The next day, Sylutia went to the Apothecary Guild and purchased a guide to identifying medicinal herbs. The clerk thoughtfully included a bonus "Hemostatic Medicine Recipe." The Horticulture Guild was much more modest—Scorchstone City wasn't a wealthy place, and few people cared about flowers and gardening. They only sold common flower seeds; there were no cornflowers, and the horticulture reference books were rather thin.

She set a wooden chair in the small backyard behind the house, sat down, and opened the book The Guide to Identifying Medicinal Herbs on her lap to read.

The courtyard felt especially quiet in the afternoon. A little sunlight filtered into the yard, falling on the empty patch near her feet—bright but not glaring.

The yellowing pages, the clearly printed text, and the herb illustrations released a faint ink scent when opened, which made the price feel somewhat justified.

Nearly ten days after arriving in this world, Sylutia had been encountering new things almost every day, stepping into one unfamiliar environment after another. Only now could she finally relax a bit, leaning back against the chair and spending an extraordinarily peaceful afternoon.

The sunlight in the yard slowly shifted; at first it didn't reach her, then it gradually warmed Sylutia's calves, bringing waves of comfort.

Her slender fingertips gently skimmed a page and turned it. After finishing a chapter, Sylutia looked up, facing the sunlit yard. A soft lightness and happiness rose in her chest—she wanted very much to nap in this breeze-kissed afternoon.

She marked the page, placed the book on a small table beside her, pulled her legs in a bit, set her feet on the chair's lower crossbar, rested her head against the back of the chair, and closed her eyes.

In that tranquil, relaxed state, a few strands of hair brushed her cheek, but they didn't wake her. Her brows smoothed, and her gentle face looked a touch adorable and childlike in the afternoon glow.

...

A few hours later, a door pushed open with the click of a turned key. A lively, bouncy figure hopped inside, spun around the room, and then found Sylutia napping in the backyard.

"Tia~ I'm back." Talier came up beside the sleeping Sylutia, leaning both hands on the armrest of the wooden chair, her eyes curiously examining the girl.

Sleeping Sylutia lacked the sharpness she had when awake, but she possessed a different kind of charm. Talier suddenly felt that way.

The girl under her stirred, opened her eyes, shook her head and hair lightly, and sat up.

"Talier's back, huh." Sylutia's soft voice held a trace of laziness—especially sweet and mellow, as if this were the voice that truly belonged to her.

"Mm-hmm, get up, Tia~" Talier helped Sylutia into a sitting position, then dashed into the living room and returned carrying a pale green melon about the size of the watermelons Sylutia remembered.

"Uncle Hook gave this to me. I was helping him there this morning~" Hook used to live in Lindenwood Village; now he sold fruit in Scorchstone City and did some small side businesses.

"I thought of you right away and brought it back to share." Talier declared that she was a true good friend and would never forget Sylutia.

"Thank you, Talier." The girl smiled. Talier's unpolished enthusiasm dissolved the anxious unease Sylutia had felt since arriving in a strange world.

"Let's cut the melon. If we leave it too long it won't taste good." Talier couldn't wait to dig in.

"Okay." Sylutia thought for a moment, found a kitchen knife in the cabinet, and the two of them gave the melon a quick rinse with stored water before slicing it open.

Inside the pale green rind was tender yellow flesh and many white seeds. They picked up the melon wedges and stood in the backyard to eat—there were no outsiders around, so they didn't have to fuss.

When Sylutia bit into the flesh, the sweet juice burst out and jolted her senses, making her markedly more awake.

It was delicious—not as sweet as a watermelon, but with a different woody, sweet flavor that lingered pleasantly.

"What kind of melon is this?" she couldn't help asking.

"This is a 'Fuzzleaf Melon.' People plant it on the sunny slopes around Scorchstone City and bring it into town to sell, but it spoils easily, so it's hard to find elsewhere." Talier had known Sylutia would be interested and had asked Uncle Hook before coming over.

"Huh?" Sylutia tilted her head at Talier's quick answer, then quickly realized why.

This kid must have prepared the answer in advance.

"Thanks." She brushed a strand of hair aside as she replied, a faint warmth flowing through her chest.

"Heh." Talier proudly patted her chest, signaling that she had been of great help.

"Come on, we haven't eaten much yet. Uncle Hook said this shouldn't be kept long—best to finish it today." The two returned to the kitchen to cut more.

"Sigh, but I'm kind of full already."

"No way, we have to finish it." Talier urged the reluctant Sylutia forward.

In the end, they couldn't finish it all and decided to save part for later that night.

In the evening, the two went to Winnie's house again. Winnie had anticipated this and prepared a hearty dinner.

While they ate, Ancel told them what he'd learned at the guild that day.

"The guild has a messenger and courier job. It involves delivering letters, items, and notices around the city. The pay isn't high—only 2.4 silver coins—but it's relatively easy work."

"Ah, I like that!" Talier raised her hand.

Winnie and Ancel were not surprised; they had expected Talier to enjoy that sort of job.

"Also, Scholar Edson said he unfortunately doesn't have time to teach, but I heard another piece of news: Scholar Hyde, who previously retired, might reopen his classes next month and take on a new batch of students."

"Oh, Professor Hyde is teaching again?" Winnie covered her mouth in surprise.

"When I graduated, he said he would spend his later years peacefully and stop teaching. Why would he change his mind now?"

"Not sure. Maybe there are other reasons."

"If Scholar Hyde starts teaching again, that should be the best opportunity for Miss Tia. He's the most learned person in Scorchstone City—there's no better mentor."

"The classes are next month. I can ask the teacher whether there are any enrollment restrictions." Winnie considered.

"In the meantime, I'll help Miss Tia review her basics and see how she does."

Although Sylutia had received education in her previous life, she was still unfamiliar with this world's specifics. She readily agreed.

"All right. From tomorrow onward, you two must come to my place every morning to study." Winnie raised a finger.

"Ah, do I have to come too? Didn't my brother-in-law say he found me a job?" Talier protested.

"He did find you a job, but there are still a few days before you start. Don't think you can slack off." Winnie's older-sister authority came out.

"Uh, I wasn't slacking. I even helped Uncle Hook yesterday." Talier defended herself.

"Okay, but you know you can't act like a child anymore."

"Alright." Seeing that Winnie's strictness was for her own good, Talier bowed her head and agreed.

Watching Talier repeatedly lose out to Winnie made Sylutia feel amused and warm; it reminded her of friends she had grown up with.

I wonder how they're doing now.