Strongest Swordman’s Re:START

CHAPTER 10 – MERC AND GANAN

Merc rushed up to Ganan after confirming the Velche’s death.

“Ganan!”

His right hand was bent in an unnatural direction, and blood was streaming down from every part of his body. It was a hopeless situation, yet his chest was still going up and down, indicating that Ganan was still alive.

“Hey! Ganan! Wake up!”

Ganan’s eyelids slid open faintly after Merc yelled in his ear and shook him.

“S-So it’s you Merc… What’s wrong? What’s up with that scary look…”

“You woke up? Do you remember how you ended up like this?”

“What? Ah… T-There was this big dog. I-It had those wings… It hurts… Merc… It hurts…”

Ganan cried out in agony, tears welling up in his eyes as he extended his left hand to Merc.

Merc was relieved that he was still alive, but she was taken aback when she saw the youngster who normally pretended to be tough cry. She always believed that even if Ganan felt like crying he would hide it.

“Does it hurt?”

Merc asked as she took his hand. Ganan’s features relaxed a little as he felt Merc’s touch. He probably felt at ease.

“Merc… I can’t move my right arm… I won’t budge!”

“… I know. Just wait. A Healer is on his way. He’ll fix you up in no time.”

Merc said while avoiding looking at Ganan’s right arm. Color returned to Ganan’s eyes the next minute, as if he had remembered something.

“Merc… I…”

“What is it?”

Instead of continuing, Ganan simply shook his head, swallowing his words. For a split second, Merc was concerned about the continuation of his words.

That quickly changed when she observed Ganan’s massive wound on his neck, which was exposed as he shook his head.

“This bleeding… I know! Give me a second!”

“… What?”

Merc let go of Ganan’s hand and reached inside the pouch she’d thrown away, pulling a Blood-Stopping Medicine from it.

“M-Merc. P-Please, stay by my side.”

“Of course. But before that, let me try using this. This is the Blood-Stopping Medicine that I made yesterday.”

“Blood-Stopping Medicine? T-The one you made yesterday?”

Ganan inquired, his face filled with admiration. Merc began to blush as a result of Ganan’s compliment, but she quickly shrugged it off by grabbing the medicine. Then she began applying it all over Ganan’s body.

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Ganan watched Merc apply the Blood-Stopping Medicine to his wounds with a slight smile.

“Is there something wrong?”

“N-No… Fufufu.”

Merc applied the Blood-Stopping Medicine to Ganan’s neck, limbs, side torso, and temple with great care.

Nothing less could be expected of a medicine made according to her Master’s instructions. It had an instantaneous effect. Ganan’s blood loss had virtually ceased.

“I’m sorry. I made quite a lot, but it’s almost all gone… Good grief. You’re bleeding way too much!”

“Hahaha. Merc, you’re amazing. The pain has also declined. I’m feeling much better now.”

“R-Really?”

Merc didn’t recall the Blood-Stopping Medicine having any pain-relieving properties, but since the patient stated it, it had to be true.

Ganan’s face had relaxed considerably, and color was gradually returning to his face.

“… Amazing. You really are amazing, Merc.”

“W-What are you saying?! Hearing you say that makes me nervous rather than happy!”

“You see, I already know. I’m fully aware that you are better to me in every way.”

“……”

“Intelligence, swordsmanship, running… There isn’t a single thing I could win at.”

“… Keep quiet until the Healer comes.”

“To top it off, you even put in more effort than me.”

Despite his injuries, Ganan continued to speak. Merc tried to stop him from speaking because she thought it was dangerous, but it was futile.

Ultimately, she could only listen to Ganan speak while reflexively looking up at the sky.

“Even though I should find you detestable… Even though I only feel sad and empty when you’re around… I still think you’re amazing. I wonder… just why is it that I like you so much.”

“… Like I know.”

“Ahaha. Right? Even I don’t know. There’s no way you’d know… Merc.”

“What?”

“I like you.”

Ganan said, looking Merc in the eyes. That intense gaze of his pierced directly through her heart. Merc, on the other hand, didn’t know how to respond.

The answer was simple if she just followed her heart.

She liked Ganan, but it wasn’t the same kind of affection she had for the other gender. To begin with, she thought of him as being of the same gender as her. There was no way she could fall in love with someone of the same gender.

But could she truly say that to the injured boy lying in front of her?

Her true feelings would almost certainly cause him to grieve, causing him emotional agony and aggravating his condition.

Or should she lie to him?

Trying to avoid the subject and pretend that Ganan had never confessed?

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No. Merc couldn’t do that. She was unable to stomp on the boy’s genuine feelings. Who in their right mind would do anything so blatantly false? Merc couldn’t do it no matter what.

“… Haha… What’s up with that face?”

“Huh?”

“I’m joking. Joking. Stupid.”

“… Y-You!”

Ganan managed to elicit a scream encompassing Merc’s true feelings with only a single sentence.

He’d done it, well aware of Merc’s feelings. However, that didn’t mean that she could forgive him.

She couldn’t forgive Ganan for trampling on his confession and pretending it never occurred.

But it was the fact that she had let him say it that she couldn’t forgive the most.

“HEY! ARE YOU BOTH OKAY?!”

A familiar voice entered Merc’s ears just as she was arguing with herself.

It was Rezon, one of the elf village’s Healers.

“Mr. Rezon!”

“Thank god, you’re okay! How is Ganan?”

“He’s lost a lot of blood. Please help him.”

Merc got up and walked away from Ganan to make room for Rezon.

“Hmph. You’ve used Blood-Stopping Medicine, right?”

“… Should I not have?”

Rezon continued to examine Ganan’s body while kneeling next to him after asking Merc about the Blood-Stopping Medicine.

Was it appropriate for me to do what I did?

“No, you did great. It was clearly required, as indicated by the blood soaking into the earth. His bleeding has ceased, and the treatment appears to be of high quality. Merc. Could you please move away while I remove Ganan’s clothes?”

Rezon inquired, a stern expression on his face as he waved his hand without even looking at Merc.

“… Of course.”

Merc had been concerned about using the Blood-Stopping Medicine unnecessarily, but it turned out that it was for the best.

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Merc listened to Rezon’s request and moved away. It’s not as if she hadn’t seen a naked man before. She’d had enough of it in her previous life. She opted not to say anything because saying so would simply delay the healing process.

“Merc.”

Ganan’s faint voice caught her ears just as she was going to step away.

When Merc turned around, she saw Ganan, who had a broad smile on his face, as if everything had been a dream up until now.

“Merc… thank you!”

His broad smile and cheery speech wiped away any remaining concern in Merc’s heart.

After all, he even had the strength to thank her for the Blood-Stopping Medicine.

“Hmph. You’re welcome.”

Merc replied, her lips gently curling upward, and she walked away. Because Rezon was such a well-known Healer, she thought it would be fine to leave it to him.

Merc then proceeded to a relatively remote place, where she encountered the hunter and Law, and informed them that Ganan was alright. Law was overjoyed after hearing his sister’s explanation. Rezon had been able to reach the peak while Ganan was still alive thanks to him.

It was also because to Merc’s cream that Ganan’s life was likely extended a little longer.

Ganan will be fine. My Blood-Stopping Medicine saved his life!

Merc was overjoyed that a drug she had created had helped save someone, as contrast to her previous life where she could only kill.

Rezon appeared after a few minutes.

Bringing the sad news of the boy’s death1.

Robinxen: Oh… Woops… Guess it was too little too late.