As the True Spirit Food Tournament approached, the atmosphere in Faron's paper shop was getting more and more intense. Faron and Reika were in full preparation mode, working on spirit food from dawn until dusk, and this time, they had to venture out to gather the final rare ingredients. Faron, ever the worrier, was especially concerned since these top-tier ingredients were anything but easy to find.
"Reika, listen to me. Dragon Scale Berries and Spirit Spring Fish are rare treasures, not something you can just scoop up with a net. You need to be extra careful this time," Faron said, sitting on his wooden chair, rubbing a piece of spirit paper in his hands. His face was a mix of fatherly love and concern.
Reika, as carefree as always, twirled a paper talisman in her fingers, flashing a mischievous grin. "Oh, come on, Faron! Don't worry about it! With me around, catching those Spirit Spring Fish will be a breeze. Remember last time? We totally aced it!"
Faron couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head. "You're always so full of yourself, aren't you? Last time, it was my paper-crafting skills that locked onto those fish. Without that, they would've played us for fools."
Reika stuck out her tongue playfully and looped her arm through his. "Oh, Faron, trust me a little! This time, I've got it covered!"
As they were chatting, Zephyr casually strolled through the door, his light blue robes making him look every bit the refined sword cultivator. Faron raised an eyebrow at him. He couldn't deny he had a good impression of the young man—despite Zephyr's occasional laid-back attitude, he did seem to care about Reika.
"Zephyr, what brings you by today?" Faron asked, a knowing smile on his face.
"I was just dropping by before heading out to take care of some 'family business,'" Zephyr replied with his usual calm demeanor, but he left out the part about how complicated that family business was. The last thing he wanted was for Reika or Faron to get mixed up in his investigation into his father's mysterious death.
Reika, who had been teasing Faron just moments ago, now turned to Zephyr with a hint of annoyance. "You're leaving us hanging, again? We still have to gather materials in the mountains!"
Zephyr shrugged, trying to sound casual. "And here I thought you two were experts at this sort of thing. You really don't need me getting in the way."
Reika's eyes narrowed. "You're a sword cultivator, and you're saying you're useless in the mountains? Please."
Faron watched the exchange, trying hard to suppress a chuckle. He could tell there was something between Reika and Zephyr, even if neither of them would admit it. Reika might act like she was annoyed, but Faron saw through it—there was definitely more to her feelings than just frustration.
Reika, not one to back down, marched right up to Zephyr, staring him down. "The mountains can be dangerous, and Faron's not as young as he used to be. If something happens, I can't handle it alone. Or… are you afraid of a little challenge, Mr. Sword Cultivator?"
Caught off guard by her determination, Zephyr sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll go. If it'll stop you from nagging me."
Reika smirked triumphantly. "That's more like it! With you around, we'll have no problem catching those Spirit Spring Fish and gathering the Dragon Scale Berries!"
Faron chuckled softly and patted Reika's arm. "All right, all right. If Zephyr's coming along, I feel better already. We'll be fine."
With that, the three of them set off toward Spirit Spring Valley. The crisp autumn wind rustled through the trees, and the sound of trickling streams filled the air. It was a picturesque scene—almost too perfect for the chaos that was about to unfold.
Reika skipped ahead, turning back to call out, "Faron, this time, we're gonna catch so many Spirit Spring Fish and get those Dragon Scale Berries! Our spirit dumplings will be the talk of the tournament!"
Faron chuckled, shaking his head. "Just don't forget what happened last time. Those fish are trickier than they look."
Reika shot a glance at Zephyr. "With Zephyr here, it'll be a piece of cake!"
Zephyr raised an eyebrow and gave a playful smirk. "You're putting too much faith in me. This is my first time going 'spirit food hunting.' Don't get mad if things don't go as planned."
Reika scoffed. "Please. You better not mess this up."
After a while, Reika suddenly stopped, turned around, and threw a hand out in front of Zephyr. "Since you're a sword cultivator, why don't you just fly us over there and save us some trouble?"
Zephyr chuckled, unsheathing his sword briefly to show off its gleaming blade. "I could fly us there, but you'll have to hold onto Faron pretty tightly. If he falls, it's not on me."
Reika puffed out her cheeks, clearly annoyed. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"Faron, thoroughly entertained by their bickering, laughed. "All right, all right. Quit teasing her, Zephyr. Let's just walk the rest of the way."
They continued on, finally arriving at Spirit Spring Valley. The air was thick with spiritual energy, and the crystal-clear water sparkled as a few Spirit Spring Fish darted playfully through it, their silver scales catching the light like tiny water-bound stars.
Reika's eyes lit up as she eagerly approached the water's edge. "We're catching them for sure this time!"
Zephyr stood a few paces behind, arms crossed, watching her with a bemused smile. "You said the same thing last time. And the fish got away while you almost fell into the water."
Reika waved him off. "This time is different. I've learned my lesson!" she declared, crouching carefully as she readied herself to grab one of the elusive fish.
But just as she was about to make her move, Faron lost his footing on a wet rock and toppled forward, crashing to the ground with a thud.
"Faron!" Reika shrieked, rushing to his side. Zephyr was quick to join her, his expression serious as he knelt down to check on the old man.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Faron said, wincing as he tried to stand. His ankle was twisted, and the pain was clearly etched on his face.
Zephyr frowned, his hands glowing with a soft light as he channeled spiritual energy into Faron's injury. "His ankle's twisted. He's not walking anywhere for a while."
Reika looked worried. "What do we do now? Should we head back?"
Zephyr paused for a moment, then flashed a confident smile. "I'll carry him. We'll find a spot for him to rest, and when he's ready, we'll keep going."
