"Jang Mi..."
Blood pours out from her open wounds; however she's acting as though she doesn't feel them. Adrenaline may have an effect on our pain senses, but this is too much. Seeing her in such a state, I'm unsure if regular remedies would work, but it's better than doing nothing.
I begin applying some treatment against her wounds with the help of Reiguma as Aliza scours the caravan.
"These are definitely Kiridorian swords... but why are they all here?"
The swords each vary in length and design, but they all have the Kiridorian finish. As Aliza's about to pick one up, Jang Mi's body jolts as she shouts aloud.
"Don't touch them!"
Immediately after her cry, she violently coughs up large amounts of blood as she wraps her arms around her body and grits her teeth. The colour of her blood is strangely dark.
"Jang Mee... you're scaring me..."
Reiguma practically petrified at her state, her hands over in front of her, unsure of what she should be doing.
"...if they're all here... that means I have no place to go back to..."
If we managed to capture one of them alive, we could've had them explain to us where they found these. It's a mistake on our part, but how were we supposed to know they had Kiridorian blades in their cargo?
"...We wouldn't forgo our swords; it's a part of us... a part of who we are..."
Jang Mi's body suddenly falls as I managed to catch her before she collapses.
"Jang Mi!"
"..."
Her cold body sends a shiver down my back as my heartbeat accelerates, I check for a pulse, however there was none.
"Jang Mi!!!"
...
Weeks passed by slowly as we were in constant shock over Jang Mi. We were relieved to hear from Lilly that she may still be alive as her sword still has a beat, but her body got colder with each passing hour. We had someone visit to check up on her, but he said there was nothing he could do and gave us his condolences.
"Jang Mi..."
Sitting against the chair by the bed, I'm not so sure how long I've been watching over her. I've been neglecting food and more importantly, my work. Aliza may have mentioned that I should concentrate on my duties; however, I couldn't concentrate on anything else.
I lost my parents and sister already; I never thought I'd somehow lose another so quickly. This unforgettable pain, days where I spent on my lonesome in agony... I never thought I'd feel it again.
"...please, don't let this happen..."
Grasping her cold hand, Regiuma enters with a tray of food.
"Kiro... you should eat..."
"...I know, but... every time I do, I feel like throwing up..."
That's right... Jang Mi was always cooking for us... teaching both Reiguma and I.
"Kiro..."
Not knowing what sort of expression we're making, It feels like something's stuck in my stomach as another has its tight hold against my heart.
"I know it's not like how you make it... but, please eat, Kiro..."
The scent of fresh porridge soon envelops the room as I'm reminded of the day I met the Kiridorian blade dancer.
"..."
Tears stream down my cheeks as my body begins to tremble.
"K-Kiro?"
"...I made her the same thing, you know, the day both you and I met Jang Mi..."
Reiguma's ears stand up in shock as they soon droop.
"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to... I just thought you could eat something easy and..."
"...It's all right... thanks, Reiguma."
...
Leaving Reiguma to watch over Jang Mi, I envelop myself in the warmth of a hot bath before lounging in the living room. Aliza soon shows up with a cup of coffee and sits across from me.
"How's Jang Mi?"
I answer her with silence as it's obvious that she hasn't shown any signs of movement.
"...Aliza, was there anything I could've done?"
Feeling as powerless as before, it seems nothing has changed since my family's passing.
"..."
Taking a long sip from her cup, she then stares into its contents.
"...No, I believe the matter was far beyond what any of us could've done, or known."
"...There's very little I know about her and yet, I could trust her as though we've known each other for a long time."
The past she's forgotten, her actual name, it's not like I could've asked her for an answer however.
"Perhaps it's because she was blank slate; someone who knows of loyalty, but no one to show it to."
"..."
"She's still alive, Kiro. If what Lillith said is the truth, then what we should do is have faith. I'm not so sure if she'll take kindly to you losing your customers over worrying for her. I know it's easier said, but-"
"I know that, but! ...I don't want to lose anyone else again!"
Getting all worked up, I rise from my seat in aggravation as I clutch my chest with one arm, as the other forcefully swings against air.
