The Mysterious Stone

However, Ash felt that something was off.

Compared to white jade, this stone, which was smaller than the size of her palm, had a color more akin to that of some sort of bone.

Could it be a bone of a spirit beast?

This thought quickly crossed Ash's mind but was immediately dismissed.

After all, Spirit Beasts didn't leave behind corpses after they died, so where would their bones come from?

"I don't know what this is…" Ash thought for a moment before finally giving that answer. "I'll check the information when we go back tomorrow."

Larvavine also nodded its head and didn't ask any more questions.

After all, it couldn't eat this object, so it wasn't interested.

"Larvavine~ Larvavine~"

Larvavine chirped again at Ash, urging her to follow it up the island.

It had found a good place to make a nest.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Ash responded, not lingering too much on what the stone might be.

After casually tucking the stone into her pocket, she dragged the raft and followed Larvavine onto the small island.

However, by simply tucking the stone away without thinking, Ash didn't notice... that the white stone she had picked up with her right hand had quietly absorbed the bloodstains that had dissolved from her palm due to the sweat.

...

The next day.

Solvale Town.

The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky.

Everything seemed to bask in the lazy and tranquil atmosphere of the weekend.

Suddenly—

"Cough, cough, cough… cough, cough…"

A violent fit of coughing shattered the serene silence.

And then—

"Arakniquen~"

An anxious cry from a Spirit Beast echoed within an old house.

This was the public library of Solvale Town, located in the old district.

Due to the advancements of the internet, few people came to borrow or read books here anymore.

The library had become desolate, with only a single old man, who appeared to be in his sixties, still working there.

At this moment, the old man was kneeling on the floor while clutching his chest with one hand and coughing violently.

His entire body trembled in pain.

The cold sweat soaking through his clothes.

His pale and bloodless face was covered in beads of sweat the size of pearls, making him look utterly miserable.

"Arakniquen~"

Beside him, the Arakniquen, holding a medicine bottle in one claw and a water cup in the other, gazed at him with deep concern.

Its low, anxious cries reverberated softly.

"Cough, cough, cough…"

After several strained breaths, the old man finally stopped coughing.

He raised his head and glanced at Arakniquen, which was looking at him with worry.

Forcing a weak smile to reassure it, he murmured, "I'm sorry, old friend… I scared you, didn't I?"

Arakniquen immediately extended its claws, presenting the water cup and medicine bottle to the old man.

At the same time, it let out a soft whimper, expressing its worry.

"Don't worry, I'm fine… it's just an old ailment."

The old man reached out his hand to pat Arakniquen's head before taking the water cup it offered and drinking it deeply.