➨ Finral was nice enough to bring the three of you to the capital. Although a good part of you assumed he doesn't have much choice when it comes to being their chauffeur.

It hasn't been that long since you've been back. Which is strange, considering you're banned. Escort or not, you should probably be making yourself scarce around here. You never know who's lurking around the corner, waiting to give you another sentencing. You quickly learned that there are eyes and ears everywhere.

Vanessa strolled through the markets set up on the sides of the street. Picking up anything shiny, glittery, or sparkly. Not purchasing anything, but just admiring everything.

Occasionally, she would pass off whatever she had in her hand to you—drunkenly asking for your opinion. She would usually take a 'it's cute' or 'it would look good on you' before shuffling over to the next unfortunate vendor.

You realized that more people were staring than usual. Most of it just rolled off of you because perhaps it is strange to see a murderer strolling the streets of the capital. However, it wasn't until both Finral and Zora were making weird glances at you that you were becoming concerned.

Instead of asking the red head, you nudged Finral and leaned into his ear. "So... do I have something on my face or am I just really good to look at?"

Finral tenses for a moment before he awkwardly chuckles. "Well you are a very beautiful lady, that much I cannot lie about. Although... it might just be the blood coming from your eyes that's just a tad bit horrifying."

"Oh shit, I forgot about that. It doesn't hurt or anything." You swipe your fingers across your under-eyes and before you even look, you can feel the liquid on the tips of them.

You were very curious about what a medic would say about that. There's a long list of questions that one could ask and an equally long, if not longer, list of responses. Most of which would be painted with bullshit and lies because you really don't have answers.

"Are we going to like a hospital or something?" You ask him. "Or do you know some type of witch doctor?"

Finral hummed and shrugged his shoulders. "I have absolutely no idea where we're going. I'm just the chauffeur. Maybe we could've brought you to Gordon's family. I hear they're good with this stuff."

"Which one is Gordon again?"

"The creepy one that mumbles all the time." He answers. "He comes from a family of um... curse people I think."

You stopped walking and stared at him in disbelief. If you had known that before, you would've gone straight to him the second you stepped foot into the Black Bulls hideout. Perhaps you weren't exactly cursed, but people like that might be able to know a thing or two about what's been going on with you. Your eyes bleeding can't be from something normal.

Plus, you've laid eyes on Gordon before, he might be the most abnormal one. Which is just perfect.

"Less daydreaming and more walking." Zora calls from ahead of you.

You scoffed, and made the effort to catch up with the rest of the group. The more you walked though, the more you recognized the general area. It looked very very close to where the Wizard King lived.

"Vanessa, where are we going?"

She looked back with a smile. "There's a healer named Owen that works directly under the Wizard King. I'm sure he could help you with your... issue!"

The idea of being so close to someone who's that close with the Wizard King wasn't a comforting feeling. Especially not after he stripped you away of everything you worked for. "Are you sure there's nobody else?"

"Hmm? Why, what's the issue with him?" She didn't seem to find any problems with it. Not like you'd expect her to. She's just trying to be helpful.

"Just a lot of... questions." That was the best way to put it.

Finral tapped his chin. "You know, I didn't want to ask, but can we at least get a clue to what the hell happened? I mean it looks pretty bad. Maybe we could help you come up with a cover story in case you were doing something deviant."

"Well, I don't think it was anything deviant."

"The last time you thought something wasn't deviant, you ended up on trial for murder." Zora abrubtly added his two cents.

"Geez," Finral groaned. "It wouldn't kill you to be nice to our new member for one day. Besides, they did the same thing to Asta, and we all know he's innocent."

Vanessa agreed with a nod of her head. "Yeah, and Y/N helped you out when you were getting your butt handed to you when the elves attacked."

"First of all, that was only after she took a nap in the middle of a fight. Secondly, she gained freakish abilities from them." He retorted.

"So? It was still those same freakish abilities that saved your ass, right?" Vanessa nudged his shoulder with her own. "Show some gratitude."

He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, is this medic really going to help her, or not?"

You grinned at his inability to do anything but complain. It was almost endearing the way he found something wrong with everything he laid eyes on. A true pessimist to his very core.

"If not, maybe he can tell us someone who can." Vanessa answers. It seemed like she decided she was better off sticking close to the group rather than gallavanting throughout the streets freely. "But he healed Finral after the exam, so I have high hopes."

The memory flashed inside your mind. It was sickening just watching Finral laying there on the ground like that. Even worse when you were informed that he and Langris are brothers. Looking at him now though, he seemed perfectly okay.

"You healed alright though?" You asked the boy in question.

Finral nodded. "Much better. I hope Langris is feeling better too."

He sounded borderline insane for even thinking about Langris' wellbeing. "He could've killed you. How can you still be concerned about him?"

