When we got to the inn, the innkeeper was surprised because I was covered in blood, and she was even more surprised when she saw Chris with us. We didn't waste any time on her and just continued to head to our room while Father was still carrying me.
After he put me to bed, he said that Chris and I should take a rest and sleep while he went out to buy bandages, and when he came back, we'd go to the church and ask for healing potions.
After a while, Chris fell asleep soundly. Maybe because she's so tired, she really did her best today. I look at her and see her peacefully sleeping, and what comes to mind is what happened today. If ever I am in her position, I don't know if I have the courage to do what she did. I realized that she still thinks that she is weak, but in my eyes, she's plenty strong already.
While thinking about that, I started to feel drowsy; maybe because I saw Chris' sleeping face, I suddenly felt like I was finally safe, and I fell asleep in no time.
When I woke up, Father was already here, and it seems like it's already afternoon. I saw our things being packed.
"Are we leaving today?" I asked
"Oh, Will, you're finally awake; yes, we're leaving today; if we didn't leave today, we wouldn't be in time for the opening ceremony of the academy," Father said while continuing to pack our things.
"After I finish packing these things, I'll bandage you first, then let's go to the church before we leave the city," Father added.
"Okay," I replied.
After Father finished packing up, he bandaged me, carried me again, and headed outside because I couldn't still walk because of the pain. Before we left the inn, we warned the innkeeper that if something happened to Chris again, she would be dead. She got scared and started to get on her knees while saying that she understood.
The church was located just a few meters before the market, which is why we got there in no time. Churches were smaller than the cathedral because churches were only run by priests while the cathedral was run by bishops. Also, churches don't have that talent measuring tool that we used to know our talents because only cathedrals were allowed to have it. Churches only offer counseling, praying for god, and healing potions that were made at the capital by healing magicians—a rare magician who can use healing magic—but of course everything has a monetary compensation.
When we entered the church, a servant of God reached out to us and asked what we came for. Father asked for a healing potion, and he led us to a room where a man who seemed like a priest was sitting and working on something on his table. When the priest saw us, he asked what we needed, and the servant of god said that we came for a healing potion.
The healing potion cost 10 gold coins—a large amount of money, if you ask me—but Father still bought it. After that, I drank the potion, and it tasted so bitter that I wanted to puke, if not only because it cost 10 gold coins. When I finished the whole bottle, my body started to feel weird; it was as if time was accelerating in my body and my wound closed in an instant.
When I tried to walk, I didn't feel any pain anymore; it's as if my wound had never existed. Healing potions were amazing.
After that, we left the church and started walking towards the inn so we could wake Chris up and leave the city. While we're walking, I hear a familiar voice that seems to be calling me.
"Big brother!" Shouted by a young girl—Rena
On her side was her mother, whom we bumped into earlier this morning.
"Good afternoon." "Did you find Mr. Carson's residence?" Asked by Rena's mother
"Ah, yes, we found it, and Carson and I had a nostalgic conversation about the past," Father replied.
"Thank you again for telling me where he lives; if not for you, I might not get to his house even now. "Hahahahaha!" Father added.
"I'm glad that I helped you too." Rena's mother said
"Did you see Papa?" Rena asked me
"Papa?" I mumbled to myself, wondering who Rena's father was, when suddenly I remembered what Rena's mother said this morning.
"Ah, my husband's name is Conrad, so if you see him, tell him that we're waiting for him."
After I remembered that, it's as if I've suddenly become paralyzed; my body won't move, and I can't speak properly. I don't know what to do, so I look at Father, but Father seems to have realized it too, as it was evident on his face.
"What happened?" Rena's mother asked
"Did something happen to my husband?" She added worriedly.
Father seems to have realized that he was making Rena's mother worry, which is why he got back to his normal self and started talking.
"Ah, nothing happened; it's just that your husband seems to have been sent on a mission and won't be back for a while," Father said.
"What? " "Why didn't he say it to us?" Rena's mother asked
"It seems like that was an emergency mission that needs to be attended right away, so maybe that's why he doesn't get the time to inform you." Father answered
Father was really a great liar; if I didn't know who he really was, I would also have believed him.
"Is that so?" Rena's mother said sadly
"Papa won't be coming tonight?" Rena asked and was about to cry.
"Yeah, papa was sent on a mission, so he won't be back tonight, but he will be back, so let's wait for him, okay?" Rena's mother said to Rena
"But I want to see Papa today," Rena started to cry.
After that, Father and I started to feel like we couldn't take it anymore if we continued to watch them; that's why we said our goodbyes and continued to head towards the inn while Rena's mother was consoling Rena, who was still crying.
When we couldn't see them anymore, I asked something of Father.
"Father, do you regret what you did?" I asked
He became silent for a minute, then started to answer.
"No, I don't regret it; I did that to protect you and Chris, so no matter how many times it was repeated, I would still do the same thing," Father answered.
"Do you hate me now?" He asked
"No, I won't ever hate you no matter what you do because I know that you only did that to protect someone you loved," I answered.
After that, Father and I continued to walk towards the inn, and while we were walking, I asked him something.
"Why did you deliver the message that Conrad entrusted to Carson?" I asked.
"Because Carson can't deliver it anymore, and maybe for a little while, I can make up for Conrad," he said.
After he answered that we had already reached the inn, we stopped our conversation and woke Chris up. After that, Father took Pride from the stable, and Chris and I rode in the carriage while Father started to go to the driver's seat. After we checked if everything was fine, we continued our journey and started to leave the city of Craud with both happy and sad memories.