the one who remembers

"How did you manage to endure that?", Cale asked in a horrified and concerned voice as Mamoru sat shirtless on his small footstool, not uttering a sound. "That's... terrible. The burn goes down to your lumbar vertebrae and covers half your back, your entire arm, almost your entire neck, and obviously part of your face and left chest. It looks like you've bathed in fire."

Cale gently ran the water over his entire burn, cleaning the wound of fabric, dust, and light dirt, which was probably more like completely burned skin. Mamoru head, on the other hand, was a serious problem. While Cale cooled that part, he stood in front of Mamoru and held his head with one hand so that Mamoru wouldn't move while he examined the wound.

"Your head has been hit the worst. Honestly, you can forget about hair growing back. You will most likely be left with a scar if you don't find a talented healer", Cale continued his soliloquy while Mamoru endured the procedure. "This might hurt a little, Mamoru. I'll try to be careful, okay?"

"How well do you know magic, Zod?"

"I know the basics", he replied to the question without looking away. However, when he noticed Mamoru tensing his body, he looked down at his face. He had closed his eyes as if preparing himself to suffer torment. "Mamoru?"

"The man also said he knew the basics."

"The man?"

"The idiot who wanted to help save a burning house by suppressing the flames", Mamoru explained, which is why Cale let go of him and knelt in front of him. Mamoru seemed to have noticed the movement because he opened his eyes again and looked down at Cale.

"He couldn't suppress it, could he?"

"No, he couldn't. He diverted it and hit me full force."

"I'm sorry to say this, but suppressing fire is not one of the basics of magic. At the Magistrat, you only learn that after four years because it requires good mana control. Whoever wanted to help you probably wasn't even a real magician if he didn't know that."

"I wish someone had told me that earlier", Mamoru interjected and sighed. "The fire was big, but we probably could have managed without his help."

"At least now you know... for the future", Cale explained with a gentle smile, even though he could guess exactly how Mamoru was feeling. "I have to correct what I said earlier. I don't just know the basics. So no need to be afraid."

"I thought your sword technique was based on the fundamental principle of air?"

"One doesn't exclude the other", Cale explained half-hearted, standing up again, placing his hand on Mamoru's shoulder and looking down at his head. "It's going to be a little uncomfortable, but it'll be over faster than you think."

"I trusted you more than I trusted the man yesterday."

"Well, I certainly hope so, otherwise I'll take it as an insult", Cale lightened the mood, causing Mamoru to clear his throat amusedly.

At that moment, he began to use his magic to clean the scalp, which had some deep burns. Mamoru reflexively grabbed Cale's arm, which was still resting on his shoulder, and clutched it tightly as the pain intensified. Cale skillfully removed the impurities from the burn, collecting dozens of loose hairs in the process. The whole procedure took a good minute, and when Cale was finished and cooled his head and the affected area with water, he noticed that Mamoru had been holding his breath from the tension.

"You can relax now, the worst is over."

On command, Mamoru took several deep breaths in and out before daring to open his eyes again. Only then did he realize how tightly he had been gripping Cale's arm and let go with a jerk. A red mark was visible, indicating that Mamoru had been squeezing quite hard.

"I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry. Was it that bad?"

"It was bearable", Mamoru confessed, raising his arm and touching the cold water surrounding his left arm with interest. "It's surprisingly pleasant to feel water on my skin."

"You're lucky the burn isn't more severe. Even though the fire caught you fully, you were rather lucky. It would be best if we didn't bandage the wound at all so that it can heal normally. If blisters or anything like that forms, don't touch them under any circumstances. You could get an infection through your wounds, which would only make things worse."

Stolen novel; please report.

"Got it", Mamoru confirmed, with obvious relief in his voice. His gaze shifted from Cale to his arm and back again, but he couldn't bring himself to say what he wanted to say.

"Would you like to stay for a while and enjoy the free cooling?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all", Cale replied politely, taking a step back, picking up the bowl with the dirty water, and going to his kitchen. Mamoru, on the other hand, remained seated silently on the small stool, enjoying the time when his wound wasn't hurting.

"Would you like something to drink or eat?"

"I'm perfectly satisfied", Mamoru replied in a relaxed voice.

"Don't fall asleep there, okay?"

"I'll try", Mamoru replied with a laugh as Cale emptied and cleaned the bowl.

Just as he poured himself a glass of water, Fengari appeared within his radius. Accordingly, he walked over to the door, which the little girl unlocked and entered.

"I'm home!", Fengari called out loudly before her gaze fell on Mamoru and she stopped in surprise.

