09 – What We Choose to Protect

Aldric woke up to sunlight shining through the trees and the smell of woodsmoke from their campfire.

His head hurt, and it felt like it was throbbing, like a deep, bone-aching pain that pulsed with each heartbeat. He tried to sit up, but immediately felt sick. The world felt like it was spinning and he felt like he was going to be sick.

"Easy." Velmira was there for him, supporting him. "You suffered a serious setback. The healing potion helped, but you need to move slowly."

Memory came back in bits: the ruins, the ring, the golem switching on, the ceiling falling down.

"You saved my life."

"Yes," she said simply. It is what it is.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. We still have two days of travel back to Waal, and you're not fit enough for a long hike." She started packing their supplies quickly and efficiently.

"We'll take it slowly. Stop often. Get you to the right healers."

Aldric tried to stand up, but his legs were weak. Velmira caught him right away. She had a firm and steady grip. She was much stronger than she looked. He put that information in the same place as all the other information he had collected.

"I can walk," he insisted. "Just need a moment."

"Take your time. We're not in a rush."

But they were, he thought. He was slowly dying, and every month that passed meant less time to finish the work. But he couldn't do research if he was dead from pushing too hard.

They started walking.

The journey back was slower than the trip out, with lots of careful steps and frequent rests. Aldric's head wound hurt all the time, and by midday he was leaning on Velmira more than he wanted to admit.

She carried his weight without complaining, walked at the same speed as him and showed him where they were going.

"We're doing well," she said during one rest stop. "If we keep going at the same speed, we'll reach Waal tomorrow evening."

"Sorry for slowing us down."

"You got hit by a falling stone. You're allowed to slow down." She gave him some dried meat and bread from their food stash.

"Eat. You need the energy."

***

They carried on walking as the sun got higher in the sky. They were two people connected by friendship and time's constant passage. They made the most of the days they had left.

They set up camp that evening in the same clearing they'd used on the way out. The familiar routine was comforting: gathering firewood, preparing food, and getting comfortable to rest.

Aldric started coughing after dinner.

It started off mild, but quickly got worse. His whole body was shaking with the force of it. He felt for his handkerchief, pressed it to his mouth, and when the fit finally passed, the cloth was spotted with blood.

More than usual. Too much.

"Let me see," Velmira said, moving closer.

"I'm fine—"

"Aldric." Her voice had a quiet authority about it. "Let me see."

He showed her the handkerchief. She didn't look any different, but he saw her jaw tighten a bit.

"The stress of the injury made things worse," she said. "Your body's resources were diverted to healing the head wound. It left your lungs vulnerable."

"You sound like a healer."

"I've studied enough to know the basics." She took a small bottle out of her bag. It was another healing potion, but it was weaker than the one she had used on his head. "This won't cure the disease, but it should ease the inflammation. Make breathing less painful."

He drank it, feeling the cool liquid settle in his chest. The constant burning feeling got a bit better.

"Get some rest," Velmira said. "I'll keep watch."

Aldric wanted to protest and make sure that the watch duties were divided equally. But he felt very tired. He got comfortable on his bedroll, watching the fire flicker.

"Velmira?"

"Mm?"

"Where do you go? At night, when you think I'm asleep?"

They were silent. He wondered if she would avoid the issue again and make up another excuse about her strange health problem.

"To feed," she said finally, her voice barely audible. "I need a particular type of sustenance to survive. Not food. Something else."

"Blood," Aldric said quietly.

He could feel her tension and heard the sharp intake of breath that she didn't need but had become used to.

"How long have you known?" she asked.

"I've had a feeling for a while. The way you don't eat. Your strength. The way you move at night." He turned over to face her. "I don't know exactly what you are. But I know you're not entirely human. I know you've been eating something – I'm guessing it was an animal, since you go into the forest."

"Are you scared?"

He thought about the question carefully. "A little. But mostly I'm grateful. You could have fed on me when I was unconscious. Vulnerable. You didn't."

"I would never..." Velmira's voice was a little shaky. "I would starve first. That's a line I won't cross."

"I believe you." And he did. No matter what she was like or what she had, she fought it. Chose humanity over instinct. "You don't have to tell me everything. But you don't have to hide when you leave, either. I know. And I accept it."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Can I make one request?"

"What?"

"Be careful. I don't want to wake up and find out some hunter has mistaken you for prey."

