Cold air hits Rosa's face the moment she opens the cart door, even though it's only midday. A thick mist permeates the trees, the bushes, the very air around them, muting the lush greens with a veil of faint white.
She steps down from the cart and immediately arches her back in a stretch, reaching for the sky with a soft sigh. Behind her, gravel crunches as Lilia steps out.
"Uuuugh… my sleep schedule is a mess…" Lilia complains, her words dissolving into a long yawn. She mirrors Rosa's stretch.
You reap what you sow, is the thought that crosses Rosa's mind, but she has more important things to do than acknowledge the complaint.
Besides Lilia's groans, the air is filled with the sounds of other passengers and vendors hawking various hiking supplies—all at elevated prices, no doubt. Thankfully, Rosa has stocked up in advance: warming potions, cloaks, hiking sticks. She even wears pointed boots for a better grip, perfect for climbing in the damp, post-rain conditions they now face.
Of course, she has brought a set for Lilia as well. Knowing her, she probably didn't prepare, especially after what she calls her 'sleepless three days of torture.'
Speaking of which, Lilia is already returning with a bowl of meatball soup. Rosa quietly scans the vendor stalls. Soup, soup, another soup, and even more soup. Well, she can't deny a warm bowl fits the cold mountain air perfectly. But a small part of her wishes for a sweet stall or two.
"Uuugh, 200 gold for a cup of soup is extortion…" Silent tears stream from Lilia's eyes as she slurps the broth—it's hard to tell if they're from the joy of the warm soup or the sadness of a lightened wallet.
"Well, that's how pricey mountain post vendors are. What did you expect?"
"A normal 80-gold soup, like in the city!"
"Not gonna happen," Rosa says flatly, her signature deadpan look firmly in place.
Lilia heaves a resigned sigh, her shoulders slumping even as she keeps hold of the cup. "Guess so, huh?"
She then gestures vaguely toward the nearest inn. "Can we go in and get some rest already? I'm tired from sitting all day on that cart."
Rosa feels a stiffness in her own joints, as if Lilia's words have triggered the memory of their long travel. She nods slowly.
"Alright. An hour of rest should be plenty. We will start our climb right after."
As if struck by lightning, Lilia jerks upright. "Only an hour!? H-hey, Rosie."
Rosa closes her eyes, trying not to show her bubbling vexation. "Do not call me that."
"R-right… But you mentioned how important preparation is, right? Picture this: we climb while we're exhausted. We might let our guard down, and something might happen, right?"
Lilia looks pointedly toward the forest, its greens shrouded by a thin veil of mist.
"Not only that, it rained not too long ago. Plus, plus, look at the forest! It's misty, right?"
Rosa's crimson eyes remain focused as she nods along with the explanation.
"I know you're only saying that so you can lay in bed longer,"
Rosa replies, her tone dry. "But you're right. Right now is not the ideal condition for a climb."
She takes a deep breath, the cold air sharp in her lungs.
"However, that's precisely why we wait for an hour first. We'll see how the weather goes."
Rosa crosses her arms, tapping one finger thoughtfully near her elbow.
"If the weather doesn't get any better, we extend for another hour. Otherwise, we move on. And if you're too exhausted by then—which I doubt you will be—we'll make some stops during our climb."
Lilia pouts, clearly not satisfied. She groans to herself, closes her eyes, and then stomps the ground in a miniature tantrum.
"Aaaaargh! I hate how I can't win against you when it comes to logic! I get it, okay!? This place is a money trap and time is of the essence!"
Rosa can't help but let out a light chuckle at the display.
"I'll treat you to another soup, okay? How does that sound?"
Lilia's eyes instantly sparkle, her frustration vanishing as if it never existed.
"Really!? Thankies! You're the best best friend!"
She immediately wraps an arm around Rosa's shoulders, pulling her into a tight, warm snuggle.
Rosa can only sigh. Lilia's rapid mood swings and relentless clinginess are both annoying and endearing in equal measure.
Their moment is broken when a vendor calls out to them.
"Hey, ladies over there! Going for a hike? Don't miss out on hiking supplies, especially a hiking pole! The road is slippery after the rain!"
Rosa simply shakes her head in polite refusal, but Lilia smiles brightly at the man.
"We're fine, thank you! We're already prepared!"
"Now, now," the vendor presses, "how about you tell me where you're headed? You might be missing something crucial."
Lilia steps closer, dragging a stiff Rosa along in her one-armed hug.
"We're going to Eisenvalt!"
Rosa shoots a sharp look at Lilia for spilling the information so casually. "Lilia…"
Lilia leans closer to Rosa's face, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "It's okay, we'll be fine as long as we don't spill what we're actually doing, right?"
Lilia has a point; she hasn't revealed their mission, only their destination. But casually mentioning it to a stranger still doesn't sit right with Rosa.
