Lys woke up from his sleep to the sound of quiet movement in the hut. He opened his eyes and saw Elara and Mira already up. They went about their tasks as if nothing unusual had happened last night.

  Elara sorted herbs by the window, and Mira stirred something over the small fire. No questions came about where he had been all night. They seemed to think he had just slept late after they went to sleep. To them, the feeling of dizziness or suddenly collapsing on the ground had not happened, as they found themselves tucked in their bed like usual, so there was no need for any suspicion.

  Lys’s body felt better than he expected. He sat up slowly and tried to look at how the wound in his leg looked. The aches from the wolf bite still lingered a little, but most wounds had healed. The basic regeneration skill worked without him doing anything. It healed passively, fixing damage over time. Overnight, it had mended almost everything, leaving only some muscle strain and a loss of strength.

  He stood up carefully. His legs held steady. He could walk without much trouble, but hunger hit him hard. He remembered throwing out the soup from last night. So basically, he has been going hungry since yesterday.

  "Mira," he called out to his sister. "Is there anything to eat? I'm starving."

  Mira turned from the fire with a smile. She held a bowl in one hand and a piece of bread in the other. "Here, brother. I made some mushroom soup. Mom said to prepare it for you when you wake up."

  Lys took the bowl. The soup steamed, filled with chunks of mushroom. He tasted it, and it was warm and salty. Then he remembered, ‘Salt? Didn’t we run out of salt yesterday?’

  He asked her, "This has salt in it. Where did it come from?"

  Mira sat beside him, breaking off a piece of bread for herself. "Mom bought it this morning before she went to work. She stopped by the market on her way. Said you needed something good after being sick. It's not much, but it makes the soup taste better, right?"

  Lys nodded, eating slowly. "Yeah, it does. Thanks. Tell Mom I appreciate it when she gets back."

  They ate in comfortable silence for a bit. Mira watched him closely. "You look a lot better today. No more fever?"

  "No, it's gone," Lys said. "I feel almost normal."

  After finishing the meal, Lys leaned back against the wall. He rested for about twenty minutes, focusing on his mana breathing technique.

  He drew in slow breaths, gathering mana from the air. It flowed into him, easing the last bits of strain. By the end, he felt strong again after just this little rest. The food and rest had done their job. Not to mention, there is a passive skill, basic regeneration, always working behind the scenes from now on. So his stamina and strength were getting faster than they should. But still, he was not okay to the point of running around, maybe just light walking.

  He got up and stretched. "I'm going out for a while."

  Mira stood quickly. "Wait, I'll come with you. You might still be weak."

  He shook his head. "No need anymore, sis. I'm okay now. Stay here and finish your chores. I'll be back soon."

  Mira frowned but did not argue much. "Fine, but don't overdo it. And be careful, wolves have been around lately, from what people say."

  "I know," Lys replied by giving her a warm smile. "I'll watch out."

  --------

  He left the hut and headed straight to Sara's house. The village paths were busier now, with people starting their day. Sara's place stood at the edge, bigger than most, with a gate and a small yard. A servant worked near the entrance, sweeping the ground.

  "Hey," Lys said to the servant. "Tell Sara that Lys is here. She knows me."

  The servant looked him up and down but nodded. "Wait here." He went inside.

  After a few minutes, Sara came out. She wore her usual gown, very medieval style, practical and clean. "Lys? You're early for lunch. Come in. Lady Elowen is up."

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  They walked through the yard to the main room. Elowen sat at a table, eating a simple meal of bread and fruit. She looked much better now, cleaned up, in a borrowed dress from Sara that seemed to fit her well. Her silver hair was brushed, and no dirt remained on her face either.

  "Lady Elowen," Sara said. "This is Lys. He's the one who saved you, remember?"

  Lady Elowen stood up, her eyes lighting with recognition. "You! The brave man from the forest. Oh, I owe you my life."

  Lys bowed slightly. "I'm glad you're okay, my lady. How are you feeling?"

  She sat back down and motioned for them to join her. "Better, thanks to Sara's care. Sit, please. I want to hear more about what happened after I fainted."

  Sara pulled up chairs. "Yes, Lys. You promised an explanation. Start from the beginning."

