Chapter 21: Narrow Escape from Death

I.

I am pretty persistent.

When I opened my eyes again, my lower body was in the river and my upper body lay on the sandy bank.

Still, I don’t think I was unconscious for long.

An unusual amount of blood had spilled.

Because of the river water, the bleeding hadn’t stopped—it was still seeping out.

If I’d woken up just a little later, I probably would’ve died.

I forced my unresponsive limbs to move and barely crawled up onto the sand. I dragged my whole body out of the flowing river and collapsed onto the bank, staring up at the sky.

It was cold.

The wound ached in a chilling, biting way.

I thought I’d become numb to pain since leaving the facility.

Am I even breathing properly…?

“……Haaaah.”

I took out a small sewing kit from my maid’s uniform pocket.

Why do I carry one?

It’s just a maid’s basic skill.

I threaded a small needle and began to slowly suture the wound.

Disinfection? Infection?

I don’t know. I’ll think about it later.

Right now, surviving and getting out of here takes priority.

The inside of the wound, white like fish flesh from being tossed around in the current, was about to well up again with red. A wound this deep should’ve gushed blood, yet the sluggish reaction made me wonder how I was even alive.

“I hope it doesn’t leave a scar.”

From my left shoulder, slicing through the space between my breasts, down to the right side of my abdomen—I was cut wide open.

Of course, there were other wounds too. Stab wounds on my right shoulder, left shin, and the top of my right foot.

Let’s handle the biggest one first.

I don’t know if I’ll even have the strength to use the needle again.

“……The color to be re-engraved is gray. The broken shall be reconnected and tied.”

After finishing the sutures—hastily, sloppily—I used healing magic.

Nothing saintess-tier, of course. Just basic magic.

I didn’t know how much longer I’d stay conscious, but I still had some magic left.

After confirming that the skin had somewhat reattached, I cast healing spells on the other, smaller wounds.

The insides were still raw and injured, but I hoped this would at least stop the bleeding.

“It’s not sticking well…”

Well.

Probably because the stitching was awful.

Scar or no scar—I’m too tired to care.

I pulled the top of the one-piece dress back up, having lowered it earlier to work on the wound. I tried to button it, but some buttons were gone—cut off by a blade or swept away by the river.

I thought about using the spare buttons in my kit… but decided against it.

Whether someone’s watching or not.

Who cares.

“As expected… it’s gone.”

The thought struck me, and I raised my arm.

The bracelet—gone.

I saw it break right before my eyes… but it still didn’t feel real.

My body hadn’t reverted to its original form.

There could be several reasons.

Whether there was a right answer—I didn’t know. But I could accept this.

Maybe the bracelet malfunctioned because it broke while I was wearing it… or because I kept taking it off and putting it on again.

I don’t want to think too hard about it. It gives me a headache.

But while my mind accepted it easily, the instincts in my body didn’t.

A maddening sense of disconnect.

Only the spot where the bracelet had been felt like it was floating… out of sync.

I grabbed my bare wrist with my other hand.

Damn thin.

So thin I wondered if it would snap if I twisted it too hard.

I slowly pulled my hand down.

“Damn it…”

I reached toward the dagger in my pocket.

I felt a presence.

The longsword I’d been using was lost somewhere in the river.

Not that I could’ve lifted it in this state anyway.

Will my body even move…?

“We’ve found someone here!!”

“Someone?”

Damn it.

Not just one voice.

Of course—after an attack on the church, it was only natural.

I staggered to my feet and turned toward the sound.

To my surprise—it wasn’t church soldiers.

Clank. Clank.

A soldier in chainmail appeared, wearing a surcoat bearing the crescent moon of Eclisia and a wolf crest.

He carried a rectangular tower shield strapped to his back and wielded a long bolt-action rifle—around 1.3 meters—with a bayonet nearly 50 cm long.

It looked like a spear with a gun attached.

The anachronistic look was strangely satisfying.

A soldier sent by Edwin… for Cecilia, maybe?

