When the elder elf woman asked this question, Max instantly remembered Rima, who was still unconscious, when he went to check up on her and turned to look toward Belen and Leticia.
Belen sighed lightly and shook her head, "No, she hasn't yet. However, I'm sure she should be waking up anytime soon."
"Oh! If that's the case, we'll wait until she wakes up." The elder elf woman nodded.
"Okay!" Belen nodded. After that, the elf family returned to their rooms.
After talking for a while and reassuring the ladies that he was perfectly fine, he went to check up on Rima.
...
Rima was lying in bed with a peaceful expression on her face. Her face was brimming with vitality, indicating that she had completely recovered.
Suddenly, her slender fingers trembled slightly. After a while, her long eyelashes started twitching, and gradually, her eyes opened.
"I-I'm still a-alive..." This was the first thought that came to mind when she regained consciousness.
After looking around the room and checking her body which was now without any injury, she muttered in confusion. 'Hm? Wasn't I tortured in that cave? How come I don't have any sign of injury?'
'Wait...' Suddenly, a blurry scene appeared in her mind. "I think someone saved me? Hm, right. I was saved by someone right before I passed out, and it seemed they also helped help me.' She guessed.
After guessing this, she felt heartfelt gratitude toward that 'savior' of hers. She then got up from the bed and slowly staggered toward the door to go out to see if she could find her 'savior.' However, she hadn't even reached the door when it opened on its own.
"Huh? Who-" Rima frowned and opened her delicate mouth to ask who it was when she suddenly stopped.
"You woke up?" The young man who opened the door was equally surprised to see her. He then smiled and asked in a gentle tone.
"M-Max..." Seeing the man she loved, her eyes became misty, and she hurriedly staggered toward him and hugged him tightly as if she were afraid of him leaving her. At the same time, her seductive body was trembling due to the surge in her emotions.
"M-Max... sniff... I missed you. I was afraid, afraid that I won't be able to see you again." She cried in an incoherent voice as her tears drenched his clothes.
Max's heart clenched when he heard her words. He lovingly caressed her back to help her calm down, "It's alright. It's alright. You are fine now."
Standing behind Max, Belen and Leticia's eyes were also moist. They could sympathize with her as they had witnessed what condition she was in when they arrived at that underground cave. It was clear that she had lost all hope of survival. If Max were even a second late in saving her, she would have died right there like others.
After half an hour of continuous crying, Rima finally calmed down. Noticing Belen and Leticia looking at her with faint smiles, her face flushed a bit in embarrassment. They then greeted each other.
Following this, she asked, "Who saved me from those people? Are they still here?"
Hearing her ask this, Max wasn't surprised that she didn't know that it was they who saved her since she was barely conscious when they arrived.
He gently wiped her tears and smiled, "Yes. They are here. You can thank them later. First, sit down and recover. Your body must be having difficulty moving after lying in bed for many days."
"Umm." Rima nodded and returned to the bed.
After sitting on the bed, she asked in confusion, "We aren't in the academy, right? How did you guys find me? Did the people who saved me inform you?"
"Let me tell you," Leticia spoke and then explained everything that happened after they didn't find her at the pre-decided place when they returned after completing their mission.
After a few minutes, Leticia finished her explanation. After hearing how they had searched for her for many days and fought the group of dark mages to save her, Rima was overcome with emotions, and her eyes became teary again.
"...T-Thank you." She thanked them, her voice full of gratitude. Although she had become good friends with Belen and Leticia since they shared the same man, she hadn't thought their relationship was so good that they would be willing to risk their lives for her.
As for Max, although she knew that he was very protective of them, she still hadn't thought that on the slightest possibility of her being in danger, he would directly come looking for her. This deeply touched her, and her feelings for him became even more profound.
"You don't have to thank us. You are our... precious friend after all, and I'm sure you would have done the same if it was one of us instead of you." Belen shook her head.
"Yeah, Rima. There isn't any need to say thank you between us. After all, we can be considered family already." Leticia excitedly chimed in.
However, as she finished her statement, her face flushed, and she unconsciously sneaked a peek at Max. Belen also glanced at Max to see his reaction. She also wanted to say something similar, but unlike Leticia, she hesitated and ended up calling her 'precious friend.'
Noticing that everyone was looking at him, Max smiled and winked at them, "She is right. We can be considered a family already."
Be it Leticia, Rima, or Belen, they all had bashful expressions while their eyes revealed the joy they felt after hearing this.
...
When it was evening, Arya, the little elf, visited them again. She instantly became happy when she saw that Rima had woken up.
"Wah! Big sister, you are awake." She hugged Rima and started crying.
"This..." Max was stunned at her intense reaction. A while ago, when she saw him, although she was excited, she didn't react like this.
Leticia noticed his confusion and said, "Previously, when all of them were held captives by those dark mages, she and Arya became friends, and it was Rima who had helped her escape from the cave when that three-star mage wasn't present. So, this little girl is very close to her."
After Leticia's explanation, Max understood why she had such an exaggerated reaction and, at the same time, the confusion about the fact that how could this little girl have escaped from the underground cave.
"It's alright. Everything's fine." Rima patted the little girl's back and spoke dotingly. She wasn't surprised to see her here because Belen and Leticia had already told her that the elf family was staying in the same inn since they wanted to thank Max and her when they woke up.
Little Arya calmed down after a while and ran out of the room, "I'll bring my grandparents. They have been waiting for the big sister to wake up."
After less than five minutes, Arya, along with her grandparents and brother, came back.
"Little lady, are you alright?" The elder elf woman asked in concern.
"Yes, granny. I'm completely fine. Moreover, I feel that my vitality is higher than before." Rima smiled as she glanced at Max; her beautiful eyes were filled with tender love. It was this man, her man, who, to save her, gave her a priceless pill.
"Good. It's good that you are fine." The old woman sighed in relief. The next moment, she glanced at the old man as if asking something. After the old man nodded, she looked at Rima and asked, "Little lady, would you like to go with us to our city?"
"Hm?" Max raised his brows, and there was a surprised expression on his face. Belen and Leticia were similarly surprised. Everyone knew that rarely any human was allowed to enter any elvish city, and only high-ranking elves could grant permission to humans to enter their cities. Now, this old elf lady asked Rima to go to their city. So, it was natural that they were surprised.
"Granny, You... what do you mean?" Belen asked, surprised.
"The moment your friends saved us, My husband and I decided to allow you to enter our city. If you agree, we can recommend you to a six-star sonic-type mage of our elf race. She will guide you and help you become strong." The elf woman smiled amiably.
Boom!
Her words sounded like thunder in Rima's ears, and her heart jolted. Max and others were also stunned.
