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"Do you have any idea how stupid what you've done is?!" exclaims Lilian, after having checked the area where my wound was with her holy magic before the potion closed it completely.
When the healers left me on one of the beds, for some reason they seemed to have the strange idea of reopening my wound, which was already starting to close, to examine it. Something I vehemently refused logically.
Our discussion lasted a few seconds until Lilian arrived like a hurricane with her cat on her shoulders and threw them out, telling them that she would take care of me.
"I told you I had taken a health potion. I don't know what all the fuss is about, I..." I start to say, pretending to get up from the bed, but I am interrupted by her.
"And I already told you not to be a jerk and that potions have their limitations! Especially for wounds in such delicate areas... If wounds heal incorrectly, they can cause a lot of problems," she says, exasperated, and looks like she's about to yell at me. I have never seen her so agitated. But, after a few seconds of stroking the head of Yuumi, her companion, she seems to calm down and continue speaking "This is why I dislike adventurers.... They should take better care of themselves. I'll say it just once more, and you better remember it! It's important to check that everything is going to heal properly before applying a health potion. Even more so with these types of wounds"
"Look, not that I want to bother you, but I've had this kind of wound before, and I've recovered with health potions without any assistance," I say, remembering the moment when everything went wrong with my first group, when that monster stabbed me in the abdomen, inflicting a wound very similar to the one this time.
"That was just luck... You could have been crippled or died a really painful death, even with the potion. Having acted so recklessly," she says in a jaded tone, as if explaining to a particularly stubborn child that two plus two is four.
When Lilian finally leaves, frustrated but happy, after I told her I wouldn't act like that again, I hear a loud throat-clearing sound, and Deirdre with Azur in her arms suddenly appears next to me.
Her appearance might have given me quite a scare if I didn't know she was there. But I know. After all, I could feel Azur with her as she approached.
It seems that her ability can affect other living beings if they are small enough....
She sits on the edge of the bed I'm lying on and asks me to show her where the wound is. I show her the already healed skin and say. "See, it's nothing."
"That's not what the blonde was saying a few moments ago. Besides, was it necessary for her to touch you so much? You shouldn't let strangers get that close to you. I..." and, as she speaks, she starts mumbling hurriedly, but I interrupt her.
"Lilian is not a stranger. And it's very ugly to eavesdrop on people," I say, trying to sound stern, as I get up from the bed. I still feel some discomfort in my stomach, but it's no big deal. "Don't pay too much attention to her words. Lilian is just exaggerating... Let's watch the rest of today's fights."
'Or… it could be that she's not really exaggerating, but that my condition is different because of the interface...'
Suddenly, the memory of how Agustin lost much of the mobility and strength of his skilled arm after the fight with the vampire makes me finally give credence to the girl's words.
'Hmm, I should keep Lilian's words in mind just in case, mostly for Deirdre's sake. I don't want something to happen to her because of my negligence...'
At this thought, Azur shows his approval.
I can tell that the little draco is quite indifferent about my injury. Which doesn't surprise me, since he knows better than anyone what we've been through. In any case, he seems delighted to be carried by the little therian.
"Hmt, fine. Whatever you say..." she says, and, for some reason, seems offended by my words.
After that, not much happened that day regarding the tournament bouts.
The next bout in the semifinals was the queen vs. Victra.
Something that should have been entertaining to watch, given the two's abilities, but Victra gave up as soon as she stepped into the arena...
This did not please either the audience or the queen at all. But the little red-haired girl did not want to change her mind, and brilliantly ignored the booing of the audience and the murderous look of the queen.
I don't understand why she decided not to fight, but I guess it's her decision.
After the queen's and Victra's non-combat, followed the bouts of the group of the second-best fighters in the tournament.
Something that, if I had to choose, I would not participate in because they appear to be making a fool of themselves. But I suppose they really want the consolation prizes, which although they don't represent a large amount of money, guarantee the receivers a place on the expedition to the new continent.
Where they will have a really good salary, according to what Lilian told me. And that's without considering the riches they might find in a land unknown to us.
"Are you still upset?" I ask Deirdre to help me distract myself a bit from the monotony of the combat currently going on in the arena.
"I'm not upset, Xelean!" she quickly replies, but I can tell from her steely voice that she's lying.
"Well, it doesn't seem so... I really don't understand why..." I start to say, but I'm interrupted by her.
"That's the real problem! That you don't understand... But I'm getting used to that..." she says, looking dejected by her own words.
"What do you mean? You don't have to get used to anything you don't like. If there's something that bothers you, tell me, and I'll try to change it. I don't like to see you upset..." I say, growing increasingly concerned by my companion's cryptic comments.
"Haa," she sighs, and her voice returns to its usual tone "It's nothing, really. You haven't done anything wrong. Don't worry."
...
Most of the fights at that stage were frankly infuriating.
It's strange that the kingdom's second-best fighters outside of the military are people with such limited abilities.
With what Regis had told me about how the Church of Lights focuses on limiting the military potential of the domains of the four races, I already figured that there wouldn't be many people on the level of the guys who tried to betray Octavo and me in the labyrinth.
'But I could never have thought that the church was so effective in accomplishing its objectives...'
Only a few, which I can count on the fingers of one hand, have been a bit of a show and shown off some interesting skills.
'But well, I suppose that tomorrow the queen and I will give the audience some show. Tomorrow is the final of the tournament. And, from what I've seen so far, during the beach battle and their fights in the tournament, my future opponent is a monster...'