"Miss Richards we meet again. I see you took my advice and found a healer. However, that did not give you license to be so reckless. I prefer not to see my patients so frequently."
The doctor I met at the clinic previously was standing over me. I seemed to be in a different part of the clinic where I had been healed before. A monitor was beeping beside me and it looked like I was connected to some tubes.
"Be careful. You need to rest a little more. We had to perform emergency treatment on you."
The doctor pushed me back down on the bed. My first instinct was to argue with the doctor to check on Callie and Mat, but he was insistent that I lay back down. I did feel a bit lightheaded so it was probably for the best.
"Are Callie and Mat okay?"
"You come in with a deep laceration and you only care about your party mates? Sigh. They are in the next room waiting for you to wake up. I will send them in as soon as I have done my examination."
The doctor checked my pulse and listened to my breathing before leaving the room. Soon a teary eyed Callie poked her head into the room. I smiled weakly at her and waved her in.
"I'm so glad you're okay!"
Callie rushed in and threw herself onto the bed. I felt a sharp pain and groaned.
"Oh, no! I am sorry!"
Callie immediately rolled off the bed and half fell into the floor. Mat managed to catch her before she did any damage to herself.
"She has been like this since we arrived."
"I see. Callie, calm down and sit in a chair. I am fine."
I really wasn't fine as my abdomen was currently burning in pain. Mat seemed to see through my fake smile and I saw his eyes squint briefly before helping Callie into a chair.
"We managed to get out safely. However, we had to leave the drops behind."
"That is okay. I appreciate you getting me to the doctor. We can always go back."
"Callie, do you mind if I talk to Kai alone for a few minutes?"
"S-sure!"
Callie left the room after looking back at the two of us a few times with a slight blush on her face. What kind of made up nonsense is she thinking of now? Wait… Did she think that Mat and I were in some kind of relationship? I would need to clear this up later.
"What did you want to talk about, Mat?"
"Why are you so reckless?"
I balked at the sudden direct question. How do I answer this?
"What do you mean?"
"Don't poke around the question. I could have talent that hit just fine. Even with my shield broken."
I turned my head away from him.
"I didn't want to lose someone else."
"There is more to it, isn't there?"
Why was he so perceptive?
"I ended up accepting your proposal to join the party because it sounded interesting and I wouldn't mind being in a party with a healer. However, that doesn't explain the sudden vow of secrecy, the strange room that appears when we enter into a dungeon with you, or your actions. It is almost as if you have an objective aside from helping out that little girl."
Too perceptive.
"Mat…"
I paused despite myself. In my eyes the details of the room were razor sharp. Sharper than usual. My thoughts were running wildly trying to figure out which secret he had secretly caught on to. The fact that I went back in time or Kei? Which instance would pacify him enough?
Or do I just tell him everything? I so wanted to just spill every worry and instance that had led me to this point. To put it on someone else's shoulders. The idea was enticing, but could I trust him?
I have only known him for a few days. Part of me wanted to trust him. He was so easy to talk to and our teamwork was seamless. Before I knew it tears had started to sprout at the corners of my eye. Mat seemed to flinch when I looked back at him.
"I understand. When you are ready to tell me I will be here to listen."
He looked at the floor and then back to my face. His hand reached out but he stopped before it touched my skin. Frowning, he dropped his hand and then left the room silently.
What have I gotten myself into?
Callie peeked back into the room before the door closed behind Mat. She glanced in Mat's direction and her right eyebrow raised.
"Callie, come in."
She jumped slightly and sheepishly made her way back to the chair beside my bed. Her hands folded in her lap but she kept fidgeting. I wonder what she was thinking about.
"Did you two have a fight?"
"What do you mean?"
"Mat looked upset when he left."
"We are fine. He was just worried about my injuries."
"Are you going to be ok?"
"The doctor was calm enough to chastise me, so I think I am going to be ok."
The worried expression was replaced with a small smile. It seemed she knew about the lecturing habits of the doctor as well. I wonder if they knew each other?
"The doctor is always like that. You could be bleeding out and he will still take the time to give you a lecture about being reckless."
Callie giggling beside me helped me relax a bit after that encounter with Mat. I would need to think long and hard about what to tell him. The part of me that wanted to spill everything threatened to break free once more.
How long could I keep this secret? Would telling Mat affect my chance of surviving in this life? There were several differences between the two lives that I have lived. In my previous life I was alone, struggling, barely able to make enough to get by.
In this one, I had people to rely on and take care of, a goal to work towards, and enough money to buy anything I could possibly want. That is right, now I had too much to lose.
I had grown used to the smiles Callie made when she accomplished a small goal and even Mat standing at my side in battle. Before I knew it I was surrounded by people I did not want to lose.
It's time to tell them about Kei. I will keep my past life to myself a while longer. Now that I had made the decision I could swipe away the worries that clouded my mind and reach toward a future that was not dark and bleak, but full of hope.
"Callie, call Mat back in, would you?"
"Sure!"
Callie beamed happily and rushed out the door. It seemed that Mat had not gone too far from the room I was in because it felt like no time at all for them to return.
"Ah, Callie, you stay too. I have something I would like to talk about."
I stopped Callie from leaving and they both found chairs next to the bed. Mat had a serious expression on his face. He looked everything like the person who was about to receive really bad news. I almost wanted to tease him.
"Let me tell you a story. Before I met both of you I was alone. My only goal was to survive. To that end I pushed away everyone and worked only for that goal.
One day I had hit my limit in the dungeon and I knew that in order to achieve my goal of surviving I would need help. I suppose I could have worked a normal job back at the bank from before, but there was just something about the dungeon that called me into it that day.
So I went to the association building and found someone to help me achieve that goal. His name was Kei."
Mat and Callie listened until I explained how Kei had died and how I had been contacted by some strange being. I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Callie looked like she was swirling under all the information and Mat seemed to be processing what I said very carefully. It was funny how they had completely different reactions from each other.
"I know that this is a lot to consider. I want to save Kei if possible, but I know that is a lot to ask of the two of you. We would only attempt it when, and if, we are ready. What do you think?"
"Of course! I would do anything for you, Kai! You are the only one who would help me after all." Callie immediately agreed.
I looked at Matt nervously. I had only just met him after all. Callie and I had spent many days in the dungeon by this point and had become good friends and party mates.
"I need some time to think about it."
"I understand."
Callie's reaction was abnormal after all. Any sane person would take time to think about a decision that had the potential of causing one's death. However, all hunters were prepared for death when they entered the towers. So I was hoping in my heart that he would agree.