Mimi twirled her parasol once more, then walked forward until she stood right between Rei, Regulus, and Leo. The height difference was almost comical—she barely reached Rei's waist—but she looked up at them with big, determined eyes.
"I've decided," she declared, voice still soft, but filled with conviction. "I'll accompany you."
Leo blinked. "…You what now?"
"I may not have a contractor," she said, placing a tiny hand over her chest, "but I still have knowledge. Spirit paths. Barrier reading. Curse detection. Ancient languages. Oh, and I know how to bake very good pies."
Regulus raised a brow. "Those… escalated quickly."
Rei crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes slightly. "And why do you want to come with us? Not that I mind—just wondering what you're after."
Mimi tilted her head and gave a shy smile. "I told you… fate is shifting. And you three are tangled in a very messy web. I can't just sit still when something big is about to happen. Besides…"
She clutched her parasol tighter and looked down.
"…I've been alone for a really long time."
The mood shifted.
Even Leo, cocky as ever, went quiet. The wind brushing through the nearby window was the only sound for a moment.
"…I think you'll like our chaos," Regulus muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Rei knelt slightly to her level, offering a hand. "You sure? You won't have a contractor. You'll be at risk."
Mimi looked him in the eyes and smiled.
"I'm two hundred and fifty-eight, Mister Tall-and-Broody. I've fought monsters made of salt and thunder. I'll be fine."
Rei chuckled despite himself. "Alright, then."
She placed her tiny hand in his, and just like that, Mimi Wospetra—the ancient spirit who looked like a six-year-old with a parasol—joined the team.
Leo leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "So we've got a quiet powerhouse, a guy with a lion's ego, and a toddler spirit grandma. This group's gonna be cursed."
"I think we already are," Rei replied dryly.
Mimi blinked. "O-Oh… that might be literal, actually."
Everyone froze.
Mimi's giggle faded, and her bright eyes landed on Rei. Her expression suddenly softened, more serious than her childish voice would suggest.
"Uhh… you should get your body checked," she said, tilting her head with that parasol still in hand.
Rei blinked. "Huh?"
"The sparring with that dagger boy… Kaizer, right?" Mimi's voice grew quiet, almost whisper-like. "His strikes weren't clean. I can still see the echo of impact around your ribs. You're standing like nothing's wrong, but inside… you're one wrong move away from collapsing."
Regulus frowned, stepping forward. "Wait—you can see that?"
Mimi nodded gently. "Spirits don't just see the world's surface… we see what lingers underneath. Wounds, curses, echoes of magic. They cling to people like threads." She tapped her little parasol against Rei's chest, exactly where he had been struck. "You're lucky you didn't break something vital."
Leo whistled, leaning against the window again. "So basically, he survived something that should've crushed him."
Rei forced a small grin. "Nothing new."
But inside, he was shaken. The ache he had been ignoring since the clash with Kaizer burned sharper with Mimi's words. He thought he had hidden it well, but this little "child" spirit had seen straight through him.
Mimi, noticing his silence, gave him a tiny smile. "You're tough. But even the toughest trees can crack in the cold. Don't act invincible, okay?"
The base clinic was tucked behind the training halls, quieter than the rest of the compound. Mimi tugged Rei's hand the whole way, despite his half-hearted protests that he was "fine."
The door creaked open, and the smell of roasted coffee beans hit Rei like a wall. The small room was cluttered piles of books stacked against every wall, jars of herbs balanced on shelves, and a brewing pot of coffee bubbling in the corner.
Sitting cross legged on a rolling chair was a woman with hair so long and purple it nearly swept the floor. Her green eyes were framed with heavy eyebags, and a steaming mug was balanced in one hand as if it had fused there permanently.
She wore a pristine white cloak that contrasted the dark circles under her eyes, and when she turned, the click of black heels echoed against the floor.
"Mm. Patient?" Her husky voice rasped like someone who hadn't slept in three days but had drunk enough caffeine to stay vertical. She squinted at Rei. "…Ohhh, you're handsome. That's suspicious."
Rei blinked. "…Suspicious?"
Mrs. Lora Hesten tilted her mug toward him. "Good-looking patients always mean broken ribs, curses, or emotional trauma. Sometimes all three. Now, shirt off. Chop-chop." She downed the rest of her coffee in a single gulp and slammed the mug onto the counter.
Mimi puffed her cheeks, stepping forward. "He got hit really hard in training, and he's pretending it's nothing."
"Ohhh, one of those types," Lora drawled, rolling across the floor on her chair to grab another pot of coffee. She poured herself a new cup, black as tar, and took a slow sip. "I swear, you sword-swinging types think bones are suggestions."
Rei sighed, reluctantly unfastening his armor. As he did, Mrs. Hesten leaned forward, green eyes narrowing with surprising sharpness despite her half-dead look.
"Ahhh, yeah. Bruised ribs. Small fracture, left side. Mmhm." She poked his chest with one finger, and Rei flinched. "Yup. Thought so. Hurts like the truth after three divorces."
"…What?" Rei stared.
Mimi giggled behind her parasol.
Mrs. Hesten smirked, sipping her coffee again. "Don't worry, sweet boy. I'll patch you up. But next time you want to look cool in front of your little guild, remember your body isn't made of stone. Unless you want me to start engraving your tombstone early."
Mrs. Hesten set her mug down with a clink and cracked her knuckles. "Alright, soldier boy. Let's see what you've broken. Don't get too excited—my hands aren't for free massages."
Rei sat stiffly on the cot while Mimi hovered protectively at his side.
Lora reached out, palm glowing faintly with pale green light. The glow wasn't steady it pulsed, like a heartbeat. She dragged her hand over Rei's ribs without touching, eyes narrowing. "Bruises… small fracture on the left rib… nothing punctured, thank the gods. I can work with this. Grade 3 will do."
"Grade… 3?" Rei asked.
Mimi piped up in her soft little voice, "Healing is ranked, remember? She can heal wounds and bones, but only if she knows exactly where they are first."
"Correct, sunshine." Lora smirked and took a slow sip of coffee before setting the cup aside again. "If I start throwing magic around blindly, I could heal the wrong spot or force the bone to fuse crooked. Which means you'd be walking around with your chest shaped like a pretzel. Not pretty."
Rei exhaled through his nose. "…Fine. Do what you need."
"Good boy." She pressed her glowing hand against his side.
A burning-cold sensation spread through Rei's ribs, like ice water flowing under his skin. Sparks of pain flared—sharp at first, then slowly melting away as the bone knit back together. Bruises faded in shades, purple to yellow to nothing.
Mrs. Hesten's expression never wavered. Her eyes were sharp, locked on the glow of her hand. For all her odd jokes and coffee obsession, her focus here was absolute.
"Hold still. Bone mending is tricky. One wrong jolt and you'll be sneezing blood for a week."
Rei gritted his teeth, but he didn't move.
After a tense moment, the glow faded. Lora pulled her hand back, flexing her fingers. "There. Fracture's sealed. Bruises gone. Muscles still sore, but that's normal. You'll feel like someone dropped a brick on you for a day or two, but you'll live."
She stood, grabbed her mug, and downed the rest of the coffee in one go. Then she pointed the empty cup at him like a weapon. "Next time, dodge. Healing's not free, and Grade 3 work burns through my magic reserves faster than coffee burns through my stomach lining."
Mimi giggled again, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve.
Rei adjusted his shirt, rolling his shoulder experimentally. The pain was dulled, almost gone. He glanced at Lora. "…Thanks."
She waved him off, already pouring another cup. "Yeah, yeah. Don't make it a habit. I like fixing people, not babysitting idiots."