Scilla look at the potion that was in Yuna hand "How much for the potion?"
Even if its going to cost her an arm and a leg, she will buy it. She has to buy the potion after knowing what kind of fate their youngest have lived this whole time.
"It's fine….you don't have to pay, just consider it as someone helping you; Normally, the potion effect should last for a day"
The cost for taking care of those who suffer Elezar can very well be only done by those with large money, like the nobles and big businessman.
Yuna can't bring in herself to charge money when she thought of the young child suffering from Elezar and not taking medication. The thought of suffering from pain akin to millions ants gnawing on the body makes her shudder— If it were her, Yuna is sure that she will rather face death than suffer such pain.
She hated pain after all.
Yuna is in awe of the child enduring such kind of pain and the potion is her showcase of admiration for him. Also, it is her basic decency of being Humane.
Scilla pause when she hears that she doesn't need to pay.
If she grew up in a peaceful environment, she might be elated and thought the girl before her as kind. Unfortunately, she grew up in a worse environment. Instead of being happy, she became more vigilant and wary of such untoward kindness.
Nothing is free in this world.
Although she is suspicious, the thought of her brother continuous suffering even at the moment could not allow her to think too much.
She took the potion from her hand, Scilla is ready to repay in any kind if the girl demand anything after she fed the potion to her brother…..that is, if the potion is truly authentic.
If there is anything wrong with the potion, Scilla took a silent oath of willingly giving her very life to enact revenge for her brother.
Cautiously feeding the potion to her brother, Scilla eagerly look on, on what the potion effect might be. Ready to take any action in case something terrible happens to her brother.
Amidst all worst case scenarios that Scilla thought can happen to her youngest brother— He move.
He moves albeit a small movement.
Their youngest has been stilled as if paralyzed for as long as three years. Almost after three years, he finally makes some miniscule movement.
Their youngest look up and land his gaze on Scilla, saying a short broken syllable "Si..ster.."
Scilla eyes widen in disbelief, she abruptly grab the hand of their youngest and call out stammering "Neo..Neo….You..you speak…Can you repeat, can you speak..??"
How long has she dreamed of hearing their youngest voice again?… Those three years felt so long....
Just like the previous broken and almost inaudible crack noise, Neo spoke once again "The pain…i.ts go..ne"
Despite being way mature for his age, despite enduring all the pain silently to not worry and burden his siblings further, Neo a thirteen years old child could not help but shed tears for the first time after so long.
Even when the pain tormented him constantly, unbearable to the point that he hope for death but keep holding on at the sight of his hopeful older siblings continue to endure and has not shed tears.
But this time, the long awaited liberation of the agonizing pain being abated makes him shed tears. He almost could not believe in the relief he felt. It almost felt like a dream. Neo sigh in pleasure at the painless body.
While rejoicing at the pain that receded, he also started to get consumed by the fear of the pain coming back and haunting him.
Neo feeling the liberation after a long agonizing three years where each day felt like hell didn't think he will have another resolve and will power to endure the pain again. If the pain acted up again, Neo firmly believe that he will succumb to eternal rest.
Neo almost want to beg his sister to not let him feel pain again but his remaining rationality and sensibility prevent him from begging so, making things harder for his sister.
Maybe this slight relief is the God mercy to spend happy times with his siblings before his eventful demise. Neo never entertain the thought of possibly being cured or getting supplied of continuous potion to abate the pain.
Three years of suffering and their stinking poverty prevent him from entertaining such thought.
But…
Even if Neo didn't demand so, there is no way his sister, Scilla would watch by and let her brother suffer such pain again after becoming aware of it. Even if need be, the sister who protect her siblings and let them grow to such age solely by herself amidst their harsh living condition will grovel and do anything to protect her siblings and let them live through their life.
They should not be subjected to suffering and hardship all their life. Scilla the oldest sibling among the three sole reasons for living and surviving to this day is for her younger brothers.
"Please, I will do anything for you, please give me another potion for tomorrow"
Scilla thud her knees on the ground, begging.
