Mia lies on her bed inside Kat’s room in the Healer’s building. She has been fully conscious for the last 3 days so it has been two weeks since her fight against Zignus.

On her hand was Onyx’s mana stone, something that she simply can’t let go. A lot of things were very clear to her now, even if she was extremely sad about an equal amount of things.

For better or worse she was now complete. She had one soul, not parts, no connections, just her. She also knew that if things went normally she wouldn’t still feel complete. There was something she never felt before, this strange fire burning inside her that completed her, that made everything clear in a way that she couldn’t see before but not everything was good.

Yes she was whole but a price was paid. In her core, she was just ‘herself’ but this ‘herself’ was a 10 year old girl with some of the memories of her past life as a man. She still remembered most of it but whatever happened made her fully what she is now and those memories were just that, memories. Something she remembers and not like her current memories. It was akin to remembering a movie, a game, book, etc… That you got really, really into that you felt you were inside it.

But that also helped her have a clear mind about her objectives. She needed to get strong because she now knew that she loved Jessica way more than she could remember before and she was pretty sure that Zignus wasn’t as strong as what she believed she would have to face to get to her, wherever she was.

Another thing that came with all that happened was that she learned that she forgot some things she did in her old life. As it turns out, she wasn’t just a strange journalist that would go anywhere if he thought he could find any clues about Jessica but a somewhat dangerous man, at least if you took into account most of society. She had killed way more people than a normal person should have done. Mostly defending herself or others but she still did it.

Kat soon made herself known once she saw that Mia was awake.

“So, how are you feeling girl?” Kat asked as she began to check Mia’s body.

“Like a mummy. Too many bandages around.” Mia jokingly said as she brought to attention the various bandages around pretty much all her body.

“Well, at least you are not dead. Not that you didn’t try. Why can’t you come here with a scraped knee or something?”

“Would heal it?”

“...No.”

“When can I get out of here? I need to train.”

“No, no and no! You are going to be a good girl and do nothing for at least two more weeks. You will barely be able to walk alone much less train and if I see you trying to use your mana I will knock you out!” She said to Mia in a very serious tone. Mia couldn’t even feel how damaged she actually was so she had to accept what the doctor was telling.

“Ok…But I need something to do…” Mia pouted.

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“I would say that you should read something but you are saying that you need to train somewhat. Why do you want to get stronger in the first place? I heard about what happened. You are plenty strong already.”

“Not enough it seems…” Mia said as she looked at Onyx mana stone.

“You can’t save everyone Mia.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t feel bad about it.”

“...I know how you feel.” She said with true sympathy for Mia.

“Does it get better?”

“No. Not when you are this close with the one you lost. If anyone says shit to you because they think your wolf was just a exotic pet or something you have my permission to destroy them.”

“Thanks.” Mia said with a wry smile.

“Now let me clean you so your mom can take you home.”

For the next few minutes Kat gave Mia a small towel bath. Mia could take a normal bath at her house but the bandages would stay for a few days. They were magical so nothing bad would happen.

Not much later Mia’s mother arrived with a change of clothes. She put Mia in a Pink kimono before leaving with her. Mia tried to walk herself but she couldn’t go more than a few steps before almost falling down. Her mother had to be used as support.

Once they left the building, Mia saw a group of people waiting for her. They were her classmates along with professor Mirai and her master.

“Hello.” Mia said awkwardly as she approached the group. For a few moments an uncomfortable silence sat there so Mia tried to say something else. “I am sorry that you all got hurt. I…” Mia tried to say but Narissa and Shishen jumped her.

“Mia! I am sorry for abandoning you!” Shishen said, crying.

“Mia! Sorry for trying to sacrifice you. I will do anything as punishment. Please forgive me!” Narissa said, also crying.

“It’s not your fault. You were afraid…”

“No! We made a mistake. What we did was wrong!” Narissa said.

“Yes! Everyone here besides Klaws agreed that we shouldn’t have done what we did, even if it wasn’t for the same reason. We can’t in good conscience just let this slide. You need to give us some sort of punishment!” Mathias said very firmly. Everyone seemed to agree.

“I…” Mia said, lost for words. She looked at her mother and she just motioned for her to do something. “There is this expensive place that sells candy near the castle and I can never get any because it’s either too expensive or it sells out. I want things from there, especially chocolate.” Mia said the first thing that came to her mind.

“Then we will buy everything. Just you wait.” Narissa said and nobody really said anything against it.

After that everyone opened the way for Klaws.

“Here. Put Onyx’s mana stone inside and use it. It will absorb your mana and maybe he can come back but it will take a long time for that.” Klaws said as he handed Mia a collar that looked like a pearl collar but was made out of bones. At the very center of it, the bone ball had an opening that could house Onyx’s mana stone perfectly.

“How?” Mia asked happily. Alluding to more than just how it was possible.

“Your master told us that it was possible and the monster that is needed to make that collar is very common around my village. I just had to get one and someone made it for you.” Klaws explained.

“So with this I can see Onyx again?” Mia happily asked again as she put the collar on.

“It will take a few years with your mana reserves if that is the only thing you do everyday with it so it will probably be decades before you see him. He was a very strong monster so it will take a lot of mana for him to manifest again. You also have to protect the collar and the stone.”

“Thanks, really, thanks!” Mia said with a very bright smile.

Soon she left the academy with her mother and went home. There are more people waiting for her.