༺ Eve (1) ༻
Renee evoked her divinity.
The elf waited with their severed arm pressed against the lacerated surface, and widened their eyes at the sight of their severed arm reattaching.
“This is…”
“It’s fortunate you brought your arm. Even with divine arts, I can’t regrow a severed arm.”
In response to the words she uttered with a slight smile, the elf wept and conveyed their gratitude.
‘Thank… Thank you…”
“It’s to repay you for your hospitality all this time.”
There was a cry of gratitude in their voice. Renee, who was deeply moved and relieved by their tears of joy, sincerely believed all the hard work she devoted into divine arts was worth it.
“Then I’ll go examine the next individual.”
As Renee stood up, Vera, who had been by her side until then, led Renee to the next person.
This time, the patient’s waist was torn and their organs were protruding.
“Their intestines are spilling out and the left side of their waist is torn off.”
Vera’s role was to examine the patients and inform Renee of their condition.
Vera didn’t enjoy this role. It was only natural since he was describing the cruel scene to Renee.
Nevertheless, because Renee was very enthusiastic about healing the elves, he performed this role without complaint.
When the appearance of Renee as she cared for the patients and the Renee who once cared for him in the slums overlapped, Vera was reminded of the past and a firm smile flickered across his lips.
The thought emerged that the light which illuminated his desolate world, the noble and benevolent Renee, already existed.
Vera narrated the healing process of the wound. He stole a glance at Renee’s figure who was mending the flesh by spreading divinity over the elf’s waist.
“The bleeding is stopping gradually and the intestines are recuperating. However, regenerating any more of their flesh may have a negative impact on you. It would be more beneficial to suture the remaining sections and allow them to regenerate naturally.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“I’m simply performing my duty. One moment.”
Vera sat down beside Renee and began to stitch the elf’s waist.
Renee uttered words as she felt the rustling of Vera’s movements and the occasional groans of the elf.
“Where did Vera learn this kind of medical technique?”
“I learned it on my own when I was a kid. I lived in a slightly dangerous neighborhood.”
“Oh…”
She wanted to ask where this dangerous neighborhood was, but held herself back since she knew that Vera didn’t intend to tell her about his past anytime soon.
When she inquired once, he replied–’It wasn’t a nice place.’ Thus, she gave up halfway after she received such a response.
“It’s finished.”
While she was engrossed in such thoughts, Renee nodded her head in response to those words, then stood up and provided the elf with suggestions regarding their recovery.
“You must not overdo it for a while. Even though your flesh is all intact, please get plenty of rest.”
“T-Thank, y-you…”
Huu~ Huu~. It was difficult to explain, but there was a sense of serenity.
Renee began to examine the patient again, feeling that the right feeling to call it was fulfillment.
Friede tilted their head while watching the two of them from afar.
‘Happiness? Relief?’
It was the emotions that arose from the siblings who had undergone treatment.
Why did your previous feelings of resolution and acceptance change?
Friede contemplated the mechanisms of emotions and promptly arrived at a conclusion.
‘Ah, those emotions appeared because they received an unexpected fortune.’
Their death had been an established truth, yet they were fortunate to have met the Saint and continue living. Therefore, they must be happy.
The Saint’s words were true.
Friede realized that even if they were determined, their desire to live would not fade.
However, there was still something they didn’t understand.
‘Why would she do that?’
They were referring to Renee.
A tiny seed of curiosity began to bloom, but Friede hadn’t noticed yet.
****
For the past few days, Renee busied herself with the elves that had been injured by the increasingly aggressive Neuter. .
The atmosphere deteriorated day by day as the invasions continued simultaneously from all directions.
However, even in such dreary conditions, there was always a warm atmosphere encompassing Renee.
“All done.”
“Thank you. I’m in debt to you yet again.”
“You’re welcome.”
Renee smiled at the elf’s words, then responded with a request.
“You must come safely next time. Um, Mr. Rimel?”
“You remember.”
“Hehe…”
Renee’s expression bloomed radiantly.
Ever since Renee commenced treating them, the elves were able to fight with greater resolve than before.
The first reason was that someone was supporting them and had the capability to heal their injuries as long as they remained alive. The second reason was that they had to prevent the person who helped them with a smile from becoming involved in the conflict.
After she finished healing the elves like the previous days, Renee returned to the campfire before Aidrin’s roots and happily ate Marie’s soup.
“It’s really delicious.”
“My goodness, the Saint is so admirable! Vera should learn a thing or two from her!”
Vera squinted at Marie as he sat beside Renee while chewing on beef jerky.
If the majority of people who tried her cooking didn’t enjoy her meals, then it was safe to assume that there was an issue with her cooking. However, Marie believed the problem was that they were incapable of appreciating her cooking.
Vera grinded his teeth together as he responded to Marie’s words while thinking that Renee should never learn this kind of self-righteousness.
“… I apologize.”
“Oh whatever, forget it!”
In the middle of the meal, Friede approached without anyone’s realization. While eating Marie’s soup, they spoke.
“Does it not become exhausting to treat them? I’m sorry that my siblings have caused you so much trouble.”
“No, I’m doing it because I want to.”
“Well, that’s a relief. So, by any chance, can I ask you for a favor?”
“What favor?”
“I want to borrow your escort knight briefly.”
Vera stared blankly at Friede out of the corner of his eye as he ate Marie’s soup. In response to those words, he lifted his head and glared at Friede before speaking.
“I refuse. I’m the Saint’s escort.”