Reika blinked, surprised. "You'll carry him?"
Without another word, Zephyr scooped Faron up onto his back with ease. "Don't worry. I've got this," he said with a grin.
Faron patted Zephyr on the shoulder, chuckling. "With you around, I know I'm in good hands."As they walked, Reika couldn't help but glance at Zephyr, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. For all his teasing and casual attitude, there was something undeniably reliable about him in moments like this.
＊＊＊
As soon as Faron sprained his ankle, Zephyr crouched down to assess the damage. He gently pressed around the injury, and Faron couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. Even though his face was twisted in pain, he still managed a crooked smile. "Ah, don't worry about me, kid. I'm built tough."
"Faron, the sprain doesn't seem too bad, but if you don't treat it right, you'll be hopping through tomorrow's competition on one foot," Zephyr teased lightly, though his expression remained serious. Suddenly, he remembered some herbs he had collected earlier in the mountains, and an idea popped into his head. Standing up, he looked at Reika with a mischievous grin.
"I happened to gather a few herbs earlier that could be used to make a healing potion for that ankle. But," he paused dramatically, his smirk widening as he glanced at her, "I'll need your help, as the 'human cauldron,' of course."
"Me?" Reika blinked, suddenly remembering her newly appointed role as the living core of Zephyr's family heirloom cauldron. She groaned, pouting dramatically. "So I'm basically just a...walking cauldron now?!"
Zephyr couldn't help but chuckle, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat. "Come on, you're the most flexible cauldron in history. Just embrace it!" He pulled out the herbs from his bag and handed them to her.
"Just circulate your spirit energy a little. These herbs only need a bit of refining, and boom, healing potion ready to go," Zephyr explained, trying to sound encouraging, though Reika could swear it felt more like an order.
"Spirit energy? Aren't you the alchemist here? I'm just the... well, the cauldron," Reika grumbled, looking exasperated.
"Don't worry, I've got this. You just... be the cauldron." Zephyr's deadpan delivery was so serious it almost made her laugh.
Rolling her eyes dramatically, Reika tried to focus on circulating her spirit energy. But the moment she tried, it was like her energy was bouncing around inside her like a hyperactive rabbit trapped in a maze. Within seconds, her body started heating up, and she yelped, "Wait, wait, am I about to explode?!"
Zephyr shook his head, sighing. "What are you thinking about? You're supposed to be making a potion, not popping popcorn! Take it slow."
"What do you mean, 'what am I thinking about'?! This is your fault!" Reika grumbled inwardly. This guy never stops with the sarcastic comments!
Seeing her all flustered, Zephyr held back a laugh. He stepped closer and said softly, "Don't overthink it. Let me guide your spirit energy. Close your eyes, breathe with me, and focus on the cauldron's flow."
Reika closed her eyes, but instead of focusing, her brain went haywire. Zephyr's breath was warm against her ear, his low voice far too distracting. Her face started heating up even more, and she cursed her racing thoughts. I'm a cauldron, not a blushing maiden! Focus, Reika!
"Concentrate!" Zephyr's voice was calm but firm as he placed his hands over hers, guiding her. The warmth from his touch sent her heart racing, but she tried her best to shove the distractions aside.
But of course, the more she tried to concentrate, the more chaotic her spirit energy became. It was like her inner energy had decided to throw a wild party without her permission. Suddenly, her palms started to burn up, and she squeaked, "Nope, nope, I'm about to catch fire!"
"Stop!" Zephyr quickly pulled away, looking at her with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "What's going on in that head of yours? Your energy's all over the place like a firecracker."
"You're standing way too close, and I—" Reika almost blurted out, but she bit her lip, refusing to finish the sentence.
Zephyr burst out laughing. "Looks like our 'teamwork' needs some fine-tuning. Maybe we should... change tactics." He suddenly grinned mischievously. "How about I guide your energy from the front this time?"
"From the front?!" Reika's face instantly flushed red. "You—you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!"
"Hey, hey, don't get the wrong idea. This is strictly professional. It's all for the sake of potion-making," Zephyr said with a completely straight face as he took her hands in his, positioning them just right. "Now, breathe. Follow my lead. Don't overthink it."
"Easy for you to say," Reika grumbled under her breath, her heart pounding like a drum. But with no other choice, she focused as best as she could.
With Zephyr's gentle guidance, Reika's spirit energy finally began to flow smoothly. Slowly but surely, the herbs started to glow, and before long, wisps of energy rose from them, forming into a small, shimmering pill that smelled faintly of healing herbs.
"We did it!" Reika's eyes lit up with excitement as she stared at the finished potion. She couldn't believe it—she had actually helped create a real, functioning healing pill!
Zephyr looked equally pleased, picking up the pill and handing it to Faron. "This should fix up your ankle in no time, Faron."
Faron took the pill with a wide smile, his eyes twinkling with pride as he looked at the two of them. "You two make quite the team! I'm counting on you both for tomorrow's competition!"
Reika blinked, flustered. "W-we're not a team! I was just helping with the potion!"
"I don't know about that," Faron chuckled, his gaze warm and knowing. "You work pretty well together."
Zephyr didn't say anything, but he glanced at Reika with a playful glint in his eye, his smile full of teasing mischief.
With their task complete, the trio packed up and began the walk back home. As the sun set and the streets grew quieter, the soft glow of the moon bathed the road in a calming light.
"Tomorrow's the big day," Reika said quietly, a mix of nerves and excitement bubbling up inside her. She had no idea what the competition would bring, but one thing was for sure—it was going to be unforgettable.