The Villain Can't Lose

As the night drew to a close, I could feel the exhaustion setting in. I had been so focused on helping Nari that I hadn't even realized how drained I was feeling. And as the first rays of sunlight started to peek over the horizon, I knew that it was time to call it a night.

That's when Serenu approached me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder, "you should get some sleep, master." He told me to go back to my room and rest, assuring me that he would take care of Nari. At first, I hesitated. I didn't want to leave Nari's side, not when she was still in such a fragile state. But as Serenu spoke, I could feel my resolve crumbling. I was just too tired to argue.

Feeling hopeless and defeated, I agreed to Serenu's request and left the room. As I made my way back to my chambers, I couldn't help but think about everything that had happened. I was still trying to understand my own powers and just how powerful I was. And yet, despite everything I had done, it felt like it wasn't enough.

As I collapsed onto my bed, I tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on getting some much-needed rest. But even as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, I couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that lingered within me.

"Whatever…" I whispered to myself and closed my eyes.

***

[Serenu's POV: After Rowen Left]

I sat down on the chair, feeling its cool surface against my skin. I adjusted my glasses, making sure they sat comfortably on my nose, and crossed my arms around my chest. I then turned my attention to Nari, who was sitting across from me, staring intently at her hands.

As I watched her, I couldn't help but feel a sense of concern. Nari was usually such a lively and outgoing person, but something seemed to be weighing heavily on her mind.

"Hey, Nari," I said, trying to break the silence. "Is everything okay?"

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and frustration. "No, not really," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

I leaned forward, wanting to show her that I was there for her. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked gently.

Nari hesitated for a moment, but then nodded slowly, "what do you know about our master's power?"

As Nari moved, I observed carefully, trying to understand the situation and offer any help I could. But then, out of nowhere, she asked me a question that caught me off guard. It was something I hadn't expected, and for a moment, I stumbled over my words.

I could feel my face flush as I tried to come up with a response. My mind raced, searching for the right words, but I found myself struggling to put my thoughts into coherent sentences.

Feeling flustered, I leaned back in my chair, trying to gather my thoughts. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves and compose myself before speaking.

"The blood manipulation is something that only Rowen will be able to do…" I paused, "this is one of the reasons why the Duke hates his own son so much, Nari."

Finally, I managed to find the words I was looking for, and I responded to Nari's question as honestly and thoughtfully as I could. But even as I spoke, I couldn't shake the feeling of surprise and unease that her sudden question had caused.

"Are you on master's side?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I am."

Nari let a long sigh out and relaxed her shoulders, "so dying and coming back to life will get its own purpose soon," she looked at me with her sparkling eyes.

For a moment, I thought if she even had an idea how coming back to life worked.

I was an A-rank healer, this job was like a piece of cake to me… While one party wasn't suffering, I was the one who used to get drained from this power the most.

Simple wounds, or broken bones were something I could easily take care of. But bringing a person back to life required a lot of my own mana and energy, 'I'm off tomorrow at least…'

"Nari, please be more careful next time," I advised her, trying to save my own energy as well.

"I needed to see how his powers worked, and now I'm fully confident that master could remove the Duke from existence…" She had a cold tone in her voice, almost as if she was pleased to say that.

"I'm not worried about you, I know you will be fine. I'm worried about the young master having to go through breakdowns thanks to you, be careful."

Nari closed her eyes and opened them back again, "I will not make him suffer, don't worry."

After our discussion, Nari got up from the bed and made her way towards the door. As she reached for the handle, I remembered something that I wanted to tell her.

"Hey, Nari," I said, catching her attention. "Just one more thing. I suggest you avoid any heavy lifting for the rest of the day."

Nari turned back to face me, looking a bit surprised. "Really? Why's that?" she asked.

"Well, I noticed during our conversation that you were rubbing your back a lot, and I don't want you to strain any muscles or hurt yourself further," I explained.

Nari nodded, looking grateful for the advice. "Thanks for looking out for me, Serenu. I'll be careful," she said before opening the door and stepping out of my room.

As the door closed behind her, I leaned back in my chair and let out a deep breath. It felt good to have been able to help Nari, and I hoped that our conversation had given her some comfort and reassurance. And even though it was a small thing, Nari's back was the part where her mana stopped running, "these kids gives me headache…"