Their attention snaps back to the vendor as his voice cuts through her thoughts.
"Eisenvalt?" he says, his tone shifting. "I wouldn't recommend going there, even for sightseeing. For some reason, lots of folks have been heading there these past few months… and many went missing."
Lilia's grip on Rosa weakens as she leans forward, her curiosity piqued. "Missing? All of them?"
The vendor shakes his head. "Not all. Some of them return, but they're almost passed out. Folks say their mana was almost drained dry."
He then grabs a phial of murky green liquid from his display.
"I recommend taking these if you're seriously going there. The returning folks said regular mana potions don't work at all."
Rosa's eye twitches as skepticism creeps in. For a mana potion to be useless, the drain would have to be faster than the replenishment. From her knowledge, even with void elements present, the mana sap shouldn't be that rapid. Her gaze fixes on the green liquid in his hand.
"If mana potions don't work, how will this one help?" Rosa asks, her voice layered with doubt.
The vendor extends his hand, offering her the vial. "How about you try a taste? This one's on the house."
Rosa's gaze flicks from the potion to the vendor and back again, her skeptical eyes judging both equally. "Just to be sure… have you tasted it yourself?"
The vendor's eye twitches. He crosses his arms with a sigh. "You're one wary lady, aren't you? City folk, perhaps?"
He clears his throat, the picture of strained patience. "My apologies. To answer your question, yes, I have. Tastes like bitter liquid, that's it. Since I have no magic, it has no effect on me. Maybe warms my body a bit in the cold."
He offers the phial again. "You'll know when you taste it. The previous party was as wary as you are, but they bought a whole bunch as soon as they took a sip."
Lilia smiles as she creeps back into Rosa's view. It's the smile Rosa knows means she's about to say something designed to spark her ire.
"If widdle Wosie is scawed, how about big sis Lilia taste it for you?"
There it is. Using the nicknames she dislikes the most, delivered in the condescending, babying tone one uses on a toddler. This time, a vein pulses on Rosa's temple. Her hands shoot out—not for the potion, but for the soft, plump flesh of Lilia's cheeks, pinching and stretching them like dough.
"Owowowowow! It hurts! Sorry! I am sorry, okay!?"
Letting go with a soft plop, Rosa turns sharply back to the vendor.
"Uuuu… why do you have to pinch me that hard?" Lilia complains, but Rosa ignores her.
She reaches for the vial, her hand hovering in mid-air, her hesitation clear. She then pulls her hand back, still unconvinced.
Seeing this, the vendor lets out another, heavier sigh. He pops the phial open himself and pours a small amount into his own mouth. "Uugh… so bitter..."
For the third time, he offers it. "Here. Now you know it's safe, since I drank it too."
Rosa can't argue with the logic. Besides, even if it is laced with something, he'd likely have the antidote. An hour is plenty of time to observe any effects—not that she lacks her own countermeasures. But the thought of deliberately drinking a potential poison still unsettles her.
That being said, the vendor's face grows more annoyed with each passing second. A glance at Lilia, cheeks still swollen, shows her silently pleading with her eyes. A pang of guilt pricks at Rosa. She'd lose her patience, too, if a customer treated her the way she's treating this vendor.
After a small sigh of resignation, Rosa finally takes the phial and drinks the contents. A strong, bitter taste, almost stinging her tongue, permeates her mouth. Her immediate instinct is to spit it out, but she clasps a hand over her lips and forces herself to swallow. The bitterness intensifies sharply as it slides down her throat.
As soon as she swallows, she can feel her mana replenish—just a tiny amount, far less than a proper potion would provide, but it's undeniably there.
"Uuurk… This is more than I expected… In more ways than one," Rosa gasps, the bitterness still clawing at her throat.
"Told you it's bitter," the vendor says flatly.
"Hahaha, serves you right, Rosi—"
Before Lilia can finish the hated nickname, Rosa's hand darts out, grabs her jaw, and forces her mouth open, pouring the last dregs of the green liquid down her throat.
Lilia immediately wrenches herself away, spitting the potion onto the gravel below. "Bleeeegh! Cough! Cough! Uuugh… so bitter… just wait… I'll get you for this…"
Suppressing a bubbling chuckle, Rosa turns back to the vendor, all business. "We'll take several of these. How much for each vial?"
"A thousand per vial. Or four thousand for a batch of six."
Rosa's eyes flinch. A regular mana potion costs between 100 to 150 gold with a far better mana yield. This feels like—no, it is—extortion.
"Even so, isn't that a bit too expensive? It's almost ten times the price of a regular potion."
The vendor gives a light grunt, scratching his head. "Cut me some slack, miss. Prices have been inflated these past months. People are suddenly eager to explore the area, and I have to compete with other vendors, you know. Even so, these are probably the cheapest you'll find here."
