While sitting in a carriage with Noxian and Berry, Xion silently glanced at the corner of the system panel. The clock showed it was only four in the evening.
Yet, in spite of the light hour, the darkness of the evening felt unusually oppressive, as if something heavy hung in the air. He blinked, pushing the thought away.
Unlike his temporary clinic, which was at the center of the bustling market, the inn they stayed in was at the secluded corner of the area.
It was a place undisturbed by the noisy city where nobles could rest peacefully. The wheels stopped spinning, and Berry helped him out of the carriage.
He even helped him carry a basket filled with various herbs Xion had bought earlier.
Waving goodbye to Noxian, Xion headed to his room for a quick bath. As he glanced at his rapidly increasing Merit points, a sense of excitement surged through his heart.
With time on his hands and a good mood, he stood up.
He had barely stepped out of his room when he came face-to-face with a red-haired lady hurriedly making her way down the well-carpeted hallway.
"Lady Nazia! Can I borrow the kitchen?"
His shout made her turn around, and with a slight smile, she nodded, "Of course, young master. You are free to do so."
And just like that, Xion found himself in front of an earthen stove. He reached for a palm-sized orange mana crystal, also known as a fire crystal.
The jagged, heat-conducting surface of the crystal pressed against the pad of his fingers. Its warmth radiated through his skin as he carefully placed it in the stove to ignite the fire.
After many uses, the crystal would shatter, leaving behind sparkly dust. The better the quality of the crystal, the more its life span.
That was how they were used in day-to-day life.
"Young master! I want to help too!"
Xion was startled by the sudden shout and nearly dropped the mana crystal. He turned around, only to see Noxian grinning at him.
Xion could not help but chuckle, "If you want to help me then go and take a bath first."
Hygiene was important, particularly in this world, where the most minor illness could escalate into something deadly if not caught and treated in time.
The least Xion could do was ensure the child had a decent meal and a clean body after all the hard work he had done.
Though very reluctant to take a bath again, Noxian still obliged his orders.
The inn's kitchen was big and well-stocked. There were plenty of fresh vegetables, dried meats, and other raw ingredients neatly stacked on the shelves.
But today, Xion had a secret mission. He wanted to make noodles.
Not just any noodles, but the kind his former teacher used to cook for him back when he was struggling alone in that house.
His family had gone on a trip, and once again, he was left alone.
In the middle of the night, he found himself standing in front of the poorly stocked kitchen, unsure how to make anything edible.
He had almost starved to death once or twice before... as the food was just not enough.
It was when his entire body screamed out for food, and his tiny hands could not reach the upper shelf where his sister's favorite cookies were placed, he went out of his house.
Luckily, his teacher found him rummaging through the street dustbin and took him in for a night.
Remembering the delicious taste of the noodles he ate that night, he washed vegetables.
Cutting the tofu he bought from the mall into strips, he added the shredded carrots and fried it together with pork and eggs. Adding water and needed herbs, he let it simmer on the medium flame.
Meanwhile, he went to make noodles. It was not that hard to make the dough, though it would take him more time to cut the noodles into thin strips.
Instead of manually doing it, Xion used his mana, waving it over the flattened mixture like a flurry of knives. In just a minute, the long, thin noodles were perfectly shaped and ready to be cooked.
Ignoring the tiredness crowding his body, he scooped the now-cooked noodles and put them in different bowls, then started to stir-fry the vegetables.
Before the broth was even poured on the noodles, Noxian could already smell the mouthwatering smell in the hallway.
Xion tasted it. A small, helpless smile graced his hidden face. It was delicious. Nonetheless, no matter how many times he tried, the taste was just never the same.
"It smells so good," the little boy sniffed like a puppy.
Looking at the dripping wet hair of the boy, Xion laughed lightly, "Come here," he waved at Noxian and gave him one of the bowls. "Eat it while it's hot."
The boy bobbled his head, his wet purple hair bouncing with his movements.
Looking at Noxian's cuteness, his smile widened. Even the tiredness in his eyes seemed to vanish.
Leaving behind an extra portion for others, he took two bowls with him.
Xion's steps were light as he carefully balanced a full tray while walking forward. Barely had he reached the corner when Nazia stopped him.
"Young master? Are you taking this to His Grace, perhaps?"
Xion nodded, "Yes."
"I am going there. How about I take it with me?"
Only then did Xion recall that no one could just give Rael his food. Every bite had to go through proper inspection before reaching his tiny mouth.
Without any further question, he gave the tray to the lady and picked up his food before making his way toward his room.
Sitting on the table, he looked past the closed window. Even only at six, the sky had darkened as if it were midnight.
He was about to take a first bite when he suddenly recalled the very important thing he had forgotten.
Xion jumped from his chair and went toward the basket filled with herbs. While he was learning about mana, he also started learning about the methods of making medicines from Herbs.
After all, he could not ask the patients to buy the medicine from the drug store as he used to do in his previous life. So, the first perfect medicine he made was to help Rael with his insomnia.
For someone who was in his growth period, taking a sleeping drug was not a good idea. Hence, he made a very light dosage of Mikosa Ribitiyon with added vitamins and calcium.
Holding a paper packet with three pills rolled in it, Xion went out of his room. He glanced at the empty hall and removed his hood before softly knocking on the door.
Much to his surprise, the wooden door was not locked. With just a small push, it creaked open.
"Your Grac-" Xion froze mid-sentence. The paper packet slipped from his hand, and the faint rustle it made as it hit the floor seemed to echo in the heavy silence of the room.
His eyes widened in horror at the gruesome sight before him.