I woke up to a sharp pain that immediately snapped me into awareness.
"…damn."
My hand still felt broken. Even the slightest movement sent pain shooting up to my shoulder. I gritted my teeth, then slowly got up from the torn cloth bedding inside the tent.
"Good morning, Arche," Reina's voice came softly.
"Morning," I replied shortly.
I stepped out of the tent and immediately headed toward Ryvolin's clinic. My pace was slow, but I forced myself forward.
When I got there, the clinic door was half open. Inside, Ryvolin was busy lifting several metal boxes and stacking them in the corner.
"Hm…" Reina floated beside me. "He's packing something. Another illegal transaction?"
"Maybe," I answered flatly. "He is an illegal doctor."
I stepped inside.
"Oi," I called.
Ryvolin turned. "Hah? Arche? So you're still alive."
"Unfortunately, yeah."
He laughed briefly. "Thought you'd be brought in here as a corpse."
"Me too."
Reina leaned closer to my ear. "Are you sure you trust this guy?"
"As long as he heals me cheap, I don't care what he's selling behind the scenes."
Ryvolin glanced at my hand. "What happened to that?"
"Broken."
"Impressive. You're becoming a regular here."
Reina sighed deeply. "Arche, you should go to an official clinic. They could fix that in minutes."
I glanced at her slightly.
"I know."
"Then why—"
"I don't have the money."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Ryvolin grinned. "In that case… let's see what we can do."
He pointed at an old sensor device on a metal table.
"Put your hand here."
I obeyed, placing my broken hand under it. The device lit up faintly, projecting the skeletal structure of my hand into the air.
Ryvolin narrowed his eyes.
"…Hah."
I could already tell from his tone.
"It's bad," he said casually. "Not just a fracture. The bone's shattered into pieces. Reconstructing it? Impossible."
I stared at the projection without reacting.
"Even if you went to an official clinic," he continued, "healing magic wouldn't be able to restore something like this. This isn't an injury. It's destruction."
I stayed quiet for a moment.
"Doesn't matter," I said eventually. "I can't afford that anyway. Same outcome."
Ryvolin looked at me. Then… smiled.
"In that case," he said lightly, "how about replacing it?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Replacing it?"
"A mechanical prosthetic hand."
He stood up and walked to the corner, opening one of the boxes he had been packing. Inside were metal parts, artificial joints, and a mechanical hand frame.
"Second-hand. I've repaired it. Cheap," he said. "The problem is…"
He looked at me, his grin widening.
"I've never actually performed a prosthetic operation before."
Reina instantly appeared in front of me, her face tense.
"Arche, don't," she said quickly. "This is extremely risky. That bastard clearly wants to use you as a test subject."
I let out a slow breath.
Ryvolin crossed his arms. "Hesitating? Relax. I've read the theory. A lot. A whole lot." He chuckled. "I just need practice."
I looked at him.
Illegal doctor. Shady clinic. Experimental surgery.
The worst possible option.
But… I had no other choice.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Then opened them again.
"Do it," I said.
Ryvolin smiled in satisfaction. "Good choice."
Reina glared at me. "Arche—"
"It's fine," I cut her off quietly. "If I want to keep living in this world… I need a hand."
"Lie down," Ryvolin said.
I climbed onto the cold metal operating table. It creaked softly under my weight. My broken hand rested at my side—it no longer felt like it belonged to me.
Ryvolin prepared his tools. Scalpel. Metal hooks. Thin wires. The smell of metal and cheap medicine filled the room.
"Do you want anesthesia?" he asked.
I shook my head slowly. "No."
"Saving money, huh?"
I didn't answer.
Reina hovered above me, her expression tense, hands clenched.
"I don't want to watch this," she said quietly. "This is wrong. You shouldn't have to go through this."
"If you don't watch," I said softly, "I'll feel calmer."
Reina fell silent. After a few seconds, she turned away, floating to the corner of the room. But the connection was still there. I could feel it.
Ryvolin grinned. "Alright then, let's begin."
The blade touched my skin.
The pain exploded instantly.
I bit my lip. No screaming. I couldn't. I'd screamed too many times in this place already.
"Good," Ryvolin muttered. "You're tough."
I'm not tough.
I just don't have a choice.
Every cut was clear. Every touch of metal made my body tense. Cold sweat ran down my temples. My breathing became uneven.
My thoughts were a mess.
I was a prince of Evernoir.
Or at least… I used to be.
Now I was lying in an illegal clinic, letting a fake doctor tear my body apart because I was too poor to be properly healed.
Funny.
If Ellora saw me now, would she be angry? Or cry?
If Lily were here… she wouldn't be able to watch this.
My hand trembled violently as Ryvolin pulled something out.
"Relax," he said. "The worst part's almost over."
I let out a broken laugh.
"…damn… you're lying."
Ryvolin chuckled. "Yeah."
Reina finally spoke again, her voice shaking. "Arche… you don't have to go this far. This world isn't fair, but—"
"I know," I cut her off softly. "But if I stop now… I'll die out there."
The pain surged again as the metal prosthetic frame was attached to what remained of my arm.
There was a strange sensation. Not just pain. But cold. Foreign.
"If this works," Ryvolin said as he continued, "you'll have a new hand. If it fails…"
He shrugged.
I closed my eyes.
"If it fails," I muttered, "at least I tried."
I'm not a prince anymore.
I'm just someone who wants to live.
And for that—
I have to endure everything.