“Is your identity, your past… so important to you?” Naily’s voice trembled slightly, involuntarily carrying a hint of pain.
Karl calmly stared at her, his voice soft, but each word carrying the irreversible force of a blade falling: “Very important.”
Naily fell silent.
The door suddenly opened, and Melissa burst in, holding a large bundle of herbs, followed by a white-bearded old man. Melissa quickly dusted off her hands and said: “This is the grand scholar from Reynis city center. The princess asked him to check on Karl.”
The white-haired scholar moved as nimbly as a young man, sitting down by the bed and beginning to examine Karl’s condition.
Naily felt relieved, turning to Melissa and gesturing that she was going out to catch her breath.
There was too much information to ponder in their previous conversation… Naily rubbed her forehead, glancing at the door that was not fully closed.
Intermittent voices drifted out. The grand scholar seemed to be saying: “Nothing serious… too much consumption… be careful in the future…”
Melissa soon escorted the grand scholar out. The old man waved his hand gently: “No need to see me back, I’m going to meet an old friend.”
Naily and Melissa thanked him and saw him out of the inn before going upstairs again.
Melissa immediately set up a crucible to brew herbal medicine: “Healing potions are scarce in the city center, so I’ll have to mix them myself.” She confidently added different colored herbs in proportion, stirring with a long-handled spoon. Soon the room was filled with an ambiguous herbal scent that was both invigorating and subtle.
Naily watched the entire process, wanting to help but unsure how. Seeing Melissa looking slightly tired after finishing, she had Melissa go downstairs for dinner and took on the task of administering medicine to the patient.
The herbal smell was overwhelming. She placed the medicine bowl on the windowsill, sat by the bedside, and lightly coughed: “Time to take medicine.”
The white-haired youth, originally facing the wall, slowly turned over, took a breath, and tried to sit up.
Seeing him struggling, Naily supported his shoulder, helping him lean against the raised pillow.
The brief contact felt inexplicably burning, and Naily instinctively withdrew her hand, feeling awkward, and midway changed her movement to grab the medicine bowl.
The medicine had cooled slightly, and Karl drank it in one breath, not even furrowing his brow, his eyes remaining lowered.
Naily secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As she took away the medicine bowl, she inadvertently brushed her hand across Karl’s lips. The youth’s lips were slightly moistened by the medicine. She froze, then turned around as if nothing had happened. She rinsed the medicine bowl with water from the pitcher, carefully glancing back – Karl had already pulled the blanket and turned away to lie down.
Naily didn’t have time to distance herself from Karl before he softly yet clearly asked by her ear: “What about you? Are you troubled?” He paused with a meaningful tone: “Or perhaps, you’re actually happy?”
“Of course I’m troubled,” Naily cut off his unspoken muffled laughter abruptly, slightly raising her head.
The misty moonlight filtering behind Karl illuminated her deep sea-like eyes. Struggling waves were intense, but that tiny point of light never extinguished.
“You saved me. Just letting you seek death like this, even I…
would feel uneasy,” Naily’s fingertips dug into her palm, she took a breath and pushed him back towards the bed without further discussion.
Karl sat back to the bedside. After coughing twice behind his hand, Naily nervously looked back, afraid of waking Melissa.
When she turned back, the boy’s smile hadn’t been withdrawn in time and was caught red-handed. His face was pale, but his lips were red, making this ambiguous smile in the night look enchanting and dangerous.
For some reason, Naily felt more guilty. She couldn’t help but glare at him, tiptoed back to her own bed, wrapped herself in a blanket, turned over, and lay down, but could no longer fall asleep.
The next day, Melissa woke up refreshed, facing the magic wizard with bluish under-eye circles and the equally obviously sleepless spirit guide. She looked a bit embarrassed: “Did I… snore last night?”
Naily awkwardly forced a laugh: “I just happened to have insomnia.”
Karl silently pulled his hood down to the lowest.
“Is Karl still going to the magic cave?” Melissa suddenly said after breakfast.
Naily involuntarily stopped organizing her hero’s item bar, looking at the magic wizard. Karl seemingly unintentionally glanced in her direction, their gazes brushing past each other in the air.
Karl lowered his eyes, nodding: “Mm.”
Melissa smiled brilliantly: “That’s great!
Naily felt relieved for Karl, formally saying: “In that case, Melissa can stay in Renys for a few days to do some tasks, also to…” she looked at Karl, “have time to rest and recover.”
“Let’s do that!” Melissa rubbed her hands enthusiastically when the door was knocked.
Xi Luo Viscount’s face reddened: “I am truly ashamed… None of my subordinates could stop him, and some were even injured…”
“Is there anything I can help with?” Melissa asked, and the viscount’s eyes lit up as he stammered his request:
“Perhaps the black-robed person will return tonight. Could the hero wait at the tower’s top? I will arrange people to block all paths leading down and cut off his retreat. If he… dares to attack the princess again, please show no mercy to the hero. If you cannot capture him alive, please kill him on the spot!”
He shook Melissa’s hand forcefully: “Please, I beg you! If anything happens to the princess, I… I am willing to accept whatever punishment His Majesty might impose, but I have a newborn child. If I lose my title…”
” He trembled, his lips turning pale, “Goddess bless, please understand. Renys is so poor now that we can’t even hire an army. I don’t have a single gold coin. Without my title and lands, I’m no better than a farmhand…”
Melissa nodded understandingly: “I understand. Protecting the princess and repelling the black-robed person will be left to me.”
Nai Li stepped aside and opened the system interface, where a new hidden mission “Visitor in the Night” had appeared. Nai Li quickly closed the interface and returned to Melissa’s side.
The viscount let out a long sigh and turned to the grand scholar: “Have the kitchen prepare something good!”
The grand scholar looked troubled but still responded: “Yes, my lord.”
The viscount’s idea of “something good” was just a slightly better fish stew compared to the tavern’s mixed soup. Yet the viscount devoured it with great satisfaction.
Melissa finished her bowl completely without a single complaint, her expression turning serious. Nai Li secretly observed the hero, seeing no trace of contempt or pity on her face. Her violet eyes were bright and calm, with a captivating clarity in the window’s daylight.
Nai Li looked at the bare walls and felt a sense of desolation. This was another humble, unknown side of the continent under the Demon King’s threat. People often see the blood splattered on the front lines or the intricate upheavals in the royal city, forgetting those struggling for survival on the coastal edges.
But without the Demon King’s rampage, how could pirates boldly plunder along the coastline?
Thinking this, the intentions of Klovi and Piping in sending Rosalia here became increasingly suspicious. Even with its sparse population and solid ancient fortress, was it really safer than any fortress in Mez or Melovania?
After comforting the anxious viscount, Melissa and Nai Li left the tower, both feeling heavy-hearted.