“Yes, so I wanted to avoid making such a request… However, I’m somewhat short-handed.”
Renee’s face formed a puzzled expression in response to Vera’s adamant refusal before she uttered a response.
“Go and come back. I’ll be fine.”
“Saint…”
“There’s also Sir Norn and Hela here, right? Lady Marie as well.”
Vera was taken aback by Renee’s words and shifted his gaze to stare at the grinning Friede.
‘What are you plotting?’
It was because he had doubts about the reason he was chosen.
Vera didn’t trust Friede.
It was because regardless of their relationship in the previous life, Vera wasn’t so generous as to trust someone whose mind he couldn’t comprehend.
He wanted to refuse again, but it was Renee’s request, the same Renee who was currently giving it her all.
“… I understand.”
“Thank you.”
“Under one condition.”
Of course, he didn’t blindly accept the request without conditions.
Vera shifted his gaze to Friede, who tilted their head, and continued.
“You’ll go with me.”
If he wasn’t present, Friede would be the greatest threat here. He had to keep Friede within his sights.
Friede nodded cheerfully in response to Vera’s words.
“Well, that’s fair. In that case, it is unnecessary to bring more individuals with us. It’ll be fine for just the two of us to travel together tomorrow.
A quickly thought out scheme.
Renee flinched as she heard Friede’s arrangements.
“Two, you two? Just the two of you?”
It’s because her intuition, which has ‘always proven to be wrong,’ got triggered when she heard the phrase ‘just the two of us.’
“That’s right. I know your escort knight possesses considerably remarkable strength. Would it not be a waste to include others as well?”
Renee grew increasingly embarrassed because of her fumbling words and then said to Vera.
“Wouldn’t it be dangerous with just the two of you? It will be safer to go with others…”
“It’s fine. This Vera is not that weak, so please put your mind at ease.”
It’s only the two of them, so I can’t feel relieved.
“Tha-That…”
“As the escort said, there’s no need to worry. I’m also confident in my combat ability, so just in case the situation becomes dangerous, I’ll retreat with him.”
“That won’t happen. Just don’t be a burden.”
“Oh, nice to see you brimming with confidence.”
Renee’s embarrassment deepened as the conversation continued without her.
Her impure imagination began to paint an indecent scene using the two of them quarreling as its material.
A situation where the severity was perilous. Vera and Friede, with their backs against each other, responding to the enemies’ movements.
In one way or another, the enemies fell, but more pursuers arrived, so they raised their swords and fought once again.
– I will fight alone, so you can go back and tell the Saint I’m sorry.
– Don’t speak nonsense. I won’t do something so absurd and leave my comrade behind.
– Ugh….
Vera scoffed. However, his breathing remained disorderly.
Friede felt his erratic breath, thinking that this may be their final moments together, he said.
-Come to think of it, we haven’t called each other by name yet.
-What nonsense are you talking about?
-Vera.
At Friede’s words, Vera clicked his tongue with a ‘Tsk’, while grinning, and responded.
-Friede.
Startle-!
Renee’s hands were trembling with a bright red face.
“Oh, no!”
Aaah! It was a shout.
All eyes were on Renee.
“Why what’s wrong?”
Startle. Renee’s body quivered. Renee didn’t know what to say, so she soon mumbled while bowing her head.
Her eyes firmly shut.
“Ah, never mind…”
Renee knew it was embarrassing to tell others about her delusions.
Renee felt miserable.
It felt like the delusions were messing with her head.
There was something she didn’t take into account.
Vera wasn’t weak enough to lose to a few Neuter, and Friede couldn’t feel any emotions, including companionship.
If one were to carefully examine the facts, they really were just delusions, but Renee had no time to think about it.
The only thing that came to mind was regret, saying, ‘I shouldn’t have told you to go.’
Renee was an 18-year-old girl, who became an idiot in the face of love.
****
The next day at the entrance of the Great Woodlands.
Friede made an ‘oh!’ sound as they watched Vera cut down the Neuter with a single stroke of his sword.
‘Definitely…’
He was strong.
It was expected, yet seeing it in person, Vera’s battle techniques were rather violent and intense.
Friede indifferently calculated the odds of a fight against Vera, as they always did when meeting somebody strong.
“Hm…”
The expected outcome was their complete and utter defeat.
They were certain that they would experience defeat unless there was a miracle.
After all, the Apostles truly live up to their names.
The look in Friede’s eyes was deepening as those thoughts entered his mind.
“What is it?”
As Vera was shaking the blood off his sword, he responded to Friede’s gaze.
Vera continued to ponder while looking at Friede as various suspicions began to grow in his mind.
‘He’s staying back.’
All Friede did was guide him to the place the Neuters were staying at, and observe him from behind.
It could have been because they judged there was no need to intervene, but Vera was suspicious of the hidden motive behind their actions.
‘Are they trying to gauge my strength?’
There was a chance. It was the reason he couldn’t let go of the possibility that Friede had a secret scheme.
His eyes narrowed without his knowledge.
Friede responded with a small smile to Vera’s gaze.
“You’re quite strong.”
“Is that a problem?”
“I think it’s a fortunate problem. What a relief to have someone like you on the same side.”
A sly remark.
Vera didn’t respond to those words, sheathed his sword, and continued moving.
The suspicions within his mind were growing even more so.
Vera was extremely suspicious of Friede’s sly attitude, and how Friede and the elves from his previous life had survived, which had yet to be revealed.
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