Several decades after Christophe had been living in the village.

A certain female adventurer was in a life-threatening situation.

The intense pain that feels like burning her entire body, and the rapidly decreasing body temperature.

Sylvia was aware of her impending death.

She was participating in the operation to subjugate the dragon-type monsters.

It was going smoothly until then. However, once that monster appeared, the situation changed completely.

Elder Dragon. A being more powerful than the ordinary dragon species suddenly appeared.

Information about the monster that wasn't in the guild's preliminary data.

The power of the ancient dragon was tremendous, and Sylvia's party was on the brink of destruction.

Sylvia had to act as a decoy to allow her companions to escape.

That role has been sufficiently fulfilled.

The lightning-clad sword of divine speed indeed tore through the thick scales of the ancient dragon, delivering a fatal blow to its massive body.

However, the vitality of the ancient dragon was not to be underestimated.

Even after receiving a blow that would kill an ordinary monster, the ancient dragon moved.

The ancient dragon's eyes sharpened fiercely, and with what could be considered its final strike, it easily tore apart Sylvia's body, mercilessly gouging into her soft flesh.

The ancient dragon unleashed its strike and fell to the ground.

However, Sylvia, too, had received a fatal wound.

The bleeding from her abdomen won't stop, her left arm is bent in an unnatural direction, and she can hardly feel her right leg.

From the countless wounds etched all over the body, life continuously flows out.

The achievement of defeating the ancient dragon was impressive, but the situation made it difficult for Sylvia to survive.

Even so, Sylvia was desperately thinking of ways to survive.

Spreading a map in her mind, she aims for the nearby town and walks as if dragging her body.

However, the place where Sylvia is located seems to be a remote area not detailed on the map.

There are only a few small villages scattered nearby. Moreover, whether there are enough healers there to treat this many wounds is another question altogether.

How much time has passed? The clear blue sky was now covered with dark, heavy rain clouds.

And then, in the blink of an eye, the rain began to drip, hitting the blood-soaked cheek and stealing away the body heat.

"...I wonder if this is as far as I can go."

Even if she manages to reach the village by some stroke of luck, with this injury...

Her stomach is torn, her arm is broken, and her legs can't move properly. Unless she receives the highest level of healing magic immediately, even if she survives, she will likely be left with aftereffects.

She might no longer be able to wield a sword. Nor run across the battlefield with the speed of lightning.

For Sylvia, it was more painful than death. She had resolved to live as an adventurer and die as an adventurer, so she didn't want to prolong her life in vain.

It wasn't that she had no regrets at all. Still, she understood that this is what being an adventurer is all about.

(If only it had been a little more...)

She became an adventurer and completed numerous quests. She thought that if she continued doing so, she would someday become a true hero―.

Sylvia coughed as if to spit out the blood that had accumulated in her mouth.

It was precisely at that moment.

In the distance of her hazy view, something vague swayed in the pouring rain. Was it a monster, or just an illusion?

The shadow slowly crouched beside Sylvia. It was there that Sylvia first realized it was a human.

A man wearing a tattered, worn-out white coat. He seems to be in his late thirties.

The man glanced at Sylvia's dire situation and then fixed his gaze on her.

Even in such a state of injury, the man shows no signs of panic.

He was simply staring at her quietly, as if appraising her. No, it was more than just appraising. It was as if he were trying to discern something deeper, such as an enigmatic gaze.

Eventually, the man looked at Sylvia's chest as if to check her wounds, where the worst injury was.

"My name is Christophe, and I am a healer in a nearby village."

"A... hea... ler..."

At Sylvia's hoarse voice, Christophe quietly nodded.

"Ah, this wound is..."

From the hand reaching towards Sylvia's abdomen, magic slowly flows in.

Sylvia immediately understands that it is the magic released by Christophe.

"...The abdominal laceration has reached the internal organs. The left arm is fractured in multiple places. The lack of sensation in the right leg is probably due to nerve damage. With severe blood loss, the vital signs are in a critical state―"

Upon hearing Christophe's words, Sylvia comes to understand her own condition once again.

This body is already destined to die. However, the continuation of the words that reached Sylvia's ears, having accepted the reality, was something she could hardly believe.

"―But it's good that it was an injury that can be managed."

Upon hearing those words, Sylvia's eyes widened. He had only touched her for a brief moment. Even as an S-rank adventurer, Sylvia couldn't hide her astonishment at how accurately he had diagnosed her in such a short time.

(A regular healer wouldn't be able to see through this so quickly. Who is this person...?)

"Can... it be treated?"

"Oh, if it's just this level."

(This level... probably, most healers would give up? What on earth is this person talking about―)

"However, my healing magic is a bit special. It can only be activated by directly touching the affected area. It might cause a slight pain at that moment... But I don't want to let you die like this. Will you let me treat you?"

In his words, Sylvia felt a great deal of doubt and a slight sense of caution.

Chapter 2