Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Such a peculiar thing: the beating of the heart was. Like any other bodily function, it went by unnoticed for most who simply went about their daily lives. But in this moment—this quiet, lull of tranquility—it was thunderous, ringing loudly in the boy's ears.

It caused great confusion within him. It told him nothing, and yet, the most important thing of all. He was alive. He was… alive? It could have been a trick, a mere mirage of hope. Or he could have found himself in that place once again as he had before when he had "died". But there was a soothing feeling deep within him that told him he was safe. Safe, but in pain as the creeping sensation began to rear itself throughout the rest of his body.

The boy stirs momentarily, gathering enough strength to slowly open his eyes. His vision is blurred for a few moments before they eventually readjust to the light. Light? Sunlight? When was the last time he saw such a thing?

The brightness of the room was the first thing to catch his eye. Then, it was the room itself.

There was a quant, half-open window to the left, the translucent currents fluttering as a soft breeze blew by. To the right was a wooden door fastened and closed tightly shut by a golden doorknob. Beside it was a quaint grandfather clock, its pendulum rocking back and forth rhythmically. In the corner of the room was a table with two chairs placed opposite from one another. The surrounding clay walls and furnished marble floor were all freshly scrubbed and sterilized. In the air was a strange yet familiar scent of both lilac and rubbing alcohol. Ah, he knows exactly where he is.

He looked down at himself. His body was laid comfortably atop a soft, fluffy bed. The sheets neatly placed atop him were as white as snow. Mustering more of his strength, he tried lifting the sheets with his left arm, only to find its mobility to be severely reduced. Using his right arm, he lifted the sheets to reveal his body wrapped in gauze and bandages with a hospital gown to round out the look. But most importantly, his left forearm was encased in a metal bracer.

He let out a deep sigh as he slumped back into his bed.

He was alive, he was safe. But… what about her?

Before his usual reckless behavior would have him do something he would certainly feel and regret the day after, the door quietly clicked open.

"Hm hm hm. Ah, Mister Cranel, glad to see you're awak—"

The saint and the boy stared at one another for what was only a few moments. But it felt like an eternity, especially for the boy. The purple eyes of the saint continued to burrow into him as he could only sink himself further into his bedding.

"Going somewhere, Mister Cranel?"

Each syllable burned like acid on paper, oozing with a daunting and authoritative malice.

"...no…" he could only meekly mutter.

"Good. Now that you are awake, I can debrief you on your current condition."

Lovely. Time to see what the damage was to both himself and his wallet.

The next twenty minutes seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. There was no need for formalities between the two. Despite being an adventurer for only a short period of time, Bell had been under her care far more times than he'd care to keep track of. It wasn't his proudest achievement, but he never regretted it. His injuries meant he was doing something stupid again. But each time, it was at least for someone else's sake. That seemed to make it worth his while. Though, Airmid didn't share the same sentiment (or at least, she wouldn't openly condone his reckless heroism).

"You're quite lucky, Mister Cranel. Especially this time around."

Airmid glanced at him from behind her clipboard.

"With the wounds you had suffered, you most certainly would have bled out in the dungeon, especially given the depth of the floor your companions found you on. However, one of them had managed to procure some mermaid blood, which sealed and healed most of the life threatening injuries you sustained."

A small smile sprouted on Bell's lips. Marie. That's twice now that he's owed his life to her. Guess he owes her twofold now.

"Your left forearm had the worst of it. Despite the mermaid blood, we had to operate on it ourselves. When they first brought you in, we thought we would have to amputate it and give you a prosthetic instead. However, thanks in large part to the goliath scarf you kept wrapped around you, you managed to keep all the bone fragments in place."

Cassandra. He remembered how pushy she was, practically forcing him to keep it on his person. Another person he owes his life to. How fortunate for him to have so many people like that in his life.

"However, despite our best efforts, we don't have an explanation for the side effects your body seemed to have suffered whilst on your expedition."

Bell cocked a brow to Airmid as she set her clipboard down.

"Side effects?"

Airmid reached behind to pull out a small mirror. Holding it steadily for him, she allowed Bell to see what she was referring to.

The first thing that caught his eye was, well, his eye. His left eye burned a brilliant sapphire, while his right eye remained his natural ruby color. Then, he noticed his hair. Sprinkled throughout his usual snow-white hair were strands that were jet black. It was as if some strands were dipped in black dye and were now permanently soaked and changed color. His messy bed hair caused the strands to stand out even more as they were twisted and curled, tangled, and unfurled.

"Aside from the obvious change in your physical appearance, it doesn't seem to have affected your health in any way. But to be safe, we would still like to closely observe you in the following weeks, in case there are any further changes."

