Orkan took a shower first, while Aestus organized their belongings in the wardrobe, separating potions, clothes, and money. When Aestus finished his shower, Orkan was already fast asleep, lying on his stomach. The Knight set an alarm on the desk and lay down, soon falling asleep as well.

***

Spes crossed the street, arriving at the bustling square. He was slightly irritated by the crowd of idle people, gathering just to see some eccentric rich guy. As he reached the midpoint, the murmurs around him grew louder, and many people were looking in the opposite direction, away from the grand central tree. Instinctively, Spes followed their gaze and could see a large troupe approaching, visibly divided into two groups. On one side were several Lagomorphs, with Tapiti, the mayor, leading the way. On the other side stood Baruc, surrounded by his soldiers, all wearing black and red uniforms with silver masks. The two leaders were engaged in a formal conversation, while Tapiti showcased the city, pointing towards the grand central tree.

The sight of the tree was truly impressive, especially for those who didn't reside in the city. However, Baruc had visited Silvi several times before. His expression of enchantment seemed genuine, but somewhat exaggerated. "He sure needs to please the mayor and the residents," thought Spes. "This guy is definitely after some deal or shady business to benefit himself."

The Mage continued his path towards the clinic with a bit more ease. People were well-behaved, observing the movements of the political leaders and allowing passage. Soon, he entered the clinic, which was empty and immaculately organized. "At least no patients for now," thought Spes. The clinic, like the rest of the city, had numerous potted plants scattered on the floor and hanging on the walls. The environment was fragrant, yet sterile and clean, with everything neatly arranged on shelves. The large windows in each room allowed ample sunlight to stream in during the day, giving the space a vibrant and welcoming ambiance. The front door led directly to a reception area, facing the entrance, followed by a waiting room. The reception had a beautiful, white counter with a wall behind it, obstructing the view of the waiting room and examination rooms. Currently, there was no one at the counter to attend to incoming visitors.

Spes made his way towards the corridor with examination rooms and other chambers. He entered a door near the end of the corridor, leading to the room of Chemist Keun, where he could hear voices. Inside, he found Keun engaged in conversation with Janis, a Light Mage who provided valuable assistance in reception and first aid for those arriving at the clinic. Keun was a middle-aged Lagomorph with dark brown hair and large ears. He was chubby, friendly, and had an easy laugh. He was wearing a beautiful blue shirt and new-looking brown pants. Janis, also a Lagomorph, was younger with long, naturally wavy hair in a dark blond shade that cascaded down and partially obscured her ears when left loose. She had a wide smile and honey-colored eyes. Being slightly taller than average, she often felt self-conscious as she was quite shy and disliked drawing attention. She wore a long white cloak with green accents, similar to Spes', but newer and cleaner.

"Hey, everyone! Sorry for the delay, but I'm here," Spes said upon entering.

"Hey, Spes," Keun responded, crossing his arms and leaning on a counter.

"Good afternoon!" Janis replied, clasping her hands in front of her and flashing her characteristic smile.

"I thought something had happened to you. I remembered the contract I posted at the guild and sent to Comanse. Did you encounter that necrobear on your way?" Keun asked.

"To be honest, I did come across that necrobear earlier today, but not only that," Spes replied, placing the bag with herbs on a table. "There were two Hunters getting beaten up by the Creature. I heard the commotion and went over to help them. Poor newbies didn't even know how to defeat a necrobear."

"You make it sound so easy, Spes," Janis chimed in, shaking her head.

"But it is!" Spes laughed, raising his hands beside his head. "And don't even try to say it's because I'm powerful, because any of the three of us in this room could do it." Janis was about to retort but fell silent, agreeing. "It's different talents. For them, it's undoubtedly challenging."

As Spes finished speaking, he looked down, lost in thought. Janis noticed the change in his expression and tone of voice, while Keun had gone to check on the collected herbs. She approached Spes, placing a hand on his right arm. He lifted his gaze towards the Mage, lips pressed tightly together.

"You remembered him?" she asked.

"It's not quite that. Actually, it's not just that. I always remember Milo, everything reminds me of him," Spes said, averting his gaze. "But I felt something different when I encountered those two guys. I felt a need to help, to protect, you know? I can't explain it."

