The morning after my treatment was completed, Big Sister Therese visited my room.
Led by Mira, Big Sister Therese entered wearing a cloak draped over her shoulders in addition to her usual vestments. She looked ready for a journey.
"Do you have a moment to spare?"
"Yes. Please, have a seat."
Big Sister Therese sat down with graceful posture and began to speak with a solemn expression.
"Now that your treatment is finished, I have been called to return to the Church."
A tightness gripped my chest.
There was nothing left for Big Sister Therese to heal. I had been half-prepared for this, but the moment had come sooner than I’d expected. The prospect of someone I had seen every single day for half a year suddenly being gone hit me harder than I thought it would.
"...It’s going to be lonely without you."
When I said that, Big Sister Therese looked down for a moment. Then, she suddenly snapped her head up.
"—However," she began, "I will definitely come back! I promise!!"
She declared it with fierce conviction.
"I’d be happy if you did. I would have seen you off myself if I could walk..."
The treatment was complete, but my legs, which had gone unused for so long, wouldn't move properly yet. It seemed I would need extensive training before I could walk again.
"No, that sentiment alone is more than enough. I look forward to seeing you in good health the next time we meet."
"—Yeah. I understand. I’ll work hard so I can walk by the time you return."
As I nodded, Big Sister Therese leaned forward slightly from her chair and gently placed her hand on my head. Her fingertips stroked my silver hair.
"—May Goddess Viviana’s protection be with you."
Saying only that, Big Sister Therese stood up. Her back looked a little lonely as she walked out of the room.
A short while later, I heard the sound of a carriage departing outside.
Supported by Mira, I stood by the window, but the carriage was already passing through the estate gates. I could see nothing but its wooden roof.
◇◇◇
Once Big Sister Therese had departed, my family gathered in the room as if to fill the void she left. Everyone was there, including Elder Sister Heide and the twins, Liese and Rose.
During my treatment, I hadn't been allowed to see my sister or my younger twin sisters. My parents likely thought that showing them my scarred body, missing limbs, and hollowed eye socket would be too much of a psychological shock. Indeed, even Elder Brother Albrecht had been visibly shaken when he first saw me. Now that my limbs and eye were completely restored, even if I couldn't walk yet, they must have decided it was finally safe for the others to visit.
"Elder Brother Rein!" the twins cried out in unison.
They rushed me from both sides and grabbed my hands. Their small palms were warm.
"Everything really is back to normal!"
"And your eyes are so pretty now!"
They laughed innocently. To those children, the story was probably just that their big brother's injuries had finally healed. That was for the best.
My elder sister, my elder brother, and my parents watched me from a short distance away. They were all happy for me—I could tell. However, in the midst of that joy, there were moments when their expressions turned into something indescribable.
"...Welcome home, Rein."
My sister's voice sounded happy, but it was slightly cracked.
"I'm home."
The words I hadn't been able to voice six months ago—this time, I returned them clearly.
On this day, I truly returned to the family circle.
◇◇◇
From then on, I began training every day to regain my ability to walk.
With Mira supporting one of my arms, I practiced walking through the hallways of the manor. Even though they were regenerated, the muscles in my legs hadn't caught up yet. Since Recovery Magic doesn't alleviate fatigue, I had no choice but to push through the physical labor of training. Curiously, I didn't experience any muscle aches despite the intensity of the exercises. I wondered why, especially since I was pushing myself to the limit, but I continued my training regardless.
At first, I tried using Physical Enhancement, thinking it might help me walk sooner. However, the moment I applied the enhancement to my newly regenerated legs, my first step propelled me much further than I’d intended. Unable to control the angle of my knee, my toes caught the floor. Because I had spent three years without legs, my body had forgotten how to walk, and my physical sensations couldn't keep up with the control of my enhanced limbs. I couldn't even break my fall; I skidded across the floor, my face and knees throbbing with numbness. By the time I realized I had left bloodstains on the floor, the wounds had already closed.
"—Please, stop using Physical Enhancement," Mira said.
As she helped me up, she spoke with a tearful expression, though her tone brooked no argument.
"Lord Rein's body is still in the process of relearning how to walk. Just because your wounds disappear with Recovery Magic does not mean it is acceptable for you to get hurt."
Since then, Physical Enhancement was forbidden during my rehabilitation. I thought that enhancing my entire body might make any potential injuries lighter, but the atmosphere Mira radiated made it impossible to suggest.
Eating with my own two hands. Seeing the world with both eyes. Walking on my own two feet. One by one, I was reclaiming the things that had been natural until four years ago.
Mira maintained her stiflingly close proximity even after my limbs returned. When I told her I could eat and bathe by myself as my rehab progressed, she looked utterly desolated. To compensate, she seemed to seek even more physical contact.
During rehab in the great hall, Mira would walk backward, leading me by both hands. In that face-to-face position, Mira would take a step back, and I would take a step forward. When my legs reached their limit and began to tremble, she would pull me in and embrace me.
"You must be tired. Please, rest just like this."
My ragged breathing hit the nape of Mira's neck. The heat of my flushed skin, damp with sweat, seeped into her clothes and merged with her own warmth. After a while, even though I was the one doing the walking, Mira was the one who was out of breath for some reason. The breath grazing my ear felt strangely hot.
Every morning, Mira came to wake me up. Lately, whenever I opened my eyes, her face was always right there, inches away. She would be staring intently at me, as if peering into my very soul.
"Good morning, Lord Rein."
My consciousness would clear at the sound of her voice. For some reason, the bed was always warm only on the side where Mira stood.
Day by day, we reclaimed our lives. All so we could seize a better future.