<"By the gods, what happened with him?"> she asked, almost disparagingly, as she stared at the man, who raised his right hand and hid his face.

"I must have scared you, I'm sorry, Ahri", Mamoru said quietly as she dropped her bag on the floor and entered the living area with her shoes still on.

<"An inexperienced mage supposedly set him on fire... unintentionally.">

<"That doesn't exactly look accidental.">

<"I didn't ask any further questions, but that's what I thought too. I'd appreciate it if you could just ignore it.">

"Does it hurt?", Fengari asked a moment later in her lovely voice before stopping in front of Mamoru and looking at him with wide eyes. He, on the other hand, looked down at her somewhat confused before lowering his hand.

"Not as bad as it was at first", Mamoru admitted with a smile on his face. "Aren't you afraid at all? I'm sure I look like a monster."

"I've seen monsters, and you're definitely not one. You're Sir Meyrl and nothing else. Although... I can't say how other children would react."

"I guess I'll just have to accept that", Mamoru said with relief, stroking Fengari's head with his good hand and smiling contentedly.

"It will heal, and even if there are scars, they won't be that bad. Only your hair...", Cale repeated, sitting down next to him on the couch.

"I like Sir Meyrl even if he has no hair."

"Well, I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that", Cale interjected, watching as the man began to laugh.

"At least one girl that still likes me", Mamoru replied amusedly.

"Ahri, please take off your shoes", Cale instructed the dragon, so she apologized, hurried to the door, and took off her shoes there.

With her bag in her hand, she went back to Mamoru and stood expectantly in front of the man, like a cat waiting to be petted. Mamoru understood her intentions and actually did so, while Cale watched the two with interest. This reminded him of the story about Sir Freigoud, so he put the glass on his lap and looked at Fengari.

"Ahri, we have a small change of plans starting tomorrow."

"We do?"

"Sir Freigoud's son and his soldiers will pick you up tomorrow and take you to school."

"Why?"

"One of your classmates is missing."

"Has he been kidnapped as well?"

"That's what they assume, yes. Please wait for the soldiers my dear, okay?"

"I will", she exclaimed happily, grabbed her bag with both hands, and ran back toward the hallway. "I'll be upstairs doing my chores."

"All right, don't tell anyone, okay?" Cale called after her.

"Of course!", her voice could still be heard before she disappeared into her room. Cale, on the other hand, reached for his drink again, while Mamoru turned to him in surprise.

"You told her?"

"That the children are disappearing? Yes."

"Why? Won't that scare her unnecessarily?"

"Did Ahri seem scared to you?", Cale asked, raising an eyebrow, while Mamoru just gave him a disapproving look.

"You don't seem to be worried about your daughter at all, Zod."

"Believe me when I tell you that Ahri isn't stupid. She doesn't just run after strangers, and she would certainly fight back if someone tried to take her away by force. That's why I told her, so she would understand what was going on."

"Aren't you placing a little too much trust in your daughter?"

"Have I ever lied to you?", Cale challenged.

"Not that I know of."

"Then believe me when I tell you that kidnappers would be in real trouble if they even touched Ahri."

"You show your concern in a really strange way."

"You just haven't known me long enough", Cale replied, leaning back with a satisfied grin on his face. He scanned Mamoru's injuries with his eyes as he took a sip of water. "What are your plans for now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you can't hide such a big injury, especially not from the people who see you every day. If I noticed it, others will too, soon enough."

"I can survive the few days it takes for the surface to heal."

"Until the trapped fibers and other particles become inflamed", Cale commented, slowly withdrawing the water. Mamoru watched silently as Cale made the water disappear completely and then used his wind magic to create a light breeze that cooled the area without further softening the skin.

"Future Mamoru can worry about that."

"But the here-and-now Ca... Zod is already worried", Cale interjected snidely, coughing loudly when he almost reflexively said his real name. He took a big gulp to cover up his mistake, but Mamoru didn't even seem to notice. "If you don't want to see a doctor and don't want to take a few days off work, then at least come by my place in the evening."

"I should come by your place? Why?"

"Well, guess, Mr. Ignore-My-Health-and-Worry-Others? So I can keep an eye on your wound. Do you want to lose your arm?"

"I really feel like I'm with my mother."

"Maybe I should tell her what her son is doing. Mamoru, you're a grown man, and by the gods, you're anything but stupid."

"How kind of you."

Cale sighed loudly when Mamoru once again failed to respond to the hint. He couldn't understand what was going through Mamoru's mind. Was the situation really bigger than he wanted to admit?

"Just drop by, okay?"

"All right. I promise I'll come by every day."

"Good boy, that's what I wanted to hear."