The storm had passed during the night, but they hadn't dared return to the bridge—flooded or not. It was too dangerous. So they remained beside the house, trying to rest.
Luca awoke in Evelyn's embrace, their bodies close. At first, he was simply confused, until he realized something was wrong. Evelyn's skin was hot to the touch. She was shivering despite her warmth, her breath was heavy, and her face had turned pale.
Luca sat up at once, an alarm rising in his chest. She had fallen ill.
In his previous life, he had been a medical student, at least he knew how to treat a fever. But in this world, everything was different. He didn't know the plants, the symptoms, or the medicines. One wrong assumption could make things worse.
He needed medicine and fast.
He turned and shook Rin, who was still sleeping beside them.
"Rin,"
"Mmm… morning, Luca."
"I need your help. Do you know where I can buy medicine?"
"Huh…? Not really. But I think the merchant from before sold some."
"All right. Stay here with my sister. I'll get medicine and food."
Trying to stay calm, Luca grabbed some money, a pouch, and his walking stick before heading out into the slums.
It didn't take long to find the merchant again.
"Good morning," Luca greeted politely, trying to hide his urgency.
"What do you need, kid?"
"Do you sell medicine?"
"Sorry, I don't."
"Do you know where I can get it?"
"You could try the Solaris folks. They sell medicine."
He had heard of Solaris from Evelyn who described them as almost cult-like, so he was aware of them. However, he has seen them doing good deeds, such as distributing food to people, so he thought it was just a rumor.
"Where can I find them? And how much does it cost?"
"There's a small cathedral near the distribution point. Should be one silver for a dose."
Luca's heart sank. One silver. He didn't have that much.
"Do you still have bread?"
"Three copper a loaf."
"Can I get the same as before? One good loaf and one mouldy one for three copper?"
The merchant looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before enticing a new offer.
"Give me five copper. I'll throw in one good loaf and four mouldy ones."
"Deal."
Recognizing the value of the offer, Luca accepted it on the spot. Luca thanked him and placed five pieces of bread in his pouch before making his way to the cathedral.
When he arrived at the cathedral, he asked for medicine from the Solaris people outside. They had it, but the price was one silver.
He tried negotiating, offering fifteen copper. They rejected him without hesitation.
"Please, I will pay the rest later," He said, desperate.
"Sorry, kid." one of them said, avoiding eye contact.
"If I sell it for less, I'll get scolded. And I don't have the money to cover the difference for you."
Then one of the men looked him over and added with a sneer, "And let's be honest. How are you going to earn money in that condition?"
The words struck Luca like a blow to the chest. It was cruel, but true.
Even after all those years studying medicine in the past life. In this world, he was nothing but a crippled, starving boy.
Was this what God brought him to this world for?
To suffer and be humiliated?
Grinding his teeth, he swallowed his pride.
He knelt on the cold floor. Then he bowed, pressing his head against the ground. The floor met his skull with a harsh thud, pain blossoming sharply. But he paid it no mind.
Evelyn's health mattered more than his own pride.
"Please… I'll find a way to pay. I swear"
But… the Solaris people simply turned away as if he didn't exist, and vanished back inside without a word.
He clenched his fists so tightly, his knuckles turned white.
He felt something burning inside of him, and he wasn't angry at the people who refused to help.
He was angry at himself. For waiting. For doing nothing while the situation worsened.
Why hadn't he acted sooner? Why had he let it fall this far?
Then—soft footsteps. A voice.
"Hey. Lift your head."
It was a girl's gentle voice.
Luca slowly looked up. A figure knelt in front of him. She wore a grey cloak that masked her face, but her tone was kind and unlike the others, she wasn't from Solaris.
"Here," she said cheerfully, placing two small vials in his hands. "It's medicine."
"Thank… you," Luca whispered. He was too stunned to say more.
She stood, her smile soft.
"Use one today. If they still unwell tomorrow, use the second. Don't take both at once."
He quickly stood up and reached into his pouch to give her money, but she waved it off.
"No need. I just felt like helping you."
She turned to walk away.
"... What is your name?" he asked softly.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Erika."
"…I'll remember that. My name is Luca. One day, I'll repay this debt."
She waved again, walking into the crowd, her figure fading into the morning dim light.
Luca stood there, holding the medicine tightly in his hand.
***
Inside the dimly lit house, a man sat in a fine chair, his expression cold and calculating. His handsome features were framed by black hair, and his unique green eyes gleamed with intelligence and control. A maid stood silently beside him.
He was focused, methodically signing and reviewing documents of clear importance. Once finished, he set his pen down, turned to his maid and spoke to her.
"Fiona, could you make me a new pot of tea?"
The maid nodded cheerfully and made a quick hand gesture to indicate she'd be back soon. She was mute, yet expressive.
"All right, I'll wait," he replied, his voice softening noticeably.
Though the maid wasn't perfect in society's eyes, he was always gentle with her. She quietly left the room, and he watched her retreating back in silence, before returning to his composed demeanour. Rising from the chair, he walked slowly to the large window behind him.
The Sky Shepherd had arrived again in this land and brought a storm last night. It was already affecting his operations and cutting deeply into business profits.
He looked out at the cloudy sky, his mind churning with calculations. Lost in thought, he simply stared through the glass, unmoving.
"Fay, come out," he suddenly called into the room.
A shadow shifted, and from the darkness, a figure emerged and knelt gracefully on the floor.
"Yes, Master Arthur."
"Your report," he said, eyes still on the window.
"We've received multiple requests from nobles to purchase artifacts."
"Get in touch with my contact in the Hollow Accord. I'll prepare the letter shortly."
"Understood. Regarding our Maximillia expansion, there's resistance from local networks in other cities."
"I'll deal with them personally. Schedule a meeting with their leaders."
"Any updates from Mysthaven?"
"None at the moment. But they said, they will send support later"
So they were choosing to maintain the current state for now and the person who came later should be a powerful person. He should utilize their power for his plan later.
"What about the Phantasm?"
"They've made a significant move in the market."
"I see. Make preparations"
"Yes, Master. Also, there are two suspicious individuals outside. Should I kill them?"
"They're not from the Phantasm. Ignore them."
"Understood, Master."
"You may leave."
She bowed once more and slipped away through a hidden door in the room.
Moments later, Fiona returned with fresh tea. She set it on the table and walked over to him, tilting her head and signing a curious question.
He turned to her, his cold expression thawing into a small smile.
"Nothing. Just looking at the scenery."