As Amukelo walked back to Bral and Pao, he held his head high, eager to hear their assessment. "So, how was that?" he asked, confident that this time, he had done much better.
Bral, however, sighed deeply and ran a hand down his face. "You can't just approach people without saying anything first. You're not a thug, but if someone sneaked behind me like that, I'd feel uncomfortable too."
Amukelo's shoulders slumped as he muttered, "I wasn't sneaking…" but the way Pao giggled at Bral's words told him all he needed to know.
She covered her mouth with a playful grin. "It was kind of funny though."
Amukelo exhaled sharply. "Okay, okay. Next time, I'll get it right." This time, his voice carried more determination, as if he were preparing for an actual battle rather than simple conversation.
Bral smirked and patted his shoulder. "That's the spirit. Now, let's get to the alchemy shop before you traumatize any more innocent bystanders."
They resumed walking through the town, weaving past stalls and other passersby. Amukelo, trying to shake off his embarrassment, turned to Pao and asked, "So, how long have you been studying magic? I don't know anything about it, but it seems really fun."
That was all it took. Pao's entire face lit up like a festival lantern, her eyes shining with excitement. "Really, not that long! I learned the basics as a child like most people, but I picked it up more seriously just a few years before setting out as an adventurer." Her voice had taken on a rapid, enthusiastic rhythm, and she barely paused to take a breath before continuing. "But I love it! It's not just about memorizing spells—you can learn basic or advanced magic from grimoires, but the real fun is experimenting and discovering new ways to use it! If you're skilled enough, you can even create your own spells! There are almost infinite possibilities! As long as you don't try to break the fundamental laws of the world, you can literally bring your ideas to life!"
Amukelo blinked. "…Wow."
But Pao wasn't done. "Like, for example, most people think elemental magic is just about shooting fireballs or throwing chunks of ice, but it's so much more than that! It's about control, refinement, and creativity! I mean, what if instead of just throwing water at someone, you manipulated it to form razor-sharp blades and then freeze it? Or what if you combined water with wind to create a pressurized blast? Oh! And don't even get me started on enchanting objects with magic—that's a whole different study! I could go on for hours about the potential applications alone!"
Amukelo's mind whirled as he struggled to keep up. He hadn't expected such an in-depth response, nor had he expected Pao to gush about magic as if it were the love of her life. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, offering her a small, bewildered smile. "…That's really cool."
Pao beamed at him. "Right?!"
Bral, who had been walking a few steps ahead, glanced back at them and smirked. He could see how completely absorbed Pao was in her own excitement and how utterly lost Amukelo looked trying to keep up. His smirk widened mischievously as an idea formed in his mind.
Just as Pao was about to launch into another explanation Bral abruptly cut in. "Alright, we're here."
Neither of them had even noticed they had arrived.
Pao blinked in surprise, her momentum halting like a runaway cart hitting a wall. Amukelo looked around in mild confusion, realizing they were now standing in front of a quaint wooden shop with a small cauldron-shaped sign hanging above the door. The faint scent of herbs and something bitter wafted from within, confirming that this was, indeed, the alchemy store they had been looking for.
Bral, still grinning, clapped Amukelo on the back. "Wait outside with Pao. I'll go inside and take care of things."
Amukelo frowned. "But I thought I was supposed to be practicing talking to people?"
Bral snorted. "Yeah, and you didn't even know what a bread roll was five minutes ago. You really think you're gonna walk into a shop full of potions and not get scammed into buying snake oil?"
Amukelo groaned. "Ugh… I don't know."
Bral gestured toward a nearby wooden bench. "Exactly. So, you two wait here. I'll be quick."
And with that, he disappeared into the shop, leaving Amukelo and Pao sitting on the bench outside.
For a few moments, they sat in silence, the abrupt interruption having completely derailed Pao's magic-fueled enthusiasm. Amukelo could still feel the excitement radiating off of her, but now that her flow had been broken, she simply sat there, hands folded in her lap, staring at the shop entrance.
Eventually, she sighed lightly. "…I was really getting into it, too."
Amukelo let out a small chuckle. "Yeah… I noticed."
They sat in silence for a long time, and afters some time it began getting awkward. Amukelo shifted on the bench, drumming his fingers against his knee as he exhaled heavily. "Is he taking long, or is this usual?" he muttered, glancing at the door of the alchemy shop.
Pao, sitting beside him with her hands clasped in her lap, sighed. "I think he should already be out by now."