"Are you sure it has nothing to do with your brother?" Janis inquired. "Could it be a way for you to 'carry on his legacy'?"

"Maybe... I've always wanted to venture out, explore the world again. But I also wanted to repay everything he did for me by helping at the clinic, assisting the townsfolk... It's just been so long. I don't know... I think I'll stay here after all. Every time Hunters pass through the city, I end up feeling this way, right?"

Janis nodded, and the two friends laughed. Keun soon finished sorting and counting the herbs, joining the other two shortly after. He asked about the contract, and Spes recounted in more detail how everything unfolded. The Chemist mentioned that he would stop by the Guild later to ensure everything was in order. Then, with a mischievous expression, he said:

"You both saw who arrived in town today, right?" The other two nodded in confirmation. "I have a friend who works in the city administration, and he told me the reason behind this suspicious visit."

Keun remained silent, attempting to create a more dramatic atmosphere, but the other two friends urged him to speak. He straightened his shirt collar and cleared his throat. Glancing around and at the door to ensure no one was listening, he leaned forward and spoke in a lower voice:

"He's going to request a permit to explore the nature crystal deposits to the North."

"But Tapiti will never allow it!" Janis exclaimed, surprised. "How audacious of that man. Everyone knows how much we value the balance of our forest." Janis wasn't particularly fond of Baruc, perhaps influenced slightly by Spes.

"He can't keep exploiting the planet like this," Spes added. "He'll deplete Kairos' life energy."

"Spes, only we believe in the life energy theory. In fact, many Lagomorphs don't believe in it anymore," Keun replied.

Spes threw his arms up in frustration. The theory of life energy was passed down from generation to generation among the Lagomorphs, almost like folklore. It stated that the planet was a living being that relied on the energy of crystals to exist. One of the ways to maintain balance was through the emergence of Creatures, which would recycle the crystals taken from nature. However, no scientific study had ever been conducted on this matter, making it a belief that was not very popular among other races or even the younger generations. Nevertheless, the mayor would never allow Baruc to exploit the crystals in the region. It went against the entire culture and history of the Lagomorphs.

"But it's so clear that the theory is true!" Spes exclaimed. "Just look at the number of Creatures roaming the city. If you go to the Guild now, you'll see a bunch of contracts on the board."

"I know I'm being annoying, but..." Janis interrupted. "The number of Hunters has also decreased significantly. No one wants to risk going on hunts anymore, especially here. But I do think the increase in Creatures was disproportionate," she quickly added, looking at the ground and fiddling with one of her ears hidden beneath her hair.

"I don't like Baruc either," Keun said. "But if I were offered a position in his research centers, I'd jump at it."

Disappointed, Spes clicked his tongue. He knew it was a lost battle to oppose the most powerful person on the planet. The drastic changes had begun when Spes was very young, so he had some understanding of how much Baruc had altered everyone's lives. Because of this, he couldn't get angry or disappointed with Keun and other friends. It was a more internal struggle, fought only in his thoughts. But Spes was a joyful and optimistic person, quickly dispelling such thoughts from his mind.

"Changing the subject," Spes said, "we need to organize these herbs and start preparing some potions."

The trio began working swiftly, discussing everyday trivialities. Keun used his ability to quickly create various types of potions, while Janis organized and labeled the vials. Spes, on the other hand, stored the finished potions in their designated places. After some time, a tinkling sound from the reception indicated that a patient had arrived. The lives of the people in Silvi continued on their course, even with the illustrious visitor nearby.

***

A soft sound began to play in the distance. Orkan wasn't sure if it was a dream or reality. Soon, the noise ceased, but Orkan was then awakened by a tap on his shoulder. Aestus had woken him up, calling him to go after contracts. The Rogue got up promptly, wiping a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth. He wanted to sleep more, but at the same time, he didn't want to hinder or disappoint his friend. The two quickly got ready and headed down to the main hall. They planned to take two or three contracts, depending on the distance between them and the difficulty of the tasks.

