Chapter 90

Efnir suffered severe trauma to her right eye, so the main lights in the ward were turned off, leaving only the warm glow of the bedside lamp.

Shinomiyami Nami drew back the curtains, letting the night view of Xijing City stream into the room. Even with the windows closed, a slight chill was still felt in the air.

She went to the bedside and neatly arranged the bouquet of flowers that had been delivered.

"The commander said..."

She turned her head and glanced at Efnir on the bed and Yukina sitting silently on the edge of the bed. Her eyes flickered, but she swallowed back what she wanted to say.

"You need to rest for a while, so just relax and don't worry about anything else... We've received a report from the West Line that the organization has also sent other agents from Garrison District, so there shouldn't be any problems for now. Ayse and the Commander are having a meeting, and I'll stay here with Elincia for the time being. If anything happens, just call us."

After the agents retreated, Angel Qinglan made no attempt to pursue them and also left the West Line, disappearing into the night.

Since then, there has been no sign of any new enemies.

On the West Line front, with Masaki Hina and other agents, as well as the Special Disaster Division in place, repair work and wounded treatment are proceeding smoothly. So far, no accidents have occurred. The only regret is that the woman named "Karina" disappeared when Masaki Hina sent people to support Efnir, and her whereabouts have not yet been found.

Shinomiyami Nami raised her hand, glanced at the markings on the IV bottle, and then gently tucked the thin blanket around Efnir.

Efnir blinked wearily as the anesthesia slowly wore off, and pain crept up her spine, causing excruciating pain with the slightest movement.

How long has it been since I've been this badly injured? The last time I was this badly injured was probably more than half a year ago.

I don't know if it's because of the medication, Efnir I can't remember some of it.

"Thanks..."

As she spoke softly, Efnir realized her voice was a little hoarse.

"We are the ones who should be saying thank you..."

Shinomiyami Nami's face lacked its usual youthful energy and cheerfulness. She looked at Efnir's somewhat pale face, said nothing, and left.

"Well... Shiomi- san, Siyejian- san and I are outside. Please feel free to tell us if you need anything..."

Kanade Kotone glanced at Yukina with a complicated expression before her gaze finally settled on the hospital bed.

"Miss Yanase... please get well soon..."

"I will..."

Efnir smiled slightly, Kanade Kotone reluctantly withdrew.

Only Efnir and Yukina remained in the room. Yukina kept her face buried in her arms, leaning against the edge of the hospital bed, until the door clicked open, at which point Yukina slowly raised her head.

Yukina's face was streaked with tears, and after the two people left, soft sobs could be heard in the ward once again.

"Yukina..."

"Naoko, don't leave me..."

Yukina choked back tears, her voice soft and hoarse, like a withered leaf that would be blown away by a gust of wind, falling into Efnir Nier's heart and piercing Efnir with heartache.

What would happen if Yukina really died in a place like that?

The thought had barely crossed her mind when Efnir felt a wave of fear wash over her.

Efnir raised her left hand and gently touched Yukina's face with her little finger, slowly wiping away the tears from the corners of Yukina's eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm fine..."

Without giving Yukina a direct answer, Efnir tilted her head slightly and gazed tenderly at Yukina, her knuckles tracing across Yukina's cheek.

"Do your uncle and aunt know...?"

Qinglan left immediately after the battle. The threat from the Angel was temporarily eliminated, and most of the other members of the Apostle forces had been captured. The Orderkeepers Organization and the Special Disaster Division should be able to use these people to eradicate all the enemy forces lurking in Xijing City.

It can be said that, so far, victory belongs to Xijing City.

Of course, there are still many important things to be done after the brief battle, but Masaki Hina has already gathered people to work on them, so Efnir doesn't need to worry about them.

This put Efnir at ease.

The only thing I'm still a little worried about is my parents.

Like Yukina, her parents must not want to see her like this either.

Moreover, although the parents have a fabricated identity, it might still be exposed if discovered by the Special Disaster Division and the Orderkeepers Organization.

If it were discovered that her parents had stopped in Xijing City during their research trip, would it affect their current work? Efnir was not without concerns.

That's why Efnir went to ask Yukina.

"I know... I just told them everything... They're probably on their way now."

Yukina lowered her eyelashes, dodged Efnir's fingers, and buried her face in her arms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't have the courage to hide my sister's situation from them..."

Yukina's voice was muffled; she knew what Efnir was worried about, and she continued:

"It was Siyejian who first brought this up... They know who Uncle and Aunt are, but they said they would keep it a secret for us."

"Shinomiyami Nami...?"

"Hmm... that's what she said..."

Efnir's fingertips brushed through Yukina's hair.

Touching Yukina puts Efnir at ease. Looking at Yukina with her face buried in her hands, Efnir's lips moved slightly, and then she took a soft breath.

Shinomiyami Nami... or rather, Masaki Hina.

Shinomiyami Nami was merely a mouthpiece for Masaki Hina. While she was undoubtedly a capable and excellent operative, somewhat eccentric, and also a gentle and meticulous woman, Shinomiyami Nami could never possibly have had the authority or means to discover her parents' identities.

But Masaki Hina is different.

