Chapter 7 When my parents were still alive , they had always wanted me to study medicine to save lives . By joining the medical team , I could work hard to strive toward this goal . Thanks to my exceptional foundation and character , which were tempered after living two lives , I successfully joined the hospital staff . I would diagnose patients , research new medications , and create different types of treatment proposals every day from the moment I woke up . Life was simple but meaningful . However , transport was inconvenient here , especially when I had to make a house call . There was once when I spent too much time with a patient , so the sky was already darkened when I finally left his house . I couldn't help but notice how dark and gloomy my surroundings were during my journey back . My heart felt like it had been frozen solid when I suddenly saw greenish lights gleaming in the dark that were getting closer and closer to me . I had attracted the attention of a pack of wolves and had unknowingly been surrounded by them . Just as I was about to succumb to hopelessness , someone wielding a torch rushed onto the scene . It was Luke . He stood before me , putting himself between me and the wolves as he pulled out a dagger , looking like he was ready to fight the entire wolf pack by himself . The starving wolves attacked as one . Luke brandished his dagger , striking them down one at a time . He suffered countless scratches in the process and even lost a large chunk of flesh from his calf . Fortunately , the other wolves retreated when Luke drove his dagger into the alpha wolf . We found a cave to take shelter in until dawn broke . My heart felt like it was breaking as I took in the wounds covering his body , some so severe that I could see the bone beneath the mangled flesh . I couldn't stop the tears that streamed down my cheeks . It was the first time that I had seen Luke look so panicked . He reached out and gently wiped the tears from my face with calloused fingers . " Don't cry . I'm fine , and it doesn't hurt . You've done so much for Volaria . It's only natural for me to protect you . " I couldn't help but laugh through my tears as I took in his anxious and clumsy actions . After that day , Luke would abandon whatever he was doing to accompany me whenever I had to make a house call away from the hospital . I thought that these mundane days would continue for the rest of my life until an injured man was sent to the hospital . I froze in place when I got a good look at the man's face . It was James . 1/2 Chapter 7 +25 Bonus James ' clothes were soaked with blood as he lay on the bed . The bandages around his head were also stained red . He had lost a lot of weight , and his pallid complexion made him look even more haggard . He was like a completely different person from the handsome and charming man I remembered . After regaining my composure , I put on a mask and a pair of gloves before helping the nurses wheel him into the operating room . The surgery lasted for seven hours , but his condition finally stabilized . The next day , when I arrived at the hospital , the nurse told me that James wanted to personally thank me . My first instinct was to reject his request , but after giving it some thought , I knew that I couldn't hide the truth from him forever . Instead of hiding , I decided to come clean to him . James was sitting on the bed when I pushed open the door to his ward . He looked up when he heard me enter . His entire body stiffened when he finally laid his eyes on me . " You ... Katherine ? " Shock was written all over his face . An unnatural flush stained his pale face due to how worked up he was . " You're not dead , Katherine ? I'm ... I'm not dreaming , am I ? " I approached the bed calmly . " Long time no see , James . " He finally realized that he wasn't dreaming . Unbridled joy washed over him . Ignoring the wounds littering his body , he grabbed my hand and refused to let go . It was as if James was afraid that I would disappear once again . James , the man who hadn't shed a single tear despite how severely injured he was or how he had been so close to dying , was now crying with tears streaming down his face . Support Share