Seraya's cracked dome shattered. She cried out and staggered, clutching her arm as blood soaked through faster.
The elf worked the bolt again calmly, with no wasted motion, before the barrel swung back toward me.
Before the shot came, the narelith launched itself out of my arms in a desperate last attack, teeth bared. It went straight for the elf's ankle, jaws wide.
The elf didn't even look down, taking one smooth step back, then delivering a casual kick like he was swatting a fly. The narelith flew through the air and crashed into a stack of crates with a crack, vanishing in a cloud of dust and broken wood.
My stomach dropped. "Shit—"
The elf was already pointing the barrel at my chest again.
Then the far wall exploded inward in a shower of brick and mortar.
Mira burst through like she was shot from a cannon, her small frame moving with terrifying speed, silver hair whipping, black horns lowered like daggers. She didn't hesitate, slamming shoulder-first into the elf's side with every ounce of her strength. The impact knocked him sideways, and the rifle shot went wild, punching a hole through the ceiling instead of my heart.
Right behind her, Night rushed through the fresh gap in the wall. He clamped down hard on the elf's leg, the same one the narelith tried for, and yanked with a guttural snarl.
The elf hissed, twisted, and slammed the butt of the rifle into Night's skull to force him off. Night whimpered and let go, but didn't back up, circling him and growling low.
Mira put herself between me and the elf, fists clenched. Her eyes are locked on the sniper, breathing hard, but there's no fear in them. I'd never seen her like this, not even when she first crawled out of that cage.
From the broken crates came a faint, pained chirp.
The narelith was hurt, but not enough to be life-threatening.
I wanted to go to it, to help it and repay it, but I couldn't. Not with that barrel still aimed my way.
The elf straightened slowly, assessing the new arrivals. His gaze flicked once toward the broken crates, then back to me. For the first time he spoke, voice low and muffled by the scarf:
"Tsk… Minato's leftovers, huh? Seems his premonition was true after all."
He worked the bolt one more time.
At this point, Seraya had gotten her shit together enough to try another spell, palms out. "Tro-Ko sur!"
A thin silver whip lashed out from her good hand, a line of light aimed straight for the rifle barrel.
The elf jerked his head back just in time, narrowly avoiding being beheaded. The whip sliced clean through the stock instead, sparks flying as wood and metal parted. The rifle clattered to the ground in two pieces, useless.
He stared at the ruined weapon for half a second, the first crack in his calm, before he dropped into a crouch, his hand already reaching for a knife at his belt.
But it was too late. Seraya had given Mira all the time she needed. She closed the distance in a crouch and threw an uppercut with her good arm. The elf narrowly avoided the brunt, yet the simple graze on his jaw sent him stumbling back against the wall.
It seemed like we had the upper hand, and his balance was noticeably worse. As Mira took the opportunity to plunge her fist into him again, her knuckles were met by the cold steel of his knife. It was then followed by a leg-sweep that sent her tumbling to the ground, but she quickly grasped his sleeve and took him down with her.
"Mira—!" My voice cut off as a flash of metal flew from the elf's hand.
White-hot pain exploded in my chest.
I coughed, blood spraying across my lips. My shaky hands found the cold handle of a knife buried in my chest. Centimeters from my heart. I dropped to my knees, then slid sideways until my shoulder hit the wall next to Seraya.
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts…! I don't want to die. Stop... Someone—
My mouth opened on reflex, ready to whine, to yell "Ow!" like I always did.
But nothing loud came.
Just a choked, bubbling wheeze as blood sprayed my lips with every breath.
"Nngh… ahh…!"
The sounds were pathetic, small, nothing like the dramatic complaints I usually made. My hands shook around the handle, slick with red. I wanted to scream, but all that came was another wet cough.
Mira managed to push the elf of her and spun toward me, eyes wide. "Erdan!"
I tried to answer, but all that came was another wet cough and a weak, bubbling wheeze.
Then everything went black.
===
When I woke up, the ceiling above me wasn't made out of stone. It was, yet again, an unfamiliar roof of polished wood, high and fancy, with soft golden light filtering through tall windows. The air smelled like clean linen, herbs, and something faintly floral.
