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Chapter 78
The first blow made the carriage jump.
It was not enough to break the floor.
The second left a crack.
—Sir Link —the guard said from the front seat—, I would appreciate it if you did not destroy the vehicle.
Link did not answer.
He remained leaning forward, forearms resting over his legs and one hand clenched against the wood. The juice from the manzene he had crushed at the inn was still sticky between his fingers.
Rem occupied the seat across from him.
The two books they had bought rested beside her. The blue hairpin remained in her hair, but all the lightness of the date had vanished.
—Subaru is alive —she repeated.
Link struck the floor again.
This time, he controlled the force.
The wood groaned.
—I know.
—Ferris treated his injuries.
—I know.
—He is not in immediate danger.
—I know that too.
Link's gaze remained fixed on the small front window.
The streets of the Capital moved past with unbearable slowness.
The carriage was not traveling slowly. The Earth Dragon was running at a pace that would have easily surpassed any animal from his world.
It was not enough.
People, stalls, and other vehicles forced them to slow at every intersection. Guards cleared the way whenever they recognized the driver's uniform, but even an official order could not make an entire city disappear.
Link heard every rotation of the wheels.
Every breath from the dragon.
Every impact of its claws against the stone.
Every second Subaru remained somewhere else.
He could not smell him.
Not from this distance.
And that made it worse.
—How much farther? —he asked.
The guard glanced back.
—A little under a quarter of an hour.
Link clenched his teeth.
—Address.
—Excuse me?
—Tell me where the mansion is.
—We are already heading—
—The exact address.
The guard looked at the crack in the floor.
Then at Link's eyes.
—Western Noble District. We continue until Fountain Plaza, turn north, and cross two avenues. The property has a white wall, green roofs, and a lion emblem above the entrance.
—Straight-line distance?
—I would not know how to calculate it.
Link opened the side window.
The air of the Capital rushed inside.
—Link —Rem said.
He looked across the rooftops.
The plaza the guard had mentioned could be seen farther ahead, partially hidden between buildings. Beyond it stood the residences of the Noble District.
—The carriage will arrive —she continued.
—I'll arrive first.
Rem saw the bases of his kagunes pushing beneath his clothes.
—We do not know the restrictions in this part of the city.
—Subaru is hurt.
It was not an answer.
It was the end of the discussion.
All six extensions tore through his shirt and unfolded inside the carriage.
The guard shouted.
Two kagunes gripped the window frame without touching the man. Others opened the door. The final pair remained behind Link, covered by that black texture resembling miasma fur.
Their tips did not open.
The teeth remained hidden.
The curse did not activate.
Rem stood.
—Wait.
Link extended his arms toward her.
—Hold on.
—We can ask them to clear—
He picked her up.
One arm slid beneath her knees.
The other wrapped around her back.
Rem ended up against his chest before finishing the sentence.
Her surprise lasted little. She wrapped both arms around Link's neck and secured herself against him.
—You should have warned me first.
—I just did.
—After lifting me.
—There's no time.
The guard extended one hand.
—You cannot abandon a moving carriage!
Link placed one foot against the edge of the door.
—Of course we can.
He jumped.
The carriage fell behind.
For an instant, both of them were suspended over the street.
People looked up.
One kagune shot toward the nearest rooftop. Its closed tip wrapped around a chimney.
Link pulled.
The world changed direction.
Rem tightened her arms around his neck as they were launched upward.
Link's first boot touched the roof tiles.
He did not remain there.
Two kagunes stabbed forward. Two more found purchase on opposite walls. The final pair extended behind him, balancing Rem's weight while Link propelled himself onward.
Tiles exploded beneath his feet.
—Do not destroy the houses —Rem said against his neck.
—I'll try not to.
—That was not a promise.
—I can't promise it at this speed.
He jumped over an alley.
The kagunes extended, gripping cornices, balconies, and small towers. Each one pulled at a different moment, transforming Link's body into a projectile that changed trajectory before losing momentum.
