CHAPTER 108: CH 108: BACK TO WORK - PART 5

The figure covered from head to toe stepped out of the shop, the soft chime of the bell fading behind her as she paused on the cobblestone street.

For a moment, she just stood there, holding the wrapped pot in her hands, her head tilted as if she herself were surprised by what had just happened inside.

Then, with the faintest shake of her shoulders, a low chuckle escaped her lips.

"What an impulsive purchase."

She murmured to herself, her voice muffled beneath her coverings yet rich with amusement. She gazed down at the pot in her hand and allowed herself a small, private smile.

"I got lured in by that sweet smile of the little shop worker."

Her fingers lightly traced the rim of the pot as she examined the plant she had taken.

At first glance, it seemed harmless enough—green, almost ordinary—but she knew better.

She could recognize the subtle curve of its leaves, the faint shimmer of its sap. A poisonous strain, the kind one did not keep without precautions.

Her chuckle deepened, turning into a delighted laugh that echoed briefly in the air before dying away.

"Poison. Of all things... how fitting."

She lifted the pot as though making a toast to no one in particular, her humor lingering in the steady shake of her shoulders.

Just as she turned to leave, ready to disappear into the crowd with her strange little prize, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"High Priestess Lumine!"

The woman in disguise stilled, then turned her head slightly to glance behind her.

A man in armor, her guard, came running toward her, his face flushed from exertion and his voice heavy with complaint.

"Please don’t go wandering off on your own like this. It’s difficult enough to keep up with you, and if something were to happen—"

He scolded breathlessly as he reached her side.

High Priestess Lumine’s lips curled beneath the shadow of her hood. She chuckled softly, cutting off his complaints with a careless wave of her hand.

"You fret too much. I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I? Still standing, still breathing. Besides—"

She tapped the pot lightly with her finger.

"—I found something amusing."

The guard frowned, eyeing the bundle warily.

"If you truly want to make things easier on me, High Priestess, perhaps let me carry that."

Lumine’s eyes gleamed as though she had been waiting for him to say just that. She handed the pot over, her movements deliberate, almost ceremonial.

"Then you can help me by holding this."

He accepted the weight into his arms, though unease lingered in his expression.

"What... exactly did you buy?"

Lumine’s voice was calm, almost too calm as she answered.

"Poison."

The guard’s eyes went wide, and his grip nearly slipped. He caught the pot with a panicked shuffle of his hands, then let out a nervous laugh that failed to hide his discomfort.

"High Priestess, that’s... quite the joke. A little dark, don’t you think?"

But Lumine did not laugh with him. Her silence was heavier than words, a stillness that made the man straighten his back and swallow hard.

The humor drained from his face as he realized she hadn’t been joking at all.

"Yes... well. I’ll carry it carefully."

He stammered quickly, tightening his hold on the pot.

Lumine finally began walking, her pace unhurried, leaving the guard to follow in tense silence.

Inside the shop, Kana stood still for a long moment after the mysterious woman had gone.

The air seemed strangely quiet without her presence, and Kana found herself rubbing her arm where the woman had touched her, goosebumps still prickling faintly along her skin.

Something about that encounter had unsettled her deeply.

The covered figure’s words still echoed in her head.

’Too trusting.’

The customer wasn’t wrong—Kana knew she was prone to letting her guard down too quickly.

But what bothered her wasn’t just the words. It was the way the woman had looked at her—as though she were something precious, something to be claimed.

Kana shook her head quickly, trying to dismiss the thought.

Dwelling on it would do her no good. She glanced around the shop, forcing her mind back into her work.

Yet being surrounded by so many plants—plants that she knew could kill her within seconds if they decided to—made her nerves prickle even more.

The silence didn’t help either. Every rustle of a leaf sounded like a whisper, every creak in the wood like a warning.

’Maybe I should have gone with Penelope after all. At least then I wouldn’t be alone in here with... these.’

She thought, her lips pressing into a thin line.

The memory of vines curling around her arms the last time she carried plants made her shiver.

"No. I have to look professional. I can handle this."

She muttered softly to herself, straightening her posture.

Still, her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for a book on the counter. Reading, at least, might be a distraction from the weight of her unease.

She opened the worn cover and began to scan the words, letting the steady rhythm of sentences pull her attention away from her thoughts.

It worked, for a while. Just as her mind began to ease, the sound of the shop’s bell chimed again.

Kana’s head jerked up, but it was not another strange figure who entered—it was Penelope, returning from her delivery far earlier than Kana had expected.

"Back already?"

Kana asked, relief flooding her voice.

Penelope waved a hand.

"Don’t get too comfortable. I just finished faster than usual. But since I’m here, I’ll let you off early today. We’ve got plenty to do tomorrow, so be sure you’re on time."

Kana felt her shoulders relax.

"Yes, ma’am."

She replied quickly.

Grateful for the reprieve, Kana gathered her things and stepped outside.

The sunlight hit her face, warm and grounding, and she exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

Just as she turned toward home, she nearly collided with someone waiting by the door.

"Lysera?"

Kana blinked in surprise.

Lysera gave her a small smile, her expression composed yet carrying an unmistakable warmth.

"I came to pick you up from work."

For a moment, Kana felt her heart tug in two directions—guilt that Lysera spent her time worrying about her, and relief that she was here.

In the end, all she could do was return the smile, soft and grateful, before stepping closer to her side.