Optional Quest

Back in the Hadron Mansion compound, the gotten loot was shared with the largest share going to the Gang's collective box for supplies and cases of emergencies. 

After that, everyone sought treatment from Yelena, the Gang's resident nurse. 

Yelena had an entire wing in the Mansion to herself and she only used one room to act as a medical bay. There was a small waiting room right in front of its closed door and that's where the injured gang members sat, entering the medical bay one after the other. 

Henry was soon the only one left in the waiting room and he spent the time alone investigating the items he had received from the Warlock. 

The engraved silver ring was nothing particularly special. Just expensive looking jewellery but the Magic scroll though, was a different matter. 

Henry unfolded it and heading the scroll in a language he could read were the words; 'Arcane Tendrils'.

The heading of the scroll were the only words Henry could read. The rest were in a strange language of runes and symbols that made his head ache at the very sight of it. Like trying to understand the language alone would cause his mind to break. 

[A Magic scroll written in Arcane scripts has been detected]

[User has attempted to understand Arcane Knowledge…]

"Oh?" Henry let out, intrigued. 

[User has failed!]

"Wait, what?" With his eyes wide, Henry stared at the scroll harder. 

[User has attempted again…]

[User has failed!]

[User's Class 'Gunslinger' is unsuited for Arcane Knowledge]

"Really? But… I have magic. The Mana Points…" Henry pointed out. 

[Mana Points only power magic and are not enough of a foundation to gain Arcane Knowledge.]

"So I'll never be able to learn Magic?" Henry mumbled. 

'That's a bit of a bummer.' Henry thought. Although he'd not really paid attention to it, he had actually been looking forward to blasting magic from his fingertips. 

'Could have added a whole new dimension to my shooting.'

[Magic scrolls written in Arcane scripts are not the only ways to wield magic.]

"Oh, you mean with weapons like 'The Hydra's Sting'. That's not too bad, I guess."

[…]

"That silence. There's another way isn't there? Well, tell me," Henry said, his smile bright with excitement. 

[…]

"You fucker! You were being quite chatty just now."

The door to the medical bay opened then and Triss stepped out,

"Thank you, Yelena," she said with a smile. 

"Don't mention it. Come back for the follow-up sessions," Yelena said. 

"I will."

Triss smiled at Henry and gave him that usual wink before walking away. As she walked, Henry saw a bandage patch on her back and his brows furrowed. Everyone who had had their sessions with Yelena came out looking as good as new. Even Devon's chest burn was completely gone. 

'The acid did a number on her, huh.'

"Henry?" Yelena called, "It's your turn now."

Henry walked through the door Yelena held open and looked all over the inside of the medical bay. He recognised it well enough. Apart from the memories he inherited from the Henry of this world, this was also where he had first woken up. 

"You should take a seat and take off your shirt," Yelena called out as she closed the medical bay door. 

"Right," Henry said and did as she asked. 

Yelena turned around and her eyes widened slightly,

"It's been what, one week since you were last here?" She asked. 

"Yes," Henry answered, confused at her reaction, "What is it?"

"Oh nothing. It's just, you've changed a bit," Yelena said while gesturing at his body. 

Henry looked down and he raised his brows in surprise as well. His previously weak looking body had gained some definition. The outlines of abs were beginning to show and his forearms looked stronger than they had been that morning. 

'Did— Did increasing my strength cause this?' He asked himself. It was the only reason that made sense really. 

When he looked up though, he made sure not to look surprised and smiled lightly instead,

"I've been exercising," he said. 

"Hmm, that explains it," Yelena said as she sat in a chair in front of him while observing his wounds. The cut and the bullet wound in his shoulder especially. 

"That's strange," she eventually said.

"What's strange?" Henry asked. 

"Your bullet wound. It doesn't look like anything has been done to it but it's already clotted. Barely bleeding," she said. 

"Oh."

"Does it hurt?" Yelena asked. 

"Not that much," Henry told her truthfully. 

