Chapter 8: You’re Not That Kind of Guy

  All things considered, their visit to the Elder’s residence had gone better than Noah had expected.

  “I’m really sorry for all that,” Jabawi said as they left his place. “The man cannot stop talking once he gets on a roll.”

  “It’s fine,” Noah smiled. “I’m just happy that he’s willing to look after us for the time being.”

  “Believe me, Alatair means well,” Jabawi sighed. “It’s just the way he talks that throws people off.”

  Noah noticed that Jabawi had addressed Alatair by his name instead of his title. He took it as a sign that he was more comfortable around them now.

  “I actually think it’s really interesting!” Sophie commented. “Like, it’s all deep and stuff. I feel like he’ll be fun to talk to if we weren’t so exhausted.”

  Noah found himself unable to relate to that. All the wisdom talk was not for him.

  They arrived at a dinky little cottage near the edge of the village.

  “This here will be your home for tonight. Usually, guests have to pay for lodging and stuff, but we wouldn’t turn our backs against people in need, especially when Alatair himself has taken an interest!" Jabawi said with a grin.

  He pushed the door open, letting them step inside. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s safe and warm. Anyway, you guys don’t happen to have fire-related skills, do you?” he asked, pointing towards the fireplace.

  Noah shook his head. “Sorry, we don’t.”

  Jabawi laughed. “I don’t either. But don’t worry, I’ll come back with some fire runes. You just crush them and say a chant, and they’ll spark right up. Oh, and I’ll bring your dinner along as well. Be back in a few.”

  Noah and Sophie were thus left by themselves. Thankfully, the moon and the nearby houses provided just enough light for them to still see their surroundings without much effort.

  “Long day, huh?” Sophie broke the silence. She sat on one of the benches by the patio, gazing into the river.

  “Mhm. Somehow, we’re still alive,” Noah said as he joined her.

  “What do you think’s for dinner tonight?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll eat literally anything right now.”

  “Yeah, I’m about to faint from hunger myself,” Sophie chuckled. “Oh yeah.” She activated her Vitra. “Look, my HP’s stopped going down.”

  “Really? It means the bleeding debuff must have worn out some time ago,” Noah sighed in relief.

  “You think there’s a doctor here?” she asked. “Ideally I should still get it checked if possible.”

  “We can ask Alatair tomorrow. More importantly, what do we do next? Are we still going to find Anna?”

  “Is there any reason we should find her now?” Sophie wasn’t being rhetorical. It was a genuine question.

  “Based on what she said, the living conditions there are better… also we may get to see the rest of our classmates,” he reasoned. But that also meant meeting Marcus again. Still, at this point, seeing some familiar faces sounded surprisingly comforting.

  “Hmm, true. It’s not like we can keep leeching off these kind villagers. Where did Anna say she was from again? Mytharea, right? Might be a big city or something.”

  “That’s also something we have to ask tomorrow,” Noah confirmed.

  Exhausted, the two of them kept conversation to a minimum while waiting for Jabari to return. About half an hour later, the man in question appeared. He carried a pot and a flask, both made from wood. His daughter was following behind him, holding a bundle of fabric and some utensils in her hands.

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  “Sorry for the wait,” Jabawi bellowed. He set the items down on the table. “Sariyah, if you could start the fireplace?”

  Sariyah bounded over to the fireplace and crushed a red crystal over it. “Watch this,” she winked. “Genestho Pyr.”

  Out of nowhere, flames sprang to life, illuminating the entire room. Sariyah lit a stick and moved around the room, setting the oil lamps alight. The yellowish hue made the whole area feel incredibly cosy.

  “My wife cooked up some chicken soup for you. It’s the best in the village, so eat it while it’s hot,” Jabawi declared, preparing the dishes.

  Wait, what? Did he say ‘chicken soup’?

  Sophie seemed to have caught that as well.

  “I’m sorry, did you just say chicken soup?” she asked.

  Jabawi raised a brow. “Yep, have you eaten it before?”

  “It’s a common dish in our world,” Sophie explained. “I’m surprised there are chickens here too.”

  “Chickens are an important source of food for us, though I am unsure if they taste the same as the ones in your world,” Jabawi mused.

  Noah took his seat at the table, with Sophie sitting beside him. The heavenly aroma from the bowl in front of him was irresistible. Unable to wait any longer, he eagerly dug his spoon into the dish and shovelled it into his mouth.

