other people

"Oh? That's surprising!"

"Hmm? What's surprising?" Mia asked, her arms wrapped around my neck, eyes wide.

"In the next valley, there are four people. One is dead, the others are still alive," I replied.

Mia's face widened in surprise, and her ears twitched. "Quick! Let's go there!"

With a smile, I made a powerful leap, pressing Mia against my chest. We landed gently in the blood-soaked grass, right next to the injured individuals.

Mia immediately scrambled out of my arms. Her legs wobbled briefly with the first steps, but she quickly reached the patients.

Typical Mia, I thought, a healer through and through.

I watched as she quickly cast [Last Heal], ensuring they wouldn't die in the next ten minutes. Then she placed the survivors next to each other.

"Can you hear me?" she asked professionally and spoke a lot with them... "I'm going to heal you now." She said after she finished lining them up.

She raised her right hand, and her index finger lit up. She drew unknown runes in the air until a glowing sentence appeared, starting where it left off.

"???" Mia completed, and the runes lit up. A small cloud formed and rained green on the injured.

"Haaa!" Mia exhaled and took a step back.

"Wow!" I murmured, joining her side. "So, these are royal runes? Impressive!"

"Hehe," Mia laughed, "those were just the basic runes!"

With wide eyes, I looked down at her. "They can heal such severe injuries?"

"Well..." Mia replied, playing with her hair, "I've seen worse injuries, and it takes 5 minutes for the spell to take full effect. And without out [Last Heal] they could still die, so it's not that strong…"

"It is." I laughed, "And I'm curious to see how strong your healing power can become!"

Mia looked down with a slightly blushing face but took my hand. "Come on, let's set up camp so they can rest in warmth."

I smiled and put down the backpack. Mia ignited a fire with her everyday magic, and I set up a tent.

As we were cooking some dragon meat in a pot with a few herbs, the injured ones stirred.

They groaned and struggled to get up.

"I'm still alive?" I heard a man with brown hair whisper. Then he looked left and right, where his comrades were sitting.

"Lise? Ben?" he asked, "Are you guys okay?"

Both clenched their fists and nodded, lost in thought. Then the brown-haired man looked around, "Where's Eva? EVA!?"

He looked around frantically.

"Eva is dead," I said calmly.

I saw the three individuals flinch as they heard my deep voice.

I looked down at them and circulated my mana. All three immediately fell to their knees, with their foreheads on the floor

*slap*

Mia gently slapped the back of my head. "Stop that!"

I looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry, I just wanted to test how others react to the royal aura."

Mia glared at me and turned to the three kneeling individuals.

Who stood up trembling and looked up at us nervously.

"Everything is fine; we won't harm you!" Mia reassured them with a gentle voice. "My husband found you injured, and we healed you."

"She healed you!" I corrected Mia. "I can't do something as impressive."

Mia wanted to argue, but the three turned their heads towards her and gratefully said, "Thank you!"

Mia cleared her throat. "May I quickly check if everything is back in order? It's the first time I used it in a crucial situation."

I saw everyone quickly glance at ,me but then hesitantly nod.

While Mia checked everything, I asked, "What are you doing here, so far up in the mountains? Normally, people as weak as you don't survive in this valley."

I saw the woman with blonde hair flinch and hide behind the stout man.

"It's okay, Lise," the stout one whispered, "you're not to blame!"

"Ben is right," the brown-haired man said, "it was a decision we all made, and why would it..." he looked at me with uncertain fear in his eyes, "concern him why we're here."

I patiently looked at the three. Mia was checking Ben's mobility, smiling in the process. "You don't need to be afraid of him; he's quite nice."

I nodded and smiled. "And?"

Ben looked at the other man as if he has no other option and asked, "Do you want to tell him, Bernd, or should I?"

"It's okay, I'll do it!" said Bernd.

Before he could start, Mia interrupted, "Wouldn't you like to offer them something to eat first?"

"Right," I said, standing up. I took some bowls from the backpack and asked if they were hungry.

All three nodded hesitantly, and I gave them filled bowls wich they accepted with both their hands.

I saw their eyes light up after the first spoonful. So I gave them some time to eat.

"What kind of meat is this?" Bernd asked forgetting his fear. "I've never eaten something so delicious!"

"Dragon meat."

They all froze until I assured them it was nothing special and that I had more than enough.

After they were satiated, Bernd began to speak.

"We come from Bergwacht..."

"Bergwacht?" I asked.

"That's a village right on this mountain range. That's why it was called the 'Village of Death' until some months ago."

Mia looked surprised but pleased.

"I only know it as the 'Village of Death,'" I replied.

"Many still know it by that name. But after the gentle God of War took care of all the dangerous monsters nearby, it's now a paradise for adventurers. We were interested and moved to the village a few weeks ago." explained Bernd.

I nodded, seeing Mia's face light up with joy.

Nevertheless, she professionally finished the examination first, and when everything seemed okay, she asked, "Have you heard anything from the mayor? Is he okay?"

"Sorry," Bernd replied, "as far as I know, there's no mayor anymore."

"What do you mean?" Mia asked.

"I don't know much either!" he answered, waving his arms, "We haven't been there long. I just know that the village is now led by Baron Eriksen."

Then he looked questioningly at his two comrades, who shook their heads unknowingly.

Mia opened her mouth, but I placed my hand on her shoulder. "It's useless; we'll meet Elias soon, and he can tell us everything."

Mia nodded hesitantly, and I turned my attention back to the three novices.

"And you just overestimated yourselves?" I asked, "Or why are you here?"

"Well," Bernd replied hesitantly, looking at Lise, who nodded slightly, "Lise needs proof that she's strong enough to become a C-level adventurer. But we encountered a troll family..."

I nodded thoughtfully. "Unfortunate, but isn't there a test for that? Proof of such monster encounters should only be required from 'S' level onwards, right?"

"This is specific to Bergwacht, as currently, too many want to test themselves so that they can live there." With an sorry look and Without looking me in the eyes, Bernd said this.

"That's way too dangerous!" Mia joined the conversation, fists clenched.

All three looked downhearted. Suddenly, Lise took over, "Sometimes you just have to take a risk to change your life!"

"But...!" my wife began.

"It's okay, Mia. She's right. Even though we don't know her situation, she seems to have a legitimate reason to put her group in such danger."

Lise twitched uncomfortably, and looked in a sorry state towards Bernd.

Ben spoke up as if to distract from the topic, "Can I have some more to eat?"

"Another one?" I asked around.

The other two shook their heads.

I was surprised but also pleased with the change of topic. I stood up to give him seconds, filling a bowl for Mia and me as well.

Then we ate, talked a little more, and spent the night here.