Aras Auto-13

For Ian, it was a long-awaited return home.

Though he had lost much, he would surely be glad.

Ian's family residence was larger than he had imagined—perhaps among the largest in the town, even if not quite the top two.

Of course, there was a gatekeeper outside, and when he spotted Ian, he jumped up and dashed inside the mansion.

I’ll never forget the look on the woman’s face when Ian opened the door to his family home—her joyful expression mixed with sorrow upon seeing his missing arm, creating a complex, indescribable expression.

That look was, without doubt, a consequence of my own inexperience.

But still, living is always a gain.

Ian embraced the newborn child as if he had lost nothing at all.

At the sight of the tears flowing, I felt that way too.

Then we were invited into the mansion and introduced to Ian’s family.

To be honest, I had braced myself for a punch, given that I’d lost an arm, but I was merely thanked instead, leaving me with a vague, uneasy feeling of guilt.

For the time being, since it was said I must be tired, I was able to rent a room and rest comfortably.

The next day, I was in a large room.

I had a meeting with the merchant lord from morning on.

The lord was apparently named Lark. He was Ian's real father.

Since the merchants referred to him as "Lord," I would do the same.

"Mr. Taro, once again, I deeply thank you for saving my son's life."

"No, no, I was also helped by him. It's mutual assistance. In fact, he lost one arm."

"Surviving against a powerful monster is an incredible feat. There's no need to worry about it so much."

He was truly resilient... I thought to myself.

After chatting for a while, we agreed as promised that he would provide food and clothing at a greatly reduced price.

When I told him our next destination would be Nihon, he said it'd be better to move quickly.

"Alasooto's winter is coming soon, so we should move before it gets too cold."

There was no particular objection, and following his advice, we decided to move as soon as our preparations were complete.

That night, since we had come all this way, a party was held.

It wasn't anything particularly luxurious, but rather elaborate dishes that we normally couldn't afford to eat.

The soup, told to be a local specialty.

A lively conversation, perhaps because of his talent for business. Everything felt like a brand-new experience.

Ian's merchant family had been in operation for three generations—truly a respected old establishment.

Enjoying the party, I came out into the night air to cool down after a slight flush from the alcohol. A faint echo of the town's bustle drifted in from outside.

Suddenly, I sensed someone behind me.

Turning around, I saw Ian's wife.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Taro, for saving my husband's life."

"Oh, no, I simply did what anyone would have done."

"Still, I'm truly happy. Most of all, I'm grateful that he was able to hold my child. That wouldn't have been possible without you."

"I see. That's wonderful."

"If I may be so bold, I would have preferred if you'd held him with both arms... Oh, forgive me. I didn't mean to question you, Mr. Taro."

Ian's wife quickly bowed her head.

"I understand. Everyone would wish for that."

"Indeed. Thank you."

Ian's wife returned to the audience, looking satisfied yet slightly lonely.

The way to restore his arm...

Unfortunately, no such method exists. Even a healing gem can only restore what was originally there.

The lost part cannot be regenerated.

To do something like that, you'd need to prepare new cells or something and shape them into an arm...

There is, or rather, there was... a way to regain a lost body. A possibility does exist.

In the world I came from, there was someone who devised a method to create any part of the body. And they were from the same country...

Honestly, as someone who studied engineering, I have no idea how it might work, but the possibility isn't zero.

...It might be worth a try. No, it's an arm that was lost because of me. I'll achieve it, no matter how many years it takes.

I tilted the glass in my hand and silently made a vow in my heart.