Lys woke up slowly, blinking at the empty hut. The room was bright with sunlight. But Elara and Mira were nowhere to be seen. The mats were neatly folded, and the smell of breakfast still hung in the air.

  He sat up and stretched his shoulders. He glanced around the house. It felt quiet without them.

  He walked to the back door and stepped outside. The small fenced yard was peaceful. He went to the well, pulled up a fresh bucket of cold water from the well, and splashed it over his face and neck. The icy shock woke him up fully.

  When he lifted his head, water dripping from his hair, he noticed movement next door.

  A woman was standing near her doorway, staring straight at him.

  The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away and stepped back inside her house, closing the door behind her.

  Lys wiped his face with his sleeve. He couldn’t see her clearly from here, just a glimpse of long dark hair and a simple, faded dress. She looked young, maybe in her early twenties.

  ‘Who was that?’ he thought. ‘She lives right behind us?’

  He went back inside. Just as he dried his face, the front door opened. Mira and Elara walked in carrying several heavy bags and baskets, both of them smiling brightly.

  “We’re back!” Mira announced happily, setting down two big baskets full of vegetables, fresh bread, and some wrapped meat. “Look at all this! We bought so many things today!”

  Elara’s cheeks were pink from walking, but her eyes were sparkling. “The market felt different today. Plus, we didn’t have to bargain for every single coin. It was… nice.”

  Lys smiled at the sight of them. “You two look happy. What did you get?”

  Mira started unpacking everything one by one, excitedly. “Fresh bread, potatoes, carrots, some apples, and even a little bit of beef! Mom said we can make a proper stew tonight.”

  Elara placed a basket on the table and looked at Lys with warm eyes. “I left some breakfast for you on the hearth. Eat first, honey. You must be hungry.”

  Lys sat down and ate the warm meal his mother had prepared, leftover stew and bread. It tasted even better knowing they had bought everything with the money he earned.

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  After finishing, he sat quietly on the mat, closed his eyes, and began practicing his mana breathing. Now that he had an active skill Appraisal, he needed to keep his mana full. He breathed slowly and deeply, feeling the gentle flow of mana entering his body. It was calming.

  << Mana +1. Current: 101/150 >>

  ------

  When he opened his eyes again, his mana was nearly full. He stood up and noticed Elara wasn’t inside.

  “Where’s Mom?” he asked Mira, who was folding clothes.

  Mira looked up. “She went back to the market. She wanted to tell her friends she won’t be setting up her spot today, so they can use it if they want. She’ll be back soon.”

  Lys nodded. He put on a clean shirt and headed toward the door. “I’ll be back before lunch.”

  Mira didn’t ask where he was going. She just smiled. “Okay. Don’t be late.”

  He stepped outside and walked around to the back of the house. But he stopped near the well and looked toward the neighbor’s hut again.

  This time, he saw her clearly.

  A young woman in her early twenties was carrying a big clay jar full of water. Her clothes were old and worn, faded from years of use. She had long dark hair tied loosely, and her face looked tired but pretty. She moved carefully, trying not to spill the water. She had a kind of grace to her movement which shocked him a little. As if she were a perfect example of someone who would never lose her grace, even if the whole world made her life miserable.

  She glanced up suddenly and saw him staring.

  For a second, their eyes met. She looked surprised, but then quickly lowered her head and hurried inside her house, closing the door behind her.

  Lys stood there for a moment, thinking.

  After thinking for a while, he went back inside his own hut. Elara had just returned, setting down a small basket of herbs.

  Mira looked up, seeing Lys back. “You’re back already?”

  “Yeah,” Lys said. He pointed toward the back. “Mom, who is that woman living in that house behind us? The one carrying water just now.”

  Elara glanced in that direction, and her expression softened with sympathy.

  “Oh, that’s Mitsu,” she said quietly. “She lives alone. Her parents died when she was very young, killed by bandits when they were returning from the capital. Poor girl has been on her own ever since. She works hard, but life hasn’t been kind to her. I’ve tried to help when I could, but… we didn’t have much ourselves. You probably don’t know her, because she moved in after you got injured.”

  Mira nodded sadly. “She’s always so quiet. I feel bad for her sometimes.”

  Lys thought for a moment, then said, “Why don’t we invite her for lunch today?”

  Both women turned to him, surprised that he suggested this unexpectedly.

  Elara blinked. “Invite Mitsu? For lunch?”

  Mira looked equally shocked. “Really? Just like that?”

  Lys shrugged with a small smile. “Yeah, why not? We have enough food now. And she lives right behind us. It would be nice, right?”

  Elara’s face softened into a warm smile. “You’re right. Now that we have a little money, we can afford to be kind. It might make the poor girl’s day.”

  Mira also nodded quickly, clearly excited to have a guest. “Yeah! Let’s do it. I’ll help with the cooking, Mom.”

  Lys picked up a few coins from the pouch and slipped them into his pocket. “I’ll go ask her then.”

  He stepped outside again, heart beating a little faster with anticipation of meeting her for the first time.

  The neighbor’s door was closed, but he could hear soft movement inside.

  He took a deep breath and walked toward it.

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