"...…"
"This is amazing!"
"You've been saying that the whole time, even during our travels all the way here."
"But it is; it's so mysterious and weird and complicated yet simple."
"Yeah, yeah. Just shut up and open it. You've been analyzing this armor since a few hours ago, and you can't even open it."
"You want me to destroy this piece of art; just give it some time, and it will be finished."
"......."
'Weird, I have just woken up and heard these voices around me.'
But somehow my armor is still intact, and from the conversation they've had, I guess I have to thank the lady who is somehow analyzing my armor.
'I better stand up before they open it.'
"Haaa, we don't have time, and there might be injuries we don't know about inside, so I'll forcefully open it."
"Good point; open it now, sir."
"Wait, wait, wait. I'm still analyzing it. I told you this armor is made with the user's safety in mind. So if there are injuries, it will activate its healing function."
"But still."
"Just listen to me!"
She's amazing even though this is made with Titan's materials, making it nearly impossible to analyze its rune. She is able to know this much about it.
'Although I'm the one who made it, I'm quite shy and proud of her analysis. Anyway, let's get up and stop their argument.'
"Oh."
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"Thank you for looking after me."
"You're up already?"
"Yes, how were the others?"
"Uh, about that."
"I'll tell him."
"Lone Wolf."
"We haven't seen each other for a long time, so stop calling me that.
"Ahahaha, sorry, old habit."
"Anyway, can you guys please leave?"
"Yeah sure."
"Eh, wait, I'm not yet done."
"Come on now, miss, we've gotta leave."
"But such a great device a little more, and I'll be able to analyze it."
"You said the same thing two hours ago, and it was long at the time."
"We'll be going then."
"Thank you."
"Wait please!"
The three then left after they were pressured by the proctor. while the lady seemed to be genuinely interested in my armor.
"Well, then, I'll tell you about what happened."
"Mm, yes, please."
"You've done a great deal for us during this disaster. You lead the group with great bravery and help them survive, including me. So for this accomplishment you'll be given the rank C. Although it should be higher, that is the only possible rank I can give you for higher than that needs approval from the guild master or someone with the same authority."
"So are they all safe, sir?"
"No."
"Eh."
"Haa, I'm not really good with words, even though I said all that. They came from the higher ups, not mine."
"That's not important right now, sir; please get to the point. What do you mean that not all had survived?"
"Okay, I'll be blunt. One of your comrades lost an arm. His name is Dane, while one died, and his name is Gibson."
"...…."
Hearing that made my mind go blank, and his words afterward were nonexistent to my ears. Gibson died, and one of the twins, Dane, lost his arm.
Now that I think about it, they were attacked after I was blown away from them. Maybe at that time.
"Hey!"
"Ah yes."
"It's not good to be absentminded. Rest for a while; you're the last one to wake up while the others are already awake. Go see them after taking a good rest."
"No, I'm good. Let me meet them now."
"....Okay, They are in different rooms than you since that girl wanted to have a quiet place to analyze your armor.
"Okay, I'll go now."
"Here, the rooms are different for the boys and girls. You can visit them there."
After receiving the paper, I left and looked for the room of the boys first.
~~~~~~~~~
"I'm here; let's go."
Knock, knock!
"Come in."
"Hello guys, it's me."
"Bolt, how are you?"
"You're still wearing your armor?"
"It seems that you guys are recovering well."
"Mm."
"Not really." Said Dane as he raised his lost arm.
And then Kurt added something that shocked me.
"His highness is doing much better now, though."
"Hey!"
Then James answered back. Which made me relieved. I guess it wasn't me that they were talking about.
I should have noticed the way he said it, but I didn't expect James to be a prince like me.
"I'm hiding my identity right now, so it is best if you guys don't divulge it more as it is."
"Okay, sorry about that."
We then chatted about a few things, including how they are feeling and how their treatment has been here.
Obviously enough, we didn't talk about Gibson to avoid the sad atmosphere. And as we ran out of things to talk about, I decided it was time to leave.
