But what the…?
Lucius thought.
He couldn’t move his body and could barely open his eyes properly.
Slowly, he began to feel a warmth spreading throughout him, and he heard Emilya’s voice in the distance.
When he finally managed to open his eyes, he saw her leaning over him, her lips pressed against his.
— Life Source, she said calmly.
What is she doing?
he thought shyly.
Suddenly, he saw the black veins running through his body gradually transfer to Emilya while he began to regain movement in his limbs.
After a few minutes, the black veins had completely disappeared from his body.
His wounds had also closed.
Emilya slowly got back to her feet, and so did he.
He stared at his body in amazement, realizing that he had completely recovered.
Even my old wounds have healed.
I don’t feel any pain anymore.
How did she do that?
Lucius thought, intrigued.
Suddenly, Emilya curled up on the ground and began writhing in pain.
She wanted to scream, but held it back, shedding only tears.
Worried, Lucius asked her what was wrong, but she couldn’t answer.
Without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms, and she clung to him.
Her tears kept flowing, and after a few seconds, the pain finally stopped.
She let out a deep sigh and released Lucius.
He did the same.
—What just happened?
—Can’t you tell?
I healed you, she said, wiping away her tears.
—Yes, but how?
I don’t think you gave me a magic kiss, he said sarcastically.
Emilya froze for a moment, then began to blush.
Lucius looked at her without saying a word.
—It’s not exactly that… She cleared her throat.
—I absorbed the poison, then I healed you.
Earlier, Lana mentioned that I have a second type of magic.
It’s healing magic.
—I thought that was a power reserved for priests, especially with healing at that level.
I don’t have a single injury left.
—Indeed, when magicians begin their training, they have a few healing classes, but nothing particularly effective.
Just enough to treat a fever.
But I’m lucky—or unlucky—to have a strong gift for healing and another one for fire.
Two powers tied to life, yet completely opposite, she said regretfully.
—Why unlucky?
Is it because of what just happened?
—When I heal an injured person, I have to suffer the effects of their injuries before I can heal them.
It’s psychological, but I feel the pain vividly in my body, as if I were the one who had been injured.
He looked at her sadly.
What’s the point of having a power that helps others if it destroys you?
he thought.
—I’m sorry… he said.
—Don’t worry.
It only lasts for a moment.
After that, I feel much better, as you can see, she said with a smile.
If I hadn’t let that bastard get the better of me, she wouldn’t have had to do this.
He’ll pay for it, he thought with determination.
—Well, we should probably go check on the others.
It’s been a little while since I asked them to deal with the bandits.
I hope they managed to tie them up.
Lucius got back to his feet and held out his hand to help Emilya up.
She picked up her staff and dispelled the spell.
Lucius went to retrieve his two swords, and the two of them descended the hill.
When they arrived, Arcon and the mage were tied up separately, while all the others had been tied together with a single long rope.
—Excuse me, miss.
I didn’t have enough rope to tie them up separately.
Lana gave me the second one, Melvis said.
—Don’t worry.
Are you okay?
You’re injured in the shoulder.
—Don’t worry.
I should be fine after getting a little rest.
—All right.
She looked at Maria, who was standing slightly behind with Lana.
She was covered in blood, looked completely drained, and was trembling all over.
Emilya felt sorry for her.
She went over to Arcon and kicked him to wake him up.
Her spell was still active.
He had probably passed out from the pain.
The mage woke up shortly afterward as well.
The moment he saw Emilya, he was terrified.
—What?
What’s going on?
Arcon asked, confused.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Lucius perfectly healthy and standing.
How is he still alive?
The poison should have killed him.
Could it be her?
But as far as I know, magicians can’t heal… he thought in horror.
—Hey, you!
Do you recognize the girl behind you?
Emilya asked.
She hoped he would at least have some idea, since the count had told her that Maria looked a lot like her mother.
He turned around with difficulty and stared intently at her.
Poor Maria didn’t know where to look under such intense scrutiny.
He kept staring at her until he finally realized who she was.
—Yes, yes, I think I’ve seen her once.
How could I forget?
She looks different, but she resembles that noblewoman we attacked on the day of my baptism.
My father wanted to teach me the ropes.
We’d spotted the carriage, and that’s when we attacked them.
It was so luxurious that we assumed whoever was inside had to be rich.
At first, we were only supposed to steal their valuables, but things got out of hand, and one of our men ended up seriously injuring her.
A few days later, a man came with an army and wiped out more than half of the inhabitants of our village.
We had to flee and rebuild somewhere else.
Maria listened to his story, unable to believe her ears.
As she realized what he was saying, she couldn’t contain her anger.
—How could you…?
How dare you…?
All of this just for money?
You took my mother away from me, all because of money.
