The Healer’s Partner? Not So Fast!
Whenever I thought about that line—“There’s no one I can trust except you”—a smile kept tugging at the corners of my mouth, no matter how hard I tried to stop it.
She was right. No one else I could trust? I’d lived my whole life being careful not to let anyone in, hadn’t I?
Trusting people too easily only ever ended in getting burned. So she was the only one who could stand between me and whatever trouble I might attract by being the kind of idiot who let someone else’s curse drag them into a fight.
Plus, it felt weird to watch someone I actually trusted step up to take the heat for me. That meant I owed her a little warmth in return—
“Ahin-nim?”
The flat, blunt voice yanked my thoughts back from wherever they’d wandered off to.
Er’s emerald eyes, which had been staring off into the distance like she was looking at something far away, snapped back into focus. She blinked, finally registering exactly where she was: the guild’s waiting room. Her voice came out a little flustered. “Ah, no! I wasn’t thinking anything weird or—!”
“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you’re talking about,” Lise cut in smoothly, “but would it be all right if we finished the rest of the conversation?”
“Ah… sorry. What were we even talking about?”
Lise’s professional mask didn’t waver for a second as she answered. “We were discussing the skeletons that appeared in the underground cemetery.”
“Oh, right…”
“It seems like the story hasn’t been relayed clearly enough, so let me start from the beginning.”
She gathered the scattered documents on the table with efficient movements. “First, the compensation. According to the request, we’re to pay two gold—two hundred silver coins—as stated. If you intend to sell the mana stones you acquired…”
“Sorry, but I haven’t finished talking with Ahin about that yet.”
Two gold for a single request was already a huge payday. Not long ago, the bounty for taking down a group of lizardmen had barely cleared one gold. Double that, almost. The kind of ridiculous compensation you’d expect from a temple’s war fund. No wonder Ahin had gritted his teeth and taken the job anyway.
“Understood. Next, the post-exploration of the underground cemetery. As you said, Ahin-nim, traces of magic power were found inside. It’s safe to assume the black magician who caused this is still involved.”
“What was inside?”
The place they’d left behind in the underground cemetery while they went to treat Ahin’s affliction. Er had been uneasy about not checking what the skeletons had been guarding, so she asked.
“Nothing.”
“…Huh?”
“To be precise, when the guild’s investigation team arrived, there wasn’t a single trace left behind. We recovered some evidence suggesting an experiment had been conducted, but there’s no concrete clue or proof to go on.”
“…What do you mean?”
The question hung in the air, heavy with unease.
What exactly had the black magician been trying to do in that cemetery?
No matter how much the two of them racked their brains here and now, they’d never uncover the truth. The culprit had already vanished without a trace.
Er let out a long sigh, the kind that seemed to ease the knot in her chest a little. “…All right. Is there anything else?”
“Yes. One final matter—Ahin-nim’s promotion to silver rank.”
Before Lise could finish, a wail ripped through the hallway outside.
“SAVE MEEEEEEEE!!!”
“Hm?”
Er tilted her head, trying to remember where she’d heard that voice before.
“That voice… it’s Ahin!”
“Then I’ll see you again, Ahin-nim.”
She bolted out of the room without waiting for an answer. Lise’s voice followed her down the corridor, but Er barely registered it.
Crash!
The moment the door was yanked open, Ahin came flying through it and slammed straight into her.
“Aaaah!”
“Ahin?!”
Er’s startled yelp died as she realized the blond man who’d just been tossed onto the floor was none other than Ahin. “What are you doing right outside the door?!”
“I—I came out! I heard you were in the waiting room!”
“What’s wrong?!”
“Save me!!”
Ahin’s plea was so desperate that Er narrowed her eyes. “Tell me everything. Who exactly is after you?”
“That’s—”
Ahin had barely started when a new voice cut in from behind him.
“Ahin, I knew you were here.”
The first face Er saw belonged to a woman who’d already dropped into a low crouch right beside the fallen Ahin. Her long black hair hung loose, one sleek strand draped over her shoulder. In a single fluid motion she planted herself on his stomach, grabbed both his cheeks, and pressed her forehead to his. “If you just disappear like that, I’ll be so sad. Won’t I? You really should apologize.”
