A Warm Cup of Tea

Strixx and I wandered around town, hoping to find the bulletin board so we could pick up some work. As we got closer, we spotted a kind-looking woman pinning a request to the board. She walked with a cane, and her leg seemed hurt.

When we approached, she greeted us warmly and asked if we had some time to help her. Strixx, like always, tucked herself shyly behind me under her cloak. I told the woman we were new to town and were hoping to find a job while waiting for the Flower Festival in two weeks. Her eyes lit up at that—her name was Ms. Finecia, a herbalist who made medicines and potions, but her injured leg made it hard to gather ingredients.

Before I could say anything, Strixx tugged at my sleeve and whispered that we should help her. I smiled and agreed. We told Ms. Finecia we’d take on her request for as many days as she needed, and she seemed genuinely happy. She invited us to her home so she could show us exactly what herbs she needed.

Her house was tucked away in a peaceful part of town, and I couldn’t help but notice how calm and quiet it felt. Strixx still clung to my arm, as usual. Ms. Finecia explained how the town was rebuilt after a war twenty years ago, and I wondered quietly if it was the same war Riko had once mentioned.

She showed us dried samples of the herbs we needed to find and kindly packed some for us to take, just in case we forgot. Before we left, though, she invited us to sit for tea and sweets. We sat at a lovely wooden table outside her home, and she brought out fragrant herbal tea and soft floral cakes.

The tea wasn’t sweet, but it was so soothing and warm it made me relax completely. Strixx leaned close and whispered that she didn’t know what it was, but it made her feel happy. I smiled and passed her a slice of cake, which she nibbled at first… and then quickly devoured, her eyes sparkling. She whispered again, telling me how much she loved it.

Ms. Finecia chuckled at the sight of us and said we seemed to get along well. Strixx, suddenly bold, stood up excitedly and proudly declared we were the best travel buddies—and that we’d been journeying together for two months now. Embarrassed by her own excitement, she quickly sat back down, her face flushed. I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

We finally introduced ourselves properly—me as Luca, and Strixx as, well, Strixx. Ms. Finecia smiled and told us our names were adorable. She even offered us more cake, which made Strixx light up again before shyly sitting back down.

After finishing everything, we thanked Ms. Finecia for her kindness. She told us it was rare for her to have visitors and that she enjoyed sharing tea and chatting when she could. We promised her we’d go gather her ingredients, and she thanked us warmly.

It felt nice… like we’d made a small but special connection that day.

 With that, we headed toward Vaeliris Mountain.

 As we approached the foot of Vaeliris Mountain, the air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers.

 The surroundings were beautiful, with different kinds of flowers blooming all around.

 

I glanced around, taking in the sight. “I see… That’s why this town is called the Town of Flowers.”

 Strixx looked around as well, then turned to me. “Can Strixx eat these flowers?”

 I quickly shook my head. “No, no! You mustn’t eat them.”

 She tilted her head but didn’t argue.

 I let out a small sigh and smiled. “Come on, Strixx. Let’s collect the herbs Ms. Finecia asked for.”

 We made our way up the mountain, searching for the herbs.

 Fortunately, they were easy to find and in abundance, so it didn’t take long to gather everything we needed.

 

After gathering all the herbs, Strixx tugged at my sleeve, 

 “Luca… Strixx wants to see more flowers…” she murmured, almost pleading.

 I chuckled softly. “Alright, but just for a little while.”

 

Then, we wandered around, taking in the scenery. The mountain was full of colorful flowers, their sweet scent filling the air. 

 

However, as we explored, we eventually stumbled upon a blocked path leading further up the mountain.

 I stopped and glanced at Strixx. “Looks like this is as far as we can go. We should head back and deliver these herbs to Ms. Finecia.”

 Strixx, however, puffed her cheeks in protest. “But… Luca, we can just jump over that and go!” She clung to my arm, eyes filled with determination. 

“Strixx wants to see more! Strixx loves this place so much!”

 Before I could say anything, a calm, gentle voice interrupted.

 “Young girl, you mustn’t do that.”

 Both of us turned to see an elderly man standing behind us, his expression kind yet firm.

 The moment Strixx saw him, she gasped softly and quickly hid behind me, like a startled kitten.

