Chapter 2

Domrémy, a small village in the French countryside, is awakened by the first rays of morning sunlight. The sunlight invades every nook and cranny, even the roofs of the ruined houses like Rémy's cannot escape its presence.

The rays of sun reflect off the thatched roof that still remains on Rémy's house, spreading an aura of warmth and illuminating the room with a yellowish light. Gradually, the shadows disappear, and everything takes on a new appearance.

In the ruined house, Rémy rose from bed with a sense of relief, surprised at his improved mobility compared to the day before. With a keen eye, he observed his small hands, noticing how they now looked plumper and healthier, with no more signs of protruding bones or excessively clinging skin.

Rémy was deeply surprised to realize that he could get out of bed without feeling much difficulty, considering that the day before he could barely stand up on his own. He felt a mixture of shock and relief to note that the strength of his body was slowly returning, and a sense of gratitude for Jeanne invaded his heart.

Rémy thought deeply, questioning the speed of his recovery and pondering the possible reasons for it. Was it because of Jeanne? Or perhaps due to the era he finds himself in? Or maybe, was it the fault of the system? He put his hand on his chin, as his mind worked frantically, seeking to find an answer.

But suddenly, his nose was hit by a putrid odor, making him twist his face and cover his mouth. He looked around, examining his small house in pieces, with only a grass bed and some decorative stones to give a little more life to the environment.

"Something's stinking," he said aloud, realizing that the odor was coming from inside his house. With a look of concern, Rémy decided to investigate the source of the unpleasant smell.

In order to discover the origin of the odor, Rémy began to inhale deeply, trying to identify where that unpleasant smell was coming from. However, as a precautionary measure, he decided to smell himself, and at that moment, he almost fainted due to the strong odor emanating from his body. He realized that he had not yet bathed and that, at that time, personal hygiene left much to be desired, which was understandable considering the technological and sanitary limitations of the time.

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Jeanne, upon waking up, got up from bed with determination and went straight to the kitchen where she kept the supplements. With quick and precise movements, she removed the fruits and other things and began to carefully separate them in a cloth. Noticing that the cloth she used to carry the supplements was with Rémy, she decided to take the clean one from her bed.

Jeanne liked to keep her belongings organized and well-cared for, so she carefully placed the things she was going to take to Rémy in her bedcloth. She knew that Rémy needed supplements to recover, and she would spare no effort to bring them to him.

After she meticulously organized everything, carefully placing each food item in her bedcloth, she hurriedly left her residence, sliding down the stairs in a frenzy. Her mother, who was already preparing with her husband on the lower floor, could only catch a glimpse of Jeanne's fluttering and beautiful hair as she passed by her.

"Is the girl taking food to that boy again?" asked the mother to her husband, who was beside her, arranging his equipment for work in the field. Hearing his wife questioning, the husband turned to her and declared, "Probably, but she needs to stop doing that. We can't keep feeding him this way. First, we need to pay our taxes."

Jeanne ran excitedly towards Rémy's house, her heavy cloth swaying in sync with her hurried steps. She wondered if Rémy had slept well with the cloth she had given him.

Jeanne walked through the green fields until she reached Rémy's house. When she saw her friend standing alone, her eyes widened in surprise and happiness. The cloth she held in her hands fell to the ground, forgotten in front of the unexpected scene.

Rémy looked stronger, more full of life than she had seen him last time. His eyes shone, and a wide smile was stamped on his face. Jeanne couldn't believe that was the same boy she had seen so thin yesterday and the days before.

Emotions took over Jeanne, who couldn't contain the tears. She ran towards Rémy and hugged him tightly, feeling her heart pulsing with joy. For a moment, she forgot everything around her and could only feel happiness for him having improved.

With an emotional and surprised tone of voice, Jeanne exclaimed, "Ré, I can't believe what I'm seeing! You're getting better! This is a true miracle!" Without hesitation, she rubbed her face on Rémy's chest, letting her tears flow and wet his clothes. An expression of astonishment took over Rémy's face as he saw the girl crying again because of him.

Jeanne's voice was loaded with relief and gratitude, showing a mixture of emotions she couldn't contain. It was as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and her joy was palpable.

Rémy, in turn, was incredulous and at the same time moved by Jeanne's reaction. The old body had gone through difficult and painful moments, fighting against a hunger that left him weakened and hopeless.

But now, with Jeanne's help and the supplements she brought, he was starting to recover and feel the strength of his body.

He hugged Jeanne back, feeling the energy and emotion emanating from her. "Yes, Jeanne, I'm getting better. And all thanks to you. Thank you for never giving up on me and for always bringing the supplements that help me feed myself. I don't know what I would do without you," he said, with a soft and grateful voice.

Jeanne smiled, feeling happy and fulfilled to see her friend's improvement. She knew there was still much to do for him to be 100%, but she was willing to continue helping and supporting Rémy until he fully recovered.

Together, they stood there hugging, feeling happiness and gratitude for each other. For Jeanne, the friendship with Rémy was a blessing in her life, and she would do everything she could to help him fully recover.

