*click*

"...!

"

The blond heroine caused the black-haired boy to flinch and look back at her cautiously.

"Don't give me that look.

"

Burushiitto blushed, taking her hand off of the lock – leaving the key inside before timidly approaching the scarred attendant.

"Now. Strip.

"

"...!

"

The girl motioned at Zoemi with her chin and commanded in a professional tone... which caused the black-haired boy to instinctively cover his body and take a step back.

"Oh, come on! I'm a medic! Besides- we are NOT close enough for you to think that this is that kind of event!

"

Burushiitto complained, with her face flushed from embarrassment caused by the overreaction.

"Sorry. Still – do I have to take off my clothes...?

"

Zoemi apologized and asked with an uncomfortable expression – even though he was already in the middle of disrobing.

"If you don't want to have bandages getting healed up into your body, sure.

"

The blond girl shrugged her shoulders and waved her hand dismissively while looking away.

"...that's why you closed the door...

"

The boy nodded, unbuttoning his shirt that he had such a hard time putting on before he ventured out of the room.

"Yah.

"

The heroine shrugged her shoulders and nodded at the same time.

|Yah...? I don't remember heroine speaking like that...?|

Zoemi furrowed his brows but didn't voice his confusion out loud.

"Alright, please, sit here – I will take a look at your newest wounds... also... I am sorry for that – it feels like you aren't really mad at my prince and me, but... It really wasn't supposed to go like this...

"

With the black-haired boy only in his underwear and bandages protecting his naked body form, the eyes of the blond heroine ended up sitting on the bed, right on the spot which the girl patted with her hand as she spoke with a sad expression.

"You are correct in assuming that I am not angry at the second prince – but if you don't mind me asking – what did you think was going to happen? You sound as if the torture master was supposed to tickle me with a wet noodle.

"

Zoemi breathed out and sta still as the blond girl was carefully taking off his bandages to check up on the damages – and making a bitter expression while doing so.

"...sir Zoemi... do you remember what I told you before? About some mysterious supporter who is messing with my prince?

"

Burushiitto asked in a serious voice that honestly took Zoemi by surprise.

"Of course, I remember, what about him?

"

The black-haired boy asked in concern – if even the empty-headed heroine noticed something had been off, it must have been really serious...!

"That guy – because that is the only fact I managed to learn about the supporter – handled everything beginning from making up the content of the punishment paper all the way to hiring the person who would be responsible for delivering the punishment. He made it all look as if the person he hired would make the whipping only look realistic while in actuality it wouldn't hurt you at all.

"

"...

"

Burushiitto revealed – leaving the black-haired boy speechless.

"...you... do know how stupid that makes you sound, right? The muscles on my back arent properly attached to my bones anymore – who in their right mind would fall for 'it's only a show' argument?!

"

"...!

"

Zoemi called out in disbelief, making the heroine flinch.

"H-hey, cut me some slack – this world has magic, alright?! One of our teachers literally turned herself invisible in one of the lectures before! Was it that weird for me to think that someone has the magic that creates illusions?!

"

The blond girl cried out absolutely embarrassed and looked away in shame.

"Sure, sure... you are a commoner, miss Burushiitto so it's not that weird for you to fall for such trick – but the second prince on the other hand...

"

Zoemi raised his hand and waved it a few times showing off that he isn't mad at her while voicing his doubts about the blue-haired Surou...

"N-no! My prince is a good person – the thing is... he has issues... It's not like he foolishly believed every word that other guy said – the problem was that he WANTED to believe him...living in the shadow of his smarter and stronger older brother really put a toll on him. Not to mention that you didn't actually scream even once!

"

Burushiitto sighed with a bitter expression glancing at Zoemi's face voicing her own complaint.

"The so-called supporter declared his unwavering loyalty to the second prince many times and gained enough goodwill that my prince wanted to give him a chance... I swear... My prince isn't a bad person, please, believe me...

"

The blond girl lowered her head in front of the black-haired boy – although the proper term at the moment would be – she bowed her head at Zoemi's back – since the scarred attendant was facing away from her so that she could have a better look at his wounds.

"It's alright – if I had any ill will towards you or the second prince I wouldn't come to ask you for a favor anyway.

"

Zoemi smiled reassuringly, feeling the last of his bandages being removed and his back instantly started stinging once the salve-covered wounds got exposed to the air.

"...thank you...

"

Burushiitto breathed out with relief and closed her eyes to compose herself...

"Alright. No reason to drag it any longer! Sir Zoemi, get ready to be healed up and be indebted to me for the rest of your life! Anesthetic on! Mend! Regenerate! Strong Heal!

"

"Wh-wha...?! Now hold on here...!

"

The pumped-up heroine didn't waste any time and cast four spells back to back – even though the black-haired boy flinched and gasped at her choice of words.

But then the magic started working - After the first spell Zoemi couldn't feel any pain - he merely felt a slight tingle as the foreign mana sipped into his body reacting with his own – but that was on almost a spiritual level – the thing that he actually felt was the effects of all the next spells,

The boy felt his cracked bones becoming one again, his muscles reattaching themselves in their rightful place without exception – his face muscles and skin were moving around, itching a little bit, but overall the black-haired boy didn't feel any actual discomfort at all, he was numb all over as if his body fell asleep while his mind remained conscious.

|So that's healing magic...! Ah...! I can see its shadow! Could I just...?|

Zoemi gasped in awe and glanced at Buru**to's focused face, keenly observing the murky shape floating over her head.

"...

"

The boy focused on it and reached out for the healing mana with his mind – the murky darkness reached out and wrapped itself around the innocent spell latching onto it and going as far as sipping a portion of the mana itself besides just copying it...!

"...!

"

This had never happened before – Zoemi was shocked out of his mind – did he undergo some sort of development while braving through the punishment?!

"...?

"

Zoemi opened his eyes and glanced at the heroine curiously – it seemed like she was struggling with controlling her spells – she was sweating and clenching her fists – but didn't voice a complaint out loud.

Still – the black-haired boy decided it wasn't a time and place for experiments as the blond girl was already doing him a major favor, so he focused and the murky shadows retracted, leaving the healing mana alone.

|I wonder how long it will take...?|

Zoemi wondered to himself, glancing at his body seeing the discolored spots of skin disappearing from his hands and torso.