"Wow…"
Luciel exhaled softly, watching the faint glow of dusk spill across the ridge.
"You've done your part well," he murmured, gently patting the rim of the wooden barrel. "You've earned a drink too."
He poured the last of the clean water over the newly domesticated tea tree. Its roots greedily drank in the liquid, the once-wilted branches straightening like a living creature stretching awake after centuries of sleep.
When the leaves shimmered faintly under the sunset, Luciel couldn't help smiling.
"Alright, that's enough for now." He sealed the lid of the barrel, not wanting the crystal fish inside to keep gushing out their energy uncontrollably.
Mino's voice chirped right beside him. "Wow! It's actually green!"
The girl with the rabbit ears hopped closer, blue eyes widening in amazement. She circled the tree, staring up at its lush crown like it was the most beautiful thing in the world.
"Luciel," she said, tilting her head, "were trees always like this before?"
Luciel blinked, a little taken aback. "You've never seen a tree?"
"I have," she said, nodding quickly. "But all I've seen were… dry ones. Brown, brittle, without any life."
She touched the leaves hesitantly, as if afraid they might crumble to dust at her fingertips. "I just didn't know they could grow so green and soft…"
Luciel's expression softened. "This one's special. It's a tea tree. You can dry its leaves, brew them with hot water… and the taste is something you'll remember."
"Tea…" Mino repeated, the word unfamiliar on her tongue. "You mean… we can drink this?"
"Sure," Luciel said with a nod. "We can even try some tonight if you want."
Her rabbit ears perked up instantly, though she quickly hid her excitement behind a shy smile. "Just a little bit, maybe. I just want to know what it tastes like."
Luciel chuckled quietly. "You can drink as much as you want."
But Mino shook her head, cheeks turning pink. "A little is enough."
He found her modesty endearing. "Alright, then go ahead and pick a few young leaves—the tender ones near the top. Those are the best for brewing."
"Okay!" Her blue eyes sparkled as she tip-toed closer to the tree.
She reached out carefully, brushing her fingers along the edge of a leaf, her face lighting up with pure wonder. "It's so beautiful…"
Luciel stood a few steps away, watching the gentle scene. He still couldn't get over how much the world had changed. That a girl like Mino—born and raised in this desolate wasteland—had never even seen a living tree before made his heart ache faintly.
Just how long has the world been like this? he wondered. When did it all die?
Behind him, footsteps approached.
"This tea tree… you got it from Bloodbeard's stash, didn't you?"
Elara's voice came low and even. The white-haired girl stood nearby, her face streaked with dirt from the day's labor, silver eyes reflecting the twilight.
"Something like that," Luciel said with a knowing smile.
Elara's gaze lingered on the tall green canopy. "This thing could trade for tens of thousands of pounds of dried meat in the right market…" Her voice trailed off as she turned toward him, one brow arching. "Wait—no. You could trade it. Which means… the rich one among us isn't Bloodbeard anymore, is it?"
Luciel laughed under his breath. "You can share in this wealth too, you know."
"What?" She blinked, a little confused by his tone.
"Nothing," Luciel said, waving it off. "Just thinking out loud." He looked back toward the tree. "You've seen one before, haven't you?"
Elara's expression darkened, the faint smile vanishing. "Once. It was half the size of this one."
Her silver eyes hardened like ice. "That day wasn't… pleasant."
Luciel heard the heaviness in her voice. "So it brings back bad memories."
"It's fine," she said flatly, brushing her hair back. "It's long past."
She turned her attention back to the tea tree and frowned. "But you'd better watch this one carefully. Something that valuable—someone's bound to come for it. A thief, a scavenger… anyone desperate enough."
Luciel nodded. "You're right."
"And if you plan to trade tea leaves for beast spars," Elara continued, her tone cooling further, "you'll find few takers. The ones rich enough to want tea don't need beast crystals. They might just take your tree instead."
Luciel's lips curved faintly. "Then we'll see who ends up robbing whom."
Before Elara could respond, her eyes caught a glimpse of something near the tree's roots.
"Wait—are those Angel Wings?" she exclaimed.
