Chapter 39: A Desperate Rescue and a Tender Confession

Having confirmed the Hive Wasps weren’t pursuing them, Elara finally exhaled a sigh of relief.

She dared not venture further inside, as the presence of other magical beasts remained a mystery.

Gently, she set Hilvyn down.

At this moment, her entire being was consumed by concern for Hilvyn’s wounds.

“Hilvyn, Hilvyn!”

Elara gently patted her cheek, her voice unconsciously rising in pitch.

But Hilvyn’s brows were tightly furrowed, her eyelids sealed shut as if welded, showing no signs of waking.

Elara clutched the last remaining bottle of advanced recovery potion, yet she was at a loss.

With Hilvyn unconscious, she couldn’t swallow the medicine herself. Forcing it down in this state would only send it into her windpipe, potentially harming her further.

External application would drastically reduce its effectiveness and couldn’t cover all the wounds, merely treating the symptoms rather than the root cause.

Regardless, Elara pulled out all the low and mid-grade recovery potions stored in her ring. Although she called it ‘all,’ these were mostly old, unused vials from before she acquired “Healing Wind.” She hadn’t touched such potions since then.

The quantity was small, and Elara estimated their effect on such severe injuries would be negligible. Still, in this dire situation, even a little was better than nothing.

She lifted Hilvyn’s clothes, meticulously applying the potion to her skin.

The true hope, however, lay in the advanced life recovery potion she held.

But how was she to administer it?

‘That’s right! Under the tongue, the medicine can also be absorbed there.’

Elara suddenly recalled this piece of knowledge. She gently pried open Hilvyn’s mouth and dripped two drops beneath her tongue.

Any more would flow into her throat, making it impossible to continue.

It was too slow. What could she do?

What *could* she do?

Could she only stabilize Hilvyn with external application for now?

Elara racked her brain, glancing at the meager amount of potion in the bottle. It was so little, not even a mouthful.

“Cough, cough…”

A broken cough sounded again, quickly devolving into a gurgling in her throat. Hilvyn’s brows furrowed even tighter, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her lips.

Elara froze for a moment, instantly wanting to slap herself.

She rushed to Hilvyn’s side, carefully shifting her into a side-lying position, allowing her face to turn to one side.

Lying flat at a time like this would be tantamount to letting Hilvyn suffocate herself.

Elara’s heart pounded with anxiety, her mind racing with frantic thoughts until a method abruptly came to her.

Oral administration.

The medicinal effect was almost identical to drinking it, it wouldn’t enter the airway, and there was no danger.

But what about a tool?

She frantically rummaged through her ring, searching for a suitable instrument.

‘A hollow tube… None. This won’t work either…’

She went through a whole heap of items, but found nothing suitable.

“Cough, cough…”

Two more coughs escaped, even weaker than before. Elara clenched her fist!

‘Damn it, this is the only way.’

With a resolute heart, she emptied the entire bottle of potion into her own mouth.

****

She rose, wiping her mouth, silently praying in her heart:

‘Hilvyn, please get better quickly.’

Having done all this, Elara stared blankly at Hilvyn’s pale face. The memories of taking the wrong path, digging, falling into the water, the pain, the escape, and now that embarrassing act—all these scenes flooded her mind.

Seeing Hilvyn in such a state, it felt as if a fissure had opened in her heart. Her eyes warmed, and tears silently streamed down her cheeks.

‘Hilvyn, you *must* be alright.’

****

“Ugh…”

Hilvyn slowly opened her eyes. Her first sensation was exhaustion, her limbs heavy as if filled with lead. Her second sensation was warmth; she was covered by a blanket, and a bonfire burned nearby.

“You’re awake?”

Elara was sitting beside her, not turning around, as she casually tossed two more pieces of wood into the fire.

“Master, are we in…” Hilvyn looked around with a bewildered expression. “The fifty-third floor?”

Elara glanced around as well. “It certainly looks like it.”

“Oh—” Hilvyn suddenly remembered. “We seemed to have fallen. So this is… the Sea of Moonfall?”

The Sea of Moonfall was a legendary place where souls of the deceased journeyed.

Hilvyn searched for the ‘sea,’ but the cave’s appearance was utterly different from the beautiful Sea of Moonfall in her mind.

“It’s not the Sea of Moonfall. We’re still alive.”

“Oh! Then I’m amazing. So high up, and I didn’t die.”

“You rascal… Pfft, hehe~”

Elara was amused by her, letting out a soft laugh. Her previously taut nerves finally relaxed completely.

Hilvyn leaned closer, just about to say something more, but her gaze fell upon the tear stains at the corner of Elara’s eyes.

Her expression suddenly froze. She tightly pressed her lips together, a flicker of tears in her eyes, which then began to well up.

“Eh! What’s wrong?” Elara was startled, quickly checking Hilvyn’s body. “Are you still hurting somewhere?”

“No…”

Hilvyn’s voice trembled. She sniffled, sobbing softly, then embraced Elara, burying her head into the other woman’s chest.

“Eh, eh?” Elara was at a loss, but she didn’t resist. She felt Hilvyn trembling, so she gently stroked Hilvyn’s head, just as she used to.

“I’m sorry…” Hilvyn’s voice was muffled. “I made Master worry.”

“Actually, it’s my fault.” Elara clenched her fist again. “It was all because I chose that diverging path.”

If they hadn’t taken that wrong turn, they wouldn’t have fallen, and none of this would have happened.

Recalling Hilvyn’s unconscious, coughing, near-death state, her nose stung, but she forcefully held back her tears.

“It’s not Master’s fault.”

Hilvyn released her, her face streaked with tears, her beautiful blue eyes earnestly fixed on Elara.

“I’m fine now, aren’t I? We’re both fine.”

Elara gazed at her tear-streaked face, listening to this incredibly soft comfort. The string taut in her heart finally snapped completely.

She wanted to offer words of solace, but found her vision quickly blurring.

Before she could question it, tears had already surged forth, like a broken string of pearls, pattering down onto the back of her hand.

Hilvyn opened her arms to her. This time, Elara was the one who leaned in to embrace her.

She simply rested her chin on Hilvyn’s shoulder, closing her eyes, allowing her tears to flow freely.

Hilvyn also leaned on Elara’s shoulder, smiling through her tears. The two embraced like this, as if time had stopped.

Their clear, fervent heartbeats proved that they were still alive.

Only a faint warmth remained from the firewood, and the two slowly separated.

“Master, I like you.”

“Why say something like that now…?” Elara’s emotions gradually calmed. “Of course I know you like me.”

“No, that’s not right. I super, super like you.”

Hilvyn’s smile was radiant and fervent, with no hint of distance in her eyes.

So beautiful.

Elara’s heart stopped for a moment.

She realized that her feelings for Hilvyn had undergone a subtle change.

But she couldn’t pinpoint what had changed.

If she couldn’t understand it, she wouldn’t dwell on it.

Elara turned to rekindle the fire, preparing to make something to eat.

“Master, when we get out of here, let’s go eat toasted bread again.”

“Alright, we’ll go eat it again.”

At least this desire to protect her would never change.