The boy shrugged. "He's still family. We've had our differences, but we make up in the end. So I figured this is just another thing that'll eventually pass over."

'Pass over', he says.

"Never would've thought Langris even had a sibling, nevermind one with a heart," You murmur. He glances at you, and it quickly straightens you out. "Sorry, don't mean to talk about him like that in front of you."

"Oh no no, it's okay! You're on a squad with him, so I don't know how he acted with you guys. Valid in our own ways, you know?"

You smiled at him. "I was on a squad with him. The Golden Dawn age is behind me. No use looking back."

Finral ran a hand through his hair. "You'll be back soon. Don't worry about it."

Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't. Hell, maybe you'll be executed! Too many factors to take in and think about. Definitely too many outcomes on top of that.

By the time you come up with 52 amazing and unique execution techniques, you came to the regal building where this Owen man was. And, where he'll allegedly stop your eyes from bleeding.

There's knights stationed outside the gates and when you approached they were on their guard. Honestly, you didn't have an ounce of patience to do the talking, so you stood back and let your escorts handle it.

You expected Vanessa to handle it, but it seemed the drunkenness was really presenting itself because she looked unsteady. Not a good time for that. Finral looked at her and cringed, but he knew Zora wouldn't have said anything. So, he stepped in.

"Good evening fellow knights. We're looking for Dr. Owen. Is he around?" He was very polite and had a dashing smile plastered on his face.

The taller knight looked down at him and then the rest of the group. His eyes landed on yours and then he made a face. "Don't think Dr. Owen takes appointments for... people like you guys."

Oh great.

"We just need him to check her out real fast. Or even just recommend us to the proper doctor for her." He added on. "Won't take too long."

Both of the knights exchanged a look and then laughed. "Not happening. There's plenty of doctors around, just go find one." The shorter one contributes.

Finral goes to say something but you pull him backwards. "Not even worth it. Plus, it doesn't hurt. I'll just... sleep it off."

Vanessa grumbles and leans her body against yours. "But we came all this way." She drawls.

"I get that, but I don't feel like arguing with them." You're already in enough trouble, the last thing you need to add onto the list is messing with more authority.

"I do." Zora suddenly speaks up with a grin and steps past all three of you. Fourntately for him, he's already taller than both of them, so that adds some more intimidation on his part.

Just as you're about to reiterate that this isn't worth it, Zora's grimoire opens and the pages start flipping around. Your eyes widen as you realize he's about to do something highly unnecessary.

"Alright, so we can do this one of two ways." He says, holding one hand over his opened book. "You lead us to the Doc', or, I show you one of these new spells I've been working on."

The short man scoffs, not threatened. "Do you think threats are going to get you inside?"

His smirk grows wider. "Not the empty ones."

Before Zora can demonstrate whatever power he's been cooking up, the door that their guarding swings open. Out came a middle-aged man with blue hair and rimless glasses. He was wearing a white coat over his shoulders as well.

"What's the commotion out here for?" He rubs his head and then takes in the scene. Once he reaches you, he slightly flinches (which seems to be the typical reaction when blood is streaming down your face), and takes a step forward.

"Dr. Owen!" Vanessa exclaims. "We've been trying to get to you, but these jerks wouldn't let us in."

Both the knights look at the Doctor with a wide-eyed stare. "We're just trying to do our duty." The taller one rebuttals.

The man sighs and gestures for you guys to come in. "It's alright. Let me just take a quick look at her."

Without much else to add to the conversation you were the first one to get moving and follow him inside. A weight was definitely lifted from your shoulders. Between Zora ready to blast people with little motive, and the knights encouraging him to, there was a lot that could've gone down.

He leads you guys through a regal, but somehow still worn down space. Worn down as it's obvious people come through here often. Still looked to be a fancy place you felt slightly out of place in.

Once you reach what you're assuming is his personal office, you take in the smell of antiseptic scent that hangs in it. There's also a hint of pine, which is still being swallowed up by the strong medical aroma.

He tells you to take a seat, and the others are to stay outside in the hall. Just because there isn't much space in the room for everybody to fit. "This isn't my usual operating space, but I don't think we'll need to use it."

His grimoire appears, and the light blue glow illuminates the room. Owen holds his hand out and you feel a warmth tingling your skin. "So, are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to ask?"

"Is 'neither' an option?"

He chuckles, and some type of jellyfish tentacle thing appears in front of you. It wraps its cool limbs around your shoulders, like an odd hug. Owen sits for a moment. His eyes are shut and he taps his foot a few times.

"You're not physically injured. Well, you are. But it doesn't seem like some physical force caused the bleeding. Hard to explain, but I'm sure it makes sense to you." He opens his eyes back up. "Basically, there's no wound to heal."

