As they travelled to Padure village, there was an awkward silence caused by the unresolved tension between Tohgi and Yamna.
Juliet: (this is a bit too awkward, can one of you speak) So? Chanel mentioned you feeling grateful to Tohgi.
Tohgi looked towards Juliet attempting to signal her to stop, but Juliet looked away, flat out dismissing his concerns.
Tohgi: (Oi, Oi, don't make it more awkward)
Juliet: (If you're not going to say anything, I might as well)
Yamna: Oh she mentioned that.
Yamna blushed at the thought of her first encounter with Tohgi.
Yamna: When I became a knight, I was motivated after speaking to Tohgi
Tohgi: Motivated? Huh? Did I?
Tohgi's confusion was plain as day to see, he could not understand what about their first encounter could be misconstrued as motivation.
Juliet: There seems to be some misunderstanding somewhere.
Yamna: "stop crying, you have been chosen based on merit and potential, be proud to be a knight". When you said that, I felt like I could become a knight… (or rather I had no choice but to be)
Tohgi: I actually meant that to be sarcastic not to be motivating, I actually wanted to apologise for letting off on you. It was uncalled for and it wasn't your fault.
Juliet: You could have just left her believe it was motivation.
Tohgi: That's true, but I felt bad, so I apologise.
Yamna: I knew you were being sarcastic, but it made me feel better.
Tohgi: I am so lost
Juliet: I am too.
Yamna: I can't really explain it, but when I felt sorry for you, the truth is I felt sorry for myself. When you dismissed me, there was no sense of self-pity or doubt, you took away my outlet to deflect how pathetic I was. So I took your words to heart and decided to prove to myself that I can be a knight.
Tohgi: Talk about creating a positive spin, well that's a good take on it
Yamna: I wanted to thank you for that.
Juliet: What's your goal then?
There was a momentary awkward silence, Yamna's face fell to the floor, her voice flickering and low, her presence seemed to shrink.
Yamna: … There isn't anything I can achieve, I think I have come to terms with that, so I just want to be useful.
Tohgi: Is that really the height of it? I thought you were going to prove something.
Tohgi responded nonchalantly and with no regard for the clear embarrassment Yamna felt.
Juliet: That's a bit harsh
Yamna: but what can I prove? What can I be?
Tohgi: Isn't that up to you? Who are you asking? You can decide to waste your talent or not.
For whatever reason, Tohgi's blunt insensitive response was able to lift Yamna's spirit forcing a smile out of her leaving Juliet perplexed.
Yamna: yes it is
Juliet: Are you a masochist?
Yamna: huh?
Juliet: never mind
A few hours later they arrived at Padure village, Tohgi directed them to an inn and hired someone to assist them after which he made his way home.
Tohgi: I'm home, surprise!
Willow: Tohgi?
Willow's face lit up with joy, Tohgi had not written home to inform them of his arrival.
Willow: Yaayy!! I Didn't know you were coming.
Tohgi: That's the point of a surprise. It was an impromptu vacation, where's mum and dad?
Willow: Dad went to purchase some items and mum is at the construction site of her health centre.
Tohgi: Oh, we should make dinner for them when they get back, I can now guarantee that you have been getting the money I send.
Willow: Oh yeah… let me show you something, this is what dad has been working on all day every day.
Willow took Tohgi to the new wing of the house, he hadn't noticed the extension from outside.
Tohgi: what's this? It is a separate house. Dad really outdid himself here, is it for him and mum?
Willow: hehehe… this is your new…. Room I guess? Dad said when you come back he would like to surprise you.
Tohgi: This is really amazing and most definitely surprising.
Willow: Right?!?! Wait, I guess I ruined it, oh well, what do you wanna make?
Tohgi: What do we have?
Willow: everything, like literally… there is nothing we don't have, I have never seen so much food ever!
Tohgi laughed at Willow's amazement on how much food their mum had been buying.
Tohgi: Okay, so what do you wanna make then, or are you still unable to do anything in the kitchen?
Willow: Hmph, I am better than you for sure, you can assist me in making assorted meat stew with rice
Tohgi: Yes chef, what do you need me to do?