She didn't dare beg for continuous supply as she has nothing to offer with her current state and status, she will worry the concern of the day after tomorrow. There was no point in worrying about the close future. She will take one step at a time, she has to focus on the present.
Children from slums didn't know how to envision their future with the way they are at present. They can only focus on their immediate present, trying to survive each day. Dream and envisioning their future is different things.
Yuna look down at the girl who kneels before her.
She was not so naïve as to think on why they didn't appreciate and shows gratitude of her lending a helping and still thought that she wants to demand something for helping them.
Children living a hard life, suspicious of all things. Even kindness— although her helping hands is not exactly kindness.
She helps because she can.
She can afford to be kind and satisfy her vanity.
But Yuna does not see anything wrong with it.
Even when influencers used their money to buy food for the impoverished, flaunting their kindness in social media and seeking viewers and attention. It doesn't matter to Yuna because their action to gain more views led to those who is in need get helped.
Yuna never fails to like and comment positively when she come across such content. Hoping that the influencers will do more of such works even as a means to abate their thirst for views.
What right does she have to criticize when she is there, sitting home criticizing them for their content to get more views when she did nothing to help those in need. Even if those influencers do for content and views, at least those in need get what they need.
As long as those in need get help, it doesn't matter much to Yuna the reason on why those people do charity.
Yuna carefully scrutinize the girl and her siblings. The child who carry another younger almost paralyzed child bow his head to her and Yuna firmly believe that if not for carrying someone on his back, he will follow along the girl to kneel and beg her as well.
Yuna felt uncomfortable being on the receiving end of such begging. She wince at their non-existent, discarded pride.
Yuna is quite prideful and she knows that she didn't understand those who discarded their pride for survival, people who strive to live against all odd. They are admirable and Yuna is in awe of their reverent for life. To fight to live even if death seems much more better than living.
Showing goodwill and acting all saintly to them will further fuel their uneasiness and intensify their distrust of her helping hand.
"Alright, but I'm not interested in the term of 'Doing anything for me'" Pausing a bit and organizing her word, Yuna continue "I can hire people if I want things to get done and as a commoner, there are not much high end demand I have like those nobles. Lets sign an IOU, the cost of the medicines can be repaid later in the future little by little"
Yuna look down at the girl who was now looking up at her, even if Yuna try to gauge what she was thinking at the moment, she is not a clairvoyance who can understand people mind just by looking at their eye.
Yuna not particularly keen on hiding her true thought and like she always does when she help Austin in the past said "I lend a help because I can afford to help you, because you are miserable while I am not"
Scilla look at Yuna blankly, her gaze when she look at Scilla does not held much empathy and kindness.
Such gaze reassured Scilla instead and relax her vigilance quite a bit of Yuna.
Yuna although feeling sorry for their hard life, her empathy stop at that. She understand them deeply especially as a reader with high empathy, Yuna does not really care about it. Having empathy but not really caring about it.
Also, most novels readers are quite an empathetic people. If not, why do you think they tend to feel so deeply for the characters and their stories?
"So, should we sign an IOU? The price of the medicine will be as the market price, I'm not interested in taking an interest"
Scilla hurriedly stood up, bowing again and again thanking Yuna "Thank You, thank you..thank you so much. Thank you for your kindness"
"It's only because I can afford to show kindness to those more miserable than me, so you don't have to view me as someone who is truly kind and is a good person" Yuna wave her hand in dismissal.
But those who can afford to be kind do not bother with showing kindness
Scilla held back the words that rolled on her tongue towards the girl with gem like obsidian eyes dismissing the act of her kind deeds. She views it as irrelevant but for those who receive it, it is so precious that it caused one not being able to help but cry.
Maybe it is indeed irrelevant to her but this irrelevant thing that people can do is not done by those who can do so. As far as she knows and as far as those she meets, only the girl before her did such 'irrelevant' act.
Everyone have their freedom to help other and Scilla does not blame anyone and expect other to help those in need. It is their right to act and she is in no position to judge them.
Scilla right now only feel immensely thankful for Yuna willingness to show kindness. They can suffer less because of her.