Even though they were having a serious conversation, Velmira laughed – a small, genuine sound. "I'm faster than any hunter. But I'll be careful."

Aldric closed his eyes, feeling very tired and ready to sleep. He heard Velmira moving quietly behind him, tending the fire.

Later, after a few minutes or hours, he heard her leave into the darkness. He didn't pretend to sleep this time. He listened to the footsteps get fainter, then looked back at the fire.

When she came back, moving with that quiet, magical silence, he had tea brewing.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

"I thought you might want something warm when you got back."

She sat next to him and accepted the cup. They didn't speak, just enjoyed each other's company as they sat by the fire. They were learning to trust each other, even though they had secrets and were different.

It was enough.

***

They reached Waal as the sun set on the fifth day, and the city's walls were a welcome sight after their long journey. Aldric was tired, his head still hurt and his lungs felt like they were on fire.

"Healer first," Velmira said, taking him to the medical district. "Report to the Association tomorrow."

The healer's clinic was a small building near the city centre. An older woman named Petra ran it. She had treated half of Waal's population at some point. She checked the cut on Aldric's head quickly and efficiently, her fingers gentle despite their rough skin.

"Lucky you weren't killed," she said. "Whatever treated this initially saved your life. Well done with the field medicine."

"Velmira's doing," Aldric said.

Petra looked at Velmira with new respect. "Have you had any training?"

"Some. Basic emergency care."

"It's better than basic, as far as I can see. The wound is clean and has been properly closed, so there is little risk of infection. She finished bandaging Aldric's head. "Take it easy for the next few days. No hard exercise. Let your body finish healing."

Then she listened to his chest, her expression getting more and more serious.

"Your lung disease has got worse," she said directly. "The stress of the injury made it worse. I'd guess you've lost three to four months off your prognosis."

Aldric felt the words like a physical blow. Three to four months. It just went away.

"How long now?" he asked.

"It's hard to say. It will take about eighteen months, or two years if you're very careful. "You'll have less energy if you push your body too hard with activities and injuries."

After they left the clinic, Aldric didn't say anything. Velmira stayed close, not speaking, just being there.

"I knew the expedition was dangerous," he said at last. "But I didn't think it would cost me months."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. It was worth it. K.M.'s messages, the ring, the documentation — it's real progress." He looked at her. "I'd make the same choice again."

"Even knowing the cost?"

"Especially knowing the cost. Time isn't valuable because we have lots of it. It's valuable because we don't."

They reached his boarding house just as it got dark. Velmira helped him up the stairs to his room. It was small and cluttered with books and papers. It smelled of old parchment and ink.

"Get some sleep," she said. "I'll come by tomorrow morning. We'll go to the Association together."

"Velmira." He caught her hand before she could leave. "Thank you. For everything."

"Rest, Aldric. We have work to do tomorrow."

She left, and he collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion finally claiming him completely.

***

The office of the Continental Magic Association felt more impressive after spending days in the countryside. The stone walls and formal atmosphere make the place feel serious and official. There is a lot of bureaucracy going on and it feels heavy and overwhelming.

Helga, the branch administrator, was waiting in her office when they arrived. Fourth-class mage, middle-aged, with the perpetually suspicious expression of someone who'd spent too long dealing with paperwork and politics.

"Aldric. Miss Velmira." She pointed to the chairs. "I heard you had an eventful expedition."

"That's one way to put it," Aldric said, settling carefully into his seat. His head still hurt, but not too much.

"Give me your report. Complete and detailed."

They explained everything to her as they went along: the journey, the ruins, discovering K.M.'s messages, the Sentinel Ring, activation of the golem. Aldric did most of the talking, with Velmira providing occasional clarifications.

When they finished, Helga sat back and crossed her fingers.

"You activated a guardian construct and survived," she said slowly. "You two. A third-class researcher and a foreign scholar with no official qualifications from the Association."

"The collapse damaged it," Aldric explained. "Threw off its coordination. We got lucky."

"Lucky." The way Helga spoke made it seem like she didn't believe in luck. "How exactly did you defeat it?"

"Teamwork, preparation, and, to be honest, desperation," Velmira said. "The structure was strong, but it was damaged, which made it weak. I used them to my advantage while Aldric provided support."

"You exploited them. A foreign mage using techniques we don't recognize." Helga moved closer. "What can you do, Miss Velmira?"

"I'm a skilled mage who has been trained in methods that are different from the usual continental training. That's all."

