Chapter 7

Chapter 7: An Unanswered

The first light of dawn spread gently across the village.

A cool morning breeze carried the scent of wild flowers through the open windows.

Kyle was already awake.

As usual, he stood outside the clinic for a few moments before beginning the day.

His eyes drifted toward the western sky.

The memory of that turquoise light still lingered in his mind.

*"It wasn't a dream..."*

He was certain of it.

Behind him, soft footsteps approached.

Lumi walked into the yard, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

She let out a long yawn before noticing Kyle.

"You woke up early again."

Kyle smiled.

"I couldn't sleep."

Lumi laughed.

"You always say that."

She walked toward the water barrel and filled a small wooden bucket.

After a brief silence, Kyle spoke.

"Lumi..."

She looked at him.

"Hm?"

"I want to ask you about something."

"Go ahead."

Kyle hesitated.

"The night you brought Lyra home... did you notice anything unusual?"..."

Lumi frowned.

"Unusual?"

"A turquoise light."

"It appeared only for a moment."

She blinked twice before shaking her head.

"No."

"I didn't see anything."

Kyle remained silent.

"You didn't wake up at all?"

Lumi laughed softly.

"Not even once."

"I was having a beautiful dream."

"I slept until morning."

"I didn't hear anything..."

"And I didn't see anything."

Kyle lowered his gaze.

"I see."

Lumi tilted her head.

"Why are you asking?"

Kyle looked toward the distant forest.

"I thought I saw something that night."

"A strange light."

"But perhaps..."

He smiled faintly.

"It was only my imagination."

Lumi immediately shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"You've always noticed little things that other people miss."

Before Kyle could answer, the clinic door slowly opened.

Lyra stepped outside.

Her silver hair shimmered beneath the morning sunlight.

"Good morning."

"Good morning!" Lumi replied cheerfully.

Kyle greeted her with a gentle nod.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

She looked between the two of them.

"Was I interrupting something?"

Lumi smiled.

"Not at all."

"We were just talking."

Lyra nodded.

Without asking another question, she followed them inside the clinic.

Kyle glanced once more toward the western forest.

The question that had troubled him since that mysterious night remained unanswered.

But one thing was certain.

**Lumi knew nothing about the turquoise light.**

The clinic doors opened shortly after sunrise.

As always, the first villagers arrived early.

An elderly woman entered, supporting herself with a wooden cane.

"My knees have been aching since yesterday," she said with a tired smile.

Kyle helped her to a chair.

"Please, sit down."

He gently examined her swollen knee before opening one of the wooden cabinets.

He selected several dried herbs, crushed them carefully with a mortar, then mixed them with warm water to form a thick paste.

Lyra watched every movement in silence.

His hands were steady.

Every step seemed familiar to him.

"You've treated this before," she said.

Kyle smiled faintly.

"Many times."

He wrapped the old woman's knee with a clean cloth.

"Try not to walk too much today."

She chuckled.

"If I stay home all day, my daughter will make me clean the whole house."

The three of them laughed softly.

After thanking Kyle, the old woman slowly left the clinic.

Not long afterward, a young boy rushed inside, holding his arm.

"I fell from a tree."

Lumi hurried to his side.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little..."

Kyle examined the scrape.

"Nothing is broken."

He cleaned the wound before applying a soothing herbal ointment.

"There."

"You'll be climbing trees again in a few days."

The boy grinned.

"I knew it."

He thanked Kyle and ran outside before anyone could tell him to be more careful.

Lumi sighed.

"He never learns."

Kyle smiled.

"He reminds me of someone."

Lumi looked away innocently.

"I have no idea who you're talking about."

Lyra couldn't help smiling.

The warm atmosphere inside the clinic felt strangely comforting.

It was so different from the Emerald Realm.

No royal guards.

No endless rules.

No hidden dangers.

Just ordinary people relying on one another.

As the last patient left, Kyle returned to the medicine cabinet.

He carefully checked each jar one by one.

Then his hand stopped.

"The Fresh Mint..."

He looked inside the jar.

Only a few dried leaves remained.

He checked another shelf.

"The Silver Moss is running low too."

Lumi walked over.

"Do we need more herbs?"

Kyle nodded.

"If we don't gather them today, we may not have enough by tomorrow."

He closed the cabinet gently.

"I'll head to the western forest this afternoon."

Before Lumi could answer, Lyra spoke.

"I'll come with you."

Kyle looked at her.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded without hesitation.

"I still have a lot to learn about the plants in this forest."

A small smile appeared on Kyle's face.

"Then we'll leave after lunch."

The forest grew quieter after the woodcutter disappeared.

Lyra glanced over her shoulder.

"...That man was strange."

Kyle looked at her.

"Strange?"

"He seemed nervous."

Kyle thought for a moment before smiling.

"Perhaps he was simply embarrassed."

"Some people don't like accepting help."

Lyra wasn't entirely convinced.

"...Maybe."

The two continued walking deeper into the forest.

Soon, they reached a clearing covered with medicinal plants.

Kyle crouched beside a cluster of Fresh Mint.

"This is what we're looking for."

Lyra knelt beside him.

"I'll gather the younger leaves."

"They're better for medicine."

Kyle looked at her in surprise.

"You know that?"

Lyra nodded.

"My grandmother taught me."

The words escaped naturally.

For a brief moment...

A gentle smile appeared on her face.

Kyle smiled back.

"She must have been an excellent healer."

Lyra's hands paused.

"...She was."

Silence settled between them again.

Not an awkward silence...

A comfortable one.

The kind that needed no words.

As the baskets slowly filled with herbs, Lyra suddenly stopped.

She closed her eyes.

Just for an instant...

A faint, familiar sensation brushed against her heart.

*There it is...*

She turned toward the western forest.

The feeling vanished.

Kyle noticed her expression.

"Did something happen?"

Lyra quickly shook her head.

"...No."

"I thought I heard something."

Kyle listened carefully.

Only birds.

And the wind moving through the trees.

"I don't hear anything."

Lyra smiled faintly.

"I guess I imagined it."

They gathered the last of the herbs before starting the journey back.

The afternoon sun painted the forest in shades of gold.

As they walked side by side, neither of them realized...

Someone had been watching their meeting from much farther away than they imagined.

Not close enough to recognize their faces.

Only close enough to remember one thing.

**The young healer was still alive.**