  Lys explained briefly. "I heard screams in the forest last night. Found you surrounded by wolves. We fought them off together. Then I passed out from the bites."

  Lady Elowen nodded. "My caravan was traveling through the woods. Wolves came out of nowhere. They attacked fast. My knights fought hard, but there were just too many. I don’t remember exactly how, but I climbed a tree to hide somehow. Watched my knights die one by one. It was awful." She explained it, with a new tear mark on her eye.

  Sara leaned forward, giving her a handkerchief. "Wolves don't usually attack groups like that. Must have been a big pack."

  "Yes," Lady Elowen said. "My knights were brave. They held off as long as they could. I stayed in the tree until the screams stopped, then I must have fainted. If you hadn't come, Lys, of god, I can’t even imagine it! If not for you, I'd be dead too."

  Lys felt a mix of pride and sadness for her knights. "I'm sorry about your knights. They sound like good men."

  "They were," she replied, her voice held a nostalgic hint to it. "Loyal to my family for years."

  Sara poured tea for everyone. "Your family got the letter. Riders should come soon."

  Lady Elowen looked at Lys. "You deserve a reward for your bravery and kindness. When my father's people arrive, I'll make sure you get something handsome. Gold, perhaps, or whatever you need."

  Lys felt excitement bubble inside him. Rewards meant progress, maybe better items or even status. But he kept his face calm. "That's generous, my lady. But I didn't do it for money."

  She smiled. "Still, it's only right. You've shown true courage."

  Sara glanced at Lys while speaking to Elowen. "Is there anything else we can do for you while you wait in my humble residence?"

  Lady Elowen thought for a moment. "Actually, yes. It would mean a lot if you could retrieve the bodies of my knights and their belongings. They deserve a proper burial. And their swords, armor, those hold value to their families."

  Sara met Lys's eyes, then nodded. "Of course. I'll send some workers right away. They know the woods well. Lys, you remember where it happened, right?"

  "Yeah," Lys said. "Near the big rock by the river bend. I'll describe it to them."

  "Good," Sara replied. "Joren can lead a group. He's strong enough."

  Lady Elowen sighed with relief. "Thank you both. This eases my mind."

  They talked more as she finished eating. "What brought you through our village?" Sara asked her.

  "Visiting relatives in the next town," Lady Elowen explained. "The road seemed safe, but clearly not."

  Lys added, "Wolves have been bolder lately. Maybe something is happening in the forest. I was attacked by wolves just some days ago. I’m barely alive."

  Sara raised an eyebrow. "For a young boy, you seem to run into wolves a lot?"

  "Who knows," Lys said Jokingly. "Maybe those bastards were fated to die by my hands!"

  Lady Elowen looked curious. "Or it could be the curse...You know. I hear some saying that the curse hits not just humans, but animals too. Seeing how it even hit family like mine, too. No brothers had been born in years in our whole main and branch house, you know. Father worries about the line."

  Sara nodded sadly. "Same here. No new children have been born in the village for years. But as for the rumor about the curse hitting other animals, I heard it too. But I don’t think it's true. Knowing how their numbers aren’t going down like us humans. It's oblivious."

  “Yeah, you might be right about that.”

  The conversation turned lighter as they talked about various things.

  "Tell me about yourself, Lys," Lady Elowen asked. "You live with family?"

  "Yes, my mother and sister. If I get the chance, I’ll introduce you sometime."

  "Sounds good. Are you close?" she said with a knowing voice. "Family is everything, you know."

  “Yeah, we get along.”

  Sara stood. "Excuse me, Lady Elowen. I'll go arrange for the retrieval now. Lys, you stay if you want."

  "Yeah, I think I will," Lys said. "Until lunch, at least."

  As Sara left, Lady Elowen leaned in. "Seriously, what can I give you? Name it."

  Lys thought about not showing his greedy side just yet. "Hmm, let me think. Maybe some supplies for my family. Or a better tool for work."

  She laughed softly. "Haha, think bigger, Lys. My father is generous. He will reward you more than those, even if you didn’t ask."

  Excitement grew in Lys again, but he hid it. "You don’t say. Okay, you know what, we'll see when they come."

  --------

  They chatted until Sara returned and announced. "Men are on their way. Should be back by afternoon."

  "Thank you," Lady Elowen said. "I feel at peace now."

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