My Unique Adaptation Skill in Another world-Chapter 35 - 34: Reunion

The medical tent smelled like blood and healing herbs.

Leo sat on a cot while a healer examined his shoulder, which bruised badly where debris had struck him in the tunnel.

"You’re lucky," the healer said, wrapping it with practiced efficiency. "Seen worse tonight. Much worse."

Leo nodded, not knowing what to say to that.

Across the tent, maybe ten feet away, the elf rested on another cot, a different healer worked on her, checking for injuries, giving her water.

She looked exhausted, the wounded students they’d carried were being treated more intensively, deeper in the tent, serious injuries that required focus, without the elf’s healing which kept them alive, they’d be long dead, but they’d live, all four of them, because of her.

The healer finished with Leo’s shoulder, moved on to the next patient, a young imperial soldier approached with a clipboard.

"Name?"

"Leo Arkin."

The soldier wrote it down. "Where were you during the attack?"

"Inside the Grand Arena, manage to escaped through the maintenance tunnels."

There was no point in hiding it now that they’d settle down

"Alone?"

"No, with her." Leo gestured toward the elf. "And... others. We had wounded students."

The soldier made notes. "Any serious injuries?"

"Not me, mostly just exhausted mostly."

"Good, stay here until you’re cleared to leave. If you need anything, ask." The soldier moved to the next person.

Ymmh

Leo watched him go, then looked back at the elf, she was sitting up now, the healer had finished with her.

She caught Leo looking, gave a small tired smile, he stood, and walked over to her cot.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Drained." She laughed softly. "Completely empty, but alive."

"You saved those students, all four of them wouldn’t have made it without you, you should be proud."

"We saved them." She met his eyes. "You carried them, i just kept them breathing."

Leo sat on the edge of her cot. The tent was busy, healers moving between patients, soldiers coordinating, the organized chaos of emergency response, but here, in this small space, it felt almost quiet.

"I guess now that we’ve survived a life and death situatiom together" he said. "Can I get your name?."

She looked at him for a moment, still exhausted, covered in dust and blood, but she smiled.

"Aria," she said. "Aria Lightweaver."

Leo nodded, committing it to memory. "Beautiful name."

"Thank you, and also thank you for everything you did back there and saving me"

"You’re welcome."

She glanced toward the tent entrance. "Your delegation must be looking for you."

"Probably." He hesitated, wanting to say more, but didn’t know what.

"Go," she said gently. "They’ll be worried."

He stood. "What about you?"

"I’ll rest here a bit longer, then find my way back to the academy or find where the academy survivors are." She waved vaguely. "I’ll be fine."

Leo wanted to argue, but she was right, his people were out there somewhere, and she needed rest.

"Stay safe, Aria."

"You too, Leo."

He turned to leave,then the tent flap opened, and Iori walked in.

Leo’s breath caught, relief flooded through him so suddenly his legs felt weak. She was covered in blood, but not hers, dark stains across her clothes, her hands, her white hair was disheveled, she looked like she’d walked through a battlefield.

She had.

Her eyes scanned the tent with practiced efficiency, and found him. Something in her expression shifted, just barely, relief, maybe, or satisfaction that he was alive and whole.

She crossed the space toward him.

"You’re alive." She looked him over, checking for serious injuries. "Good."

Leo opened his mouth to respond, but Aria made a sound, small, almost like a squeal.

Leo turned, she’d gone rigid, staring at Iori with wide eyes like she’d seen a goddess, color flooding her pale cheeks.

"I—" Aria tried to sit up straighter, winced, and gave up. "You’re—"

Iori’s attention shifted to her, looking and waiting.

Aria looked like she was trying very hard not to stare, and failing completely.

Leo blinked hard, he’d never seen her act like this, where was the confident, mysterious woman from the library?

"Your name?" Iori asked.

"Aria Lightweaver ma’am!" The words came out fast, immediate, then Aria looked mortified she’d said it so quickly.

Leo’s confusion deepened, it had taken him actual conversation and a life and death situation to get her name. Now she just volunteered it? To someone she’d never met?

But Iori’s expression shifted, recognition, a brief surprise, then to something warmer.

"Lightweaver." She said it like confirmation, her gaze swept over Aria again, reassessing. "High Elf royalty."

