151 Hiding the evidence
“She will definitely find out,” Orion murmured, his voice laced with exhaustion as he released yet another tired sigh. His attention away shifted from the broken clay pot to Fiona’s bag, before his gaze fixated on the Kalna fruit he had brought as payment. Deciding it was best not to leave them behind, Orion swiftly secured the bag on one side of his arm. With the Kalna fruit in hand, he distanced himself from the well, nibbling on the succulent fruit as he walked.
No matter what happened, he had no desire to be the first person to be at the well once the rest of the village awakened to collect their water, only to discover the absence of the well woman.
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And as for why his tulga now occupied a separate position from the rest, it was because Orion had decided to arrange his belongings in a more organized manner, eliminating the need to dig through heaps of clothes whenever he needed to bathe. Noticing the bag he had acquired during his awakening ceremony, Orion stooped down to retrieve it and employed it as a cover for his possessions, just as a precautionary measure. Regardless of the circumstances, he was determined to ensure that no one discovered his role in Fiona’s absence from the well today.
After confirming that everything was neatly in place, Orion selected a tulga and proceeded toward the backyard for his bath.
…….….
Reena awoke feeling unusually fatigued. As she sat up straight and let out a tired yawn, the door suddenly creaked open, capturing her attention. She turned her head swiftly in its direction, only to spot Orion emerging from the backyard, his wet hair indicating that he had just finished his bath. Sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder where he found the energy to wake up early, even after enduring taxing and hectic days. However, recognizing this as a newfound habit of the transformed Orion, she dismissed the thought and greeted him, “Good morning, Orion.”
Despite appearing somewhat absentminded, to the point of not noticing her wakefulness, Orion managed to snap out of his thoughts and swiftly responded, “Good morning, Reena. Hope you slept well,” accompanied by a warm smile. As he walked away from the backyard, Orion pondered what the day’s training would entail, but he suddenly remembered the deal he had made with Tala the previous day. If he didn’t want to miss this opportunity by arriving late and interrupting their time together, then he needed to make his way to the village chief’s compound early.
Meanwhile, as Orion posed his question, Reena’s face lit up with a sweet smile, and she nodded in response. “Yes, I am. How about you?” she replied, finding it heartwarming that her brother-turned-partner now took the time to inquire about her well-being whenever he was around after she woke up. Orion reciprocated her nod, understanding her answer, and said, “I need to head to the village chief’s compound early, so please let Mom and Gina know that I’ve already left, okay?” He proceeded toward the door.
“Alright. Take care and be careful,” Reena expressed, her head still nodding in understanding as she observed Orion’s acknowledgement before he opened the door and closed it behind him. With Orion’s departure, Reena resolved to rise from her spot and take a refreshing bath. She didn’t want to be late for her work at the farm.
After a refreshing bath, Reena emerged from the backyard to discover her mother and Gina was already awake. She greeted them warmly and informed them that Orion had already set off for the village chief’s compound and that she would soon be heading to the farm herself. Although their mother’s reaction seemed somewhat strained, she still nodded in understanding, accompanied by a tired sigh escaping her lips. “Take care at the farm today, Reena,” Celeste said, rising to stretch her body, feeling a slight soreness from the intense penetration she had received from her son the previous night.
“Alright, Mom, see you later,” Reena bid farewell before shifting her gaze towards Gina and adding, “You too.” With that, she stepped out of the door, closing it behind her.
“I hope she’s already awake,” Reena muttered to herself, releasing a tired sigh as she exited their compound. She altered her course to head towards her friend’s hut, intending to walk to the farm together.
In a matter of minutes, she reached a hut enclosed by a sturdy fence. Without wasting a moment, Reena rapped on the door with a series of quick, rhythmic knocks.
“Knock! Knock!” she called out, eager for her friend to answer.
A few seconds elapsed before a booming voice pierced through the door, reaching Reena’s ears. “Melta, Reena’s here for you.”
Shortly after, the door swung open, revealing a girl around Reena’s age. She had short green hair with a few strands of black cascading down to her shoulders. “You’re late,” Melta remarked, casting a scrutinizing gaze at Reena.
“I know, I stayed up a bit too long waiting for my brother to return home last night,” Reena explained, her eyes fixed on Melta, who was still in the process of putting on her top as they conversed.
Melta’s eyes widened at the mention of Orion’s name. After all, Reena’s brother had gained some fame, albeit without many people recognizing his face due to his reserved nature. But being one of the few individuals aware that Orion, who had awakened an exceptional six-star potential, was the brother of the young woman in front of her, Melta couldn’t help but tightly grasp Reena’s arms and eagerly inquire, “Come on, spill the details! Did your brother share anything about his first warrior training? Did he come back home injured? What happened? Is that why you stayed up late, trying to tend to his wounds?” Despite Reena’s protective stance preventing her from introducing Melta to her younger brother, it didn’t deter Melta from wanting to know more about Orion, even if it meant getting to know him indirectly.