Chapter 99 – Assaulted with Guilt
Chapter 99
Assaulted with Guilt
Date : Day 13 of Grimleaf 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Under relaxing drugs, Hyoren finally could sleep peacefully. The nightmare was gone.
There was no nightmare about Elise getting bisected. The images of blood. The severed body. The cruel smirk of Hifoppe. All of it was absent.
His agony thanks to Berserker backlash also receded. The burning in every cell. The convulsing. The screaming. All of it faded into the background.
He spent the whole day sleeping peacefully. The hours passed without incident. The rest was deep. When the dual suns of Kresneger started to set, their golden and silver light came through the window. The rays were warm. The colors were beautiful. Sol was golden. Luna was silver. The light painted the room in soft hues. His eyelids started to flutter. The motion was slow. The consciousness returned.
"Mmm... what time is it..."
He didn't ask anyone in particular. The question was rhetorical. Silence answered him. The room was quiet. The only sounds were breathing.
He tried to sit up. His muscles felt stiff—but the agonizing pain from before was gone.
His gaze moved around the room.
To his right, on the other bed, Elise lay still atop clean white sheets. A green liquid IV drip—the healing potion—continued to sustain her. The liquid glowed faintly. The runic arrays pulsed. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. The motion was peaceful and calm. The faint pink on her cheeks gave her a peaceful expression. The color was returning. The life was coming back.
Hyoren let out a quiet sigh. Elise being safe and sound–wasn’t just a dream. She was alive.
He scanned the room again.
His eyes settled on the sofa at the back. Worn, but comfortable. A woman lay there. Her small frame curled in on itself—like a cat. Her ears twitched occasionally. Her tail swished slowly, left and right. Left and right. The motion was rhythmic.
Hyoren watched her in silence.
The memory surfaced without warning. Two days. No proper sleep. Taking care of him. Of Elise.
His gaze lingered on her face. Even in sleep, the faint dark circles were still there. Her breathing was steady—but heavy. Like her body was finally giving in.
Something in his chest tightened.
He hadn’t seen it then. Or perhaps he hadn’t wanted to. Now it was obvious. The exhaustion. The effort. The devotion.
All of it… for him.
He looked away for a moment—then back at her again. His eyes stayed there longer than they should have.
It might have been the rustling from his bed. The sound of sheets moving. The creak of the mattress. Or perhaps his gaze had lingered too long. The weight of attention was felt. Or maybe her body had simply taken enough rest. The recovery was complete. The nap was sufficient.
Ina stirred. Her eyelids fluttered. The motion was slow. Gradual. Then she slowly sat up. The movement was fluid. Graceful. Like a cat waking from a sunlit nap.
"Yawn..."
She stretched like a cat. The motion was natural. Instinctive. Her back arched. Her arms extended. Her disheveled clothes shifted with the motion. Rumpled and loose. Revealing glimpses of smooth skin. The exposure was unintentional—but noticeable.
She blinked again, her vision clearing. Then her gaze met Hyoren’s.
She smiled.
“Good morning, Hyoren…”
She looked at the darkening sky on the window. The colors were shifting. The gold was fading. The silver was deepening. The evening was approaching.
"Or maybe good evening is more apt... Fufu."
She looked back at him. Her cat ears twitched. The appendages moved with her attention. The focus was clear.
"You can sit now? You recovered?"
Hyoren smiled. The expression was faint. But genuine. Then he tried to flex his fingers. The motion was slow but deliberate.
"I think I've recovered enough. There is no more painful agony anymore. Only left with a dull ache. I think I can walk normally tomorrow morning at most."
Ina let out a relieved breath. Her cat tail began to swish behind her.
She stood from the sofa and crossed the room to him. Then she reached out and touched his cheek. It felt warm under her skin. The rugged, battle-hardened skin. The faint scar beneath her fingers. Proof that he was alive. That he had recovered.
“It was nerve-wracking, waiting for you to wake up for the last two days. But I’m glad…”
She leaned forward and hugged him. His head was pressed against her chest. It was modest compared to Elise’s—but it was warm. Soft. It enveloped him in a quiet, tender comfort.
Hyoren froze. The surprise was absolute. He hadn't expected this at all. The action was unexpected. The intimacy was shocking.
Since when has Ina been this affectionate? Where was the flirtatious, teasing, playful Ina?
His heart twisted. Conflicted. Elise—his lover—was still there, asleep. And here he was, being held by another woman.