 

I stiffened slightly, worried that he might scold us for wandering too far. “Ah… Sorry! We didn’t know. We’re new to town and just running an errand right now,” I explained, scratching the back of my head.

 

The old man let out a small chuckle. “No need to apologize, young boy, young girl. The path to the top of the mountain is always blocked three weeks before the festival.”

 

Hearing that, I relaxed a little. “Oh… I see,” I said, glancing at the barrier. “So, it’s not just off-limits all the time?”

 

The old man nodded.

“The Festival of Vaeliris is famous because of a special flower that only blooms at the peak of this mountain—the Vaeliris Flower.”

 

Hearing that, I pieced things together “So that’s where the town got its name?”

 The old man smiled. “That’s right. When this town was first discovered 300 years ago, the explorers were mesmerized by the strange yet beautiful Vaeliris Flowers. And so, they named the town after them.”

 

He gestured toward the blocked path. “The way up is sealed off three weeks before the festival so that the Vaeliris Flowers can bloom in peace. Only when they reach full bloom will their petals scatter into the wind, marking the beginning of the festival.”

 

Strixx and I both nodded in understanding. Bowing slightly, I said, “Thank you for telling us.”

 

The old man’s gaze shifted toward the bundle of herbs in my hands. “I see… You two must be running an errand for Finecia.”

 I looked up in surprise. “Oh, you know Ms. Finecia?”

 The old man chuckled, then motioned for us to follow him.

 Strixx hesitated for a moment but clung to my hand as we followed him through the peaceful mountain paths. Eventually, we arrived at a small yet cozy-looking cottage nestled among the trees.

 The old man pushed open the door and stepped inside. “Come in, young boy, young girl.”

 We entered, and he gestured for us to sit. The place had a warm, homey feel, and the shelves were filled with jars of dried herbs, bottles and small bundles of flowers.

 Curious, I asked, “Mister, are you a herbalist too?”

 The old man chuckled. “Finecia, the one you speak of, was once my apprentice. She used to run errands for me.”

 Strixx and I blinked in surprise.

 The old man continued, “You two are new to town, aren’t you?”

 I nodded. “Yes… We’re travelers from far away. We came to see the festival.”

 The old man smiled. “I see…”

 Leaning forward slightly, I asked, “So Ms. Finecia was your student?”

 He nodded with a gentle smile. “Well, I wouldn’t call myself a teacher. I just shared what I knew—nothing more. But she was always so eager to learn, always watching closely, asking questions. 

 His voice softened with nostalgia. “Finecia is a good girl. Many years ago, before the war, she used to come here with her friends. After playing, she would stop by my place to help out. She was always so curious about herbs, always watching me make medicine.”

 He paused for a moment, a fond smile appearing on his face. “As time passed and she grew up, she finally opened her own herbalist shop in the middle of town. But even then, she still used to visit me whenever she came to the mountain to collect herbs. No matter how busy she got, she never forgot this place.

 His expression darkened slightly. “After the war, I heard she was injured… She hurt her leg, and after that, she stopped coming by herself. Instead, the children from the town began coming here to gather herbs for her, just like she used to do for me.”

He sighed. “Ever since I knew she couldn’t climb the mountain anymore, I tried to bring her herbs myself from time to time… Not regularly, but whenever I could. But now… I’ve grown old, and my body isn’t what it used to be. Since I live up in the mountains,

 I don’t visit town much anymore. These days, I can’t even do much at all. It’s been years since I last saw her.”

 Then, he looked at us with a warm smile. “But young boy, young girl—thank you for helping her.”

 The old man reached for something and placed a small pouch in my hands.

 “These are the seeds used to make herbal tea.”

 I blinked in surprise. “Oh! The same tea we had at Ms. Finecia’s place?”

 He nodded.

 Strixx’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She tugged at my sleeve and whispered, “Strixx loves that tea…”

 

The old man let out a hearty chuckle. “Then, you should take good care of those seeds.”

 Before we knew it, it was time for us to leave.

 As Strixx and I stepped out of the cottage, the old man waved at us with a gentle smile.

 “Take care, young boy, young girl.”

 We turned back and waved enthusiastically. “Bye, Mister! Thank you!”

 As we walked down the mountain path, Strixx held my hand, humming softly as we made our way back to town.