Bane awoke from another restless night of sleeping with Eir, though this time it was better. He was beginning to feel that sleeping beside her could become very peaceful.
He exited the warmth of the faction building into the brisk autumn morning in Gren. Squinting, he gazed up at the clear blue sky. It's not raining today, he thought with a smile. Taking his usual route to the faction building, he prepared himself for another day of tough adventuring.
Yet, his mind wandered back to the events of the previous day. Meeting such strong adventurers had given him a new goal to strive for, and after settling his feud with Luna, he felt fully focused on that objective.
A few vendors tried to wave down the young adventurer, but he kept his head high and continued forward, determined not to stray from his ideal day. I wonder if Winter will be back today? he thought, recalling her uncharacteristic absence the day before. Missing three days in a row doesn't seem like something she would do.
As he rounded the corner and approached the Guild Hall's entrance, he opened the large double doors and glanced to his left, hoping to be greeted by Winter. No sign of her again… he thought with a hint of concern.
Bane stepped inside and walked up to the counter, where a young woman with lush, straight green hair approached to assist him.
"How can I help you today?" she asked politely, her brown eyes reflecting the light as she smiled.
"I have a question about a guild employee," Bane said, glancing toward Winter's usual post. "Is Winter taking another day off?" he inquired, his tone revealing genuine concern.
"Hmm… Now that you mention it, she said she was taking yesterday off, but not today. Let me ask the others," the green-haired woman replied, pursing her lips before turning to a group of other guild clerks.
Slowly, their expressions shifted from joking and laughter to concern and confusion. They muttered among themselves, and the green-haired woman returned to Bane, mirroring their worried looks.
"They haven't seen her since two days ago. I may not be the one to ask this, but…" She hesitated, averting her gaze. "Could you go check on her?" she asked with an awkward smile.
This must be against protocol, Bane thought before responding, "Couldn't one of you go check on her?" He was confused as to why he was being tasked with this.
"Well, we could, but we'd have to wait until one of us gets off. Also… You and she seem to get along really well. She's easily your favorite," the girl stammered, barely able to get her proposal out.
"I see. Well, if you think I'd be a good candidate to check up on her, then I will. I am worried about her," Bane admitted, his gaze drifting toward the spot where Winter usually stood.
"Thank you," the green-haired girl said, visibly calming down. She bowed slightly before pulling out a map from under the desk. "She lives here," she added, pointing to a spot on the map near the Guild Hall in a nice area. It would only take a few minutes of walking to reach. She circled the spot and handed the map to him.
"If you could check on her, we would all really appreciate it," she said, gesturing to the group of diverse guild clerks behind her.
"Okay, I'll go right away," Bane said, leaving the group of clerks and exiting the Guild Hall. He headed straight for Winter's house, following the stone brick pathway that led through a busy communal walkway lined with houses, eateries, and hotels.
As he had anticipated, after a few minutes, Bane arrived at a small yet cozy home nestled between two other similar-looking houses. Two small windows were adorned with floral curtains, and potted flowers and greenery lined the window sills.
Seems like a house Winter would live in, Bane thought, appreciating the exterior décor. He walked up to the thick, dark oak door and knocked twice in quick succession, then waited.
Silence.
Bane pursed his lips, kicking his foot as he contemplated what to do. Maybe she's sick and needs help, he thought, his heroism kicking in. After waiting a moment longer, he tried the doorknob.
To his surprise, it was unlocked. Bane pushed the door open with a creak and was met with a pleasant floral scent. Flowers… he thought.
Stepping inside, Bane surveyed the front room of the home. A few wooden chairs and tables with matching cushions were spread around. A small, dimmed fireplace and chimney stretched to the ceiling. While the decor was warm and inviting, the temperature was quite chilly.
This room must not get much use, Bane thought. Moving forward, he noticed two doors—one open, leading to a large kitchen. Winter must like to cook, he thought, observing the cookbooks and pans hanging on the walls. He also noticed the stove top, powered by energy crystals and infused with fire magic. It used the energy to heat up the coils for boiling water and other tasks. So innovative.
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Bane exited the kitchen and stood before the last closed door. It was unlikely this led to another hallway, as the building's dimensions would have made that impossible.
Bane knocked, assuming this was Winter's bedroom. Can't be disrespectful of her privacy, he thought. Thankfully, he heard a noise—unintelligible, but unmistakably from Winter.
"Winter, it's Bane. Can I come in?" he called through the door.
"Ngh!" Winter groaned in response. Bane took this as a yes, though he knew he was likely overstepping her boundaries. His mother had taught him from a young age to be respectful of women and their space, but Bane had only good intentions as he swung open the bedroom door.
His eyes immediately fell on a feverish Winter. Disregarding everything else, he rushed over and knelt beside her, hesitant to touch her but desperate to help.
"Winter, hello?" he said, panic creeping into his voice. What could have happened? he wondered. It had been getting colder, but he had seen her just a few days ago.
"Bane?" Winter squinted up at him, her voice weak and delirious.
"Yes, Winter, it's me," he reassured her. "What happened? Why are you so sick?" he asked, bombarding her with questions.
"Why are you here?" she asked, ignoring his questions.
"Because I was worried. You weren't at the guild," Bane whispered nervously, his eyes scanning her red cheeks and forehead.
Hearing this, Winter giggled before coughing and resting back with a faint smile. As she swallowed, her face contorted in pain, and her eyes clenched shut.
Sore throat, fever, chills, Bane quickly noted. He had experienced something similar before. Years ago, in the slums, he had suffered from similar symptoms, and his mother had cared for him. He decided to employ the same tactics.
He tried speaking to her again, but her eyes remained tightly shut, and she was clearly in discomfort. Bane quickly moved into the kitchen and grabbed a small pot. As he did, he noticed another piece of technology he admired—a faucet. Running water, he thought, impressed. Winter had access to it, which made his plan much easier to execute.
Filling the pot by turning the knob, he waited for the water to fill while gathering a few clean hand towels. Cold towels on the forehead, he remembered. His mother had done the same for him, and it had been very soothing.
Once the pot was full, Bane carried it and the towels back to the bedroom. Kneeling down, he carefully set the water aside, dipped a towel into the cool water, wrung it out, and folded it neatly before placing it on her forehead.
He should have warned her, as Winter let out a small yelp when the cool towel touched her skin. But to Bane's relief, her pained expression slowly faded, replaced by one of mild discomfort.
"That's a good sign," Bane muttered as he sat on the floor beside Winter's bed. Glancing around, he noticed the room was quite minimalist. Aside from the kitchen, it seemed Winter preferred only the bare necessities. As his eyes wandered, they fell on a pair of Winter's undergarments. He quickly averted his gaze, trying to think of something else to do.
Stew, Bane thought, recalling how his mother had helped him. The stew hadn't been flavorful—it was cheap and bought from a street vendor—but the warmth had soothed his throat.
He deemed it a good thing to at least try. If anything, it would at least give him a chance to try his hand at cooking by himself for one of the first times. Obviously, he would reimburse her for ingredients, Bane would let no debt go unpaid.
After changing the towel on Winter's forehead, Bane moved back into the kitchen and approached a shelf of leather-bound books. He gripped the spine of one and carefully removed it from its spot. It looked ancient. Opening it to the first page, his eyes settled on the first sentence.
Just then, a text box appeared:
[Skill Acquired!]
[Proficient Reader]