“This illness… it seems… I can actually cure it?”

Just as Aino was finishing her meal and about to rest, Carter’s excited voice interrupted her. In the short time she’d known him, this was the first time she’d seen him so animated.

Carter led Aino to the bedside, where he gently smoothed the blanket’s edges.

“We’ve consulted many healers, all of whom said this was an incurable disease. You’ve seen and experienced much—maybe you have a way?”

“Let me take a look…”

The petite monster girl found herself in the bedroom before she knew it, locking eyes with a human woman equally stunned by the sudden encounter.

But with just one glance—perhaps more accurately, a faint perception of the woman’s energy—Aino realized there was indeed something wrong.

The woman’s meridians and channels were intertwined with magic, and her body was gradually losing its energy supply.

Thanks to the dragon race’s natural sensitivity to magic and her Dragon Eye, capable of seeing through all, Aino could easily discern the essence of the illness. If she were human, she wouldn’t even know how to detect the issue, let alone treat it.

“A simple clearing of the meridians and adjusting the magic flow should do the trick,” Aino mused internally.

“I believe it shouldn’t be a problem to cure her.” After confirming her assessment, Aino spoke calmly.

Carter was overjoyed, while Molly looked incredulous.

Tonight’s events had been a whirlwind for her: her husband returned home with an unexpected “guest,” a youthful girl who, somehow, was now saying she could cure her illness. And yet her husband looked thrilled, showing no doubt about this girl’s abilities?

Was Carter so desperate that he’d been fooled by some swindler?

“Carter, I mean… this young lady…”

“Please, save Molly. If you can cure her, I’ll give you everything I have in return!”

“…”

Molly felt as though her husband had lost his mind.

In truth, Carter was uncertain himself.

After all, he’d only met Aino once, days ago in the forest, and now, tonight, they’d spent just a few hours together. And she was still a powerful, potentially dangerous creature.

Why did he trust her so much…? When had his trust become so easily given?

Yet, something about Miss Aino inexplicably put him at ease.

Given his and Molly’s situation, there was no alternative but to place his faith in her.

Though he’d continued to persevere, Carter was painfully aware of where things were headed.

He simply hadn’t wanted to face it.

Meeting someone like Aino—a friendly, strong monster—felt like a gift from above, his one and only chance.

“There’s no need to rush. To treat this illness, your wife will need to be in a more stable, mentally prepared state. It’s already late, so let her rest well tonight. I’ll begin her treatment tomorrow.”

Without saying more, Carter bowed deeply, cupping his hands in gratitude before escorting Aino back to the living room.

“What’s her story?” Molly couldn’t help but ask.

As he removed his coat, Carter replied, “She’s a friendly monster.”

Seeing his wife’s bewildered expression, Carter gave a firm wave of his hand.

“Trust me, Molly. I met her in the forest before. She didn’t attack me—instead, she gifted me a dragon blood flower.”

“Don’t worry. Besides, we have no other options. I’ll make sure…”

Before Carter could finish, Molly interrupted him with a smile.

“I’m just surprised, that’s all. I trust you, and I trust her too. This girl seems very reliable.”

Carter chuckled, “A girl… she’s probably older than both of us combined, you know.”

“True. Other races have very different lifespans compared to us humans. Our lives must seem like fleeting moments to them.”

…

“Hey, Carter! Even the grand healer said your wife was beyond help—how’d you manage to cure her?”

The burly man in front of him, Jess, was a longtime friend of Carter’s and the owner of this tavern.

“Just luck—caught a lucky break,” Carter replied casually with a smile.

Only seven or eight days had passed since he’d brought Aino home, yet Molly’s illness was already cured.

To be exact, Aino had declared the treatment complete after just two days. The following days were spent helping Molly regain her strength through light activity around the house.

Two days prior, Carter had accompanied Aino on a short excursion into the forest, where they returned with a bounty several times richer than usual.

In this forest, adventuring for Aino was like an adult dealing with children—it barely took any effort for her to handle everything.

It wasn’t just her strength; her sensory abilities and skill left a lasting impression on Carter.

There was a sense of pure power, cutting through obstacles with raw strength.

In comparison, his own contributions seemed limited to storing spirit herbs, finding pathways, and mapping locations—things he’d accumulated through years of experience.

To think that a lifetime of hard work had ended up with him catching the favor of someone so powerful… Aino, as it turned out, was quite the recluse and now lived with him, rarely venturing outside.

Carter reminded Jess, “Tomorrow night, make sure the dishes I reserved are top quality, alright? We’ll be at this table. My wife’s finally going out for the first time in a while.”

“And we’ll have a guest. Make sure everything is nice—don’t embarrass me!”

Molly’s health had fully returned, so Carter planned to bring her and Aino to Jess’s tavern for a celebratory meal.

He’d already asked Aino, and while she preferred raw meat and blood, she could still eat human food, so it was all set.

“Don’t worry. I still remember your wife’s tastes. Drinks for the table are on me—you’re welcome to take whatever you like!”

With the high costs of Molly’s treatment behind him, Carter no longer needed to venture into the forest daily or constantly sell items to make ends meet. Thinking back on those days, he wondered how he’d managed—always pushing himself to the brink.

Now, with more free time, he occasionally came to Jess’s tavern, had a drink, and chatted with Jess. Life was good like this.

But not everyone favored a peaceful life. Carter knew there were still places at war, areas where people suffered from hunger and beast attacks—even Dante City itself was far from tranquil.

With so many threats from other races, humans still found themselves embroiled in civil strife. If only they could redirect those efforts toward fighting the ogres and orcs—their dominance would surely be challenged.

Just earlier, Jess had been lamenting to Carter about the recent trouble caused by hooligans fighting and making a scene at the tavern, scaring off customers and damaging property, making business increasingly difficult.

Ah, perhaps suffering truly was universal. But for now, they at least had some strength to get by, and Carter could only hope to keep living well.