Amukelo didn't expect Silvan to say anything more, so when the man turned his gaze toward him, calm but focused, it caught him off guard.
"Because you came with her," Silvan said, voice still gentle but with a more deliberate weight behind it, "I assume you advised her to do this?"
Amukelo straightened his back unconsciously, unsure if he should be proud or apologetic. He scratched the back of his neck, glancing toward Pao before answering. "Uh… yes. I saw how much it was weighing on her. It just seemed like now was the best time. I thought she'd feel better if she said it out loud."
Silvan looked at him for a moment, then at Pao. She had turned her head slightly, clearly trying to avoid eye contact, but her cheeks were tinted red with embarrassment.
Then a warm smile spread on Silvan's face. "Honestly… I'm surprised," he said. "Pao has never been transparent with anyone except her sister or her mother. For her to talk about something like this with you… you two must be very close."
Pao let out a faint, nervous breath and turned her gaze to the ground. Her blush deepened, and she fiddled with the edge of her sleeve. Amukelo, just as awkward, looked to the side and nodded faintly, trying not to draw more attention to the moment.
Thankfully, Silvan spared them further embarrassment and gave a soft chuckle. "Well, if you're already here," he said, brushing his hands off on his sleeves, "can you help me a little bit? I don't have much left to sort, and with three sets of hands it'll be done in no time."
They both nodded eagerly—perhaps more to escape the silence between them than out of a desire to lift crates.
The work wasn't particularly difficult, but it did require some effort. Silvan directed them where to carry things: small boxes filled with enchanted items, rolls of fine fabric from distant cities, jars of preserved herbs. Pao took care with every item, handling them with reverence, as though they were sacred. Amukelo simply focused on not dropping anything too valuable. Every now and then, Silvan would mention what an item was, what region it came from, or how much he was selling it for—facts that Amukelo barely understood, but Pao soaked in with bright eyes.
Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, they were done. Just as Silvan was closing the final cart lid, familiar voices echoed across the guildyard.
"You're back already?" Bral called out as he walked up with Idin and Bao. "I guess the grimoires weren't that interesting after all."
Pao glanced at them and immediately looked aside, her tone subdued but not tense. "Ughh… no, they didn't have anything."
Amukelo noticed she didn't try to fake enthusiasm like she usually did when talking about magic. Maybe because she didn't have to this time. Bao raised a brow slightly but said nothing.
Then, as if a thought struck him, Silvan snapped his fingers. "Ah, right. After all this time, I almost forgot how much you love magic." He turned to one of the nearby carts and opened a secured crate. "I have something that might interest you, actually. A ruby grimoire I picked up from a trader down south. Since you're water affinity, I think it would suit you perfectly."
Everyone paused as he rummaged through the crate until he finally pulled out a dark-bound book with a deep crimson gem embedded into its cover. He held it out toward Pao with a small smile.
Pao's eyes lit up instantly. She stepped forward to take it but then stopped herself, her hands hovering uncertainly in the air.
"I… I can't take this," she said quickly, looking up at him. "This is something you're planning to sell. I don't want to take from your work."
Silvan waved the concern away with a gentle scoff. "Oh, come now. Don't be like that. Compared to all the goods in these carts, that grimoire is worth little more than pennies to me." His eyes softened as he added, "Besides, more spells will make you stronger. And that means you'll be safer. That means more to me than any coin ever could."
There was a moment of stillness before Pao reached out and gently took the grimoire. She stared at it for a second like she couldn't believe it was real. Her expression—usually so poised or focused—was now openly grateful.
"Thank you so much…" she said, voice just above a whisper.
Silvan smiled wider, crossing his arms. "It's a water clone spell. The clone can cast basic water spells, nothing too extraordinary, but incredibly useful in a tough spot. It could be especially useful for confusing enemies. The clones are barely distinguishable from the real caster."
Pao blinked, her entire face brightening. "That's… so cool!"
