Chapter 494 Chapter495-Recuperation
Howard "hmphed," steadying himself against the foot of the bed as he stood, then waved his hand dismissively.
"I'm going to my room. Don't call me until tomorrow."
After saying this, he walked out of the room with unsteady steps and returned to his own.
Watching Howard's figure disappear behind the door, Nula slowly shifted her gaze away.
She closed the door and sat down in front of a mirror.
Her reflection returned to the glass, and Nula stared at the unfamiliar face in the mirror.
She pulled out a bottle containing a greenish potion, tilted her head back to drink it down, then quietly waited for the potion to take effect.
Moments later, the muscles on her face began to move, as if a video of the initial disguise being applied was being played in reverse.
Every muscle writhed back to its original position.
In just a few breaths, Nula's face returned to normal.
Nodding in satisfaction, Nula massaged her face, changed out of her clothes, and packed away the ones she had worn, ensuring no unintentional discovery of any details.
Though her actions were blameless, some things were better kept private.
The Eternal Flame's underground stronghold was now essentially cleared out, the only cultist corpse not dissolved being Duduro's, which probably still lay in the adventurer Rodel branch guild's office.
This matter might only come to light tomorrow morning, while its impact could resonate far into the future.
Nonetheless, none of this should tie her or Howard any longer.
After staying here for another two days to properly rest and recuperate, she and Howard would continue their journey towards Sorona.
Lying in bed, Nula looked up at the ceiling, then down at White, who lay on the floor with eyes closed and belly rising and falling unevenly.
Nula stretched her lips into a smile.
...
Howard couldn't recall the exact moment he fell asleep; all he remembered was the tidal wave of exhaustion that nearly drowned him upon returning to his room.
The moment he hit the bed, sleepiness emerged spontaneously.
His eyes closed, and he drifted off to sleep instantly.
He didn't even bother to change his clothes.
As a result, he woke up to a body full of aches and itches from his wounds.
Unwrapping his bandages, he glanced at his wounds, which should have taken a week to start healing but astonishingly had already formed a thin membrane, indicating a full recovery was likely in just two or three days.
Observing the bright sunshine outside the window, Howard wondered if he had actually slept for a week.
Could that be possible?
Then, there came a knock on the door.
"Howard! Are you up?"
It was Nula's voice.
What was she doing here?
They had no plans for any joint activities today.
With confusion, Howard rose from the bed, opened the door, and met Nula's peculiar gaze.
"What... did you do last night?"
"What do you mean 'did'?"
Howard, with a dazed expression of bewilderment, failed to grasp Nula's implication.
"I just slept through the night... didn't even sleepwalk."
"That's good then, just straighten up your clothes!"
Nula's gaze wandered, "I don't mind seeing or not, but that doesn't mean you can just expose yourself carelessly."
Howard paused, stepping back swiftly to close the door.
He had just checked his wounds, almost stripping off his clothes in the process.
Howard rummaged through his luggage for a clean set of clothes, then reopened the door to find Nula still standing outside.
"Sorry," he said, scratching his face and noticing the basket in Nula's hand.
A jar of jam, a tub of butter, milk, apples, and finely roasted white bread—certainly a lavish breakfast.
"I brought you something to eat. Do you even know what time it is?"
Nula lifted the basket slightly.
"Aren't you going to let me in, or is there something secretive you're hiding inside?"
Howard stepped aside to let Nula in, then closed the door partially and followed her into the room.
Nula dragged a table to a spot near the window, placed the basket on it, and sat down to start eating.
Howard sat opposite her, dividing the bread and roast, "What made you suddenly decide to bring me breakfast? What's happened outside?"
"It's nothing major."
Her words implied something had indeed occurred.
"The incident with Duduro has come to light, as expected. Apart from that, it's probably about the adventurer's guild celebration. To honor the adventurers and city guards who protected Rodel during the monster tide, the adventurer's guild organized a festivity. Though Duduro's exposure has damaged their reputation, the celebration wasn't canceled, just postponed for a few days."
"You just happen to be in time for it."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Howard patiently sliced the bread, spreading jam on it.
"Or is there a problem with the celebration itself? Are there still members of the Eternal Flame hiding here? Did not all of them die?"
"It's not that," Nula shook her head, "There's nothing wrong with the celebration itself. The problem is with you."
"I'd prefer you not attend the celebration. Any excuse will do, just avoid it."
"Why?" Howard looked at Nula puzzledly, asking, "If there's no problem with the celebration, why can't I go? I did contribute significantly, after all."
"I can't tell you the reason now, just don't go, that's all." Nula didn't intend to elaborate further.
She always liked to keep something hidden.
"I've laid it out for you, but in the end, whether you go or not is your own decision. After all, you're the one with legs."
Nula's words carried a hint of mockery, leaving Howard somewhat confused.
Though, to be honest, he hadn't planned on attending anyway.
His wounds would need a few more days to fully heal, and his body required rest to recover completely.
It was better to keep to a regular schedule during such times.
Howard had already decided to adopt a more laid-back daily routine.
Until his body was fully recovered, he wouldn't partake in any activities that might further harm his physique.
After all, his body was his greatest asset in this world, and it was crucial to cherish it.
"Is there anything else?"
Howard bit fiercely into his bread and then cut off some of the roast meat with his knife.
Although eating such greasy food early in the morning could strain his stomach, Howard knew his body needed a certain level of stimulation to "revive."
"Someone familiar is looking for you."
"Another acquaintance?" Nula's words reminded Howard of White.
Nula had said something similar before, and then he was introduced to White, only to get shocked by White for a second time.
It wasn't a fond memory, neither for Howard nor for White.
"Don't worry, this time it's not some odd creature, but a very standard human being."
"Vivia... I saw her when I was out," Nula paused before continuing.
"I don't think she knows you're here, but I reckon she wouldn't miss any chance to gather information."
"You'd better limit your outings, or our party will gain an extra member."
Howard massaged his temples, his expression grim.
He hadn't expected Vivia to be so persistent, actually following him out.
Didn't Antalya stop her?
Wasn't she always treating Vivia like her own daughter?
Is this how she looks after her?
"Besides Vivia, did you see anyone else?" Howard asked, a hint of unease in his gaze as it fell on Nula's expressionless face.
His biggest concern was that Jelia might have been brought along by Vivia.
He knew the young orc's temperament; like a drowning person, she wouldn't let go of any straw that might save her.
Howard was probably the first and most important straw in her life.
Though it might sound somewhat narcissistic, Howard didn't believe Jelia would just let him walk away.
That young orc wouldn't miss any chance to find him.
But she couldn't possibly join them on the road.
The journey was fraught with too many hardships and dangers, and she was just a young orc, not yet an adult, with practically no combat ability.
"No, I only saw Vivia." Nula finished her slice of bread, glanced at the slice in Howard's hand now spread with jam, and reached for one herself, carefully applying the jam.
"She's very cautious in her actions. I was worried she might see me, so I didn't follow her for long."
"That girl probably hasn't forgotten what I look like, after all, you could say I took you away from them."
"If she saw me here, it would almost certainly confirm your presence as well."
"You're right." Howard nodded, took a bite of his bread, chewed thoughtfully, and then asked, "When you saw Vivia, what was she doing? How did she... look?"
"Are you worried about her?"
Nula looked at Howard, her gaze carrying a mix of indistinct emotions.
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