Chapter 152: Do you think you could purify all the water sources in the village?
Before Isabella could even consider rejecting him, a voice chimed in from the side. It was Luca, who, having witnessed the whole interaction, immediately stepped forward with an almost smug air. "He’s right, you know. You’re not supposed to be standing for too long or staying out in the open for too long. You’re just getting better."
Opehlia nodded eagerly in support.
Isabella froze, her lips parting slightly in surprise. The sudden shift from Cyrus’s gentle offer to Luca’s practical statement left her speechless for a beat. Her body may have been tired, but her pride was not so easily shaken. "..."
But then, just as quickly, she realized something—a warmth spread through her chest at the fact that Cyrus, despite his exhaustion, was still offering himself up to make her comfortable. Even in his weakened state, his concern for her wellbeing was clear. The thought made her feel something she hadn’t quite been able to put into words. It wasn’t just kindness—it was an odd, quiet sort of care.
Isabella hesitated for only a moment longer, before her eyes dropped to her legs. She couldn’t deny the discomfort. The more she thought about it, the more her legs screamed in protest, the fatigue settling in like a heavy weight. She had been standing too long, waiting for Kian to return, but he was taking his sweet time. At this rate, she might fall over before he even showed up.
With a deep sigh, she let her shoulders relax, the weight of the decision lifting slightly. "Fine," she muttered, finally conceding. She turned to sit, her gaze shifting from Cyrus’s tail to the ground. "I’ll take a seat."
Glimora, who had been perched on her shoulder the entire time, chirped in a small, almost possessive way as if claiming her place beside Isabella, and scrambled onto her lap. Isabella smiled faintly, stroking the creature’s small fur.
As she settled herself down, her mind immediately began to shift gears, already retreating into the depths of her thoughts. She had so much on her plate—so many plans swirling around in her head.
While her physical fatigue may have forced her to sit, her mind was far from resting. She had already started making some moves, testing things in secret, seeing what worked. And, despite the silence around her, she was already thinking ahead.