"No, that's fine," Bell said as he pinched and twisted his bangs, twiddling with them with little thought.

"It'll just take some getting used to is all."

Airmid noted how seemingly casual he was but paid it little mind. She nodded and she set the mirror down to pick back up her clipboard, continuing to tick and scribble down boxes and notes.

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A few checks here, a few jot-notes there; and it seemed like they were about finished with their preliminary check.

"This should go without saying but please refrain from doing any strenuous activities for the foreseeable future."

Bell could only sheepishly chuckle. His reputation for having a knack for getting into trouble would always procede him.

"I would hate to have our hard work on your forearm go to waste. Even if it was Lord Hermes who paid for it."

Hermes picked up the tab for the surgery? Bell wondered why he had done so. He supposed he had also been in the messenger god's favor, but to go this far was certainly new. Sure, he had done favors and various odd jobs here and there for the god, but that was more so out of a sort of obligation on his part if anything. Maybe Hermes was paying him back for dragging him along his entertainment-hunting whims. Or more likely, it was probably so that the mischievous god could have a favor of greater or equal value to ask of the boy in the future.

Bell paused his thoughts for a moment. When did he start to think like this? He would never have these lines of thought before. He shook himself back to the present. There was no point dwelling on the 'why'. He had his arm. And he was thankful.

"With that, our time here should be concluding soon. I just have to do one last examination on your arm and the—"

BANG!

A thunderous crackling of a door echoed down the hall followed by heavy, frantic footsteps.

Airmid looked to the closed door of the room where she and Bell presided. She looked at the clock to see it had just passed three in the afternoon. She let out a deep sigh, bracing for the worst.

"Perhaps it was too optimistic of me to think we would have more time…" she muttered under her breath.

In a matter of moments, the noise was just outside the door. With a clamorous crash, the door flung open, and in came flying his petit goddess.

"BEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"

Yup, he was back. And his back was now in two as his goddess threw herself haphazardly onto him.

"How many times must I tell you, TO NOT HARM MY PATIENTS!" cried the Dea Saint.

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As a part of her role as the resident saint, Airmid would think of herself as a hypocrite if she brought harm to anyone. But her piercing gaze brought its own form of psychological torment that more than compensated for the goddess' reckless actions. Following not too far behind was Lili, screaming after her goddess. (It was honestly impressive that Hestia could outrun a level-two adventurer through sheer excitement and anxiety.)

Right as Lili entered the room, a deep chill ran down her spine as if the temperature of the room had plummeted. She was about to yell at her goddess, but instead, her mouth was hung ajar, frozen and stupid-looking. The saint cranked her neck menacingly in the direction of the petit pallum. Lili did not dare utter a single word. Even the sound of breathing seemed like a sin in the presence of the saint. Subconsciously holding her breath, Lili politely shut the door behind her and shrunk down into the corner of the room. Bell could only nervously chuckle watching it all unfold.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand begin to brush over his hair. He turned to see his goddess, her face mere inches away from his own. She wore a strange expression on her face, like a mix of relief, trepidation, and tenderness. She continued to rummage through his hair before she held his face, her gaze fixed on his left eye. Without saying a word, he brought his hand up and placed it on top of hers. Surprised by the sudden gesture, her face flushed and she wanted to pull away, but he held her in place. Smiling, he reassured his goddess.

"I'm alright. I'm home. And that's all that matters."

Hestia stared at him. He knew that he had certainly matured since the first time they had met on Daedalus Street all those months ago. His adventures in the dungeon had forced him to grow and develop, not only in his ranking and status as an adventurer but also as a man.

But this felt different somehow. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Oh well. He was right. He was home and he was safe. And that was all that should matter for now.

"Miss Airmid, is there anything else?"

The saintess turned her attention back onto her patient.

"Just one last test on your arm and you may be released, accompanied by your goddess, of course."

Bell pulled himself forward, wincing slightly as he did so.

"Am I able to see Miss Ryu afterward?"

Airmid thought for a moment.

"I'm afraid that she is still unconscious. We don't know when she will be awake again, but rest assured, she is stable and making quite the speedy recovery."

"Please. I just want to see for myself that she's alright."

Everyone in the room was taken off-guard by how soft and tenderly he spoke. Hestia was taken aback the most. There it was again. That feeling that her first and dearest child had somehow changed. But she couldn't put her finger on what exactly had changed. He was more mature, sure, but there was more! It irked her to no end.

"If that is what you wish." Airmid finally said, giving a slight bow to the boy.

"Thank you," Bell replied with a soft smile.

"Right. Now then, if you may."