"That's not all. But we'll leave it for now." Helga looked at the documents again. "Are you sure these messages are real?"

"The mana residue shows they are from within the last fifty years," Aldric said. "The architectural analysis shows that the ruins are older than the Demon King war, but the messages are more recent."

"And what about the language?"

"A dialect from Velmira's homeland," Aldric lied smoothly. They had all agreed on this story. "She's translating for publication."

Helga looked at the Sentinel Ring that they had given her. It was just an odd piece of jewellery now, as it was dormant. "This will need a lot of analysis. The Association will keep it for now."

"We expected that," Aldric said. "But we'd like to be included in any future expeditions to the site. We know where it is, how it is laid out and what the dangers are."

"I'll think about it. For now, you're both to avoid further expeditions without explicit Association approval." She looked at Velmira in a very direct way. "Especially you, Miss Velmira. Until we know what you can do, we're watching you."

The threat was obvious. If she made a mistake, or lost control, she'd be investigated.

"I understand," Velmira said calmly.

They left the office, feeling tense.

"That went better than I expected," Aldric said quietly. "I thought she would take all our research."

"She might still. But for now, we have time to—"

Velmira stopped mid-sentence, completely still. Aldric followed her gaze.

Two figures had entered the Association building: a man in his forties, wearing first-class fancy robes, and a tall woman with brown wavy hair and a friendly smile.

Genau. And someone new.

"The foreign scholar," Genau said, as he got closer. "Still in Waal?"

"Where else would I be?" Velmira replied calmly.

"Maybe somewhere safer." Genau pointed to his companion. "This is Methode. First-class mage, Serie's apprentice. We're here on Association business."

Methode looked at Velmira with bright eyes and took a step forward, feeling excited.

"Wow, you have such an intriguing energy about you!" She circled Velmira once, studying her like a fascinating specimen. "Your style is so sophisticated! That cloak and the way you carry yourself—it's almost like you're in a theatre! And also, you're cute.

Velmira blinked, surprised by the reaction. "Thank you?"

"Methode is a researcher and strategist," Genau explained with the tone of someone making excuses for an eccentric colleague. "She gets excited about unusual things."

"Can I take a closer look at it?" Methode asked, already using her special powers to sense things. "Just a small examination? I promise it won't hurt—"

"No," Velmira said firmly, taking a step back. She could feel Methode's magical perception probing at her, trying to map her mana structure. It was unpleasant and made her feel uncomfortable. It was as if someone was running their fingers along her skin without permission.

"Oh, please? Genau mentioned you have unusual magic. He said that the training tradition was different, but I've studied every major school on the continent and your signature doesn't match any of them." Methode tilted her head. "It's so geometric. So well organised. Almost artificial?"

"Different training," Velmira repeated. "I studied far from here."

"Can you show me a basic spell?" Methode was still as enthusiastic as ever. "I'm a researcher at heart, you see. I just want to understand—"

"We're tired from travelling," Aldric said, standing between them. "Maybe another time?"

Methode looked at him and smiled. "You're hurt. Is it a head wound?" She moved closer and used her special powers to check him. "And lung disease, at an advanced stage. I could help with that, I know some healing techniques—"

"I've already seen a healer, so thank you."

"We heard about your expedition," Genau said, changing the subject. "A guardian construct, Helga tells me. How did you manage to defeat it without getting more severe injuries?"

"Luck," Aldric said. "And Velmira's quick thinking."

"Luck." Genau exchanged a glance with Methode. "You seem to have quite a lot of that."

"We prepare thoroughly," Velmira said. "And we don't take unnecessary risks."

"Activating an ancient guardian construct seems like an unnecessary risk," Genau said.

"It was an accident. We were recording what we saw, touched something we shouldn't have, and the mechanism was triggered. We dealt with it and left." Velmira looked directly at him. "Is there a real question here, or are you just suspicious of anyone you don't understand?"

Methode laughed, bright and genuine. "I like her! She has spirit!"

She turned to Velmira.

"Don't worry about Genau. He always suspects everyone. It comes from years of mana analysis, he sees patterns everywhere, even when there aren't any."

"There are patterns here," Genau said quietly.

"Well, if you won't do a magic show, I'll just have to write my report based on the background noise," Methode said cheerfully. "You're from far away, aren't you? Somewhere magic works... differently?"

"Very far," Velmira confirmed.

