Sharti made her way to the mana stone shop, being more careful than ever.
“Oh my, you came even earlier today?”
Fortunately, the shop owner who noticed her lingering outside before opening hours let her in early.
Old man Nathan, the mana stone shop owner, was known for his kindness in the village. He had never once chased away Sharti, who would suspiciously lurk around and inside the shop.
Rather, it was Sharti who would leave the shop empty-handed every time, sneaking away self-consciously.
“I’ll open the shop early today, so hurry and make your purchase now.”
Sharti bowed deeply in gratitude before buying what she wanted. Due to lack of money, she could only afford to buy two mana stones, each containing enough mana for one person for half a month.
Sharti handed over a note she had prepared in advance.
<How much is it?>
“30 silver. And this is a gift.”
“……?”
The gift that old man Nathan offered was two single-use mana chargers.
When Sharti looked at Nathan in surprise, he chuckled.
“It’s a gift for the first customer of the day, so please accept it.”
Chargers were quite expensive compared to regular mana stones.
‘He’s giving them away as gifts?’
Sharti stared somewhat blankly at the mana chargers presented to her.
She was quite perceptive.
<That’s okay.>
Just as Sharti was about to pull out a thank-you note she had prepared in advance.
“You’re the doctor, aren’t you?”
“…….”
“If so, consider this as treatment fees paid in advance for when I might fall ill later.”
Old man Nathan patted his hunched back.
“I have no family, so if I’m at death’s door, there will be no one to pay the doctor who comes to see me.”
“…….”
“If the advance payment bothers you, visit my shop every day. That way, when I collapse or fall ill, the doctor will be there to tend to me.”
It was a considerate gesture.
Sharti, who had been fidgeting with her fingers, hesitantly accepted the single-use mana chargers.
Sharti bowed in gratitude and left the shop.
Today, both her hands and heart felt full.
Once the hem of her robe disappeared from sight, old man Nathan called toward the back of the shop.
“Is that good enough?”
With a rustle, a long, thin bead curtain was pushed aside, and an elderly woman with a warm countenance emerged.
“No, it’s not! Why are you burdening our child like that!”
“A-ahem. Then what excuse should I use to give away such expensive items?”
“Just say you’re grateful because the herbal medicine our child prepared helped your back pain!”
“……Vireta, you and I are exactly the same.”
Old man Nathan shook his head at Vireta.
Vireta snorted.
“Anyway, here’s the payment for the chargers you gave our child.”
Vireta pulled out 30 silver coins from her pocket.
Old man Nathan snorted too.
“No need. I meant what I said to the doctor, so you don’t need to give me anything.”
“If you insist.”
Vireta laughed gruffly as she put the silver coins back in her pocket.
Old man Nathan’s expression darkened slightly as he laughed at the stubborn old woman.
“Have you heard about that matter?”
“What matter? I just returned home after half a month, has something else happened?”
Old man Nathan glanced cautiously outside the shop before approaching Vireta.
“The frontier soldiers who came to check on public safety, you know. They say checking village security is just an excuse, and they’re actually looking for someone.”
“……Who?”
Vireta’s wrinkled expression instantly turned cold.
Old man Nathan whispered carefully to her as her hands, clasped behind her back, trembled with tension.
“From what I see of their secrecy, it must be a deserter. Ah, come to think of it, there was a rumor in the lower village. About someone who killed dozens of allied soldiers and deserted the army…”
“Well, they’ll catch them on their own.”
She waved her hand dismissively.
Vireta’s expression quickly relaxed upon hearing that the person the soldiers were looking for was a soldier.
“Old man, you worry too much, tsk tsk.”
Old man Nathan sighed at her indifferent tone.
“Is that something to say when we’re getting old together? You might not worry, but it’s different for the doctor.”
“Why our child?”
“You’re asking as if you don’t know? Even in the village, people are talking about how the doctor still doesn’t show their face, and those soldiers will see it differently. That captain of theirs had a very unsettling gaze.”
“…….”
Vireta’s eyes grew somber.
Old man Nathan patted her shoulder.
“I heard the soldiers will be searching around the mountain near the village center today or tomorrow, so please let the doctor know.”
“I’ll do that.”
Vireta briefly thanked Old man Nathan and left the shop.
The sky was clear.
But strangely, her shoulders and knees were creaking today.
“I always found something on days like this.”
Ten years ago, a child who came looking for her, asking for a name now forgotten.
Six years ago, a newborn abandoned in a bundle at her doorstep.
Five years ago, a girl dying trapped in a fire.
“It must be my imagination.”
Vireta rubbed her shoulders and knees.
Her premonitions had never been wrong since the old days.
Meanwhile, Sharti, happily feeling the heavy weight of her bag, went to Tein’s house.
Having stayed up late reading books yesterday, Tein greeted Sharti while continuously rubbing his sleepy eyes.
<Tein. You can’t come up the mountain for a while, so I brought you some herb homework.>
“Wow! I’ll work hard!”
Tein answered energetically, tightly hugging the notebook Sharti handed him. The mention of homework had immediately driven away his sleepiness.
The studious Tein burned with more enthusiasm the more homework he received.
“Sha, you’re here? But you look thinner than before! You! Are you skipping meals again?”
Virena, who appeared behind Tein, showered Sharti with concern. Sharti shook her head with an awkward smile.
