Sharati was left alone with Matapju in a narrow reception room.

It was excessive kindness from the village chief.

Facing Matapju and sitting down, Sharati awkwardly and uncomfortably held a glass of warm milk in both hands, quickly taking a sip.

Gulp.

“…….”

On the other hand, Matapju, using magic, leisurely enjoyed her tea, even creating a teacup.

Sharati, who had her legs crossed and was sipping her tea, couldn’t lift her gaze or find the words in the awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere.

‘Repayment.’

The reason Matapju, a mere unnamed doctor, sat in front of Sharati.

[Come to think of it, wouldn’t I be the one who benefited the most? Shouldn’t I be the one to offer the greatest repayment?]

The village chief hesitated, and Karun and Butopju looked at Matapju, who willingly offered to repay, with curiosity.

While Sharati conveyed to others that she had received an oath, Matapju simply didn’t seem to get it.

‘What is she thinking?’

It was a time when Sharati’s head was getting complicated with a completely different atmosphere from yesterday when she came to find Ren.

With a clinking sound, Matapju, who was sipping her tea with her legs crossed, suddenly looked at Sharati.

“Matapju volunteered to repay, but her reaction is like she’s being threatened.”

“…….”

In Sharati’s most natural way, she lifted her head and took a sip of milk at Matapju’s nonchalant tone.

The warm milk aroma eased her mind.

Sharati, who tried to calm her mind as gracefully as possible, cautiously raised her gaze.

‘Is it too close?’

Just in case, she pulled the hood slightly forward and leaned her upper body as far back as possible.

Fortunately, Matapju didn’t seem to care about the guarded Sharati.

Sharati wrote a note and handed it, but Matapju ignored it altogether.

“I’ve heard various things about Doctor Matapju.”

“……!”

It was a meaningful statement.

Sharati clenched her robe, feeling her chest sink.

“Can’t you say something?”

“…….”

“If you don’t want to speak, isn’t it polite to at least meet my eyes?”

As if suggesting something, Matapju flicked her finger several times. It looked like a threat to remove the hood with magic. Matapju’s conversational etiquette wasn’t very good either.

Sharati, swallowing back a sigh of frustration, cautiously looked up at Matapju.

“I will politely decline the repayment.”

“The doctor’s neck, or the slave’s head. If you could fix one of them, who would you choose?”

“……What?”

Sharati, bewildered by the sudden given choices, mumbled in confusion.

Matapju leaned back, clenched her fist behind her.

“It means I’ll solve one of them as a repayment.”

“…….”

Sharati, reflexively shutting her mouth, swallowed dry saliva.

Her heart was pounding.

[You mentioned your neck was damaged in the fire, right? This is going to be difficult unless a wizard proficient in healing magic handles it. It also costs a lot of money.]

Five years ago, every doctor who diagnosed Sharati’s neck condition gave the same opinion.
There might have been a possibility of treating the scar, but everyone lowered their heads at her voice.

‘…But is it really possible?’

Matapju’s distinctive arrogant expression came from her confident skills.

“Can you really fix it?”

“I’m Matapju.”

Sharati bowed deeply.

‘She can fix it.’

You can fix it, Ren.

Feeling her heart about to burst, Sharati closed her eyes tightly.

Five years had passed since she cautiously spoke from under the blanket only when the thunder struck. And she recalled the turquoise eyes that looked at her when she opened her eyes in the cave.

[Can you handle it?]

She took a deep breath. She had to decide before Matapju became capricious.

Sharati slammed her fist on the table as she raised her head.

“It’s okay.”

“Huh?”

“It’s okay as it is.”

Contrary to her words, Sharati’s voice and fist were trembling.

In response to the unexpected answer, Matapju asked once again out of courtesy.

“Is that voice okay? Seriously? Or are you not choosing anything right now?”

“Yes.”

“…Alright. Well, since the doctor decides about the voice. But .”

Matapju looked at Sharati with a troubled expression, furrowing her eyebrows.

“You’re leaving that slave with memory loss as is?”

“He will say the same thing as I do. It’s okay as it is.”

If Matapju had given the option a little faster, Sharati would have undoubtedly chosen Ren’s treatment. However, Sharati had already heard Ren’s decision and confession after contemplating alone. Having reconsidered his words countless times, Sharati couldn’t make a decision that contradicted Ren’s will.

‘I can’t handle it.’

Above all, Sharati couldn’t bear the anxiety she would face after expressing her desire for Ren to regain his memories.

She didn’t want to push the unhappiness forward with her own hands.

“Even if the patient refuses treatment, isn’t it the doctor’s duty not to give up?”

Matapju teased Sharati’s attitude change, who had set out to save the residents of Sepia Village.