Inside the house, Amukelo set the groceries down on the kitchen counter where the grandmother was busy stirring a pot of something aromatic. The grandmother glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly.
"That's everything, young man. Thank you so much for your help," she said, wiping her hands on her apron. She turned to Sara and added, "Sara, pay him for his help, would you?"
With that, she returned to her cooking, humming softly to herself. Amukelo turned to Sara, who was already fishing a small pouch of coins from her pocket. She handed it to him, but Amukelo hesitated. A thoughtful look crossed his face.
"Is the party tomorrow your grandmother's party?" Amukelo asked.
Sara tilted her head slightly, giving him a puzzled look. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
Amukelo smiled, shaking his head slightly as he handed it back to her. "Then take this money and buy her a present. I don't need it that much."
Sara blinked, surprised by his response. "But… didn't you say earlier that you were saving for a training facility? How can you just give this up?"
Amukelo shrugged with a grin. "It's enough that you're showing me a place where I can practice. This money might help you get something nice for your grandmother. It won't delay my plans by much, but I'm sure it'll mean a lot to her."
For a moment, Sara looked at him, her expression caught between surprise and gratitude. Slowly, her lips curved into a warm smile. "Well… thank you. That's really kind of you. I'll do that."
She tucked the pouch back into her pocket, but then her face lit up with a sudden idea. Her smile grew wider, and she clasped her hands together. "Oh, in that case, let me give you something."
Amukelo raised an eyebrow. "Something?"
"Wait here," Sara said, already turning around. She disappeared into another room, leaving Amukelo standing there.
He waited patiently, glancing around the kitchen and catching the faint sound of Sara rummaging through something. A moment later, she returned, holding a wooden sword in her hands. Its surface was slightly dusty, but it was sturdy and well-made, clearly crafted for serious training. She held it out to him with a smile.
"We're not using this anymore," Sara said. "And if you don't already have one, you can use it for your training."
Amukelo's eyes widened as he reached out to take the sword, his fingers brushing against the polished wood. "Are you sure?" he asked. "This seems like it's worth way more than the quest reward."
Sara chuckled, brushing a bit of dust off the sword. "Look at how dusty it is! No one's touched it in years. It's just sitting here, so why not let someone who actually needs it put it to good use?"
Amukelo inspected the sword more closely, running his hand along the smooth grain of the wood. It was lighter than he expected but felt perfectly balanced. He glanced back up at Sara with gratitude. "In that case, thank you. I didn't have a wooden sword for practice before, so this means a lot to me."
Sara beamed at his response. "Hold on," she said, stepping away again. "Let me wrap it for you so it's easier to carry."
She disappeared into another room and returned a moment later with a clean cloth. Kneeling down, she carefully wrapped the wooden sword in the fabric, tying the ends securely before handing it back to him.
"There," she said with a satisfied smile. "Now you're all set."
Amukelo held the wrapped sword reverently, bowing his head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, really. This is perfect."
"Come on," Sara said, gesturing toward the door. "I'll show you the place I was talking about. It's not far from here."
Unbeknownst to them, Pao, who had been lingering outside the house, straightened up from her spot near the wall. She watched as the two emerged from the door, her gaze fixated on the cloth-wrapped item Amukelo carried. Her mind swirled with questions, but her feet moved automatically, trailing behind them at a safe distance as they began walking.
As Amukelo and Sara strolled through the quiet streets he glanced over at Sara with a grateful smile.
"Thank you for this," he said, his tone earnest. "You don't know how much you're helping me by giving me this. With my real weapon, I'd destroy the dummies in no time, and I've been struggling to find a good way to train."
Sara waved a dismissive hand, her own smile warm. "It's my pleasure. You've helped us so much today; it's the least I could do."
The two walked in companionable silence for a moment. After a while, Sara spoke up again. "By the way," she said, "would you like to come to the party tomorrow? There aren't many people my grandma has left to invite, and she seemed to like you. I think she'd be happy if you came."
Amukelo blinked, caught off guard by the invitation. He rubbed the back of his neck, considering it. "That's kind of you, but I'm sorry," he said finally. "I'll have to decline. I have duties with my friends. Today was unusual for me—I didn't have to follow their schedule. But tomorrow, I'll need to be with them."
Sara's expression dimmed slightly, but she nodded in understanding. "Well, that's a shame. But at least I'll be able to get her something nice with the reward money. Thanks to you, it'll be a great gift."
Several paces behind them, Pao trailed the pair. Her heart sank deeper with each word she overheard.
Party? What party? she thought, her mind racing. Why does she invite him if this is just a quest? Her gaze lingered on the cloth-wrapped item under Amukelo's arm. And what did she give him?
Each snippet of their conversation only added to her unease. She tried to reason with herself. It's just a quest. It has to be. Maybe she's just friendly. Maybe Amukelo is just being kind. But the rationalizations felt hollow. Her grip on her bag of blank papers tightened as she followed them quietly.
When they finally arrived at the location Sara had mentioned, Pao hung back, peeking around the corner of a nearby building. The place was old, its wooden exterior weathered and faded, with peeling paint and an overgrown yard. Sara pushed open the creaking door, leading Amukelo inside. Pao hesitated, debating whether to wait for them to emerge. But the unease in her chest had grown too much to bear.
This is pointless, she thought bitterly, turning away. She began walking back toward the inn, her steps slow and heavy. Her mind churned with unanswered questions. Why does this bother me so much? she wondered. She couldn't shake the sinking feeling that something wasn't right.
Inside the building, Amukelo stepped cautiously into the dimly lit space. Dust hung in the air, stirred up by the movement of the door. The room was sparse, with a few old training dummies standing in the corners, their surfaces worn and weathered from years of disuse. Cobwebs clung to the rafters, and the faint scent of mildew lingered.
Sara gestured around the room with a small smile. "It's not much, but if you want, you can open a window or clean up if the dust bothers you."
Amukelo laughed softly, waving her concern away. "An open window will do just fine. I've trained in worse conditions, and with the dummies here, I think I can get some good practice in."
Sara chuckled, brushing some dust off a nearby table. "Well, in that case, I'll leave you to it. I still have a lot to do to help my grandma get ready for tomorrow."
Amukelo nodded, his expression warm. "Thank you again for everything. And I hope the party goes well."
Sara smiled, her eyes bright with gratitude. "Thanks. And good luck with your training. Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime."
With that, Sara turned and made her way out of the building, the door creaking shut behind her. Amukelo stood in the quiet room for a moment, taking it all in. Despite the dust and neglect, the space felt promising, like a fresh start. Unwrapping the wooden sword, he admired its craftsmanship again before stepping into position near one of the dummies.
This is perfect, he thought, gripping the hilt and beginning his practice swings.