Tohgi and Willow had fun making dinner until their mother got back home.
Wendy: Oh, what is that wonderful smell?
Tohgi: It's dinner.
Wendy: Tohgi? When did you return?
Tohgi: not too long ago
Wendy was ecstatic to see him and gave him a big hug.
Wendy: Welcome home, your wing isn't fully ready yet, sadly
Tohgi: no one told me about a new wing being made
Wendy: That's how surprises work
Tohgi: I'm sure there so many other things you could be doing with the money instead of focusing on a new wing, I can still use my room.
Wendy: nonsense, you're a man now, a knight for that matter. We planned on building you a new house but couldn't bear the thought of you living too far away. Don't worry you still get your full privacy in the new wing, we would be like neighbours, and it's sound proof…
Wendy bent towards Tohgi and gestured to him to bring his ear closer, when he did, she whispered.
Wendy: for when you bring a missus
Tohgi: Okay… it's clearly time to eat, where's dad?
Wendy: Oh he went shopping, I don't know when he would be back, we should eat.
Tohgi: Okay
They were just about to have dinner when Denver rushed into the house.
Denver: Is Tohgi home?
Tohgi: Yes I am…
Danzai: I knew it… there was chatter that a knight and a noble were escorted into town by someone which was strange in itself, but even stranger was that only two were staying in the inn, that meant you must have come home. You should have informed us beforehand; we would have prepared.
Tohgi: It was an impromptu trip.
Willow: I'll serve you a plate
Wendy: Oh… you brought some friends? you could have brought them over for dinner
Tohgi: I hadn't told you of my arrival, I can't add two strangers to our dinner table unannounced
Wendy: We have enough food for as many strangers as you can bring.
Tohgi: Oh I wanted to confirm how much you've been receiving every month
Danzai: We received 1400 and your sealed letter in February, based on what you had planned with the sword master I felt an even split was unfair and give him an extra 300. Even with 400 I find it hard to spend it all, I never expected you would be making that much money and trust anyone to bring it here.
Tohgi: Well if I ever found out it wasn't delivered completely, there would be trouble…
Tohgi dawned a very smug look.
Tohgi: Afterall… I'm a knight now.
Willow: Oh.. you feel like a tough guy now huh? What do I call you Sir Tohgi?
Tohgi: with a little more respect!
Willow: ew… no!
They all laughed at Willow's irritation.
Denver: Being a knight comes with more perks than I thought, how much do you make?
Tohgi: enough to send you 1,400 gold coins.
Wendy: I am so proud of you; I hope you're living a happy and fulfilled life there.
Tohgi: I am getting there…
Wendy: You always have a home to come back to… and our support with anything… within our capacity of course.
Tohgi: oh trust me, I am going to be needing a lot
Denver: I am well aware.
Tohgi: How's the health centre coming along?
Wendy: Very well!! We're still building but we've finished certain parts, we are good to open now.
Tohgi: that's great, I would be needing it tomorrow.
Wendy: Oh, my first customers! No discounts, full price
Tohgi: Haha, that's better, you can add a surcharge for nobles.
The next day Tohgi went to the Inn to meet with Juliet and Yamna, after breakfast, they headed to the newly formed health centre. They prepared the space for the upcoming operation while Tohgi went to get Devon. It was finally time to attach his new mechanical arm.
Tohgi: Yo, I've brought your patient, you can take the measurements you need now, anything else?
Juliet: Oh nothing else, just an oxygen tank and Ketamine
Tohgi: uhm…
Juliet: Wait you don't have that?
Tohgi: the facilities here are, how do I say this, not up to standard
Juliet: Okay this isn't going to work
Tohgi: I am guessing you can't work without that
Juliet: well it's possible, but would be a very painful procedure
Devon: That's fine I can take it
Tohgi: No, I already caused you the pain of losing an arm, there has to be another way.
Juliet: Well if we can find another way to knock him out and supply oxygen properly then it's happy days.
Tohgi: I see, poppy plants should numb him and I think the Sanso Auceps should be good enough for oxygen supply
Juliet: Sanso auceps?
