"Ohh!... You finally wake up."
...Vier!!!...
The first person that Vier sees after waking up from dreaming of a certain memory is her Master, Arenea, who is on top of her face, looking so intently at her.
After Arenea moved aside, Vier saw both of her Mom and Dad and Misaki who was standing beside them.
Vier's Mom and Dad hurriedly moved to her side and hold her left arm tightly as they cried their heart out while repeatedly calling her name.
Vier tried to speak to tell them that she was okay and that she was sorry for making them worried. However, she was surprised that what came out of her mouth was a very rough voice which even made her wonder if it was indeed her voice.
"Don't be surprised, Vier-chan. Your vocal cords are still healing from the damage caused by the Empress Call skill. You should avoid speaking unless it's necessary until it heals completely."
Misaki, not wanting Vier to get shocked or worried about her condition, immediately explained what was happening to Vier the moment she noticed Vier's surprised expression.
...If can't speak to my Mom and Dad yet, I could at least wipe their tears...
That is Vier's thought as she tries to move her other arm to console her parents. But then, the memory of what happened at the fight against the Black Weretiger Monster came back to her, as well as the sensation that something was missing.
Misaki immediately grabs Vier's face, stopping Vier before she can turn her head and look at her right arm.
"Vier-chan, the next thing you're about to see might surprise you or give you a bit of shock and panic. But I assure you that it can be restored and healed after your body fully recover."
Misaki tried to ease the anxious feeling Vier was having from not feeling her right arm. Then she released her grip on Vier's face and allowed her to verify the anxious thought Vier had in her mind.
...So my right arm is really gone...
Seeing everything below her right shoulder gone, Vier can only respond with a sad smile. Thinking that it was the price of her survival, she bit her lips and held her tears from her distress that her right arm was now gone.
"Don't worry, Vier. I got your right arm right here!"
"Ehh?..."
However, as if to make fun of Vier's sadness, Arenea releases a glass container from her Item Bag and cheerfully shows it to Vier.
What Vier saw inside of it distracts the sadness and distress that she is currently feeling. It was simply replaced by a weird feeling from seeing what was inside the container.
After all, the thing that is floating in the preserving liquid inside of the glass container is her missing right arm.
"Gyahhh!!!..."
...Vier??...
"Sheesh... Why are you getting scared of your arm... Pfft!... Hahaha..."
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"Ohh!... She awake again!... Pfft!... Hahaha!..."
Vier passes out after seeing her right arm floating inside a preserving container while her Master, Arenea, can't help but laugh at Vier's surprised reaction.
...SMACK!...
"Ouch!..."
After landing a smack straight to Arenea's head, Misaki tries to console Vier and tell her the situation of her condition.
"Don't listen to Arenea-chan, Vier-chan. What's important is for you to relax and understand that we can still reattach your right arm. Do you understand that, Vier-chan?"
"Mhm!"
Vier responded to Misaki with the minimum words that she could say in order not to hurt her vocal cords. She was still a bit anxious, but Vier tried to calm herself after waking up.
Once Vier has calmed down, Misaki and Arenea explain everything that happened to her.
Vier's last recollection was using the Empress Call skill of the Rank 5 Forest Valley Empress Monster. From there, she vaguely remembers anything.
Arenea told Vier that she saved her using her Bloodline Magic from the swarm of monsters that Vier called and lost control. Arenea created a doll version of herself and allowed her Sub-Spirit, Arachnid, to control the doll she created, protect Vier from all those monsters, and bring her back to the Adventurers Guild.
The same thing happened to the Neo Heroes along with Mifumi and Felin.
Misaki then told Vier about what happened to the Rank 6 Black Weretiger Monster. It was devoured by the swarm of insects-like monsters, leaving nothing, not even its bones or skin.
Hearing what happened to the Black Weretiger Monster, Vier can't help but give a smug smile at the thought that she had indeed defeated a high-ranking monster.
...SMACK!...
"Ouch!..."
Seeing that smug smile of Vier, Misaki lands a smack straight to Vier's head.
"You reckless child! If Arenea didn't rescue you. The same thing would happen to you and your friends!"
Misaki further explained that Vier was separated from Mifumi and Felin's room for the Healers to properly look after her. She also explained to Vier why they weren't able to reattach her right arm and heal her left eye while she was unconscious or before she woke up.
