***
Making their way back to Meri's location on foot, the streets, although still populated with groups of zombies, were not as densely packed as before.
“Do you want to examine the orb with the magnifier first?” Lucas inquired.
“Nah, I have a feeling about how I can utilize it,” Lucy replied confidently.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, call it a gut feeling. You wouldn't understand.”
As they walked back, Lucy held the orb in her hand. The street, already strewn with corpses, now featured even more due to Lucas's efforts. The stench was overpowering, yet they had no other choice. Every day in this nightmarish world was a battle with foul odors. Passing by bodies being consumed by maggots was a grim sight, but one that barely fazed them. Even eradicating the relatively large maggots didn't yield them much experience.
Despite their exhaustion and weariness, they were committed to keeping their promise to the siblings they had encountered earlier.
“Lucas, can you try using your ability again? My legs are giving out on me.”
“I can't. It's on cooldown until tomorrow. Come on, let's keep moving.”
With heavy steps, if not for their magical abilities, they might not have survived. After nearly an hour of walking, neither of them had the strength to wield their weapons. Lucas's wound was still visibly bleeding.
“I never realized how far we actually were,” Lucy admitted, reflecting on the distance they had covered. Although they had been close to the river originally, traversing it by foot was a far more arduous task compared to the swift flight using Lucas's abilities.
Despite their fatigue, they pressed on, panting heavily. Their steps now resembled half-strides compared to their usual full-powered strides.
As they shot hail from thin air at zombies, their attacks seemed endless, but in the grand scheme of the world, a few thousand zombies were a minor fraction of the original population.
After another twenty minutes of staggering progress, they reached the truck where Meri and her brother had sought refuge. Spotting them, Meri rushed over with joy, her previous fear forgotten.
“Miss, you were gone for hours. I was scared you wouldn't make it,” she admitted, her relief evident.
Lucy chuckled and lowered herself to sit down. “We're okay. Honestly, this is our first time being out at night.”
“Yeah,” Lucas agreed with a nod, his gaze shifting to the young boy beside Meri. Although he appeared relieved now, he must have been terrified during their absence.
With a sigh, Lucas hoisted Lucy up from her sitting position and encouraged her to stand.
“Come on, Lucy, let's not be careless. Even though there are no zombies here, we should still be cautious. We need to find a place to spend the night.”
Lucy responded with a whine, “Ohh... aren't we powerful enough already, Lucas? Let's just stay here for the night. It's cool and refreshing outside. I actually quite like it. Look, that building over there is hot and dark. Compared to that, this place is relatively better. Right, Aunt Meri?”
Meri chimed in, “Yes, miss.”
Lucy continued, trying to convince Lucas, “See? Even Meri agrees. Relax, Lucas. Look how beautiful the moon is tonight.”
“No! This place reeks of blood, both yours and mine. Now stand up! That young boy also deserves a warm bed.”
Lucas's tone might have seemed harsh to her, but he was concerned about their safety. He walked ahead, prompting Lucy to begrudgingly follow.
***
“See? I told you it's hot and dark in there,” Lucy complained as they stood near a fire they had managed to light. Sometimes, Lucas felt a desire to tease the naïve Lucy from a few weeks ago, just to humble her a bit.
Lucas turned to the young boy. Although he wasn't fond of children, he found himself sympathizing with them more than adults due to their vulnerability. “Is it tasty?”
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The boy's response surprised him. He actually spoke. While Lucas was aware that the child wasn't mute, hearing him speak so infrequently made this moment unexpected.
Meri, noticing her brother's hesitation, urged him on and gently touched his waist. “Remember what I taught you? When someone gives you something, you should clap your hands together and express your gratitude. Show respect.”
The boy promptly obeyed his sister, clapping his hands and then placing his bowl aside.
Lucas felt a pang of compassion and used his hand to lift the boy's head. “It's alright. I don't find it disrespectful.”
Glancing at Meri, Lucas realized that he sometimes wished he had someone to go through tough situations with him. If he had had an older sibling during his parents' deaths, maybe he wouldn't have felt so alone.
