Adrian reached up and pulled the bag from his shoulder, frowning slightly as he unzipped it and took out a small water bottle. For a moment, he just stared at it; then he formed another small sphere of water in front of him and guided it carefully into the bottle to see if it would remain or disappear.
Beside him, Elena had already checked her sword. After a brief glance, she dismissed it back into the ring on her finger without hesitation.
Adrian noticed.
"…Right."
He looked down at the staff between his fingers. The second he thought about putting it away, the staff vanished into his own ring.
Without thinking much, another small sphere of water formed in front of him. He flicked it toward the ground, adding yet another dark patch to the already damp road. After doing this a few times, it became easy for him to repeat; the motion was fluid now—form, flick, splash. Within moments, scattered patches of wet earth spread unevenly across the dry road.
Adrian exhaled quietly, watching the latest droplet hover in front of him before letting it fall.
Behind him, Elena's voice came, casual as ever.
"You're going to flood the road at this rate."
He glanced back briefly.
"That would actually be nice if I could do it. It would mean this water magic isn't useless."
She didn't respond, instead scanning the empty farmland again with a measured gaze.
Adrian turned back to the bottle in his hand, giving it a small shake before tightening the cap. At least that part worked. Shifting the bag back onto his shoulder, he briefly considered putting it inside the ring but quickly gave up on the idea. Storage rings might be rare treasures, and he wanted to avoid revealing his too early. As for his staff, since it was his weapon, he couldn't avoid showing it; the only saving grace was that even as a divine weapon, it didn't look like one.
As he was thinking this, the sound of rhythmic, heavy footsteps on the dry earth caught his attention.
An old woman was approaching from the distance, her frame bent slightly under the weight of a worn container she held with both hands. She walked with the steady, practiced pace of someone who knew exactly how much energy a long trip required.
She didn't look at their faces first. Her eyes went straight to the ground—to the dark, damp circles. Adrian had carelessly flicked dust onto the dust. She slowed, her lips thinning into a hard line of disapproval, looking less like a traveler and more like a grandmother watching a child spill a gallon of milk.
Adrian straightened his posture instinctively.
"Nice timing," he muttered under his breath.
"What are you doing?" the old woman asked.
Adrian straightened slightly.
"Just playing with my magic."
The woman's gaze lingered briefly on the damp ground before returning to them.
"Oh, you really have quite a useful magic."
Adrian didn't look convinced.
"You could say that."
"Is there a limit to how much you can create?" she asked.
He paused.
"Don't know."
The woman hummed softly, as if considering something, her tone remaining casual.
"And where are you two headed?"
Elena tilted her head slightly.
"Still figuring that out. Maybe we can look around first and see if there's somewhere to stay, then look for some work."
The woman's attention shifted to her, studying her for a brief moment.
"I see."
She adjusted the container in her hands.
"In that case, you could help me for a while."
Adrian frowned slightly.
"Help?"
"With water," she replied simply. "I don't have much to offer, but I can provide food and a place to stay. A little payment as well."
Elena glanced briefly at Adrian, then back at the woman.
"For how long?" she asked.
"Just for now," the woman said. "You can leave once you find something better."
Her tone remained even, almost casual.
Elena stepped a little closer, a hint of relief showing in her expression.
"That actually helps," she said, a little more openly now. "By the way, what kind of work is it?"
The woman lifted the container slightly.
"You'd help me fill these with water at home… and water my fields if you still have some magic left."
Elena nodded, as if that made sense, her gaze lingering on it for a moment before returning.
"How much are you going to pay for flicked dust?" she added, almost casually. "And it's your place—does it have enough room?"
She tried her best to sound natural, not to give away her lack of knowledge.
The woman studied her for a brief second, then gave a small nod.
"Three silver coins if you can fill the containers at my house," she said, pausing briefly as if weighing her words, "and five gold if you help with the entire field."
Elena didn't answer immediately. She paused for a brief moment, as if considering the offer.
"That works," she said simply.
Beside her, Adrian remained quiet, his gaze shifting between the container and the old woman.
Something about this didn't feel right. It had all come together a little too easily—a place to stay, work, and payment, all within minutes of arriving.
The thought lingered longer than it should have. It reminded him, faintly, of those old stories where things that looked convenient at first turned out to be something else entirely.
Adrian frowned slightly. Maybe he was just overthinking.
Of course, he didn't say anything.
The woman turned without waiting for further discussion and began walking, her pace steady. After a brief exchange of glances, the two followed.
The road stretched ahead, quiet except for the soft sound of footsteps against dry earth.
Elena walked slightly ahead, matching the woman's pace, her tone casual as she spoke. The conversation drifted naturally—nothing too direct, just small questions here and there.
From what Adrian picked up, the woman lived nearby with her daughter-in-law, managing a small farm on their own.
Adrian listened more than he spoke, his attention divided between the conversation and their surroundings.
The walk continued along the same dry stretch of road, the scenery barely changing—fieldsonations., patches of dull plants, like someone had forgotten to water them.
After a while, even the sound of their footsteps began to blend into a steady rhythm.
Just as it started to feel like the road would go on forever, the woman slowed slightly.
A small house came into view ahead.
It stood alone at the edge of the fields, simple and worn, with a fenced area beside it and signs of daily use scattered around.
The woman continued forward without hesitation, stopping only when she reached the entrance. She set the container down carefully beside the door before raising her hand and knocking.
For a moment, there was no response.
Then faint movement came from inside.
The door opened shortly after, revealing a young woman standing just inside the threshold.
She was reasonably attractive, though the faint fatigue in her features softened that impression. Her clothes were simple, suited for daily work, and there was a quiet steadiness in the way she carried herself—someone accustomed to continuing on without expecting much in return.
Her gaze moved briefly between the visitors before settling on the old woman.
"You're back."
There was a small pause before her eyes shifted to the visitors.
"Did something happen?"
The older woman didn't answer directly, only giving a slight look that made her expression tighten just a little.
"Get inside," the younger woman said quietly.
She stepped aside, taking the container from the ground while leading her in.
The door remained partially open.
The two moved deeper into the house. After a safe distance, they started talking in low voices.
Outside, Adrian and Elena remained where they were.
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