I slowly leaned the halberd against the wall, since it would only be awkward in such a closed space.
With careful steps, I climbed the basement stairs and, cautiously, opened the door, poking my head out to check.
Hm?... that's the smell of blood.
Following that familiar scent, one that had accompanied me for most of my life, I reached the living room, where I could see a rough trail of blood.
I traced it with my eyes, leading me to the cause: a body lying on the floor, almost motionless, except for the faint rise and fall of its shoulders.
"Shit..."
I hurried closer, checking the condition of the severely beaten body, none other than Giorgina.
I had a vague idea of what might have happened to her, but this wasn't the time to get distracted. I placed two fingers on Giorgina's neck, immediately searching for a pulse. It was weak and irregular, but at least still there.
"Giorgina, can you hear me?"
I tried calling her a couple of times, but all she could produce were incomprehensible groans. I tried to open her eyes, but they had no focus, and what made me frown was the sclera, once white, now blood-red.
I wasn't a medical expert, but I had seen and treated plenty of wounds and studied the anatomy of different races, so I had some idea how to handle situations like this.
From the way Giorgina's face was swollen and bruised, it was obvious she had been hit multiple times, rupturing several blood vessels in her eyes.
I rushed to grab a potion to try to limit the damage, but as soon as I made her drink, she started coughing, vomiting the contents along with a large amount of blood.
"Shit!"
Her body began convulsing, and I was forced to hold her down to prevent her condition from worsening.
After several minutes, the convulsions finally stopped, but her breathing was strange, almost suffocated.
Opening her shirt, I let out a bitter sigh. Beyond the bruises covering her body, the area near her abdomen and lung was blackened and dangerously swollen.
I placed two fingers at the base of her sternum and ran them slowly along her ribs, counting at least three fractures. Each time I pressed slightly, Giorgina's breathing became more labored, signs that one of the bones might have pierced her lung or caused a partial collapse.
I lowered my gaze to the swollen, blackened area of her abdomen. Carefully, I laid my hand on it, applying minimal pressure, and Giorgina let out a muffled cry.
"Internal bleeding," I muttered to myself. And it looked serious.
Honestly, her chances of survival were minimal. The only solution would be a high-grade potion, but there were several problems with that.
First, I'd have to go all the way to Valren Island and ask Erik for a potion, then come back, but by then, Giorgina would already be dead. Second, the cost of such a potion was far too high, and Erik wouldn't hand it over easily. And finally, even if that kind of potion was powerful, it wasn't enough to heal the damage she had suffered.
Let's see what I can do.
I took a deep breath and got to work.
I washed my hands with alcohol, along with some sharp knives and other tools that might come in handy.
Returning to Giorgina, I knelt beside her.
First of all, I slightly raised her head, keeping it tilted to the side to prevent her from choking on blood. Her breathing was still shallow and ragged, but at least the air was getting through.
Then I focused on her abdomen. I couldn't stop the internal bleeding with ordinary means, but I could reduce the swelling and relieve some of the pressure. I drew a fine knife and made a minimal incision in the darkest, most swollen area. Immediately, a dense, dark stream began to flow. Giorgina jolted, eyes snapping open for a moment, before she passed out again.
I pressed a cloth to it and, as soon as the flow slowed, applied the first regenerative potion directly to the wound, knowing she wouldn't be able to drink it. I dripped it onto the wound and let it be absorbed slowly by the torn tissue.
Little by little, the edges of the laceration contracted, stopping part of the loss, but it was like patching cracks in a dam.
Now I had to deal with the remaining injuries.
— Giorgina's POV —
"Stupid girl! What are you doing?!"
"What's wrong with you?!"
"Do you even have a brain, or is it just for decoration?!"
Ever since I was little, I'd always been surrounded by those kinds of insults. I knew something about me was different, that I struggled to understand things, but those words still hurt, and often I cried.
Yet every time I came home with tears in my eyes, there was my mother, holding me in her arms, stroking my hair, whispering that I was her little treasure, her light, and that I only had to endure a little longer. Those words were enough to drive everything else away and make me happy.
