When Noel woke up again, he found himself inside the treehouse. Gentle sunlight was streaming through the opening in the tree, and he had no idea how many days he had been lying there.
Judging by the light, it looked like morning—probably the next day, he guessed. He was lying on an incredibly soft bed, though it felt a bit small for him.
For Tias, the bed was the perfect size, but for Noel, it was a bit cramped. Still, the bed was undeniably comfortable, though he didn't particularly like it. He preferred the hard wooden beds back at Master Mond's alchemy workshop.
"You're awake—thank goodness! You've been asleep for nearly a whole day, and I was so worried. If something had happened to you, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself." Tias had been frowning with worry, but the moment she saw Noel awake, her face brightened.
"What happened to the Nue? Was it taken care of? And were you hurt during all of this?" Noel fired off questions like rapid-fire, unable to stop. He was worried and wanted to know, especially since he had blacked out after the explosion and knew nothing of what happened next.
"You're such an idiot! You're hurt like this, and you're still worrying about me?" Tias scolded him, frustrated at how little regard Noel seemed to have for his own body.
"I promised you, and we had a spoken contract. Since I made that promise, I had to keep it. That's what it means to uphold the spirit of a contract." Noel's voice was steady; he truly meant it.
"We didn't even sign a real contract. You didn't need to push yourself this hard, you know. You've already done more than enough." Tias said this, but deep down, she was happy.
This child in front of her was nothing like the humans she had known—those who were greedy, selfish, and domineering.
She hadn't expected that there could be a human who was this kind, this sincere. Maybe she had been wrong to judge all humans the same way.
"My stomach hurts so much… can you get me something to eat?" Noel rubbed his empty stomach. "Listen, it's protesting!"
"Of course! We still have those tree fruits from last time, right? I'll go to the storehouse and get some." Tias replied gently.
"Those fruits are delicious, and they're great for replenishing energy. They're really a perfect food," Noel said honestly.
Treating Noel like a patient, Tias quickly went to get the food, leaving Noel sitting on the bed alone, his entire body aching as if it were about to fall apart.
Given how hard he had pushed himself yesterday while escaping, anyone would feel sore all over. And Noel wasn't particularly strong to begin with.
After all, he was still a child, still in the stage of growing, and being able to unleash that kind of strength was already remarkable.
Maybe it was the danger that had pushed him to tap into even deeper potential.
Still, he warned himself that he couldn't act so recklessly next time. This time had already been far too dangerous, and perhaps it had only been luck that had seen him through.
Would he be that lucky if something like this happened again? Probably not.
"What are you thinking about?" Tias asked as she returned, carrying a large bundle of tree fruits. Perhaps it was her elven sensitivity, but she could see that something was weighing on Noel's mind.
"I think I went too far this time… there were probably safer ways to handle things, but I chose the most dangerous one," Noel admitted, reflecting on his choices.
"It wasn't too far. In my eyes, you were amazing! At that moment, you were shining, Noel. To me, you were a hero." Tias spoke like a teacher comforting a young student. All young people struggled with these thoughts, but it was enough if they could work through them.
"I had already felt so hopeless, like I would never get back up again… but then you appeared, like a ray of light, and gave me the strength to believe again." Gratitude shimmered in Tias' eyes.
"So, let me take care of you for the next few days, okay? I'm not very good at it, but I want to show you my gratitude."
"That might not work… I need to leave tomorrow, but in this condition, I don't think I can move," Noel said, troubled. Tomorrow was the day he was supposed to return to Master Mond as they had agreed.
If Mond saw him in this battered state, he would blame himself for a long time.
"All right, for now, eat some fruit. I'll go get something else for you," Tias said before hurrying out again.
Noel lay back, enjoying what felt like a VIP treatment, eating the fruits Tias brought him while groaning, "Why does it hurt so much?"
The pain would pass eventually. He wanted to lie back and sleep again, but whether it was because he had already slept so long or because of the pain, he couldn't fall asleep.
He wanted to get up and walk around, but in this condition, that was impossible, leaving him in an awkward position.
Tias returned, holding a silver bottle that glittered under the sunlight, beautiful and clear.
Inside was a pure, radiant liquid that emanated the aura of life itself.
"This is the Water of Life," Noel guessed when he saw the bottle.
"It's for you. This is my promise. Our wood elf clan almost never gives away the Water of Life as a gift, but we are a people who honor our contracts above all. I've broken the rule of my ancestors to give this to you," Tias said, extending the bottle.
Noel's hand trembled as he reached out. "Am I really allowed to take this? Something so precious…" He had only half-jokingly asked for it before, knowing how rare it was.
"Of course," Tias said, pushing the Water of Life into Noel's hands. He had no choice but to accept it.
"You're injured so badly. Drink some," Tias urged him.
Noel took a sip, planning to save the rest to use as a reagent for making universal medicine.
The moment he swallowed, warmth flooded through his body.
His battered, broken body felt a tingling, soothing sensation in every wound.
Then, a strange feeling of something growing and mending filled him, and before his eyes, his wounds scabbed over and healed, leaving behind no scars, his skin tightening and strengthening.
"The effect is incredible…" Noel whispered in awe.
"That is the miracle of the Water of Life. Our clan has sworn to guard the Lake of Life with our lives, so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands," Tias said, a shadow of sadness in her eyes, remembering all those of her people who had died protecting the lake.
"But you're different. I believe in you, which is why I'm giving it to you. Please, just don't misuse it."
"This is… so much, though. It's too precious. I know I asked for a little, but this is really too much." Noel looked at the bottle, feeling conflicted.
"Just promise me you'll use it to do good when you can. But remember, once someone is dead, even the Water of Life can't bring them back. This is my warning to you." Tias shared her hope.
She was right. Nothing could escape the laws of nature. Once a person died, nothing could bring them back.
"I understand," Noel replied.
"Good. So always respect life," Tias said, lost in thought for a moment.
"But I can't shake the feeling you're still hiding something from me. The Nue was after the Water of Life, wasn't it? I know—I sensed how interested it was in the Water of Life." Noel pressed.
"Your question crosses the line, but you are now a benefactor of the elven people, and I will not hide anything from you."
Tias took a deep breath, her gaze resolute.
"You have the right to know."
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