The Capital became a blur.
Rem could not look downward for long. Not because of fear of heights, but because the turns came too quickly for her eyes to follow.
Link's body could.
His pupils contracted.
His muscles responded before his mind finished issuing each command.
One extension released.
Another grabbed hold.
All six moved like the legs of a creature that never needed to touch the ground.
They crossed an avenue.
A merchant carriage passed beneath them.
The merchants shouted.
Link planted one foot against the side of a tower and changed direction. The stone caved beneath his boot.
—North —Rem indicated.
—I know.
—You were drifting.
—I was avoiding the bell tower.
—That was what Rem hoped.
A flag snagged on one kagune.
The fabric tore.
—That will count as damage —Rem said.
—I'll pay for it later.
—Roswaal-sama will be delighted to add it to your debt.
—He can wait his turn.
Link propelled himself again.
A whistle sounded from one street.
Then another.
The guards had noticed a monstrous figure moving across the rooftops with a woman in his arms.
Link did not slow down.
Fountain Plaza appeared beneath them.
People.
Too many.
He could not land there.
All six roots searched for new anchor points at once.
A clock tower.
Two balconies.
A statue.
The edge of an official building.
Link crossed the plaza without touching the ground.
The sudden change in direction pressed Rem's face against his chest.
—Are you all right? —he asked.
—Yes.
—You're not going to throw up?
—No.
—Subaru would have.
—Subaru would have fallen several streets ago.
—Also true.
Rem lifted her face slightly.
The wind moved her blue hair and threatened to tear away the hairpin Link had bought for her. One of her arms briefly released his neck so she could secure it.
He noticed.
—Let it go if it falls.
—It was a gift.
—I can buy another.
—It would not be the same.
Rem wrapped her arm around him again.
—Concentrate.
Link smiled faintly.
The expression disappeared when a familiar scent reached his nose.
Weak.
Distant.
Miasma.
Blood.
Subaru.
His body changed before he said the name.
The horns emerged through his hair.
Mana from the atmosphere poured into them.
All six extensions lengthened.
—I found him.
Rem felt the acceleration.
—Link—
Too late.
The roof beneath his boots caved in.
Link launched himself forward.
The Karsten mansion stood beyond a long white wall.
Green rooftops could be seen from several streets away. A lion emblem crowned the large iron gate, guarded by four uniformed men.
A carriage approached from the opposite avenue.
It was smaller than the one they had used to travel from Roswaal Manor, but clearly built for transporting important people. The curtains were closed, and two escorts rode on either side.
The Earth Dragon advanced calmly.
Then it smelled Link.
The creature locked its front legs.
Its claws scraped against stone.
The carriage shook violently.
The driver pulled the reins.
—Steady!
The dragon did not listen.
It raised its head.
Its pupils became narrow lines.
A low, frightened sound left its throat.
It was not looking at the guards.
Nor the carriage.
It was staring at the figure descending from the rooftops.
Link landed in front of the entrance.
The stone cracked beneath his boots.
Rem was still in his arms.
All six kagunes opened around them, anchoring themselves to the ground and the wall to absorb the impact.
Dust filled the air.
The guards raised their spears.
—Identify yourself!
Link set Rem down.
The dragon retreated.
It tried turning around.
The driver needed all his strength to keep the carriage from overturning.
One of the escorts drew his sword.
—Retract those extensions!
Link did not look at him.
Subaru's scent filled the carriage.
Dried blood.
Ointments.
Water Magic.
Miasma.
—Subaru.
He advanced.
The dragon struck one foot against the ground.
Its terror increased.
To the animal, no human was approaching.
Something that smelled of Mabeast, mana, blood, and predator was drawing near. Something carrying six hidden mouths behind its body, its presence becoming worse with every step.
Rem took Link's hand.
—Retract the kagunes.
—He's inside.
