After what felt like a long stretch of tense silence, punctuated only by the shallow breaths of the ailing mother and the occasional rustle of Kilian's movements, Kilian finally straightened up.
He turned to look at Domina, who had remained standing just behind him, her posture rigid with a mixture of hope and anxiety.
Her black-tipped tail twitched almost imperceptibly, a subtle betraying of her inner turmoil, and her cat ears swiveled slightly, as if trying to catch any change in the atmosphere.
The worry etched on her delicate features, combined with the raw vulnerability in her wide eyes, made Kilian pause.
"Ahh, she really is different than the game version of her," he thought, a flicker of unexpected warmth surprising him.
"Alright," he announced, his voice calm and carrying a note of finality.
"I'm done and your mother is cured. And it looks like she's already waking up, probably a side effect of those potent potions I just administered."
Domina's breath hitched.
She moved slowly, almost reverently, towards the worn pallet where her mother lay.
She knelt beside her, her gaze fixed intently on her mother's face.
Her eyelids remained closed, but Domina thought she saw a faint flutter.
Her fingers were still, but perhaps there was the slightest twitch in her right hand.
Her breathing was still shallow, but seemed a touch deeper, more regular than before.
A fragile hope blossomed in Domina's chest.
Kilian stood up, stepping back to give Domina more space.
He moved towards the doorway and quietly opened the door.
Just outside, leaning against the wall, their small ears pressed against the wood, sat Gris and Luna.
They looked up with wide, apprehensive eyes.
Kilian offered them a small, reassuring smile.
"You can come in now, you two."
He then turned and called out softly, "Elara?"
Elara, who had been waiting patiently in the main room, approached the doorway.
Kilian held it open for her, gesturing for them both to step out.
"Let's give them a moment," Kilian said in a low voice as they moved into the outer room.
Elara responded with a gentle smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Yes, young master."
---
Having stepped out of the quiet room, leaving Domina with her slowly stirring mother, Kilian turned to Elara.
"What time is it?" he asked, a touch of curiosity in his voice.
Elara glanced towards the lone, small window in the main room, its light casting soft shadows across the worn floorboards.
She assessed the position of the sun with an experienced eye.
"About an hour or two before noon, young master," she replied immediately, her tone confident.
Kilian looked towards the window, a little surprised.
Here in this humble dwelling, far removed from the grand clocks of the Noxhaven castle, time seemed a more elusive concept.
"Where? Where did you see the clock?" he asked, a playful disbelief in his tone.
Elara chuckled softly, a warm, melodious sound.
"After working for you for years, young master, seeing where the sun is in the sky and the quality of the light outside, I can estimate the time of day quite accurately."
A hint of pride flickered in her eyes at her honed skill.
Kilian, genuinely impressed by her keen observation, smiled.
"That's quite a talent, Elara! Remarkable, truly."
He then turned his thoughts to their next course of action.
"If it's still two hours before lunch, then we should go to the library for an hour, perhaps a bit longer, then come back here with some proper food to celebrate their mother's recovery."
Elara's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her usually composed features.
"A trip to the public library, followed by a celebratory meal for these newfound acquaintances?"
It was an unexpectedly thoughtful gesture from her often self-centered young master. A soft smile touched her lips.
"Yes, young master. That sounds like a good plan."
Kilian clapped his hands together lightly.
"Excellent! Let's go then, Elara. Lead the way."
"Yes, young master," Elara replied smoothly, already turning towards the door.
She knew the general direction of the city's modest public library and began to guide Kilian out of the small house and back towards the more familiar streets of the Noxhaven capital.
The air, typical for this time of day, hung warm as they stepped back into the bustling life outside.
Upon reaching the grand, stone pathway of the city's main library, Kilian turned to Elara, a question already forming on his lips.
"It's allowed to borrow books and keep them for a day, right?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the imposing entrance.
He saw a flicker of confusion on Elara's usually composed face.
Realizing his question might seem odd for someone of his station, Kilian quickly added, "Ah, I forgot. It's been so long, I don't remember the last time I've been here."
Elara's expression softened.
"Ahh, is that so, young master," she replied, her voice smooth.
"Yes, it is allowed to borrow and bring home books."
