After cleaning himself up, Aaron went to the room Theodor had lent him and tried to get some sleep. But since he had been unconscious for quite a long time, he no longer felt any trace of drowsiness.
After struggling to fall asleep for a while, Aaron left the room to get some fresh air.
Within just 24 hours, he had experienced multiple near-death events, moments of joy and sorrow, and separation from Patrick, his dog.
He felt like he had already spent a lifetime in this world, despite having been in the Arkais Realm for less than a day. He missed the underground bunker that had been both his home and his hiding place.
"Huff... Being unconscious for too long is a pain. Still, I'm lucky I didn't wake up in the middle of the forest all alone," Aaron muttered with gratitude.
When he reached the living room, he saw the fireplace blazing brightly—almost like a wildfire—and right in front of it was Theodor, repeatedly feeding logs into the flames.
Confused, Aaron walked over to him.
"Sir, why are you putting in so much firewood?" he asked, but Theodor didn't respond.
Aaron stepped closer and tapped Theodor on the shoulder, startling him so much that he jumped.
"Eh... What is it, kid? You startled me," Theodor said after a few moments of calming himself.
"Is something wrong, sir? I called out to you, but you just kept adding firewood like you were in a trance. I almost thought the house was going to burn down."
"Oh... um... It's nothing, kid. I was just lost in thought," Theodor replied, sounding off.
"You can tell me if something's bothering you, sir. Maybe I can help—well, I'm not sure I actually can, but even if I can't, just talking about it might lighten your burden a little," Aaron offered, sounding far wiser than his years.
"Well, maybe you're right... The Fire Mushroom! Do you know why we risked entering that dangerous Forbidden Forest? It was all for the Fire Mushroom...
"We didn't know when it started, but one night, everyone in our settlement began shivering uncontrollably from the cold. At first, we thought it was just a shift in the weather—something natural.
"So, we treated it like any regular cold snap: layering up and feeding the fireplace, just like during winter.
"But then... some villagers were found frozen solid inside their own homes. We didn't know what to do. The cold was like a creeping terror that could freeze us no matter how many layers we wore or how big the fire was.
"Eventually, we went to see a well-known herbalist, and after examining us, he said we were poisoned. A rare toxin—and its antidote was just as rare.
"The only cure he knew of... was the Fire Mushroom. That's why we risked our lives to search for it.
"We've done everything we could to slow the poison's effects, which grow stronger every day. But even now, our deaths are all but guaranteed—we could freeze to death even while sitting inside a roaring fire.
"Dying while fighting for a cure in the Forbidden Forest at least feels more meaningful than slowly freezing to death like this.
"You may not know this, but while you were unconscious, the Fire Mushroom fell into the hands of the man who ambushed us in the forest.
"It's impossible to get it back now. Especially from someone who belongs to one of the most powerful clans.
"So, as you can guess, there's no saving this settlement. All I can do is help bring a little joy to people in their final moments.
"That's also why I told you to leave—as fast as you can—so you don't end up poisoned like the rest of us. Even though we don't know how this poison spreads, leaving might be your best chance at safety."
Hearing Theodor's story, Aaron finally understood why he had seemed so distant and strange.
But something puzzled him even more: wasn't the Fire Mushroom the same thing Ziva had given him? If so, how could there still be others searching for it, if it was truly that rare?
That could only mean one thing—Ziva's plan to fool everyone into letting her acquire the Fire Mushroom had succeeded.
Aaron could only listen in silence, and then he replied, "I'm sorry for what you're all going through. But don't worry—I'm not afraid of being infected. I truly believe I won't be, and I'll do whatever I can to help your people."
He spoke with conviction, bolstered by the fact that he had consumed the Fire Mushroom himself. At the same time, he also wanted to learn more about the Arkais Realm from the people here.
Hearing the boy speak with such certainty, Theodor didn't try to object anymore, especially knowing Aaron had no place to go.
"Well then, kid. That's up to you. Honestly, having another hunter in the group isn't a bad thing. Hahaha..." Theodor laughed, pleased to welcome a new addition.
The two spent the night talking, covering every topic Aaron was curious about regarding the Arkais world—until the morning light crept in.
"Wow, I can't believe you lived alone in the forest with just a dog. No wonder you know nothing about this world. But don't worry, kid. You'll learn a lot while you're here. Still... life around here is tough, you know? You can't rely solely on your strength. If you do, you'll end up as monster bait. Hahaha..." Theodor joked.
Neither Aaron nor Theodor could sense each other's energy levels. However, Theodor could see and feel that Aaron's body was unusually strong for someone his age.
Aaron's body, having reached the Earth Grade, was a level typically achieved by individuals in Arkais who had reached level 2 or those who specialized in physical training rather than energy control. These individuals, often known as Body Forgers, had hardened their physical strength beyond that of typical warriors, even if it was just raw, brute strength.
In contrast, Arkais warriors like Theodor trained in a more balanced way: developing internal energy, combat techniques, and skill mastery.
When a Body Forger went up against a traditional warrior, the results were often even. The warriors couldn't deal fatal damage due to the forger's durable physique, but the forgers also struggled to land decisive hits on the agile, skillful warriors.