You’re nothing but a bunch of monsters!
she shouted furiously.
—It was a mistake… he began.
She froze.
—We should have killed everyone that day.
She was horrified.
—If everyone had died that day… Lucius didn’t let him finish and killed him.
The mage was terrified when he saw what had happened to his leader.
Nobody said a word.
Emilya went to Maria and pulled her into her arms, apologizing for what she had just learned.
Maria burst into tears.
Lucius placed his blade against the mage’s neck, ready to give him the same fate as his leader.
But Emilya stopped him, saying it would be a shame for a mage of his level to die so pitifully.
—What’s your name?
she asked.
—Me?
I… my name is Neon.
Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you, he said nervously.
—Well!
Melvis, could you braid me some flowers, please?
—At once, miss.
Melvis went up the hill to pick some flowers.
—Tell me, how did you manage to become a level 4 magician?
Level 4?
Lana thought, surprised.
—It’s not exactly common, especially since you use mental magic.
—I used various potions that I created myself to pass through the thresholds.
—Potions?
Emilya seemed to think for a moment.
I didn’t know it was possible to do it that way.
Then again, it doesn’t seem very effective either.
She studied him before adding: —Since you cheated your way through the thresholds faster, your magic leaves much to be desired.
Your level doesn’t match your actual ability.
—It’s not easy to get there, especially since the academy no longer accepts mental-type magicians.
—What?
Why?
she asked, intrigued.
—You didn’t know?
A year ago, a new mental-type student took control of more than half the school and practically ruled over the professors.
After that, the wizards’ council decided to imprison that student and ban other mental-type magicians from enrolling.
—Wait, how old are you?
Emilya asked.
—I’m 17.
My magic awakened late, at the age of 16, which is why I ended up in this situation.
He’s a late-awakened magician, she thought.
—And you thought you could be that insolent?
—I’m sorry, he said, bowing.
Melvis returned with the braided flowers and handed them to Emilya.
She took them, placed a drop of her blood on them, and then asked Neon to do the same.
With no other choice, he complied.
She then tied the necklace around Neon’s neck.
—Leheris!
As soon as she said the word, the necklace disappeared from his neck.
He had no idea what had just happened.
Emilya smiled at him.
—There we go!
—What is that?
Neon asked nervously.
—Let’s call it a guarantee.
Now, take your boss’s body, then do your best to meet us in the capital.
With that, she climbed back into the carriage with Lana and Maria.
Melvis joined them.
Lucius was about to climb onto the front seat to drive the carriage when he stopped to say one last thing to Neon.
—You!
I heard you talking with your boss.
You mentioned a harem, didn’t you?
What?
He managed to hear our conversation from that far away?
Is he some kind of beast?
Neon thought nervously.
He nodded.
—When you get back to your village, you’re going to free those women.
Do you understand?
—I… I can’t, he said fearfully.
—Why?
—They’re the boss’s wifes, yes, but when he no longer wants them, he gives them to the rest of the village.
So I don’t have the power to free them on my own.
—What?!
Lucius said, shocked.
Listen carefully: you’re going to do everything you can to get those women out of there and somewhere safe.
You can go to the city of Lynien, where Count Damien will be able to help them.
Tell him Lucius sent you.
Do you understand me?
he said threateningly.
—Yes, sir, he replied fearfully.
With that, he climbed into the carriage and left.
Neon untied the others who were still unconscious.
As he wondered how he had ended up in this situation, he couldn’t stop himself from obeying the orders Emilya had given him.
They echoed in his head like a warning alarm.
He hit his head, trying to make the sound stop, but it didn’t work.
When the bound henchmen woke up and saw what had happened, they asked Neon for an explanation.
But he could barely hear what they were saying because Emilya’s voice was still echoing in his head.
So he ignored their questions, picked up Arcon’s head, and ordered the others to carry his body so they could return to the village.
As he walked farther away, Emilya’s voice gradually became fainter, much to his relief.
Maria held tightly onto Emilya, who was doing her best to comfort her.
The others felt sorry for her after what she had just learned, so no one said a word.
The journey continued in complete silence.
That evening, they stopped to eat and sleep.
Maria didn’t have dinner and went straight to bed.
Everyone respected her decision and left her alone.
Near the fire, Lucius couldn’t help asking Emilya a question.
—Why did you let him live?
What if he causes us trouble later?
—Don’t worry.
That won’t happen, Emilya replied.
—Because of the necklace you put around his neck?
What is it, anyway?
Lucius asked.
—You remember the blood bond you and I made?
It’s almost the same, except that while you and I are equals in that contract, this one makes him more like my subordinate.
To put it simply, it’s like a slave contract, Lana thought.
—All right, but then why did you do that?
Lucius asked again.
—I think I’ve just found an alternative to my amnesia, she said with a smile.