Klara stayed quiet for a second, letting her words sink in. Ruya's head remained low, while Vanessa and Cracknut watched in silence.
"No..."
Muttered Ruya, his hands clenching into fists. Everyone turned to look at him. Then, he raised his head to meet Klara's gaze, his expression filled with confidence and determination.
"Just because someone makes a mistake doesn't mean that what they did was wrong,"
he declared, his voice low but serious.
Klara's eyes widened slightly at his words.
"What you did was something no one could have dared to do... and it failed. But so what?"
He questioned, his tone growing louder, more determined.
"Just because you failed once doesn't mean that you will always do!"
These words hit Klara hard, her eyes opened wide as she listened to Ruya's declaration.
"We learn from our mistakes and try our best to turn the failures into success!"
Ruya shouted, placing one of his hands on his chest.
"I will never give up on what I believe is right! Even if I continue to fall, I will never, ever give up trying!"
With that, Ruya gently laid Hano down onto the ground and placed both of his hands on her injured leg. His palms began to glow green, and gradually, a green energy aura completely covered them. Klara stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock.
"That boy... is able to use healing magic?!"
She wondered as she watched Ruya casting healing magic on Hano's leg.
Klara's mind began to race, the protective shell she had built around herself slowly cracking as Ruya's words echoed within her. Ruya's hands trembled slightly as he focused all of his energy into healing.
"I will do whatever it takes... I promise..."
Muttered Ruya, as memories started flashing through his mind.
In the Dark Castle, Ruya sat inside a library. Around him, many books were laid out in disorder. His eyes were closed as he focused his energy into his right hand, while his other hand held his arm in place for further concentration and control. The hand slowly began to emit green energy, but it struggled to maintain form. Ruya's brows furrowed, his eyes squeezing shut as he tried his best to stabilize it, but the little energy quickly faded away.
Ruya opened his eyes and exhaled deeply.
"Damn it... I was so close, yet... so far,"
He said, turning his hand to take a closer look at it.
"You are still trying, huh?"
Asked a voice from behind.
Ruya turned his head slightly, then collapsed onto the table with a groan.
"Yeah... I am,"
He replied, his tone lacking confidence, full-on defeated.
Then, a glass of warm tea was placed beside him.
"Hmhm~ don't worry,"
Said the voice gently.
Ruya turned his head toward her.
"Even though healing magic is not your thing, I know that if you want to, you could,"
Added Anastasia, smiling warmly at him.
Her crimson eyes glowed as the candlelight brushed across her features. Ruya's face turned a bit red as his eyes widened, caught between surprise and awe.
"Now, why don't you tell me the real reason you wanted to learn healing magic?"
She asked, grabbing one of the books off the table.
Ruya was caught off guard by her words.
"A-ah?! N-No, I really want to learn healing magic so I can take care of myself when needed!"
He replied nervously, a tiny drop of sweat gliding down his cheek.
Anastasia glanced at him for a moment before chuckling. Ruya fell onto the table with a loud thud, groaning in defeat.
"...Ah... am I that bad of a liar?"
He asked as tears rolled from his eyes.
Anastasia laughed before setting the book down.
"Sometimes,"
She replied, before walking toward one of the massive bookshelves.
Ruya narrowed his eyes as he watched her.
"Alright... look, I want to learn it because I want to save the people that are close to me... and for myself!"
"I want to learn it because I want to save the people that are close to me... and for myself!"
The two said together.
"But it's true!"
Protested Ruya, jumping up in a rush.
Anastasia put her fingers to her lips, trying to hide her giggles.
"I know, Ruya. I'm just playing~"
She teased with a bright smile.
"Healing magic is a rare one, even rarer than Void Magic. A magic that can only be mastered by the best academy students of Villwarts."
Anastasia explained as her sharp eyes scanned the bookshelves.
"Before the Great War between the humans and the demons, healers were more common. Nearly every adventurer's party had one at that time."
Her fingers brushed over the books.
"But..."
She paused.
"As the war continued, a deadly virus wiped most of them out. The virus targeted and destroyed the mana cores of the healers, it was fast and killed instantly. Thankfully, Ironland's alchemists came up with a cure. But it was too late. Most of the healers were already dead."
She stopped at a particular book and pulled it from the shelf.
"The cure seemed to be efficient, as it successfully stopped the virus from mutating and possibly wiping us all out. But it came with side effects,"
She added.
"Everyone that took the cure was unable to use healing magic ever again, and this passed down, generation to generation."
Ruya listened closely, his pointy elf ears twitching slightly.
"So... if someone were to get the cure, that meant even their children were affected by the side effects?"
He asked, grabbing the glass of tea and taking a sip. His eyes followed Anastasia's movements, full of curiosity.
"Yeah. That's one of the main reasons healers are so rare,"
She replied. Then, she walked over to Ruya and gently placed the book in front of him.
Ruya looked at the cover carefully, then lifted it slightly.
"The Healing Mystery...?"
He read the title aloud.
"This book was given to me by a close friend of mine, or, as many know her, the greatest healer on the continent."
Anastasia said casually, with a smile.
Ruya's jaw dropped. His expression turned to disbelief.
"Y-Your close friend..."
He paused.
"...is Maria Brightlight?!!!"
Anastasia was taken aback by Ruya's reaction. She leaned slightly to the side and giggled.
"You must be a big fan of her, huh?"
She asked.
"Are you kidding me? Of course I am!"
He replied with energy, his eyes glowing brightly.
"She once came and visited my village! My mom was sick and the medicine wasn't working for her. Maria heard about it and personally came and saved my mother. She made it look so easy..."
Anastasia smiled, then turned her back to him.
"Well, who knows? Maybe you'll meet her again in the future?"
Ruya paused, then jumped with excitement.
"Really?!"
He asked.
"Yeah... Everything is possible, as long as you believe in it."
She replied, turning back around with a small wink before leaving the library.
Ruya blushed with embarrassment. After a moment, he slowly turned to look at the book again. His gaze softened as he read the name written on the cover:
"Maria Brightlight."