—You're frightening the dragon.
He looked at the animal.
It was trembling.
Link forced all six extensions to withdraw.
They disappeared into his back.
The horns remained.
The dragon did not completely calm down, but it stopped trying to flee.
A head of brown hair appeared through the carriage window.
Two feline ears rose.
—I knew you were going to cause trouble, but this is fast even for you.
Ferris opened the door.
He climbed down before the vehicle had fully stabilized.
His clothes were stained.
Not heavily.
Enough for Link to recognize Subaru's blood.
—Where is he? —he asked.
Ferris's lightness disappeared when he heard his voice.
—Inside.
—I want to see him.
—First, you're going to—
Link walked past him.
Ferris moved to block the way.
A small hand rested against Link's chest.
It would not have been able to stop him physically.
The magic gathered behind Ferris's fingers had enough precision to hurt him from within.
—Do not take another step.
Link lowered his gaze.
—Move.
—You are standing in front of Crusch-sama's property, frightening one of her dragons and threatening her guards.
—I didn't threaten anyone.
Ferris pointed toward the destroyed ground.
—Your method of greeting leaves room for interpretation.
The carriage door opened completely.
Emilia stepped down.
Link stopped.
Not because of her presence.
Because of her face.
Her violet eyes were red. She did not look as though she had been crying recently, but the tension around them ran too deep. She held her folded white cloak against her chest as though she had forgotten she was carrying it.
—Link.
—Where is Subaru?
Emilia looked toward the carriage interior.
—Here.
She stepped aside.
Link reached the door.
The world narrowed.
Subaru was lying across a long bench.
A blanket covered the lower half of his body. His right arm had been immobilized. A bandage surrounded his wrist, and another covered part of his forehead.
Ferris had started treating him.
He had not finished.
Subaru's face was swollen. One eye could barely open. His lower lip was split, and dark purple bruises covered his jaw, cheeks, and neck.
He was breathing.
Slowly.
Regularly.
Alive.
Rem climbed into the carriage.
Her fingers searched for his pulse before Ferris could say anything.
Her free hand touched Subaru's face with a gentleness that contrasted with the coldness in her eyes.
—Subaru.
He did not wake.
Link remained beside the door.
He could not go inside.
Not because anyone stopped him.
Because the frame had begun cracking beneath his fingers.
The smell of blood filled his head.
Link's eyes burned.
Black around them.
Red within.
Both kakugan appeared.
The Earth Dragon screamed.
It backed away again and nearly dragged the driver from his seat.
—Link! —Emilia called.
He looked at Ferris.
—Where is Julius?
There was no volume in the question.
That made it worse.
Ferris stepped between him and the carriage.
—At the castle.
—Where exactly?
—Presenting himself before the Captain of the Royal Guard, as required after an unauthorized duel.
Link took one step.
—Then I'm going back to the castle.
Rem raised her head.
—No.
—He left Subaru like this.
Ferris frowned.
—Subaru accepted the challenge.
—I don't care.
—You should.
—Does that erase the blows?
—No.
—Then move.
Ferris did not.
Link looked toward the avenue.
He could find the castle by following the scent of guards, official carriages, and the concentration of mana. He did not need to know every street.
—If Julius wanted a duel —he said—, he can have another.
Emilia stepped down from the carriage.
—No.
Link continued as though he had not heard her.
—I don't care if I leave him worse than Subaru.
The guards tightened their grips on their spears.
Rem stepped out of the carriage.
—Link.
—I won't even care if I rip off his arms.
Ferris stopped smiling.
Completely.
Water Magic gathered around his body.
Not visibly.
It spread through the ground, the air, and the moisture in their breath.
—Threatening a knight from another camp in front of Crusch-sama's residence is an extremely stupid decision.
—I'm not threatening him in front of him.
—That doesn't improve anything.
—Tell me where he is.
—No.
The air became heavy.
Link's horns absorbed mana.
