Oooh my back!

I managed to sit up despite the pain.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rosaline running in the direction of the garden.

"Goddammit..." I muttered.

She stopped again.

Oh god no, what stunt is she going to do now? If she gets hurt, I might lose my life!

I grit my teeth and tried to stand up, hoping to stop whatever dumb shit she might do. Halfway I heard something I didn't want to hear.

*Crack*

Ah fuck. I broke my spine.

I fell down face-first. My face was greeted with the lovely smell and taste of dirt and snow.

"LUKA!!"

Did rosaline come back? I could just barely see her sitting beside me.

I felt something poking my back. Maybe a finger or something. Was Rosaline poking me?

"Kuek!"

The poking shot a jolt of pain up my already broken spine. It was like electricity crawled all the way up to my brain. Fuck it hurts!

"...Luka!"

"Rosaline... please stop poking me... it hurts."

"O-okay!..."

The poking stopped, but the pain didn't go away.

"U-umm... are you ok?"

"YOU THINK?!"

"I-I'll call Weiss."

Oh wow, she actually had a conscience? Good, this ducal family is rich. An expensive potion that heals injuries is spare change to them.

I heard footsteps walking away. Must be hers.

It stopped. Don't tell me she's gonna yell instead of actually trying to find the old man.

"WEEEIIIISSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Holy shit!! What the hell is with her lungs? That was so loud I almost went deaf! I think I hear a ringing sound in my ear. I hope nothing's broken... aside from my spine.

A few seconds later I heard a *Fwoosh* sound. That must be Weiss.

I wanted to turn my head to stop tasting and smelling dirt and see them but I was a bit afraid of accidentally causing even more damage to my already fucked up spine. I do not want to die a 2nd time by saving another dumb kid.

"What do you need, Milady?"

"Luka's really hurt."

I suddenly felt like a pair of eyes were piercing through me, as if they were scrutinizing every inch of my body. Holy crap that feels gross. Was that Weiss?

"Luka... why are you kissing the ground?" The old bastard asked me with a mocking tone.

"Oh ha ha. The little br— I mean... Her Lady Rosaline recklessly jumped out of a 3rd-floor window. As her loyal butler and servant, I couldn't let her be harmed by the fall, and so I jumped after her and used my fragile 10-year-old body to cushion the fall."

"Mhmm, really?"

"Yes... I think my spine's broken."

"...mhm"

I heard footsteps come near me.

Suddenly I felt something cold enter through my nape. It was an understatement to just call it cold. It was horrifyingly cold, and it was something quite familiar to me.

I thought back to the time I died on the ambulance stretcher. It was the same chilly feeling. The cold embrace of death. The current winter cold surrounding me could never compare to this.

I couldn't help but tense up. I may have already gone through it, but reliving this feeling is still scary.

"Relax, I'm channeling my Aura to cover your cervical vertebrae. I'm going to make you lie flat on your back and have you drink a potion to fix that busted spine of yours. To do that the part of the spine connecting to your brain must be protected, or else you immediately die. You're quite lucky, kid."

That was his fucking AURA?!?! Why did his Aura give off the same feeling as death? Did he comprehend the ways of death or something?

I tried to relax but I couldn't. It was like death wrapped its hands around my neck. I don't think anyone could in this situation. Those edgy children on the internet would probably say they could. Yeah, fuck off.

Weiss rolled over my body. As my face said goodbye to the earthy ground, it was then greeted by the lovely winter morning sun.

I saw the crimson red Aura wrapped around my neck. It was stretched out from Weiss' hand.

He took out a leather pouch from inside his coat, slipped his hand inside, and pulled out the familiar potion I've grown accustomed to. That doesn't mean I like the taste though. It's still horrible.

Taking off the bottle cap, he poured the contents into my mouth. Right are drinking it, I felt reinvigorated as my busted spine healed.

I immediately stood up and did some stretches.

"Aaahhh, it feels good to be able to move."

After patting off the dirt on my clothes, I turned around to thank Weiss.

"Thanks, old gee-"

Turns out he already left. Is he Batman or something? At least let me thank you instead of letting me talk to the air.

"Umm...-rry"

"Hm?"

I turned to face Rosaline. She was mumbling something.

Now that I think about it, she's been quiet for a while. Unusual for this brat.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry..."

Yeah, you should be!

"Eh, nothing bad happened in the end. Let's go to the garden, Milady."

She nodded before we walked towards the garden.

We got to the garden soon enough. Aside from us, there was only Mr. Hause, the gardener. He greeted us as soon as he saw us.

"Lady Rosaline, Luka, good morning!"

"Yeah, mornin'."

Rosaline just nodded at Mr. Hause's greetings.