"Ah hello. So you're here to check on Erina," a nurse greeted me, "Where have you been? Why do you need this long to visit her?"

"Thank you for taking care of her," I didn't really address her remark; honestly, it wasn't my responsibility to visit her at all, but I see no way of saying that without making me look like a total douchebag.

She looked different than the last time I looked at her. Though she still looked pale even now, her blue hair was in a much better state and her sharp eyes looking at me right now. Although looking at me, her expression was mostly empty. I emphasized with her, knowing the pain she must have been coping in the aftermath of her losing her entire family, alone.

Still, I mustered up my courage, moved closer, and sat on the chair next to her bed. Her gaze was still focused on me; her eyes seemed to have been looking for an answer, or maybe something else.

I tried opening my mouth, but my brain failed to produce any significant sentence and I closed it again. Then, amidst the awkward silence, her question came out, a supposedly standard question, yet it wasn't that easy to answer given the situation.

"Why didn't you visit me for three days?" She finally looked away from me, looking at the bird outside the window.

Frankly, I should've just answered as it was, No dude, I saved you from a dungeon, you should've thanked me for that alone. Yet I could never say that not even if I repeat this situation a thousand times.

"I... I didn't know if... if you wanted to see anyone," I stammered; I got up and put the fruits that I brought on the end table nearby. This was my way of alleviating the tension, and it worked, to some degree.

She was silent for a while, looking at other things in the room, seemingly looking for something that I wasn't sure about. Or maybe it's just a sudden realization, that I wasn't anyone close to her, thus reminding her that she had no one left.

"I'm not crying anymore," she said softly. "But that doesn't mean I'm okay."

What else could I say that could improve the situation and her feelings? "I'm here now," I offered lamely as I reached out to gently hold her hand in a feeble attempt to offer comfort.

Then there was silence again. She said nothing after I offered her that; what's worse is that now my hands are awkwardly holding her right hand. I retracted my hands from her soft warm hand and quickly changed the topic.

"Hey, um... did you hear about the tavern brawl last night?" I blurted out, my words stumbling over each other in a clumsy attempt to divert the conversation.

Erina glanced at me, her expression unreadable, but I pressed on, determined to break through the palpable tension that hung between us like a thick fog.

Erina turned her sight on her hand, then on me; her expression showed that she was surprised by how dumb what I said was. She was still silent, only now she looked at me. She extended her arm, motioning me to hold her hand once again, which I did instantly.

"It was... quite the spectacle," I continued, my voice faltering as I searched for something—anything—to grasp onto. "I mean, I've seen my fair share of bar fights, but to see a smaller person wrestle that towering giant of a man, that's something else."

A faint glimmer of amusement flickered in Erina's eyes, and I seized upon it like a lifeline, something to hold on to as I desperately tried to overcome this awkwardness.

"So the man that got beaten," I went on, the words tumbling from my lips. "Big fellow, beard like a bear... you should've seen him swing that tankard!"

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Her lips twitched in what might have been the beginnings of a smile, and I felt a surge of hope blossom within me. Maybe, just maybe, I was getting through to her.

Feeling that there was enough awkward silence already, she opened her mouth. But she didn't respond to my poorly put-together story whatsoever. Instead, she changed the subject entirely.

"Would you help me?" she asked, her left index finger pointing at the fruits on the end table. "Help me... murder those two guys from your guild."

Well, first of all, she asked me one unreasonable request to assist her in putting down Archy and Gideon, who beat the crap out of me during our confrontation. Second of all, she started ordering me around without even saying it. But for now, I would keep it down to myself.

"Help you... murder them?" In a barely audible voice; I repeated while taking one apple from the package, splitting it with my hand, and offered her half of it while enjoying the other half for myself.

She took the apple and started eating it. "Yes, I want justice for my family, and I can't do it alone." She continued speaking in a serious tone even as her mouth was filled with apple.

A knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I grappled with conflicting emotions. On one hand, I understood her desire for retribution, her pain and anger mirroring my own. But on the other hand, the idea of taking such drastic measures left me feeling unsettled.

"But... how do I put it," I began, my voice faltering as I struggled to articulate my thoughts. "There's something off about them, I know... but this... it sounds wrong that I somehow justified their action."

"I just want closure," she replied. "I want to know why they did it, and I want them to pay for what they've done."

I sighed heavily. "Second of all, did you not see how powerful Archy was?" I admitted, my voice heavy with regret telling her that her family's murderer was way beyond my league. "But I'll help you find the truth. Together."

"Thank you, Eric," surprisingly, she still remembered my name. I only told her once, and honestly, I expected her to forget about it along with the entire traumatic experience in that wretched dungeon.

"Are you still mad at me?" I knew she shouldn't have been mad at me, but it was my senior guildmate who murdered her family after all, so I needed to make sure.

"I, umm... never mind," she hesitated in her response. After finishing her apple, she gave me the core, which I accepted and put away without complaining even though it was pretty annoying, "So where should we begin?" she finally finished her response.

Well in a situation like this, it's best to keep it simple, "Alright, so based on my calculation," I forged ahead, "we can actually begin tomorrow."

She looked at me, finally with determination in her sharp eyes now. "What do you mean?" she asked, her tone tinged with curiosity.

I took a deep breath, making sure that whatever I promised her would be worth it. "We can start your training tomorrow," I told her as I shared one more apple with her. "I know that your base mana reserve is quite okay, so training you to become a mage might be worthwhile."

Erina's eyes widened in surprise, a glimmer of hope flickering within them. "Do you think I will be able to kill them after training with you?"

I flashed her a self-deprecating smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "Well, I myself am not strong enough to put a scratch on them," I admitted, the weight of my own inadequacy hanging heavy in the air. "But... anything is possible. Let's focus on making you the greatest mage of humankind alright?"

While she continued munching on the apple, a newfound spark of determination ignited within her eyes, casting aside the shadow of emptiness that had clouded her a while ago. It was as if she had found a glimmer of hope, a reason to persevere once more.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice soft yet tinged with a newfound resolve. "I know it's not your fault, but it's just—"

"No problem," I interjected, cutting off her apology with a gentle wave of my hand. "Let's just move on, alright?"

She nodded in agreement, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Now, please accompany me to go out, I'm sick of this place already."

We prepared everything and made our way to the front desk, where the nurse who had taken care of her greeted us with a smile. "Ready to go, I see," she remarked, her voice warm and gentle.

Erina nodded with a determined and grateful expression. "Yes, I am ready," she affirmed, her voice steady despite the lingering fatigue.

The nurse nodded in understanding, quickly gathering the necessary paperwork and instructions for discharge. As she went over the details with us, Erina listened attentively, asking questions when needed to ensure she fully understood what was required.

With paperwork in hand and final instructions given, we made our way through the hospital corridors once more, stopping briefly to bid farewell to the nurses and staff who had cared for Erina during her stay. Each goodbye was met with heartfelt gratitude.

And so, we made our way through the streets. As we strolled through the market, Erina's spirits seemed to lift, her laughter echoing through the crowded thoroughfare.