He was sitting against a tree trunk, gazing up at the vast night sky.
Freya quietly approached and stood behind him silently.
After a moment,
"Aren't the stars pretty?" She asked softly.
"Yeah… so pretty," he murmured. "Just like the view from my room's window…"
Freya tilted her head. "Hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you even listening?"
He blinked, as if waking from a dream. Who is this girl… and what is she doing?
"Hello?" she repeated.
"Oh… sorry about that," he finally responded.
Freya chuckled. "No, it's fine."
He smiled faintly.
"Is something bothering you?" she asked, lowering her voice slightly.
"Not really…" he replied, but his tone suggested otherwise.
There was a brief silence before he suddenly spoke again.
"Well… How is your injury now?" he asked, glancing at her.
"Oh, right! It's completely fine now, all thanks to your potion." She hesitated before adding, "Actually… I was really curious about that. My injuries were severe—far beyond what a normal potion could heal. What was that potion, anyway?"
"Ah… that?" He scratched his cheek, trying to recall. "I think it was called… 'Love Sacrifice' or something like that."
The moment he said it, his face turned slightly red, remembering an embarrassing memory.
"Love Sacrifice?"
She gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "Wait… This is a legendary potion?! potion?!"she continued, her tone filled with surprise. "It's a lost relic from the mythical era… Something like this hasn't been seen for centuries! How… how did you get your hands on it?"
Her cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment, and she quickly added, "I'm sorry! I just got a little too excited…"
"Is this potion really that valuable?" he asked bluntly, completely unaware of its true worth.
"Obviously!" she responded, "You don't even know its value? This potion can heal any injury—no matter how near-death—curse, or disease. Its worth is beyond measure… You were incredibly lucky to have it…"
Her voice faltered as she lowered her gaze, the weight of the situation sinking in. "But in the end… you used it on me. You didn't have to, you know? I'm sorry…"
"Hey, don't worry about it." He smiled, his expression warm and sincere. "It's just a potion. What could be more valuable than someone's life?"
Her eyes showed sincerity. "Okay… But if you really insist, I'll pay you back for it…" She stopped, thinking for a moment, then continued again. "I know I can't repay you with an equivalent value, but… I'll help you with anything you ask, as long as it's within my power." Her voice trailed off in a tone of reluctant honesty.
He glanced at her status window, his eyes narrowing in thought.
⟣ Status Window ⟢
Level: 37
Name: Freya Alvestia
Race: Human
Class: Swordsman
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Title: Snow Blizzard Princess
➤ Attributes:
Health: 110 ❤️
Magic: 42 ✨
Strength: 128 ⚔️
Defense: 72 🛡️
Speed: 70 ⚡
Luck: 30 🍀
"She seems to be a good person… okay…" he thought to himself, his mind drifting as he tried to make sense of everything.
"Well then…" he spoke up, "How about you give me some information later in exchange for the potion?"
"Just that?" She was not convinced; she nodded eagerly. "Please, feel free to ask. I'll help you with whatever you need!"
He hesitated for a moment, then his cheeks flushed slightly as he mumbled, "Can you help me… umm… grind some monsters and collect their cores?"
Her eyes widened, clearly shocked. "What? You need my help?? But… aren't you a high-level adventurer?" Her confusion was evident, and she tilted her head in disbelief.
"Status!" He slid open his status window and showed it to her without a word.
She leaned in, her eyes scanning his status carefully.
He felt his face flush with embarrassment as he realized how weak it made him appear.