0116 Dream Anomaly

Raising her arm in such a “big movement” unsurprisingly tore at the wound on her arm. The sudden pain finally cleared her mind somewhat. Rather than pondering the strategic question of what to do if the beasts attacked—something she had no clue about—she ought to focus on her own injuries. The condition of Huanluo and the fate of Lance were the real priorities, and somewhere far off, the missing classmate, Liang Yin, was still waiting to be rescued.

That’s right. Clenching her fist in her heart, she reminded herself that problems must be tackled one at a time. Lying in bed worrying wasn’t going to help at all.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” Though briefly unconscious, her voice remained unaffected. Tentatively, she called out toward the door.

“You’re awake? Sorry, I just stepped out to get some medicine.” The maid outside quickly entered with an apologetic expression upon hearing her voice. In her hands was a large bundle of medical supplies—clearly, she had just been out preparing these items. Who would have expected she’d wake up at this moment? This maid was someone she had seen before, a capable young woman working in the Huanluo household. It dawned on her that she had been brought back to Huanluo’s home to recover.

“May I help you change your dressing?” the maid asked softly, her eyes filled with genuine concern. Only now did she notice the maid’s pale complexion mirrored her own, the moist glimmer in her eyes and reddened rims suggesting she had recently been crying.

“Go ahead,” she replied. She knew why the maid had cried, yet the battlefield was merciless. The deaths of Xia Kui and Li Yi were truly heartbreaking—there was no appropriate word to describe it. Struggling to sit up, she then painfully buried her head in her knees. Her abdominal wound protested against her posture with sharp pain, but she refused to adjust.

Pain could bring clarity; it was also a form of release. She fully understood the sorrow and shock that Li Yi and Xia Kui’s sudden deaths had inflicted upon all of Aicasia. Even someone as seemingly carefree as herself felt the collapse of a pillar, let alone the soldiers Li Yi had led or Huanluo, who suffered a heavier emotional blow.

This was the second time she had witnessed someone sacrifice themselves in her presence. Memories flooded back reluctantly. That blinding white light and the agonizing yet helpless self-sacrifice had taken away two people important to her. Elsa had done so to help the second young lady achieve her goal; Xia Kui had done so to help her husband handle the aftermath.

Burying her frustration deep inside, she wanted nothing more than to bang her head against a wall. The gentle smiles of Elsa and Xia Kui merged in her mind, intensifying her overwhelming sense of helplessness.

If only she were stronger. If only she were smarter. If only she could turn the tide of battle, none of this would have happened. What if she and Huanluo had lost control earlier…?

Seeing her suddenly fall into despair, the maid hurriedly rubbed her eyes to dispel the gloomy atmosphere. She even forced a smile, trying to comfort her. But before she could speak, she was caught off guard as the woman suddenly lifted her head, grabbed the maid’s hand with urgency, and asked, “By the way, how is Huanluo? Can I see her?”

If even a maid was this heartbroken, how much worse must Huanluo’s feelings be? She thought excitedly. For her, the deaths of Xia Kui and Li Yi meant losing two respected seniors; for the maid, it meant the loss of the backbone holding back the beasts. But for Huanluo, it meant losing family, leader, and spiritual pillar all at once.

The maid was startled by her sudden change but quickly recovered. “Yes, after you finish changing your dressing, you may visit Lady Huanluo.”

The tedious, monotonous task of changing bandages was soon completed. Supported by the maid, she slowly stepped out of her room and made her way to Huanluo’s chamber. Her injuries were not severe—an inexplicable surge of magical energy had miraculously healed her lethal wounds, leaving only superficial cuts. Though not deep, the many surface wounds left her weak and in need of assistance.

“How is Huanluo’s condition?” she asked the maid as they walked. “Also, um, has Lance been rescued?”

Though puzzled by the magician’s hesitant tone when mentioning another magician, the clever maid disregarded it and truthfully shared all she knew: “Lord Lance’s wounds are similar to yours—mostly surface injuries. We believe he will wake soon. Lady Huanluo, however, is in much worse condition. Her abdominal and arm wounds are deep and penetrating. She will need a long period to recover.”

“What?” She stared at the maid in disbelief, as if unable to digest the words. “Are you sure you didn’t mix up their conditions?”

The maid looked back innocently and puzzled, searching her memory for confirmation before firmly replying, “No, Lord Lance’s injuries are superficial; Lady Huanluo’s are severe.”

A thousand wild horses seemed to stampede in her heart. She was utterly lost. Could the image of Huanluo walking around unscathed and Lance’s pierced wounds have been a dream? Were the deaths of Xia Kui and Li Yi mere fabrications of her mind? Had this war never even taken place, all just illusions?

She was filled with confusion, not knowing where to begin. After all, she was still utterly clueless as to why her wounds had healed on their own. If Lance shared the same magical ability to promptly save his life, it might make sense. But why had Huanluo’s condition suddenly worsened?

It was incomprehensible.

With a tangled expression, she was finally led to Huanluo’s room by the maid. Though the chamber was not far from her own, her slow pace due to her injuries had allowed her mind to wander endlessly along the way.

As soon as the door to Huanluo’s room was pushed open, a strong medicinal scent rushed out to greet her.