Chapter 67

Swaying. Swaying.

My body feels hot, as if I'm floating on a cloud.

Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot.

Something cool touches my forehead. It feels good.

I open my eyes slightly, and through the blurred vision, I see Kiri's crying face. She's biting her lips tightly. Kiri, if you bite that hard, they'll split.

"Miss Shina, please, have a little. Unfortunately, this is all I have."

A thin soup with vegetable scraps, almost like water. It's not just cold, but icy. It feels good against my hot body.

"…Kiri, I have a fever…"

"The monster attacks have calmed down for now. Please, stop using the healing magic. You haven't slept since yesterday. You need to rest at a time like this."

"…Yeah, you're right. I'll rest a little."

I drink the small bowl of soup and burrow into the moldy blanket. Hot, hot. My body feels like it's burning. But I can't sleep. If I sleep, I might miss something. Lives that could be saved might not be.

"Miss Shina, I'll go get some ice, please wait…"

Kiri leaves with a small pot. I worry about her thin back. Ah, that bowl was probably not for Kiri. She must have given it to me again. Kiri hasn't been eating much either. She'll get even thinner.

But I couldn't move. My body felt as heavy as lead. My head ached as if it were being pounded, and my back was stiff and painful from the fever.

I remembered my childhood, when my parents were still alive. When I had a fever, my father gave me fruit, and my mother made me warm soup. My brother cooled my head with a wet cloth. I miss those days. We weren't rich, but we were loved and cherished.

But then the monsters attacked the village, and my family was gone. I was told to join the extermination team because I must hate the monsters and want to avenge them. Without the monsters, my family would still be alive and happy. I came here so that no one else would have to go through what I did. I have no regrets. But.

This place is worse than the hell I saw back then. People who were here yesterday are gone. Explosions, the smell of burning flesh, screams, and shouts.

Every day, I relive the pain I lost to the monsters that day.

"How long are you going to slack off, you useless thing!"

A loud voice echoed in the flimsy tent. At the same time, I felt a shock in my stomach, the taste of blood spread in my mouth, and my body hit the tent pole.

"Greed, Deputy Captain"

The one who kicked me with his large foot was Deputy Captain Greed of the Glass Forest Extermination Team. The deputy captain, covered in the blood of the monsters, plunged the tip of his sword into my right foot without hesitation.

"!"

A searing pain shot through my right foot, but I suppressed my voice. He was careful not to cause serious injury. The deputy captain moved the tip of the sword slightly, grinding it into my foot, and said dismissively:

"There are more injured people on the front lines. Wake up and heal them."

"...Yes."

As soon as the sword was pulled out of my right foot, I chanted a small spell and cast a healing spell on myself. No matter how exhausted I was, my abundant magic power allowed me to cast the healing spell without any problems. The heat and pain left my body, and I slowly stood up.

Deputy Captain Greed, having finished his business, left the tent without looking back. Good, I wasn't hit today. He seems to be in a good mood.

On my way to the place where the injured were gathered, I saw Prince Lector. He was with the marquis' daughter, his childhood friend. There won't be any healing magic from the marquis' daughter today, will there?

"Ah, it's you."

Prince Lector, my fiancé, called out to me while showing concern for the marquis' daughter. He was dressed in silk without a wrinkle, looking divine. It still feels like a dream that such a wonderful person is my fiancé.

"Today, Cindy isn't feeling well. I'm counting on you to take her place."

The marquis' daughter clung to Prince Lector's arm, looking genuinely unwell. If that's the case, the soldiers will complain, but there's no choice. They'll have to make do with my healing today.

I went to the place where the soldiers were lying and repeatedly cast healing and regeneration spells. I'm used to the smell of iron, the soldiers' frustration, and the bodies piled up in a corner. It's okay, it's okay. I can still move.

Floating, floating.

But something's wrong. My body is still hot.

Did the healing spell not work? That's never happened before.

Or maybe I can finally die. No matter how much my body hurts, how much pain I feel, how much I suffer, how tired I am, how hungry I am, I can't die because of the healing spell. Is it finally over? Just like this.

"It's not over. Shina, your body is fighting. Eat, sleep, and rest. You're getting stronger and healthier without relying on healing magic."

Someone is stroking my head. Is it Kiri? She's always there for me.

"Right. Kiri is always by my side. She's gone to get some medicine. She'll be back soon."

The cool sensation. It feels good. I like being stroked. Big hands. Gentle hands.

"You have a fever. The cool cloth feels good, doesn't it? I can stroke your head anytime."

It's a familiar voice. What's wrong? He doesn't seem to be in a good mood. Is he hungry?

"I'm just worried about you. Your fever has gone down a bit. That's good, Shina."

The sensation of my hair being brushed brings me back to consciousness. When I open my eyes, I see the sky I love.

