Elana leaned in, closing the distance between herself and Ao with an unsettling grace. The closer she got, the stronger her scent became—a mixture of fresh flowers and ripe fruit, sweet yet rich, intoxicating in a way that made Ao's senses momentarily blur. It would have been pleasant—if not for the fact that everything else about her was sending shivers down his spine.
Her crimson eyes bore into him, unblinking, more like she was calculating him. It was rare for someone to make Ao feel small, but in that moment, under her sharp gaze, he felt as if she were stripping him apart piece by piece, analyzing every inch of him with an expertise that unnerved him.
His ears twitched as she reached forward without hesitation, fingers brushing against a stray lock of his silver hair. Instinct kicked in, and he flinched back slightly, his body stiffening, but Elana didn't stop. She twisted the lock between her fingers, observing it closely before a smirk curved her glossy red lips.
"You must be Shiro's kid."
Ao's heart nearly stopped. His breath hitched, his body tensing as his eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
How the heck does she know that?
His mind raced, grasping for any logical explanation. He hadn't said anything about his parents. He hadn't introduced himself. And yet, this woman—who he had never met in his life—knew.
Nanari gasped dramatically, nearly vibrating from excitement as she abruptly wedged herself between Ao and Elana, grabbing Ao's face with both hands and squishing his cheeks. Her black eyes sparkled with pure awe.
"You're Shiro's son!?!?" she practically squealed. "Like—Shiro Shiro!? The one who beat royals!?"
Ao could barely respond, his words coming out muffled against her grip. "Yesh—mmbut how doesh—" He managed to shake himself free, rubbing his face before looking back at Elana withutter disbelief. It didn't make sense, not to him.
Elana chuckled softly, tilting her head slightly. "Your hair gives it away," she said smoothly, answering the silent question. "Well… and the ears."
Her explanation sounded simple, but there was something in the way she said it, in the way her eyes gleamed, that told Ao there was more to it.
In truth, she didn't need his confirmation. To someone with spirit sight, the truth was as clear as day. The tips of his hair were already beginning to fade into a soft, ethereal blue—a telltale sign of an awakening element. His essence flickered, bright and untamed, like a small but fierce flame that had yet to fully ignite. Even if he looked thin to the untrained eye, to someone like her, his body held the tempered resilience of someone who had been forged through relentless discipline.
Her eye looked downward, locking onto his chest, but she wasn't looking at his clothing. Though, it seemed like it to them, to her she was clearly seeing how tempered and developed his essence was.
A slow lick of her lips made Ao's stomach twist uncomfortably. The motion was almost hungry, though not in the way one craved food.
Kuro noticed instantly. His eyes darkened, his tails bristling as a warning growl rumbled deep in his throat.
Elana ignored it.
Such vigor for someone so young… she mused to herself. He must have worked very hard to obtain this. Even his body—tempered, but still growing… I wonder just how far he'll go? How much stronger he'll become?
Her fingers twitched, resisting the urge to reach out again.
I'll have to get him under my wing. Study him myself.
Ao instinctively stepped back, though his retreat was short-lived as Nanari clung to his waist, as if he were her possession she refused to part with. His brows furrowed in mild frustration, but he exhaled sharply, reigning in his emotions. "Okay... enough of that. I'm not here for you to stare at me."
Elana's eyes widened slightly, her head tilting with interest. This was the first time the boy had spoken a full, coherent sentence in her presence without it being muffled or interrupted. The sheer composure in his voice was unexpected—too refined for a child of his supposed age. Her smile that curled onto her lips made it apparent that Ao had messed up.
Damn it... I slipped up.
Ao's pulse quickened as he realized his mistake. He had completely forgotten that kids don't just talk like this, at least that's what his visit from Kori taught him.
It's not too late... I can fix this.
Taking a deep breath, he forced his expression into something more neutral, softening his gaze as he adopted an innocent, almost vacant look. When he spoke again, his voice was purposefully sluggish, his words fumbling over each other in an exaggerated manner. "Me... needs a dwink... for my mommie's condishun. She's weawwy sick."
Kuro's ears twitched, his tails flicking in surprise. The sudden shift in Ao's speech was jarring, even for him. He had witnessed Ao manipulate situations before, but this? This was downright unsettling in its precision. Still, he had to admit, it was an effective way to throw off suspicion.
Elana arched a brow, rubbing her chin in thought, her lips pursed as she studied him intently. The change in demeanor was almost too sudden. Her gaze went briefly to Kuro, who was staring at her with a quiet, unreadable expression. Something about the wolf's posture made it clear he was watching her just as much as she was watching them.
