Chapter 32: The Girl Who Stayed by My Side

Birds chirping.
A soothing wind came in through the open window.

Some sound — at first faint, then clear. Someone knocking at the door.
Knock. Knock.

Darkness eased as light crept into my eyes. My body relaxed; my mind felt calm. To my right, Liora slept, clutching my shirt as always. I rose slowly, keeping my back straight.

I scooped Liora into my arms—her head rested against my shoulder, warm and light—and moved toward the door. I sensed a presence before I reached it: Eva.

I turned the handle; the door opened with a soft creak. Eva stood on the threshold, looking like she'd been waiting a while. She first glanced at me, then at Liora. The calm on her face shifted; regret, or perhaps surprise, flickered through her eyes.

"She's sleeping. I'm sorry—I knocked for a long time." Eva said, her voice apologetic.

"It's fine. What happened?" I asked, keeping my tone even.

"I was going for breakfast and wanted to invite you." she replied after composing herself.

I checked Liora and answered, "You can order for us too. We'll be down in five minutes."

"Okay. I'll be waiting." Eva left, and I closed the door.

I sat on the bed and looked at Liora's rosy cheeks. I reached out and gently poked them.

'I can't get enough of this cuteness.' I thought, a warmth blooming in my chest.

Liora stirred. Her big eyes—bright as distant stars—came into focus, lighting my dark life the way they always did. Instead of waiting, I stretched my arms and hugged her.

"Good morning, Liora." I said.

She smiled, closed her eyes, and hugged me back, a tinkling giggle slipping out. I carried her to the window and set a small chair facing the glass. Kneeling at her side, I produced a brush, toothpaste, and a bowl of water.

She watched me mimic the exaggerated expression of showing teeth. After a few minutes both our faces were fresh and clean.

A thin veil of water clung to the window—no more than a ribbon. Liora pointed, fascinated, as the film smoothed and cleared to reflect the room. Her curiosity brightened, and I watched as excitement crept across her face.

"Papa! What ish thwis?" she asked in her small, sleepy lilt.

I smiled. "It's a mirror." I said.

"What ish a miwor?" Liora asked.

"A mirror is something you can see yourself in." I replied, pointing at her reflection."That's you." I added.

She peered into the glass. "Thwat is Liora...?" she murmured, reaching a tiny hand toward her reflection. The cool surface met her fingers.

"Papa. It ish cold." she observed, cheeks puffing with wonder.

I laughed softly and drew a wooden comb from my inventory. Standing behind her, I ran it through her hair with gentle, practiced motions. The strands slid between my fingers—soft and warm with the scent of the morning. She lingered with one hand on the mirror a moment longer before backing away, eyes still wide.

'I guess it might be first time she touched cold water and the feeling when you touch ice for too long. But wait..... that can't be true she should have seen snow no? Maybe it's the mix of cold and mirror..' I thought, curiosity and questions tangling in my mind as I combed.

"It's done." I said when I finished.

"What did Papa do?" she asked, innocent and bright.

"You have such beautiful hair, Liora. We must take care of it." I replied.

I slipped the band over her head, easing it down until it rested just above her brow. Her hair settled neatly behind it, no longer falling into her eyes, and we headed downstairs. The inn's common room had already filled; the aroma of breakfast—roasting meat, baking bread, and a herbal tea that smelled like sun-warmed roots—wove through the air.

Eva sat at the same table where we'd eaten last night; plates steamed before her. We joined her and I settled Liora on my lap.

"You look really cute, Liora." Eva said, offering the compliment with genuine warmth.

Liora beamed. "Papa did my hair." she announced proudly.

I blinked, surprised she'd opened up so quickly to Eva. 'Maybe it's because she's talking about me' I thought. 'Even introverts warm up fast when the topic is something close to their heart.'

"What took you so long? The food's been here a while." Eva asked casually.

"We were having some father-daughter time." I replied, smiling.

"Let's eat before it gets cold." I added.

"Yes," Eva agreed softly, and the three of us fell into the small, ordinary happiness of a shared morning meal.

There were multiple bowls, but only two kinds of dishes.
The first sat in a shallow wooden bowl; pale golden-brown broth steamed up in soft ribbons. Thin slices of root vegetables floated with tender shreds of meat, their edges glossy and gently frayed from the simmer. The aroma was a warm, savory breath—earthy, with a faint peppery sting that teased the nose. It tasted light at first, then deepened into a steady heat that settled in the chest, the kind of warmth made for chasing away a morning chill.

