What She Desired Most (3)
“Hoo.”
Only after hearing the doctor’s explanation and seeing Elia lying there did I finally let out a sigh of relief. What happened last night had been touch-and-go; it could’ve ended in disaster.
Her mana had started surging wildly, on the verge of devouring her body whole. If I’d been even a little later, the massive overload would’ve killed her on the spot.
I’d just had a bad feeling and wandered around until I found her. Otherwise, Elia would’ve died right there.
But something felt off.
Why did it surge all of a sudden?
In the original story, it happened after she despaired over her midterm exam results. But unlike her fated path, she’d overloaded now, weeks before classes even started.
Was this another change because of my interference?
An uneasy thought crept in, but I shook it off and sorted my mind.
“Haa.”
That wasn’t the priority right now anyway.
“At least she’s not badly hurt. That’s a relief.”
I sighed again and looked up at Elia.
She lay unconscious on the bed. Fortunately, the mana hadn’t burrowed into her flesh or scorched her skin, so no burns. Still, the mental shock must’ve been immense.
Even a brief electric shock hurts like hell—what she endured for nearly half a minute, fully conscious, had to be excruciating.
“Eugh.”
It must’ve hurt a ton. Even I, trying to shatter her mana, had felt the strain all over my body.
BAM!
“Elia!”
A man burst through the door without a care for the patient’s rest.
This guy again?
My face twisted at the sight of that rude bastard with zero manners.
“You again?”
Hans strode up and grabbed my collar.
This delusional prick had no intention of fixing his issues, huh.
“Did you do this to Elia!?”
“...”
“Answer me!”
He started bellowing at me, when my head was already pounding with irritation.
I really wanted to deck him right there.
“...”
But it’d affect Elia too.
“Ha. Ha. Unbelievable. Absolutely ridiculous.”
So even as he hurled insults at me...
“Not satisfied with just Astria?”
“So you’re messing with academy students again?”
...I stood there silently, ignoring him completely.
“What kind of person are you?”
Clatter!
“How many people do you have to hurt before you’re satisfied!?”
Meanwhile, Hans flung his glasses aside, yelling without a thought for the girl on the bed. That selfish streak of his hadn’t changed.
“What.”
I picked up his discarded glasses from the floor and muttered.
“Sorry.”
I set them on the table and headed out of the room.
“Ha? Sorry? That’s all you have to say?”
Hans followed, ranting on.
“Is that it!? You think that fixes this!?”
“Ha.”
Once we were far enough from the room, I turned.
Thud!
“Shut the fuck up already.”
I slammed Hans’ head straight into the floor.
“No idea what you’re yapping about nonstop.”
“...”
The satisfying thud echoed, silencing the noisy hallway at last. It was so quiet now, better than I’d hoped. Should’ve done this more often.
Leaving Hans passed out on the floor, I slowly exited the hospital.
“Sigh...”
Outside, I caught my breath.
Having knocked out Hans meant sticking around would just bring trouble. Time to pick a new spot and move.
“Haa.”
Anywhere would do.
Sunlight filtered softly through the window into the hospital room.
A white bird perched on the sill, chirping sadly, until the doctor in white approached. It flapped away with a whoosh, soaring into the sky.
“Elia, feeling any better now?”
“Yes...”
I’d been staring at the sill for a moment before turning to the doctor, who adjusted his glasses and held a clipboard.
“You can be discharged in a few days.”
He nodded at my response, flipped a page, and continued.
“You’ll need a wheelchair for the time being.”
“A wheelchair?”
“You’re lucky, Elia. Plenty of patients with mana shocks like this end up crippled for life.”
“I’ll be going now.”
With that, he left the room with the nurse trailing behind—busy as ever.
“Haa...”
Once they were gone, I let out a deep sigh.
“Hic, sob. Hic.”
Tears began falling onto the back of my hand.
Not because of the pain or the wheelchair—something trivial like that.
I was sorry.
─Aaah!
And I missed him.
─Elia!
While I writhed in agony from the mana overload during practice, he—who had no reason to—saved me even as the mana tore through his body.
“Please... please...”
Memories flooded back, and I clutched my head, praying desperately.
─Haa. At least she’s not badly hurt. That’s a relief.
Please let me forget these memories of pain and despair you’ve given me.
The next day after it happened.
I came to at the sound of a voice by my ear.
My whole body ached; I couldn’t move or speak, but I managed to crack my eyes open faintly.
Karl?
Through blurry vision, I saw Karl.
Huh?
Something was wrong. Unlike his usual faint smile, he looked troubled, his right arm bandaged.
Ah...
Soon I realized why he was hurt.
Because of my greed.
My selfish desire to practice magic despite knowing I couldn’t.
He, who had nothing to do with it, got hurt because of me.
Hu, huhk.
My breathing quickened. I wanted—no, needed—to move.
Move.
Get up quick.
Please move.
I had to throw myself into his arms and apologize. Tell him how truly sorry I was.
Please... please move.
Sorry for getting someone worthless like me hurt.
But fate played its cruel trick.
Please... please...
No matter how hard I tried, my body wouldn’t budge.
“Ka. Ka.”
Unable to move, I strained to squeeze out his name—
BAM!
A huge crash jolted my whole body. A man burst into the room.
“Elia!”
It was Hans, my academy senior.
“You again?”
He saw Karl by my side and grabbed his collar.
“Did you do this to Elia!?”
“...”
And pinned all the blame on him.
No. No!
I screamed inwardly at the sight.
Karl didn’t do it. It was my stupid mistake.
I was alive because of Karl.
“Did you do this to Elia!?”
But my desperate cries didn’t reach them.
Hans only pressed harder.
“...”
And Karl stayed silent.
It’s not true.
Say it’s not. Please.
Why are you so quiet? Why!?
I begged for just one word, but nothing came from his lips.
“Not satisfied with just Astria?”
“So you’re messing with academy students again?”
“...”
No matter the vile insults from Hans.
“What kind of person are you?”
Excited, Hans kept yelling at innocent Karl.
“How many people do you have to hurt before you’re satisfied!?”
Over things that never happened in the past.
No.
Or would in the future.
Karl wouldn’t do that.
To those false accusations, Karl muttered briefly.
“Sorry.”
The words I should say.
No.
The ones I needed to tell him night and day.
Don’t. Please.
“Sorry.”
And he walked out without another word.
“Is that it!? You think that fixes this!?”
Hans chased after him.
BAM!
But Karl didn’t return.
After that day, I searched everywhere for news of him.
─Magic swordsmen these days?
─Dunno, not many outsiders come to the village lately.
─Haven’t seen him.
Karl was like he’d never existed—impossible to find.
“Hic, sob. Karl... I, I wasn’t good enough.”
And it seemed I never would.
“C-can’t do magic. Sniff, all alone. Shouldn’t have practiced alone.”
Forever.
“I’m sorry... really, really, hic, sorry... forgive me.”
By now, my hands and the blanket were soaked with tears.
“Please, I’ll give you the ring or anything—just come back to me.”
Some desperate wishes just never came true.