Chapter 131 Longing Becomes Wings
"Um, let's see... The red (antiseptic) cools down heat. Blue and indigo (pain-relieving herbs). The black lily... its petals calm nausea, while its roots promote appetite healing... Ah, is that for treating anemia?"
Not this way, not that way.
As she pulled memories from the shelves of her mind, she sorted the flowers on the table. Finally confused, she glanced at the list on the chair to check her answers. Nodding along, the girl with red-brown hair in pigtails bounced like a tail.
"Right. The roots are for coughs. Hmm, still not there yet."
Hiiro's little sister, Sara Merifar, said this as she flopped back onto the chair. The sunset streamed through the small window. The voices of villagers outside blended into the crimson world, and even though it was still evening, my eyelids felt a bit heavy. I must have gotten too lost in sorting.
"Big brother was surprised when I wrote that I was helping the caravan."
When did he become such a worrywart? Remembering how frantic he sounded in the letter made Sara chuckle.
Then she recalled the strange encounter that started it all.
* * *
About a month ago.
While she was out in the Western Country, a beautiful woman named Vel approached me, saying, "I dropped an important hair accessory, have you seen it?" Being the kind-hearted Sara, she helped her look, but she couldn't find it. When Vel tilted her head in confusion, she noticed something.
Inside the hood of Vel's outfit was a lovely hair accessory. It was a classic case of not seeing what's right in front of her. But Vel was so touched, her face lit up with a big smile as she hugged her multiple times and thanked her. Then she said, "Here, this is a thank you gift," and pulled out various jars filled with "dried flowers" and "roots," along with a platinum stone that she insisted was a reward.
'These are all precious medicines for you!'
'Oh, medicines? Um, what about this arm badge?'
'Uh, I don't know. I found it here yesterday. Just take it!'
'Wait, you're giving it to me? But you found it, right? And this looks like a fancy stone... shouldn't we turn it in to the authorities... but, wait, where are they?!'
Sara was really confused.
Even though they said it was medicine, she didn't know how to use it, and she was perfectly healthy. Plus, the armband was just something she found. She couldn't accept it, medicine or not. She tried to return it right away, but somehow, Vel was gone.
'Oh no... what should I do?'
It felt like a daydream. Thinking back, Vel was so beautiful, almost like a fairy. But the gifts in Sara's arms were not just dreams or illusions.
Sara was troubled. She was really troubled, but being the kind-hearted person she was, she decided to take the armband to the office. When she got there, she saw a woman arguing at the reception.
'Are you sure the armband hasn't arrived? It has a platinum stone in it.'
'If it's not here, it's not here. Even after a day, it hasn't been delivered. Sometimes you just have to give up.'
'Sigh, this is tough...'
Hearing the woman's frustrated words, Sara couldn't help but speak up.
'Um... excuse me, is this the armband you're talking about?'
'!!!'
The answer came back with a warm hug from the woman, who was the second person to respond that day. It seemed the armband really was hers. She took Sara to a nearby café to thank her, introducing herself as Diora.
Apparently, she was the leader of a traveling caravan. The armband Sara handed over was like an ID, and without it, doing business would have been a hassle, Diora explained.
Sara thought it was amazing for someone so young, and she said so. But Diora replied, 'Aren't you special too?' which made Sara flustered.
'But the stuff in that bottle is rare acacia, right? And that's for Asphodel, and over there is moon's tears. The root is... Alraune, right? All of those are valuable medicines.'
Diora pointed this out, and Sara's eyes widened. Even without knowing much, she could tell from Diora's tone that what she received as a thank-you gift was not something ordinary. Suddenly feeling uneasy, Sara was encouraged by Diora's curious look to explain her situation.
'I see. I thought you were some amazing pharmacist, but it turns out you had your reasons. You're quite lucky, Sara.'
'Haha, maybe just for today. But I'm just an ordinary person, really.'
'You're everywhere, you know? But luck is important, right? You can't just polish it up like that, though.'
'But compared to my big brother, I'm nothing. I have no special skills, and I'm just a kid who fits well living quietly in a small corner of a village.'
Sara Merifar has nothing to be proud of. Because she knows this well, she looks down, mixing self-deprecation with her excuses.
Seeing this, Diola couldn't stay quiet.
She's so caring that even though she's not yet 30, everyone in the caravan calls her 'Big Sis.' She couldn't stand her benefactor's resignation.
'Is this some kind of guidance...? Listen, SarSar. I'm not going to keep you in the corner anymore.'
'...Huh? W-What do you mean?'
Maybe this whole situation was telling a story.
Sara Merifar's fate was no longer just a 'background character' like everyone else.
'Sara Merifar. Come join my caravan. Let's spread our wings from this small village to the world!'
* * *
"My big brother was surprised, but I'm surprised too. I never thought it would turn out like this."
Sara hesitated a lot before taking the outstretched hand. She liked Helmel village and never felt it was a cage around her.
But Hiiro's success was helping Sara grow her wings. Every time a letter arrived, her heart raced at the thought of her brother's journey.
Hearing about her brother's achievements in Helmel made her look up at the sky more often.
The girl from the corner of the village wanted to soar into the sky.
"...To go further away, huh?"
Even if she joined the caravan, it wouldn't mean she'd suddenly become part of a traveling merchant group. First, to learn the ropes, Sara decided to help a traveling merchant based around the Western Country.
At first, she got scolded a lot. There were nights when she cried herself to sleep over big mistakes. However, her stubborn brother wouldn't let her give up.
As she desperately learned and improved, merchants began to notice her hard work. Then, Diora said to her:
──How about trying to fly a bit further now?
"Umm... big brother, do you think you'll understand? I'm happy that you care, but I've been a bit worried lately."
Joining the traveling merchants heading west from familiar Asgardam.
Sara accepted Diora's suggestion.
Her heart raced with excitement for the unknown world. But the anxiety was big too.
She wanted to see her brother's face. She wanted to tell him directly, with words.
So, in the last letter, she wrote to come back, and he said he would show his face once.
He might oppose it. He might support her.
Either way, it was still something to be happy about.
"I want to meet the Reginleif team too. He said to bring them back next time, but that's probably impossible. They seem busy."
Sara's wish to meet her brother's team was also a way to hide her shyness.
But everyone mentioned in her brother's letter was unique, and she really wanted to meet them. If he brought them, she would get ready to treat them to a feast.
"Big brother, are you eating well?"
She murmured and looked out the window.
The sunset had long faded, and the sky was filled with stars.
* * *
"Yo, Shura."
"Huh? What is it?"
"Headed back to Helmel in a couple days. You know what that means?"
"Oh, really? So what?"
"Sara's been askin' 'bout you, so she wants ya at my place."
"Hmm... your little sister wants to see me...? ......Huh?!"
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