Chapter 111

After the intense battle, Clair began her slow and arduous trek towards the exit, intent on reuniting with her familia.

However, she had severely underestimated the extent of the damage her body had sustained.

As she staggered forward, leaning heavily on her spear for support, the full impact of the fight suddenly hit her like a tidal wave.

A heavy sense of drowsiness came, her vision blurred even more, her muscles ached with searing pain, and the sharp sting of the claw wound to her side and various cuts and bruises that she hadn’t even been aware about became more pronounced.

‘No, I can’t fall here,’ Clair thought desperately, struggling to remain upright.

But her body was betraying her, her vision growing increasingly hazy, her legs trembling with the effort of holding her weight.

Just as she was about to collapse onto the hard ground, someone swiftly caught her, supporting her weakened frame.

At first, Clair thought it must be Draco, but upon taking a closer whiff, she realized the familiar scent belonged to someone else.

"It's okay, Clair. You've done enough. You can rest now, I am here to help." a soothing voice said, and Clair found herself being effortlessly swept off her feet and cradled in a warm, secure embrace.

"Michalis," she murmured, immediately recognizing the voice.

"Hmm," Michalis hummed in acknowledgment, slowly making his way towards the others who were waiting.

"W-What are you doing?" Clair asked, her cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and exhaustion.

"As you can see, I'm carrying you," Michalis replied, his tone calm and matter-of-fact.

"But does it have to be like this?" Clair questioned, feeling self-conscious about being carried in such an intimate manner, especially with the others present, including Draco.

"It was the quickest and most efficient way to get you to safety," Michalis explained.

"And besides, it's not that bad, is it?" he added, a hint of shyness creeping into his voice.

Clair couldn't help but admit, even if only to herself, that being cradled in Michalis's strong, protective embrace didn't feel entirely unpleasant.

If only it were Draco carrying her, she mused wistfully.

With a resigned sigh, Clair allowed herself to relax, adjusting her body to settle more comfortably in Michalis's arms.

'I wonder if Draco will get jealous seeing us like this,' she thought, a flicker of guilt passing through her mind.

Michalis, perceiving Clair's growing acceptance of the situation, took it as a positive sign, a glimmer of hope that perhaps their relationship was evolving beyond the boundaries of just family.

Meanwhile, Draco observed the scene unfold from afar, his brows furrowed due to an entirely different concern.

‘Ugh, that look painful’ Draco thought while inspecting Clair’s wounds from afar.

Like everyone else, her fight had brought her close to the jaws of death several times but somehow she made it through, but it didn’t make it any easier for him to watch it.

Draco's attention was soon diverted by the conversation unfolding between Nikolaos, Eleni, Dimitra, and Vasileios, who had also taken note of the unusual sight before them.

"Is what I'm seeing real, or is this some kind of illusion?" Vasileios asked, his gaze fixed on Michalis and Clair.

"Hmm, I never thought Michalis had it in him," Nikolaos added, nodding in agreement.

"Hey, let him be. You know how he feels about her," Dimitra interjected.

"Even though his timing is questionable, considering Clair's current state, it's not a bad move. But doing it when Draco nii is close could nullify his effort" she added thoughtfully.

"True, too bad Vasiliki isn't awake to see this. We would have gotten to see something more interesting," Eleni mused, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Ugh, I can already imagine the chaos," Vasileios groaned, imagining the scene.

Sensing Draco's interest in their conversation, Nikolaos turned to him, curious to gauge his reaction.

"By the way, Draco nii, what do you think of all this?" he asked.

Draco's brow furrowed as he contemplated the situation, his gaze shifting between Michalis and Clair, and the surrounding familia members.

On one hand, he couldn't really say that he didn’t feel anything at the sight of Clair being carried so intimately.

But on the other hand, he recognized that Michalis truly cared for Clair and that his actions, though perhaps ill-timed, were driven by genuine concern.

‘Hmm, how do I truly feel about this?’ Draco pondered briefly, his brow furrowing slightly.

He was aware that the current him didn't see Clair in such an intimate manner, but reasoned that the future him might feel differently.

‘Ugh, isn't that a horribly selfish way of thinking?’ Draco chastised himself, shaking his head.

After a moment of thoughtful consideration, Draco sighed and met Nikolaos's inquiring gaze.

"The current me does not view her in that light, so if she develops feelings for Michalis, I am genuinely alright with that. But we are still quite very young, so who can say what the future may hold?" Draco replied honestly, his tone measured and sincere.

Nikolaos nodded, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

‘Well, I wasn't expecting such a forthright answer, but it was far more insightful than I had anticipated,’ he mused inwardly, impressed by Draco's self-awareness and emotional maturity.

The others all nodded in understanding, recognizing the wisdom in his words.

None of them could truly predict the twists and turns that fate had in store for them.

As Michalis continued his steady trek towards the exit, Clair couldn't help but feel a sense of conflicting emotions.

Part of her wished Draco was the one holding her, but another part of her couldn't deny the comfort and security she felt in Michalis's arms.

