The fleeting dream finally faded, and as she slowly regained consciousness, the first thing she saw was Mary's worried face.
"Athena! Athena, can you hear me??"
A blinding white light pierced through her heavy eyelids, forcing her to squint—like the real world wasn't quite ready to be faced yet.
"Mary... where are we?"
They were in a room with white walls and tiled floors, with several hospital beds lined up. Athena was lying on one of them.
"We're in the Capital, in the medical facility run by the Adventurer's Guild," Mary replied.
She smiled, relief evident on her face. "You're finally awake! How are you feeling?"
She handed a glass of water to Athena.
"Here, drink this. You must be thirsty after the battle."
As Athena took a sip, Mary watched her with concern. "You were unconscious for hours," she said.
"The healers had to use magic to wake you up."
Athena furrowed her brows slightly as the memories of the fight returned. "The Beheaded…," she whispered. "Is it—?"
Mary nodded. "Yeah, it's dead. It was a totally insane battle, if you ask me."
Athena looked at her own hands, fully healed now. She felt better—clearly, the healers had done a good job.
"Where are Lucia and Amyra?" she asked.
"They're fine. They're filing a report about the Beheaded incident with the Adventurer's Guild. They said they'll visit you soon," Mary replied with a smile.
"I see…" Athena answered softly.
"They were really worried about you," Mary said.
"Especially Lucia. She got beaten up pretty badly during the fight, but she's tough. She'll be alright."
Mary jumped down from the bed, her wings fluttering.
"The healers said you should rest more. You lost a lot of blood. But I bet some food will help you feel better."
Athena sat up on the bed, stretching in her plain white patient clothes. "I actually feel much better now."
"So we're in the Capital of Leyndell, huh? I can't wait to walk around and explore," she said with excitement.
Mary nodded, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Yes! The Capital is amazing! There's so much to see and do!"
Mary leapt back onto the bed, flopping down between Athena's legs. "I could give you a tour, if you want. There's the castle, the market, temples, guilds… so much to explore!"
Seeing Athena's curious gaze, she grinned.
"And don't worry about the Beheaded stuff. I'm sure the guild will take care of it. For now… let's just enjoy our time here!"
Suddenly, there was a soft knock at the door. Mary flew over and opened it, revealing a nurse carrying a tray of soup and water.
"Miss Rei…" the nurse said.
"Yes?" Athena replied.
"We brought you some food to help you recover," she said, walking toward her.
"O-oh, thank you…"
The nurse placed the tray on the bedside table and began preparing the simple meal—a bowl of warm vegetable soup and a glass of water.
She smiled warmly at Athena. "You really gave us a scare, Miss. We were very worried," she admitted.
"But it's good to see you awake and on the mend. The healers said you'll make a full recovery in time."
She turned to leave. "Please get some rest, Miss," she said with a smile before leaving and gently closing the door behind her.
Athena glanced at the bowl of soup.
"Woah! It smells amazing! Can I have some?" Mary exclaimed.
"It's for me, you silly. I'm the one who's sick," Athena said protectively, taking the bowl from the table.
She looked down at the soup in her hands, inhaling the aroma. Vegetable and meat soup, huh? Come to think of it, this is my first meal in this world, she mused silently.
She reached for a spoon, took a scoop, and brought it to her lips. "Mmm, it's delicious," she said, a soft smile forming at the corner of her mouth.
As Athena savored the rich and flavorful taste, Mary watched with wide, envious eyes.
"Hey! I want some too!" she pouted like a child.
Athena chuckled and offered her the bowl. "Here, I don't mind sharing," she said with a grin.
Mary's eyes lit up. "Really?? You mean it?"
Athena nodded, and the little fairy eagerly grabbed the bowl, slurping up the broth with glee.
"Mmmm! So good!" she cried out, soup dribbling down her chin.
"Hey, slow down!" Athena laughed at her friend's antics.
As the two newfound friends enjoyed their simple meal, another knock came at the door.
"Who could it be this time?" Mary muttered, frowning.
The door opened again—this time revealing a red-haired, armed girl, Lucia, and a sword-wielding girl, Amyra.
Lucia opened the door. "Eh, who could it be this time? How rude," she joked with a smile.
She stepped in confidently, followed by Amyra.
Lucia's eyes scanned the room—Athena in bed, Mary perched on the tray.
"Well, well," she quipped. "Glad you two made it out alive. Though you gave us quite a scare for a while."
"O-oh, Lucia, Amyra," Athena greeted, clearly pleased.
Mary frowned, clutching the soup bowl to her chest protectively. "This is my soup, don't you dare take it from me," she said childishly.
Lucia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Relax, it's just a food, ain't a buried treasure."
She turned to Athena, her expression softening. "How are you feeling? I'm really glad to see you awake."
