An Archer's Promise

Chapter 33: Don't give up

Beta read by Shigiya, Fluffy Slayer and DOOMRAIDER

.

.

.

-Geofu-

He woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the morning rays caressing his face.

"Gah..." Brushing off what felt like a lifetime of fatigue, Archer strenuously climbed off the bed to get a good look at where he was.

Scanning the room, he noticed the common furnishings of a bedroom, desk, books and the likes. Grabbing his attention next were two large windows with white curtains covering them, under which stood a wooden desk with several books scattered across its surface.

Various pieces of equipment were there as well, including a water flask, knife, some bandages, and even his black Dao sword. They were all very well maintained.

"Where... am I?"

Barely audible, it was a far cry from his usual booming voice. Probably the lingering effects of his comatose state.

His mind had started to clear up as he looked around the room once again. It reminded him of his stay at Alice's Inn, except this one seemed much more luxurious, possessing handcrafted furniture reminiscent of those found in noble households. Yet the spareness and room size doesn’t categorize it as so. Glancing over he noticed both his shroud and armor neatly hung on a rack and in pristine condition. Someone had been maintaining it for him..

Before long, Archer realized where he was; another castle. Just the view from the window said it all, it was located in the heart of the city from what he could see from up there. In some parts he could see dense black smoke rising in the air and even partially blocking out the sunlight, possibly the result of blacksmiths in the works. It was a contrasting image than that of Maia's kingdom.

What happened after he fought off those monsters? His last attack should have annihilated everything, but he blacked out just after from the strain and blood loss he put his body through. Waking up here of all places must mean quite some time has passed.

'I'm alive...' Despite the excruciating pain he felt throughout his body, it felt good knowing he was still alive.

A few broken bones was fair trade compared to what the demons had in store for them.

As he struggled to sit up, he noticed that his wounds had healed completely, including his fractured collarbone from the Ogre’s strike. Any trace of cuts and bruises were stripped off his body.

"Just how long was I out?"

Either two things had happened, someone found and healed him using some sort of restoration magic... Or, he was taken care of until he healed naturally. Avalon was no longer inside him, so he didn't benefit from the accelerated rate of healing, unlike his past self.

The former seemed far more likely than the latter, but either way, someone looked after him. He was lucky that they even cleaned his wounds and treated him before he woke up.

But as nice as their hospitality was, he couldn't just stay here forever. For now, he needed to rest while figuring out where exactly he was at the moment.

He carefully got dressed and moved towards the door. As soon as he opened it, he spotted someone standing right outside the door. A middle aged man with short brown hair and a stern face.

"Good morning."

The man replied coldly, "You're awake. We are happy to hear about your recovery."

Comforting words for most, but Archer could hear the hint of disappointment in his tone. Faced with such an attitude, the man sighed as he looked back at the rude person, "Well aren't you polite. Where am I and who are you?"