Frowning her freckled face, Virena handed Sharti a basket.
It contained a small amount of fruit jam and four small pieces of bread.
“Grandmother returned today. She prepared this for you before she left. Take it and make sure you eat it.”
<No. You and Tein should eat it.>
Sugar, the ingredient for the fruit jam, was expensive in this small mountain village. Additionally, flour for the bread was also expensive.
It must have been barely affordable with Vireta’s daily wages.
“I heard from Tein! Last time, Sha found Tein through that typhoon! After risking danger to safely send my brother home, how can I not give you this much?!”
When Sharti tried to run away without accepting, Virena quickly blocked her path.
Sharti waved both hands with an embarrassed face.
“I don’t care! If you don’t accept it, I’ll tell grandmother?! Anyway, if you don’t take it now, she’ll come up the mountain herself to deliver it!”
At those words, Sharti quickly accepted the basket.
She had to prevent Vireta from coming up the mountain. Though Vireta, who had learned swordsmanship since her youth, was exceptionally fit for her age, climbing the treacherous mountain was dangerous.
‘……Besides, if she happens to come to the cave and discovers the man, that would be bad.’
Things would become complicated in various ways if Vireta found out that she was not only treating but also hiding someone of unknown identity and keeping it a secret.
‘I have to prevent that.’
Of course, Sharti was aware of Vireta’s broad understanding. She was someone who understood Sharti’s weak compulsion to not pass by people who needed help.
But she didn’t want to burden Vireta any further.
Wasn’t she already indebted to her for many favors and kindnesses?
<Thank you, Virena.>
Sharti conveyed her thanks to Virena with a sheepish expression.
“That tickles!”
Virena giggled as she read the note passed through their palms. Tein chuckled beside her.
Their laughing faces looked exactly alike, unmistakably siblings.
‘First the bag, and now the basket.’
Today was a day with heavy hands. (TL: Or more naturally: “Today, my hands were full.”)
“Hurry, Sha. You know it’s not tasty when it gets cold.”
“Thank you, doctor!”
Sharti waved to Tein while bidding farewell to Virena, who was pushing her back.
Holding the basket to her chest, Sharti left the village.
Fortunately, she didn’t encounter any soldiers.
‘Delicious smell.’
The savory bread aroma tickled her nose as she climbed the mountain.
Grumble-growl-
‘I, I need to hurry.’
Sharti quickened her pace, thinking that animals might also be attracted by the bread’s scent.
Staggering under the weight of her bag and basket as she climbed the rough mountain, Sharti paused for a moment.
‘……Come to think of it, I’ve only been feeding him carrots and potatoes until now.’
She thought of the man in the cave whom she had been providing meals for.
Sharti pondered while listening to her growling stomach.
‘……He needs to eat things like this to recover faster.’
Then he would leave the cave sooner than expected.
There was also Vireta’s experienced advice.
[Whether animal or human, giving food reduces wariness. Hunger clouds judgment.]
Sharti sighed while peeking into the basket.
Today’s plan to go as late as possible in the afternoon had changed.
‘Let’s go for now.’
Bread tastes best before it gets cold.
Sharti changed direction from her straight climb up the mountain.
Perhaps it was because of the savory and sweet scent that gave her strength.
A slight blush of excitement spread on Sharti’s pale cheeks, hidden by her robe hood.
‘……Huh?’
Upon arriving at the cave, Sharti paused as she was about to examine the man lying in bed as usual.
‘His hair looks a bit wet…?’
Quietly setting down the basket, Sharti rubbed the man’s black hair.
Cold moisture remained.
‘Did the cave wall shift somewhere during the typhoon?’
Sharti glanced around the corners of the cave.
Since it was an artificially dug cave, there were small holes and gaps. But it was unlikely that water would leak through enough to wet only the head of a person lying in bed.
Sharti checked the man’s arms, abdomen, and thighs.
‘His body feels cooler today too.’
Although the temperature in the cave was low, the man’s body temperature felt particularly cool today.
‘Wet hair. Cool body temperature. The slightly awkward way the man is lying down.’
It looked exactly like someone who had gone out and hurriedly returned.
Sharti became certain of her suspicions.
‘The abdomen and thighs were the worst problems, but the other areas had recovered to the point where they wouldn’t interfere with daily activities.’
She considered the possibility that he had developed resistance to the sleeping herbs or anesthetic herbs she had been giving him.
Sharti held her forehead, regretting her complacency.
‘Sigh…….’
She quietly rose and slowly backed away.
She took out a long staff coated with paralyzing poison from the cave wall.
‘This is only for self-defense.’
She hid the staff behind her body, knowing it was time for the conversation she had been postponing.
Sharti tiptoed toward the bed.
‘Start with conversation.’
She swallowed nervously.
Thump. Thump. Her heart began to beat rapidly.
“……!”
At that moment, the man’s eyes flew open. Thinking their eyes had met with his shadowy teal irises, Sharti hastily backed away.
But the man’s arm was faster, grabbing and pulling her robe.
Thud-!
‘Ugh!’
‘Sha,’ forcefully laid on the bed, instinctively swung her staff.
“Now you’re going to subdue me with a weapon?”
Sharti flinched at the unfamiliar voice.
The man was lightly pinning down Sharti’s arm in defense.
“Without even trying to talk first?”
