Chapter 24: An Unsettling Change in the Northern Town

With the summer hunt from July to August finally over, they took their time returning north. By the time they arrived, it was already September.

"There’s a festival in September too."

Alfie informed Shou.

"The Moon Festival. Originally, it was a plains festival to celebrate the harvest on the night of the largest full moon. But in the Northern Town, we gather on the rocky hills and admire the moon instead. The hairpins will be perfect for it—everyone will be happy to have them."

Apparently, Alfie had bought small charms for the boys—silver-crafted Black Rock Lizard figurines, with tiny colored stones set into their eyes.

Shou had secretly bought a matching blue-stone charm for Falco and gave it to him later. He ended up carrying her around for a long time, refusing to put her down. It was so suffocating that she decided never to buy him a present again.

"I can’t wait to see everyone, Alfie."

"Yeah. But I’m part of the apprentice healers now, so I won’t always be with you all."

"Everyone will catch up soon."

"Yeah."

Shou and Alfie spent their journey back excitedly looking forward to reuniting with their friends.

When the Northern Town finally came into view, it wasn’t just the families of the thirty hunters waiting for them—it felt like the entire town had come out to welcome them back.

Yet, amidst the celebration, Shou and Alfie couldn’t find the youth group anywhere.

"Master Healer!"

It was Rick.

"Excuse me, please come quickly!"

"Rick!"

"Shou, Alfie, I’ll talk to you later. Master Healer, hurry!"

Rick ran ahead, while the Master Healer followed calmly but deliberately.

"What’s going on?"

Alfie muttered uneasily.

Something didn’t feel right.

Then, Shou spotted someone—a familiar figure at the entrance of a side street.

Cain.

He gestured for them to come over.

"Alfie, over there."

"Cain… He might know something. Let’s go!"

"Yeah."

Around the corner, several boys from the youth group were waiting.

"Alfie, Shou—it's Aura."

Aura.

"What happened?!"

Alfie demanded.

"We don’t know much, but about ten days ago, she got injured in the grasslands at the base of the rocky hills."

"She got hurt?"

That was a small relief.

The girls never went herb gathering alone, and they always carried potions. The healers who had stayed behind would have taken care of her.

"She stepped on a slime, got startled, and then another one was right there…"

Shou’s stomach twisted.

"But she was rescued quickly, right?"

"That’s the thing… She passed out from the pain, and no one noticed for a while."

"What happened to her?!"

"We don’t know. The kid who found her was in shock and won’t talk. And Aura hasn’t shown herself since. Our parents are so scared that they won’t let us leave the house."

Even Cain, usually so strong, sounded weak.

"We’re fine. But Aura…"

"I’m going to see her!"

"We’ve tried, but they won’t let us in…"

"We’re going anyway!"

Shou and Alfie ran straight to Aura’s house.

They barely caught their breath before they were about to knock on the door—when the Master Healer stepped out.

His face was grim.

And there was Aura’s mother.

"Aura!"

"Alfie… and Shou, too."

Aura’s mother looked exhausted as she addressed them.

"Aura is injured… She doesn’t want to see anyone right now. I’m sorry."

"But… we brought souvenirs! We got her a hairpin!"

Alfie held out the gift desperately.

Aura’s mother winced, her expression filled with pain and sorrow.

"That makes it even worse. She… can’t use a hairpin anymore."

…What?

"Yona, don’t give up."

The Master Healer said quietly.

"We will do everything we can. As her mother, don’t lose hope."

"I’m sorry…"

Aura’s mother lowered her head and went back inside.

"Alfie, Shou, come with me."

"Master Sain…"

"Come."

The Master Healer and Rick led them to his private chamber in the church.

"Now, how should I explain this…"

"Master Healer, they are both her friends, and they are also healers. Tell them everything."

"Rick… You’re right."

And so, the Master Healer told them everything.

Aura had indeed been injured by a slime, just as Cain had said.

But the slime’s acid had splashed onto her head and face.

She had been unconscious for too long. Neither potions nor healing magic had been able to fully restore her.

Shou’s healing technique had helped as much as possible, but when both the left and right sides of an injury were equally damaged, healing magic couldn’t reconstruct it properly.

In short—

Aura’s scalp had been burned by the acid, and her hair would never fully grow back.

Her vision was intact, but the upper half of her face was permanently scarred.

Even the Master Healer’s magic had barely improved her condition.

The weight of the truth left Shou and Alfie speechless.

Alfie clenched the hairpin in his fist.

Aura, who was more fashionable than anyone.

Who was stronger than anyone.

Who had the most righteous spirit.

Who was the most beautiful among them.

"I’m going to see her."

"She doesn’t want to see anyone."

Rick’s voice was firm.

"Even we can only visit when absolutely necessary. She stays locked in her room, barely eating, just lying in bed."

"Even so!"

"Me too!"

Both Shou and Alfie rushed out the door.

Of course—

They weren’t allowed to see her.

Something had to change.

The youth group’s parents had kept them cooped up out of fear, but the kids convinced them otherwise.

They bargained—on the condition that they always stayed together, always carried potions, and always had either Shou or Alfie with them.

Then, they went out and hunted slimes.

Every.

Single.

Day.

No one wanted another girl to go through what happened to Aura.

Even though slimes never truly disappeared, the youth group kept hunting.

Because there was nowhere else to direct their frustration.

And every day, Shou and Alfie went to Aura’s house.

After a week, her mother finally relented.

They weren’t allowed inside her room.

But they were allowed to sit in front of her door.

Every day, they talked loudly through the door, telling her about their day, about Nordam, about everything.

Until Falco came to pick them up, they stayed by her door.

Would it help?

They didn’t know.

But they couldn’t let even a single day pass without thinking about Aura.

The strain was draining Shou physically and emotionally.

Falco watched her with concern.

But he said nothing.

He simply stayed by her side.

And then—

As the Moon Festival drew near—

Aura’s door finally opened.