Where am I…?

The heaviness of my eyelids made opening my eyes arduously taxing as I faced an unfamiliar ceiling. I slowly lifted my head and my body, realizing I was extremely feeble as the sheets crumpled and the bed creaked.

“Terrin..?” Merry’s voice rang out like music to my ears. She slept at the bottom of the bed using a chair. She quickly stood and went beside me. “Are you okay?” she bit her lip as a worried looked crept on her face. I noticed her hand turning into a fist.

…Is she angry?

I nodded, though I probably shouldn’t have, it just made my head spin. “Yeah, but I’m a bit hungry. What happened?” I stared at my body, noticing the strip of ripped clothes as bandages here and there.

“You passed out after you fought the Mother Slane by yourself. Kihana patched you up.”

I recalled what happened when I fought the monster but as far as I knew, I only had a few scratches during that battle.

“Where’s Risa?”

“She’s sleeping in the other room.”

“That’s good to hear,” I sighed in relief. “How about you? What happened to Takana and the others?”

“They’re fine, too.”

It was comforting to know my party was all right. We started being chased by the Mother Slane because of me and if anything were to happen to them, I’d never forgive myself.

My body still hurt but for the most part, I could handle it. In a few days, I should be back into full health.

“I’m…going to get you a meal.” Merry left in a hurry, leaving the door open for Kihana to enter. I saw her briefly talking to Merry before she went to me.

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“Good morning,” if I could raise my hand, I would. Right now, they weighed twice their weight. Even speaking was a hassle.

“Good morning, Terrin…” Kihana, like Merry, had worried look on her face as she carried a basket full of plants and what seemed to be equipment and bottles. “How are you feeling?”

“Stiff and dizzy. Also, really hungry.” I chuckled as Kihana placed the basket on a table, near an open window.

“Well, you have been out for three days…” Kihana picked a book in the basket and intently stared for it while simultaneously looking at the basket.

“Three days…?” Kihana picked up a red plant and crushed it using a mortar and pestle. The clanking sounds she made as she crushed and grinded the plant made me wonder where she got the strength to do so.

Kihana nodded, her back facing me. “Didn’t Merry tell you…?”

I shook my head. “She’s angry at me, I think.”

“I think she’s worried about you…Did she tell you what you looked like when you were unconscious…?”

“No, she left in a hurry.”

“Well,” she stopped crushing and turned around. She seemingly prepared herself as she closed her eyes and pumped herself. I prepared myself. “After we fought the monsters. We came to get you. When Merry saw you lying on the floor, she immediately went to you. We…we saw your body gushing out blood in your…eyes, nose, mouth and other places. I tried healing you but the bleeding won’t stop. Thankfully, I had my book with me and herbs that I kept…”

I was genuinely amazed. “Thank you for saving my life.”

“N-No, I only did the right thing…” Kihana looked downwards. She should really be proud of herself. Her hard work saved my life. “You should be thanking Merry…she’s the one looking after you…”

“Don’t worry, I will.” She nodded.

After she finished crushing it and grinding it, she put it in a bottle and gave it to me. “…As much as I want to heal your sickness, it’s an illness and I can’t do anything about it. The scent of this grinded Hershea will remove your dizziness...” She handed me another bottle. “This is for the poison...”

“Poison?”

She looked at me, confusion on her face. “…Yes, the Mother Slane is a poisonous monster, right…?”

They must have thought what happened to me was due to the Mother Slane. A good excuse, nonetheless. I could use this.

“I didn’t really know that it was poisonous…Anyway, thank you, I’ll keep this with me for now.” I smiled at her. “How about the others? Any news?”

She arranged and cleaned up the herbs and equipments she used. “…Takana said when you wake up and get fully healed, we’ll go to our next destination…”

“Next destination? Where is that?”

Kihana stopped for a moment. “…The capital of Ergaos, Nurrunld.”