He wanted to pull away from Ina. The instinct was there. The desire was present. But he couldn't move. His hands didn't respond. The body was frozen. Not because of pain. Not because of the backlash. The cause was different.
But because, somewhere deep in his heart, he wanted this too
***
Time stretched. It had only lasted a few seconds, but it lingered. Ina finally pulled away—reluctantly. Her arms withdrew slowly. Her warmth faded from his skin.
Her gaze shifted to Elise. Her expression tightened, conflicted. As if she were silently apologizing. The tension in her face was clear. The guilt was visible.
Then she looked back at Hyoren. Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Something unspoken passed between them—something neither of them fully understood. Hyoren felt it. Clear and unavoidable. The weight of the moment hung in the air between them.
And it only made the weight in his chest heavier. The conflict deepened. The confusion grew.
He followed her earlier glance—back to Elise. Still asleep and unaware. The silver hair spread across the pillow. The peaceful rhythm of her breathing.
Guilt crept in. He knew what Ina's look meant. He knew what this moment meant. The embrace. The tenderness. The affection that had grown between them while he lay unconscious.
Ina cleared her throat with a small cough, trying to dispel the slightly awkward atmosphere. The sound was soft. Intentional.
"Ehm... okay, Hyoren. Do you want to eat? It's been two days. I've been giving you water while you were asleep, but your stomach should be empty."
Hyoren smiled. The expression was grateful. Warm.
"Thanks, Ina. But wait..."
His gaze shifted to Elise, still sleeping on the other bed. The need to see her. To confirm she was real. To verify she was safe.
"I want to check on her first."
Ina smiled wryly. The expression was soft.
"Right, let's check on her..."
Hyoren then tried to stand. The motion was slow and careful. He was helped by Ina. Her small hands steadied him. Her grip was firm despite her size. There was no pain when he tried to move his muscles. The burning was gone. The agony had faded. But his movement was still unsteady. His muscles were still dulled. It ached—a dull, persistent soreness that reminded him of the backlash. The price paid for the powerful skill.
He crossed the room, slowly, but steadily. Each step was deliberate. Each footfall was measured. Ina walked beside him, ready to catch him if he stumbled.
He arrived at Elise's bed. And sat on it. The mattress dipped beneath his weight. The sheets were soft against his palm.
He looked at her. Her now neatly combed silver hair—not matted with blood. The strands were clean and smooth. Catching the fading light from the window. At her peaceful and relaxed sleeping face. The pink already decorated her cheek. A comfort compared to when it was so pale—like she was painted with death itself.
His gaze lowered. Towards her body. She was wearing a patient gown—simple white fabric that hung loosely on her frame. But part of her shoulder was revealed. The neckline had shifted during her sleep.
He could see the faint, but visible scars peeked through the gap. The lines were thin, pink. He couldn't see the rest, but he knew. The scars would run from her shoulder to her flank. It was a wide scar—marring her once-unblemished fair skin. The mark of the blade that had nearly killed her.
Then his eyes wandered to her left hand. The circular and jagged scar. It was like a bracelet made from scar. The proof of his clumsy attempt to reattach her severed hand. The stitches had been necessary. But the scar was permanent.
It made his heart tighten.
It was the scars from Hifoppe’s black katana. The scars which was proof he couldn’t protect Elise. It was thanks to him not holding Hifoppe properly Elise was attacked. And now, she was scarred permanently.
He looked at Ina. The question was heavy on his tongue.
"Ina, can these scars get removed?"
Ina's eyes clouded. The light faded from her amber gaze. She was silent for a while. Not sure what to answer. The hesitation was clear. Then slowly, she shook her head. The motion was gentle but sad.
"No... if it was a fresh wound, advanced healing magic or high grade potions would heal these kinds of wounds without leaving scars. But if it's already healed..."
She looked outside, trying to form the words. The evening sky was darkening. The last traces of gold and silver faded on the horizon. The words was caught in her throat.
"Then healing magic and potions will consider this as the 'healed' state of the body. So they won't do anything."
Hyoren grimaced.
He then held her hands. His fingers wrapped around Elise's limp hand. The skin was warm and soft Then he moved her hands towards him. Bringing her palm to his lips. He then kissed her hand and closed his eyes. The touch was gentle and reverent.
"I'm sorry Elise... I'm sorry. It was my fault. It really was my fault."
Tears started to drop from his eyes. The droplets fell onto her skin.
"It was because I was holding back. It was because I didn't want to experience the backlash of Berserker."
