Ep 171. I'm Always Right Here. (4)

  The first thing Serenis noticed was the clumps of mana that were closing in.

  The sed thing she noticed were the sounds of approag footsteps, g through the forest’s snow and leaves.

  And finally wheurned her head, she could see Karas returning to camp, his student sound asleep in his arms.

  “I see you’ve found her, Karas.”

  “Ah, yes – quite easily at that. We had a small chat, and she fell asleep not long after.”

  “I see. Is everything alright then?”

  “…Actually, about that-“

  Karas’ tongue was on the verge of expining what had happened outside of the dragonlord’s awareness: from the moment the world had frozen at the Archive, to the small chat he’d just had with Rien.

  But the professor soon stopped himself, the Historian’s voice lingering in his head.

  - ‘It’s best others don’t listen to this.’

  The Historian had go of his way to prevent Serenis from listening to them – of the temporary ge he’d incurred in Light that had allowed his short reunion with Rien.

  ‘Why?’

  It wasn’t that Karas particurly trusted the deity, of course – and definitely not more than Serenis, who he’d now known for quite some time.

  But even so, the academic felt a pang of relu telling her everything that had went on – not jut for the Historian’s sake, but for his own and Light’s as well.

  And if he were to leave the past behind, then it made seo leave it in the dark.

  “…Karas?”

  When Serenis probed him once more, Karas seemed to abruptly awaken from his train of thought. He hurriedly turo face Serenis afterwards, rushing to ahe dragonlord.

  “Ah, my apologies. This may seem a bit offtopic, but…Serenis, do you perhaps know of what the Historian’s divinity is?”

  “I do not. In fact, I was hoping you would.”

  “Is that so…”

  Karas’ voice trailed off as a small frown crossed his expression. From the way Zenon had bahem from the Archive, as well as what he’d doo Light, the answer seemed retively simple.

  As, it was only an assumption – and one he was rather relut to share.

  “Judging by your voice, I’m assuming you aren’t aware, either.”

  Karas looked to Serenis once more.

  As torn as he was on what to say, the need for an immediate answer only allowed the simplest response from him.

  “…No. I’m afraid not.”

  ? ? ?

  Truth be told, Serenis thought their troubles were, for the time being, over.

  Felicir was no more, with Karas alive and well. They’d at least firmed the existence of the Historian and their whereabouts, and several other divinities had bee with in the process. All that remained was t Raizel home, where Karas would be able to trahe youngling’s essence back to the body it belongs in.

  And the matter was, in fact, simple. As soon as they arrived at Ilias’ in the m, Karas had rushed into the bedroom where Raizel was: the entire room had turned into a g home of sorts, with Ilias and Elig over the unscious steel dragon.

  Even as Serenis, Light and Karas poured into the room, no ohered to share pleasantries or the like; instead, Karas briskly approached the bedside with the spider in tow, delivering Raizel from the critter Felicir had trapped her in.

  And not long after, the body that had remained dormant for so long immediately stirred awake, bringing a surge of relief to everyone involved.

  The relief was especially evident for Eline, who colpsed onto the floor once she saw Raizel stir awake.

  “Oh, thank goodness…I thought I was doing something wrong the eime…”

  Meanwhile, Theolus hopped off from the herbalist’s shoulder, squirming over to the bedside where Raizel was.

  The little bck dragon stared at the awoken youngling for a time, before waving a short hello.

  “Gwood mwoning!”

  “…Ugh. Yeah…good m, I guess.”

  Raizel then began to examine her body, seemingly testing how much of it still funed as she remembered.

  Unfortunately, she couldn’t help but grimace at her g state.

  ‘Tch. ’t even feel my leg right now…’

  And as soon as the youngling tried to get off the bed and onto her feet, Eline jumped back up, rushing to press Raizel back down onto the bed.

  “Wait, you ’t get up!”

  “What? Why the hell not? I’m fine, I just o move around a bit.”

  “You are NOT fine!”

  A brief silensued following the herbalist’s sudden shout.

  However, the fact that she’d just screamed at a dragon’s face didn’t seem to bother Eline o. She instead tio press Raizel further down unto the bed, apanied by plenty of reasons as to why the youngling should stay there.

  “Raizel, right? Listen here. You might feel okay right now, but that’s because I applied a ton of medie on your left leg. If you get up and walk around, y’s going to colpse.”

  “Colpse? The hell do you mean, colpse?”

  “I mean literally colpse. Like a sandcastle.”

  “…”

  “It might look okay, but y’s barely holding itself together. You absolutely ot get up.”

  “…As if an arm wasn’t enough.”

  Sighing, the youngling quit resisting the herbalist’s pressing, letting herself sink back to the bed.

  Eline likewise let out an exasperated sigh, before turning to everyone else in the room.

  “…Sorry. Could you all e back ter? Now that she’s awake, I o look over some things again.”

  After a few nods, everyone began to exit the room in silence. Ilias quickly brought Theolus into her arms, bringing the hatg outside with her.

  But even as everyoed the room, Serenis came to a brief stop before closing the door, turning back to face the herbalist.

  “…Eline.”

  “Yes?”

  “Will Raizel…”

  Be alright, is what she’d meant to ask.

  But truthfully, the answer was obvious: even if her leg were to somehow return to normal, the missi arm never would. Uhe absence of wings or horns, the absence of an arm was far more visible, and far more detrimental.

  Hehe question itself ointless.

  But as if knowing what the dragonlord had wao say, Eliurned a small grin, answering without hearing the question in full.

  “I’ll try my best.”

  “Pft, you’re all worried about nothing. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

  As even Raizel chimed in to reassure her, Serenis’ gaze fell to the floor.

  She soon turned back around to leave, closing the door after a short, quiet answer.

  “…Thank you.”

  As the door soundlessly closed behind her, Serenis let out another exasperated sigh. She khat Raizel’s current state was far better than what would have been without help, but she heless felt responsible for their misfortunes.

  However, as if to deny even a moment of respite, the ’s entrance soon creaked open to reveal Bruton aher.

  “Mom! Dad! You’re back!”

  Despite their daughter’s greeting, the two elders only returned a curt nod towards their daughter. They both sed the interior, making their way straight towards the dragonlord as soon as she otted.

  “…Lord Serenis. I see you’ve returned.”

  “For the time being, yes. I was w where you two were. Is something the matter?”

  “…Well…”

  As Brutoated to deliver the news, his partner shook her head. She approached a step closer to intervene, gesturing towards outside.

  “Serenis…the other elders wish to speak with you. We came as soon as we heard that you were back.”

  “…The elders? What of?”

  “It’s probably best you hear it for yourself.”

  While Serenis remained quizzical, she had little reason to doubt the twons before her. Both Bruton aher seemed to be in a hurry, and she had no mind to dey an urgent matter ing her kin.

  Serenis briefly spared a gowards the others to exge curt nods with one another. Karas and Light knew better than to involve themselves in the dragonkins’ affairs without being io – and Ilias knew she had to remain behind, if only to tend to their home.

  And if the past few days were anything to go by, her parents would deny her from apanying them anyways.

  Praybird