"I'd love to visit one day. It must be fascinating." Methode's smile remained friendly, but her eyes were sharp. "Why have you come to Waal? We're not exactly a place where magic and new ideas are invented."

"Research," Aldric said. "Ancient architectural oddities. Velmira is an expert in that area."

"How convenient." Genau was clearly doubtful. "And you just happened to find ruins with a guardian construct."

"The continent is full of forgotten places," Velmira said. "Not all of them are listed by the Association."

"True enough." Genau nodded slowly. "We'll be in Waal for a few days. If you go on another expedition, let the Association know first. Official procedure."

"And if you need healing or support, I'm here!" Methode added. "I'd love to work with you! Working with other people on research projects is much more fun than working on your own."

They went their separate ways: Genau and Methode went into the building, while Velmira and Aldric went towards the exit.

"She seemed friendly," Aldric said when they were outside.

"She's Serie's apprentice," Velmira said quietly. "First-class mage. She's dangerous because she seems friendly."

"You think she's a threat?"

"I think she's gathering information. The whole conversation was an analysis — she was reading my reactions, testing my limits, probing for weaknesses." Velmira pulled her cloak tighter. "And she'll report everything to Serie."

"What should we do?"

"We work quickly. Finish translating K.M.'s messages, put together our findings, and publish what we can." Velmira looked determined. "Before Serie decides I'm worth investigating personally."

The next few days went by quite easily.

Every morning, Velmira would arrive at Aldric's boarding house with bread and cheese. She had bought these foods, but she would not eat them herself. He'd make tea, and they'd get to work: translating K.M.'s messages, checking architectural details, getting documents ready to be published.

Aldric was a very careful researcher. He noticed things that didn't add up, asked questions to find out more, and made sure he understood things clearly. Velmira liked the way the debate was so full of clever ideas and arguments.

"This part here," Aldric said one afternoon, pointing at their translation. "The NPCs are real people." What does 'NPC' mean in your language?"

Velmira had translated it as "magical constructs" in the written version, but Aldric had understood the original term's significance.

"Non-Player Character," she said carefully. "A term from... stories in my homeland. It means people who aren't central to the narrative. Background figures."

"And K.M. realised that they were real people, not just background figures." Aldric leaned back and thought about it. "This suggests that K.M. didn't think the people in this world were truly alive. It felt like they were less real somehow."

"Maybe they came from a place where people were sorted differently," Velmira said. "Where some beings were considered more or less real based on what they did or where they came from."

It was as close to the truth as she dared go. Aldric accepted it and made notes.

When he had coughing fits – which were getting more frequent – Velmira would stop what she was doing straight away and take care of him. Bring water, hold him steady, and wait until the spasms have passed. She could smell the blood even when he tried to hide it, and could hear his lungs struggling with each breath.

Petra had said eighteen months. If he was careful, maybe two years.

Every cough made it clear that time was running out.

In the evenings, they would stop working. Sometimes Aldric would teach her about local history, talking about how Waal was founded, the wars that had affected the region, and the cultural importance of different traditions.

Other times, Velmira would share carefully edited stories about "her homeland"—a place with different magical traditions, different architectural styles, and different ways of viewing the world. She walked the line between truth and fiction, giving him enough to satisfy curiosity without revealing too much.

And every night, when she had finished work, she would stand to leave.

"I need to go out for a while," she'd say.

"Be careful," he'd reply.

Neither of them said more. They both understood.

She would leave the city and go into the nearby woods to hunt. The killing was now done quickly and efficiently — find the animal, kill it, and quickly bury the body. She didn't feel the need to apologise to the animals anymore. I stopped mourning each death. It was necessary, and it was going to happen.

Is it adaptation or corruption? She still didn't know.

When she returned, Aldric would have tea ready for her. They would sit in friendly silence, drinking, and enjoying the quiet.

This pattern repeated. Every day.

It felt like friendship. Like trust. It's like something worth protecting.

***

Three days after they got back, Methode went to see Aldric.

She knocked politely, waiting for permission to come in. When Aldric opened the door, she smiled, but not as much as the first time they met. This was more serious.

"Can I come in?" she asked. "I have some news."

Velmira tensed from her seat at Aldric's desk but nodded. Methode went in and closed the door carefully.

"I examined the [Sentinel Ring] thoroughly," she said without preamble. "Its mana signature matches reports from demon-attacked areas. Specifically, demons that hunt anomalies. Foreign entities that don't belong in this world."