The veins beneath his skin began to stand out.
The kagunes did not appear.
Yet.
Ferris watched every change.
—Julius could have killed him —he said.
Link leaned forward.
—That doesn't help either.
—Listen until the end.
The healer's voice hardened.
—He could have killed him during the first exchange. He did not. He could have broken Subaru's neck when Subaru used magic. He did not do that either. He controlled every strike so Subaru would stay alive.
—How considerate.
—And he concentrated on himself the hatred of every knight Subaru insulted.
Link barely stopped.
Ferris continued:
—Subaru stood before the Royal Guard, mocked their oath, proclaimed himself a knight without being one, and publicly humiliated Emilia-sama. Many of them wanted to punish him. Julius turned all of that into a duel between two men.
—Do you expect me to thank him?
—I expect you to understand that going there and ripping off his arms will not protect Subaru.
—It will make me feel better.
—That is not protection.
The sentence struck an unpleasantly precise place.
Link clenched his fists.
Emilia stepped between them.
Not between Ferris and Link.
Between Link and the road toward the castle.
—You will not go.
The kakugan fixed on her.
Emilia did not retreat.
—He beat him.
—I know.
—Look at him.
Link's voice broke slightly.
—I already did.
The pain inside Emilia's violet eyes did not belong only to Subaru's injuries.
There was something else.
Something that had happened before she entered that carriage.
Link did not ask.
Emilia tightened her hold on the cloak.
—I'm furious with Julius.
Ferris moved one ear.
She continued:
—I'm also furious with Subaru. And with myself. I don't know what part of today I could remember without feeling like I did something wrong.
—Then don't defend him.
—I'm not defending him.
Emilia's voice gained firmness.
—I'm stopping you from making exactly the same mistake.
Link narrowed his eyes.
—It isn't the same.
—Subaru thought his situation was different too.
The sentence hit him.
Emilia took another step.
—He promised to wait. He left. I asked him not to use magic. He used it. He believed his reasons were enough to ignore everything everyone else asked of him.
Her fingers trembled against the fabric.
—And now you believe worrying about him is enough to ignore what Rem and I are telling you.
Link looked toward Rem.
She had stepped away from the carriage.
She remained nearby.
Her professional expression had disappeared. Fear and anger were there, but contained behind a more important decision.
She approached.
Placed both hands over Link's fists.
—Subaru first.
The words reached him exactly as they had at the inn.
Stronger.
—Julius is alive and can wait —Rem said—. Subaru is hurt and needs us now.
—Ferris is with him.
—Rem wants to be there too.
—Then go inside.
—With Link.
The black in his eyes did not disappear.
Rem brought one hand to his cheek.
The blue-and-red ring touched the skin beneath the kakugan.
—Do not make Rem choose between caring for Subaru and chasing you to the castle.
Link closed his eyes.
Breathing came with difficulty.
The horns continued absorbing.
Too much.
Mana accumulated behind his chest, searching for an outlet through strength, fire, or violence.
Rem kept her hand there.
—Look at Rem.
Link opened his eyes.
Red and black.
—Subaru first —she repeated.
The kakugan receded.
The red diminished.
The black disappeared from the edges until his eyes returned to brown.
The horns remained for several more seconds.
Then they disappeared beneath his hair.
The Earth Dragon released its breath.
It did not stop watching him.
—I won't go today —Link said.
Emilia heard the precision.
Ferris did too.
Rem did not ask for a greater promise.
—Thank you.
Link looked at Subaru again.
—I want to go inside.
Ferris stepped in front of him.
—No.
The anger returned so quickly that the guards tensed again.
—Don't start.
—I was quite clear when we met.
—Subaru is in there.
—And he will be taken inside, where he will receive treatment.
—Then I'm going with him.
—Not without an examination.
Link stepped toward Ferris.
Rem did not stop him.
This time she was waiting for the answer.
—You already said you wouldn't force me.
