ROSES HAVE THORNS-Chapter 79 - Desperate Plea

The air around Emelie was thick with the metallic tang of blood and the dewy cold scent of mist and fog. Kurt’s head laid across her lap as she tried healing the area in which he got stabbed, and although the wound on his stomach had already closed, the bleeding did not.

Blood kept pouring out of his mouth as his head lolled to the side, but more horrifically, it began to leak out from beneath his eyepatch.

"W-What’s happening to him!? Shit, Kurt! What’s going on with you?! Why aren’t you healing!?"

Emelie’s hands were trembling as she slowly and steadily removed his eyepatch to try and heal him straight from the source. When she finally took it off, the sight revealed to her sent a cold shiver down her spine. A gruesomely old ’X’ shape scar was covering the entire space around his right eye. And even though his eyelid was closed, it looked oddly hollow from her perspective.

"F-Focus Emelie..." She whispered to herself. "This is nothing compared to what you’ve been through."

She then used her thumb and index finger to open up his eyelid. Once she did, the unusual hollowness of his eye all made sense. Because there was no eye.

’Who could’ve done this to you... No. That doesn’t matter right now. Ask questions later.’

"Don’t worry, Kurt. I’ll get you all fixed up and it’ll be like none of this happened." She stuck her finger ever so slightly into his eye socket and began to heal him from the inside.

"Yes! I did it, Kurt!" This method seemed to have worked since the bleeding stopped. However, "Now you just need to wake– Huh?"

Kurt’s whole body had begun to ooze out blood.

"....Nonononononono!" Emelie ripped off his shirt and saw that every single scar riddled across his body looked like it had been reopened.

"F-Fuck, Kurt! Why is this happening! You were fine just a second ago!" She pressed both of her palms onto him and began healing. But no matter what she did, nothing was working.

"Wake up you fucker! Stop it! Just stop it! *Sob* Stop bleeding already! This stupid fucking poison! Kurt! *Sniff* P-Please stop bleeding! *Sob* I’m sorry I was too late! *Sob* P-Please wake up!"

"Emelie?" A familiar voice called from behind her

*Gasp* "P-Principaaal *sob* He’s *sniff* he’s not h-healing! I-I don’t have the *sob* antidote!"

"Who’s not healing?! What happened?! I’ve never seen you like this!"

"He’s... He’s–" Emelie tried turning Kurt towards Diana, but she quickly ran around to her front instead.

Thud!

"R-Ro.. sie?" She reached out and pulled him on her own lap.

"P-Principal! You need to take him to the Saintess! He’s been poisoned by the cult and they’re the only one who can cure him!"

"Hey, Rosie..." Diana didn’t scream. The sound was trapped in her throat like a jagged thing that tasted like salt and grief. Instead, she leaned over him, her hair falling like a veil to shield him from the coldness in the air.

"Prin..ci..pal?"

"Hey, Rosie. You can’t sleep here... Is your mana all out of whack again? No? Then why aren’t you getting up? Haha, don’t tell me this little blood is what’s keeping you down? No? Then tell me, why aren’t you waking up? Hey, stand up. We still haven’t gone on our date yet."

Her thoughts weren’t a linear narrative; they were in a frantic loop of denial. She found herself mesmerising the shape of his eyelashes and the way his jawline remains set even in unconsciousness, terrified that these are the last images she will ever have of him.

"Principal, you should take him to–"

A single tear hit his right cheek, trailing through a smear of blood. She shook him a little. A silent plea for him to be the same possessive and loving person he was the last time she saw him. But, with his lack of reaction and the weight of him feeling heavier than he ever was, is the moment her composure finally shatters.

Drip... Drip

"Ro..sieee *sob* No... No! Not like this! There’s still so much we haven’t done yet! *sob* Please, don’t die–!"

"PRINCIPAL VALNETINE!"

SLAP!

Diana’s head cocked to the side as Emelie slapped some sense into her.

"He’s not dead! But he will die if you keep stalling and spewing all that shit! Despite how he looks, he’s still breathing! Now please hurry up and take him to the church! That’s where the Saintess is meeting with the king."

