Pretending to be a noob in a world scaled by power level

[14] Aftermath

Sera turned her gaze towards me, her violet eyes glowing under the moonlight. A faint blush was dusting her cheeks, perhaps from exhaustion or perhaps due to the rush of the battle.

"Ha! Always the hero, aren't you?" she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Always thinking about others first." She scowled, but there was a hint of admiration hidden beneath her tough facade. It was a testament to her tsundere nature, always playing tough, but unable to hide her caring side.

I simply shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "I wouldn't say that," I replied, my voice barely audible over the sounds of the settling chaos. "I just do what I can."

Sera's scowl deepened at my response, but she didn't retort this time. Instead, she sighed, pushing a silver lock of hair behind her ear. "Alright, fine," she conceded, her tone a mixture of irritation and defeat. "I'll help them."

As she walked away, I could see the other adventurers' gazes follow her. Their faces were filled with gratitude and relief, their eyes filled with hope. This was the first time they had witnessed the power of a blood mage, a person capable of healing injuries that others could not.

After healing several people, Sera's face twisted into a frown as she pointed towards the disgraced B-tier adventurer. Her eyes darted towards him before turning back to me, her lips pursed in a thin line of discontent. "Do I have to heal him too?" she asked, her tone filled with reluctance. She was referring to the B-tier adventurer who had insulted and attacked me earlier, the man who was now sitting in the dirt, wincing in pain from his missing arm.

"Yes," I replied calmly, my gaze meeting hers steadily. Despite the commotion around us, our conversation seemed to exist within its own bubble of silence. My affirmation hung heavily in the air, accentuated by the sound of distant chatter and the groaning of the injured.

Her mouth opened slightly, as if she was about to argue, but she paused. Her eyes searched my face for a moment, narrowing slightly. But after a while, she sighed deeply, closing her eyes in resignation. "Fine, but I'm doing this for them," she said, pointing vaguely at the surrounding crowd, "not for him."

"Fair enough," I responded, a small smile tugging at my lips. Despite her harsh exterior, I knew Sera had a soft heart, one that cared about the well-being of others. I watched as she walked towards the injured adventurer, her healing magic already glowing at her fingertips, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration towards her.

Because I know, beneath that hard tsundere shell, lies a soft heart.

Q: Do you like tsunderes?