"It's... it's gone? This... how... how is this possible?"
Elder Nyon stared blankly at Hancock's back.
Her mouth mumbled incoherently.
Rayleigh, though stronger-willed, wasn't faring much better.
He gazed at Hancock's pristine, flawless back.
At that smooth, unblemished skin.
At a back without a single trace of the ugly scar that was once there.
Rayleigh was utterly dumbfounded.
He... he actually did it.
That brat actually pulled it off.
The mark universally acknowledged as impossible to erase—that mark—had been wiped clean by this damn brat!
And it wasn't just the scar that was gone!
Her skin looked smoother, firmer, almost radiant.
Is this guy even a doctor?
How does it feel like he's got a knack for cosmetics too?
It had started out as just a test.
Sure, Rayleigh thought Vir might have a chance at healing it.
But the moment he saw that hideous scar vanish completely, he finally believed.
As long as something could be defined as an "illness"...
As long as it was an abnormality...
There was nothing this guy couldn't fix.
This guy... he's unreal.
With medical skills like that, he'd be in demand anywhere.
Every treatment he performed would be worth a fortune.
Last time, he helped fix this old man's whole mess of injuries—even cleaned up the chronic ones.
Heck, my strength even got a boost.
And now, this kid's gone and solved this massive problem for me.
Honestly, I don't even know how to thank him.
The worst part? This damn brat won't even take payment.
He just loves making me owe him!
At my age, what can I even do to repay him?
Besides offering up this life he saved, what else is there?
From now on, if this kid is in trouble, I can't just stand by.
I'll help however I can, and that's that.
Guess this is my way of "pledging myself" to him, huh?
As for Hancock, hearing the shocked gasps from the two behind her, she suddenly didn't dare turn around.
It... it didn't work, did it?
It didn't... get uglier, did it?
Even though she'd never witnessed Vir's medical miracles firsthand, she trusted his skills completely.
But at this moment, she was still gripped by nerves and fear.
It had been so many years.
So many years since she'd looked at her own back...
She couldn't even remember what it used to look like.
After a moment's hesitation, she finally turned to face Vir.
But Vir was standing right by the mirror.
Looking at him meant catching a glimpse of her own back.
The instant she saw it, she froze.
In that moment, her heartbeat and breathing seemed to stop.
In Hancock's eyes, the whole world turned pure white.
And in that whiteness, there was only the mirror—and Vir, standing beside it with a grin.
Staring at the mirror, at her flawless, unmarred back.
At the scar that had vanished without a trace.
At skin so perfect it seemed it could break with a touch.
In that moment, Hancock couldn't hold it back. She cried...
Tears seemed to have a mind of their own.
They raced out of her breathtakingly beautiful eyes.
Sliding down her perfect cheeks, they fell, drop by drop, to the floor.
Vir... he actually erased that scar completely.
The moment she saw the scar was gone, Hancock felt lighter than ever.
The massive shackles that had weighed her down for years, the fear and dread that had crushed her heart—all of it, gone.
This wasn't just about being able to show her back.
It meant she was no longer a slave.
As long as that scar remained, she would always be a slave.
And it was all because of one man.
Her burning heart felt like it might melt as she stared at Vir's stupid grin.
This man, who appeared out of nowhere.
Who so effortlessly solved a problem that would've haunted her for life.
How... how could she ever thank him?
Her vision grew blurrier.
In the end, whether it was the joy of the scar's removal or the overwhelming love and gratitude she felt for Vir, Hancock couldn't hold back.
She... threw herself into Vir's arms.
Vir, mid-grin, froze.
Yup, Vir had been busy counting his negative points, ticking off the zeros one by one.
He'd just snagged a slick vibro-blade from the system shop, too.
He was thrilled, practically bouncing!
Hadn't even gotten a chance to check out his new toy yet.
Then, out of nowhere, something crashed into his arms.
Now, looking at Hancock sobbing in his embrace, tears and all, he was at a loss.
Honestly, he panicked.
Hey, what're you doing?!
This is a sneak attack!
What is he supposed to do here?!
Hancock, at 190 cm, fit snugly against Vir's near-two-meter frame.
(For the record, Vir was 198 cm—just a hair shy of two meters, and likely to hit that mark soon.)
But right now, this 2-meter-tall Vir was wearing a helpless expression.
Should he push her off?
Push her—nah, that'd be bad.
She was a high-value client who just unlocked him a powerful new skill.
He always treated clients with care.
But on the flip side... he was really worried she'd get him covered in snot.
Chopper did that all the time.
With no other option, he shot a pleading look at Rayleigh.
You could tell what Vir was saying just from his eyes.
Vir: Save me, Uncle Ray!
But Rayleigh? He just casually turned his head to the ceiling. Then to the floor. Then to Marco's boots.
"Hey! Willy! You're here! Long time no see, buddy! Missed you!"
With that, Rayleigh tackle-hugged a bewildered Marco.
That line's flimsier than secondhand—no, seventh-hand—underwear! Full of holes!
And! Don't call me Willy!
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