Airmid gestured toward the table in the corner.

One last test, and then you can see her. It'll be quick and painless.

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Well, he was right about one thing. Getting to see her would be quick. Painless? Oh, how he wished.

It wasn't very long before Ryu herself had woken up. Dazed and confused, she groggily began trying to make sense of her new environment, new clothes, and the old friends that surrounded her bed. It wasn't long before she regained her memories of that harrowing time in the dungeon. In a panic, she began demanding Bell's whereabouts. Unfortunately, Anya's poor control over her tongue prattled that Bell was just in the room down the hall. Her body screamed in pain in protest but Ryu ignored it and made a mad dash out of the room. However, she also completely ignored Syr's cries from behind her, warning her of the dangers of her moving so hurriedly in such delicate attire.

When she barreled through the door to Bell's room, she felt a sense of relief wash over her seeing the boy well. At least, as well as he could seem. His left arm was wrapped in a cast, but that was a given for the hell they had been through together. She was more fixated on his hair and eye.

Sure, she had seen it before in the dungeon, but to see him in more casual and civil attire was off-putting. For whatever reason, she had thought the changes to his physique as temporary. Or maybe she hoped it was. It scared her to see him change in such a manner. To be pushed to and beyond his limits, and forced to adapt. But it was more than that. It wasn't him simply growing. He had become an entirely different person.

There was that newfound magic he had, blazing and blistering, blue and brilliant. It was seemingly monstrous in nature when compared to his staple fireball magic. And then, the secret he had told her around the fire—it almost didn't feel like Bell anymore. But when she looked at him, and saw that joyful and tender smile, and beaming, shimmering eyes; all her worry ceased. Deep down, he was still Bell. And she was relieved.

But it was short-lived as she felt the strap slung over her shoulder slip free, exposing her fair and delicate skin in public.

Bell barely had time to process what had happened before two open palms were shoved into his face. The last thing he heard before his back slammed onto the floor and blacked out was Airmid screeching at Hestia and Lili again. Yup, this was home.

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"I heard from the Xenos it was amazing you were still alive."

Bell and Ryu were walking the streets of Orario together. It was certainly a nice change of scenery for the pair.

For four days they were stuck in that hellish abyss. For four days all they had were each other. In four days, so much had changed. But hopefully, not the most important things.

Ryu wanted to confirm it. That he was still 'Bell'. Yes, that's why she's wearing this winsome summer dress. It was a gift from Syr since admittedly the only "casual" attire she had was that of her working hostess outfit. And there was no way she was walking out of the clinic with that flimsy hospital gown. She felt so awkward when she first met up with Bell. He complimented how good it looked on her. She simply deflected that it was because they were Syr's.

It all felt so foreign to her. To feel like a prim and proper girl. She had buried that part of herself deep within her. Guilty, anguish, anger, vengeance—she kept building those emotions within herself because that was all she felt she was worth. That was all she deserved to feel.

But now, things are different. All that died with her persona of Gale. She was now just Ryu, not only to herself but also to the public. Word had gotten out that it was Ryu that had saved the adventurers from the Juggernaut, thanks in part to Bor's boisterous and aggrandized tales. (In classic Bor's fashion, he also tried to capitalize on it, and tried claiming Gale's bounty for himself since he technically "cleared it". But the guild wouldn't buy into his antics.)

"Is your arm alright?" Ryu gestured to his slung arm.

"Yes. They told me not to exercise it, but it has the same range of movement as before."

Bell demonstrated by stretching his arm a bit from under the sling.

"It's like it was never even injured."

"And what about… your hair and eye?"

Ryu winced as her hesitation only made her question all the more awkward.

Bell got plenty of questions from the passing children about his hair color. He would simply tell him that he was just dyeing his hair. As for his eye, he simply kept it closed.

Ryu stared at Bell as he waved the children goodbye. His lie didn't go unnoticed by her. And more than that, he certainly had gotten better at it. He sounded more confident, not like the jittery rabbit that he was before.

"As far as Airmid, there's nothing they can do to reverse it. But it's not affecting my health so it should be fine." Bell answered as he fiddled with his hair once more. Seems his hair would be the talk of the town for some time. His eye would be even more so when he would reveal it.

"It'll just take some getting used to is all," he joked.

The look of worry didn't leave Ryu's eyes. She wanted to say more, to ask more. But as she opened her mouth again, Bell interrupted her.

"I know what you want to ask. I had a feeling you would ask me sooner than later since you've been staring at me for a while now."

Ryu's ears flushed red at that comment.

"The truth is, I don't know what it's all supposed to mean either. My hair, my eyes, my magic—believe me, it scares as much as it probably scares you."