Tohgi: it's a plant that traps small animals in a spacious cocoon, we don't really know why, but we know that it is more or less air tight. By the time its prey dies, it becomes manure for the plant.
Juliet couldn't hide her child like excitement.
Juliet: Oh I see… It's absorbing the CO2 from its prey and in turn supplying O2, but wouldn't the O2 just be expelled to the environment?
Tohgi: That's the interesting part, the organism stays alive for as long as it can while trapped. We believe the plant directs O2 into the cocoon, because animals trapped in it don't seem to die from suffocation but rather starvation, considering the fact that it stays trapped for days, sometimes even weeks.
Juliet's excitement only increased while the conversation continued.
Juliet: This is so fascinating…. I did not even know such research was done here, but why do animals not just evade or eat the plant and escape?
Tohgi: I don't know if you would call it research, more like random observations. The plant blends well into the environment so it is not so easy to avoid, it is also inedible, it's really tough and flexible
Juliet: This plant definitely hit the survival jackpot.
Tohgi: A lot of plants in the southern forest evolved to be stronger versions of themselves and there are some unique species.
Juliet: Why is that?
Tohgi: No one really knows, would you like to see it in action?
Juliet: Would I?
Juliet caught herself being overly excited and composed herself.
Juliet: I mean, I wouldn't mind
Tohgi: (it's too late to hide your excitement) well, we can go the southern forest, get that and the poppies
Juliet: like the actual national southern forest?
Tohgi: yeah…?
Juliet: You mean the unexplored forest home to undocumented species that you just confirmed are not fables?
Tohgi: (so that's it? hehehe) Oh yeah, there's a lot you probably haven't heard about, come on let's go
Juliet: let's go? Just like that, how far is it?
Tohgi: well technically, you're already in it, where do you think the name of our little town came from?
Juliet: Padure, meaning forest, as in the southern forest. Oh heavens, this is it?
Juliet eyes widened; this was a desire she had long had. She was suddenly overcome with anxiety and became restless.
Tohgi: Well shall we?
Juliet: Hold on a minute, I didn't expect to ever enter this forest in my life, give me a second to collect myself
Tohgi: We don't have all day
Juliet: there is a problem though, those plants would definitely be useful, but how can we keep the Sanso alive and wrap around Devon's head? Also, I am not an expert at actually processing plants to drugs, so the poppies would be useless in my hands.
Wendy: Then you're lucky I am here, I heard all the noise and couldn't resist, I would be glad to help!
Tohgi: Thanks mum!
Yamna: Mum?!?!
Juliet: Mum?!?!
Juliet and Yamna echoed the same sentiment, they were shocked to see the young woman Tohgi called mother. They couldn't help but whisper to themselves
Juliet: She looks too young to be his mother
Yamna: I agree, maybe she's a second wife
Juliet: Tohgi is so accepting and considerate, I have a newfound respect for him.
Yamna: I expect nothing less from him
Tohgi: What are you two whispering about?
Yamna: Nothing
Tohgi sighed knowing that whatever conversation they were having was related to him but was not bothered enough to insist.
Tohgi: As for the Sanso I can create it if I study its form so we would be fine
Juliet: huh?
Yamna: Tohgi control's plant magic.
Juliet: wouldn't it take time to learn a new spell?
Tohgi: All I'll be doing is mimicking it, there is no complicated alterations, so once I get a good feel of it, I'd be fine.
Juliet: I see, let's go then, are you coming?
Yamna: Nah, I'm good, wild animals and insects aren't really my speciality
Tohgi: people fear what they don't understand, maybe if you approach them with an open mind they aren't as scary as you think.
Juliet: Oh you like insects too.
Tohgi: oh no, they're just annoying.
Juliet: what an open mind you have.
Tohgi: At least I try to not kill them as long as they are not seen or felt in my personal space.
Juliet: A real valiant attempt, what were you going to do before, hunt them down?
Tohgi: Prevention is better than cure.
Juliet: that's not what that statement means, anyway, see you later Yamna.
Tohgi and Juliet went to the southern forest and got what they needed, after which they came back to fix Devon's mechanical arm.
END!