After some time had passed and they started to grasp what was happening, the captain finally asked Hinako, "Where did you come from?"
Hinako looked at him, then turned her gaze to Kogan.
'What should I say? If you were in my place, what would you say?'
Her mood grew heavy.
What if she said something wrong? And how could she even tell what was right and what was wrong?
If only Kogan could speak, her heart would be at ease, and she wouldn't feel this pressure.
"We... came from the giant tree," Hinako answered hesitantly.
She threw out a ridiculous answer, considering that the tree was the only obvious landmark.
Was she supposed to say they came from another world and just happened to meet here? That wasn't an option.
But what if he kept asking about their origins and their people? What would she say then?
"The giant tree! … How long did it take you to get here?" the captain continued questioning.
His reaction to the answer wasn't clear.
Hinako wanted to gauge what kind of answers she should give based on his reaction, but he remained still and calm.
What surprised her was that he didn't ask the question she had been dreading.
"A few days… Actually, I lost count," Hinako continued, her voice betraying her unease.
"Hmm, a few days? How did you stay alive? What were you eating?"
"From the tre—" Hinako was in the middle of speaking.
"Uhh…!"
Kogan suddenly stood up roughly.
He had grown tired of the silence he was forced into.
Everyone turned to him in confusion.
He was about to leave the tent, but the man who had treated him stopped him.
"Hold on a bit, my friend. We're not done talking here."
Kogan stared at him with a strange expression.
"Oh, that's right—you're not part of the conversation. I forgot," the man said, a goofy smile spreading across his face.
Kogan was no longer half-naked.
Last night, when they found him, his skirt had lost all its leaves, leaving only two barely covering his privates—ones he had firmly secured before.
Now, they had dressed him in a white fabric shirt and black trousers.
As for Hinako, they hadn't changed her clothes. Instead, they had left a set of clothes beside her, allowing her to change on her own.
The captain stood up and looked at Hinako.
"Since he's your companion, you'll have to inform him of this.
Your healing consumed a first-grade essence—something very valuable.
You must repay this debt. Once you do, both of you will gain certain privileges.
We'll be heading back to the city later. Be ready."
With that, the captain left the tent, followed by the man who had treated Kogan.
"What reward will I get, Captain?"
"You should be punished, yet you're talking about a reward?" the captain snapped angrily.
He walked briskly, while the man followed behind him like a loyal dog.
"Why would I be punished? His treatment cost a lot—he must be a strong person," the man spoke submissively.
The captain stopped and looked at him.
"Would you ride a blind horse?"
The man was stunned. He finally began to understand.
"No."
"A blind horse can still be used for plowing and pulling heavy carts.
Or… it could just be a useless burden, consuming food for nothing."
The captain looked at the man before continuing,
"You brought someone who will do nothing but consume food. It would be a waste to dispose of him when he has a young woman by his side."
"You won't be rewarded, nor will you be punished. Instead, you'll be responsible for those two. You must teach them how to adapt to life here."
The captain patted the man's shoulder and then resumed walking.
He didn't reveal the full cost of the treatment and even led the man to believe that Kogan was nothing more than a worthless disabled man.
"If I had known this, I wouldn't have brought them," the man sighed, stopping in his tracks and ceasing to follow the captain.
Insidethetent.
"I'll leave you to rest. The road to the city is long and dangerous," the woman who had treated Hinako said gently before stepping out of the tent.
Kogan and Hinako watched her until she disappeared outside.
"He said we have to repay the cost of our treatment," Hinako spoke in a low voice, gesturing with her hands in an attempt to explain the situation to Kogan.
"What even is this essence he's talking about?"
"Should we run away, or...?"
Kogan placed the index finger of his left hand on Hinako's lips.
Hinako looked at him in confusion. She had been trying so hard to explain the situation to him through gestures.
But suddenly, Kogan silenced her.
He lay back down on his side, pulling the blanket over himself and turning his back to her.
'Why is he so calm?' Hinako sighed.
She lay down on her bed as well, staring up at the ceiling.
Gradually, she began to calm herself.
As long as Kogan was beside her and not unconscious, things would be fine.
"Tsk" The woman who had treated Hinako clicked her tongue and continued on her way.
She had been standing outside the tent, eavesdropping. But now that both of them had gone back to bed without making any further attempts to communicate, she left her spot.
…...
"Take care of them?!" the woman exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Or we get punished. Which do you prefer?"
After leaving the tent, she ran into her partner on the way, and he informed her of the captain's orders.
"I can't believe this… Taking care of a statue and a fragile girl? This is pure torment," she growled through clenched teeth.
To be responsible for someone means you are accountable for their actions and behavior.
It's similar to babysitting—you take care of them until they can take care of themselves.
If you can't handle responsibility, you might as well run off to buy milk—but that's not an option here.
"It's only temporary… just temporary," the man who had treated Kogan muttered.