“S-s-sorry—”
Ahin’s whole body shook. “You crazy woman! You came bursting in out of nowhere!”
“Mmm. What I wanted to say isn’t that… but fine.”
Whatever woman had been clutching Ahin’s cheeks suddenly put more force into her grip. “Once we’re out of here, we can take our time. All right?”
“Waaah!!”
Even as Ahin’s screams kept coming, the same woman simply kept staring at him, lips curving into a smile. “Hehe… don’t get so worked up. We’re partners, right? Of course I’d come looking for you, Ahin.”
“You crazy wom—let me go!”
“I keep telling you, you don’t have to be embarrassed. Now stop—”
“Get away from him!”
The sharp voice sliced through the air. Er shoved the woman off Ahin and planted herself between them. The moment Ahin gasped in relief, Er demanded in a cold tone, “Who are you, and what do you think you’re doing to Ahin?”
“Who I am? You really don’t know?”
“Ahin, do you know her?”
Ahin answered without hesitation. “No, I don’t!”
“See? He doesn’t know you.”
“…Are you serious? You’re actually believing that?”
“Of course! It’s what Ahin said!”
Er and Ahin had never been close, but that didn’t mean Er didn’t trust him. Trusting someone was supposed to be the easiest thing in the world… yet the woman didn’t seem inclined to back down. “Ahin, I wondered what you were doing running away from the temple… and here you are playing around with some woman?”
“N-no, it’s not like th—”
“Another woman while I was waiting for you?”
A chill raced down Er’s spine. Even though the sun was shining outside, the shadow over the woman’s eyes felt far too dark, far too sharp. Those deep-blue eyes gleamed with something that made Ahin start trembling harder. “If you keep doing that, I’ll be so unhappy.”
The woman’s lips stretched into a wide grin. “So… let’s go back. Together.”
Ahin’s eyes widened in sudden realization. He opened his mouth, closed it again, and turned to run. The only escape route left.
“Ahin!”
“Can’t let you get away.”
When Er called his name in alarm, the woman had already moved. She leaped onto the wall, then launched herself forward like a predator. Her landing point was the guild entrance. The poor, pale-faced Ahin was sprinting toward the exit just as she landed.
Thud!
Her body slammed down right in front of him. “Ugh…!”
Ahin had just realized she’d blocked his path in mid-air when she caught him by the arms. “Whoa… mmm. Ahin’s scent… I missed you.”
“You crazy woman! Let go!”
“Ahin, did you forget? We agreed to stay together forever, remember?”
“I never said any such thing!”
“If you keep teasing me like this, I’ll be sad.”
“H-hiiik…!!”
Even Ahin’s legs had gone limp with terror. The woman caught him, steadied him, and sighed. “It’s okay, you were just startled, weren’t you? I’m sorry. So… let’s go back. I’ll cook something nice for you—”
Before she could finish, someone swung a sword. The woman’s grip on Ahin vanished instantly. She stepped back, eyes narrowing. “…Why are you always interfering with me and Ahin?”
“Can’t you see Ahin doesn’t like that?”
Er had already planted herself firmly between them. She glared at the blue-eyed woman. “No matter who you are, step aside. If you don’t—”
“I’m Ahin’s partner.”
“…What?”
Er’s voice cracked. The words had landed like a bomb.
“Partner… you said?”
“Yes. Partner. So give me back this annoying woman.”
Blue eyes locked with emerald eyes across the tension. The air itself felt ready to snap. One tiny movement and it would turn bloody.
“Any conflict inside the guild comes with an immediate penalty.”
Lise had appeared between them like a ghost, arms outstretched, shoving both women apart. “So if you’re going to fight, do it outside. I’d appreciate it.”
“Wh-what…?”
“When…?”
Neither Er nor Ahin had even sensed her arrival. Lise’s expression remained stone-cold. “Then I’ll see you again later.”
Crash!
The heavy door slammed shut behind them, sealing the three of them outside the guild hall. They simply stood there, eyes blinking in stunned silence.