"I'll be going now. I think I'll be visiting the girls next, and do you want me to say something to your sister for you, Kurt?"
"Nothing much, really."
"But it really is surprising that you recover so quickly."
"Well, that's just how this armor works."
After replying to James, I left and headed to the girls next.
Now that I think about it, I can heal Dane's hand back to perfect shape. I'll just tell him about it when it's just the two of us.
~~~~~~~~
Knock, knock!
"Who is it?"
I guess girls are more cautious than guys, huh?
"It's me, Bolt."
"Oh, you're here; come on in."
"Pardon the intrusion, but how was the treatment going?"
"We're doing great."
As I entered, Kim became enthusiastic about how their treatment was going and how it had healed most of her scars.
We continued our exchange as well as including Talia in the conversation. Afterwards, I left and told our now-former proctor that I would be leaving.
"Okay, since you're okay now, I'll tell you the results. Also, even though it's not the right timing, I'm just going to say you guys performed well and deserved to raise their rank and receive some rewards as well."
"Okay, sir, thank you." After thanking him, I left the clinic and returned back into becoming Cole Anglos.
~~~~~~~~
The next morning, I didn't visit them again. Right now I am contemplating the deadline of my orders and went back to the store.
When I arrived there, we greeted each other as always, but somehow the atmosphere was weird.
Shrugging it off, thinking they were just tired from working without me for a couple of days, may be the reason.
So I reviewed the paperwork in the store, and after doing so, I entered my workshop. and there I was working to finish the orders.
And before I knew it, a knock came from the door.
Knock knock!
Who is it? I told you not to disturb me when I'm working here unless it's very urgent.
Leaving my work for a bit, I got to the door and asked the one who knocked.
And when I opened it, it was Claire.
"I'm sorry, owner, but this is very urgent."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I heard you came in here early this morning."
"Yeah, I did."
"I see. Then I advise you to take a break."
"What do you mean? It's still early for me to take a break.
"No, sir, it's already evening."
What? surprised I looked at the time and saw that she was right.
And before I noticed fatigue came rushing to my nerves telling me my body was tired, then I fell.
"Sir!" She exclaimed, surprised at what had happened. She then caught me and carried me to a nearby chair to rest.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'll be getting you some water to drink then."
"Okay, thank you."
She then left to get me something to drink. After that, I began to realize the effect of what had happened to me.
'Right now, I guess it is obvious what happened back then. But it still gave me a shock.'
'Why? If only I had finished her off after that first move, if only I had made sure she was dead at the time I knocked her out, if only I had realized sooner that Titan could absorb the crystal, if only-.'
My mind spiraled into a series of regrets, not knowing if I could benefit from what had happened. I am now lost and ashamed of myself.
A few minutes passed by without me reaching a conclusion to my own thoughts. She arrived with my drink. After taking a sip, I calmed down a little.
When I calmed down, she began to talk.
"I don't know if this would be of any help to you, sir, but I'll say it anyway."
She looked out the window and said those words to me. then continued.
"I may not know what you've been through, but a lot of us do go through what you may have experienced. Not to brag, but I had experienced a lot of hardships. One of the most painful ones is what happened before you found me."
She said them with a pained expression, and somehow I also felt relief from her words.
"I don't know what you've been through, and I can't say I can help you even if you tell me. But still, you shouldn't drown yourself in that one experience. but that doesn't mean you should forget it. I know a few words can make you forget what just happened to you. It takes time."
She paused and looked at me, then continued.
"And I want you to take it slow; although it may be painful, that doesn't mean one action can solve all of your problems. at least that's what the people I looked up to used to say. "
Her words made me realize a little, and the burden somehow lessened.
"Also, please talk to the girls; they were somehow scared of approaching you early this morning."
Ah, so that's why the atmosphere was awkward earlier. It was because of me.
"Okay, I'll do so." Afterwards, I took a long rest.