A Forbidden And Cruel Love (Genshin)

Part 5 - The Search For This 'Friend'

Barbara looked up when she saw Jean approaching the medical wing the next day, a small smile on her face as she closed the book she was reading.

Jean gave her sister a small nod of greeting and stopped in front of Karoline's door.

"Good morning, Barbara. How's Karoline's condition?"

"She's stable, but still very weak. Her body is recovering slowly, but the wounds on her skin aren't healing as well as I'd like. The doctors say it may take a while for her to fully recover."

Jean frowned, her heart constricting at the news. She knew that Karoline's injuries were severe, but she had hoped that the young knight would recover quickly.

"I see. Is she awake yet? Can I talk to her?"

Barbara nodded, gesturing towards the door.

"Yes, she's awake. She's been in and out of consciousness throughout the day, but she's coherent enough to talk now. You can go in and see her, if you'd like."

"All right. I'm going in, then."

With that, she opened the door to Karoline's room and stepped inside, her heart beating a little faster at the thought of what she was about to discover.

What she saw instead was quite a cozy sight. Karoline and a nurse were playing a popular card game together, and a few other nurses in the room were talking amongst themselves, greeting Jean as she entered.

The other two greeted her as well, smiles on their faces.

She had braced herself for a more serious atmosphere, given Karoline's condition. But the scene before her was definitely not what she had expected.

She smiled back at the other nurses, giving a small wave as she approached Karoline's bedside.

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt. Mind if I speak to Karoline for a moment?"

She looked up from the cards in her hand, a slight smile on her face. She still looked weak and pale, but her eyes were clearer than before.

"Master Jean! Perfect timing. We were just about to shuffle the deck."

She looked at the nurse next to her, who chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"She's already won two rounds! She's a pro at this game."

Karoline chuckled at the praise, and...

"Shit!"

...accidentally dropped the cards as she shuffled.

The nurse immediately bent down and collected the cards off the floor for her. Karoline tried to help, but the nurse held her down again, ordering her not to move from the bed.

Jean stifled a chuckle at Karoline's clumsy attempt at shuffling the cards. It was good that she was lighthearted enough to play a game in her condition. It meant that she was feeling a little bit better at least.

She stood beside the bed, watching as the nurse handed the cards back to Karoline, shaking her head in amusement.

"It seems like you still need to work on your card-shuffling skills, Karoline."

The nurse collected the cards and handed them to Karoline with a smirk, who rolled her eyes.

"It's those stupid bandages..."

Jean chuckled at Karoline's excuse and the nurses' playful banter. She looked over at Karoline, her expression turning more serious as she spoke.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's the bandages. But I still need to talk to you. We need to discuss what happened... and who this 'friend' is that you mentioned last night."

Karoline's expression turned pensive.

"Do you know anything about him yet?"

"No, not yet. Which is why I'm asking you. Can you tell me more about him? Who is he? Where was he last night? Why were you so worried about him?"

She sighed, sighing as she got into a more comfortable position. The nurse understood the gravity of the situation and left, taking the cards with her.

"My friend... he's been attacked."

Jean's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing.

"Attacked? By who? What happened to him?"

"He was in the domain. My friend, my closet friend. He was attacked..."

She sighed, trying to stop her tears from flowing.

"Master Jean... Please. Check up on him."

"All right, all right. I'll check on him. Do you know where he is? Can you give me his location?"

"Near... Near Windrise, at the domain."

Karoline covered her mouth with her hand gently.

"Jean, I'm begging you, make him better..."

Jean reached out and gently placed a hand on Karoline's shoulder, her expression reassuring. She could hear the desperation in Karoline's voice and could only imagine the state of this 'friend' that had her so worried.

"Don't worry. I'll find him. And I'll do everything I can to help him. You have my word."

She sighed, putting a hand over Jean's.

"Thank you, please..."

She begged.

"...can I come? I want to point him out. I want to see him."

"Karoline... you're in no shape to go anywhere right now. You should stay here and rest. You need to recover."

She sighed, and nodded, wiping a tear off her eye, wetting the bandages slightly.

The nurses in the room looked at her, wondering whether they should interrupt yet.

"I understand. But please, gentle. He's hurt."

Jean nodded, her grip on Karoline's shoulder tightening slightly. She could see how much this meant to her, and she wanted to assure her that she would do everything she could to help her friend.

"I promise I'll go and check on him, and I'll be gentle. But you need to stay here and rest. We can't afford to risk your health right now. Understand?"

"...please, I trust you."

Jean smiled gently at Karoline, her own heart heavy with worry. She squeezed Karoline's shoulder one last time before stepping back from the bed, her thoughts already racing ahead to the task that lay before her.

"Good. I won't let you down. I'll bring him back safe, I promise. You can count on me, just focus on getting better."

Karoline nodded.

"Thank you."

Jean gave Karoline's arm a reassuring squeeze before turning and heading for the door. The nurses in the room watched her go, some exchanging worried glances with each other.

As Jean left the room, she was already mentally preparing herself for the journey ahead. She would do whatever it took to help Karoline's friend and keep her promise to her.