Bell could feel his voice softening as he continued.

"But, at the end of the day, I'm still me. Just as you're still Ryu, and not just Gale Wind. And even still, you're someone special to me. And that will never change."

Ryu's eyes widened just as they had before when Bell had stood by her side and defended her innocence. He's right. Even if he wasn't 'Bell', their relationship hadn't changed. Or… had it?

"Bell, come with me, please."

Bell wordlessly obeyed as he began weaving through alleys, passing through the tangled streets, and across a bridge over a canal until the two were on top of a hill overlooking the west side of Orario.

"I never knew this place was here."

"Yes.. I used to come here with Alise."

Ryu turned back to look at Bell.

"Five years ago, Lady Astrea told me to forget about justice," she said quietly, her voice only being carried by the wind.

"I thought she was excommunicating me. I thought she lost hope in me after seeing how I was consumed by vengeance… that she'd only let me keep the mark of her Blessing out of pity." How could she even deserve such a thing after all she had done. That was what she had thought.

"But… I was wrong. She told me to forget about justice for my own sake…"

Her justice had become twisted into vengeance. It had become nothing more than a weapon to smite her foes. But, it was also a double-edged sword. She had begun losing herself. The line between selfless justice and selfish vengeance blurred with each drop of blood she spilled. From both herself and others.

But that was Gale Wind. Now, she is Ryu. And she would always be Ryu.

"I have you to thank for everything."

Bell perked up slightly at that.

"You told me I still have justice within me. You showed me the ties to Astrea that still remain inside… and you showed me what my familia left for me."

It was because of him that she was able to see them one last time. And they gave her the strength necessary to defeat the monster of her nightmares.

"Alise protected me, Syr rescued me… and you opened my eyes."

A gentle breeze brushed her hair to the side. Ryu brought her hand up to brush her hair from her face.

"There's still something I haven't told you."

She looked at him with nothing more than the utmost sincerity.

"Thank you, Bell. You're a human I can respect."

She flashed him a smile. It was so bright, so brilliant, so—

"Beautiful."

"Huh?"

"Your smile just now. It was more beautiful than the last one."

The smile she had worn when they had visited the graves of her familia paled in comparison to the smile she wore on her face at that moment.

"I'm glad you can smile like that again."

Bell smiled back at her, unaware of Ryu's ever-growing reddening face.

"I promise, I'll protect that smile."

Nail meets coffin. Arrow meets heart.

Ryu spun around, unable to look at Bell anymore. Her brain is a jumbled, dizzying mess and her heart is racing like crazy. Palpitations? Was she somehow still sick? Should she hurry back to the clinic?!

"Ryu…?"

"I—I can't look you in the face."

"Huh? Why?"

"I—I don't know."

It was the honest truth. She hadn't the faintest clue what had happened. She tried pinpointing the moment in time when she began to feel like this. She had guided Bell to this hill, thanked him for all he had done, then he told her she was beau—

"B—Bell! See you later!"

Bell barely had time to react as she bolted down the hill. He could only pathetically reach out to her afterimage.

"Ahh! Eh… ughhh…"

He let out a deep sigh, unable to understand why Ryu ran from him so abruptly. Oh well. There wasn't anything he could do. And trying to think and try to understand the situation only made him more confused.

He turned to make his way back. But as he did he felt a looming presence near him. He hastened his turn to face where he felt the presence the strongest. It was so familiar, so near and dear to his heart. And that terrified him.

His blurred vision refocused itself and he could feel time freeze around him. His breath seized as his heart began feeling like it was burning in his chest.

The black hair with white fangs framing his face. The bandages wrapped tightly around his right eye. His prim and proper attire he wore as he strolled about, casually approaching him, waving with that cheeky smile he remembered so vividly.

"Abel…?"

Wha—how does he know that name?

"Hey~ Long time no see!"

How could he act so carefree? How was it he could be so jovial? Especially after everything he has done.

So many questions spun around in his mind only to be replaced by a swarm of memories that began flashing like a disjointed and stitched-together roll of film.

"How about you and I have a chat for a short while?" Abel said with a knowing smile. "I'm sure you and I will have all kinds of things to talk about!"

Bell couldn't even summon any energy to speak, let alone reject Abel's opposition. He was still reeling from his guttural reaction to even seeing Abel. He knew that this was inevitable. He just was expecting it to be so soon.

Seeing his lack of refusal, Abel spun around and gestured for Bell to follow him. He took a few steps before suddenly beaming with excitement.

"Ooh! There's also a new café that opened not too far from here! Mind if we check it out while we're here?"