Masaki Hina is not only the highest commander of the Orderkeepers Organization of the Xijing City, but before coming to Xijing City, she was first and foremost an excellent officer and soldier, and held a certain position in that so-called Central Province. She has many methods, and although she often clashes with Fushihara Ayaka, there is no doubt that the entire Xijing City is actually under her jurisdiction.

Efnir guessed that Masaki Hina must have known about this the moment her parents arrived in Xijing City. But just as she knew about Efnir and Yukina, if this hadn't happened, Masaki Hina probably wouldn't have said anything to Efnir until her parents left Xijing City.

It has to be said that Efnir felt something was off about Masaki Hina, and it even aroused suspicion in some people.

But rather than doubting her, Efnir was more inclined to believe her.

The timely arrival of Ayse, Elincia, and the soldiers was actually an order given by Masaki Hina. Without them, although Efnir could have broken through on her own, she would undoubtedly have paid a much heavier price.

Efnir can understand Masaki Hina's position as the commander of the Orderkeepers Organization.

However, Efnir also had her own stance. As far as Efnir was concerned, as long as Masaki Hina did not intend to harm her parents and Yukina, she would not pursue the matter further.

This is Efnir's only bottom line.

As long as this point is not touched, they will remain friends and comrades-in-arms.

125. An Unforgettable Dream

When the Yanase couple arrived at the ward, Yukina was already asleep next to Efnir.

"Naoto..."

With some difficulty, Efnir raised her left hand to her lips, glanced at Yukina, and gestured, "Yukina is asleep."

Looking at her two daughters, Kaoru Yanase wiped away her tears and gently walked over to hug Efnir.

"I'm sorry to have worried you..."

Efnir said apologetically in a low voice.

"It's good that you're back..."

Kaoru Yanase stiffly clung to Efnir's neck, her expression a mixture of crying and laughing.

She raised her head, gently stroking Efnir's cheek with her palm. Her gaze swept over the gauze on Efnir's face and shoulders, landing on Efnir's bare neck, her eyes flickering slightly.

Efnir suddenly smiled.

"The pendant is inside; I'm wearing it."

"You..."

Kaoru Yanase smiled irritably, slowly stood up, wiped away the overwhelming sadness, leaving only a faint sense of relief and the joy of surviving a disaster.

"How wonderful it would be if I could stop worrying my parents so much..."

Yukina was already asleep. Efnir and her parents were talking very softly, mostly her mother talking, her father echoing, and Efnir listening.

She didn't have much energy to respond, and Kaoru Yanase wouldn't let her say much either.

Not long after, Kaoru Yanase sighed.

"You should get some rest... Mom won't bother you here."

As she spoke, she stood up.

"No, that's not true. I quite enjoy chatting with you, Mom and Dad..."

You need to rest more now.

Without a doubt, Kaoru Yanase swallowed back Efnir's words.

Indeed, after a series of battles and such severe injuries, Efnir was already mentally exhausted. Even though her whole body was still in great pain, Efnir was already feeling very sleepy.

"Your dad and I are outside. Call us if you need anything."

"It's alright, Mom. You should go back and rest. Don't overwork yourself."

"Alright, alright, stop worrying about our affairs and focus on taking care of yourself."

Efnir stuck out her tongue and fell silent.

Kaoru Yanase glanced at Efnir, then looked at Yukina, who was sleeping soundly beside Efnir. She took off the coat she had hastily put on when she left and gently covered Yukina's back. Then, she dragged Takuma Yanase, whose expression was complicated, out of the ward.

Efnir breathed a sigh of relief.

The ward fell silent again, and fatigue washed over her. But just before sleepiness overwhelmed her, excruciating pain struck again, yanking Efnir back to reality.

It would be a lie to say nothing's wrong.

There were no fatal wounds, but several deep enough to expose the bone, and countless other minor injuries. As the anesthesia wore off, Efnir felt as if her entire body was being torn apart by excruciating pain.

She turned her head and gently raised her hand to stroke Yukina's hair.

Because of what happened in bed with her, Yukina didn't get a good rest last night, and today she's been in a state of high tension for seven or eight hours straight. You can imagine how exhausted Yukina is.

Moreover, for agents going into battle for the first time, their mental energy would inevitably be greatly depleted, which is why Efnir did not allow Yukina to join the subsequent battles.

For Efnir, it was already quite incredible that Yukina had managed to stay awake until now.

"..."

After the Yanase couple left, only a dim light remained in the ward.

Efnir gazed quietly at Yukina, who was lying on the edge of the bed.

The excruciating pain kept Efnir awake. At times like these, Efnir hated the darkness. Although she didn't want to admit it, at these moments, Efnir really wanted someone to be with her.

However, the Yanase couple had already left.

Shinomiyami Nami must have her own things to do, right?

For an adult, feeling afraid because of being in the dark might seem like a ridiculous display of weakness.

"..."

With a soft sigh, Efnir slowly raised her left hand, gently curling Yukina's hair, her gaze softly falling on Yukina's quiet profile.

The sound of Yukina's peaceful breathing drifted through the air, gently caressing Efnir's fingertips.

Efnir suddenly felt a pang of longing for the scent of Yukina.

A faint, delicate fragrance, like the budding of a summer toon tree, unique to Yukina.

And that soft, sticky, and moist texture.