Chapter 34: Lily's Hut
As Kayden headed for the outskirts of the town, he analyzed the surroundings.
On the one hand, he saw some participants, casting cautious glances in his direction. On the other hand, most of the ones without an engraving looked at him with friendly eyes, even warmly waving at him as he passed by.
Eventually, they reached the outskirts. "We're almost there, sir," the girl spoke.
"Right. By the way, don't call me sir. Just call me Kayden," he interjected, wanting to establish a more informal rapport.
"Okay," she stammered, afraid to say anything that might offend him.
'Now that I think about it, I still don't know her name,' Kayden thought before asking, "What's your name?"
"My name is Lily."
"That's a nice name," Kayden replied, at the same time a humble hut appeared in their view, just a few meters from the forest's edge.
"This is where I live," Lily informed him.
As they stepped into the modest dwelling, a weak voice reached Kayden's ears.
"Welcome back, Lily."
Due to the small dimensions of the hut, Kayden easily found the source of the voice.
On a bed made of weathered wood, an incredibly frail boy even younger than Lily, tried to sit up in the bed.
His hair was the same color as Lily's, and his pale complexion was even more pronounced than hers.
When he was halfway to sitting up in the bed, a violent coughing fit forced him to stop.
Concerned, Lily hurried to his side, her worried expression evident.
"Are you okay, Ollie?" She asked, before scolding him with a voice filled with care, "I've told you a thousand times not to get out of bed."
The boy covered his mouth until the coughing stopped, before quickly concealing his hand so Lily could not see it.
However, Kayden's enhanced senses thanks to mana, allowed him to catch a glimpse of the red stain on the boy's hand, a telltale sign that he had coughed up blood.
"I'm fine, don't worry," the boy replied, in a hoarse voice that said he was anything but fine. "Who is this man?" He asked, nodding his head in Kayden's direction with a questioning look.
"His name is Kayden. He offered to help us hunt a little."
As Lily explained to her brother who Kayden was, Kayden took in the small hut's surroundings.
The walls and floor were composed of worn wooden planks, held together by rusty nails. Dark stains hinted at the passage of time and decay. As for the roof, it consisted of a few more planks covered with straw.
The hut consisted of a single room, with two small beds, a handful of candles, and a few utensils such as a worn earthenware pot.
A while later, something drew Kayden's attention.
In one of the corners, an elongated object wrapped in old rags caught his eye.
"That's the sword I mentioned before," Lily's voice confirmed Kayden's thoughts.
"You can take a closer look at it," she added nervously, afraid that the sword might not meet Kayden's expectations.
Approaching the corner, Kayden gingerly picked up the sword and removed the tattered rags that concealed it.
It was a simple, traditional sword, without much decoration except for a few faded engravings on the handle, which was somewhat worn from use over the years.
The blade bore numerous battle scars, a testament to its years of use. Though its luster had already faded, Kayden could sense its sharpness, surpassing anything he had encountered before.
Bringing his hand closer to the sword, he made a slight movement with it.
A thin trickle of blood dripped from his palm, startling Lily, who looked at him in concern.
After finishing analyzing the sword, Kayden questioned in surprise, "You said this sword belonged to your father, right?"
"Yes," Lily confirmed, her gaze drifting off with a hint of nostalgia. "We may be very poor now, but back then when our parents were alive, our family was among the upper class of the town," she explained, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sadness.
"I see," Kayden replied, his gaze shifting back to the worn yet impressive sword in his hand. "The sword is fine, where do I have to hunt?" He asked.
"I'll take you there," Lily said, gesturing for him to follow her.
While they left the hut, Kayden felt Lily's brother's gaze. He was looking at him slightly skeptically, but also hopefully.
After leaving the hut with the sword in his hand, Kayden noticed that Lily looked quite more relaxed as they walked.
She had been unconsciously tense the whole time, fearing that Kayden would change his mind and leave. But now that it seemed certain he was going to help them, her body finally relaxed.
Upon reaching the beginning of the forest, Lily stopped.
"Over there," she began, pointing to her left, "is the area where rabbits and other small animals dwell."
"And there, is the area where deer live," she added, this time pointing in front of her.
Kayden nodded, absorbing the information. "Okay. Is there anything else I should keep in mind?" He asked.
"Yes. On the right is a section of the forest inhabited by more dangerous and aggressive animals as wild boars, so you should avoid getting too close."
Just when Kayden thought she had finished her explanation, her expression became extremely serious, as she emphasized, "And remember this. No matter what section of the forest you are in, you absolutely must not venture too deep into it."
Kayden nodded in understanding, curious about what could be in the deepest part of the forest to provoke such a reaction in Lily.
Standing at the threshold of the forest, Kayden prepared to embark on his hunt, feeling a mix of anticipation and concern. He was eager to test his strength, but he also was worried about not being a task.
As Kayden stepped into the forest, the cool air embraced him, carrying the earthy scent of moss and foliage. The dense canopy above cast dappled shadows on the forest floor, creating a play of light and darkness.
He tightened his grip on the sword as he disappeared into the lush landscape.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone