Athissa hugged the basket protectively.
“This milk cost me money,” she said.
The robber’s face turned red.
“Give it to me!”
“No!” Athissa yelled.
“Then I’ll take it myself!”
The man’s eyes widened, and he suddenly rushed toward her.
Athissa smirked.
“Oh?”
Then she stepped aside.
The man missed her completely.
“AH—!”
His body stumbled forward.
‘Wow, he’s really bad at this,’ Athissa thought as she shook her head in disappointment.
The man got up and rushed toward her again.
This time, Athissa did not move away.
She simply lifted her leg and kicked his precious balls.
“ARGH!”
The man’s eyes rolled back from the immense pain he felt between his legs.
He fell dramatically onto the ground.
Athissa walked closer, but the man held his hand high.
“I surrender!”
Athissa blinked in disbelief at how the man surrendered without much of a fight.
“But you only tried attacking me twice.”
“I-I realized my mistake.
Please don’t kick my balls again!”
Athissa stared at him, holding her mouth.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or pity him.
The man held his balls as he lay on the ground like a child.
His face was red from holding his breath.
Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
“You know.
You’re a terrible robber,” Athissa said, squatting beside the man.
He looked at Athissa with confusion as to why she didn’t run away.
“This is your first time robbing, aren’t you?” Athissa smiled, taunting the man.
“How did you know?” the man said.
Athissa crossed her arms.
“You hesitated before threatening me.
You didn’t even know how to fight,” Athissa explained, which made the man feel more miserable.
The man remained silent, closing his eyes from embarrassment.
“And you asked for my milk—”
“I’m hungry!” The man yelled, feeling defeated.
Athissa stood up.
“Hm?”
“I was fired from my job, and my wife…” the man paused.
“…my wife is sick.”
Athissa’s eyebrows rose.
She was now interested in the man’s life story.
“She has been complaining about her stomach for two days,” the man explained.
Then he started crying.
“I tried feeding her what I can afford, but it’s not enough!
It’s my fault.
I’m an incompetent husband!”
Athissa became serious.
She didn’t care about his tears, and her focus was on his wife’s condition.
“What kind of pain?” She asked.
The man blinked, surprised that Athissa even asked.
“What?
Why are you asking?” The man asked, looking confused.
“Because I asked and you’re supposed to answer,” Athissa placed one hand on her waist.
“She keeps holding her stomach,” the man answered hesitantly.
“Where?”
The man forced himself up even with pain and pointed at his stomach.
“Here, in the middle,” he replied.
“Does she have a fever?”
“I don’t know.”
“Vomiting?” Athissa asked further.
“Yes.”
“Diarrhea?”
The man’s face became embarrassed.
“Yes, since yesterday.”
Athissa rubbed her chin, trying to think of a case.
“Has she eaten anything strange?”
The man slowly nodded.
“We have nothing.
So in desperate times…We ate food from the streets.”
Athissa sighed.
‘Ah, food poisoning,’ she thought.
“Where is your wife?” Athissa asked, stepping closer.
“Why?
I’m not robbing you anymore.
Please let me go,” the man’s body shook in fear upon seeing Athissa’s seriousness.
“Take me to her.”
The man stared at her as if she had suddenly grown two heads.
It was the first time someone had shown him interest since he had tried asking others for help, but none ever did.
“Okay… I’m Harl, by the way.”
“I’m Athissa, nice to meet you.”
***
Harl’s house was located far from the busy market.
The further they walked, the poorer the neighborhood became.
Athissa’s expression gradually became serious.
The houses were old.
Some had broken windows.
Others had damaged roofs.
Children sat outside wrapped in thin blankets while their parents tried to keep small fires burning.
They looked at Athissa with empty eyes as she passed by.
Eventually, Harl stopped in front of a small wooden house.
“This is it,” he said.
Athissa looked at the house.
It was barely standing.
Harl opened the door and stepped inside.
“Rena?” He called.
His voice suddenly became softer.
Athissa followed him inside.
The house only had one bed, one table, and a small fireplace.
A woman was seen lying on the bed, her face pale.
She was skin and bones.
The woman opened her eyes and saw Harl.
A smile appeared on her lips as she tried to sit up.
“Harl.”
“Rena, I brought someone,” Harl whispered as he grabbed his wife’s hand.
Rena noticed Athissa and saw how she was dressed.
Panic rose inside her at the thought that Harl had done something stupid again.
“What did you do this time, Harl?” Rena asked quietly, but her voice was firm.
Before Harl could respond.
Athissa spoke.
“I heard you’ve been having stomach problems.”
Rena blinked and looked at her husband, who looked extremely embarrassed.
“I-I understand, but we don’t have any money to pay for your service,” Rena said.
Athissa smiled as she approached Rena.
“May I?” Athissa said softly.
Rena was hesitant, but Harl urged her.
“It’s for your own good, Rena,” Harl whispered and kissed her forehead before stepping behind.
Rena looked down and nodded.
Athissa gently checked Rena’s forehead.
“Fever.”
Athissa carefully asked several questions regarding Rena’s symptoms.
After listening carefully, Athissa opened her basket and grabbed a bottle of milk.
“Harl, warm this milk first,” Athissa said, handing Harl the milk.
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Harl replied, and immediately went outside to their dirty kitchen.
“You should lie down.
I’ll prepare the medicine,” Athissa said.
Rena smiled and complied.
She closed her eyes as drowsiness came in.
Athissa used that time to enter the space and took what she needed in a hurry.
She returned to the room and went to the table where a jar of water was located.
“I’ll make this quick,” Athissa whispered.
She carefully mixed the prepared medicinal herbs with water in a small cup.
“I bought these this morning,” Athissa said as she went beside Rena.
Athissa also handed Rena the pouch containing medicinal herbs.
Rena looked at the strange mixture.
“It tastes horrible, but try to swallow whatever’s in your mouth, okay?” Athissa said.