They both stared forward, waiting. The silence stretched between them, neither sure of what to say. Amukelo stole a quick glance at Pao, only to find that at the same moment, she was glancing at him. Their eyes met for a brief, awkward second before both of them quickly turned away. Pao's cheeks tinged a light pink, and Amukelo cleared his throat, suddenly feeling like he was sweating under his cloak.
"How long is he gonna take…" Amukelo cursed under his breath, doing his best to focus on literally anything other than the growing awkwardness between them.
The silence dragged on, feeling heavier than before. Amukelo was about to say something—anything—to break it, but before he could, Pao finally spoke. "You know, Amukelo… I really respect you."
Amukelo turned to her, blinking in surprise. "Huh?"
Pao hesitated, looking down at her hands. "I mean… you've been through a lot." Her voice was softer now, lacking its usual bright energy. "I remember that day at the lake, not long after we met you. You showed your scars."
Amukelo tilted his head slightly, unsure where she was going with this. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue.
"But the way you joked about it… like it wasn't a big deal. Like it wasn't anything worth being concerned about. That really stood out to me." Pao lifted her eyes, meeting his with something unreadable in her gaze. "And you're only eighteen."
Amukelo shifted uncomfortably, not sure how to respond. He wasn't used to people praising him, let alone for something like this. He gave her a small, uncertain smile. "Well… I don't feel their pain anymore, so why would I be concerned?"
Pao shook her head slowly. "No… most people, especially at our age, would make a big deal out of it. They'd wear it like a badge of honor, always bragging or using it for pity." She sighed, tapping her fingers against her knee. "But you… you don't. And it made me think a lot about myself because I used to complain about everything."
Amukelo raised an eyebrow. "You? Complaining about everything?" He let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "I've never seen you complain even once."
Pao smiled bitterly. "Yeah, that's because you didn't know me before we met." She exhaled heavily. "Even just a few days before you saved us, I was constantly whining about how long the journey was. I complained about everything—about the travel, about the food, about the inns, about the weather. And the worst part is… I hurt people close to me because of it."
Amukelo frowned. He'd never thought of Pao as someone who would do something like that. She was always cheerful, always eager, always talking about magic with that bright spark in her eyes. He struggled to picture her as someone who hurt others with words.
Pao continued, her voice quieter now. "That day at the lake, when I saw your scars, and the way you just brushed them off… it hit me. I realized how much I took things for granted. I've had it so easy compared to you. And yet, I still acted like everything was some huge struggle."
She shook her head, frustration flickering across her face before she let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. "It made me realize how stupid I was. And after I heard about… what happened before you went to live in the wilderness, it just… it put everything into perspective."
Pao exhaled and looked down, hesitating before saying, "I just wanted to tell you that I really—"
"Yo!" Pao visibly flinched as Bral's voice cut through her words without a care.
Both she and Amukelo turned their heads at the same time to see Bral approaching with a wide, mischievous grin plastered across his face, a paper bag filled with potions in his hand.
"What have you two been talking about?" he asked, clearly amused.
Pao, still frozen mid-sentence, slowly turned to him with the flattest expression imaginable. If looks could kill, Bral would be lying face-down on the street.
Bral, however, remained completely oblivious, looking back and forth between them. "What? What happened?"
Pao crossed her arms and turned away, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Nothing. None of your business."
Bral blinked, then turned to Amukelo, who was scratching the back of his neck and giving him a polite, if slightly forced, smile.
"...Huh." Bral smirked knowingly, leaning forward slightly. "Did I interrupt something?"
"Yes." Pao shot back immediately.
"Ohhh," Bral hummed, his smirk widening. "I see."
Pao glared at him. "No, you don't."
Bral chuckled, clearly enjoying this way too much. "Come on, I was only gone for a little while. What could have possibly happened that makes you look like you want to set me on fire?"
Pao didn't answer, only huffed and turned her head away even more, her arms tightening around herself.
Amukelo, meanwhile, was still sitting there, unsure whether to laugh or just let the moment pass.
Bral grinned. "You know what? I don't even need to know. Whatever it was, I bet it was adorable."
Pao threw her hands up in frustration. "Why are you like this?"
Bral only laughed harder. "Because it's fun. It's amazing to see you tilted like your sister. She's really cute when she gets mad."
Amukelo shook his head, smiling despite himself. "…You really do have the worst timing."
Bral clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, what can I say? I have a talent."