Lilia steps in, wiping residual green liquid from her mouth and clutching her empty soup cup. "Uuugh, my mouth is all bitter. My soup also tastes bitter now…"
Rosa holds her chin, thinking. The potion did work, despite the ridiculous price. If the mana drain rumors are true, they can't afford to be stingy considering their lives are at risk.
"Hmmm, four thousand for a batch is just…"
The vendor closes one eye, crossing his arms. "Fine. How about a hundred less?"
Rosa raises her hands, showing three, then five fingers. "Three and a half?"
The vendor holds up his hand, thumb and forefinger curled in, leaving other fingers raised. "Three and eight."
Rosa tilts her head with a faint, negotiating smile. "…Three and six?"
The vendor shakes his head, his final offer. "Three and seven. Take it or leave it."
With a resigned sigh, she holds up two fingers. "We'll take two batches, please."
Lilia steps back, her face grimacing as she covers her mouth with both hands. "We're really going to take those? Well… better safe than sorry, I guess."
The merchant smiles in triumph as he takes the coin pouch and hands Rosa the potion batches. "Pleasure doing business!"
She takes the potions, a profound bitterness lingering in her mouth in more ways than one.
As they walk toward the nearest inn, an arm wraps around Rosa's shoulders once more. The owner is obvious.
"Well, can't beat the locals at their own game, I guess. Look on the bright side—we saved some coins!"
She resists the urge to lean into the touch. Lilia is right about the bright side, but the lingering sense of defeat still stings.
"Let's just get some rest…"
…
The wooden ceiling gazes down at the pair as they lie on the warm bed. Beside it, a small metal contraption with a leather handle stands upright. At its tip, several mana stones connect to glyph stones for heat and wind, keeping the room cozy despite the mountain's chill. The window curtain is wide open, revealing the misty forest scenery—a view they hope will clear later.
"Hey, Lilia, ever heard of a concept called personal space?" Rosa asks, her voice flat.
Lilia yawns, cozily lazing about on the bed. "Mmhm, what of it?"
Another vein throbs on Rosa's temple as Lilia nuzzles closer, draping a leg over Rosa's. "You're violating it… My space, that is…"
"Can't help it, okay? It's cold here, and you're warm…" Lilia's tone is sluggish, one arm reaching all the way across to Rosa's far shoulder.
"Lilia, I'll count to three. If you're still in my space, my hands will find your armpits…"
Lilia instantly recoils, scrambling to her own side of the bed and shielding her underarms with both hands. "A-anything but that…"
Rosa lets out yet another sigh, this one prompted by more than Lilia's antics. Eisenvalt. Missing people. Mana drain. Useless potions. To top it off, she got cleanly ripped off. She hasn't taken a single step into Eisenvalt, yet she feels utterly drained.
"Hey… Do you think I made a mistake coming here?"
"You did~! Our mistake, to be exact," Lilia answers instantly, her voice infuriatingly cheerful.
This time, Rosa fully agrees. The quest itself was a huge red flag from the beginning. But turning back now would mean wasting almost a whole month earning nothing. At worst, she'd have to rely on Lilia once more—a far better outcome than both of them dying in the middle of a mountain forest. Lilia would definitely refuse if Rosa suggested she go back alone. If Rosa wants her safe, she'd have to turn back, too.
"Hey… how about we go back?"
"Do you truly want to? I'll be with you either way."
Rosa falls silent, searching for her answer. "I want to continue… but… I can't possibly put you in certain danger for any amount of gold…"
Lilia smiles warmly, a soft chuckle escaping her. "This again?" She wraps both hands around one of Rosa's. "Look, while I do worry about you—and that's the biggest reason I decided to stick around—I also want my own samples of the void ores. It's not just you who has wants, Rosa."
"You heard the rumors, right? What if we…" Rosa doesn't dare finish the sentence. She looks into Lilia's eyes. "Do you want to stick around anyway?"
"Have I ever abandoned you?"
A small pout forms on Rosa's cheek. "Actually, you kinda did."
"Hm? When was that?"
"The Vorenfeld flower field… when we were looking for a reflector flower."
Lilia chuckles lightly, scratching her cheek. A bead of sweat forms on her temple as she averts her gaze. "Ah… that happened… Ahahaha…"
Remembering the incident, Rosa feels a smile return. "But… you did come back…"
"That I did… You know what? You're thinking way too much for today. Even for you."
One of Lilia's hands slowly traces gentle circles on Rosa's scalp, the light pressure a comforting weight.
"Cut it out… I'll get sleepy…"
"It's fine, isn't it? Just for once…"
Slowly, Rosa's world begins to blink, her eyelids fluttering. Her breathing steadies and slows, until her eyes finally close and sleep takes her.