—I'm not going to.
Ferris pointed toward the entrance to the estate.
—You can remain outside.
Servants from the mansion approached with a stretcher. The driver opened the carriage fully while another man prepared a ramp.
Rem climbed up to help.
Link watched them lift Subaru.
The Japanese boy's body moved without resistance.
One bandage slipped.
There was more purple beneath it.
The decision took less than a second.
—Examine me.
Ferris blinked.
—What?
—You said you needed to examine me before allowing me inside.
—Two days ago you refused before I finished asking.
—Two days ago Subaru wasn't being carried injured into this mansion.
Ferris studied him.
—I won't accept a partial examination.
—Fine.
—You will not decide what I can and cannot check after we begin.
—As long as you don't deliberately try to hurt me.
—I'm a healer.
—That does not answer me.
—I will not try to harm you.
Link opened his arms.
—Then do it.
—Link —Rem said.
He looked at her.
—I'll stay with Subaru.
—Go.
—Are you sure?
No.
—Yes.
Rem remained for several more seconds.
Then she accompanied the stretcher toward the entrance.
Emilia did not move.
—I'll stay.
Ferris pointed toward a small building beside the main entrance.
—The examination will take place in the guardroom. I am not bringing him into the residence until I confirm that his current condition does not present an immediate risk.
—I'm not sick.
—That is exactly what many people say before fainting on my shoes.
Link followed the healer.
He did not argue.
That seemed to concern Ferris more than any protest.
The guardroom was not designed as an infirmary.
Ferris turned it into one in less than a minute.
A table was cleared.
The bench was covered with a clean cloth.
A box of instruments arrived from the carriage, carried by one of the servants.
Emilia closed the door.
Two guards remained outside.
Ferris washed his hands using a sphere of suspended water.
—Shirt.
Link removed it.
Emilia looked away on instinct before remembering she had seen far worse injuries.
Link's torso bore no recent scars.
No visible trace remained of the punctures, cuts, fractures, or mutilations he had suffered during his weeks in Lugunica. Only a few old marks remained, predating his arrival.
Ferris could not know where the absent scars had come from.
He could recognize that skin like that did not match the reports he had received.
—I was told you were seriously injured during the Mabeast incident.
—Yes.
—There are no marks.
—I regenerate.
—I had already deduced that much.
Ferris stood in front of him.
—I am not going to guess how your body works. Only answer what you know with certainty. If you do not know something, say so.
—Fine.
—Current pain?
—None.
—Dizziness?
—No.
—Fever?
—No.
—Recent loss of consciousness?
—Not from injuries.
Ferris looked up.
—That left far too much room.
—I sleep very little.
—I did not ask about sleep.
—Then no.
—Recent physical changes?
Link thought about the answer.
—Yes.
—What changed?
—The kagunes went from four to six. Their shape changed. My strength, speed, senses, and mana reserves also increased.
Ferris did not know the word.
—"Kagunes" are the extensions?
—Yes.
—Does that name belong to any language in Lugunica?
—No.
Ferris recorded the answer without pushing further.
—When did this happen?
—A few days ago.
—Gradually?
—No. The main change happened all at once.
—After an injury, a spell, or contact with some creature?
Link remained silent for an instant.
Ferris noticed.
—You do not need to give me a biography. I need to know whether there is a cause that could repeat while you are inside the mansion.
—It happened after prolonged exposure to Mabeasts and their miasma.
It was not the whole truth.
It was enough to answer the question.
—Did Beatrice and Puck examine it?
—Yes.
—Conclusion?
—My body incorporated part of it into its own structure.
Ferris did not react as though he understood the mechanism.
Because he did not.
—Is that a conclusion or a hypothesis?
—The second. But the changes remain even without new miasma.
—Better.
Ferris placed two fingers against the center of Link's chest.
—Do not move.
The magic entered.
It did not feel like Beatrice draining him.
Nor like Puck examining the general movement of his mana.