"This feeling whelling up inside me, this same feeling of being powerless; useless! Just the thought of it; the thought of Iosing someone close, I don't know if I can take it anymore! I-!"
Aliza soon closes the gap between us in a flash as she consoles me. With one arm wrapped around my quivering body, her other still holds her coffee.
"What did I say, Kiro? Jang Mi, she'll be fine, we just need to wait for her."
"..."
" I... I promise, Kiro. She'll come to soon enough, her wounds have closed, which means her body is still technically alive. It's obvious she's neither like you or I."
"...Thanks, Aliza. For making that promise..."
If she's willing to make such a promise; to push pass her hesitation, then I should also give it my all.
"It's nothing to thank me for; if anything I should be the one to thank you."
"Thank? Me?"
Pulling away from each other, she sits back down and sips from her cup.
"If it were I alone, I probably wouldn't be able to console anyone. To console another over the same issue... I'd say we're able to share the burden. We can weep on each other's shoulders if you'd like."
Chuckling to herself, she looks up towards the ceiling.
"I was always alone in a sense; no one else knew what I truly am. Shifting forms to whatever suited my needs, meeting many great individuals. As much as I enjoy being hidden beneath a mask, the one moment I did reveal myself to someone I trusted; they thought how they could possibly trust a shape shifter."
"..."
"I guess if one were to pull pranks for too long, it gets to you. Even harmless tricks will get to you in the end."
"If you were hurt like that in the past... then why were you able to reveal yourself to us?"
"Heh, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure why. But I'm glad I did, it feels nice knowing there are some people who are able to place their trust in others despite what they are."
"You did earn our trust after all... you fought alongside us, despite having the option not to."
Sticking to her morals also, I'd say she's more human than some.
"Serabrae's, Succubi's, Elves, Shapeshifters and even one from unknown lands."
Making it seem as though it's a big issue, it's not as though I did anything special.
"Kiro, believe it or not, you're the cog that keeps everyone here moving. If you're down and depressed over an issue; trying to agonise over it alone, it's going to have an effect on everyone's morale. You shouldn't make your wife more upset than she already is, look."
Suddenly turning her gaze to the yard as though to signal for me to follow, Lilly's there tapping against the glass as her breath creates condensation against it.
"Aha... what is she, an animal?"
Opening the door for it, she stands there silently with a small smile. Who would've thought she could be silent in times like this?
"...I guess old habits die hard... Before Reiguma came into my life... I was alone after my family passed on; in this big, empty house. The more I thought about it, the harder it was to accept."
I was foolish to believe that I was suffering the most; when everyone had to then place their worry in me thus making the issue a lot more difficult to deal with.
"Sorry and... thanks, Aliza, and I guess you too Lilly."
"We may have gotten off to a shaky start, being stabbed and what not, but being here reminds me of back home; being with a family and all.~"
"Hah, then I guess you must be the family pet; living in a shed and all."
"Uhuhu, so you're into that sort of play, Kiro?~ I guess boys do change and want to be the master.~ So what am I, a dog, cat? Oo I guess a household Succubus Vampire will do just fine.~"
"No one wants to have a pet Succubus!"
I guess I should be grateful that I too can share the burden with others at home; this house is far from empty after all.
Feeling my spirits being lifted, I take a deep breath and stretch my body and limbs.
"All right, lets get everything back into gear."
...
A few days after, Jang Mi didn't show any signs of consciousness as Lily also mentioned her sword's pulse stayed extremely low. The plus side is that she noted that the beat was stable, no matter how weak it was.
With nothing else to rely on, I dabbled into some alchemy approaches to help aid Jang Mi's condition. But of course not one book placed my mind at ease; none recorded any symptoms like hers nor any individual that still lives without a beating heart. Such things are more relevant to high ranking demons and anything else of that category.
The thought only lingered for a split moment before I extinguished it, after all, I'm certain Jang Mi's human... or at least that's what I believe.
"Ahhh... this is useless, I feel like we need more information on Kiridora if we're to help her."
Swinging back on my chair in annoyance, I remember what Aliza mentioned about her visit there. It's not something I'd get involved in, but I may not have a choice in the matter. Jang Mi's in a comatose like state and I can't do a single thing to help her.
"Any luck, Kiro?"
