Those Who Were Saved and Those Who Weren't

Merill plunged her sword deep into Gwenna's head as Gwenna collapsed, delivering the finishing blow. Then she dropped to one knee, unable to bear the pain in her wounded arm.

But she had no time to collapse. Dazed by pain and blood loss, Merill tore off a strip of clothing and tried to staunch the wound with her right hand and her teeth.

“Merill! Are you all right?”

Jini rushed to Merill's side and helped stop the bleeding.

Thanks to their efforts, the bleeding stopped. Merill looped a strip of cloth around her neck, slipped her left arm through it, and secured it in place. Then, though unsteady on her feet, she stood up.

“I’m… fine… I won’t die.”

Merill replied, enduring the pain.

“Compared… to Kyle… this is nothing.”

Merill looked at Kyle, unconscious and burned across his entire body.

Remembering how Kyle had leapt into the flames and endured being burned without making a sound, Merill felt that losing an arm was nothing by comparison...