When Lyssa took Ellie out of their room, the little girl didn't fight back since she was already used to Merim coming to check up on her big brother Elihi.
However, what she was not used to was her mother pulling her out of the room just like that.
"Ellie" Lyssa called.
Ellie, now six-year-old, was fidgety. Although she was used to it, she was still a little nervous about her big brother.
Seeing her six-year-old child worrying about things that adults should problematize instead made Lyssa feel conflicted.
However, she had to ask.
"Did you notice anything strange with your big brother the past few days?"
Ellie blinked a few times... before hesitantly shaking her head.
Lyssa sighed, expecting this kind of answer.
'But just from her hesitation, there must be really something... I feel like Elihim... matured? Is that normal in his age?'
So dawn arrived.
Right after Merim came out of the room, Heron walked into the house. The two saw each other eye to eye. Just a few seconds later, the latter looked away and down while the former raised his chin.
There was a large contrast between them. Merim was tall, handsome, confident, and wore a magnificent elite scholarly robe, signifying his high position. Meanwhile, Heron was already nearing his middle-ages, he was not that tall, he returned to his dirty hunter's clothes, and he had the face of inferiority.
'What a coward...' Merim didn't even greet Heron as he walked past the father of the child with the "Incurable Scream"
'I thought this man was something else for burdening himself just to attend to his adopted son's care, yet, reality sure is cruel... he's just like everyone else...'
Shameful red could be seen from Heron's cheeks as he was aware of the situation. Clenching his fist, he released it right after. There was nothing he could do.
'Right... I have to see how Elihim's doing.'
But even though he thought of that, he didn't expect anything. It's been two years since Elihim fell ill. Even with an Imagi looking and even studying the child's health, there was no change.
"Daddy..." Ellie looked up to her father with big eyes.
Even if Heron was down in the slumps, in front of Ellie, he couldn't let his mood change his expression. So, he replied with a caring smile, "What is it, Ellie?"
"Can you look if there's something wrong with Elihi? Mommy asked earlier and umm... I didn't see anything."
Just from hearing this, Heron couldn't help but frown.
'For her to go ask me instead of Elihim himself, there must be something different. She just didn't notice it herself...'
"Okay, Princess, I'll look to our Hero."
Lyssa was nowhere to be seen which Heron ignored as he went straight to Elihim.
"Hey, Hero, how's it going?" he knocked on the already opened door.
Elihim only glanced at Heron before nodding.
"Sir Merim said that there's some improvement."
Heron's face brightened up, almost forgetting what Ellie said earlier. However, at the next moment-
"But he said that it doesn't mean anything as long as he doesn't know the cause of it."
The bright face instantly went dim and disappointment could be seen on Heron's face. He doesn't know it but he was looking at his own son with a look that could injure a heart.
"Is that so?"
Elihim nodded again, but, inwardly he sighed.
'I used to be afraid of that face.'
Remembering why he was there, Heron sat beside his son while changing his expression.
"So is there something in your mind... well, other than your... ahem... Is there something on your mind?"
Elihim looked at Heron with a confused face, but in actuality, he thought;
'Sorry, Heron, however, it's too early to say it.'
So at that moment, he screamed in pain.
"AHHH-!!!" while he held his head.
Heron was surprised but soon, he felt his heartache as he saw Elihim shiver and lying on the bed, writhing in pain.
The father of the suffering child had his face scrunched, eyes teary, and heart crushed.
But Elihim's loud scream soon woke him up.
"No... no... this is not the time to think about yourself! Where's his pain medication? Pain medication!"
Heron's hands trembled as he searched the worn-out drawer. There was only old stuff around the house as they have to sell the new things and exchange them for worn-out ones.
"AHHH--!!" Elihim's shout continued to resound.
'Where is it!? Where is it!?'
Heron became desperate as he could not spot where those small pill bottles.
Hurried steps were nearing. Strangely enough, Heron felt more pressure.
His rough hands were filled with bandages. The stress he was feeling in the moment kept on overexerting his fatigue state.
Since he offered severance that placed the town's future in danger, no people were not angry for what he did. Not only was he immediately removed from his position by people's demand, no one wants to hire him as well, leading up to Heron hunting the dangerous woods all by himself.
At the end of the day, catching a single rabbit without tools and with a rusty knife was already considered a success.
'How could that feed the whole family!?'
Along with Elihi's "pained screams", there were loud scouring sounds that were making a mess in the room.
"Heron!"
Lyssa then stepped into the room along with the scared Ellie.
Heron then stopped and looked at his wife.
'She's getting skinny...'
Trembling hands, cold breaths, tightened nerves, and widened eyes. Lyssa's face darkened seeing her husband's state.
"T-the pain medication..." Heron muttered but was barely audible under Elihim's shout.
Lyssa then strutted near Elihim and opened the drawer under the small table beside the bed.
Taking out a pill bottle, she gave one pill for Elihim to consume which placed the child to sleep right after.
And as usual, Ellie would hug her sleeping brother until she falls asleep.
The couple came out of the room and closed the door. Clack*
"...."
"...."
There was a brief silence before Heron whispered.
"W-why did you put the bottle in a different location?" he then looked at Lyssa who didn't look at him in the eye.
"Are you planning something? That's why you asked Ellie about Elihim, right?... You know that Elihim would have an episode... You...! You planned to trick me. You actually planned to trick me...! You wanted to make me look stupid! So what? So that the children can see how USELESS their father can be? Then what? So you can seduce that Merim and their my children away from me!? You vixen! How dare you plan all this!? Why don't you go off with that Imagi!? It's so obvious that you fell for that arrogant...! Ugh-!"