Sounds, maybe voices. Darkness.

  After collapsing at the end of the battle, Violet had regained consciousness several times, only to slip away again moments later.Pain. The feeling of being lifted—carried.What happened…?

  A confused question, repeating in her mind, echoing and distorting.Then dreams—broken, muddled.Muffled voices, faceless shapes.

  Am… am I dead? Is this death?

  Images flickered through her mind like reflections on a rippling pond.

  “No, child, you are not dead.”A warm, deep male voice reached her.

  “Who are you?”

  Violet floated in the void, knees drawn to her chest, eyes shut.

  “Someone who watches you… who keeps vigil over you.”

  “I… I know you!”The distant voice, echoing and serene, stirred something inside her—something familiar and unexplainably deep.

  “I have awaited you for a long time, Violet.”

  That voice—unknown, yet intimately familiar.

  “Tell me your name!”Violet forced herself to open her eyes, to see a face.

  Nothing. Only darkness.

  “Patience, child. We will meet soon…”

  Then the falling sensation—sudden, dizzying.A void pulling her downward, faster and faster.

  She opened her eyes and lurched upward.

  “A-ahh!!!”The movement sent a jolt of pain tearing through her chest. The room spun violently and she collapsed back onto the bed, sinking into a soft, overstuffed pillow.

  Where… am I?

  Blinking through the haze, she made out the shape of a small room, lit only by a faint light slipping through thick curtains.

  She tried to stay awake, but the pain and confusion drowned her.

  “How is she?”The voice came suddenly—a young woman’s, anxious and strained.“Will she recover?”

  More voices answered her, but Violet couldn’t grasp the words.Darkness returned.

  Clashing iron. Screams. A wicked laugh.Then an animal’s cry—an eerie howl echoing in the void.Two glowing eyes stared at her. Then fangs.And again, laughter.Suddenly a face—A wolf's face lunging at her.

  She gasped and her eyes flew open, lifting herself abruptly—“Ah—!!”A sharp pain burst through her chest, forcing her back down onto the bed. The room spun violently, and she sank into the soft, overstuffed pillow.

  Where… am I?

  Through the haze, she caught a glimpse of a small room dimly lit by a faint light seeping through heavy curtains. She fought to stay awake, but the confusion and pain were overwhelming.

  “How is she?”A woman’s voice reached her—worried, tense.

  “Will she recover?”

  More words followed, but she couldn’t understand them.Then—again—the darkness.

  Sword clashes. Screams. A malicious laugh.A feral howl echoing in the dark.

  Two glowing eyes staring straight at her.Fangs—And laughter again.Then a wolf’s face lunging toward her—

  She snapped awake, gasping, trembling. Her eyes darted around, frantic, searching for an attacker.

  Silence.

  Was… that a dream?

  Her body relaxed as the terror slowly drained away.

  She tried to move, only for another stab of pain to nearly knock her out. Her head still throbbed, but the confusion was gone. Now she could see—she could feel.

  Night.The darkness outside was deep. Inside, a handful of candles lit the room from an iron stand beside the bed.

  “What a strange place…”

  Aside from the bed, the room held only a small worn wooden nightstand, and a chair placed beside her.

  Then—click.The door creaked open.

  She turned. A young man stepped inside, his hair ash-gray, his eyes light and clear, his face calm and clean.

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  “You’re finally awake!”

  He wore a dark mantle with golden trim, and on his chest hung a pendant shaped like a caduceus—the symbol of the gods.

  A monk?

  “Who are you?”Startled, Violet instinctively shrank back, clutching the blanket. Noticing her unease, the boy offered her a soft, reassuring smile.

  “My name is Evian, miss.”He approached and leaned in slightly to examine her more closely.

  “You’re… a monk?”Her embarrassment grew under his serious look.

  “Yes, miss.”He moved a finger before her eyes, watching her reaction.

  “Where am I?”Violet felt even more self-conscious.

  “In Ostelria. You’ve been here for a few days now…”He kept studying her pupils carefully.“You seem much better. Your eyes are responsive. Tell me—how do you feel?”

  “I… fine… I think…”Aside from the pain.

  “Good. Then let’s take a look at your wounds.”

  Violet didn’t even have time to react.

  “Wh—”

  Evian lifted the blanket in one quick motion, leaning forward with the same focused expression.

  Violet saw her own body—covered only by the bandages wrapped around her stomach and chest.

  Her face drained of blood.

  I’m… naked?!

  Violet, realizing her state, suddenly felt her anger boil over.Raising her hand and clenching her fist, she punched the man who was looking at her straight in the face, sending him flying to the other side of the room and rolling across the floor.

  Violet’s expression was that of a demon as she yelled furiously at the young man, who, with his swollen face and a huge bump on his head, was mumbling and trying to apologize to her.

  “Are you out of your mind? What the hell were you thinking? What were you trying to do, you damned maniac?!”

  “I–I’m sorry…”

  “Pervert!!!”