Ferris's energy divided into currents so fine that they felt like water sliding through narrow channels.
They traveled through blood vessels, muscles, and magical pathways without forcing entry anywhere.
Link's body reacted.
His shoulders tensed.
The bases of the kagunes hardened beneath his skin.
—Relax —Ferris ordered.
—I am relaxed.
—Your back is trying to contradict you.
Link exhaled.
Ferris proceeded carefully.
He found his Gate.
He did not try opening it.
He merely traced its borders and the channels leading away from it.
Some of the lightness left his expression.
—Your reserve is enormous.
—Beatrice said it was comparable to Emilia's.
Ferris glanced toward the half-elf.
—I cannot say how much you had before. Right now it is difficult to ignore.
—The mutation increased it.
—That matches what I feel. It does not prove the cause.
Ferris followed two currents rising from the Gate.
They ended near Link's skull.
—The horns.
—Yes.
—Manifest them.
Link obeyed.
Two complete horns emerged through his hair.
The atmospheric mana reacted immediately.
Ferris partially withdrew his magic before the external flow could become confused with his own.
—They absorb.
—They also regulate and amplify.
—According to you.
—That is what we tested at the manor.
—Then show me a small amount. Nothing more.
Link barely opened the flow.
Ferris watched mana enter through the horns, descend, and distribute itself between muscles, Gate, and other structures he did not recognize.
He closed his eyes.
—It does not circulate like it does in a normal Oni.
—I'm not a normal Oni.
—That much is obvious.
Ferris removed one hand.
—Close them again.
Link reduced the absorption.
The horns did not disappear yet, but they stopped actively drawing in mana.
—Too many routes share the same flow —Ferris said—. Your Gate, the horns, and those structures in your back all feed into one another. I cannot tell you that it is stable simply because you are not suffering right now.
—It has worked so far.
—Many structures work until the instant they break.
—Do you see any about to break?
Ferris examined him again.
—No.
Link reached toward his shirt.
—Then—
—I'm not finished.
Ferris shifted the magic toward his back.
All six bases reacted.
The healer did not try entering them.
—Manifest one extension. Slowly.
Link obeyed.
A black kagune emerged behind his right shoulder.
It did not strike.
Its tip did not open.
It remained suspended at his side.
Tiny dark sparks traveled across the fur-like surface.
Ferris extended a thin film of water.
The kagune followed the movement.
Link frowned.
Ferris moved his hand.
The tip followed again.
Like a snake watching prey.
—You aren't moving it —he said.
—It's a reflex.
—Normal reflexes do not have teeth.
The tip opened slightly.
Rows of mana fangs appeared inside.
Link closed it before it could move closer.
—I control it.
—And I'm determining exactly what that word means.
Ferris withdrew the film of water.
The kagune stopped tracking it.
Then he brought a much smaller current toward the base without entering the structure.
His expression became serious.
—There is something strange mixed into the mana.
—Miasma.
Ferris looked up.
—Are you certain?
—Beatrice and Puck identified it.
—Can you distinguish when it increases?
—Yes.
—Has it caused involuntary movement?
—At first.
—And now?
—Now it obeys.
Ferris looked at the closed kagune.
—It just followed my magic without you ordering it to.
—And I stopped it.
—That proves control. It does not prove the absence of instinct.
Link held his gaze.
—That is why I accepted the examination.
Ferris completely withdrew his magic from the extension.
—Good. At least you understand the difference.
The kagune remained still.
Ferris walked around the table and picked up a small decorative plant placed near the window.
He set it down on the surface.
—The reports mentioned something resembling a curse. They did not clearly describe how it works.
Link looked at the plant.
—Every contact from the kagunes can leave a mark.
Ferris did not pretend to know more than he did.
—Can?
—Now I can choose.
—Before?
—At first it applied itself.
—What does the mark do?
—I can use it to drain mana. It also affects vitality if I allow it to progress.