Ruffled hair, a face covered in stubble. It's been a while, Gachimuchi Lion.

"Mr. Jin... Your beard... It's really long?"

"Hahaha. Yeah, it is."

Mr. Jin rubbed his cheek against mine. It hurts, the stubble is really poking me.

"Mr. Jin. My body feels heavy and hot. Do I have a fever?"

"Yeah. You've been bedridden for four days. Do you remember collapsing?"

Collapsing? Now that you mention it...

"Was it when you smashed the door?"

"Yeah, that's it. It's been four days since then. Shina, you collapsed and immediately developed a high fever. You haven't regained consciousness since. According to Old Sand, it's due to a memory flashback."

"Memory flashback?"

"Yeah. Even though you thought the experiences in the extermination team were over, they deeply hurt your heart. A small trigger four days ago probably caused the flashback."

What was I thinking back then? I was talking to Adam, and he asked why I had such knowledge. I thought it was because of the extensive experience I gained in the Glass Forest Extermination Team. Then, my childhood memories as Shina came back, and my heart couldn't take it.

"I'm so weak."

I'm not just Shina anymore. There's an adult Mina with me, so why do I waver so easily?

"You're not weak, it's a normal reaction. Even trained, experienced soldiers are haunted by memories of the battlefield. For a child who hasn't fully grown, experiencing such things is out of the question."

Mr. Jin said this as if scolding me. He's a bit angry, but not at me, probably at the Daido Kingdom.

"Mr. Jin, I had a dream."

I told Mr. Jin about the dream. It wasn't a good dream, but if I kept it to myself, I might not have been able to bear it. Mr. Jin listened without saying a word as I spoke.

"I'm worried about Kiri. She gives her food to me. Mr. Jin, is Kiri okay?"

The line between dreams and reality was still blurry, and I voiced my biggest concern. Kiri's back was thin, and her bones were showing. I only have Kiri, and if I lose her, I might go insane. Mr. Jin gently took my hand, which was trying to get up, and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Don't worry. Kiri is also being guided by Old Sand to eat properly and drink medicine every day. She's gained more weight than when we first met, thanks to your delicious cooking. There's no need to worry."

"Right. That's true. Mr. Jin, thank you for helping Kiri."

When I thanked him, Mr. Jin's words faltered. His blue eyes were moist.

"I'll protect you. I'll protect everything you care about. No matter what it takes, I'll protect you. So you don't have to worry anymore. Don't worry about anything, just leave everything to me."

A gentle hand stroked my hair. It felt so good that I leaned into it. Yes, Mr. Jin's hand is strong, big, and reassuring.

"…Okay. Mr. Jin, I'll sleep a little. Please take care of me while I sleep…"

When I wake up, I'll try again.

Until then, it's okay to rely on this hand.

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I put Shina's hand back under the blanket. Her fever has gone down a lot, and she's taken a little water.

She seemed to have had a bad dream, but Shina was more concerned about Kiri than her own pain. It's typical of her, but I really wish she would take better care of herself.

"Kiri, are you okay?"

Kiri, who had returned from Old Sand, was crying silently with her face covered. I made sure not to disturb Shina's sleep.

When I spoke, she looked up, nodded strongly, and wiped away her tears.

"Miss Shina, in the Glass Forest Extermination Team, no matter how much pain she endured, she never complained."

Kiri spoke quietly, leaning close to Shina.

"Even when she was insulted, hit, and hurt, she ran around that hell every day, trying to keep the soldiers healthy and save as many lives as possible. I never heard her ask for anything in the extermination team. She only gave and never received, not even once."

Kiri looked straight at me.

"Miss Shina changed after leaving the extermination team. She became more honest and started to express her own desires. When she said she wanted to marry Prince Jinkret, I was so happy. It was the first time she wished for her own happiness."

That's right. Shina doesn't have many desires. She always thinks about giving to others.

"Though it may be presumptuous of me to say, Prince Jinkret, please, please take good care of Miss Shina. She looks the happiest when she's by your side."

Kiri bowed to me as if in prayer. Her eyes were filled with the desperate hope of a mother wishing for her child's happiness.

When I first met her, I thought she was strong. Despite her frail and tattered body, she exuded a determination to protect Shina. She was like a wall standing in the way, yet soft and enveloping, clumsily but desperately staying by Shina's side.

To be recognized by such a person to be by Shina's side is a great honor.

"Kiri, for Shina to be happy, you are essential. Her happiness includes your happiness. Let me protect you. Let me protect everything Shina cares about. Please."

Kiri's face relaxed. If I can take a little of her burden, that's good enough. But.

"If I say this, Barry will be angry. He'll say it's his job to protect Kiri."

The words slipped out before I could stop them. I wondered if I had made Kiri uncomfortable, but... there she was, blushing and looking down.

...Hey Barry, you've not only taken the outer defenses but the main fortress as well.

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