Perhaps, in time, she would have the opportunity to explore the depth of her feelings for both boys, but for now, she would simply allow herself to rest and recuperate, trusting that her familia would be there to support her every step of the way.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It didn't take long for Michalis to carefully carry Clair to where the others were waiting.

As Michalis approached, Clair's sensitive nose quickly picked up on Draco's familiar scent, realizing he was very close.

"Can you put me down now?" Clair asked Michalis shyly, feeling even more self-conscious being carried so intimately directly in front of Draco.

"Sure," Michalis replied, gently lowering Clair down directly in front of Draco, occasionally glancing up to gauge the latter's expression.

"You did a good job, Michalis," Draco praised with a bright smile.

However, both Michalis and Clair immediately frowned, interpreting Draco's words in different negative ways.

Michalis felt that Draco did not see him as a rival in vying for Clair's affection, while Clair believed Draco simply did not care whether she was with another man.

"Huh, did I say something wrong?" Draco asked, noticing their odd reactions.

Eleni, observing the interaction, inwardly sighed.

'Ugh, Draco nii, that was one of the worst things you could have said in that situation.' she thought.

Dimitra, Nikolaos, and Vasileios, on the other hand, decided to look clueless about the dynamics unfolding before them.

"No, Draco nii, you didn't say anything wrong," Michalis replied, walking away to join the others.

'I need to try harder,' he thought, glancing at Clair's expression.

Clair clenched her fist, her thoughts racing.

'I thought things had been going well after what happened during Eleni's treatment, but I guess it was just my hopeful imagination.  Have I not been putting enough effort.' she wondered.

Draco, perplexed by their reactions, didn't dwell on it for long, deciding to focus on the more pressing matters at hand.

"Alright, let's immediately get started on your treatment, is what I would like to say, but I'll need a bit of assistance," he said to Clair.

"Huh, why?" Clair asked, puzzled by his request.

"Well, I'll have to remove your armour to treat the worst injuries, and you'll be exposed," Draco explained hesitantly.

"Why are you treating me differently? You didn't care about such things when treating Eleni, Dimitra, and Vasiliki, so why am I getting special treatment?" Clair asked, beginning to feel irritated.

'Ugh, she makes a fair point,' Draco thought.

"Sorry if I made you feel that way. I just thought you would prefer it that way," he replied.

Draco subconsciously viewed Clair as a sort of step-sister, while his actual step-siblings as his real ones.

Over time, this had become a fixed mindset, causing a subtle difference in treatment from the others.

This unintentional distinction had partly given Clair the impression that she held a special place in his heart.

Perhaps due to the collision of both her current deteriorating physical and mental state, Clair realized that this hadn’t been the case.

"Hahahaha, so that's how it is," Clair laughed crazily, clutching her painful wound.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, confused by her swinging emotions.

"I'm an outsider after all," Clair muttered, suddenly breaking down into tears.

Immediately, Eleni, Michalis, Dimitra, Nikolaos, and Vasileios all frowned, their expressions darkening at Clair's words, realizing the depth of her emotional turmoil.

They had been listening to the conversation and didn't like where it was heading.

The tension in the air was palpable, as the group found themselves caught in the midst of a burgeoning conflict.

Draco struggled to understand the source of Clair's distress, but try as he might, he could not discern what he had done wrong to elicit such a strong reaction from her.

With a resigned sigh, he knew that this issue would have to be addressed, but not here, not now.

"Sigh, let's deal with this when we get back to the surface," Draco said, his voice tinged with weariness.

Reaching out, he attempted to gently grab Clair's arm, hoping to provide some form of comfort.

"Let me heal you for now." he said.

However, Clair recoiled from his touch, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and frustration.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, stumbling backward and tumbling to the ground.

Michalis wanted nothing more than to rush to Clair's aid, but Nikolaos swiftly intercepted him, holding him back.

"Why do I have to deal with such nonsense right now?" Draco wondered aloud, his expression turning cold and unreadable as he watched Clair struggle to her feet.

Unwilling to let the situation escalate further, Draco took a firm stance.

"I don't know what is going on in your head right now, but I don't plan to deal with any nonsense now. So I am going to knock you out and heal you, we can talk when we are on the surface," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion.

Draco wasted no time, swiftly knocking Clair unconscious before she could protest.

Michalis, visibly distressed, opened his mouth to speak, but Draco raised a hand to silence him.

"Do you want me to knock you out too?" he threatened, his tone brooking no argument.

Vasileios cautioned Michalis, "Not now, Michalis. Can't you see how angry and disappointed he looks?" Michalis reluctantly fell silent, his gaze fixed on Clair's motionless form.

Without further ado, Draco set to work, stripping Clair of her armour and tending to her wounds.

The group watched in silence, the air heavy with unspoken questions and uncertainty.

What had transpired between Draco and Clair, and where would this lead them? The tension was palpable, and the resolution seemed far from certain.

Draco's brow furrowed with concentration as he meticulously tended to Clair's injuries, his previous frustration now tempered by a sense of duty.

He knew that this was not the time for emotional outbursts, but rather a time for pragmatic action.

Once Clair was stable, he would have to confront the underlying issues that had caused this rift.

For now, his focus remained on ensuring her well-being, even if it meant setting aside his own emotions.