“Excuse me, champion. Spare me some of your time.”
The old woman caught the interest of Berenor. He wanted to leave this town, but the woman had an urgent look in her eyes.
“My husband has fallen ill, he won’t wake up no matter what I do. I believe we need to make him drink tea brewed from silverleaf, but they only grow higher up the mountain and I cannot leave my husband’s side. Please, hero, gather a handful of silverleaf as quick as you can.”
Berenor thought silently for a moment. He wanted to move on from this place, but it seemed relatively easy for him to find this silverleaf.
“All right, old woman,” he said, “I will help you and find silverleaf.”
Berenor set out through the fields on a footpath leading up the mountain.
Silverleaf grew on the steep mountain, and if he followed the path, he’d reach it in just a few minutes.
Silverleaf had a gentle taste and was very effective at healing. If he could get hold of it, he’d be able to help this sick old man.
The old woman’s plea had struck a chord with Berenor.
Berenor didn’t know the old woman, and she didn’t even have an adventurer’s guild tag, but it felt wrong to let her suffer like this. He didn’t know what illness her husband had, but if it were something that could be healed by silverleaf, then Berenor would help.
Berenor walked up the mountain at a steady pace, thinking of all the adventures he’d experienced in the past and the many people he’d saved.
He had done so much, so why did he always end up in such dire situations?
After walking for about twenty minutes, Berenor reached the edge of the forest. There was a small waterfall off to his right. The sound of it echoed through the air and calmed his nerves.
Silverleaf grew near the waterfall. He found it easy to spot, as it glittered in the sunlight.
Silverleaf grew in bunches and looked like moss. Its leaves were shaped like tiny, silvery needles and grew in clusters. It was a medicinal herb, and its leaves were used to make teas.
He’d seen several tea shops that offered various kinds of tea made from silverleaf, so he knew where to find it. He grabbed some silverleaf, put it into his pouch, and returned to the old woman’s house.
“Thank you ever so much, hero,” said the woman as she saw Berenor carrying silverleaf. She smiled happily and bowed her head.
Berenor sighed. It was rare for anyone to thank him for what he did.
“How is your husband feeling?” Berenor asked, handing her some silverleaf.
“His fever’s gone down a little,” she said with a smile, “but it’ll probably go back up again. I’ve been putting a wet cloth on his forehead every day, but…he’s still so weak.”
The old woman took the silverleaf out of his hand and placed it inside a teapot.
Berenor watched her, curious about her actions.
“I’ve heard that putting silverleaf in hot water will make it effective,” he said, “so why are you boiling it first?”
The woman shook her head, smiling. “That’s because…I don’t have enough silverleaf.”
Berenor’s expression tensed.
“Silverleaf grows in small quantities around here, so we always gather what we can use. That’s why I boiled some of this one bunch I gathered just now.”
The woman placed the teapot on the fire. She moved to pick up the pot when there was a loud noise from the other room.
Berenor went to the doorway of the room to check on the sick man and found that he was moving. His body convulsed once, and then he opened his eyes.
Berenor was shocked. It had been so long since he’d seen a living person move on their own that he thought he might be hallucinating.
The man’s eyes turned toward the silverleaf on the stove. His eyes widened in surprise and he called out in a feeble voice. “I can…see…”
Berenor and the old woman both cried out in joy and ran to his side. They laid a hand on his forehead.
“Your fever’s gone down,” Berenor said, “and your vision has improved.”
The man slowly sat up and looked around him with his newfound eyes. He looked at his wife, his son-in-law, and finally at Berenor.
“Thank you so much,” the man said, “I’m alive again because of you.”
Berenor smiled awkwardly. The old woman gave him a big hug and thanked him for saving her husband’s life.
The old woman’s husband was a high-ranked adventurer, and he had defeated many powerful monsters on the continent, but now he couldn’t see a thing with his own eyes.