Two days had passed since Rania's visit.
Nael walked slowly through the familiar streets of Aethelgard, taking in the sights with a clarity he hadn't allowed himself before. The market district bustled with afternoon activity, vendors calling out their wares, children weaving between stalls. The late spring air carried the scent of roasted chestnuts and freshly baked bread.
This might be the last time he saw this city for a long while. Maybe forever, depending on how things unfold at Nebula Academy and beyond.
'Hmmm~'
His body had recovered remarkably well over the past two days. The hospital's healers had done excellent work, and whatever lingering damage remained was minor enough that movement didn't aggravate it. He could walk, he could move without wincing — that was enough.
Of course, Mira had been hovering over him constantly. She'd taken it upon herself to be his personal caretaker, bringing meals, checking his bandages, and generally refusing to let him do anything strenuous. She'd only left half an hour ago to handle some last-minute arrangements with her parents, which was the only reason he'd managed to slip out unnoticed.
He felt slightly guilty about that. She'd probably panic when she returned to find an empty room.
Still, he'd needed this. A moment alone to process everything, to let it all settle before they departed tomorrow.
The past two days hadn't been just recovery and rest, though. There had been more visitors, even more than he anticipated, in fact.
For example, just yesterday, the party he'd saved during the dungeon exam had come by. They'd thanked him profusely, bringing flowers and well-wishes, expressing genuine gratitude for his intervention against the Cave Weaver Patriarch.
But more importantly, Kira had revealed something crucial: she was the one who'd told Mira where to find him. Without Kira's quick thinking, Mira might have arrived too late and...
And then there was the investment update.
The initial B-grade investment ended up as an A-grade one. The ROI was high as well: 200%.
As for the returns, he received +5 for both Wisdom and Intelligence. But the biggest return was undoubtedly the Skill Essence [Thrust].
It wasn't a massive windfall like what he'd gotten from Mira, but it was still worth it.
Furthermore, the upgrade from B to A was the real prize. It confirmed something he'd suspected: his investments weren't static. They could grow, evolve, and strengthen based on circumstances and actions.
That opened up interesting possibilities.
And one of those possibilities was currently on his mind: the sibling duo, Kael and Lia. His second investment. They were orphans from the slums, a fact that had resonated with him more deeply than he'd let on. Seeing their desperation, their fight for survival with no one to rely on, had been like looking into a mirror of his own past.
He recalled their updated investment status.
[Investment: Kael & Lia]
[Initial Investment: Support & Resources]
[Current Status: B-Rank Success]
[...Viable for Further Investment]
That last line was what intrigued him. Just like with Mira, the door wasn't closed.
The initial C-rank investment had already grown to a B-rank success, meaning they had likely used the resources and his advice to not only save the sister but also significantly improve their situation. But the potential for more was clearly there.
Therefore, he wanted to experiment.
Could he consciously nurture an investment from its most vulnerable stages, guiding it to a higher grade than it might achieve on its own?
The siblings were a perfect test case. Helping them further was the right thing to do, and if it advanced his understanding of his Class, all the better.
But to continue the investment, he needed to find them first. With the small but sufficient amount of money he'd given them, they would have probably left their old home in the slums. That's why he needed a lead.
His steps carried him away from the main market square. He wasn't heading toward the slums, but toward a familiar, modest storefront on Red Oak Street: the Heroes' Herbs Apothecary, his former workplace.
If the siblings had followed his instructions and gone there for medicine or a healing skill, Old Man Hemlock, the proprietor, would have been the last person(Nael knew) in the city to see them. The old apothecary noticed everything and remembered everyone.
He was Nael's best and only hope for a clue.
Not to mention the fact that he was still going to visit him to bid farewell.
He didn't forget his purpose.
Before heading to the apothecary, he stopped by a reputable confectioner and purchased a small, high-quality box of honeyed nuts, Old Man Hemlock's one acknowledged vice, along with a few freshly baked bread and street food.
After a twenty-minute walk that took him from the bustling commercial heart to a quieter, more practical district, he finally stood before his destination.
The familiar, slightly faded sign — [Heroes' Herbs Apothecary] — swung gently in the breeze. A sense of nostalgic calm washed over him. This had been his sanctuary for almost 3 years now.
He pushed the door open, the bell above jingling its familiar chime. But the scene that greeted him was not the one he expected.
Behind the counter, Old Man Hemlock was indeed at his usual post, meticulously grinding dried leaves with a mortar and pestle. But beside him, standing on a small stool to reach the counter's height, was a little girl. She was carefully, if clumsily, using a smaller pestle to crush a batch of lesser herbs, her small face scrunched in concentration.
And on the main floor, a boy was vigorously mopping, his movements sharp and full of a desperate kind of energy, his jaw set with gritted teeth as he attacked a stubborn stain.
They were none other than Kael and Lia. The very siblings he was searching for.
"..."
Nael stood frozen in the doorway, the bell's chime fading into a stunned silence. He opened his mouth, then closed it, utterly speechless.
But as he took in the scene — the clean clothes, the work, the focused look on their faces — a faint, genuine smile etched across his features. This was far better than anything he had imagined.
Just then, Old Man Hemlock glanced up from his grinding. A flicker of recognition passed through his wise, wrinkled eyes.
"Nael," the old man said, his voice a familiar, gravelly warmth. "Didn't expect to see you on your feet so soon. Heard you got yourself into a proper scrape."
Nael finally found his voice, stepping fully inside and offering a respectful nod. "Master Hemlock. I... I'm recovering well. I came to say goodbye. I'm leaving the city tomorrow."
Before Hemlock could respond, the sound of his voice had another effect. Kael, who had been fiercely attacking the floor with his mop, froze. His head snapped up, and his eyes, wide with disbelief, locked onto Nael.
"It's you," the boy breathed, the mop handle clattering to the floor. The sound made his little sister, Lia, jump and look up from her herbs. Her eyes, too, went round as saucers.
For a moment, the three of them just stared at each other — the investor and his unexpected, thriving investments.
The apothecary shop was filled with a silence louder than any words.
"Yes, it's me."
Nael's smile softened as he looked at their stunned faces.
"I'm glad to see you're both doing well."