Emilia stiffened.
The information was not new to her.
Hearing it explained so casually remained unpleasant.
Ferris looked at the extension.
—Can you remove it?
—Yes.
—Certain?
—I did it with Pepa.
Ferris did not know the name.
—The Wagpig.
—The one the size of a house.
—Naturally.
He pointed at the plant.
—First demonstrate contact without applying a mark.
The kagune advanced.
It brushed a leaf.
Nothing happened.
Ferris inspected the plant using a tiny current of magic.
—Again.
The extension touched the stem.
Nothing.
—Now apply one. Minimum amount.
Link hesitated.
—I won't hurt it.
—That is also something I am testing.
The kagune touched another leaf.
A black line appeared over its surface.
Ferris did not know its structure. He did not name it. He merely watched how the energy around the living tissue changed.
—Stop it.
The mark went dormant.
—Remove it.
Link extended one hand.
The line contracted until it disappeared.
The leaf remained intact.
Ferris examined it for several seconds.
—A very small trace remains.
—It is not active.
—No. But it was there.
He returned the plant to the window.
—You will not manifest those extensions inside the residence.
—I can control them.
—You just demonstrated that you can. You also demonstrated what would happen if you made a mistake.
Link did not answer.
Ferris pointed toward the bench.
—Sit.
—Subaru—
—He is accompanied by Rem and several healers. I will continue treating him when I am finished with you.
That got Link to obey.
Ferris picked up a thin needle.
—Regeneration.
—What are you going to do?
—A superficial cut.
—I don't need magic to close something like that.
—That is the point.
Ferris cleaned part of Link's forearm.
He made a small cut.
Blood appeared.
It did not get the chance to fall.
The skin immediately closed, joining the edges before Ferris could bring healing magic near it.
The healer studied the area.
—No scar.
—I told you.
—You only said you regenerate.
Ferris placed his fingers against the arm again. He searched for inflammation, malformed tissue, or accumulated mana.
He found nothing obvious.
—Your body rebuilt the wound before I could guide the process.
—Is that bad?
—It can be.
—It healed correctly.
—This time. If a bone is misaligned, if a wound traps something inside, or if an organ shifts, you could lock the problem in place before a healer can correct it.
—I can break it again.
Emilia grimaced.
Ferris looked at him wearily.
—That should not be your first solution.
—But it would work.
—Probably. It is still a horrifying answer.
Ferris examined his eyes.
Then his teeth.
His pulse.
His temperature.
The involuntary movements of mana.
He asked Link to retract the extension and hide the horns. Then he confirmed that both structures returned to a passive state.
He found no fever.
No active external curse.
No immediate rupture in the Gate.
Nor anything he could classify as normal anatomy.
Finally, he withdrew his hands.
Link put his shirt back on.
—Finished?
—Enough to decide whether you can cross the door.
—Result?
Ferris washed his hands again.
—I cannot say that you are healthy.
—I feel fine.
—That is not a diagnosis.
—Am I sick?
—I found no known disease.
—Then—
Ferris raised one finger.
—Nor do I fully understand your body. You have a functional Gate, a disproportionate mana reserve, mana pathways that do not belong to a single species, automatic regeneration, and six structures capable of reacting without a conscious order.
—But they are not out of control.
—Right now, no.
Link waited.
—You may enter —Ferris conceded—, under conditions.
—Name them.
—You will not manifest the kagunes inside the residence.
—Fine.
—You will not use magic without authorization.
—Fine.
—You will not activate the horns unless there is a genuine emergency.
—Fine.
—You will not touch any resident, servant, guard, or animal with the extensions.
—I already agreed not to manifest them.
—I want it doubly clear.
—Fine.
—You will immediately report any pain, abnormal hunger, sensory changes, loss of control, or sudden increase in mana.
Link looked at him.
That did not mean Ferris knew about his hunger.
