The door of the hospital room opened slowly, and a doctor with a clipboard in hand entered, smiling after seeing Kiernan awake finally.
"You've woken up. Good. We thought it was about time for you to come back to us."
"Uh, you've taken care of me, it seems. Thank you." Kiernan sat up on the bed and thanked the doctor.
"I hardly did anything," the doctor said. "You're lucky, young man. It seems like you have friends in the high places."
'Friends in the high places?' Kiernan frowned.
"Ahem…" Julian cleared his throat. "Your leg, Kiernan."
'My leg? Right, I lost it.'
Kiernan thought, but when he looked down, he saw his right leg attached to his body like it was supposed to. It was still bandaged around his thigh, but it felt perfectly normal.
He touched his knee, barely believing that he hadn't actually lost it.
"The detectives searched that place." Julian said. "They found your leg, but it was mangled beyond recognition."
"Luckily, those friends of yours brought you regeneration medicine. It is very expensive. With that medicine, it was easy for your leg to grow back. I believe your right leg is even stronger now."
Kiernan nodded absentmindedly and then touched his teeth. They were also perfect and straight, just like before the fight where his teeth shattered.
"If it ain't too much of a bother, but the detectives would like to speak with you briefly." The doctor said. "They've been a pain in the ass lately."
As the doctor left to inform the detectives, Julian sat on the bed and said.
"Whew. I am really glad you're okay."
"You smell." Kiernan said as he looked at him. "Your hair is again growing too long, and you haven't cut your beard. What's up?"
"Haha…" Julian touched his small budding beard. "I feel is my fault, y'know. You almost died because of me…"
Kiernan looked at him and saw the look of regret in his eyes.
"Moron." Kiernan kicked him in the head. "I can make my own choices. I am perfectly happy about what happened."
"Haha, I just think I shouldn't have left you behind." Julian said and stood up. "I might go take a shower. I feel so dirty."
Julian left the hospital room, but Kiernan saw the anger in his eyes. It was clear he was blaming himself for everything that happened.
After he left, the door soon again opened, and two trenchcoat-wearing figures entered the room. They looked like poster boys for a detective agency.
"Kiernan Hunter, we've come to ask you a few questions."
"Go ahead." Kiernan said. "It is four in the morning. Don't you guys sleep?"
"You clearly don't know Nightingale's custom. It's hard to have one proper sleeping rhythm here. It is common to be awake through the 'night' and sleep whenever. I will start asking questions now, alright?"
"You fought those kidnappers, correct?"
"You killed them, correct?"
The two detectives looked at each other. They didn't expect him to answer so suddenly and without thinking.
"What happened to the corpses?"
"What do you mean?" Kiernan asked. "Sorry, my memories are slightly hazy. I think I banged my head or something."
"That's understandable, but try to remember. We searched the entire cave system and found the room where those people did their twisted acts of Arghman's Ceremony."
'They know about the ceremony?'
"What about it?" Kiernan asked.
"We were able to find a few corpses, yes." The detective said. "But the amount of blood there suggested that there was more than a few. I mean, even half of the room was blown to bits. What happened there?"
Kiernan silently tried to dig into his memories. It was really hard to remember.
He remembered that he did the "Hunter Sovereignty" technique, which was the reason for his leg's broken state.
After that, he couldn't really remember much.
"I am sorry. These memories are so hazy."
The detective then brought out some pictures and placed them on the hospital bed.
"These are pictures from that place. Maybe they can remind you."
Kiernan looked at the pictures with a silent look.
The walls of the room were stained red. The corpses were all gone. The one half of the room was a crater as if something had exploded from the inside out.
'That's definitely the aftermath of Hunter Sovereignty technique.'
"I don't know, sorry. All I know is that we rescued Raquel, I stayed back to fight the kidnappers, killed them, and then I met that woman."
When he mentioned that woman, the detectives looked at each other with worrying looks.
"This is enough then. Thank you."
The detective picked up the pictures while the other detective left his calling card on the table.
"If you remember something, give us a call."
"Sure thing." Kiernan said and watched as they left the room.
When the detectives left, Julian returned to the doorway, following the detectives with his gaze. It didn't look like he had taken his shower yet.
"What did they want?" He asked. "Are they suggesting that you did something wrong?"
"I don't think so." Kiernan said. "They're just looking for all the answers."
"Good." Julian nodded.
"Can I get my phone back?" Kiernan asked.
Julian tossed it over to him, and Kiernan caught it with ease.
He then went to check the messages and looked at what Julian wrote to his father. Luckily, the conversations were brief.
His father was trying to make him come back because the school was starting in five days.
'Five days…' Kiernan put the phone down and said. "I think I am done here. I am going back home."
"Well, before that…" Julian smiled and patted him on the leg. "We have a party to go to!"
"Party?" Kiernan frowned. "I am not in a partying mood."
"It isn't just any party—a party in Abracadabra Castle. We've been invited!"
"We were?" Kiernan looked surprised. "Why?"
"Because we are heroes now!" Julian said with a grin. "We're the ones who stopped the kidnappers, rescued Raquel, and gave closure to the mourning families!"
"My mother might be there…" Kiernan sighed and tossed off the blanket. "Fine, when's the party?"
"Tonight, and we'll need to get proper suits." Julian said, and touched Kiernan's hair. "Your hair is also crazily long; you must cut that."
"Well, you smell like shit, so go take a shower, cut your hair, and beard." Kiernan said and patted him on the back. "I can't be seen hanging out with someone who looks like a homeless person. I have a reputation to keep."
"I am sorry, young master. I apologize." Julian bowed humbly. "Shall I lick your shoes to make sure that they're clean?"
"That would be nice, thank you."
"Haha!" Julian wrapped his arm around his neck. "Let's go shopping!"