Reiguma appears by the entrance of the workshop as she peeks in.
"Nothing of use... there's no records of anything like this."
Tossing the useless book against the table, I yawn into my cuffed hand.
"We may need to visit Kiridora, but that should be our last resort."
Something may have happened there and we may be putting our lives at risk; if anything we should be prepared for whatever happens.
"Kiridora... that's where Jang Mee's from, right? Is it dangerous?"
Finding space on the table, she sits against it.
"According to Aliza, it's unknown lands after all. If it weren't dangerous, we would've had vast information of it asides from the more trivial knowledge."
"...It hurts, Kiro... like there's something pulling inside my chest."
"Yeah... I feel the same way. But just-"
"Kiro, Reiguma, come quick!"
Aliza's voice suddenly bursts out through the night as we immediately run to her call.
"W-What, what happened?"
As Aliza's left a loss for what to do, Jang Mi sits atop her bed, crying out in agony as her hands grip tightly against her naked chest. With her veins clearly visible, sweat beads down her forehead as she relentlessly shouts.
"J-Jang Mi!?"
Reiguma and I both rush to her side as I place my hand against her shoulder; however she forcefully bats my hand away. A strange aura soon becomes apparent surrounding Jang Mi as her spasm becomes more severe.
"What's happening?! Jang Mi's pulse suddenly skyrocketed from nothing!"
Lily flies in through the window in distress as we're as clueless as she is.
"I was exercising her limbs so they don't lose their muscle mass that she has and just as I was about to make her sit up, this happened!"
A few days after Jang Mi fell into this state, Aliza took it upon herself to keep her body as healthy as possible.
"If this keeps up she may die for real!"
Lilly pushes us away as she takes a moment to think in distress, before holding up her hands before her.
"I-In any case, we should stabilise her first!"
Purple like dust begins to swirl around Lily's open palms as she closes her eyes; chanting in foreign tongue. The dust soon envelops Jang Mi as her ragged breathing soon returns to normal as she falls back down against the bed.
"...."
Not even taking the time to breathe between her words, Lily exhales loudly as she falls against the floor.
"What... what did you do?"
"I placed a spell on her... It relaxes the body which then induces sleep. I just never thought I'd use it for something like this."
"...She looks okay now."
We all observe the resting Jang Mi as her chest rises and falls in tune with her breathing.
"Jang Mi's pulse... has returned."
Silence fills the room as we're too shocked to express our relief. Regardless of her pulse returning, her sudden outburst seems un-natural. No one wants to say it but we may be back to square one on waiting for her to wake up once more.
...
Not knowing whether or not Jang Mi would have an outburst throughout the night, we all stayed in the room with her except for Lilly. She mentioned her presence may have an unwanted effect on the spell that she placed on her as she also said she's strangely unease after seeing her in such a state. As though she noticed a detail that we don't, she refused to mention it to us.
"K-Ki-ro..?"
At first signs of light, a small, almost inaudible voice calls out which snaps me out of my daze as I almost fall off my chair.
"J-Jang Mi..?"
Closing the small gap between us, she tries her best to keep her eyes opened.
"Aliza, Rei-"
Trying to call for them to wake up, Jang Mi places her hand against mine as though to signal for me not to do so.
"...I remember..."
"You... remember?"
Wondering what she remembers, she nods in answer.
"The reason why I'm here... the reason why, I'm still here.... everyone was killed; slaughtered, so much to the point I couldn't recognise their faces..."
Revealing her past to me on a moment's notice, I'm unsure how to respond to her story as she continues to unfold it; reciting it as though she's been reliving her memories in her slumber. The most concerning part was something to do with her heart; a foreign heart that has no reason to be inside a human.
"Y-Your heart..?"
"..."
A demon's heart, transplanted into her as her own wasn't enough to keep her alive for long.
"...I was called the demon's child, regardless of my characteristics, having been bestowed a demons heart... I ceased being human."
"But... why, why a demon's? Couldn't-"
She shakes her head.
"I don't know... but from it, a few years later, I realised why my parents went missing... They were foolish enough to use the forbidden arts."
"..."