It was simply a general medical question after hearing that his body changed through miasma.
—Fine.
—And you will not leave the property to look for Julius.
Link remained silent.
Ferris crossed his arms.
—That is the important condition.
Emilia looked at him.
—Link.
He stared toward the door leading into the residence.
He could hear movement beyond it.
Hurried footsteps.
Water.
Instruments.
Rem's voice asking something.
Subaru breathing inside a second-floor room.
—As long as Subaru needs me here —he said—, I won't go looking for Julius.
Ferris evaluated the phrasing.
—I'll accept that.
He opened the door.
—You may enter.
Link left before he finished the sentence.
Ferris followed him.
—Walking is also an option!
Link did not run.
Only because he did not know which room it was, and breaking doors would reduce his chances of being allowed to remain inside.
He found Subaru by scent.
The room was large, clean, and prepared for important patients. A tall window let in the afternoon light. Several bottles and containers occupied a side table.
Subaru lay in the bed.
Rem remained seated beside him.
She had removed part of the bandages to examine the wounds. The lesser healers had already left after preparing everything for Ferris.
Link entered.
Rem looked up.
—They allowed you inside.
—I accepted the examination.
Surprise appeared.
—The whole thing?
—Enough.
Ferris entered behind him.
—He was almost cooperative.
—Don't exaggerate —Link said.
He approached the bed.
Subaru did not wake.
From this close, the injuries looked even worse.
Magic had closed the skin.
It did not erase swelling or color.
Link took Subaru's left hand.
His fingers were warm.
Alive.
—Idiot —he murmured.
Rem watched his eyes.
They remained brown.
Emilia stayed near the doorway.
She did not fully enter.
Her expression changed when she looked at Subaru, but she did not approach.
Link noticed the distance.
He did not ask.
Ferris moved to the other side of the bed.
—You'll have to move aside so I can work.
Link released Subaru's hand.
He did not move very far.
—Will he wake up?
—Yes.
—When?
—When his body and his head are ready.
—That isn't a time.
—Medicine does not obey your impatience.
Ferris lifted the blanket and began examining the treated injuries.
—The bruises will heal. The arm has been stabilized. The most complicated damage remains his Gate.
—Did the duel make it worse?
—He used Shamac.
Link closed his eyes.
—Of course he did.
Emilia tightened her grip on the cloak.
—I asked him not to use magic.
Nobody answered.
There was no useful answer.
Rem moved Subaru's hair away from the bandage.
Link remained standing beside her.
His arms hung at his sides.
His hands were empty.
He could have used them to hold Julius.
Break his bones.
Rip off his arms, just as he had said.
It would not have helped Subaru breathe better.
It would not have repaired his Gate.
It would not have changed what had happened inside the castle.
It would only have left another occupied bed.
Another camp seeking revenge.
Another broken promise.
Link looked at Emilia.
She avoided his eyes.
Whatever had happened between her and Subaru still lived inside that distance.
This was not the time to enter it.
—Emilia —he said.
She stopped before leaving.
—Yes?
—I won't go after Julius today.
—I heard.
—That doesn't mean I'm all right with this.
—Neither am I.
The answer was so quiet it nearly disappeared.
Emilia looked at Subaru one final time.
—Take care of him.
Rem inclined her head.
—Yes, Emilia-sama.
Link did not answer with words.
He did not need to.
Emilia closed the door.
Ferris began the treatment.
Blue light covered Subaru's chest.
Link sat beside Rem.
She found his hand.
The black cord with the red and blue beads remained around his wrist. Rem intertwined her fingers with his and rested both hands against the edge of the bed.
—We made it —she said.
Link looked at Subaru's battered face.
—Late.
—But we made it.
Ferris's mana continued flowing.
Subaru breathed.
Once.
Again.
Steadily.
Julius would keep his arms that night.
Not because he was a knight.
Not because Link had forgiven him.
He would keep them because Rem was right.
Subaru came first.