  “I deeply apologize…”

  “Is this how you behave toward a young maiden like me? Damn you!!! Degenerate!!!”

  The scene went on for quite a while. Violet continued insulting the young man, who eventually fell to his knees before her, begging for forgiveness.

  Violet had pulled her legs close and covered herself with the sheet, rocking back and forth with a hollow look in her eyes.

  He saw me… He saw everything… Goodbye purity… Goodbye honor…

  The commotion had drawn other people as well. Two young nuns in long robes with their heads covered peeked into the room.

  “She’s awake! The girl is awake!!!”

  Behind them appeared a familiar small figure.

  Showing up all of a sudden, a smaller figure entered the room.Violet turned to look, meeting two huge round eyes that lit up with emotion and filled with tears the instant they met hers.

  “…Nainai!!!”

  The dwarf rushed to the girl, and as soon as he was close enough, she embraced him with the little strength she had, pulling him tightly toward herself.

  “So you’re alright! Oh thank goodness! I was so scared!!!”

  Nainai allowed himself to be held for a long time. Violet felt the dwarf’s tears falling and running down her skin.

  Holding her companion’s hand, Violet turned again toward the young monk.

  “But… what happened?” Violet’s memories were confused.

  “You were brought here by some adventurers, miss. They were therianthropes out on a hunt—bearfolk, you see?”

  Bear…folk? Maybe that’s why I felt so warm…

  “They reached us late in the evening and left you in our care. You had lost a tremendous amount of blood…”

  As Violet listened to his words, flashes of memory seemed to surface: heavy footsteps, labored breathing, and warm fur.

  She thought back to the scenes from the battle, and to Nainai’s intervention. And also…

  The sigil! Thelvaria knew about it!

  “We provided the first emergency treatments immediately. You must know—when you arrived, your condition was nothing short of dire. I was honestly afraid we wouldn’t be able to save you.”

  “I see…” Violet thought back to the sensation of being lifted and carried.So it really had happened.

  “Your companion stayed by your side day and night, barely resting or eating.”

  Violet tightened her grip around his small hand.

  “And those adventurers? I’d like to thank them…”It would be the least I could do after they saved my life…

  “They left almost immediately, miss…”

  Violet felt a sting of disappointment.

  “After bringing you here and making sure you would survive, they mentioned some important mission and departed.”

  A shame…

  “They also left this…”

  The monk stepped aside, pointing at a table where a strange white object rested.

  Violet recognized a hilt and a wide, broken blade.

  “But that’s…”

  “The wolf woman’s sword, miss.”

  Evian turned toward the table, looking at the hilt and the shattered blade.

  “You know, those young men worked very hard. They even went to the Guild to report what happened.”Evian gently touched the hilt.

  “One of the girls came here as well to check on your condition and see the sword with her own eyes. An Elf.”

  “Really?”

  Violet was speechless.So Elyune and the other Guild girls knew everything.

  “Certainly. Word has already spread across the whole city. Everyone is calling you a heroine.”

  Heroine???

  Violet felt faint, sinking back into the pillow with a deep sigh.

  The young man, regaining a serious expression, approached her again and studied her face.

  “There will be time for explanations. For now, you need to rest and recover. I think—”

  A strange, loud sound interrupted him.

  Violet blushed fiercely, pulling the sheet over her face to hide.The sound had come from her stomach.

  How embarrassing…!!!

  The monk briefly turned toward the nuns watching the scene and gestured to them; they immediately disappeared.

  “Well, you haven’t eaten anything for days. I’d say it’s perfectly normal…”The monk smiled, trying to comfort her.

  A short while later, the two nuns returned with a tray.After helping Violet sit up comfortably, the women began feeding her warm, delicate, flavorful broth, and offering her generous amounts of fresh water. Violet tried to resist—there was too much water, and the cup was enormous—but the nuns forced her to drink, holding her in place so she couldn’t squirm away.

  Violet ate while continuing to talk with the monk, who reassured her about her condition, stating that with proper rest she would almost fully recover.

  “You will be left with a scar… unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about that.”

  Violet touched her abdomen, thinking about the gash that crossed it, realizing that what mattered most was simply being alive.

  “I understand. Thank you.”

  The monk returned her smile.

  “Now rest. I’ll leave these sisters to check your wounds and change your bandages. I wish you a good recovery.”

  After taking his leave, the monk pulled Nainai along with him, exiting the room and leaving Violet to the care of the two young women who, after finishing her meal, proceeded to inspect her wounds.

  The nuns, observing such a young body, seemed amused.

  “You know, miss? You have beautiful skin!”

  “Yes, it’s really smooth and very fresh!”

  Once they finished replacing the bandages, they left, blowing out the candles that lit the room, leaving Violet in darkness.

  Left alone with her thoughts, Violet reflected on the monk’s words about her rescue and the rumors that had spread.

  A heroine, huh?

  The thought made her smile as she drifted off to sleep.