"I devoted myself to learning our techniques, and executing them to the best of my ability; day after day. That was my only goal in life; devoting this life to serve him. ...They all had every right to kill me, but... I was left alive, alongside my brother to carry on our bloodline, no matter how tainted mine was; to carry out my parents dying wish."
Despite feeling relieved that Jang Mi's recovered her memories, I'm unsure of what she'll do now that she's retained them.
"Everyone... is everyone... safe?"
"Everyone? ...Yes, they're safe... they've been relocated to my workshop."
Attempting to move off the bed with her sword in her grasp, she coughs up blood against the sheets as I close in on her.
"Y-You should at least rest until-"
Shaking her head, she looks to me as her eyes plead for me to accept her actions.
"...Please, Kiro... I need to see them..."
Jang Mi never asked for much and followed along with whatever I had to say, if it's not regarding my safety.
"Then place your weight on me, I'll support you."
...
Leaving them on a shelf of their own, Jang Mi gazed at them without word as I feel the presence of Reiguma and the others slowly converge on us. Not calling out to her as though they didn't want to interrupt her.
"...Though many of you may not have accepted me... you still gave me shelter..."
Finding the strength to walk on her own, she slowly walks towards a specific one and kneels down to it.
"...My lord... Oppa, I'm so sorry to have forgotten about you... it's inexcusable of me to have... I'm a failure!"
Despite never showing signs of weakness, a soft air surrounds her as she bawls; crying out for her mistakes of being unable to save him or the village.
"I will find her, I will... Now that I remember, I'll devote myself to her search. So you may all rest in peace."
With her sword in her grasp, she runs her finger against the edge as blood drips against it. It resonates a light only for a short moment before dispersing as she rises to face us.
"Jang Mi..."
Looking at us with firm eyes, her posture doesn't waver as she stands straight, as though she's already regaining her strength.
"Everyone... I'm sorry to have worried you all... Thank you all, for everything... it was an enjoyable time spending it with you all and... Please, take good care of them."
"...Why does it sound like you're leaving us?"
"..."
Asking her this question, she only leaves us in silence; with her bangs covering her eyes, she moves past us, rising just above the stairs before Aliza grabs her fleeting hand.
"Whilst I'm glad you've woken up, I can't say the same to the one who's in over her head."
"...It's not something I could ask anyone... after all, I've troubled you all enough already, so-"
"So what?"
Whether Jang Mi's current actions are caused by her distrust in us, or simply being blinded by her duty, I walk up to her as Aliza releases her hold of Jang Mi.
"We were worried for you, in that sort of condition; I'd say it's a miracle that you've returned to us, demon or not. Are you saying this because we'll think different of you?"
"A-A demon..?"
With this bit of information being new to everyone else, they keenly listen in as I could also see Lilly in my peripheral vision. I'm sure this is what she didn't want to mention earlier.
"Regardless of how the demon's heart has affected you, you're still the Jang Mi we know. That won't ever change, we're all here for you, so please don't act like you're alone on this."
"But... I can't ask of you all to come with me... It's my duty alone to do what must be done."
"What concerns you also concerns us, Jang Mee!"
Rushing past us, Reiguma flies onto Jang Mi and wraps her arms around her.
"I was so worried for you! I didn't know what to do, it pained me so much to see you like that. And now you're saying you're going to leave us? I don't want that!"
"Reiguma... I'm sorry to have caused you pain, but-"
Placing her hands against Jang Mi's shoulders, tears fill her eyes as she gazes at her head on.
"Take us with you! You were there for me in the volcano, supporting me, so please at least let me do the same for you!"
"Reiguma... please, don't look at me like that... I..."
Gritting her teeth, she places her hand against her chest as Reiguma clasp onto it.
"I... don't want us to separate; I want us all to live here together..."
"...Your words warm even a heart like mine... That's unfair, Reiguma... I was content with leaving you all and you had to go and say such... kind words..."
Feeling as though the shell she created to keep us from changing her mind slowly deteriorating, she looks over Reiguma's shoulders.
"We would've followed you even if you didn't want us to."
"I guess I should've expected for things to turn out this way..."
Releasing their hold, they both smile at each other as Jang Mi wipes the corner of her eyes and stands firmly.
"Then... let's be off to Kiridora."