Greta decided to ask, "Have you calmed down now?" after noticing that Orion had regained his composure shortly after calling out her name.
Orion nodded, realizing that he had momentarily fallen into a daze earlier. Slowly, he shifted his gaze downwards and realized he was currently naked, his tulga missing. However, his mind didn't dwell on that fact as he immediately focused on his left foot, inspecting it for any injuries or wounds.
Finding none, he let out a relieved sigh and then turned his attention to Aunt Greta, nodding appreciatively. "Thank you," he said.
Upon hearing Orion's expression of gratitude, Greta shook her head and replied, "Don't worry about it." Although she had been initially shocked and taken aback by his condition when she had hurriedly arrived after hearing the news, seeing him now and hearing his words of appreciation brought a smile to her face.
Orion's attention suddenly shifted as he noticed that Fiona was not present in the room. "Where is Fiona?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Greta furrowed her brows, already aware of which 'Fiona' he was referring to.
Regardless of her reservations about Fiona's involvement in Orion's predicament and her intention to have a conversation with the former warrior when the time was right, Greta replied, "She is doing much better than you and woke up a few hours ago. As a warrior with three-star potential who has already reached her full potential, I can confidently say that in a few more hours, she will be up and running as if nothing happened." Her gaze then shifted to his feet, which had been impaled by a two-star Vylkr vine.
"However, you still have a long recovery ahead of you before you can return to your normal routine," she added, observing as he attempted to rise to his feet but faltered immediately upon his left foot touching the ground, causing a sharp jolt of pain to shoot through his body, ultimately leading him to land back on the ground.
"Ouch!" Orion cried out, feeling a tingling numbness spreading from his left leg up to his lower waist, leaving his buttocks feeling oddly numb after the impact.
Suddenly, a ripple of muffled chuckles filled the room, followed by more laughter, much to Orion's annoyance. He remembered that they weren't alone in the room, as his gaze shifted towards five individuals dressed in the village's traditional tulga -four women and one man.
"Ahem!" Greta cleared her throat, addressing the situation. "Why don't you all take some rest and prepare for the day ahead?" she suggested. "As for your payment, I will discuss it with the Village Chieftess, so there's no need to worry about it."
The group nodded wearily and let out tired sighs as they rose from the ground, making their way back to their huts for some much-needed rest. After all, they had been tirelessly working since yesterday noon.
However, despite their weariness, a glimmer of satisfaction shone through their eyes. They knew that the payment they were about to receive for their efforts far surpassed anything they could have earned in a mere week or two.
With a hint of joy in their hearts, they departed the room, their thoughts already drifting towards the next time they might be summoned to tend to Orion's grave injuries.
Once the door was securely closed, Orion let out a long exhale, feeling uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gazes. The situation was already challenging enough, and being naked added another layer of discomfort. Because, while it might not have held any particular significance for them, it still held some weight for him.
"Come and lie down so that I can massage your leg a bit more," Greta offered, patting the mat where Orion had previously been lying. Despite her exhaustion from tirelessly using her gift throughout the night, she remained committed to ensuring his complete recovery.
Although unintentional, the fact that she had accidentally awakened him brought a sense of relief to her heart. It reassured her that there were no overlooked complications in his body and that her healing efforts had been effective thus far.
Meanwhile, Orion crawled back to the mat and settled down beside Aunt Greta, who patiently positioned herself on the ground with her knees to the left side of the mat.
Greta extended her hand, and as soon as her palms made contact with his leg, she activated her gift. Gently, she began massaging his left leg, her hands gliding over his muscles, ensuring that every inch was covered. "The slight discomfort you may feel is just your muscles regenerating and realigning themselves," she explained, reassuring him. "So don't worry and bear with it. It will be over soon."
Orion nodded in understanding, already sensing a tingling sensation as if something were shifting inside him. However, the level of pain wasn't as intense as Greta had initially warned him about, leading Orion to suspect that she had exaggerated it out of concern for his well-being.
After a while, a gentle vibrating sensation coursed through Orion's body, providing him with a peculiar and relaxing feeling. As he surrendered himself to Aunt Greta's therapeutic massage, his mind couldn't help but wander towards the imminent morning.
Although he had no idea how many hours were left until then, Orion couldn't shake off his promise to Ursa that he would visit her by morning. Yet, rather than dwelling on how he would reach her house with only one functional leg, he pushed that thought to the back of his mind, choosing to fully immerse himself in the massage Aunt Greta was providing.
However, his tranquil state was abruptly interrupted when a thick scent wafted into his nostrils.
Following the trail of the scent with his nose, Orion turned his head towards Aunt Greta and noticed her wiping off her sweat with a damp rag before placing it on the ground, inadvertently near him. Judging by the wetness of the rag, he deduced that she had been using it during his treatment, which accounted for the distinctive odour that had caught his attention.