According to Misaki, because of Vier's unusual condition of having no Attributes in Magic, using high-level healing or Regeneration skills, which are Attributes base, will put so much burden on her injured body due to Mana exhaustion, and Vier might end up dying instead.
That's why Vier is slowly being healed using low-level healing and Regeneration skills, starting from her most severe injury, the injuries inside of her body caused by the pure Mana Potion that she drank to be able to use Magic normally.
The injuries inside her body are so severe that Vier would have died the moment Puro-III stopped its Regeneration skill back then.
At that moment, Vier remembers her loyal companion who saved her life and stayed with her until the very last.
"Ugh!... Misaki-sensei... Where is... Poru-III?..."
"Ohh!... You mean..."
"I'm sorry, Vier. But I wasn't able to save your pet monster. It was eaten by a monster before Arachnid can save you."
"Ehh?... ... ... Huff!... Huff!!... Huff!!!..."
Hearing what Arena said, Vier started to panic as her heart beat faster and her breathing became heavy.
...Vier, please calm down!!...
"Vier-chan! Please relax and listen to me!"
Vier's parents and Misaki try to calm her down, but Vier, who just realized that she has to pay more than just an eye and an arm for her survival, is already at the point where she's about to lose her mind and heart.
"It's not your fault, Vier-chan!"
"Nope... It's totally your fault... Poru-III, your friend, died because of you, Vier."
"Arenea!!!..."
"Huff!!!!... Huff!!!!!... Huff!!!!!!... Huff!!!!!!!... Huff!!!!!!!.... ARGHHH!!!!!!!...."
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Vier's cry echoes within the Guild Infirmary as her parents try to console her from losing Puro-III. While outside Vier's room, Misaki confronted Arenea for the lie she had told Vier.
...BAMM!...
"You, crazy bastard! Why did you say that?!"
Misaki strangled Arenea's neck with both hands as she slammed her into the wall of the Guild Infirmary.
"I thought we were already done with my punishment, Misaki."
"Answer my question before I lose my patience and break your neck, Arenea!"
"Sheesh... Fine."
"Why did you say that Vier-chan's pet monster died? It was with her when you brought her back to Adventurers Guild. What did you do to Poru-III, Arenea?!"
"Don't worry, Poru-III is at my shop and being looked after by Char."
...BAMM!...
Misaki once again slammed Arenea into the wall making the whole building tremble.
"Then why did you say that Poru-III died? Why are making Vier-chan cry and suffer even more? You already put her life on death's doorstep with that monster. And now, you're making her carry the burden of losing her friend emphasizing that it was her fault!"
"Sheesh... You might be her Teacher but I'm also her Master. I have every right to choose what lesson I want my dear apprentice to learn."
"And what kind of lesson she would learn from blaming her like that?!"
"Didn't you see the look in her eye, Misaki? Vier is not even scared after only losing an eye and an arm."
Hearing Arenea's remarks, Misaki strangles her with more strength, strong enough to almost snap Arenea's neck.
"What do you mean only lose an eye and arm? Do I need to remind you again that Vier-chan almost died because of you, Arenea?!"
"Okay, okay, okay... My point is that Vier will even give up both of her eyes and arms just so she can save her friends...
...That girl needs to learn how it feels to lose a friend, or else she will someday make a mistake that will put not only herself but everyone around her in danger...
...Isn't better for Vier to learn that right now by losing her beloved pet monster? Or would you rather prefer her to learn this lesson by losing someone more important to her...
...Like what happens to us...
...Like what happens to you, Misaki."
Hearing those words, Misaki finally released Arenea.
"You don't have the right to remind me of those memories, so please never do it again, Arenea-chan."
"I'm sorry, Misaki... Anyway, you don't have to worry about Poru-III. Char will take care of it. That girl may be acting haughty with her kohai but she's gonna be lonely again after Vier leaves our town. Like what happened when her senpai, Pen, went to the Adventurers Academy. Having something to remind her of Vier will be good for Char."
"Is that really the reason? Or perhaps you just want Poru-III for yourself because of its ability to understand human words?"
"Pfft!... Hahaha!... Of course not!... Hahaha!..."
"You, greedy bastard!"
"Also, don't worry about Vier. I will give her something special to replace Poru-III's position. All that is left is for her to get over my lie about Poru-III's death. So please don't tell her the truth, Misaki."
"Fine!... But if Vier-chan, didn't recover from this..."
"She will!... After all, she needed to if she wanted to achieve her dream, right?"