I couldn’t relax just yet.

“It’s a woman with a large wound!”

“A woman? A woman?”

“Hey, are you okay?”

The clanking grew louder as more soldiers descended the riverbank.

The first one unstrapped his shield, slammed it into the ground, leaned his rifle against it, and rushed to my side.

He knelt beside me and took off his helmet.

“Hey! Answer me! What on earth is this wound…?”

“Quiet… my head hurts…”

“Oh. S-sorry.”

He crouched, lowering himself to my eye level.

“Sorry. Excuse me for a moment—”

Without waiting, he began untying my clothes.

What the hell?!

What if the wound opens again?

“Did you do this first aid yourself?”

“……”

Even speaking was hard, so I just nodded.

More soldiers in matching armor gathered.

At the center stood a middle-aged man—not armored, not armed. Just in a neat suit.

A knight.

“It’s definitely a woman.”

“Ah—this is, to check the wound…”

“No, it’s fine, Clarence. Didn’t you get dumped by Marie last week? I’m a commander who understands soldiers get lonely. Just don’t act on it.”

“That’s not it, Sir Virden!”

“Alright. I’ll leave her to you. Redress her and take her to the infirmary.”

Infirmary…?

Not a prison?

Not a torture chamber?

In the world I came from, even murderers were kept alive and treated before interrogation—but this wasn’t that world.

I had expected to be killed on the spot.

So this… confused me.

“…What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d already done first aid. I-I wasn’t trying to look at your chest or anything. It was for medical purposes. I-I don’t know if you’ll believe me…”

Something’s off.

I expected to be arrested or killed.

Why were they letting me go so easily?

“Um, Sir Virden. That woman is suspicious. Doesn’t her hair color resemble the guy on the wanted poster? Maybe we should take her to the church for questioning.”

A soldier handed him a wanted poster.

In the sunlight, the sketch—of a white-haired boy—was visible.

Not an exact match. It was a composite sketch.

“Thank you for the advice. But if every white-haired person became a suspect, wouldn’t I, too, be one?”

“But… how could a girl do such advanced first aid—?”

“She’s clearly a maid. And a maid who can’t even sew? In my eyes, she’s just an unfortunate child who witnessed the attack and got caught in it.”

“I’m sorry, Sir Virden. That was narrow-minded of me.”

“Not at all. Even if you’re wrong, it helps broaden thinking. Thank you, friend.”

So that’s it.

I was saved—because I no longer had the bracelet.

I understand.

I’ll just play along with what this knight said.

Thanks for spelling it out so clearly.

Ahahaha…

“Take her away, Clarence.”

“Yes, Sir Virden.”

Clarence slung his rifle on his back and picked up the tower shield.

Then—he picked me up.

The wound flared with pain.

But not for long.

I’m used to pain.

Thanks to that damn medicine.

“Are you okay? You don’t look good.”

“I’m… fine.”

“Alright. You’ll be better soon.”

Should I say… I’m lucky?

I hope I can return to Therese soon.

I’m worried.

Every step throbbed, but I took it as proof I was still alive.

Thankfully, the soldiers’ camp wasn’t far.

We entered a tent immediately.

“Medic! Are you there!?”

“Huh? What—were you attacked? Who died?”

“No. Not that. We found a civilian who was attacked—”

“Virden’s too soft. Picking up strays like this just adds trouble.”

Clarence laid me on the bed.

The medic checked me over.

“Neat first aid,” he muttered dryly.

Then he poured something on the wound.

“Hee, heeeeyaaaaaaaak!??”

“Oh. A clean scream.”

“Wh-what are you doing, gaaaa… Hwa, hwayaaaak…”

“Usually they faint with one cup of this. But this kid’s got stamina.”

“Ugh… aaah, aaaang…”

Call me pathetic.

But this was real.

I screamed like a child.

Couldn’t help it.

“The wound will open. Stop squirming and go to sleep.”

He picked up another cup—probably disinfectant—and moved toward the wound on my foot.