Chapter 7: Bringing Home a Stranger
A Hasty Escape
The first instinct was to flee!
Wenger felt grateful to have woken up safely at all.
The clouds above seemed swept away by the spatial rift. The rain had stopped, yet the oppressive aura lingered.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been unconscious. For now, it didn’t matter.
Carefully, she moved the man off her. Only then did she see the deep wounds covering him, his body soaked in blood.
Her mind reeled with shock—he was still alive? After all, being so close, she’d felt his faint breathing.
His clothing, though bloodied, was of fine quality, suggesting wealth. A jade-white scabbard, understated yet elegant, lay beside him. The sword, however, was missing.
His mage robe was merely muddied, not torn.
She briefly considered giving him a kick. Crashing into her like that could’ve killed an ordinary person. How would they settle that score? Yet, fearing ties to the earlier chaos, she hesitated. Reluctantly, she weighed her options.
The mage tower loomed nearby, but…
Countless thoughts flickered, only to be dismissed.
A reclusive Witch, venturing out, immediately regretted it. She half-wanted compensation for the collision, but with him unconscious, she wasn’t one to rob outright.
“What rotten luck…”
Wenger turned to leave, no lingering attachments.
Two minutes later, indignation welled up. She scampered back, intent on taking the scabbard. After struggling in vain, she sighed and hoisted the stiff “corpse” onto her shoulder.
A Regretful Journey
Three days later, the carriage wheels crunched over gravel, the sound softened by the evening breeze. The forest narrowed their view, but they were nearing home.
Wenger leaned back in the carriage, glimpsing Kailos gripping the reins through the fluttering curtain.
The man lay flat in the compartment. Despite rapid healing over days, he showed no signs of waking. Regret gnawed at her.
‘Should I just leave him here?’ The forest teemed with magical beasts—trouble was likely. Bringing a potential threat back to Maple Whisper Village felt irresponsible. Her impulsive decision now fueled endless doubts.
‘Got a bit greedy…’
She placed her hand on his chest again, channeling warm magic into him. His body, like cracked, parched earth, eagerly absorbed it.
Yet, each touch brought a stinging, electric jolt.
‘Tingly… maybe a remnant of that day’s lightning.’
Withdrawing her hand, she sighed quietly. The journey sank back into silence.
Suddenly, an inexplicable palpitation gripped her heart. The carriage halted abruptly, the horses rearing with a shrill whinny, shattering the forest’s stillness.
Arrows shot from the left woods, slicing the air with a piercing hum, aimed at the horses!
Kailos reacted swiftly, drawing his sword and leaping to deflect arrows targeting the carriage. However, he missed the ones aimed at the horses.
Hunched figures emerged from the bushes, closing in on the road.
Wenger steadied herself inside, instantly grasping the situation.
Ambush in the Forest
A lone knight couldn’t cover everything—a predictable early-game flaw. Kailos scanned the surroundings warily, assessing the situation. Unexpectedly, a surge of magic poured from the carriage.
He couldn’t see it, but the soul-deep pressure was undeniable.
The tense air froze.
The girl leaned out, stepping slowly from the carriage.
Her senses revealed green figures in the forest.
‘Goblins, huh…’
Already irritated, she now faced pests begging to be crushed. They bred like roaches, impossible to eradicate completely.
Raising her hand, faint sparks flickered around her. In an instant, they flared into a massive fireball, shooting outward!
Kailos ducked quickly, catching only flashes of fire at the edge of his vision. The blaze raged for a while before subsiding.
Sensing the heat, she reined in her magic, the flames curling back in her hand.
Even burning all day wouldn’t exhaust her magic. Yet, in terms of quality, it fell short—roasting these creatures took time.
Without horses, the carriage was stuck. She wasn’t about to make Kailos pull it like a mule—she wasn’t that heartless.
He shivered under her odd gaze.
Even without her intervention, he could’ve handled it. Yet, her decisive action left a new, peculiar impression.
Wenger, unaware of being labeled eccentric, focused on how to get home. Silently, she vowed never to leave again.
‘If I travel again, I’m a puppy!’
In the end, Kailos carried the injured man. They walked to the nearest town, meeting a member of the scouting team. Borrowing a horse, Wenger decided to bring the man home.
Return to the Valley
The Flexwind Ridge rose sharply, its cliffs smooth as if carved by a blade. Perhaps eons ago, it was pristine, but now it was lush with greenery, no longer stark.
The vast rift valley stretched endlessly, its jagged cliffs hinting at geological upheaval.
Evening breezes carried moisture and the scent of dusk. Wenger recalled sipping sparkling water on a balcony centuries ago, a fleeting moment of ease.
A Morning Visitor
Days later, morning sunlight bathed the village.
Emerging from meditation, Wenger heard Vey’s panting as she climbed the vines. As expected, a knock followed.
Creak—
“This door’s getting worn out from all the use,” Wenger teased with a smile.
Vey tugged her toward the village.
The man she’d brought back was settled in the church’s infirmary. Normally used for minor injuries, it had been busy lately.
Inside, Sister Rilla tended to a worker injured in the mines.
“Sister Rilla—!”
“Shh~” Rilla gestured for quiet.
Wenger nodded in greeting and approached the man’s bed.
His wounds had healed beautifully—hard to believe they’d been so severe. The gash from shoulder to waist had bled profusely, and that was just one cut.
‘No human could lose that much blood.’
She wouldn’t admit that bringing him back wasn’t just for “extortion.” A tiny bit was compassion… Besides, saving a life meant she could ask for something later—hardly extortion, right?
Even considering his superhuman nature, she wanted to try saving him.
Channeling magic into him again, she noted his persistent weakness despite repeated efforts.
His vitality was robust, indicating physical strength. Yet, astonishingly, his body held no trace of magic!
This defied her understanding.
Withdrawing her hand, she felt a lingering tingle. It was like when, as a child, she foolishly stuck her finger in a kettle plugged into a water heater.
‘His body’s a mess, like a leaking power bank. Yet, it’s held on this long…’
Muttering, she complained, “Still don’t even know his name…”