Nanari, on the other hand, was having an entirely different reaction.
Her tiny tail wagged furiously as she let out a squeal of delight, wrapping her arms around Ao's small frame and pulling him into yet another crushing embrace. "Sooooo cuuuuuuteeeee!!" she gushed, rubbing her cheek against his in a way that made him stiffen in pure horror.
For once, though, Ao didn't resist. As much as he despised being treated like a living doll, he recognized the opportunity she had unintentionally given him. If he could maintain the illusion of innocence, Elana might dismiss any prior suspicions.
Elana's gaze lingered on him for another moment before she finally shifted her weight onto one hip, placing a hand on the curve of her waist. The movement, seemingly casual, accentuated the contours of her figure, would've been enough to make any sane man go feral. "Condition, huh?" she mused, her voice as smooth as silk yet carrying the same sternness. "And what exactly is this condition you're talking about?"
Ao's breath hitched.
crap.
How was he supposed to explain negative spiritual energy in a way that wouldn't raise suspicion? It wasn't that he lacked the knowledge—he understood it far better than any child his age should. That was precisely the problem. If he answered too precisely, it would only deepen Elana's interest in him, and she already seemed too intrigued for his liking.
He hesitated for a fraction of a second too long.
Elana's lips curled higher, just barely, the glint in her eyes intensifying.
The silence stretched between them.
Finally, Ao lowered his gaze, letting his shoulders slump just enough to give the illusion of a worried, helpless child. "Mommy... umm... she's got bad..." He trailed off, biting his lip, feigning distress. "She's weak... and she coughs lots... and sometimes she doesn't wake up right away..."
Nanari gasped dramatically. "Oh no! Your mommy is really, really sick!"
Ao hesitated, searching for the right words. "Sometimes... mommy says she can't feel her left side..." he murmured, his voice quiet and uncertain.
Kuro, sensing Ao's difficulty well, the difficulty he claimed to have and took it upon himself to explain. "His mother has a conjoined amount of negative energy in her chest, specifically around her heart. It seems like it's been accumulating there for a long time," Kuro said in his usual blank, matter-of-fact tone.
Ao blinked in surprise. He had never explicitly told Kuro about his mother's condition—at least, not in so many words. Yet Kuro had pieced it together.
Elana raised a brow. "Energy pollution in the chest, hmm?" she mused, tapping her chin. "That's not unheard of, though it's certainly not common either. Finding a potion to counteract it is tricky..."
She trailed off in thought before flashing a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I do have a body enhancement potion. It might help flush the pollution from her system, though I can't guarantee it. Potions that affect the spirit are exceptionally rare—difficult to make, and even harder to find." She folded her arms across her chest, her rings glinting under the dim light. "And that means they come with a hefty price tag. Can you afford it if I manage to procure one?"
You're joking... Ao hadn't considered the issue of currency. His heart sank. He had no idea what the village used for money, let alone how much anything cost. His mind raced for a solution—could he trade? Offer a favor? Work for it?
"I... no..." Ao admitted reluctantly, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze dropped to the floor as he tried to think of an alternative. "How... much is it, ma'am?"
Elana tilted her head before answering smoothly, "Fifty gold pieces."
Both Kuro and Nanari's eyes widened at the number. Kuro's tails flicked sharply in surprise, and even Nanari, who had been clinging to Ao still, not once letting go.
Ao, however, remained blissfully unaware of the significance. "What?..." he asked, blinking in confusion.
Kuro let out a deep sigh and turned his gaze towards him. "Do you have any idea how much that is?"
Ao shook his head.
Kuro exhaled again, clearly preparing himself for a lesson. "One silver coin is worth fifty copper coins," he began patiently. "And one gold coin? That's worth a hundred silver coins."
Ao's ears twitched as he tried to process the conversion. His small hands curled into fists. That was a lot of money. Too much.
Kuro's eyes softened just a fraction, sensing Ao's rising tension. "Fifty gold is... well, it's an amount most people in this village don't see in years, let alone spend on a single item."
Ao swallowed hard. His mind raced for a solution. He had to get that potion, no matter what. He wouldn't leave here empty-handed.
Elana studied him with interest; this was going about how she expected it to, though her face remained the same little smile she had, never breaking her poker face. "Now, now," she purred. "I never said coin was the only form of payment I accept."
Ao's ears perked up slightly. "What... does that mean?"
Elana leaned in just enough to make him shift uncomfortably. "It means, little one, that there are... other ways to pay a debt."
Ao narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that.