Chapter 396 : Post-Battle
ーBack to Mark’s perspectiveー
While stroking Diadora’s head, I took a deep breath and exhaled. I used quite a lot of mana in the battle and felt a bit tired.
During the fight, I felt everyone’s gaze. They were watching me, especially that guy, Luard.
I glanced at him. He’s still looking at me while frowning. He doesn’t seem to like me very much.
I gently pushed Diadora aside and approached him and Weikel, who were waiting at the table.
「Mark-bocchan, you’re the best! I was worried, but I knew you could beat that bastard! Well done! Weeeeiii~!」(Weikel)
Weikel was as cheerful as usual. I’m glad he’s alright.
He raised his hands, asking for a high-ten. He didn’t seem to notice it, but there was blood on his right hand. It must be the blood flowing from Luard’s leg when he carried him on his back.
I don’t mind entertaining him, but he’s injured, and he should stay still.
「Weikel-san, please sit down. You’re still hurting, aren’t you?」(Mark)
「Thanks to your healing potion, the pain has subsided, but, yeah. It still hurts a bit.」(Weikel)
No matter how great my E-grade healing potions are, they can’t completely heal injuries, especially the severe ones.
I still need to heal him.
「Please don’t move. It’ll be over soon.」(Mark)
「Alright.」(Weikel)
As Weikel sat back on his chair, I extended my arms toward his chest.
I started producing light-attributed mana, focused it on my palms, and slowly channeled it into his chest.
When he got here, he coughed up blood and said his ribs were broken. Now I can tell how bad it is.
Normally, you can’t even breathe properly with broken ribs, but he was running away from the monster while carrying Luard on his back.
He’s always goofing around and looks like a weak adventurer character in a fantasy novel, but he’s much tougher than I thought. He earned my respect.
「Phew~….. It feels so warm and soothing…」(Weikel)
「Are you feeling better?」(Mark)
「Absolutely!」(Weikel)
After channeling my light-attributed mana into Wekel’s body for a while, the healing was complete.
「Alright. I’ve fixed the position of your broken ribs, but it needs time for them to stick together completely, so you should rest for a while.」(Mark)
「Understood, Doc! Thank you very much!」(Weikel)
「Next, umm…」(Mark)
Next would be Luard, but he was still frowning when I turned to him.
「Luard-san, can you show me your leg?」(Mark)
「…..」(Luard)
Ugh, this is so awkward. I can’t tell how this guy feels about me.
「Luard-san…?」(Mark)
「…You don’t need to be that polite. You can call me Luard.」(Luard)
While saying that, he rolled up his blood-stained pants and exposed his wounded leg.
I thought he was the type of prideful person who doesn’t like being called without an honorific by a younger person, but if that’s what he wants, I don’t mind calling him that.
「Alright. Luard, please stay still for a bit.」(Mark)
The bleeding had stopped thanks to my healing potion, but the wound was still open.
I extended my arms toward his leg and started healing him.
「…..」(Luard)
He was looking at the glowing visible aura flowing from my palms into his leg with eyes wide open.
The wound began to close slowly as I kept pouring my light-attributed mana.
「Alright, it’s done. You should be able to walk now.」(Mark)
「Incredible… Not only can you fight, but you can also heal injuries with magic…」(Luard)
He looked at his healed thigh in disbelief and gently stroked the part where the wound was.
「Right~? Mark is amazing, isn’t he~?」(Delica)
For some reason, Delica crossed her arms and puffed out her chest, looking proud.
Luard glanced at her with a sour expression. He didn’t seem to like it when Delica complimented me.
He stood up and stamped his feet on the ground a few times to make sure his leg no longer hurt, and thenー
「Mark.」(Luard)
ーhe suddenly bowed to me.
「Eh?」(Mark)
「Thank you for saving me. You even healed my wound. I would have been killed by that terrifying monster if it wasn’t for you.」(Luard)
「Y-you’re welcome…」(Mark)
「And…」(Luard)
He then turned to the others and bowed again.
「I’m sorry. It was my fault. I lured that monster because of my foolishness. Weikel got injured because of me, and I put Delica and the others in danger. I’m truly sorry.」(Luard)
「H-hey, Luard, you… Did you eat something bad this morning?」(Delica)
「Huh?」(Luard)
Delica took a half step back, looking kinda shocked as if she had seen a ghost. It seems that it was rare for Luard to lower his head in front of others.
Honestly, I was surprised too. I never thought someone like him would bow like that.
「Let alone apologizing, I had never seen you bow to people like this before. Are you really Luard?」(Delica)
「Hey, I’m trying to be as sincere as possible here!」(Luard)
「A, alright. Sorry.」(Delica)
「Well, it’s just… You know… I’ve learned my lesson the hard way, so…」(Luard)
「Hahaha! It’s a good thing, and admitting mistakes requires courage, so you should be proud, Luard-sama. Anyway, we can talk more on the way back. For now, let’s do something about that.」(Weikel)
Weikel pointed at the twin-headed kobold warrior’s lifeless body and… the mess I’ve made.
The burned trees from the fire, the large puddle created when I put out the fire with water magic, and, of course, the countless stone spears stabbed haphazardly on the ground.
He’s right. Before going home, we have to do something about this mess…
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It’s nice Lose-ard broke the Noble love rival tropes of being generally an unrepentant dick… But would still have preferred continuing through Mark’s perspective this whole time. Doubt he’ll be any thing more than an incredibly minor character so it’s hard justifying paying a lot of attention to his arc