Chapter 26: Let’s Spend Autumn in a Warm Home

Fortunately, very few people knew just how severe Aura’s injuries had been. Most assumed that she had simply been emotionally shaken by her injury and needed time to recover. When she finally stepped outside, thin and weak, people were only relieved that she had healed—none questioned why she had remained hidden for so long.

If word got out that an untreatable wound had been completely healed, many would go to extreme lengths to have Shou and Alfie do the same for them. But this time, there was no way to explain it other than a special case.

First, both of them were exceptionally talented apprentice healers with large reserves of magic. After spending two months healing side by side, they had become attuned to each other’s magic flow. On top of that, they were close enough to remember every detail of Aura’s face.

Even if other skilled healers existed, they would only be able to perform such a healing on someone as close as a parent or lover. And even then, there was no guarantee they would have the magic capacity to do so. A healing that uncertain was nothing short of a miracle. Unlike Shou’s copy-and-reverse healing method, which had wide applications, this was a rare occurrence that the Master Healer had no intention of spreading.

A child’s magic exhaustion would resolve itself after a single night of sleep. Even Falco, for all his worrying, understood that just as he was a hunter, Shou was a healer, and he had no complaints about her doing her job.

And so, when Aura was finally able to leave her home, the only rumor that spread through the Northern Town… was about Shou’s cute sleeping noises.

Shou, feeling as though people were laughing at her, pressed the youth group for answers—only to hear something completely unexpected.

Tracing the source of the rumor led her to the Master Healer and Falco.

And so, both Falco and the Master Healer found themselves being interrogated by the girls of the youth group.

"Unbelievable! Talking about a girl while she’s sleeping!"

"Falco, sure, but the Master Healer? I’m so disappointed!"

Falco, feeling unfairly judged, glanced at Shou.

She had her arms crossed and was deliberately looking away.

"Shou, I’m sorry! It was just… too cute, I couldn’t help it!" Falco said, flustered.

Shou glared.

"Do you think calling something 'cute' makes everything okay?"

"Exactly!" the other girls chimed in.

Falco was cornered.

"But I only told Leon and the Master Healer!"

"And I only told Yona," the Master Healer added.

That didn’t help.

"Now you’re just blaming each other!"

"Adults are the worst!"

After being thoroughly scolded, Shou turned away and left with the other girls.

Aura was the last to remain.

"You’re such an idiot, Falco. If you had just kept quiet, no one would have known how cute Shou is. But now? The whole town knows."

Falco froze.

…Damn it.

He had just wanted to talk about how cute she was, and now everyone knew.

"Master Healer…"

"I’m sorry…"

"I’m never telling you anything about Shou again."

"No, wait! I’ll keep quiet from now on! I want to be healed too!"

They were truly hopeless adults.

Maybe it wasn’t just because he needed someone to talk to about Shou, but after the summer hunt, Falco naturally started partnering with Leon again.

Leon, who had once been forced into retirement, no longer had any restless ambition.

And Falco, after taking in Shou, had lost his own reckless drive to push himself to the limit.

Instead, he spent his days leisurely hunting around the Northern Town, doting on Shou, and living without unnecessary hardship.

"I found a great house, too."

Falco murmured one evening.

The Master Healer raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe if you tell her, she’ll forgive you."

"That’s if she even talks to me again…"

"Well, good luck."

Falco sighed and trudged back to the inn.

When he hesitantly checked on Shou, her mood had already improved.

It seemed that once she had gotten angry, she was satisfied.

Falco sighed in relief and spoke up.

"Hey, I found a great house."

"Really?"

"If we don’t decide soon, we’ll end up back in the Northern Forest without one."

In two months, they would be heading back to the Northern Forest for the winter.

"It has a hot spring."

"I want to see it!"

"Alright, we’ll go tomorrow."

The next day, Shou, Falco, and Leon went to check out the house.

It was located on the opposite side of the rocky hills, toward the Northern Forest.

Even so, it was still only a ten-minute walk from Gina’s inn.

Since hunters often traveled through town and healers frequently visited to study under the Master Healer, the Northern Town had plenty of rental homes and inns.

The house had:

• A spacious living room on the first floor.
• A kitchen.
• A bath with a hot spring.
• A large bedroom.
• Two connected rooms on the second floor with a small sitting area.
• An extra guest room across the hall.

It was an older house, but well-maintained.

"Wow…"

Shou’s eyes sparkled.

"Isn’t it too big for us?"

"The cabin in the forest had even more rooms. And I’ll help with cleaning."

Falco, of course, had no intention of doing most of the work.

"I’ll take the first-floor room," Leon said.

"Wait, Leon’s living here too?"

"Is that a problem? I’m partnering with Falco—it’s convenient."

"I don’t mind. I just thought…"

Shou glanced at Falco.

She had assumed he wanted it to be just the two of them.

"Having two people around is better for protecting you. And I already know I can trust Leon."

That was fine, then.

"Alright! Then I want a room upstairs!"

"We’ll take the connected rooms. If you don’t want to see Leon’s face, you can hide in there."

"That’s rude."

Leon rolled his eyes.

"Can I take the smaller room?"

"Sure. Not that you’ll use it much."

I will, Shou thought.

…Although, until she grew a little older, she only used it during the day.

Falco had refused to let her sleep alone at night, and that was something she couldn’t argue against.

"I like it here!"

"Then it’s settled."

"I’m fine with it."

"Leon doesn’t matter."

"Hey, rude!"

Mornings, Shou would make breakfast.

During the day, everyone would go about their business.

At night, they met at Gina’s inn for dinner—since cooking every night would be too much for Shou alone.

Chores were split evenly.

They had plenty of money, so they hired help when needed.

And any guests Leon invited had to be "Shou-appropriate."

No exceptions.

Leon had lived in the Northern Town for years but had never settled down.

He had always stayed at the high-end guild lodgings, paying 2000 gil per night.

It wasn’t that he lacked funds.

He simply never cared about having a home.

But now, he was oddly excited.

For the first time in a long while, he had a real home.

And so, the short autumn began—three of them living together.