Chapter XCI - The Truth of Me (part 1)

When I arrived at the hospital, I looked around the lobby and spotted Fran. 

I heard she got wounded on her back when the boss lifted its paws and tried to step on her. She got sliced a little by the claws, and she probably came here looking for aid.

"Rize?"

She noticed me when I entered the lobby. She quickly gestured for me to come, and I sat down next to her.

The seats in the hospital's lobby are rather long and it can hold four people. Aside from us, there are also some adventurers who got wounded from fighting the Misoh and hell hounds, but their wounds weren't that bad. I do recognize some of them, like Jrake's teammates. Aside from the adventurers, there's no one else.

I turned my gaze to Fran's back. It was covered with her clothes, but there's a ton of bandages under it, seen by the amount on her hands. She noticed my worry and nodded.

"Yeah, I couldn't dodge it quickly. You should've seen Cane. His brain nearly got splat out."

"Yikes… What did the doctors say?"

"Well, they say it will heal in a week. I also need to stay put for even longer. Somewhere around... Two weeks."

Two weeks without adventuring? That's terrible.

"I see. Show me your back."

"W-What do you-"

"Come on, just do it."

She leaned forward, and lowered her cloth that was covering her entire body. On her back, massive bandage overuse can be seen covering the big wound on the back.

It must be painful, indeed… She is truly strong.

I ignored the fact that her back is rather sexy and placed my hand on top of the wound. I started healing, and she groaned a little as the pain slowly returned.

"This will be quick."

The healing process is very complicated, but it works quickly. Her wound is more severe than what she described to me.

After a few seconds, the wound was healed.

"There you go. Now you can go for missions already."

"W-Wha-"

Fran got up from the seat and tried moving her back. She even started doing some sword techniques by stabbing air using an imaginary sword, and it did not hurt her at all.

"In case anyone asked, just say you met the saint healer."

I said as I placed a finger on my lips. She noticed what I meant and nodded.

"You are truly full of mysteries."

Her gaze landed on the stack of bandages on my arm. She quickly turned saddened.

"I was... also helping."

I turned my gaze to my arms and noticed what she meant.

"So, you have seen it."

"Yeah… Valey and the others said that you only told them it was one hand. You didn't mention that it goes all the way to the elbow, and that it also goes on both your arms and legs."

"I... didn't want them to be overly worried. Plus, I practically lived with it now. Having other people shown empathy to me is... The least of what I wanted."

She nodded at my words.

"I see. In that case, can you help Cane too?"

We stood up and began heading to Cane's room, which is on the third floor. Cane was heavily wounded on the head, because the Cerberus somehow knocked him across the room. 

I told them that I imagined it like getting kicked by a super large horse, and Fran chuckled.

"Hey! It's way cooler and scarier than that!"

Cane defended himself with all those bandages on his head. The doctors gave him a room so that he could heal for a while. Every now and then, he often felt a headache, so they had to give him some room so that he wouldn't use his head too much.

"Should I really... he is way better this way."

"On second thought, maybe don't do it."

I said to Fran and she agreed. Cane is confused as heck.

"W-What? What is it?"

"Rize here had the ability to heal miraculously. She instantly healed my back."

Fran showed off by flexing her muscles. To even move her muscles even a little bit is simply impossible with a large wound on the back, so the fact that Fran can do it simply shocks Cane.

"You-W-Wha-How-Wha-"

"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't heal him."

"Wait!"

Cane placed both his palms together and pleaded.

"I'll treat you!"

"No thanks. I have money."

"W-Wait, please!!"

I left the room so casually, and Fran followed.

"You aren't going to heal him?"

Fran asked when we were outside, and I simply chuckled.

"What makes you think I didn't?"

Fran took a peek inside, and seeing how Cane is overly reacting and not feeling any headache, Fran noticed what I meant.

"I can heal from far away."

I lifted my hand and yellow ropes showed itself. The rope slithers flew from my hand and flies around in front of Fran's confused face before it disappears to thin air.

"... amazing."

"Let's go see Hod."

We both went to the fifth floor, which is where the heavily wounded patients are placed. Valey and the others are still in the room, while Hod is sleeping on his bed.

"I should probably leave."

Fran said right before I entered the room and bade farewell. She disappeared as she turned and headed down the stairs.

I took a deep breath and gathered enough courage before entering the room.