The morning sun cast a pale light over the town of Kamadohashi. In the kitchen of the rusty Kamado Pavilion, the familiar aroma of stew drifted through the air as always. Calderan carried out a large wooden box and called out to Selina and Flare. "We're going to gather medicinal herbs. We're running low on materials for wound salves and cold remedies." His voice was matter-of-fact. A simple statement of fact. Yet those words made the faces of the two lodgers at the inn light up instantly. "Oh, I'll come too!" Selina stopped her work in the kitchen and looked at Calderan. Her aquamarine eyes were filled with pure enthusiasm. The morning sun shone through her pure white straight hair, making her appear as if wrapped in light. "Me too! If we're going into the forest, I can use flame magic to drive away anything dangerous!" Flare raised her hand with an energetic voice. Her red-orange hair, illuminated by the morning sun, looked like flames themselves. The usual warmth radiated from her presence. Faint sparks scattered from her fingertips. Calderan looked between the two of them. Something flickered in his deep brown eyes for a moment. What it was remained unclear. But he opened his mouth. "...Well, fine then." That was enough. --- North of Kamadohashi, beyond the Ash Hills. A small forest spread out before them. It was a place where traces of the Attribute War lingered faintly, but over the past few years, greenery had returned. Low shrubs, wild grasses, and medicinal herbs. Calderan was searching for specific species within this forest. Along the way, Selina spoke up. "Um... what kind of adventures did you go on before, Calderan?" Selina was asking somewhat indirectly. She was interested, but worried it might be rude. Her consideration revealed her character. Calderan answered quietly without stopping his pace. "Various things happened... but that's all in the past now." There was depth to those words. Not a simple rejection, but rather a quiet sense of resignation. Selina didn't ask further. She gazed at Calderan's profile, but he continued walking forward, eyes ahead. The burn scar on his left hand was faintly visible. Meanwhile, Flare seemed completely unbothered, pushing through branches as she walked. "That's so cool! I want to become a legendary adventurer in the future too!" Flare's voice was innocent and full of hope. Calderan smiled slightly. In that expression, something seemed to show through—as if seeing his former self. "I see." A brief response. But it contained warmth. --- When they reached the forest, Calderan stopped. He looked around. At the grass beneath his feet, at the base of tree trunks, between rocks. His experienced eyes quickly identified where the medicinal herbs grew. "This is it." Calderan knelt down and pointed to a plant with thin stems and small oval-shaped leaves near the ground. "Remember the shape of these leaves and their scent. There are similar plants, but this is the real one." Selina and Flare leaned in seriously. Selina especially wore a sincere expression, making sure not to miss a word of Calderan's explanation. Her purity shone through. Flare also responded energetically. "Got it! This scent, right!" "Good. Now try to find some." The two spread out and began searching for medicinal herbs. The entire forest was enveloped in silence. Occasionally, Selina would report, "I found one!" When Calderan checked, almost all of her identifications were correct. Flare was searching just as eagerly. Her face showed a pure desire to be helpful. After a while, Flare shouted. "Found it! This is it, right!?" Calderan confirmed. Indeed, it was the correct medicinal herb. "Well done." Flare's face shone. That single moment of joy seemed like the greatest reward. But immediately after. "Oh, there's an insect on it! I'll burn it off!" Suddenly, flames burst from Flare's hand. "Wait—" Calderan's warning came too late. With a sound like *gosh*, the medicinal herb was engulfed in flames and charred. The herb took on the color of dried wood. It no longer retained its original form. "Ah..." Flare's face hardened in an instant. Words stopped coming from her mouth. Selina also turned her gaze toward them. Calderan let out a deep breath. "...You two really do have talent, don't you?" His voice wasn't angry, but rather exasperated, yet it contained warmth. Selina ran over. "I-I'm so sorry!" Selina bowed her head apologetically. Her posture was completely respectful, and it was clear she truly felt sorry. "I should have used purification magic to drive away the insect!" With a determined expression, Selina found another medicinal herb. She brought her hands together and began a short incantation. "Fiare Lux..." A pale light emanated from Selina's palms. The moment it touched the medicinal herb, the situation rapidly deteriorated. The medicinal herb... began to grow rapidly. With sounds of *mekimekimeki*, the thin stem thickened, and the leaves enlarged. In an instant, the herb grew to knee height, pushing aside the surrounding grass. "N-not again...!" Selina's face turned pale. Complete panic was written across her features. Calderan stared for a moment, comparing the charred herb with the enlarged one. His expression was completely calm. Rather, there was even an atmosphere of realization about him. "...You two. You really do have talent in the opposite direction." At those words, the two exchanged glances. Flare tilted her head, while Selina laughed bitterly and held her head. But Calderan didn't stop there. He lowered his posture and carefully picked up the charred herb. "Even this has usable parts." Then he slowly began to cut down the enlarged herb. His movements were completely efficient. Quiet work supported by experience. "This should be usable once dried." At that kindness, both their hearts warmed. He didn't blame them for their failures; he simply handled what came after. It was simple, but they felt how precious that was. --- It was the time when the sunset painted the forest. The sky was filled with a gradient of red and purple, and long shadows fell across the ground. The three of them were heading back to town, carrying the gathered medicinal herbs. Calderan walked at the front, with Selina and Flare walking side by side behind him. The sight looked like a small family. "Calderan, you're really kind, aren't you?" Selina murmured softly. Her voice contained admiration. "Yeah, you don't yell at us or anything." Flare nodded as well. In her innocent words, genuine feelings were packed. Calderan answered without turning around. "I'm not particularly kind. I just understand that you two aren't doing it with bad intentions." At those words, Selina gazed at his profile. Calderan's expression, illuminated by the sunset, looked peaceful and warm. The burn scar on his left hand appeared faint in the evening glow. Deep within Selina's chest, she felt something slowly beginning to sprout. She didn't yet understand what it was. But something was definitely beginning to change. When they returned to town, Calderan called out to the two. "You must be tired today. Get some rest." "Yes, good night." "Good night!" The two headed to their rooms. Behind them, Calderan began preparing the gathered herbs for drying. He carefully processed both the charred herb and the enlarged one. In those movements lay quiet certainty. He accepted everything, including the failures. That was the essence of Calderan as a man. Night deepened, and the rusty Kamado Pavilion was enveloped in silence. But within that silence, something was definitely beginning to move. Within Selina's chest. In the corner of Flare's heart. And deep within the burn scar on Calderan's left hand. This small event of gathering medicinal herbs had surely changed the relationship between the three of them.