The jellyfish must be how he assesses people because that was a wildly accurate description."So why am I bleeding then?" You ask. No wound, means there shouldn't be blood. Nobody bleeds without a wound, or other natural cause.

"Might be a better answer for yourself, not me."

You pause. "So can you fix me? It just doesn't stop."

He must notice the way you're dancing around the details, but he doesn't show any signs of prying into them. "I can lessen the bleeding, but your body will have to do the rest on its own."

In other words, you really do just have to sleep it off. Although that's a relief to hear. Means you're basically fine. "Good to know."

"It's weird though, you're not the first person I've seen this happen to." He murmurs while his jellyfish does its magic.

"Really?" How many people are bleeding from their eyes from unnatural causes? Can't be that many.

He nods. "Maybe a year ago, if not a little before that. A man that the Wizard King actually brought in to me. When I checked him out, I also couldn't find a specific source of the bleeding."

Maybe he was trying to travel through dimensions in ways he shouldn't have. If that's the case, you have to wonder if he was ever successful. "What did he do?"

Owen shrugs. "No idea. He was being evasive, and I didn't want to pry. Mainly because..." He takes a pause, as if trying to remember. You glanced at him, only to find out that it appeared that he was trying to figure out if he wanted to get the words out.

You weren't going to pry into it. It was his business. Considering you wouldn't tell him yours, you weren't going to break into his. Your body slumps against the cool texture of the jellyfish and you were content with sitting in silence.

He cleared his throat. "The man was a Spade Kingdom soldier." He finishes, his jaw firmly set. "Don't know how or why the Wizard King came into contact with him."

Every blood cell in your body freezes.

Is that a coincidence? Do Spade soldiers just come strolling into the Kingdom on the regular? The timeframe matches up to when he died. But to your knowledge, he never came to the damn Capital. Obvious reasons. Just the thought that he could've been sitting in this same spot, with the same issue you're having was chilling.

You swallowed hard. "Did he say anything else though?"

Now it looked like he was trying to remember. "Not much. I tried to make small talk, but I was a little frightened. Asked him if he liked the Kingdom. He said it wasn't bad. But I can't remember if he said anything else. Don't even think I ever caught his name."

Well that was going to be your next question.

You weren't even thinking about it being a coincidence anymore. Every part of you wanted to drill him for answers, but that would lead to questions. Was it a secret that your dad was from Spade? No, not really. But you don't tell people that because of Spade's rep.

It was shocking that Owen had no clue though because Damnatio exposed it to an entire building full of royals and nobles. You didn't read the paper, so you don't know what they made you out to be.

"Strange." Was all you could bite out. Maybe you wouldn't question Owen, but now you had a very important name bouncing around your head.

The Wizard King.

What business did he have with your father? And what the hell was going on?

Once the jellyfish was done, you glanced in the mirror and was pleased to see the bleeding did go down. If anything, they looked like interesting red tattoo lines going down your face.

"Thank you." You turned back to him. "And sorry for the commotion earlier."

He waved it off. "Oh it's fine. The Black Bulls always have a way to surprise me. Take care of yourself now."

With that, you exit the room to see Finral, Vanessa, and Zora standing against the wall. Vanessa perked up when she spotted you. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yeah, but he said his healing can only do so much. Gotta let my body do the rest of the work." You explained to her.

"Looks better than before." Finral comments. "Anywho, do you think we can find something to eat before we head back? I'm starving."

"Sounds fine to me." You nod. Hunger finally started to make itself present to you.

"Hell no, bring me back to the base." Zora yawned. "I need a nap."

You side-eye him. Then you hit him in the back of his damn head. "What is wrong with you? First of all, nobody needed your help earlier. Just causing problems just to cause them. Secondly, would it kill you to bond?"

He rubs his head with a groan. "Put your hands on me again and see what happens."

"Do something then."

Finral jumps into the middle waving his hands. "Okay okay! Let's take it easy. Besides, Zora, we don't really know you. You literally showed up out of nowhere. Come eat with us!"

He crosses his arms. "I've been a member for a while."

"And yet you showed up under a fake name just to terrorize us." Finral deadpans.

Zora rolls his eyes. "If I go eat with you people, I'm not paying."

You shake your head. "So I guess that means you're eating off the streets then. That's the only place you eat free. Unless you're under 12 on a good day."

A meal sounded great, this disagreement did not. With enough pestering and prodding, Zora gave in. "Don't pick somewhere shitty."

Finral turns his back to Zora. "Anywhere we pick might be better than what you're used to anyway."

"Excuse you?"

He freezes. "Oops, I didn't mean to say that out loud. But anyway, I know the perfect place for us to go!"