Chapter 16
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Healer Awakens
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Seeing the magi spread all the way up to Gerard's chest, Eloise felt a massive shock.
She wasn't in her right mind.
The desperate plea buried in her earnest touch made Gerard forget he needed to pull her away. He just stared blankly at her.
Eloise even shed tears.
For a moment, she was lost in memories of her final moments before death.
The horrific scene of the Purple Hole.
Gerard, on the verge of madness as magi consumed him.
The situation that felt like the end of the world.
And then death.
It was something she never wanted to see or experience again.
"Please... work, sob, just work!"
She wanted to heal Gerard.
She wanted him to be free of pain.
She was desperate.
"Why isn't it working...! If this keeps up, Gerard... Gerard will die!"
Even knowing her powers wouldn't manifest for another year, she clung on desperately.
"Eloise, stop."
Gerard finally snapped out of it and grabbed her hand.
Eloise flinched at his cold body temperature.
Their eyes met.
The moment their gazes—hot unlike his body—intertwined...
"Hngh."
Eloise's body shuddered violently.
The magi that invaded without warning rampaged through her insides, not content with that, as it wrenched something from her.
Sweat poured down her entire body, and her mind boiled.
Ah, this is...!
Eloise gripped Gerard's shoulder tightly.
She gasped, barely managing to open her eyes.
"The healing... it's working, right?"
I'm healing you.
Eloise's eyes trembled with joy, and Gerard gritted his teeth.
Then everything went black.
Plip, drop.
The sound of falling water made Eloise's eyelids quiver.
A moment later, she opened her eyes.
A spacious room, a cozy fragrance, and a soft bed.
She knew exactly where she was.
Just the massive Red Gem embedded in the bedpost was enough to tell her.
There was only one person on the continent who would use such a huge Red Gem just to warm a bed and a room.
"Lord Gerard?"
Eloise sat up and looked around.
But there was no reply.
She slipped out of bed.
Her head still foggy from sleep, the memory of collapsing flashed vividly in her mind.
'I awakened as a Healer.'
Gerard must have realized it too.
He had greedily devoured her healing power.
There was no time to be surprised by how much faster the awakening was than in her previous life.
She needed to find Gerard quickly, check his condition, and make sure he kept quiet about it.
"Lord Gerard? Where are you?"
Eloise searched for Gerard, knocking on doors throughout his residence.
Cold water poured down over Gerard's head.
The chilly stream flowed over his broad shoulders and tense muscles to the floor.
He leaned against the wall, deep in thought.
He tried to wash away stray thoughts with the cascading water and cool the burning desire raging inside him, but it was no use.
Even blocking out other sounds with the rush of water failed.
The more he tried, the clearer the sounds from outside became, as if mocking him.
The footsteps of Eloise searching for him, her clear voice drawing closer and closer.
This is a bad time.
As he glanced down and frowned...
Knock knock.
"Lord Gerard, are you in there? Lord Gerard? You're not here? That's weird, I can hear water..."
Eloise had finally found him.
Gerard turned off the water.
He couldn't just let her, who wasn't fully recovered, keep wandering around.
He loosely wrapped a large towel around his waist and opened the door.
Eloise beamed when she saw him.
"There you are. I was looking everywhere... Gasp!"
Eloise covered her mouth with her hand and stepped back.
With every step he took, undried water droplets trailed down his defined muscles, dripping onto the floor.
Eloise's gaze followed the scattered drops.
Then it stopped where he had paused—and so did hers.
From above her heel, she saw the firm muscles and tendons dipping into the hollow.
Her throat suddenly felt parched, and she quickly lifted her eyes.
'Oh no.'
Eloise bit her lower lip lightly.
Lifting her head was a mistake.
This time, his smooth waistline and the perfectly balanced back and broad shoulders, centered on his spine, captured her gaze.
As he turned, the tightly woven muscles contracted subtly, rippling like waves.
Eloise stared, mesmerized by his powerful, strong physique.
"You."
Gerard's low voice sent ripples through her eyes.
Her shoulders jumped like someone startled awake.
"Were looking for me?"
He brushed back the hair plastered to his forehead from the water and approached.
With each movement, the loosely tied towel swayed precariously.
Eloise's eyes darted everywhere.
"Y-yes, uh... yes, I was."
"What is it?"
As the finely chiseled pecs came right up to her nose, Eloise hurriedly lowered her head.
"Eloise, tell me what you need. We can't just stand here like this."
"Right."
She had planned to ask him to keep her manifestation as a Healer a secret.
But she hadn't expected to face him half-naked, so the words wouldn't come easily.
Given the topic, she wanted to talk with him properly dressed.
Conversations without clothes felt secretive, suggestive, like that.
As Eloise unconsciously thought something embarrassing, her eyes suddenly widened.
And just like that, any shyness vanished as she grabbed his forearm and pulled him closer.
With the eyes of a hawk, she scanned his upper body meticulously.
"Turn around for a second? Lift your arms a bit."
She even made a request of him.
Gerard had an inkling of what she was doing and complied as she wished.
Eloise's eyes gradually widened.
"It's gone... right?"
Unthinkingly, she reached out and touched Gerard's chest.
"Hey."
Gerard, who had stayed still until then, frowned slightly and gently pried her wrist away.
"Ah!"
His touch was a bit rough, drawing an involuntary moan from her.
"Sorry."
Gerard apologized immediately and released her wrist.
He even took a step back?
Like someone avoiding a pervert.
Eloise waved her hands frantically.
"I didn't mean to touch you on purpose! Well, I did on purpose, but... anyway, it's gone?"
Regaining her composure, she pointed at his abs.
Clearly, the traces of magic poisoning had covered everything from his abs, visible through his wet shirt, up to his collarbone...
Now, it was clean.
"Yes. It's gone. Thanks to you, Eloise. Don't be surprised. You healed me. And just so you know, no allergic reaction either."
Eloise nodded slowly.
Only then did she realize her reaction wasn't normal.
'Acting surprised now would just be ridiculous.'
Ahem. Clearing her throat, she asked.
"So, I've become a Healer?"
"Not surprised after all. You act like you knew."
"Huh?"
His words sounded ominous, making her heart sink.
"Why so shocked? You manage Healers in the Support Team, so you know all about this. That's what I meant."
"Oh... right! Yeah, I know all about it. I even imagined it sometimes. What if I became a Healer? And now it's real. Haha, ha, haa."
Her forced laugh faded as she gauged his reaction.
People with secrets had it rough.
Unlike her, who had broken into a cold sweat in moments, he remained calm.
Arms crossed, he looked down at her.
"Will you register as a Healer?"
In the past, Gerard had urged her to register officially so she could get proper treatment as a Healer.
But knowing the strict control of the Magic Management Bureau over Healers, she refused.
Instead, they made a secret pact.
'And yet, I still couldn't help him when it mattered. I always healed him too late.'
Should she register officially this time?
Would that help Gerard more?