He started sobbing. The sound was raw and broken. The tears came freely now. The guilt poured out.
Ina touched his shoulder. Her hand was small, but warm. Trying to calm him down. But words caught in her throat. She couldn't say anything which might calm him down. No platitude felt right. No comfort felt sufficient. So she just settled on patting his back. Comforting him. The motion was rhythmic.
Hyoren continued his monologue of apology. The words tumbled out. Unfiltered. Raw.
"I should have listened more to Luminara's warning and not dismissed her prophecy."
He gripped her hand tighter. The pressure was firm. Desperate.
"She gave me a Unique skill to use. To protect you. Not to lay dormant… unused. But I was too haughty... too confident... to think I could deal with that demon without relying on Luminara's gift just because I leveled up a bit..."
Ina's hand stopped moving on his back. The rhythm halted. Every word which came from Hyoren's mouth was a shocking revelation for her. She slowly understood what happened on their quest. The pieces fell into place. To make Elise wounded until she was on the brink of death. To make Hyoren receive backlash which made him bedridden for two whole days.
The details were not yet present. But her experience as Vice Guild Master made every piece click. Luminara's Prophecy. Demon. Unique Skill Berserker.
It would explain his behavior all this time. His cluelessness. His strength which defied common sense. His strange abilities. His mysterious origins.
She understood instantly. Hyoren was Spirited Away—and he was blessed by the Goddess herself.
But she decided to stay silent. She would give him time. She would ask later. The moment was not right. The grief was too raw. The guilt too fresh.
***
Hyoren continued sobbing, gripping Elise's hand tighter. His tears fell freely. His shoulders shook with each breath. The weight of his failure pressed down on him. And Ina stayed beside him—her hand on his back. The touch was steady.
Then, Elise's eyelids started to flutter. The motion was subtle. Small.
It might be because she felt the warmth and tears on her hands. The sensation of his lips against her skin. The wetness of his tears. Or because she heard Hyoren's apology. The raw sound of his voice breaking through her unconsciousness. Or because her body had already recovered enough. The potions doing their work. The healing complete.
Or maybe because of all that. The combination pulling her back to awareness.
Her emerald eyes opened and closed. She blinked. Trying to understand the situation. The light was dim. The room was unfamiliar. Her mind was foggy.
"Huh. Where am I? I thought we were fighting that goblin abomination on the quarry?"
She started looking around. Her gaze swept across the room. The beds. The potions. The unfamiliar walls. Until her gaze landed on Hyoren's sobbing feature. Still holding and kissing her hands. His tears wetting her skin.
"Hyoren? What happened? Why are you crying?"
Hyoren finally realized Elise was awake. The sound of her voice cut through his grief. His head snapped up. His eyes met hers.
"Elise! You are awake!"
He then almost leaped forward. The motion was sudden. Desperate. Then he hugged Elise. His arms wrapped around her. He sobbed harder. Tears ran endlessly. The relief was overwhelming. The guilt was still present. But she was awake. She was alive.
Elise was bewildered. Her eyes wandered around. Not sure what to say. The situation was confusing. The emotions were raw. Then her gaze locked with smiling Ina. The cat-eared woman stood nearby. Her expression was soft and understanding.
"Ina? Why are you here? What actually happened?"
Ina then shook her head. The motion was gentle.
"Shhh. Just stay silent for now, Elise."
Elise then nodded. She then moved her right hand to try to pat Hyoren. The motion was instinctive. Comforting. Then she noticed the needle and the IV lines. The tubes connected to her veins on her right hand. The glowing liquid dripping steadily.
"Huh? Why did I get an infusion?"
But Ina and Hyoren were still silent. The moment was too heavy for explanation. So Elise, confused as she was, decided to just let it go for now. She then patted Hyoren's back. Trying to calm him down. Her hand moved in slow circles. The touch was gentle and soothing.
The door opened at the same time. And Oria came in. Her blue robes swished with every step. The fabric rustled against the wood floor. And her monocle glinted. The glass caught the light from the magic lamps.
She saw the scene, and heaved a relieved sigh. The tension in her shoulders eased.
"Good. You finally awake too, Elise."
Elise was bewildered. The pieces finally clicked for her. This was Oria's place. The familiar walls. The familiar shelves. The familiar scent of potions and herbs. And all the potions and tools were hers.
"Pipsqueak... what happened to me?"
Oria just shook her head. The expression was knowing, but tired.