"That's good," Kilian affirmed, a slight nod of satisfaction.
"Let's go inside, Elara."
They stepped into the hushed interior of the library, the air thick with the scent of old paper and dust.
They approached one of the counters, where a woman with a book resting on the surface was deeply engrossed in reading.
As Kilian leaned slightly over the counter to ask, "Excuse me, where are the history books?", the woman slowly lowered her book.
Her eyes, magnified by thick, round spectacles, widened in immediate recognition.
A gasp caught in her throat, and she began to stammer, her voice barely a whisper, "Young... Young Master Kilian?!"
Before the shocked librarian could fully scream or draw attention to the unexpected visitor, Kilian's hand shot out, gently but firmly covering her mouth.
At the same time, he brought his other hand's index finger to his own lips in a distinct "shhh" gesture.
The librarian, though startled, understood the silent command.
Her eyes, still wide and nervous, looked up at him, her body visibly tensing.
She swallowed hard, struggling to calm her racing heart.
Kilian kept his hand over her mouth for a moment longer, ensuring her silence, before slowly removing it.
He then looked at the nervous librarian more carefully, truly seeing her for the first time.
Curly, bluish-green hair framed a delicate, almost childlike face.
Her large, round glasses magnified eyes that held a peculiar mix of intense intelligence and profound shyness, underlined by faint, perpetual eye bags.
The pervasive nervousness emanating from her was almost palpable.
*Illustration
"What?"
Kilian's mind reeled, a jolt of recognition hitting him with surprising force.
"Isn't she a playable character? She looks younger and smaller than I remember, but still... I can't get that wrong."
He felt a thrill of disbelief and excitement.
"Mina Willow."
"A mage capable of reaching Rank A, which isn't exactly top-tier in terms of raw magical power, but that's not what she's known for."
"She's probably one of the smartest characters in the game, a chemist, a book lover, even politics, she can dive into it too and come out smarter than everyone else."
"The only problem was that she's a commoner," he mused, a strategic glint entering his eyes.
"So it took her much longer to prove herself, to climb the ranks and be recognized."
"Maybe that's why she's older in the game when her character truly becomes prominent."
"A valuable asset, indeed."
Kilian, his internal monologue about Mina Willow's potential still echoing in his mind, immediately asked the girl, though he already knew her name.
"What's your name?"
Mina, startled by the direct question, stammered, "M-Mina Willow, sir."
Her eyes, magnified behind her glasses, were wide with trepidation.
"Why... why do you ask for my name? Did I do something wrong to upset you?"
"Did she know about my reputation?"
Kilian thought, a flicker of irritation mixed with a morbid curiosity.
"How bad was it, that merely asking for a name scares them?"
He let out a soft sigh, a fleeting acknowledgment of his former self's misdeeds.
"No, of course not," he answered, his voice firm and reassuring.
"You plan on going to the academy at the start of the school year, right?"
He didn't wait for her to confirm.
"Please contact or meet me when you successfully get into the academy."
Kilian then walked closer to the smaller girl, leaning forward slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
"I know great talent when I see one. I believe your future is bright, Mina."
His gaze was sincere, captivating her.
"If you need any help at all, please ask for it. I will always lend a hand to someone I know is truly talented, regardless of their background."
Mina was utterly flustered by the sudden torrent of compliments and genuine encouragement.
Her cheeks flushed, and her perpetually nervous demeanor seemed to melt away under the warmth of his words.
She clasped her hands together, her eyes shining with gratitude.
"Thank you, thank you!" she managed, her voice filled with earnest sincerity.
"I will do my best, sir!"
She then turned and almost floated away, a rare, radiant smile gracing her lips, her earlier nervousness completely forgotten.
Elara, who had observed the entire strange encounter with unblinking composure, couldn't resist a slight arch of an eyebrow as Mina departed.
As Kilian turned from the counter, she spoke, her tone smooth but with a subtle, almost imperceptible hint of dry amusement and perhaps, something akin to curiosity in her voice.
"I'm sorry if it's rude to ask, young master, but did you decide to go out of the castle today just to pick up women?"
***
/I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If its alright, please drop a comment or a powerstone to help me keep making this world bigger!