Amukelo chuckled, watching her spin the grimoire in her hands like a child with a new toy. He looked over to Silvan, who seemed genuinely pleased just watching her excitement. There was no weight behind his gift, no expectation. Just a father happy to see his daughter smile again.
After that Silvan lead them to the dining hall. The dining hall looked like it had been ripped from a noble estate. The walls were lined with soft golden light, a few high windows spilling in the last threads of daylight, while the long table in the center was packed end-to-end with food. Meats of every kind were laid out next to baskets of fresh bread and bowls of steaming vegetables. Silver dishes gleamed, and crystal jugs of juice and wine sat waiting to be poured. The smell alone was enough to make them stop at the entrance in silence for a second.
Idin was the first to speak, eyes wide as he looked over the feast. "Well… we didn't eat like this in a while."
Bral nodded with an appreciative grunt. "Yeah. But honestly, being in a pub surrounded by drunks has its own vibe."
Bao, already folding her arms, raised a brow. "Especially if you're one of them."
Bral scoffed. "I'm not a drunk."
"Yes you are," Idin said without even blinking.
Amukelo let out a quiet chuckle as they moved toward the table. He wasn't used to dinners like this—not even close—but he was getting better at enjoying things without immediately questioning if he fit into them.
Pao's expression wasn't thoughtful or distant. There was a lightness in her steps now, her voice relaxed when she chimed in with a playful, "At least he doesn't go to other people's tables to trouble them."
The entire group laughed.
Silvan sat at the head of the table and raised his glass lightly. "Berthold always liked a good liquor too," he said, shaking his head in amusement.
"See!" Bral said triumphantly. "It's a family thing. Like father, like son."
Bao gave him a flat look. "He just likes liquor. A lot of it. The cheaper the better."
That earned another round of laughter, and Silvan leaned back with a warm sigh. "Well, let's leave that confession for when you meet your father." He looked down the table at all of them. "Now. Tell me—how have you been? It must've been… what, a year and a half since you left?"
Bao nodded. "Roughly. A bit less, I think."
Silvan lifted a brow. "You must have a silver rank already if you can take on escort quests like this, am I right? What have you been doing through all that time?"
Bao looked down at her plate and shrugged. "Yes. We just became a Silver Rank Guild. So, at first, we just wandered around. Explored towns, stayed on safe roads, spent all the money you gave us…"
Silvan let out a strained, knowing laugh. "Of course you did."
Bao didn't even blink. "We didn't take questing seriously. We did a few here and there if they sounded fun. But mostly, yeah… we kind of just… burned through the money."
"That sounds exactly like the two of you," Silvan said dryly, though his smile never wavered.
"But," Bao added, "once we had no gold, we couldn't exactly afford safe travel anymore. We had to start taking real work."
Bringing her thumb toward Amukelo without looking, she added, "And somewhere in that madness, we met this guy."
Amukelo blinked mid-sip of water.
She paused, dramatic now. "Basically, we almost died, and he saved us."
Silvan's smile faded slightly as he turned toward Amukelo. His tone was more serious when he spoke next. "Thank you for that. Truly. You must be strong."
"He is!" Pao said quickly, sitting a bit straighter in her chair.
Amukelo looked over at her, surprised by the sudden praise. Her eyes met his just for a second before she turned away, flustered.
Bral smirked as he leaned forward. "Yeah, and Bao was absolutely rude to him even after he saved us."
Bao glared. "It's because he smelled like rotten flesh mixed with animal droppings."
Amukelo coughed, caught completely off-guard by the honesty. "Hey—!"
Silvan's eyes widened, laughing harder now. "Was it really that bad?"
Idin raised a hand solemnly. "It was worse. You had to be there."
"Thanks," Amukelo muttered with a grimace. "Really painting a good picture of me here."
Pao covered her mouth, laughing into her sleeve. "It was memorable, though."
Silvan shook his head and leaned back, clearly enjoying himself as he took another sip of wine. Then, still smiling, he looked back at Amukelo and asked with more curiosity than judgment, "But why did you even live in the wild?"