"I'm not sure either. It should be my question. What happened to YOU, Cow tits?"
She crossed her arms. The stance was familiar. The nickname was natural.
"I was waiting for that explanation for two days already..."
Elise tried to sit. But she was still too weak. Her muscles protested. Her body refused. Hyoren then realized he had already hugged her for too long. He shook his head, trying to dispel his sadness. The tears still lingered on his cheeks. Then he helped her sit. His hands were gentle and careful.
"Please be careful, Elise. You are still recovering."
Elise sat. Then nodded. The motion was slow.
"Thank you, Hyoren..."
She then looked around. At the state of the room. At the potions and liquids on the shelf. Medical magic tools. The runic arrays still glowing. Then she looked at Oria. She finally understood she was the one who helped her. Who healed her.
She dropped her teasing nickname. Her voice turned serious. The playfulness faded.
"I'm not sure either how to explain, Oria... my mind was jumbled."
She looked at Hyoren. The question was clear in her eyes.
"What happened, Hyoren? My last memory was when we entered the main tunnel. Expecting to clean up to Goblin Lord. But we met something else. I don't remember what happened afterwards."
Hyoren took a deep breath. Closed his eyes. Trying to form thoughts. The memories were painful. The truth was heavy.
"To tell the truth..."
But before he could finish his words, Ina clapped her hands. Forcing him to pause. The sound was sharp. Loud.
"Waittttt!"
All eyes went to Ina. Confused. The sudden interruption was unexpected.
Ina smiled wryly. The expression was knowing.
"I want an explanation too. But I think there is a more important matter to tend first."
Elise, Hyoren, and Oria tilted their heads. They were not sure what Ina meant. Their faces all seemed to say—there's no more important thing than explanation of what happened, right?
Ina put her arms on her waist. The stance was authoritative. The posture was familiar.
"Both patients need to eat first!"
Her declaration actually made both Hyoren and Elise realize how hungry they were. Their stomachs grumbled in unison. The sound was loud. Embarrassing.
Ina pointed towards them.
"See? You two are hungry! And food is needed for recovery!"
Elise and Hyoren were embarrassed. Their cheeks flushed. The timing was unfortunate. The sound was undeniable.
Ina didn't wait anymore. She bolted out of the room. Her footsteps were quick and eager.
"Wait a bit. I will bring you two food."
Her cat ears perked. Her tail swished with her every motion as she crossed the room to exit. The door closed behind her. The clicked sound was soft.
Silence came to the room. The absence was noticeable—until Oria stepped forward to approach them. Her blue robes swished with every step.
"So Elise, you are awake after two whole days of fainting."
She scanned her. Her eyes moved across Elise's form—assessing and examining her body.
"You should have recovered enough, but did you feel anything weird?"
Elise closed her eyes, checked her own body. She tried to feel if there was discomfort. Her attention turned inward. Then shook her head.
"No, Oria... my body still felt weak. But I didn't feel any discomfort."
She then tried to move both her hands. The motion was deliberate, then that's when she felt something was off.
"But... my left hand..."
She raised both hands. But her left hand was limp. She could move her arm up to her wrist without problem. The motion was smooth and natural. But when she tried to move her hand and fingers—she couldn't. The digits refused to respond. The commands went unheeded.
"I can't move my left hand. It's like my hand was disconnected. I can feel it. But it won't move at all."
Then she noticed her scar. She moved her wrist closer. Examining the circular scar. The mark was pink. Jagged. Visible. She touched it with her right hand. The texture was rough.
"These scars..."
She looked at Hyoren and Oria. The question was in her eyes. The concern was rising.
"What happened to my left hand?"
Words caught in Hyoren's throat.
He grimaced. Gritted his teeth. The guilt returned. The failure was real.
Oria had already said it before. His work for reattaching her arm was good work. But it was not perfect work. She said the nerves were misaligned. And now the proof. She could feel her hand. So the sensory nerves were connected properly. But she couldn't move it at all. That meant her motor nerves were not properly connected. The signals couldn't pass through. The commands couldn't reach.
With a shaking voice, Hyoren finally opened his mouth. The words were difficult. Painful.
"It was... my fault... I'm sorry, Elise… I’m truly sorry."
It was his first attempt at suturing and attaching amputated limbs. He had knowledge from his four years of medical lessons in his university courses. He had learned to become a doctor. But he was not a doctor yet. He didn't have any experience. And now it cost Elise. Now her left hand was useless.
And now guilt assaulted Hyoren in full force.