The white-haired girl hurried over and crouched down, carefully examining the small cluster of delicate white flowers growing beneath the tea tree's shade. Their petals glowed faintly in the dim light, as if dusted with stars.
Luciel smiled. "Yeah. They seem to like growing together."
Elara's expression softened as she brushed her fingers lightly across the petals.
Luciel looked up at the sky. The sunset had deepened into a crimson hue, painting the horizon in soft gold and violet.
He stretched and sighed. "It's already evening. Time for dinner."
With the wooden barrel in hand, he turned toward the cabin.
"Wait for me!" Mino called, stuffing the fresh tea leaves into her pocket before running after him, her ears flopping with each step.
Elara stayed behind a moment longer. She watched the two of them disappear into the house and smiled faintly.
"This kind of life… it's not bad at all," she murmured.
Then her gaze drifted toward the ridge. Something large shifted among the shadows—scales glinting faintly. A huge lizard crept silently near the field, its golden eyes scanning the surroundings before settling back into stillness.
Elara chuckled softly. "Maybe I don't need to hide the tea tree after all. With that beast around, no one's getting close."
She brushed off the dust from her hands and headed toward the house, her steps light and unhurried.
Before she could step inside, she heard Mino's eager voice echoing from within.
"Luciel, what do you think of the warehouse?"
Luciel's warm tone followed. "It's amazing. Even better than I expected."
"Hehe…" Mino's laughter was sweet and soft, tinged with pride.
"Elara helped a lot too," she added quickly. "She's so strong! You should've seen how she stacked the stone bricks—swish, swish—like it was nothing!"
Luciel's chuckle filled the small room. "Then both of you deserve a big dinner tonight."
When Elara stepped in, she found him smiling at her from across the table. "You've worked hard today," he said gently.
She crossed her arms, feigning indifference. "It's what I should do." But the faintest hint of a smile tugged at her lips.
Being praised… it wasn't something she'd experienced often.
Mino came out of the warehouse again, her hands brushing off dust. The moment her eyes met Elara's, she froze a little, cheeks warming. "I—I'll move the rest of the supplies inside," she blurted, looking for an excuse to escape.
"I'll help," Elara said immediately, standing up.
Mino hesitated. "No, it's fine, I can do it myself—"
"Two people will be faster." There was a flicker of amusement in Elara's silver eyes as she picked up a roll of cloth and walked past her.
Luciel leaned closer to Mino, speaking softly. "Don't be afraid of her. Elara's actually very kind. Try to be friends with her."
Mino's rabbit ears drooped slightly. "I'll… try."
During the day, while they'd built the new warehouse and fixed the walls, the two girls had barely spoken beyond necessary instructions. Mino had kept her head down, working quietly, and Elara hadn't pushed her to talk.
Luciel watched her now, worried but understanding. "You don't have to force it," he said gently.
"Yeah," Mino murmured, nodding faintly. She picked up a bundle of fabric and followed Elara inside.
Luciel turned back to the table, cutting the ripe tomatoes he'd gathered earlier. The sharp scent filled the room, mingling with the warmth of the fire.
As he sliced, a thought crossed his mind, one that made him pause mid-cut.
Why didn't I notice before? Mino… she's afraid of people.
He frowned, thinking back to when they first met. She'd found him half-dead, collapsed in the wilderness. For days afterward, he'd barely been conscious—his body unmoving, his breathing shallow.
Maybe she thought I was dead then, he realized. By the time I woke up, she must have spent days alone, tending to a corpse that suddenly started moving again.
He chuckled softly at the absurd image. "No wonder she was so scared at first…"
Still smiling, he shook his head and continued cutting the tomatoes.
Outside, the last of the daylight faded, replaced by the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the cracks in the wooden shutters. Inside the small home, the air filled with the gentle sounds of conversation and movement—the creak of floorboards, the rustle of fabric, and the clink of wooden bowls being set on the table.
It was peaceful.
For the first time in a long while, Luciel felt something close to normalcy.
The wasteland outside was still cruel and unpredictable, filled with beasts and ruins. But here, under the flickering light of a simple lamp, with laughter and soft voices echoing around him…
He felt something that almost resembled home.