  Jabawi hadn’t been exaggerating when he declared it to be the best chicken soup in the village. Heck, it was probably the best chicken soup he had ever tasted, even compared to the ones back home. He was sure it wasn’t because he was starving, but because the dish was just genuinely delicious.

  “This is insanely good,” Sophie murmured.

  “HAHA! I’m glad you like it,” Jabawi laughed heartily, slapping his knee.

  He then got up from the table. “Now I’m sure the two of you are completely worn out, so I’ll leave you be. I’ll come back around tomorrow morning to take you back to Alatair.”

  “Wait! Umm, is there a shower in here?” Sophie asked meekly.

  “Shower? Nope! Only the big cities have them.”

  “You guys don’t have showers? Then how do you wash up?” Sophie exclaimed.

  “The river of course!” he waved as he headed for the door.

  Sariyah cheerfully followed her father out. “See you guys tomorrow!”

  Sophie looked crestfallen. “I’m doomed,” she groaned.

  Noah smirked. He couldn’t resist teasing her. “I think I see a couple of buckets over there by the counter.”

  Sophie glared at him. “You better not try anything funny.”

  About an hour later, they'd both washed up and changed into the clothes Jabawi had provided. The material was thicker and rougher than the shirt that he had been wearing, but it would have to do. The outside air was noticeably chilly, so Noah was grateful for the warmth of the fireplace.

  “How’s the sleeping situation?” Sophie yawned.

  “Have you ever slept on straw mattresses?” Noah gestured at the room next door, where two simple beds stood neatly side by side.

  Sophie climbed into the inner one. Once she got comfortable under the covers, she lay back against the wall and stared blankly ahead. “Feels so weird being in bed without my phone.”

  Before Noah could reply, she kept going. “And my hair’s still damp without a hair dryer, my face feels all rough without moisturiser, and this blanket is hella itchy.” She scratched her legs as if to emphasise her point.

  Noah couldn’t help smiling. It felt so surreal, seeing another human in this era use terms that no one else in this village would understand. It also reminded him that Sophie was just another girl his age. They had both been thrown into hell almost immediately since being transported here, yet somehow they had both managed to survive the first day.

  “Well, better start getting used to it,” he shrugged.

  Sophie sighed, flipping over in her bed. “See you in the morning.”

  Noah got into his bed as well. The fabric was as rough as she’d said, but he was too exhausted to even care. He was out the moment he shut his eyes.

  The morning sun filtered through the window, rousing Noah from his slumber. For a brief second, he hoped it had all been a dream. But reality set in as soon as he opened his eyes.

  He glanced over at Sophie’s bed. She was still sleeping, her long, damp hair now a frizzy mess. Moving quietly so as not to wake her, he slipped outside into the chill morning air. Without a clock in sight and no way to measure time, he had no idea when Jabawi would show up.

  He wandered over to the river and washed his face with the cold water. In the distance, the villagers were already busy with their farming errands. Amidst them was the large figure of Jabawi, bantering with them as he went. What perfect timing.

  He rushed back in to wake Sophie up.

  “Huhh… give me a few more minutes…” Sophie mumbled as he nudged her.

  “Come on, Jabawi’s about to pick us up.”

  “So early?" She sat up, rubbing her eyes before narrowing them. “You weren’t watching me while I slept, did you?”

  Noah rolled his eyes. “Of course not.”

  Sophie giggled. “I’m kidding. You know, after just one day, I somehow know you’re not that kind of guy. Gimme a sec to rinse my face,” she excused herself, leaving for the river.

  Not that kind of guy? As Noah mulled over her words, he heard a knock on the door. “Morning! Are you two awake yet?” Jabawi called.

  Noah rushed to open it. “Yeah, please give Sophie a second, she’s washing up.”

  “Got it. Here, have some breakfast.” Jabawi handed him a loaf of bread, and Noah wasted no time taking a bite.

  A moment later, Sophie emerged, running her fingers through her hair in a futile attempt to smooth it down. “Sorry, I was trying to fix this mess,” she muttered. It was still unkempt, but it at least looked more presentable.

  “Hope you guys slept well,” Jabawi said, passing Sophie her portion of bread. “Without further ado, let’s go see Alatair, shall we?”

  While Noah was cautious about the Elder’s eccentric way of speaking, he couldn’t wait to see him again. It was finally time to get some answers.