There’s No Need To Worry.

Because of the Fortress City’s nature, the clinic was an important facility, and naturally it was a semi-public institution with considerable size.

And perhaps because it had deep ties to the guards and the Adventurers’ Guild… quite a few medical staff made an “Ah” face when they saw Aria on Kikori’s back.

“Aria-san!?”

“Did she collapse!? This way!”

“Hurry, a stretcher!”

As Kikori tried to follow Aria being swiftly placed on a stretcher and carried away, one of the medical staff stopped him.

“Hey—why are you getting in the way!?”

“You are in the way. Leave the medical care to us.”

“But…! No, sorry. But is it really that bad?”

Kikori understood that hovering around Aria wouldn’t help.

That was why, when he asked that… the medical staff let out a breath.

“What is your relationship to her?”

“My housemate.”

“Oh?”

The medical staff looked at Kikori in surprise, then stared him up and down.

“Um…?”

“Now that I look closely, you do seem similar—even down to your fighting style, don’t you?”

“Is Aria-san that famous?”

“Yes, well. But I think you should ask Aria-san herself about her body.”

“That’s… yes, you’re right.”

That was certainly true, and from how things looked, Kikori could tell it wasn’t a life-or-death situation.

If it were, they wouldn’t be chatting like this.

Perhaps noticing Kikori regaining his composure, the medical staff smiled softly.

“There’s no need to worry. It’s not life-threatening.”

“I see… thank goodness.”

“However, she does need some rest—ah.”

Another medical staff member ran over, spotted Kikori, and shouted, “Are you Kikori!?”

“Yes. Is this about Aria-san?”

“Yes. Aria-san said to bring you as well…”

And so, as Kikori hurried to the bed where Aria lay, Aria waved her hand lightly.

“I heard you carried me all the way here. Thank you.”

“More importantly, are you okay?”

“Yes. Actually, this is also the reason I retired as an adventurer… I have a minor mana abnormality. If I use magic beyond a certain point, I collapse.”

“And with a body like that, you still used magic for me…”

“Oh, come on. It was only a problem because that happened—otherwise it would’ve been nothing. Or what, are you saying you’re stronger than me as things stand, Kikori?”

As Aria poked at him insistently, Kikori could only answer, “No…”

He could only answer that, but still—

“Even so, I don’t want anything to happen to you, Aria-san.”

Saying that, he took Aria’s hand.