Otto was not weak in that moment. After three weeks of rigorous training, he certainly achieved significant improvements throughout his days with Gerav. But now, he can't even do as much as lifting a finger.
He forced himself to reach out to Kofta. But his body wouldn't listen. All four of his limbs went numb. He examined his arm—toxic green patches started to appear on his wounds. His vision blurred momentarily. A ringing filled his ears.
With his half-closed eyes, he struggled to lift his head to see the towering vine. In the distance, the green giant had already collapsed. Dust—taller than the trees—covered the entire area as leaves glided down.
He tried shouting Kofta's name—but only a whimper came out.
Before long, his eyelids became heavy. The once muffled commotion went silent. At that moment, only darkness remained.
…
"Where is this guy…?"
Ryatt stood outside the inn's door, his back leaning against the wall. He looked to the side—only an empty frame remained. He shook his head before heading inside. Before he could take a seat, an extended arm blocked his way.
"Oh? Looks like that kid isn't with you today?"
Ryatt glanced at the man speaking—it was Gerav. The merchant put up a smile and greeted him before asking. "He's also not with you?"
Gerav's eyes widened. He pressed his finger against his chin before dismissing his thoughts. "I have a favour to ask."
"Yes?" Ryatt leaned forward.
"If anyone tries to give you an invitation coin to the House of Hikma, don't believe them. Report them to me or other members of the church if you see one."
He dazed momentarily with a pursed lip. Inside his mind, he was irritated but also disappointed in himself. He clicked his tongue. He actually fell for it.
Calm down, Ryatt. You still have a long way to go. The merchant took a deep breath, deciding to take this incident as a lesson. He thanked Gerav before bidding farewell and leaving the bar.
Now, time to get back to work. But before that, I need to get my coins back. He stretched himself before turning right. He paused for a moment. Likewise, he looked back and saw a gigantic plant rising up behind the walls. Its massive silhouette covered a part of the sky.
The people around the streets quietly stood where they were, gazing at the towering mass.
The green giant soon collapsed, creating a shockwave around the street. Windows vibrated. A mug of wine spilled on the table.
Ryatt went completely still before regaining his wits. He rushed back to the bar to notify the old man.
…
Otto Erelouis was in a state of reverie. He could faintly hear a crackling fire. He squinted before opening his eyes. An unfamiliar wooden ceiling appeared before him. He directed his gaze to his left—a yellowish hue of fire covered a part of the room.
In front of the fireplace, an old woman sat on a couch, flipping through the pages of a book. Otto immediately sat up—but the excruciating pain from his entire body halted him.
"Don't you realise what kind of condition you're in right now? Younglings these days… Well, I was once as reckless as you too." The old woman chuckled as she kept reading. Otto grunted while slowly lowering himself back to bed.
He tried to remember what happened before he fainted. His eyes widened with a gasp. "What happened to…!"
"If you're talking about that woodcutter, then he's already dead. How ironic, only an axe managed to escape from that massive plant." The room went silent once more. Otto gritted his teeth, his fist clenched tightly before releasing it. He exhaled a shaky breath. "…I see."
He barely managed to steady his emotion and spoke to the old woman. "Thank you for saving me."
"You're Gerav's disciple, aren't you? Where did you come from?" Otto slowly blinked before glancing at her. Such a question was unexpected, or should he say—quite the opposite. A traveller whom they have never met was immediately taken as the priest's disciple.
Maybe it was because Gerav boasted about finally having a disciple. To the point that everyone in town knew his face. Even the guards were friendly to him without further questioning—as they considered him as a Nox's clergy in a sense. "A faraway land."
"Which land exactly?" The old lady finally turned her head towards Otto.
Otto stared deeply into the ceiling. "A land where I might not be able to return for a while."
She went back to reading her book afterward. Otto noticed that his entire body was bandaged. His eyes went limp. Realising that his body demanded rest, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
…
A few days had gone by just like that. The old lady would provide him food and medicine. At some point, Otto would have a chat with her. It turns out that she was also a foreigner that moved here. He did not know much about her old background, though, since she would evade those questions anyway.
When he was finally able to walk around the house, he found out that this cottage he was in was situated on a mountain.
How did she walk down the mountain without breaking her back? Unless… He narrowed his eyes, his gaze still locked onto the book that he was reading—which was borrowed from the house library.
"Do you love fables, young man?" Otto jolted to see the old lady sitting next to him. He quickly regretted it as a sharp sting was felt around his body. His wounds haven't fully healed yet. He tried to remain steady.
"Well, I'm only curious about them. Nothing much." He smiled bitterly. The lady prompted him with an unrelated topic. "Right, I haven't introduced myself, have I? My name is Nuria, dear."
"Otto Erelouis. Once again, thank you for saving me back there, Madam Nuria. But I'm still curious about one thing."
"What is it?" Nuria went all ears.
Otto immediately went to take this advantage. "How did you manage to lift me all the way up the mountain?"
The old lady straightened up and curled her lips. "Since you're Gerav's disciple, you should probably know about Elemental magic and Essence."
Otto nodded silently. Nuria turned her gaze at him. "Do you want a Base Element?"
He was taken aback for a second there. Having a Base Element would give him an edge… especially against Gerav. He leaned forward a bit—still reminded of his wounds. "Do you have the apple?"
The old woman laughed before getting off her seat. She looked at Otto with a smile. "I do. Come follow me."