I was clearly in some kind of hospital, or whatever came close to it in this world. Bandages were wrapped tight around my bare chest, and an IV-like crystal tube dripped glowing liquid into my arm.
Two armored knights stood guard at the door — the same pair who'd escorted me to the Queen that first time. The blonde with the scar still looked just as intimidating, and the brown-haired one still had that long ponytail hanging out from under her helmet. They didn't move or speak, spears planted firmly on the ground. Two more guards were visible through the half-open doorway in the corridor.
My body felt heavy and distant, like it belonged to someone else.
How long had I been out?
"You've been out for four days," she said quietly, voice rough. "They carried you out right after the elf fled. Seraya kept you stable until the royal healers arrived."
Four days. That explained why I felt so weak and disoriented, and the way my voice sounded rough when I finally spoke.
"...Mira… you're hurt too."
She gave a tiny, tired shrug. "He caught my leg when he broke free. It's been treated, so I'll live. But you… you almost didn't."
Before I could say anything else, the door opened. A palace attendant stepped in, flanked by two guards.
"Hero Kernt is awake," the attendant announced, bowing deeply. "The Queen has been informed. She wishes to speak with you as soon as you are able."
He hesitated, then added in a lower tone:
"Commander Gux has been relieved of his training duties and placed on suspension for the next six weeks. He is to undergo mandatory protocol retraining and will not be permitted near you without direct royal approval. The Queen wished to execute him for gross negligence, but… your earlier forgiveness was taken into account. He is alive and grateful."
I stared at the ceiling for a moment, processing. Why was he going to be punished again?
"Master, it is related to the incident where the palace intruder attacked you. Guxanjux was the main cause, even if indirect, hence the punishment."
"I see…"
It seemed like I inadvertently saved someone's life with a simple apology. The authority I had in this world was almost frightening.
"Wh… what about the guy who attacked me first?" I asked, voice quieter than I meant it to be.
The attendant cleared his throat. "The tenebrim that assaulted the palace has been apprehended, Lord Kernt. One of the adventurers the Queen hired turned him in shortly after the incident."
"So Guthethya's safe? That's… good…" I trailed off, not sure why I felt relieved about someone I'd barely met.
The attendant gave a small bow and stepped back toward the door. "Her Majesty will arrive shortly. Please rest, Lord Kernt."
He and the two guards left quietly, the door clicking shut behind them. That left me alone once again with Mira… and the two knights standing watch.
Silence settled over the room again, thick and heavy. I stared at the ceiling beams, trying to piece together the last things I remembered: the crack of the rifle, the knife handle cold against my ribs, the pain, Mira's wide eyes when she saw the blood.
How pathetic. If only I'd listened and gone down the path Torren pointed out. But the question gnawing at me the most was…
"Why did it lead me down that path…?"
A warm hand settled over mine. I turned my head to find Mira still watching me, worry etched into her face.
"Is there something wrong, Master Erdan?"
A small snort escaped me. "Except for the gunshot wound? Everything's fine and dandy."
There was reaction to the sarcasm, just that steady, quiet gaze. I sighed.
"How long until I'm fully healed?"
"The healers said a few weeks. Your body has already adapted to this world's mana, so the recovery time is shorter than it would be for most."
I glanced at the glowing crystal tube snaking into my arm. "What about this thing? Kinda looks like an IV from my world. Not that I've ever actually seen one in real life."
Before Mira could answer, the blonde knight stepped forward and gave a formal bow.
"Allow me to explain, Lord Kernt. It is indeed called an 'IV' — something the 17th Hero, Christian Robbins, invented. He shared the concept with the Crimson Order, and they brought it into practice."
She straightened, expression turning grim as she met my eyes directly. "That kind of knowledge-sharing from heroes is… common. But the Crimson Sun Order's influence makes it difficult for Her Majesty to punish them as they deserve. Grand Priest Kuger went too far this time. The Queen is doing everything in her power to bring him to justice."
The knight gave one last bow and returned to her post.
I stared at the ceiling again.