Seeing them descending, Baitu greeted them with the same enthusiasm as Barthos. "Maybe it's a Guild norm," thought Orkan, happy to be well received. He was afraid of being treated like an intruder, but so far, everyone had been very friendly. Baitu had already sorted out some contracts, indicating on a map the locations of the hunts. After some time discussing strategies, the Hunters decided to take only two contracts that were north of the city, toward the hills. Since the Creatures were in the forest and the contractors were likely occupied with Baruc's visit, Baitu signed the documents and made everything ready to dispatch the two, even providing a detailed map of the area.

"Are you ready? Do you have enough healing potions?" Baitu asked, concerned. "The Creatures you'll be facing aren't too dangerous, but you never know..."

"We thought of buying some on the way, there's a shop nearby," Aestus informed. "Actually, I even thought about inviting Spes to join us on the next hunts."

Now that Orkan was feeling calmer, he also thought it was a good idea to have a Light Mage accompanying them in battles, even if that Mage happened to be the insufferable Spes. However, Baitu's reaction caught him off guard. The bearded Lagomorph had teary eyes, visibly emotional. And he didn't even try to hide it. Baitu was a tough guy with a soft heart, unafraid to show his feelings. But Orkan still hadn't understood the reason behind all this emotion.

"Are you okay?" Orkan asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I just cry easily," Baitu chuckled, wiping his eyes. "It's just that Spes is a very dear and important person to us. He has saved so many people, so many Hunters... Did you know he used to be part of the Guild a few years ago?"

This information caught the two friends off guard. Spes seemed so harmless, a person who wouldn't even know where to begin a battle. But at the same time, it explained why he had a Materializer. Aestus was visibly impressed, and this information slightly increased Orkan's respect for the Lagomorph. The Knight then inquired:

"He's not part of the Guild anymore? Did something happen?"

"I'm not sure if I should go around telling people's life stories like this," Baitu said, stroking his beard, "but I'll tell you. Spes seems to have already accepted everything. Spes' brother, Milo, was the Light Mage in charge of the city clinic. Spes liked to travel, along with his father, accompanying Hunters. Milo, on the other hand, moved here right after their mother's death, coming from the Capital. The two brothers hadn't seen each other for years, but Spes decided he needed to settle down, so he came to live with Milo. They had an incredible affinity for magic. They were a reference when it came to healing and protection. Then, since the workload at the clinic was lighter, they decided to get Hunter licenses."

Baitu paused and took a deep breath, looking at the wall behind his two friends as if he were seeing something that wasn't there. He spoke more to himself than to the others:

"If only I had known... I wouldn't have sold those licenses..." Baitu refocused his gaze. "But, continuing. Milo went on hunts more often, probably wanting to make up for the 'lost time' he spent solely at the clinic. Spes, on the other hand, preferred to stay at the clinic, somewhat averse to battles, but he also accompanied his brother and other Hunters from time to time. One day, Milo invited Spes to go on a hunt, just the two of them, but Spes chose to stay behind, trusting his brother's abilities. Well, I think you can already imagine what happened..."

"And do you think he would be willing to join us?" Orkan asked.

"I didn't think so, but it seems he's quite excited about joining hunts again," Baitu replied, pondering. "Be patient with him, I promise he'll be a tremendous help. You'll see, you won't want to go on a hunt without a Mage anymore."

Orkan seriously considered inviting the Lagomorph for future hunts. The ones they had chosen seemed to be fairly straightforward. Aestus was already eager to invite Spes, but then agreed that there was no need at the moment. They bid farewell to Baitu, thanking him for the map and assistance, and headed towards the city center.

The square was now less crowded, allowing for a better view of the surroundings. The square was beautiful, with a large fountain of crystal-clear water, some buildings, and many ornamental plants. Several of them were meticulously pruned topiaries in the shape of people, probably local authorities or celebrities. With fewer tall trees, the sunlight was stronger, illuminating the area and making everything even more beautiful. The small kiosks selling different types of food perfumed the surrounding area. There were also vendors selling items and potions, where the boys were able to replenish their supplies. Despite being a very pleasant place, the two Hunters didn't spend much time there, heading promptly towards the northern exit of Silvi.