The other arrived in a small clay dish: pale mushrooms, sliced thick and coated in a glossy cream that caught the lantern light. The scent was loamy and herbal, like rain on packed soil. The first bite slid across the palate silky and smooth; the mushrooms themselves gave a springy, tender chew that released a mellow, nutty sweetness beneath the cream.

I cooled a spoon before offering Liora a bite; the steam curled between us.

'I could just cold it using magic every time but…. These small moments are too precious to me. They make me fell happy and kind of closer to Liora.' I thought, my chest filling with a quiet kind of energy.

"Where are we going?" Eva asked.

'Right, I haven't told her our destination.' I thought.

[ Master, I have created a soundproof barrier around your immediate vicinity. ]

"We are heading to the border of the Demon Kingdom." I replied.

Eva's face tightened. "Why?" she asked, voice pitched low—she hadn't noticed the barrier.

"To eradicate the undead there." I said.

"What? Why? Are you trying to earn merits?" Eva asked, confusion painting her words.

"It's hard to explain. Trust me, and you'll see." I answered. Her uncertainty softened into worry.

"But let me be clear: I'm not going there for anyone else. I'm not aligning with any race or faction." I met her eyes. "I need power—strength to protect us. To gain it I must finish them."

"So… you want to level up?" she asked, still puzzled.

"......More like I want to attain a class." I said. "I'll explain as we go. Trust me for now."

"I don't fully understand, but I'll wait." Eva conceded.

"After breakfast I need to stock up on healing potions and a few weapons, then we leave." I finished my bowl.

Eva nodded. In the inn the clink of cups and low conversations wove around us. After a few moments our plates were cleared and we stepped out into the street.

First stop: the Adventurer's Guild. The sun pressed against the town, bright and dry; market scents—roasted meat, spilled ale, horsehide—rose in layered ribbons. At the guild desk Eva requested low- and mid-grade healing potions. The clerk moved with the brisk efficiency of someone who'd handled more than his share of danger.

"I'll go re-register. Meet me outside when you're done." Eva said.

I only nodded.

"Here are your potions, sir." A man in a staff uniform carried a tray of test tubes—small vials of light red liquid and larger tubes of a deeper, almost sour crimson. The corks smelled faintly of alcohol and iron; the liquids gleamed in the light like bottled dawn. "Two gold and five silver coins, please."

I paid and slipped the vials into the pouch Korin had given me, the leather cool and reassuring against my side.

Liora, cradled in my arms, had gone quiet near the guild doorway. The din of people made her uneasy; crowds always had that effect on her. I set a small fruit from my inventory into her hands.

"Do you want this? It's sweet," I offered.

Her tiny teeth sank into it. "itsh twasty," she declared, juice beading at the corner of her mouth in the pale morning light.

As we waited, voices rolled past—rumors of drama. "Did you hear Alice left the hero party yesterday?" someone said.

"I was there, y'know," the man slurred, raising his mug as if to swear on it. "She went out for a breath o' air, then came back with—hah!—a whole different color of hair. Said she was quittin' the party, just like that."

He took a long drink, ale dripping down his chin as he leaned closer to his small audience. "The hero tried to stop her, aye, begged her even, but she wouldn't listen. Just turned her back and walked. Lucian—hah, poor lad—he was stunned silent. You could feel the room twistin', tension thick as smoke."

The man waved his mug lazily, almost spilling what little was left. "But then Roland, calm as a winter pond, stepped in. Spoke soft, leveled the mood. Just like that, the fire went out."

He sat back, squinting one eye, as if daring someone to call him a liar.

'If anything had been dangerous, I would have stopped it. Roland seems sensible; Lucian is too impulsive.' i thought

When Eva emerged she flashed a relieved smile and held up her new B-rank adventurer card. "It all worked out." she said.

"Good. Let's get weapons," I replied, and the three of us melted into the crowd under the glaring sun—potion-slung, card-clutched, and hungry for whatever the border would throw at us next.

to be continued…

Author's Note:

Sorry the chapter is a day late — I haven’t been feeling well. Thank you so much for reading and for your patience. I’m excited to bring you something really good very soon.