Where Mana Meets the Heart

Ashen gave her a wry smile. 'Still as airheaded as ever. And here I thought she was turning into some kind of genius for a second.'

"So… you dragged me here to be your lab rat?"

Seraphine fidgeted, twirling her fingers together while avoiding his gaze.

"Hey! Don't put it like that." She pouted. "The spell I'm working on is only for mending light wounds. It's totally safe! promise!"

Her eyes drifted over the numerous bandages on his body.

"Besides…" she hesitated, her voice growing quieter, "you and Braun always cover for me on the frontlines… I just wanted to help somehow."

Her head dipped slightly, but Ashen heard her loud and clear.

For a brief moment, his usual guarded expression softened. Then, before she could catch it, he masked it again.

With an exaggerated sigh, he lifted his hands and smirked.

"Alright, I'll leave this battered body in your capable hands, Doctor. Please, heal this poor soul."

Seraphine's mood did a complete 180. She jumped to her feet, pumping her fists.

"Haha! Alright! Trusting yourself to this capable nurse is the best decision you could've made! You can bet I'll fix you up perfectly~"

Ashen chuckled softly, watching her bounce with excitement.

'I won't argue with that. She's already healing this weary mind of mine just by being herself.'

With that, they both sat on the grass, facing each other.

Ashen unwrapped a bandage from his hand, revealing a particularly nasty gash. He extended it toward Seraphine without a word.

She winced at the sight but quickly composed herself, gently taking his arm in both hands. Her soft fingers slid closer to the wounded area, a touch both careful and deliberate.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, allowing her breath to settle into a steady rhythm. Within seconds, she seamlessly slipped into the familiar flow of Manawind Sigh—her breathing technique, which she had recently mastered.

With this, she became more acutely aware of the mana coursing through her veins than ever before. 

She willed it toward her hands, but instead of responding instantly, it moved sluggishly, almost as if the mana itself were curious rather than obedient.

Still, she guided it with determination. Slowly, it gathered at her fingertips, where it began to glow with a faint azure light.

Then came the hard part.

Seraphine's brows knit together in concentration as she worked to maintain the mana's position while simultaneously visualizing the healing process.

She pictured Ashen's immune cells as tiny, diligent cleaners, sweeping away bacteria and devouring dead tissue. Moving her mana-filled index finger along the wound, she willed it to strengthen those cells, urging them to work at an accelerated rate.

Seconds after her fingers left his skin, the wound flared with heat, turning a deeper red and becoming noticeably more tender.

Ashen watched in silence as sweat trickled down Seraphine's forehead. A sharp sting radiated from his wound, but he made no sound, unwilling to break her fragile concentration.

She wasn't finished yet.

Biting her lip, she pushed forward. This time, she visualized tiny blood vessels and fresh skin cells sprouting like seedlings in fertile soil, methodically rebuilding the damage.

Her concentration wavered. The glow at her fingertips flickered with each breath, threatening to vanish entirely.

Just as she was about to stop, the professor's words echoed in her mind:

"Knowledge supplements the spell, but the core ingredient is the caster's will."

Seraphine exhaled softly, releasing the tension in her body. She let go of overthinking, allowing her emotions to flow naturally.

She wanted to heal him.

The ache she felt whenever she saw his bruises weighed heavily in her chest. Ashen had always stood by her and protected her. Now, she had the chance to return the favor.

Her desire burned like a steady flame. gentle, yet urgent… Unwavering, yet tender…

As she channeled that raw feeling into her mana, the glow on her fingers surged, intensifying far beyond what she had expected.

Under Ashen's astonished gaze, the light expanded, engulfing his entire body in its radiant embrace.

For a moment, he was too stunned to react. The warmth surrounded him, wrapping him in something inexplicably soothing.

He barely registered the sensation of every wound, old and new, vanishing from his skin.

But Seraphine, who had just opened her eyes, noticed immediately.

She froze for a beat, eyes wide in disbelief. Then, with a joyous cry, she lunged at him, tackling him into a bear hug.

"Yes! I did it! I did it, Ash!"

Her vibrant voice and the softness of her body snapped him out of his daze.

"...Yeah," he murmured, still processing what had just happened. "That was… incredible."

Seraphine rested her chin on his shoulder, her voice turning playful as the excitement settled.

"Hehe, told you I'd take care of your body. If you want, I can be your personal nurse from now on. Hmm~?"

Ashen stiffened.

This time, it wasn't from shock.

A moment later, he exhaled heavily and gently peeled her off him, holding her at arm's length.

She complied without resistance, her expression the picture of innocence, despite having just acted like a seductress moments earlier.

"...You're going to be the death of me."

Seraphine tilted her head, blinking up at him. "What do you mean? I don't get it."

Her twinkling eyes betrayed her feigned ignorance.

Ashen narrowed his gaze. "Young lady, you'd better not play with fire."

Seraphine's widening grin told him his warning had failed spectacularly.

"I'm sure you'd be a gentle flame, Ash. I'm not afraid."

"Whatever…" He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling inexplicably flustered.

'Haah… Sometimes I wish Alice was here to put an end to this damn dry spell. I'm about to lose my mind, and this damn minx isn't making it any easier.'

But as he recalled their last fight, a bitter smile crept onto his lips.

'On second thought, maybe that's not such a great idea…'

Seraphine's worried voice cut through his thoughts. "What's wrong? Do you feel strange anywhere?"

She reached out and started patting the places where his wounds had been, her fingers tracing over his skin as if searching for any abnormalities. 

Seeing his odd expression, she worried her spell had caused some unintended side effects.

Goosebumps prickled along Ashen's skin from her delicate touch. He quickly caught her hands and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Relax, I'm fine. Your spell worked perfectly. I'll be counting on you for my injuries from now on."

"Phew… That's a relief." She let out a breath before giving him a firm look. "But don't start doing reckless things just because I can heal you, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah."