......I'm sorry for the weird pause. Vieille is still staring at me.
No, it should be possible. I've never done it before. I could cut off this little girl's arm and cast a healing spell on her right then and there. The missing part regrows and voila!
What's wrong? What are you so angry about?"
I gave him a doubtful look, and Vieille said something I didn't expect.
"I don't want you to get hurt.
"What? Excuse me?"
"I don't want you to get hurt."
"Scars on your body? You already have scars on your body. You already have a scar on your arm ......
"I don't want any more scars on my body."
"...... I'm not sure."
I involuntarily turn my attention to Mei, who is standing next to Vieille. She looks a little troubled, but when I see her nodding her head, it seems to me that she is saying that further discussion is futile.
"About the future..."
To dispel some of the bad atmosphere, Roni opens her mouth. She straightens her back and speaks to us in an admonishing tone.
"We need to carefully monitor the state of the poison and the recovery of the wound from which it was removed. I know it is difficult for you, given your position, but I think it would be best if you were admitted to the university hospital to monitor your progress after the surgery.
Vieille looked at me with a distant look, thinking about something, and then slowly opened his mouth.
"How long would that be?"
"...... I think it will take about a month."
"I see. I guess I'll be staying with you for a month at ......."
Roni looked at me. Vieille had indeed said she would be staying with us for a month. She meant that she would be staying in Agartha for a month. We all thought that this little girl would say that she would return to Aphrodite tomorrow.
To our surprise, Vieille is calm. I open my mouth to her, looking at Mei and the others around us.
"Well, a wound is a wound. Well, a wound is a wound. I'd like to tell you to take your time ......, but first, Vieille. But first, Vieille, you need to tell me what happened."
Vieille smiled coldly and quickly turned his attention to his buddy in Posehay who was standing nearby. It was as if to say that he had already told her the general gist of what had happened.
She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly.
"I have come to the conclusion that there has been a rebellion in Aphrodite.
"That's an unusual result, even for you."
Yes. I was completely careless. It was all my fault. However, I have not yet been defeated.
"Oh, after risking our lives to evacuate to Agartha..."
Yes. Before leaving Aphrodite, I sent an urgent signal. I will make sure to retrieve Aphrodite and bring her back to you.
"Well, what are you going to do?"
It would be better for you to see it in person than to have to explain it to me. In a month, when I leave, I will retrieve Aphrodite for you. Please come and see my leadership with your own eyes. Just ......"
Just what?
"We expect heavy fighting in Aphrodite. I, too, will have my hands full commanding it. I must say that there is a strong possibility that the king of Agartha will be struck by stray arrows or magic. You will need to bring soldiers to protect you.
"There are unwanted rumors that the king of Agartha has placed wards on us."
What do you mean?
I want to take back Aphrodite without any help from anyone. No, I'm confident I can do it. Therefore, I would like the king of Agartha to watch over the situation without using his skills as much as possible. If possible, I would like to thank those who have been with us on the front ....... I would like to invite the likes of Khaleesi of Ramalon, Nike of Sundange, and Vilas of Heedata to join us and be our witnesses.
"You, saying that ....... You're going to ask us to join you when the time comes, aren't you? You're a shrewd man."
No, sir. There is no need for you to join the battle. If you see anything suspicious in my behavior, you are free to leave immediately. If you feel that you are about to be drawn into the battle, you are free to retreat at your own discretion. The king of Agartha has the skill of transferring. When the time comes, you may use that skill to move everyone to a safe place.
"You know, you say it so simply, but we have our own circumstances," he said.
Vieille did not reply to my words, but smiled at me and continued speaking.
"By the way, about the friendship flowers, ......"
"Uh, yeah."
"Please give me a higher price than you're paying now."
She looked a little mean, but as usual her eyes were not smiling. Half of what she said was a joke, but the other half must have been serious.
"I see. So you want to economically cripple the rebels. That's just like you. But you're in the wrong department. Well, I'll let him know."
"Thank you very much."
Vieille bows deeply, then slowly raises her head and yawns, covering her mouth with her hands.
"...... I'm a little sleepy. Do you still have some treatment left?"
"No. The necessary treatment has been completed."
May opens her mouth with a kind look in her eyes. Vieille nodded broadly.
"I'm afraid I must ask you to let me rest for a moment.
We looked at each other and left.
In the end, Vieille was hospitalized at the university hospital. It would have been more appropriate to keep her in the guest house, but it seems that her wounds are more serious than expected. We were told that she would have to be monitored for at least ten days after the surgery, and considering the possibility of a sudden change in her condition, we concluded that it would be better for her to be hospitalized at the university hospital.
Naturally, it was decided to set up a ward in her room. It had to be made so that only a limited number of people could enter, but since we had experienced such a thing many times in the Bertham family, the warding itself could be put up rather quickly.
Vieille seems to have been sleeping ever since then. Her sleeping face was surprisingly peaceful and still had the innocence of a little girl.
I thought she had a buddy by her side to take care of her, but it turned out that was not the case. He is going back to his hometown and plans to stay there with his family for a while. I thought he had a surprisingly dry personality, but he can shift at any time, so as soon as he hears that Vieille has woken up, he will shift immediately.
After I finished setting up the warding, I went back to my office, checked that nothing had happened while I was away, and tried to transfer to Lamaron once again. At that moment, Sidi said he would go with me and grabbed my arm.
"I don't think Sidi will go again, do you?"
"No. No. I should go, too. My gut is telling me that.
"What's going to happen now?"
"That, I don't know. ......"
"You were so happy to be told you're my daughter, you don't think I want to go back and ...... be told the same thing, do you?"