Not one or two, but all five knights rushed to Aria's side before her unconscious body could hit the ground.
"What happened to her?"
Lenn's voice broke the stunned silence. But no one had an answer.
It was Maxim who lifted Aria and carried her to the blanket she had slept on, while Magnus fetched some water. As he sprinkled it over her face, the others held their breath, waiting for her eyes to open. But Aria remained still, lost in a deep, unreachable sleep.
"Maxim."
Eden's tone was uncharacteristically serious. He turned to Maxim, expecting him to say something.
Maxim stared at Aria's pale face, her lips drained of color. His own expression was somber, his eyes clouded with something more complex. After a pause, he finally said,
"Perhaps she's just… weak. Exhausted."
"Maybe it's the aftermath of healing. Maybe that's how it works for them." Magnus offered the thought, though Eden raised a brow, amused.
"Them?"
"Witches… maybe she is one," Magnus shrugged.
What else could explain it?
Everything matched old Patrick's stories — the chants, the healing, the power. At his words, silence fell again, heavier than before, as the knights stared at Aria's sleeping form.
It was Lenn who finally broke it.
"So, we've found what we were looking for."
They exchanged glances.
Relief, long absent, began to take root.
"We did,"
Eden said softly, a rare, sincere smile tugging at his lips. Clicking his tongue at himself, he chuckled.
"We should've known. Master swore never to return to Ludwig until he found a solution to Ludwig's tragedies. But suddenly, he chose to go back—and with a stranger in tow. He even ordered us to protect her as we would protect him."
Now, it all made sense!
Meanwhile, Maxim continued to stare into the distance, silent.
To him, it didn't seem so simple.
Not far away, long-forgotten Linus stirred. Opening his eyes, he looked toward the group gathered around Aria.
"What are you all doing?" he asked groggily.
No one responded.
It wasn't until he touched his chest, startled, that his voice rose again. "My wound… Where is it?"
What had been a deep, agonizing gash was now only a thin scar.
The knights looked at him finally and perhaps for the first time they saw Linus genuinely confused. Still, no one spoke.
After all, none of them were any less shaken.
They were still reeling from the miracle they'd witnessed.
No one noticed that amidst them all, Tristan never once looked at Aria. His fists clenched and unclenched, his jaw set. At last, he turned and walked silently into the dense forest.
Aria didn't know how long she'd been asleep. When she woke, daylight had already touched the sky, and the lingering chill of night was retreating with the sun.
Wrapped in a blanket, she slowly sat up, her body aching with fatigue. Just then, a voice reached her ears.
"You're awake."
It was Maxim.
She looked at him, confused, unable to process his words. Her eyes blinked slowly, trying to focus.
He chuckled softly, then turned to the pot of soup kept warm over low fire.
As Maxim filled a bowl, Aria watched with barely disguised hunger.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, Maxim hastened the process and soon the bowl filled with vegetable soup was right in her hands.
Aria gazed at the floating vegetables — some she didn't even like — but right now, none of that mattered.
She ate without hesitation.
Only when the bowl was more than half-empty did she pause to look around. The others were busy — sharpening something. She had seen Maxim doing the same inside her hut.
She wondered why they did it.
How could Aria have recognized a sword! Neither her or her grandmother ever needed a weapon so she never did see one in her whole life.
As she resumed eating, some knights glanced her way— only briefly, and only when she wasn't looking.
Of course, there was an exception.
Linus.
He stared at her with blank eyes.
Aria blinked as she stared back at him.
Well…was he angry at her due to last night?
On the other hand, Linus wondered silently how such a petite and thin girl could have power to heal such grave injuries. But the scar on his chest was proof enough and his companions won't really lie to him about such a thing.
Especially Lenn…his astonishment and excitement was genuine as he had described the events of last night to him.
All in all, Linus could only conclude one thing.
The girl should really eat more!
The silly competition of staring between one confused witch and another silly knight was stopped by Magnus' cough.
Linus glanced at him, then quickly looked away.
As Aria finished her soup, the knights began preparing to leave.
The day had already grown late. The journey ahead was long. And it was filled with danger.