Restored Sight and a Special Assignment

"What does it matter?"

Erza muttered dismissively, but she obediently put her clothes back on.

Once Cain saw Erza was dressed, he could not help letting out a sigh of relief. Yet the scene he had just witnessed involuntarily resurfaced in his mind.

Her gently rising and falling body showed that the girl was beginning to shed her immaturity and grow into a woman.

Damn it, I can't think about this anymore. Smack! He viciously slapped himself across the face. After using physical means to calm himself down, Cain said to Erza,

"All right, I'm starting."

Erza looked at Cain strangely, unable to understand why he had hit himself. The bright red handprint on his cheek proved he had not held back.

Cain paid no attention to Erza's gaze and activated Holy Light: Heal.

A golden magic circle enveloped Erza, and specks of golden light flowed into her body.

As the light entered her body, Erza felt as though countless tiny insects were crawling over her right eye. It itched terribly, and she desperately wanted to scratch it hard.

Along with the itch came pain—excruciating pain. It felt as though something was about to burrow out of her eye.

After Erza told Cain about this sensation, he had taken her to Porlyusica's little treehouse.

Following an examination, they learned that the nerves in her eyeball were regenerating. The itch and pain were something she had to endure.

At the time, Granny Porlyusica had said that the onset of these symptoms meant Erza's eye was about to recover.

When Cain dispelled the magic circle, the unbearable sensation receded like the tide. Erza went limp and fell backward.

Looking at Erza in his arms, Cain brushed aside the hair stuck to her face and asked with concern, "How do you feel?"

Erza looked at Cain's doubled image and said uncertainly, "Maybe it hurt too much this time. I'm even seeing double when I look at you."

Erza's words puzzled Cain. It was not as if she were drunk, so why would she be seeing double?

Then Cain suddenly thought of something and quickly said, "Erza, close your left eye and look with your right one."

Erza did as he said. She was just about to say it was even blurrier than before when she suddenly realized that her right eye could see things. Though everything was indistinct, she really could see.

She hurriedly told Cain. Upon hearing that Erza's right eye could see blurry images, Cain knew his earlier guess had been correct.

Erza's right eye would fully recover within the next few days.

Over the next few days, Erza's right eye saw more and more clearly. By the fourth day, it was no different from her left eye.

To be safe, Cain took Erza to see Porlyusica again.

After giving her a thorough examination, Porlyusica finally said under their expectant gazes, "Mm, it has completely healed."

"Wow, that's wonderful, Erza."

"Mm, thank you, Cain."

The moment he heard Granny Porlyusica say that, Cain excitedly hugged Erza.

Erza also bounced up and down in Cain's embrace.

Porlyusica quietly watched the two children laugh and cry. The slight curve of her lips showed that she was in a rather good mood as well.

As their excitement gradually calmed, Cain released Erza. Looking at the tears in her eyes, he smiled and said, "All right, this is something to be happy about."

"Mm."

Though she answered him, tears of excitement still streamed from her eyes. Seeing this, Cain reached out and wiped them away.

Looking at Erza crying from both eyes, Cain thought of the Erza from the original story, who could only cry from one eye.

Did I just make up for one of her regrets?

Ding, congratulations to the host for making up for an original regret: the right eye that had cried itself dry. The system has officially activated. Reward...

Of course, that was all just someone's wild imagination.

Seeing that the two had mostly recovered, Porlyusica chased them out of her wooden house.

After returning to the guild, everyone saw that Erza was no longer wearing bandages and was overjoyed. Makarov immediately announced,

"To celebrate Erza's recovery, let's throw a party."

"Whoa, thank you, Erza!!!"

"That's great! This is absolutely worth celebrating!!!!"

"The Master is the best."

Seeing everyone so happy and excited over the recovery of her eye, Erza's eyes filled with tears again. Choking up, she said, "Th... thank you, everyone."

Cana threw an arm around Erza's shoulders and said with a smile, "What are you thanking us for? Come on, let's enjoy the party. This time, wealthy Cain is sponsoring it, so all the drinks and desserts are free."

Erza had not expected Cain to sponsor the party, and she could not help turning to look at him, where he was chatting with Gray.

On the other side, Macao and Wakaba had wanted to go over and greet Cain the moment he entered, but they had been too happy over Erza's recovered eye.

Then the Master announced the party, and the courage they had worked up instantly vanished. Looking regretfully at his best friend, Macao said, "Looks like it'll have to wait until next time. Still, Cain hardly ever takes requests anyway."

Wakaba nodded in agreement. "True, but I really didn't expect Cain to actually—"

Seeing Wakaba was about to say it, Macao hurriedly covered his mouth and gave him a meaningful look. Only after Wakaba nodded to show he would not talk carelessly did Macao let go.

After the party ended, the two returned home and, as usual, began training in the Gravity Room.

After training, Erza went up to Cain and said solemnly, "Cain, I want to take requests and earn money."

"Mm, sure."

"I just think I can't rely on Cain for everything. Huh, you agree?" Erza looked at Cain in surprise.

Cain looked equally puzzled. "Mm? Why did Erza think I wouldn't agree?"

"It's... it's what Cana said. Ah, never mind." Remembering what Cana had told her that afternoon, Erza could not help blushing.

Cain asked curiously, "Cana? What did Cana say to you?"

"Ah, n-nothing." Erza hurriedly waved her hands and shook her head in denial, though it was obvious Cana had said something.

Cain did not dwell on it. The reason he had kept Erza by his side before was because her body needed time to recover, and he was needed for the treatment of her eye.

Now, her body had long since recovered, and her eye was healed too. It would be going too far to keep her tied to his side.

Cain thought for a moment and said, "Do you want me to help you get familiar with requests?"

Relieved that Cain did not press her about Cana, Erza said, "No need. I'll start with simple requests first."

Seeing this, Cain nodded and said nothing more.

The next day, the two came to the guild together.

Erza stood before the request board, looking for a request that suited her.

Cain, meanwhile, sat at a table thinking about whether he should first study storage equipment or take on a request.

At that moment, a messenger bird flew over to Makarov. Makarov removed the letter, glanced at it, and then said to Cain,

"Cain, there's a request here that needs you to make a trip."

Looks like I don't need to agonize over it anymore. Cain stepped forward, took the letter from the Master, and read it. It was roughly about a viscount who had fallen ill and wanted to commission him to treat him.

Seeing no problem with it, Cain nodded. "All right, Master. I'll go back and prepare, then set out this afternoon."