Aerdrin: The Lost Heir of The Sky

Chapter 30 - Rehabilitation

*Lick Lick*

" Unn... ngh... "

* Lick Lick Lick *

" Good morning, Sir Zio. "

Slowly awake from his asleep, Zio blankly stares at his surroundings. There's this deep-manly voice calling for his name. He checked his right and left, looking for the source of that voice.

" I see that Ms. Nora has taken quite the liking to you. "

After hearing that voice for the second time, Zio immediately opened his eyes wide. Every fiber of his body is alerted, even startling the alcath that was l*****g his face. For that voice is not unknown to him. It was Albert, the butler from yesterday.

" Y-You! What do you want?! " Zio struggled as he found his hands were tied to the bed's slat once again.

" Fear not, Sir Zio. I shall not do you any harm... At least for now. "

The old man’s words and face clearly don’t match each other. How can Zio trust him when the butler clearly smiled and looked at him with an intense killing intent? Zio budge and budge but nothing happen. The Aarondite is too tough for him to do anything.

" I was ordered by the young lady to clear the misunderstanding between us... And to check on your health. "

" Oh yeah? There's nothing to misunderstand! You clearly want me dead! "

Albert walked closer to Zio with a plate in his hands before putting it down on a table beside the sickly young man. There's a fish dish on the plate, Zio thought that that might be the old butler’s breakfast, so he can enjoy himself while torturing his object of grudge.

" While it's true that I'm currently holding myself from the urge to do so. But, alas... The lady's wish is my command. "

His dark-brown eyes stared sharply at Zio, as he sliced the fish, cutting it to bite-sized pieces with a flounce.

" Did you really have forgotten about all those horrible things that you've done to the young lady? "

" If you're talking about how I'd ended up here. Then, yes, I don't remember anything. All I know is that I wake up to this excruciating pain all over my body. "

" Then... do you remember this? "

The butler unbuttoned his suits, revealing a scar on his chest. A scar that is to be credited to Zio, and apparently he immediately recognized it. This old man really is that man, the one who accompanied Julia to stalk him in the sewage.

" I do. Sorry for that. "

" ...I see. You lost your memory during the incident in Al'Etra. "

‘The incident in Al’Etra’, a phrase that Zio knows nothing of. Although, he does remember doing a job in Al'Etra with Bella, trying to snitch out a sword from a lone caravan. But it was only up until he ran into Masatora who's guarding their golden ticket. He can only remember up until the time he was running through the forest, chased by the eastern katana-wielding man.

As for the rest, everything is too blurry and hazy for Zio to remember.

" And... you're here to tell me what happened back then? "

" No. I'm here to tell you about that unsightly wound of yours, Sir Zio. " Albert buttoned up his suits back, before taking a pile of papers from the food trolley. He then approached Zio, while reading the papers like some sort of a doctor.

Zio kept himself silent, letting the butler examine him as much as he pleases. Because he too, also wanted to know what is wrong with his body.

" This... is worse than it looks. Your mana roots were almost completely burned. About 90% of it is in critical condition. Had Sir Masatora didn't stop you. Then who knows what might happen. "

Though Zio doesn't know why Masatora had to stop him, that somehow explained the cause of the big scar on his body.

" ...What caused it? "

" An insurmountable amount of mana flooded your roots in all of a sudden. But luckily for you, the damage that you did to yourself wasn't permanent, even though it was truly severe. "

" ...But how? "

" You'll learn the details in the academy. I'm here to inform you how to maintain your health and restore your mana roots, not to tutor you. "

' No matter how I explained it, you'll be too stupid to understand'? is what Zio heard from that phrase. Normally, he would be offended. But he needs to let it slide this time. Surely nobody wants to get in the nerves of someone with clear bloodlust, especially when their hands are tied.

" According to Sir Masatora's explanation and the testimony of the incident's witnesses... your magic is something about 'controlling iron' am I mistaken? "

" ...Yes. " Even though it's not entirely true but Zio also doesn’t feel the need to fix up Albert's misconception.

" Then I want you to lift this spoon. "

Albert removes Zio’s handcuffs and handed him a spoon. But since his bracelet seems to be taken by Julia when he was knocked out for the second time the other day, Zio took the fork also. Because he can only exert his magic if he had a metal with him.

The young man tried to lift the spoon in the air with his magic. It was much harder than it is supposed to be, but fortunately, he can pull it off.

" Then what about that spoon and this knife? "

It's still within his power. Zio can still manage to lift them, although he is starting to sweat.

" Next is... this food dome. "

It is at this third stage that Zio was barely able to lift them. He soon ended up exhausted after holding the three of them for around ten seconds.

" Is that all you got, Sir Zio? "

" D-Damn you... T-That was... much... harder... than it... looks! "

Zio catches his breath as he sees Albert writing a note about what he saw, before picking up the spoon, the knife, and the food dome that was scattered on the floor. He then replaced the cutlery with a new one that lies on the second rack of the trolley.

" Very well then. Thank you for your cooperation, Sir Zio. Now if you please excuse me. I have some other matters to attend to. "

And just like that, the butler left Zio alone in the room.

" So, it was my breakfast after all. "

Suddenly, as soon as the butler left him, the blonde maid comes in. A much better companion than the previous one. Even though Zio still prefers to be left alone to himself.

" Pardon my intrusion, Sir Zio. "

" ...What do you want, Julia? "

‘Oh please. Trouble after another. Can't they just leave me alone?’ Zio complained. He had enough of the old man interrogating and experimenting on him like he was some kind of an experimental monkey.

" I was tasked by the young lady to keep a close watch on you to look after your health, Sir Zio. "

Even so, her lack of expression is somehow reassuring for Zio, completely different from the one that came earlier. After telling him about her intention, Julia took the plate and cutlery.

" What are you doing? "

" ...Feeding you. "

" I can do it by myself. "

Zio took his breakfast off her hands and starting to chowing down on it.

" ...But I need to make sure that you eat everything on the plate. Else the nutritional balance would be- "

" I'm not a picky eater. " Zio quickly answered after he gulped down his first bite.

She finally backed off and sit down on the chair beside his bed, watching Zio eating his breakfast. It has always been weird and unpleasant to be watched by others as you eat, especially when they aren't eating along with you. And it’s no different for Zio.

" Hm. " Zio extended his fork to her, offering her his food.

" A-Ah... I-I uh... " Julia startled and confused by the suddenness.

" Don't worry, I haven't taken a bite at it yet. "

" I-I thank you for your kind concern. But I have had my meal. "

Zio looked at her face with the corner of his eyes. She actually looks pretty adorable and timid, though not as timid as Stefany. Only by then, he had just realized that he might need to keep a distance. Or he might turn soft on her one day.

" Hmph. Your loss. "