The Healing Magic

"A...A-akiko."

Shigeru's eyes fluttered open, his vision blurry at first, but gradually sharpening to the familiar scene of the forest clearing.

He blinked a few times, his body weak but his mind immediately racing.

Seichii and Masumi, standing beside him, exchanged a relieved glance, overjoyed to see him awake.

But Shigeru barely registered their presence.

His lips moved, mumbling the only name that consumed his thoughts.

"A-aki... A-AKIKO!!!"

With a sudden jolt, he sat up, his body trembling as consciousness fully returned. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, panic flooding his veins.

He couldn't remember anything after blacking out, but the name echoed in his mind, pulling at his very soul.

"AKIKO!! AKIKO! WHERE ARE Y-"

Frantically, Shigeru's eyes darted around, searching with growing anxiety.

His hands shook, his breathing uneven. Then, finally, his gaze landed on her—the sight that nearly broke him a moment ago but now filled him with overwhelming relief.

Akiko lay beside him, still as the night, but her skin was no longer pale, and the deep, ghastly wounds that marred her body were mysteriously gone.

Her breathing was calm, her chest rising and falling softly, as if in a peaceful slumber.

Every wound, even the large, fatal slash across her back, had vanished, leaving behind smooth skin where torn flesh once was.

Tears welled up in Shigeru's eyes, blurring his vision again, but this time they were tears of joy.

He reached out, gently brushing a lock of hair from Akiko's face, his heart swelling with gratitude.

She was alive. She was here. But amidst his joy, confusion tugged at the corners of his mind.

How could her injuries, which should have claimed her life, be healed so quickly?

He glanced around, his mind still racing. That was when he noticed Seichii and Masumi standing nearby, watching him quietly.

The joy he felt turned to a new wave of confusion.

"Y-you two..." Shigeru's voice cracked, hoarse from exhaustion.

"Weren't you with Aramiya-kun that day? W-what are you doing here, so deep inside the forest?!"

His voice carried a mix of disbelief and concern.

He hadn't expected to see anyone else in this isolated place, except maybe Ryuu.

This area was his and Akiko's little heaven—far removed from the chaos of the world.

Seichii stepped forward, his face serious.

"We're here to find—"

"W-we're here to find Aramiya-kun!" Masumi suddenly interrupted, her voice trembling.

Seichii looked at her, surprised by the urgency in her tone.

Masumi, who rarely spoke up, had suddenly taken the lead in explaining their presence.

Seichii blinked, a flicker of astonishment crossing his face—Masumi had never done that before.

He wasn't the only one surprised. Masumi glanced down, her cheeks flushing slightly, realizing what she had done.

But she quickly pressed on, her words stumbling as she tried to recount the events that led them here.

"R-ryoko-san and I were at the t-training area, watching the sunset..."

Masumi's voice was shaky but determined, her usual shy demeanor slipping away in the urgency of the moment.

"W-we were just sitting there when suddenly, Ryoko-san stood up.

She started acting strangely, as if something had taken control of her. S-she kept mumbling that Aramiya-kun was in danger...

that she had to save him. I was terrified, b-but before I could stop her, she dashed toward the mountain."

Masumi's eyes widened as she recalled the scene, her fear still fresh.

"I-I didn't know what to do, but that was when Seichii-kun returned from getting water.

I-I explained what happened, and we both followed her... deep into the forest."

Seichii nodded in confirmation.

"We followed her trail through the forest, trying to catch up, but she was so fast.

We found a path... it was made of crystal ice, which we knew Ryoko-san had created.

It led us straight out of the dense woods and into an open field."

Masumi shuddered at the memory.

"B-but what we saw there... the bodies of demons... they were scattered everywhere, torn apart, as if some terrible force had ripped them to pieces.

We had never seen anything like it. But we didn't stop. We kept looking for Aramiya-kun and Ryoko-san."

She hesitated, her gaze lowering for a moment before continuing.

"And then we found you... and the lady beside you." Her eyes drifted to Akiko, still lying peacefully next to Shigeru.

"She was gravely injured... her wounds were beyond what I could handle. But I tried. I used my healing magic.

It was the best I could do... a temporary fix. You both need professional care, or the injuries might return."

Seichii, who had been quietly listening, couldn't help but marvel at Masumi's sudden courage. She had never spoken so much, so confidently.

He found himself staring at her, his heart swelling with pride and something more, something he couldn't quite put into words.

Masumi noticed his gaze and turned her face away, her cheeks reddening further.

Shigeru, still processing everything, sat in stunned silence.

The tears that had pooled in his eyes earlier now spilled freely down his cheeks.

He stood slowly, his body still weak from the ordeal, but his gratitude overwhelmed every other emotion.

Without a word, he knelt down before Seichii and Masumi, his head bowed low in respect and humility.

Both Seichii and Masumi gasped, their eyes widening in shock.

"Professor Shigeru! What are you—"

"Sengoku Seichii-kun, Sakaguchi Masumi-san,"

Shigeru's voice cracked with emotion.

"I, Morishita Shigeru, owe you my deepest thanks.

You saved my beloved wife, Akiko. She is my reason for living, the light of my world.

When that demon wolf attacked her, I... I thought I'd lost everything."

His voice trembled with sincerity as he continued.

"But you both... you brought her back to me. Not just her life, but mine as well. I cannot repay this debt.

But if there is ever anything you need, any wish or desire... I swear upon my life, I will fulfill it. Even if it costs me everything."

Seichii and Masumi stood frozen, their hearts pounding in disbelief.

The greatest scholar in the world—Morishita Shigeru—was kneeling before them, offering his life in return for theirs.

They could barely comprehend the weight of the moment.

"S-sir, please!" Seichii stammered, his voice shaking.

"You don't have to do this! Please stand, we can't bear to see you like this..."

Masumi, too, was trembling, her hands clasped tightly together.

"P-professor, if you truly want to help us... please, tell us where Ryoko-san and Ryuu are."...