"Ugh...! Haa... haa..."
While Ryoma and the others were chatting back in the room, Hughes's condition suddenly took a turn for the worse.
"Hughes!"
"Stay with us!"
"The potion and healing magic stopped the bleeding, but now he’s developed a fever. A very high one..."
"Antipyretic. I have it."
As the others called out to Hughes, who was groaning with a flushed face drenched in sweat, Ryoma heard Camille’s words and dashed into the back of the cave. Zeff watched him go, murmuring to the others.
"Meeting that boy was a real stroke of luck, My Lord."
"Indeed. If we hadn't encountered him here, Hughes would undoubtedly be dead."
"He’s still not out of the woods, but without the boy, it would have been dangerous even with healing magic. You can't break a fever with magic, after all."
"Normally, perhaps, but not after he’s lost so much blood and strength..."
Finding nothing more to say about their comrade's condition, the conversation shifted to Ryoma.
"So, what's the plan? We can't just leave a kid like that alone in a forest like this. It's too dangerous."
"He’s lived here for three years already. I’m sure he understands the risks better than anyone."
"He has survived this long, after all... and then there’s the number and level of his resistance skills. I suspect he grew up in a horribly harsh environment before coming here. Even if we tell him the city is safe, I wonder if he'll even believe us... It's a blessing he's not the type to cower at the sight of people or lash out violently."
"True... I recall there were incidents like that in the past."
"Lord Reinhardt, you're a father. Don't you have any ideas?"
"You're the only one among us with a child, My Lord. We wouldn't even know where to start."
"I am in the same position as you. I cannot simply leave him be, but I doubt forcing him to come with us would end well... Regardless, we must return home first. I shall consult with my father and Elise on the matter."
A silence fell over the group. A few minutes later, Ryoma returned, leading a line of slimes carrying jars of water and medicine. He was clutching a bundle of animal furs under his arm, delegating the actual transport of the supplies to his familiars.
"Er, thanks."
"Treatment first."
Ryoma draped the furs over Hughes and then carefully poured water from a jar Camille was holding into a stone spout-cup. He handed it to the mage.
"Tilt it. Make him drink."
Ryoma pointed to Hughes’s mouth. Camille followed the instruction, helping the man swallow the water.
"...It seems he was able to take it."
Ryoma then held out the next dose.
"Antipyretic."
"Thank you, this is a lifesaver."
Reinhardt took the medicine and administered it to Hughes. Within an hour, his condition began to stabilize, allowing the group to finally exhale in relief.
As the sun began to set, Ryoma suggested they stay the night. Having judged that the boy harbored no ill will—and prioritizing Hughes’s recovery—Reinhardt decided to accept the offer.
Dinner was a simple affair for Ryoma: a stir-fry of homemade bean sprouts grown in the cave and a rabbit meat soup. However, to the four men, the meal, combined with the treatment and lodging, was something they were deeply grateful for as the night deepened.
The next day.
Perhaps due to the medicine and the care he received, Hughes showed an unexpectedly rapid recovery by morning. He was able to stand on his own, and by late morning, he had recovered enough to depart with Reinhardt and the others.
"Man, I really thought I was a goner this time. Thanks for the help, kid!"
"Really... okay?"
"What, you worried? I heard you don't like villages or towns, so I figured you just hated people."
"Care for... injured people, at least."
"Gahahaha! I see, I see! My mistake then! Whoops—"
Hughes laughed, then suddenly stumbled. Reinhardt and Camille caught him immediately.
"Hughes, are you all right?"
"Ye-yeah, just a little dizzy. No problem."
"You've only just recovered, so please be careful."
Seeing this, Ryoma pulled out a pre-prepared bottle.
"Drink."
"Hm? What's this?"
"Blood-replenisher. Not enough blood."
"A blood-replenisher, huh? Thanks. Well, down the hatch—Gah! It reeks! What is this smell?!"
When Hughes reflexively jerked the bottle away, the movement wafted a stench into the air—a chaotic blend of raw, grassy herbs and the pungent, fishy odor of a Green Caterpillar. The smell made not only Hughes but also Jill and Zeff grimace.
"This smell... is why it doesn't sell. Why it’s not made anymore. Old blood-replenisher. Effectiveness... guaranteed."
"So he says. It's a kindness, so drink up."
"Wait, this is—"
"It would be a problem if you collapsed on the road."
"We were worried about you too, you know."
Jill and Zeff grabbed Hughes’s shoulders and arms, cutting off any chance of escape or resistance.
"I’m sorry!"
Acting on a silent signal, Camille snatched the bottle and poured the contents directly into Hughes’s mouth.
"%‘#’%$“!!!!"
As the liquid went down, Hughes let out a wordless cry. After a few brief convulsions, he stood leaning against the wall for support. At a glance, he looked as though he had swallowed lethal poison, but the medicine was highly effective and safe. It simply happened to have the worst possible taste and smell.
"Ooh... you... guys..."
"Good medicine is bitter to the tongue, Hughes."
"Don't worry, the kid's medicine definitely works."
"The potion he used for your treatment was of remarkably high quality, as well."
"Damn it... ugh... I thought I was gonna die again... burp..."
As Hughes felt the medicinal stench rising back up from his stomach, Ryoma handed him some water and asked a question.
"Armor... need?"
"Phew... Hm? Oh yeah, my armor was trashed by that damn bear. I’m out a weapon, too."
"I have equipment... take it."
"That would be a huge help, but are you sure?"
"It's fine."
Following his answer, Ryoma disappeared into the back of the cave. He returned minutes later with a dozen slimes carrying five spears and three sets of armor.
"These... usable."
"This is surprisingly high-quality for bandit gear. Are you certain you want to give these to Hughes?"
"Weapons should be used... I can't use them all if I keep them."
"This spear alone would fetch five Small Gold Coins, you know?"
"Take them."
Jill and Hughes asked several more times after seeing the quality of the gear, but Ryoma stood his ground. Eventually, Hughes was the one to give in.
"...Alright, then I’ll take them. But I’m not the type to just take things without giving back. I can't repay you now, but if you ever need anything, count on me. Just go to the gatekeepers at the Town of Gaunago and tell them you need to see Hughes of the Ducal Guard. They’ll get a message to me. Don't be shy about it."
"Understood."
With their preparations complete, the five men expressed their gratitude and departed. In his third year of living in another world, Ryoma had finally formed a proper connection with other human beings.
Ryoma felt a mix of exhaustion and a strange sense of nostalgia from the long-awaited conversation, but he set those feelings aside and headed out for his daily hunt.
He did not yet know that this encounter would be the catalyst that would change his life forever.