Christian Robbins… another hero who left stuff behind. Yosuke left Mira and the narelith. This guy left medical tech… with the Crimson Order.
Something about that pattern made my gut twist.
"Mira," I said quietly. "How many heroes actually went ho-"
A knock on the door cut me off, followed by the creak of the door as it was swung open.
"Her Majesty has arrived!"
Before I could even blink, Queen Elisabeth Bernt Ravenshield III stepped inside alone, dressed in a simple dark gown that hugged her frame. Her long, curly red hair seemed to almost shimmer faintly in the light coming through the tall windows, falling in soft waves past her shoulders. She looked tired, lines etched around her mouth that hadn't been there (or maybe I just hadn't noticed) during our previous meeting.
The two knights snapped to attention, spears clacking against the floor in unison. Mira stiffened beside me, her hand slipping from mine as she bowed her head low almost instinctively, like she'd been trained for it.
"Lord Kernt," Elisabeth said, her voice steady but softer than in the throne room. She walked to the chair beside the bed and sat without waiting for an invitation, folding her hands in her lap. Up close, she smelled faintly of ink and something flowery.
"Elisa… Y-Your Majesty," I managed, my throat still rough. I tried to sit up straighter, but pain shot through my chest in protest.
She waved a hand dismissively. "Spare the formalities. You've earned that much after what happened."
Her amber eyes flicked to the bandages, then to the IV tube, lingering there for a second. "I'm glad to see you're awake. The healers tell me you'll make a full recovery faster than expected, thanks to your adaptation."
I nodded weakly, glancing at Mira. She hadn't moved, eyes fixed on the floor like she was afraid to look up. The narelith, probably hidden under the blankets, let out a tiny, muffled chirp, almost like it sensed the tension.
Elisabeth leaned forward slightly, her expression turning serious. "I came to apologize personally. The attack, the assassin, the Crimson Sun's involvement… it was a failure on my part. I underestimated Kuger's reach. He won't escape justice, but..."
She trailed off, jaw tightening. "Politics complicate things. The Order has allies in high places, even among the nobility."
"W-why tell me this?" I asked, my voice meeker than I expected. "I'm just... the hero. Not exactly a politician."
She met my eyes directly, something almost vulnerable flashing there. "Because you're not 'just' anything, Erdan. Heroes like you change the world, whether you mean to or not. Christian Robbins gave us tools to heal. Yosuke Minato left... complications." Her gaze slid to Mira for a split second, then back. "And you? You've already tamed a tenebrim and bonded with both a Dark Clan Fenrir and a narelith. That's not nothing."
Woah woah, since when is Night a Fenrir? That damn Mernel…
Mira shifted uncomfortably at the mention of 'taming' but stayed silent.
Elisabeth exhaled, straightening. "I won't keep you long, you need rest. But I offer you a choice: Stay here under my protection. Train, heal, prepare for Doomsday with the full might of Elysandria behind you. Or leave the capital. Take your companions, go where you will. I'll provide gold, supplies, even escorts if needed. But know this: The monsters are rising. Lumenari or not, the world won't wait for you to decide."
Stay and be a pawn? Or run and... what? Be free? Alone? In danger?
"What about the tenebrim?" I blurted, remembering the attendant's words. "The one that attacked. And Torren…. Seraya? They okay?"
Elisabeth's lips thinned. "Torren lives, though he'll bear scars. Seraya is with the healers, recovering. As for the tenebrim..." She paused, glancing at Mira again. "He's in custody. Raving about 'finding her.' We suspect a connection to your... slave." The word hung heavy, like an accusation she didn't mean.
Mira's head snapped up, eyes wide. "Me?"
The Queen nodded. "If you wish to see him, I can arrange it. But be warned… he's feral. Dangerous."
I swallowed, the twist in my gut tightening. Another broken thing in this world, just like the rest of us. A choice that would decide my fate, and whether I lived or died.
"What do you say, Hero Kernt?"
I stared at the Queen's expectant face, my mind a mess. Stay under her protection? Or leave the capital? Both options felt like traps.
If I stayed, I'd be a hero in name only, training and preparing for the Doomsday, but always under someone's control.
