Rules of the Universe
I wanted to place that longsword upon an altar to show how thankful I was to its return. After our exchange that afternoon, Bai Ye finally started talking to me again—not just trying to convince me to give up or grudgingly answering my questions, but actually having a conversation, sometimes even with a faint smile.
Although I could've imagined better, this was already much bigger progress than I had prepared myself for, and I felt beyond content. The next few days passed in bliss. I was even more thrilled when he told me an improved potion recipe without me asking, and the effect of it couldn't be more obvious. Color started returning to his face within just a couple of doses, and those hollow cheeks slowly began to gain some of their fullness back as well.