That's why, when she sold me... I didn't understand it right away. To me, Mom was my whole world. I didn't realize she was handing me over to a brothel. I... thought it was just another job to help her.
I didn't understand the world around me. I didn't understand why men looked at me that way, or why my body had to be used to please them.
Back then, I cried a lot, wishing my mom would come back, but the more I cried, the more I was punished, so I just smiled and tried to be kind.
I worked there for several years and, apparently, became very popular. According to the mistress, men went crazy for a woman with an erotic body and a childish personality... not that I understood what that meant.
Among the people who liked me was Paul, who decided to buy me. At first, I was happy. I'd heard stories of prostitutes being bought and then living happily. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me.
With him, I found neither love nor salvation, only constant fear. I saw him mercilessly kill a maid for not cleaning properly, and from then on, there wasn't a single moment I felt safe with him.
So I just smiled and obeyed everything he wanted. At best, I got insults; at worst, he beat me.
It became routine, and I started to learn how to behave around him, but lately, he had become even stranger and scarier, especially when he looked at his bracelet.
I knew I should stay away from him, but that day I couldn't resist touching his bracelet, and I immediately paid the price.
Paul's face turned terrifying. He began hitting me again and again. It hurt so much, and I begged him to stop while crying, but he continued until I collapsed on the floor.
I didn't know how long I lay there, but as soon as I saw he was gone, I ran. I didn't even know where I was going, my whole body aching, and unconsciously, I ended up at Leda's house, where I lost consciousness.
****
I slowly opened my eyes, looking around, confused and drained. My whole body hurt, and I couldn't even move.
"You've finally come to."
Hearing that familiar voice, I moved my eyes toward the source. My vision was blurry, but I still recognized him. I tried to call out, but only a raspy breath came from my mouth, and my chest contracted in pain.
"If possible, try not to talk," he said calmly, making me drink something. "I'm making you drink a potion periodically to keep you stable, but... it's only a temporary measure."
I looked at him strangely, not understanding, and he continued.
"The wounds you've suffered are too severe... you don't have much time left."
My eyes widened at the thought of dying, but strangely... I wasn't afraid.
Looking into Leda's deep black eyes, I felt a strange sense of calm.
He was truly a strange boy, very different from others his age, but it was pleasant being near him. I often came to his house, even though I rarely saw him, but having a place where I didn't have to be constantly tense was nice. Maybe that's why I wasn't afraid.
We stayed in silence, but a pleasant one, the kind I wasn't used to, as I kept losing myself in those eyes fixed on me. It was different. I was used to others' stares, but while they focused only on my body, he seemed to see me as a whole person.
"Did you touch Paul's bracelet?"
I was surprised he had guessed and nodded slightly.
"As I thought." I saw him sigh slightly before he began telling me his story.
He told me all about the plan he and the Merchants had devised to bring down the Explorers, and about Paul's change. It was surprising, even though some parts weren't very clear to me... maybe I really was stupid.
"And that's it. Do you resent me for leaving you there, knowing about Paul's state?"
I looked at him, confused, not understanding why I should resent him. He wasn't the one who hurt me; in fact, he was the only person who treated me well.
"A-del...?" I managed to pronounce weakly.
What truly surprised me was that he had another name, and honestly, I liked it more than Leda.
"Really? Out of all this, you only care about my name?"
I nodded, smiling at his question. It might have seemed ridiculous, but for me it mattered.
"So you don't resent me?"
I shook my head. I was only sad he hadn't been honest with me, but unfortunately, I couldn't speak.
"You and my sister would have gotten along," he said with a small laugh.
I would have liked to meet her too. I imagined a female version of Adel with a similar personality, and the thought alone made me smile.
"H-hand..."
I moved my hand slightly, and he held it gently. It was cold to the touch, but for some reason, it felt much warmer than anything I had ever touched.
Slowly, my eyes grew heavy, and Adel's other hand rested on my face.
"Close your eyes and relax. Let sleep take you to a better place."
I would have liked to keep looking at his eyes, but it was true I was getting tired... but once I woke up, we would talk more... maybe eat together again... play... smile... with my... first... true... friend.
"May your next life be better, Giorgina."