The sweltering heat of summer had finally passed over the capital city of Avalah, giving way to the crisp, cool breezes of autumn. With winter just around the corner, the city's atmosphere had begun to shift.
It had been a month since the last incident with the soldiers. Their visits had grown infrequent, now only occurring once every other week. Thanks to the techniques we developed to handle them, they were no longer as much of a problem.
As for me, my schedule remained largely unchanged: wake up, do the morning chores, help Boarrat in the kitchen, assist the girls, then head straight to work. Occasionally, David would call on me to clean his office, but beyond that, nothing too eventful had happened.
"Hup!"
With a slight grunt, I lifted two buckets of water and carried them back toward the inn. After a month of steady work and a slightly improved diet, my stamina had finally begun to show some signs of progress. My muscles had grown more defined, though it hadn't done much in terms of overall strength.
Stepping inside, I made my way to the kitchen and set the buckets down with a dull thud.
"Nicely done, Kayle."
A massive hand ruffled my hair, and I turned to see Boarrat's hulking frame looming behind me. Without missing a beat, he took the buckets and moved deeper into the kitchen to start breakfast preparations.
"Here."
I glanced to my side and found Nana standing there, an old rag held out in her small hands.
"Thanks," I said, taking it and wiping the sweat from my face. "Helping out again today?"
"Yep!" Nana's response was as bright as ever, her energy seemingly endless.
"Then wash the dishes while I cut the vegetables."
Without hesitation, Nana got to work.
I couldn't help but smirk as I turned to the cutting board. Ever since that night, Nana had returned to her usual cheerful self, much to the relief of everyone in the inn. Without her warm presence, the place felt even more bleak than usual. Lately, she had even started assisting with my morning chores, which took a load off my shoulders. She had been clumsy at first, but she learned fast, and soon enough, she was keeping pace with me.
"Kayle, start the fire!"
Boarrat's deep voice cut through the room. I quickly finished chopping the vegetables and moved over to the hearth. The smoldering heat kissed my face as I coaxed the flames to life, a welcome warmth against the morning chill.
"Haaah~"
A familiar yawn drifted into my ears, and I turned to see Mana strolling into the kitchen, arms stretched over her head. Spotting the lit fire, she made a beeline for it and plopped down nearby, shivering slightly.
"Morning to you too, Mana," I said dryly as I continued tending the fire.
"Shut it," she shot back, glaring at me. "It's already freezing, I don't need your annoying voice making it worse."
I shrugged helplessly in response. "I was just being polite."
Mana scoffed, clearly uninterested in further conversation. Instead, she edged closer to the fire, rubbing her arms for warmth.
"Morning, sis!" Nana chirped, bounding over.
Mana's expression softened in an instant, her sharp attitude melting away as she smiled. "Mhm. Come here, Nana, sit next to me and warm up."
Obediently, Nana sat beside her sister, practically curling up against her.
'These sisters, I swear…' I inwardly sighed and returned my focus to stoking the fire.
The kitchen settled into a comfortable rhythm—Boarrat worked at his station, Nana hummed as she sat next to Mana and basked in the fire's heat. It was a rare moment of peace.
That peace was soon interrupted by the soft creak of the kitchen door opening.
"Now, isn't this a cozy little family scene?"
I looked up to see Lena leaning against the doorway, an amused smile playing on her lips.
"Lena!" Nana beamed. "Good morning!"
Lena chuckled, stepping into the kitchen. "Good morning, little one. And good morning to you too, Love." Her golden-brown eyes twinkled as she turned her teasing gaze on me. "Taking care of your little family already?"
I sighed, shaking my head. "Whatever do you mean?"
Nana, ever pure and innocent, blushed slightly. "Kayle's just helping me like usual."
"Oh? Is that so?" Lena's smirk widened. "How dependable."
Mana rolled her eyes. "You're going to give him a bigger head than he already has."
I ignored them, but as Lena took a few more steps forward, something felt off. Her usual confident stride was slower, her movements more deliberate. A faint flush colored her cheeks—not the playful kind, but the warmth of a fever.
"You okay?" I asked, frowning.
Lena waved me off with a flick of her hand. "I'm fine, Love. Just a little tired."
She turned on her heel and walked away before I could press further.
I wasn't convinced.
Nana, however, was already on her feet. "I'll go check on her!" she declared before hurrying after Lena.
I sighed and turned back to my task. There was still plenty to do this morning.
Barely a moment later, hurried footsteps echoed through the kitchen. I looked up to see Nana running back, her face pale and breathless.
"Lena collapsed!"
***
Lena lay on the bed, her face pale, a faint sheen of sweat clinging to her skin. Hannah sat beside her, carefully dabbing a damp cloth across her forehead, her brows furrowed in quiet concentration.
Nana, Mana, and Kana stood nearby, their expressions tight with concern. Even Yana, who usually kept her distance, was frowning as she watched over Lena.
The room was silent except for the soft rustle of cloth and Lena's occasional strained breaths.
Hannah let out a slow sigh, setting the cloth aside. "She needs medicine. If we don't bring her fever down soon, this could get serious."
I exhaled, rubbing the back of my neck.
'A fever, huh…?'
A sickness like this wasn't just an inconvenience—it could be deadly. The cold season was coming fast, and in these conditions, her chances weren't looking great.
If this were the present day, I'd just walk to the nearest pharmacy and buy medicine. But here? That wasn't an option.
The inn sat in the heart of the slums, and the closest doctor or pharmacy was near the docks, hours away round-trip. Even if I made it there and back, I'd still have two major problems.
Nana hesitated before speaking, her voice unusually small. "But… we don't have any money."
'…And that's problem number two.'
My jaw tightened. Even if I could make the trip in time, we didn't have a single coin to spare.
David wouldn't lift a finger to help. As far as he was concerned, if Lena couldn't work, she was dead weight. And the rest of us? We didn't even have a single crown to our name.
A heavy silence settled over the room as everyone racked their brains for a solution.
Kana was the one to eventually break it. "There's a herbalist shop in the slums."
Mana frowned. "And how does that help? We still don't have money."
Kana crossed her arms. "I know the herbalist. I can probably work something out."
"Probably?" Mana's gaze turned sharp, hearing the uncertainty in Kana's words.
Kana shrugged in response, "We don't have a better choice."
A moment of silence fell on the room once more. Even if Kana had a connection, there was no guarantee she could get the medicine for free. But looking at Lena's fevered face, it wasn't like we had many options.
"She's right, we don't have a better option," I said, glancing at Lena's still form. "If we wait and hope she recovers on her own, we might regret it by morning."
Hearing the logic in my words, everyone seemed to finally accept Kana's proposal.
"Then I'll head out now," Kana said, already moving.
"Hold on. I'm coming with you."
She stopped, turning to give me a look. "I'll be fine on my own. You still have work to finish. I don't want to deal with a hungry brat and a sick Lena."
"Forget my meal. It's better if we go together. You said you were going to work out a deal—I can help."
Kana studied me for a moment, then sighed. "Tch. Fine, but I'll do the talking. Got it?"
"No problem."
"Don't worry, Kayle!" Nana piped up. "I'll do your share of the chores while you're gone. David won't even notice!"
That earned her a small smile. I reached out and ruffled her hair. "Thanks."
Turning to Kana, I gave her a nod. "Alright. Let's go."