"That's interesting," Yelena said and mused as she traced her fingers around the wound like she was trying to understand what caused the clotting of a wound that should be open and bleeding. Especially since it had not been cared for. 

"Well, it should make healing it easier then."

As she spoke, Yelena began to project a warm green energy that radiated all over Henry's body. Mending his wounds in seconds. 

[You have recovered 12 Hit Points]

[Hit Points: 20/20]

The bullet that had been lodged in Henry's shoulder fell out too and Yelena picked it up and held it out to him,

"Souvenir?" She asked. 

Henry shook his head with a chuckle,

"No. I think I'm good. Thank you for the Healing and for the one last week."

"Alright," Yelena said as she tossed the bullet into a bin, "And you're welcome."

"It's incredible by the way," Henry said. 

"What is?"

"Your healing magic. Have you always been able to do it?" Henry asked. 

"Well that depends on what you mean by 'always'. I was born with Magic like many other witches or Wizards and such. But I didn't learn to heal until later," Yelena explained. 

"And how does it feel? Does it make you feel weak?" Henry asked. Remembering his situation with 'The Hydra's Sting' just earlier. 

"Weak? No. It does feel good though. To help people for a change," Yelena said and her eyes clouded over. 

Henry noticed. 

"Did something bad happen before?" He asked. 

Yelena perked up with a smile on her beautiful face,

"No, no. Why would you even think that?"

'That smile is fake,' Henry thought, 'But I probably shouldn't pry.'

A few seconds passed and then Yelena broke the slightly awkward silence,

"So I heard you all faced a Warlock."

"Yeah," Henry said, "Well, the others faced a Warlock. I was busy with— something else."

"Hmm," Yelena nodded, "I heard nothing was found on the Warlock. That's a shame."

"How so?" Henry asked. 

"No, I wouldn't want to bore you," Yelena said shaking her head and leaning back. 

"Nonsense. What is it?" Henry asked with an amicable smile. 

Yelena's face clouded over again and she let out a sigh,

"Well, I only know the one spell, you see; Healing. And it's not even really a spell 'cause it's very 'normal' to me. 

It's just… when I heard about the Warlock, I thought 'Oh, he'd have had something that could change that' but that wasn't the case. 

But it's fine really. It's not like I was expecting you all to meet a Warlock while you were out risking your neck. And even if you had gotten something, you risked your lives for it. Kirk even died. 

What right would I have to… Well, listen to me carrying on.

You're healed now. You should go."

Yelena stood up from her seat and as he watched her turn away, Henry frowned,

'What was all that?' He asked himself with brows furrowed with suspicion, 

'Was she trying to fish for loot? Does she know I looted the Warlock. But how could she?'

Henry watched as Yelena walked over to a desk in the medic bay and shift through stuff aimlessly. She was clearly just occupying herself so she wouldn't have to turn and face him. 

'Ah, fuck me,' he cussed. 

"Yelena," he called.

The Witch turned and her eyes fell on the scroll in Henry's hand that he held out to her. 

"What's that?" She asked. 

Henry sighed,

"Something I managed to swipe from the Warlock before anyone else could. Take it."

'According to the system, it's no use for me anyway. Oh, but maybe I could have found someone to sell it to. Made some money. 

Ah, but I already took it out. Would be very shameless of me to take it back now. 

Hmm, but I can be shameless… Ah, forget it. My big mouth led to this anyway.'

Yelena's face perked up, her green eyes bright,

"Wait, really?" She asked as she took a step toward Henry. 

Henry smiled. It was hard not to when she was looking at him like that,

"Really," he said. 

"But you could have died getting this," Yelena said, "I couldn't—"

"Take it," Henry said before adding in joking mumble, "My arm's getting tired."

Yelena reached out and took the scroll. A bright smile on her beautiful face,

"Thank you."

"You're wel—" Henry started to say before he was interrupted by the sounding of an alert in his head followed by a series of notifications,

[You have gifted Yelena a Magic scroll.]

[Yelena's approval of you has risen.]

[You have received 50 Exp]

[You have triggered the Optional Quest: Yelena]

'Eh? What's this?'