If I left... what then? Wander a world full of monsters, with a ragtag group that included an amnesiac servant, an ex-cultist, and a baby monster that saw me as its lifeline?
"I… I need time to think." I said, lowering my gaze to my lap.
The Queen studied me for a long moment after my mumbled request for time. Her expression didn't harden, but the faint lines around her eyes deepened.
"Very well," she said quietly. "Take the time you need. The palace is yours for as long as you wish to stay, or until you choose otherwise." She rose smoothly, the dark gown brushing against the floor. "Rest. Heal. When you have an answer, send word. I will listen."
She gave Mira the briefest, almost gentle nod, before turning toward the door. The knights snapped to attention again as she passed. The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving the room quieter than before.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, the bandages pulling tight across my chest with the motion.
Mira hadn't moved from her spot on the low stool. Her hands were folded in her lap now, knuckles pale. The narelith –– still mostly hidden under the edge of my blanket –– let out a single, small chirp, like it was testing the air after the Queen left.
I glanced down at it. The little creature's single white eye peered back, half-lidded, curious more than anything. It shifted slightly, pressing its matted fur against my side through the fabric.
"You okay?" I asked Mira, voice still rough from disuse.
She blinked, like the question caught her off guard. "...Yes, Master." A tiny pause. "Are you?"
"Still breathing. That's something." I tried for a half-smile; it probably looked more like a grimace. "You didn't have to stay the whole time, you know."
"I didn't want to leave you alone." She said it simply, no deference this time. Then, she added more quietly: "And the guards said I couldn't go far anyway."
There it was again: that faint dry edge under the words. Not rebellion, just… something real peeking through the cracks. I liked it more than the automatic bows.
Silence stretched for a bit. Not uncomfortable, exactly. Just heavy with everything neither of us wanted to say yet.
Eventually she broke it, glancing at the creature. "This thing came from him too. The same man who threw me away like nothing. And now it's… here. With you." A small, wondering tone crept in. "Doesn't that bother you?"
I looked down at the narelith. It tilted its head, single eye fixed on me like it was waiting for an answer too.
"Not really." I shrugged, but winced at the pull in my chest it caused, letting my shoulders fall back. "It's just here now. Kind of like everything else in this world. I'm more worried about what happens when it gets bigger and starts doing…whatever it is its kind does. But I'll figure that out when it happens."
Mira's lips twitched. Not quite a smile, but close enough.
There was another soft knock at the door.
A man stepped inside after a polite "May I?". He was middle-aged, with practical grey robes, sleeves rolled to the elbows, carrying a slim leather-bound notebook. He had the look of someone who spent more time with scrolls and tomes than with royalty. One of the royal alchemists, probably.
He bowed lightly. "Lord Kernt. I was asked to look in on your recovery… and the creature's progress."
His gaze flicked to the narelith, who perked up slightly at the new voice, ears twitching.
"Already seems a touch larger," he observed. "More alert, too. Just from being near you. The ambient mana you give off passively is sustaining it better than anything we managed in containment."
I blinked. "It's… growing already?"
"Yes." He tapped the notebook absently. "Narelith in their regressed state are exceptionally rare, almost never documented outside a handful of old hero accounts. But the few scattered records we have suggest that when one bonds closely with a summoner, especially a hero, it can develop far beyond what we've seen in isolation. Stronger cores, better control… some became true companions in past crises."
He spoke carefully, like he was choosing each word. "The queen has approved supervised exposure to denser mana zones. Short sessions only, in safe places like sealed training halls or certain relic gardens. Nothing forced. Just… experience. It would speed things along naturally. No risk to you, and potentially great benefit against what's coming."
He closed the notebook with a quiet snap. "No decision needed now. Think on it. The creature is already taking in traces of your mana signature. The more it absorbs, the more it will… reflect aspects of you."
He gave a small, professional nod. "Rest well, Lord Kernt. Miss Mira." He gave her the same respectful dip of the head he gave me before slipping back out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Silence returned, not as tense this time. I glanced at Mira, who was staring almost thoughtfully at the narelith again.
For the first time in days, this place felt less like a hospital and more like… somewhere I might actually rest.