always an awkward and troublesome escort.

   Since the time we first met, nothing had changed. No. I had thought that nothing had changed.

   I relied on you.

   Even when I thought that I hated it, or when I thought that it was troublesome, I still relied on you.

   Thinking about it, you were just like a real brother to me.

“E-Even if you die, I will go on without you! And if you die, I will leave you right here! Got that?!”

   Thinking back, I was just spouting nonsense.

   I was throwing a tantrum like a child. Even a five year-old probably had a better had a better vocabulary than I did.

  What I said was hideous, but I couldn’t stop myself. Silence was more terrifying than anything.

“You won’t be able to go back to Nabel… You don’t even know anyone here! When you die, no one will come to bury you!… And my escort will be someone else! Is that alright with you?!”

   My voice was truly shaken.

   It became hard to make out what I was saying. It didn’t make much sense in the first place. It was nothing but hysteria.

   Still, it reached him.

   There was only one person I wished my voice could reach right at that moment.

“That would be… a problem.”

“!?”

   I couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

   First I thought something was wrong with my ears, then I doubted my eyes.

   The hand that I was holding moved slightly. Those hands that lost their strength and temperature took hold of my hands. I could not express in words how much it surprised me.

   As I watched Klaus speechlessly, his eyelids slowly opened.

   Those emerald eyes didn’t focus at first but they began to gradually start moving.

   His eyes surveyed the room left and right before finally landing on my figure, and they gently stared up at me.

“Rosemary-sama.”

“…”

   *Hic*

   My lips trembled. I wanted to call out to him but the words were stuck at the back of my throat. I wanted to know that this was not a dream. I stared at him, but I couldn’t see very well. My eyes were blurred by tears, and my vision was distorted. It seemed I couldn’t rely on my eyes either. Why was I so useless at times like this?

   A teardrop flowed down my face. My throat was sore and my ears m.u.f.fled.

“Ah, please don’t cry. I can’t move my body.”

   Klaus was troubled and muttered softly.

“I can’t wipe your tears like this.”

   What was he talking about?

   He’s not going to do something stupid like that. I won’t allow it.

   And I won’t thank him either.

   Klaus, who then decided to be a little mean to me, closed his eyes and laughed.