She looked directly at Velmira.

"You should be careful. Very careful."

"What do you mean?" Aldric asked.

"The ring was designed to detect threats to its creators — beings with mana signatures that don't match this world's natural magical framework." Methode sat down without being asked to. "It activated when you touched it, Aldric, because you were close to Velmira. It was sensing her."

"I don't understand," said Aldric, but he looked like he did.

"K.M.'s warning about demons hunting their kind is true. Demons can sense foreign mana signatures. They're drawn to it like—" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Like blood in water."

Velmira held her hands clenched in her lap. "Why are you telling us this?"

"Because Genau and I are filing a report with Serie. Not about you specifically—officially, we're reporting on the ruins and their guardian construct. But Serie pays attention to anomalies." Methode's friendly manner had completely vanished, revealing the serious mage beneath. "If she decides to investigate personally, you won't survive her scrutiny."

"What do you suggest we do?" Velmira asked.

"There are two options. Leave Waal, go away before Serie gets interested. Or become so useful to the Association that they protect you." Methode stood. "Prove you're an asset, not a threat. Contribute something significant enough that even Serie sees value in keeping you around."

"What if we can't do either of these things?"

"Then Serie will eventually decide you're dangerous. And when she makes that decision..." Methode moved towards the door. "There is no magic user alive who could defeat her. Not even close."

She stopped and looked back at them with her hand on the doorknob.

"I like you. Both of you. I'd hate to see this end badly." Her face showed a little bit of a smile. "I'll do my best to write my report in a positive way. But Genau is very careful, and Serie trusts his judgment. You have a few weeks, maybe a month, before she does something."

"Thank you for the warning," Velmira said quietly.

"Don't thank me. Just be smart." Methode opened the door. "And if you do run, do it soon. Serie doesn't give second chances."

She left, closing the door softly behind her.

The room was silent, and it felt heavy and uncomfortable.

"We need to make a decision," Aldric said at last. "Keep researching, or..."

"Or I leave," Velmira finished. "Disappear before Serie investigates."

Aldric turned to face her fully. "I'm dying. Two years, maybe less now after the head injury cost me months. I want to finish this work; K.M.'s messages, the architectural documentation, the evidence of others like you who were transported here. It's important."

"I know."

"If you leave, I can't finish it on my own. I need you to do the translations, the analysis, and the cross-referencing with your knowledge." He spoke calmly, but his eyes showed he was desperate. "But I won't ask you to risk yourself for my legacy. If you need to run to stay alive, then run. I understand."

Velmira stood by the window, pacing up and down. Outside, Waal continued its normal rhythm—merchants hawking wares, children playing, life proceeding with casual indifference to their crisis.

She could run. Should run. Serie was too dangerous to face, too powerful to deceive. The smart choice was obvious.

But Aldric was dying. He had maybe eighteen months left. She chose to care about him, to choose connection over isolation, to make his remaining time meaningful.

If she left now, she would be doing the opposite of what she wanted. It would show that she had only pretended to be a kind person, and that when there was a real risk, she would think only about herself.

If she did, she would become the monster she was trying to avoid.

"I'm not leaving," Velmira said, turning back to face him. "We've finished the research. Together."

"Velmira—"

"I know the risks. I know what Serie could do if she investigates me directly." She went back to the desk and sat opposite him. "But I'm choosing to stay anyway. Because some things are worth the risk."

"Like what?"

"Like friendship. Like the meaning. Like not letting fear control every decision you make." She looked into his eyes. "Like you."

Aldric looked a bit sad, relieved, grateful and scared all at once. "Thank you. For staying."

"Thank you for making it worth staying."

They went back to their work, organising documents and racing against a number of deadlines. Outside, the sun set over Waal, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple.

Somewhere north, in the magical city of Äußerst, Serie would eventually receive Genau's report. She would decide later whether Velmira was worth investigating.

But that was future worry. For now, Velmira had Aldric, had a purpose, and had a reason to stay despite the danger.

Even though she knew it might cost her everything.

They worked late into the night, two people with different time limits finding meaning in the hours they had left. The tea went cold. The candles were burning low. The research continued.

And in the quiet moments between translations, when Aldric coughed and Velmira steadied him, when they looked at each other across the messy desk, they both understood: they'd chosen each other over safety.

It was enough.

For now, it was enough.

End of Chapter 9

Author Note

Frieren will appear in a couple next chapters~