".... Y-You’re right." Diana looked at Kurt and saw that his chest was slightly moving. "I’m sorry for losing my composure like that, Emelie. Makes me wonder who the real adult is."

"It’s fine. I lost my composure too. Just. Please get going. My mana’s spent so I couldn’t take him away even if I wanted to... We both know Kurt’s a tough cookie, but you can never be too careful."

Diana nodded and lifted Kurt up from under his arms. "Stay here with Kiana. I’ll be back to get you both after I get the help of the Saintess."

"Okay..." Emelie slowly got up and made her way to the princess.

"Thank you, Emelie..." Diana closed her eyes to envision the church and teleported away.

Shortly after, Emelie sat next to the unconscious Kiana and put her head in her knees as she thought back on what happened.

’That magic. Why is he acting up so early? He would always try to distance himself from the cult. Even when I joined them in the past he’d never go along with what they’re doing unless it was orders from the upper echelons. Gary, what spurred you to do this? And what the hell are you planning?’

.

..

...

"And? What are the results, Saintess?"

"The results are... they’re perfectly normal. Not a trace of malice nor any suspicious markings. Just your regular ’ol priests hehe." The Saintess let down her hands of purifying light magic which were scanning the priests that the king ordered to line up.

"... T-Thank you for proving our innocence."

"... We’re not worthy to be in your presence. I was so afraid."

"... Thank the Goddess Bula. For she has blessed us with your ever-loving light."

"Ahaha! You’re all exaggerating. Old Maxy here wouldn’t hurt innocent priests. That’s why he called me! So that I can double check and give you all the clear." The Saintess raised her nose up in pride and thumped her flat chest.

"Oh, praise be Saintess Christy!"

"I feel so enlightened by your grace!"

"Your holy magic has only strengthened my beliefs!"

"As it should! Ooohohoho~!"

King Maxwell watched with a bored expression on how all the priests practically groveled on the ground and were singing the Saintess praises.

"Haaaa. You may all leave and continue your services." He turned around and waved a hand at his royal guards, gesturing to them to follow him.

"Now hold on, Maxy! Aren’t you going to apologise to these poor priests who took their time out to see you?"

"No."

"Oof. Uptight as usual. Tsk tsk, Maxy."

SHWOOSH

"Saintess! Is Saintess Christy here?!" Diana appeared at the front door of the church with Kurt in her arms.

"Oh, what’s this? Someone looking for me?" Christy jumped out from the church’s playground where they were all standing and peeked around the corner to look towards the church.

"Why, if it isn’t the queen of the single lady’s society–" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Christy! Please come over here quickly! I need your help!"

"Hmm? What’s wrong?" She curiously ran to Diana and stopped when she saw what the problem was. "Oh my..."

"Hurry, Christy! I need you to heal him or else he won’t last much longer."

"Heal? Now Diana, you do know that there’s a hefty price you have to pay when it comes to using the powers of a Saintess’s abilities. Just now, even Maxy had to–"

"Please," She choked out. Diana looked down at Kurt and did not raise her head again, afraid that if she were to break eye contact with him, the last of his pulse would vanish without her knowing.

"You have the light... And is the closest thing that represents Goddess Bula. If there is any mercy in those powers of yours, then please heal him. Take whatever price you want from me, just don’t let him go cold."

Christy felt an unfamiliar jolt run through her. Never has she seen Diana begged for someone’s help like this. Especially considering the fact it was for a man.

’Hehehe. How interesting~’

"Priests!" She snapped her fingers. "Take this man inside the church and lay him up front. It is time to work a miracle!"

"""Yes, Saintess Christy!!!""" They all shouted and carefully picked up Kurt to carry him inside.

"T-Thank you, Christy..." Diana beamed at her with relief.

"Don’t thank me just yet. Also, I expect to hear the full story of what happened to him and of who he is. You really surprised me there."

"There’s actually two more I need to bring back. Hang on. I’ll be back in a second."

"Huh–!?"

SHWOOSH

"T-Two more men?" Christy stood at the door with her mouth wide open from shock.