Caretaker Shani rapped on her door, and within a minute, it swung open, revealing a young girl in her teens cradling a sleeping baby in her arms.
The girl's face immediately lit up upon seeing Caretaker Shani.
"Caretaker Shani, you're back."
Caretaker Shani nodded, "You can give him to me and go back home to get some rest. Don't forget to return tomorrow to get your payment," she said gently, raising both hands to receive the baby.
The girl nodded in understanding, handing the baby to her before bidding her farewell.
"See you later, Rick."
"Goodnight, Caretaker Shani."
"Goodnight," Caretaker Shani replied with a warm smile.
She watched as the girl gave one last silent nod at Orion before turning around and disappearing into the thick tree and bushes in the distance.
"Come on, come in," Caretaker Shani added, turning to look at Orion with a warm smile as she walked into her hut.
Orion nodded and calmly entered the hut. He was directed to the centre of the room, where he sat down and patiently waited as Caretaker Shani spread a mat with several folded fabrics, positioning it correctly before gently placing her baby on it to allow him to sleep comfortably.
She then walked back into the kitchen, bringing out two small wooden bowls and placing them beside her as she sat opposite Orion.
She then grabbed one of the bowls upwards and brought it close to her chest area before she proceeded to raise her tulga top. Immediately, her small, perky breasts were revealed, displaying her dark brown areola and slightly erect nipples, which she placed on the edge of the bowl before she gently squeezed the sides of her breasts.
Drip!! Drip!! Drip!!
Instantly, a stream of white creamy milk poured from her nipples into the bowl in a steady flow, gradually filling it up.
Caretaker Shani then placed the bowl of breast milk in front of Orion, filling up her own bowl. After finishing, to allow for a quick refill and prevent residue breast milk from staining her tulga, she didn't pull her tulga top downwards.
She placed the bowl of breast milk before her and then focused her gaze on Orion.
"You must be curious why I called you here, right?" Caretaker Shani said, staring at Orion with a warm smile.
Orion nodded in response.
Caretaker Shani's smile became strained.
"It's about my husband," Caretaker Shani said, her eyes fixed on Orion.
"What happened to him?" Orion asked.
Although he could infer from what he overheard earlier today in the discussion between Caretaker Shani and Seth, Orion needed confirmation from Caretaker Shani herself before he believed the conclusion he had arrived at.
"He's dead," Caretaker Shani responded, her voice croaking as though she was trying to hold back her emotions before suddenly regaining control.
Orion slowly nodded, clearly not expecting such a direct and blunt answer.
Nevertheless, even without Orion asking, Caretaker Shani explained, "My husband was among the group that had been sent on an exploration with Seth as the leader. According to the warrior who informed me and conveyed their condolences, the exploration had gone extremely well. However, on their way back, they encountered several three-star Vylkr vines. My husband and several others stayed behind to fight them off so the rest could escape."
"As the other warriors escaped, and after a few days, they noticed that my husband and the others hadn't caught up with them yet. They assumed that he and the others had died in the battle. Of course, before this exploration, we were already aware of and prepared for the risks."
"However, looking back now, I wish he had stayed behind just in time for you to create the Orion's skies. At least he would have had a higher chance of escaping, and the warriors could bring back his body even if he had died…"
As though she could no longer hold her composure together, tears burst forth from her eyes as she continued, "…at least, he would be able to see that his son, whom he had been waiting for, was still alive. He could then decide whether to stay behind with me and take care of him or continue his exploration regardless."
"You know, he didn't have the choice the first time because he had only joined the exploration to relieve his mind and let free of his emotions in battle… at least, I wanted him to have a choice."
Caretaker Shani's lips suddenly parted, as though she was trying to chuckle but ultimately failing to do so, with only a deep breath coming out of her mouth.
"It makes sense now. I think that is why my husband chose to stay behind and fight off the three-star Vylkr vines instead of escaping with the others. He saw it as an opportunity to die valiantly as a warrior. He had a choice that wasn't there for him before he left. He could die valiantly as a warrior in battle and meet our supposedly dead son, now with Naka."
"Or he could come back home with the same pain of knowing that he could take down a three-star Vylkr vine but couldn't stop his son from dying. And he selfishly chose without thinking about how I would feel about it," Caretaker Shani added, "After getting my son and becoming promoted to Caretaker, even if I didn't know how to explain it before, I understand it now."
Her unfocused gaze, with tears streaming down from it, suddenly became focused as it fixed on Orion, with her voice croaking out of her lips once more, trembling with even more intensity, "Orion… I hate this Village," Caretaker Shani said.
Orion, who had been silently listening to Caretaker Shani, not even touching the bowl of breast milk before him, widened his eyes at her statement.
He had never expected to hear Caretaker Shani utter such words.
Seeing Orion's expression and understanding that he was doubting her words, Caretaker Shani locked her gaze with him and nodded.
