Hermina stood at the top of the three crates stacked on top of each other at the side of the street, right in front of the restaurant where Aqueo and her were supposed to meet after an hour. Everyone who passed by gave her a weird look. She would occasionally flail her arms high up in the air in the hope that Aqueo would see her or she would see him from that height.

    There were people who expressed their concerns and urged her to come down but she didn't. There were many people all around the Hyndrel Townsquare and she couldn't risk missing him in that sea of people or him arriving while she was gone.

    It had been a quarter of an hour when she heard some people talking—or gossiping, loudly, as she preferred to describe it—as they were nearing her.

    "—that fight was awesome! I don't know anyone that managed to make them struggle like that," a guy exclaimed.

    It earned an equally excited response from the two guys walking beside him. Hermina thought they were just talking about the tournament, but it was still not time, she thought, or maybe they started it earlier this time. She really needed to find Aqueo right now because her master instructed her to make Aqueo watch the tournament.

    "Yeah! The whole Downtown was a mess. They destroyed a lot of shops in the middle of the street. That student was amazing. It was four against one."

    When Hermina heard that, she immediately jumped from the top of three crates. Her long maid uniform ruffled loudly in the air and she landed in front of the three walking guys with a thud.

    "Wait! Can I hear what happened at the Downtown?"

    No answers. The three guy's faces were red while looking at her. They saw her jump from the top of the crates and who knew what else they saw while she was in the air.

    Hermina stared back at them, her face was eager for an answer. When they didn't speak, she repeated, "What happened at the Downtown?"

    "Uh-uhm. Th-the downtown," a guy finally said, still blushing. "Uhh! There was an attempt to catch a student. The whole downtown was a mess."

    "Student?" she asked, worrying that Aqueo might've been the one they were talking about. It was an unusual coincidence and she had already thought about the possibility that he might've ended up in trouble.

    "Yeah! They're trying to catch one again. It was an amazing fight. They wrecked a lot of shops," a guy said excitedly while blushing.

    Now, Hermina was thinking that Aqueo might've been affected by the fight and he might be injured right now.

    "Thank you," she said while already walking away, immediately deciding to check if he was there.

    But as she strode away, she heard one of the guys said, "—they said it was too much for his lucky beast head—"

    Her eyes widened and her walk immediately turned into a run. It must be Aqueo wearing the lucky hat that she bought for him.

    . . .

    Aqueo weakly opened his eyes and saw a white ceiling. Feeling several times weaker and hungrier, he felt like he had just relived his previous life, and the soft bed did little to comfort his body.

    He immediately searched for Aquifer, wanting the spirit’s warmth even closer even though he was already feeling it. The spirit was looking at the things on the wooden shelf on his left side, it floated toward him when he urged it to come closer through their connection.

    He wanted to hug the spirit but refrained himself because he knew it would make him weaker. He badly wanted to know how their connection works so he could find a way to prevent that.

    And right now, he also wanted to know how he ended up in this room. Who saved him?

    He heard footsteps so he looked at the doorway in front of him. A guy his age carrying a tray of food and water emerged from there who stopped walking when he saw Aqueo looking at him. He was wearing the same uniform as him. He must be the one who saved him.

    “Huh? You're already awake? Th-that was fast!” he stuttered in astonishment. The student in front of him was hallucinating and muttering things a few minutes ago when he left him to get some food and water. His cries and shouts had diminished greatly for a while into silent mumblings and he wasn't struggling anymore so he decided to prepare some food for him just in case he woke up. He didn't expect it to be so soon. That purple gas was so powerful and he should be unconscious for days, if not dead.

    “How are you feeling?” he asked as he walked toward the bedside table and carefully put the tray there.

    “Uh-uhmm! I’m—uh—” Aqueo was about to say he was fine and to thank the guy but felt that his throat was so dry, so he said instead, “W-water!”

    “Uhm. I’ll make you sit first.” He helped Aqueo sit and noticed that he was too weak to anchor himself properly, so he decided to hold the glass while making him drink.

    He drank it. Slowly. And at that moment, and from that distance, Rinoan noticed how the darkened parts of Aqueo's face changed in color, they went lighter as Aqueo drank his water. Aqueo closed his eyes as he felt the feeling he felt when he was hearing the beautiful sound in the lake chamber. His strength was recovering gradually and he drank faster and faster until the glass was empty.

    He opened his eyes and they met Rinoan’s. He looked surprised. He noticed that he was holding his hand so he let go of it. “Sorry!” Aqueo realized that he unconsciously used his own hands to raise the bottom of the glass. “Thank you for saving me… and for the water!” His throat wasn't dry anymore, but he was still hungry.

    Rinoan, still astonished, just said, “You! How did you—”

    “Uhmm,” Aqueo couldn't help himself but to look at the direction of the tray.

    “Uhh—right,” Rinoan put down the glass and took the tray to Aqueo and held it for him. “Let's do the talking later.”

    Aqueo gave him a look of asking for permission and Rinoan gave him a nod. He took the spoon and started eating. He, again, felt the pleasant feeling when he was hearing the beautiful sound in the lake chamber. The warmth from Aquifer was definitely greater but this pleasant feeling was different and distinct in its own and the way he felt his body getting stronger was satisfying.

    Rinoan just looked at him in astonishment. The dark patches on Aqueo's skin are becoming lighter at a faster rate, some even vanishing completely. It was the first time he encountered something like this. The student in front of him was healing all by himself. He felt excited at the possibilities if he could be his team member. If only the slave traders weren't after him.

    Aqueo finished it fast. But he was still feeling hungry, so he looked at Rinoan with a wanting-for-more look. Rinoan took the tray of food and thought that the student was too shy to ask for water. “I’ll get you some water.”

    He quickly went to the kitchen to get another glass of water and back to the waiting Aqueo who looked so eager for it.

    Aqueo muttered a thank you again and drank the entire glass.

    He held the glass on his lap and again, said, “Thank you for saving me.” He was still feeling weak and hungry but much stronger than before. He thought of asking for more food but felt shy about it.

    “You're welcome!” he responded. Rinoan observed his skin and saw that some had not fully healed and he still looked weak so he immediately said, “I think I have to bring you more food. I have to go outside to buy some ingredients. Wait here for a minute.”

    Aqueo was a bit confused how he figured that out, but then he remembered Himi’s questions and decided to just let him. Before Rinoan left, while taking something in his uniform, he said, “If you're going to do that, you can use this.” He took out his pouch of Silversprouts and gave it to Rinoan.

    Rinoan took it. “I-Yeah, sure! I’ll be back immediately,” he said reassuringly.

    “And—”

    Rinoan paused when Aqueo spoke again. “And?”

    Aqueo hesitated a bit. “Can you buy around ten times the serving you just gave me? I-uhh need a lot of food to regain my strength,” he said awkwardly while remembering himself eating at the mansion. He just really needed around five but thought of leaving half behind as a thank you.

    “Alright! Got it!” He smiled at him before going out.

    Aqueo was left alone with Aquifer who he didn't notice had been busy looking at the things on the shelf. He was quite relieved that his savior didn't give him any weird look. Maybe he knew something about his situation. He saw how he looked at him while he was eating, a similar look of curiosity and wonder that Aquifer was usually making. He was glad he didn't lose the pouch of Silversprouts while he was running. He thought of leaving everything to Wyrfena but had a second thought that he might end up needing it later.