Chapter 231: Chapter 231- Fate

Inside the small infirmary room, the air was quiet, only the faint hum of the sterilizer and the steady tick of the wall clock broke the silence.

Beatrix crossed her arms, watching as Julian slumped heavily onto the bed. He looked utterly spent — his shirt torn, his hair messy, a faint cut still on his cheek.

"You really are a handful," she said flatly, closing the door behind her. "Dragging me in front of all those girls, what were you thinking?"

Julian leaned back, exhaling. "That I’d rather get scolded by you than buried under their noise."

Beatrix’s lips twitched. "Flattery won’t save you, boy." She grabbed a medical kit from the counter and began tending to his wounds, movements precise and practiced.

Julian watched her quietly for a moment. "You’re surprisingly gentle for someone who always looks annoyed."

"Don’t mistake efficiency for affection," Beatrix replied, dabbing a cotton pad on his arm, a bit harder than necessary. Julian winced.

"Ow— definitely not affection," he muttered.

Beatrix arched an eyebrow. "You deserved worse for pushing yourself like that. Using three skills at once? What were you trying to do, kill yourself?"

Julian looked at the ceiling, tone even. "At the time... that didn’t sound so bad."

Beatrix paused, her hand hovering midair. The joking tone drained from the room for a moment. She stared at him, eyes narrowing slightly. "Don’t say that."

Beatrix crossed her arms as she sat beside the bed, her sharp gaze never leaving Julian. "Don’t forget," she began coolly, "you also have a contract with me."

Julian looked at her for a moment, then his eyes shifted deliberately, slowly to beneath her collarbone. A small, knowing smile appeared on his face. "Relax," he said calmly, his voice low and composed. "I haven’t forgotten."

Beatrix’s eyes narrowed, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks though her tone remained strict. "You’d better not. If you ever do forget... I’ll drag you to stay by my side forever."

Julian let out a short breath that almost sounded like a chuckle. "I keep my word," he replied simply, meeting her eyes with quiet certainty.

A brief silence hung between them before Julian spoke again. "Before returning to the faction, I’ll take care of something first. Will that be all right?"

Beatrix tilted her head slightly. "How long?"

"About a week," he answered.

"That’s fine," she said after a pause, then added matter-of-factly, "I’ll be coming with you."

Julian blinked, staring at her with mild disbelief. "Why? You don’t trust me?"

Beatrix leaned closer, her tone serious but teasing at the edge. "Because if I don’t, you’ll just run off."

Julian sighed, rubbing his temple. "I won’t," he muttered, but her unflinching gaze told him there was no point arguing. "Fine. Suit yourself."

She gave a small, satisfied smirk, knowing she’d won.

Julian adjusted his shirt and looked at her carefully. "Thank you," he said quietly, sincerity in his voice. "For treating Celestia’s poison."

Beatrix looked away, folding her arms again. "I only did it because I didn’t want you moping around," she said flatly. Then, softer almost imperceptibly she added, "If you lose your drive, it’ll be annoying for me too."

Julian gave her a faint smile, recognizing the care behind her words. "Is that your way of saying you were worried?"

Beatrix turned her head sharply, her tone clipped. "Don’t push your luck, Julian."

Julian leaned back slightly, his tone calm but thoughtful. "That poison potion you made turned out to be useful against Leo," he said, glancing at Beatrix. "Without it, things might’ve gotten worse."

Beatrix smirked faintly, brushing her hair back. "Of course it was," she replied, her voice edged with pride. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to make that thing? You asked for a potion that could heal while also containing a toxin strong enough to paralyze a skill user. Balancing the formula without it killing the user was a nightmare."

Julian chuckled softly. "Well, your hard work paid off even if Leo managed to fight through the poison in the end."

Beatrix shrugged, though a spark of satisfaction flickered in her eyes. "That monster’s resistance was beyond natural. Still, I’d say it did its job."

After a short silence, Julian’s tone shifted, becoming more serious. "Beatrix... does your faction have any kind of device or method that allows someone to absorb a zombie core without suffering the side effects?"

That made her pause. Beatrix furrowed her brows slightly, her arms crossing as she considered the question. "Absorbing a core... directly?" she repeated. "I’ve heard of people trying. None of them ended well. As far as I know, there’s no tool or system that can prevent the backlash completely."

Julian’s expression tightened. "So it’s impossible to do it safely?"

Beatrix shook her head. "Not impossible, maybe but unnatural. The energy inside a core isn’t meant for a human body. No one can absorb that kind of power without consequences." She leaned forward slightly, her tone firm but almost teaching. "There’s no instant power without a price, Julian. Remember that."

Her words lingered in the air, heavy and sobering. Julian fell silent for a moment, then gave a slow nod.

Beatrix continued cleaning and bandaging the last of Julian’s wounds, her movements precise but unusually gentle.

His breathing began to steady, eyelids growing heavier with each passing second.

Before long, Julian’s eyes fluttered shut. His head tilted slightly to the side, his expression finally soft, free from the exhaustion and weight he’d been carrying since the battle.

Beatrix let out a quiet sigh, setting aside the bloodied gauze. "Finally," she murmured under her breath.

She adjusted the blanket over him, brushing a few strands of hair from his forehead.

Her voice softened as she sat at the edge of the bed, looking at his resting face. For a long moment, she didn’t say anything, just watched the quiet rise and fall of his chest.

"I never thought I’d end up relying on you,"

She chuckled faintly under her breath. "Fate really does enjoy its little ironies, doesn’t it?"

Her gaze lingered, the tone of her next words carrying a quiet determination. "Rest well, Julian. I’ll need your strength again soon... more than you realize."