A basket rarely disappeared on its own.
The Little Fairy Doctor stood beside the stream, looking at the empty patch of grass where she clearly remembered placing it.
She frowned.
“I left it here…”
Her memory wasn’t wrong.
Before crossing the stream, she had set the basket down so it wouldn’t get wet.
She had only been gone for a short while collecting another herb growing higher along the rocks.
Long enough…
Apparently.
She crouched and examined the ground.
The basket hadn’t been dragged away.
There were no claw marks.
No signs of magical beasts.
Only footprints.
Human.
Fresh.
She relaxed slightly.
“So someone picked it up.”
That was far better than losing everything to a beast.
Most of the herbs inside weren’t expensive.
Still…
She disliked wasting medicine that could save lives.
She followed the footprints without much difficulty.
The owner hadn’t bothered hiding them.
If anything, they suggested someone walking normally through the forest.
Not fleeing.
Not stalking.
Just travelling.
Curious.
After several minutes, the trail ended.
Her basket rested neatly on a flat stone beside the stream.
Untouched.
Exactly as she had packed it.
The Little Fairy Doctor blinked.
“…That’s unexpected.”
Most people would at least look inside.
Some would simply take it.
Whoever found it had done neither.
She picked it up and checked the contents.
Every herb remained exactly where she had placed it.
Even the more fragile leaves were undamaged.
A faint smile appeared.
“At least there are still honest people.”
Rustling leaves interrupted her thoughts.
She turned immediately.
Not far away, a young man stepped out from between the trees carrying several freshly gathered herbs.
He also stopped.
For a brief moment, both simply looked at each other.
The young man was the first to speak.
“I was wondering when the owner would come back.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
His tone was relaxed, almost apologetic.
“I found it drifting in the stream.”
The Little Fairy Doctor lowered her eyes toward the basket before looking back at him.
“So you left it where I could find it.”
“It seemed easier than carrying it around hoping we’d meet.”
“…”
That answer caught her off guard.
Simple.
Reasonable.
Most people she met in the mountains either exaggerated their kindness or demanded gratitude before helping.
This young man did neither.
“Thank you.”
“It wasn’t anything important.”
“It was to me.”
She gently lifted the basket.
“Those herbs took me most of the morning.”
Xiao Feng nodded.
“Then I’m glad they found their way back.”
Neither spoke again immediately.
The silence wasn’t awkward.
Only unfamiliar.
The forest itself seemed to fill the space between them.
Water flowed quietly over smooth stones.
Somewhere overhead, birds argued noisily before taking flight.
The Little Fairy Doctor studied him without trying to make it obvious.
He didn’t resemble a mercenary.
No scars.
No smell of alcohol.
His clothes were clean despite travelling.
Most surprising…
His eyes.
People entering the Magic Beast Mountain Range usually looked tense.
Greedy.
Excited.
Or afraid.
His looked…
Calm.
As though walking through dangerous forests was perfectly ordinary.
“You aren’t from around here.”
Xiao Feng smiled.
“Is it that obvious?”
“You’ve been looking at everything.”
“The trees.”
“The cliffs.”
“The river.”
“People who grew up here stopped doing that years ago.”
He laughed softly.
“I suppose I have.”
“My name is Xiao Feng.”
“The Xiao Clan?”
She nodded.
“Sometimes injured mercenaries mention Wu Tan City.”
“It’s the nearest place to buy medicine.”
That explained it.
Wu Tan City wasn’t famous.
But adventurers passed through often enough.
“I’m called the Little Fairy Doctor.”
“I know.”
The words left Xiao Feng’s mouth before he thought about them.
Silence.
The Little Fairy Doctor tilted her head slightly.
“We’ve met before?”
“…No.”
Xiao Feng’s mind raced.
Well done.
Brilliant.
Five minutes into meeting her…
…and he had nearly exposed himself.
He coughed once.
“I mean…”
“I’ve heard mercenaries mention you.”
“They said there’s a healer living nearby.”
Her expression softened.
“That makes more sense.”
Internally…
Xiao Feng sighed in relief.
First mistake.
Hopefully the last.
“You came here to gather herbs?”
“Partly.”
“And partly?”
“To see more of the world.”
The Little Fairy Doctor looked around the endless forest.
“You picked an interesting place to start.”
“I’ve noticed.”
She laughed quietly.
The sound surprised even herself.
It had been several days since she’d laughed so naturally.
Far away…
Hidden within the black ring…
Yao Lao slowly stroked his beard while reading the newest diary update.
“So.”
“They’ve met.”
The old man smiled.
The meeting was… ordinary.
No dramatic rescue.
No unbelievable coincidence.
Just two people crossing paths because one returned a basket.
For some reason…
He liked that much more.