“I'm here. Lucas, make some space.”
Their moment was interrupted as Lucy entered with two bowls in her hands—one for herself and one for Lucas. Lucy began the process of preparing the meal, cutting open a noodle packet and pouring hot water over it to create a warm dish.
This simple meal would sustain them through the night.
With a single slurp, he noticed the delight on Meri's face, which highlighted how long it had been since they had eaten proper food. Although he had to admit, noodles could only be considered halfway decent sustenance. He hoped that one day they could all share a meal of rice together at a proper table. That was his aspiration.
Finishing their modest dinner in silence, they divided into their respective groups—Lucas with the boy, and Meri with Lucy. They couldn't share a room anymore, not by his standards, at least. In his mind, it was safer for him and Lucy to be separated so they could protect Meri and the boy if need be.
Lucas asked the boy, “Is that your pajama?” The boy nodded in response. Gently lifting the child onto the bed, Lucas watched him sleep before turning his attention to the window.
They were currently on the third floor of what used to be a popular restaurant. The ground floor had minimal zombies, with broken glass and dried blood as the only remnants. The second floor had a few zombie family members that they had to eliminate. The restaurant used to house a family and their bedrooms were on the top floor, where they were currently staying.
Lucas hadn't recognized the place initially, as he never paid attention to such things. However, Lucy had identified it immediately upon seeing the name of the restaurant. While it hadn't been as fancy as the upscale establishments, it had been a local favorite. Now, it stood as an eerie, abandoned building—a haven for zombies and the dead.
Consulting his watch, he noted that it was 11:34 p.m. His gaze shifted to the peacefully sleeping child beside him. Despite his typically reserved demeanor, the boy's sleeping position was surprisingly wild—arms and legs stretching out, claiming the entire bed.
“I used to sleep like that, huh...” Lucas mused aloud, feeling a sudden pang of nostalgia. Slowly leaving the bedroom, he found the feeling of unease growing stronger. To counteract it, he retrieved the growth potion and consumed it.
---
[Allocating 10 Stat Points to Vitality!]
---
“Ugh!” The potion's taste was revolting—bitter and oily, as if he were sipping water that had been stagnant for centuries and had developed a layer of mold.
“Is that you, Lucas?” A voice called out from behind, nearly giving him a heart attack. He turned to find Lucy, wearing a floral-patterned dress, standing there with a look of concern.
“Are you okay, Lucas?” Lucas propped himself up on the sofa, leaning against it for support.
“I'm fine, don't worry. I think it's just the infection from the injury, especially since I rolled around in the dirt quite a bit today.”
“Oh! You should have taken the potion I gave you earlier.”
Lucy's tone held a hint of annoyance, but he understood that it came from a place of care.
“Alright, alright! Why are you out so late?”
“I heard the sound of the door closing, so I came out to check.”
Lucas sighed, sitting fully on the sofa and rubbing his temples.
“I must be so out of it from the pain that I didn't even notice you approaching or the sound of your door.”
“I was intentionally quiet, you know, just in case there were strangers around.”
“Yeah, but I should have noticed, at least when you were right behind me. Besides, I'm feeling really dizzy right now. My head is throbbing.”
Even Lucy had picked up on his condition. Despite the passage of time, none of his wounds had begun to heal. He'd been staggering around like someone on the brink of collapse.
“What about Meri?”
“She's asleep.”
With only the two of them, the absence of electricity left the surroundings in complete darkness. However, their eyes had adjusted to the lack of light, thanks in part to the moon that cast a faint glow.
“Stay put, I'll get a damp cloth. You don't look well at all.”
“I can handle it, don't worry. I was feeling fine when we had dinner.”
“Lucas, you were fine then and now you're not, so please just sit quietly.”
As Lucy spoke, she headed toward the bathroom, and Lucas rested his head against the sofa, struggling to comprehend his surroundings due to the pounding headache.
“Ugh...”