Aria couldn’t meet her eyes, just nodded, looking anywhere but at Iori.

Iori’s lips curved into a smile, genuine, and almost affectionate. The flustered elf princess, covered in dust and blood, unable to even look at her, it was endearing.

"Rest well, Princess Aria." Iori’s tone was warm.

Aria’s face went even redder, Iori turned to Leo. "The others are waiting outside, come."

Leo stood, still processing what had just happened. "I— yeah, okay."

He looked at Aria one more time. "Stay safe."

She nodded, still not quite recovered, Leo followed Iori toward the tent exit, questions already forming.

"What just happened?"

Outside, the night air was cool against Leo’s skin, the outer ring plaza was now organized, Imperial soldiers everywhere, medical tents, supply stations.

But here, just outside the medical tent, the Oni delegation had gathered, Akane sat on a supply crate, her arm bandaged heavily, a deep cut from shoulder to elbow, stitched and wrapped, she looked pale but was smiling when she saw Leo.

"Leo! You’re alive!" She started to stand, winced, and sat back down. "Thank the ancestors."

Yuki stood nearby, quiet, her clothes were torn, blood on her hands, not hers, probably. She nodded when she saw Leo, relief in her eyes.

Takeshi leaned against a pile of crates, arms crossed. He looked like the adrenaline hadn’t worn off yet, blade at his hip still bloody.

"You’re okay?" Leo asked Akane.

"I’ve had worse, you should see the other guy." She grinned despite the obvious pain. "Takes more than demon cultists to put me down."

Takeshi snorted. "You almost bled out."

"Almost." Akane’s looked slightly annoyed. "But I didn’t."

Yuki moved closer. "We were worried. When the attack started, you disappeared into the crowd. We didn’t know if—"

"I’m fine," Leo said. "I found some wounded students, had to get them out."

Iori was watching him. "The elf."

"Yeah." Leo met her eyes. "She was healing them, we escaped through the tunnels together."

"Wait." Akane looked around, wincing as the movement pulled her injury. "Where’s Daichi?"

Everyone went still.

"He... he left," Leo said. "When we were being processed, one moment he was there, next he wasn’t."

Iori’s expression hardened, not shock, just seemed like she’d confirmed something.

"Of course he did." Her jaw clenched. "I’ve had my suspicions about Fourth House for weeks now."

She shook her head. "They’ve been sneaking around, especially since we arrived at the capital, I should have acted sooner."

Takeshi spat to the side. "Fourth House finally showing their true colors, should’ve known he was involved."

His hand went to his weapon instinctively.

"But he helped us!" Akane looked confused, and hurt. "He saved—"

"Did he?" Takeshi’s voice was cold. "Or did he just play his part until it was convenient to run?"

Yuki was quieter, more measured. "If he fled... does that mean he was part of the conspiracy?"

She looked at Iori’s cold expression waiting for an answer. "The empire is already aware, and the fourth House is being dealt with."

Her tone left no room for argument. "We focus on our people, the rest is handled."

Leo watched her face, the controlled anger. If she had been suspicious of him then why did she send Daichi with him, specifically saying

"Go with Leo. Keep him alive." Or did she just think at that moment out of worry, that it was the best thing to do to keep him alive?

Leo filed the thought away, too exhausted to think, not that it mattered to him anyway.

Iori looked at each of them. "You’re all alive, that’s what matters."

An imperial soldier approached, Older, and of higher rank.

"Lady Iori, we have carriages ready to escort your delegation back to your estate."

Iori nodded. "Thank you."

She turned to her people. "Let’s go, we’ve done enough for one night."

They moved as a group, akane needed help standing, Yuki supported her. Takeshi walked with that wired energy, like he was still ready to fight. Leo just felt... hollow.

The carriages waited at the plaza’s edge, imperial escort, and armed First House guards.

Leo climbed in after Iori, the others took a second carriage, and finally they were moving away from the arena.

Leo leaned back against the seat, letting his eyes close.

"You did well," Iori said quietly.

He opened his eyes, she was watching him.

"I survived," he said.

"You saved wounded students, and made it out alive." Her expression softened slightly. "Be proud of yourself."

The carriage rolled through the capital’s streets, and for the first time in hours, Leo let himself breathe, and breathe deeply.