Amyra stepped forward, concern in her eyes. "We were so worried," she said gently.
"But the healers here are skilled. They'll take good care of you."
She glanced at the food on the tray. "Ah, and it looks like they're feeding you too. That's good."
Athena nodded, offering a faint smile. "I'm feeling much better now. Thank you for visiting."
Lucia nodded, her expression turning serious. "You took a hard hit," she said, referring to Athena's battle with the Beheaded.
"But you fought bravely. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."
Amyra, ever the peacemaker, stepped forward. "And you saved my life," she said to Athena. "I won't forget that."
Athena blushed, waving her hand dismissively. "It was nothing. You risked yourself to save me. That was the heroic act."
Mary sipped her soup again, her cheeks puffed like a squirrel.
"Hey! That's my soup, you little thief!" Mary shouted at Lucia, who had snatched the bowl from her tiny hands.
Lucia grinned, lifting the spoon to her lips. "Aww, but you were making such a mess," she teased. "I'm helping you."
Mary bounced in fury, her green hair quivering. "Give it back, you bully!" she demanded.
"That's Athena's soup, not yours!"
Lucia took another bite, smirking at Mary's shrieks.
"Chill out, I'll get you another bowl," she said.
"Besides, it's just soup. No need to go full dragon over it."
She set the empty bowl aside and turned to Athena with a sly grin.
"By the way, I've got good news," Lucia said.
"The Guild has officially recognized you as an adventurer. They were impressed by how you handled the Beheaded. You've got a bright future ahead."
Athena tilted her head. "Huh? I never said I wanted to become an adventurer."
The room fell silent.
"Eh?" Lucia stared at her, brows furrowing in confusion.
"What do you mean you never wanted to be an adventurer?" she asked.
"You've got the skill and courage for it. Plus, it's a great way to make a living in this world."
Mary jumped onto Athena's shoulder, looking at her.
"I think you'd make a great adventurer," Mary said. "You're brave and strong—like a hero!"
Amyra smiled and nodded.
"The Guild would be lucky to have you," she agreed.
"And we'd be honored to fight beside you."
"N-no... I'm not a hero," Athena said, waving her hand.
Flashback:
'I'm just an ordinary high school girl at a public school—nothing special…'
Athena Rei sat in the very back of her classroom, gazing out the window as the teacher lectured up front.
"Athena Rei… Athena Rei!"
The voice calling her name snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Y-yes, sir!" Athena shot up awkwardly as her classmates threw mocking, scornful glances at her.
"I've been watching you ignore the lesson. Now, please repeat what I just explained!" The teacher shouts.
'I don't know how much longer I can last in this rotten world. The only thing that gave me strength… was my little sister, Rena…' Athena monologued.
'Her sweet smile was soothing—like spring blossoms.'
'But now I'm here… separated from the one thing that gave my life purpose.'
Back to current scene.
In the medical room, Athena felt hollow. The space around her felt deafening. Only shadows of emptiness lingered.
'So far away, so unreachable… and now what's left for me… in this world?'
Athena fell silent for a moment, her gaze lowered.
"Honestly, being a hero isn't really my thing. A peaceful life is just enough for me," she said quietly.
The room grew still after her words. Lucia, Amyra, and Mary exchanged glances.
Finally, Lucia spoke, her voice soft.
"You're quite the idealist and a simple one, aren't you, Athena?"
"I know we just met," she continued,
"But I think you're more than you believe. You may not have asked for this life, but you're here now. And from what I've seen, you have a heart of gold."
She reached out and placed a hand on Athena's shoulder.
"If peace is what you desire, I respect that. But don't underestimate yourself. You've got potential, girl. I can feel it."
Amyra nodded with a gentle smile.
"Lucia's right. And even if you don't want to be a hero, there's still a place for you in the guild. Someone with your skills and courage would be a huge asset."
"It's your decision," Lucia straightened, determination lighting her face.
"We won't force you."
"But if you want to find out who you really are, you'll have to be strong," she said.
"And the best way to do that... is to become an adventurer."
Athena's eyes widened slightly. She's right, Athena thought to herself.
'I want to find out who I really am in this world… how I ended up here… and maybe… maybe I can find a way back to my own world. And the only way to uncover that truth is… by becoming an adventurer.'
"Lucia-san, Amyra-san, I've made my decision," Athena said with resolve.
Lucia's eyes lit up at Athena's words.
"You've decided?" she asked, tilting her head. "Hm? What is it?"
Athena stood up on the bed, striking a pose with one hand on her hip and the other pointing skyward.
"I've decided to become an adventurer, spread my name across the land, and eat delicious food every single day!" Athena suddenly declared.
—
The room fell into stunned silence. No one said a word. Just a crickets chirped outside the window, and a gentle breeze rustled the curtains.
"What?."