Slowly, the severed arm began to attach itself to the amputation site, gradually healing.

It might seem a bit grotesque, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it for a moment.

I absolutely wouldn’t allow her to suffer any harm because I didn’t check properly.

As those thoughts ran through my head, the junction had finally completely healed.

Yoon Si-woo examined the arm that had reattached itself as neatly as if it had never been severed, and cautiously asked Scarlet.

“…How is it? Is there any issue with movement?”

“…Hmm, doesn’t seem like there’s a problem at all. It’s still hard to believe. How can an arm that was cut off come back together so quickly?”

As she opened and wiggled her fingers, marveling at the sight, Yoon Si-woo let out a sigh of relief.

Truly, it was a relief. She wouldn’t need to replace her limbs with prosthetics.

If that had been necessary, he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself.

Even in this moment, guilt was piercing his heart to the brink of madness.

The pain she must have experienced when her limbs were severed must have been horrifically agonizing.

He was infuriated just thinking that she had to endure such pain when he had forced his way through the previously locked teleportation gate, losing a limb in the process.

It’s one thing to say it was okay to lose a limb as long as she was still alive—those words were meant for himself, never for her.

Why couldn’t he have arrived sooner? If he had, she wouldn’t have had to suffer such pain.

As he quietly berated himself, Scarlet seemed to catch on to his mood and forced a smile as she spoke up.

“…I told you it’s not your fault, so stop worrying. If you really feel that bad, just help me reattach my leg quickly.”

“…The leg too?”

Yoon Si-woo looked at Scarlet’s leg with a grim expression.

It had been amputated above the knee.

Of course, helping to reattach it meant he would have to touch her thigh.

“…What, is it too bothersome to help with the leg? Then I’ll do it alone.”

“No, that’s not it… Hah, never mind. I’ll help, so just stay still.”

Though he hesitated, questioning if it was okay to touch, he was met with Scarlet’s innocent gaze, seemingly oblivious to any underlying meanings. Yoon Si-woo just chuckled softly and shook his head.

Right, she truly was the type who didn’t worry about such things.

So, whispering to himself that this was just a simple medical procedure, he picked up her leg that was lying nearby and began the reattachment.

However, in his attempt not to be conscious of it, he found himself more aware than ever.

After all, he’d just been told something akin to the notion that she was like a secret friend.

He needed to focus on the junction to ensure it wouldn’t go wrong.

Beyond the hem of her slightly raised skirt, her leg glistened with sweat from battle.

The touch from the thigh he had no choice but to hold onto sent tingling sensations throughout him.

It made it increasingly difficult to concentrate.

But thinking about the pain she had to endure made it feel like a sin to entertain such thoughts, and he desperately turned his focus away from them.

As he found himself in a fierce internal struggle against those desires, Scarlet, who was watching her reattaching leg, slightly lifted her gaze to look up at him.

With her hazy expression, he found himself unknowingly swallowing hard, only to hear her murmur.

“…This sight, it would be a big deal if others found out, right?”

…Yeah, it would be a huge problem.

If the relatively famous Scarlet Evande was caught fondling a female student’s thigh, it certainly wouldn’t end as just gossip.

She would be all over every article, accused of having a scandal, and permanently branded as being “involved” with him.

“…I can’t get married now. What will I do…” she would surely whimper in despair, and he would find himself in such a responsibility…

No, that’s not it.

While immersed in those thoughts, her next murmured words brought him back to reality.

“…If my condition as a part of me reattaches to my body and someone catches you publicly declaring that I’m a witch, it must be a big issue, right?”

Ah, so that was the case. Realizing this, Yoon Si-woo hardened his expression and nodded.

“…It would be a big deal. After this incident, the public’s hostility toward witches has likely heightened even more.”

Both she and he.

If others saw them in this situation, they would undoubtedly suspect a connection to witchcraft.

Especially since there was a real connection made it even more worrisome.

Thus, they couldn’t help but feel fear about what might happen if anyone discovered their secret.

While being as cautious as possible not to be seen by others, he thought about what would happen if either of them exposed such secrets.

Scarlet, who had already been interrogated for being affiliated with a witch, could face immediate execution without trial.

Such a thing must never happen.

He would do whatever it took to prevent it.

As he contemplated this, Scarlet slightly trembled, murmuring with a hint of anxiety.

“…Yeah, people only think of witches as evil. They will try to hunt us down, right? If we get caught, what should we do…”

How, how indeed.

In reality, once they were discovered, it likely would be hopeless.

Currently, the perception of witches was as humanity’s sworn enemy.

Simply put, if it were revealed that he had anything to do with witchcraft, all of humanity would turn against them.

For both of them, the only ones who would never become enemies no matter the circumstances were each other.

Thus, immediately upon hearing her words, Yoon Si-woo pondered.

Some time ago, when Lucy had revealed her true identity to him.

He had considered what to do if her identity were to be exposed to others.

After many thoughts, he concluded that the only solution would be to flee outside the city.

He had a protective spirit and the indomitable Holy Sword to defend him, but others would be unable to pursue him into the unknown.

Of course, even if that was the only option, he didn’t want it at all.

The outside world was a perilous place where no humans could survive, and even if he escaped, he would be all alone there.

There was never any paradise to be found in those runaway dreams.

However, Yoon Si-woo quietly gazed at Scarlet.

Even if it were a place devoid of anyone.

As long as you were there. Just you.

Surely…

As he came to that thought, he unconsciously let the words slip from his mouth.

“…What if we just ran away to a place where people can’t chase us anymore?”

“…Just the two of us?”

“…Yeah, just you and me. Only the two of us.”

Once uttered, Yoon Si-woo realized what he’d just said, feeling his face heat up.

Oh no, what did I just say…

Caught in a half-confession level statement, his mind raced as a small voice broke the silence.

“…Hmm, perhaps that wouldn’t be such a bad idea…”

Startled by her response, Yoon Si-woo looked at Scarlet.

And then, he couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.

The girl he had been conversing with moments ago had relaxed from the tension of battle, surrendering herself to him, now sleeping soundly with rhythmic breaths.

…Noticing how unusual she had seemed earlier left him to think she must have been fighting against slipping into unconsciousness.

Her answers now were probably not from a fully conscious mind.

With a sigh, Yoon Si-woo smiled to himself and turned his focus back to reattaching her leg.

*

Honestly, he felt relieved.

She expressed gratitude that they had become the only ones to share and understand the secrets that couldn’t be revealed to others.

Her agreement that running away together wouldn’t be such a bad idea felt like a small but significant victory.

While he was truly happy, Yoon Si-woo thought deeper.

Above all else, he wanted Scarlet to be happy.

He wished for her to live a joyful life here with everyone else, rather than escaping to live in the shadows.

If it were possible, he would do anything for that.

With this in mind, as he restored Scarlet’s limbs, Yoon Si-woo then quietly set her body down and grasped the sword that had been resting beside him.

And for that to happen, it was essential that no one else discovered their secret.

“…Come on out; I know you’re there.”

While holding the sword and turning his back, he spoke in a voice colder than ever.

From beyond the sewer, the air shimmered, and a figure took form.

“…So you knew.”

It was someone he knew all too well.

So, he asked.

“…How much did you see?”

“…What if I said, all of it?”

At that response, Yoon Si-woo silently aimed his sword.

For Scarlet’s sake, to protect her secret.

He could do anything.

Even if that meant confronting someone he revered so dearly, his master.