Rémy, who was hugging Jeanne, realized that something was not right. Feeling the odor coming from her, he couldn't help but make an observation. "Um, you have to take a shower, you stink," he said frankly.

Jeanne, however, seemed not to care about the comment and continued hugging Rémy tightly. He tried to get away, but her arms were glued to him as if they were magnets. So he decided to act firmly and made an effort to remove her arms from his.

Successfully, he freed himself from the tight hug and, with his arms now free, he picked her up by the legs and gently placed her on his shoulder.

"Wait, Ré! You can't exert yourself like that!" Jeanne shouted in panic when he lifted her off the ground.

Jeanne remained silent, aware that her words might not work on Rémy, who was determined to leave his house and walk through the Green field towards the river. He walked with determination, but Jeanne was worried about him, asking several times for him to leave her on the ground and not strain himself carrying her. However, Rémy seemed to ignore her requests and continued his journey. To him, this walk was just training, and he was determined to complete it, even if it meant ignoring Jeanne's concerns. He focused on his goal, leaving behind any distractions, and moved forward with courage and determination. The Green field stretched before him, and the river shone in the distance, inviting him to continue. Jeanne could see the determination in his eyes and knew she wouldn't be able to convince him to stop. So she just silently watched as he walked towards the river, knowing he was determined to complete his mission, no matter what.

Arriving at the river, which was a short distance from Rémy's house, he gently put Jeanne down and, with a smile on his face, said, "See, I'm not that bad. I'm recovering, and I'm getting stronger every day." He joked, showing off his muscles which, although not very prominent, indicated a healthier and better-nourished body than before. It was a great victory for Rémy, whose body had previously suffered from malnutrition and lack of adequate medical care. Now, he was stronger.

Jeanne felt incredibly relieved to see that Rémy was okay. Her heart seemed to explode with happiness. However, when he spoke to her, she turned her head, crossed her arms, and pouted stubbornly. She didn't want to talk to him, not after he had carried her all the way, ignoring her request to leave her on the ground.

"Jeanne? Are you mad at me for carrying you here? If so, I'm sorry." Rémy tried to make peace, but Jeanne seemed not to have heard, or maybe she was ignoring the reconciliation attempt. She took off her shoes and dipped her feet in the water, looking away from him with a look of disdain.

Running out of patience, Rémy made a direct threat to try to break the ice between him and Jeanne. "If you don't talk to me, I'll push you into the water," he declared, his voice filled with despair. But Jeanne pretended not to have heard anything, maintaining her impenetrable demeanor and her attention fixed on the horizon.

Not satisfied with the response, Rémy decided to act and pushed Jeanne into the water, diving in right after her. Jeanne felt her heart race as the cold water surrounded her, her eyes widening momentarily before closing with the impact. She didn't expect that, but she couldn't help feeling a slight sense of amusement creeping into her body as she tried to recover from the shock.

Rémy couldn't help but make a joke to ease the tension between him and Jeanne. "Look on the bright side, now you don't smell anymore," he commented, with a smile on his face. Jeanne, however, didn't find the joke funny. Her eyes narrowed in a fierce expression, and she shouted at him, "Ré, you stinky! You'll see!"

Without wasting any time, Jeanne chased after Rémy, who ran in the opposite direction to try to escape. The two laughed as they ran, feeling the adrenaline pulsing through their bodies. Rémy knew he was taking a risk by teasing Jeanne, but he thought it was worth it for the smile on her face.

After an intense chase, Rémy and Jeanne finally stopped, both exhausted, sitting together on a large rock. Still panting, they caught their breath. It was then that Jeanne bit Rémy's shoulder, not letting go, and spoke with her mouth still pressed: "I... hate you."

Rémy couldn't help but smile at Jeanne's playful tone. "What a twist, because I adore you!" he replied, displaying a bright smile. Jeanne stuck her tongue out at him in protest, but soon became serious. Rémy noticed the change in behavior and decided to ask, "What happened? Are you feeling sick or something?"

Jeanne approached Rémy with a sad and very worried expression on her face. With a tone of voice filled with anguish, she asked, "Will we stay like this forever?"

The question left Rémy intrigued, but he knew that Jeanne heard voices in her head, according to the legends and the universe of Fate. He wondered if the voice had manifested so early and became so absorbed in his thoughts that he forgot to answer Jeanne.

Observing Rémy's serious and thoughtful face, Jeanne realized that she needed to be firmer in her words. With a new look of determination, she said, "Rê, you promised that you would stay with me! So, let's not let anything separate us!"

Jeanne's words surprised and frightened Rémy, but at the same time, he felt a deep admiration for the girl's determination. Looking at those bright blue eyes and the radiant smile that illuminated her face, and her beautiful golden hair swaying in the wind, Rémy couldn't help but feel enchanted by the beauty and elegance that surrounded Jeanne.

With a warm smile, he replied, "Yes, I won't let anything separate us." Jeanne seemed to have remembered something and, in a panicked tone, exclaimed, "Shit, I have to help my parents, or they'll fight with me again." And she ran off.

Rémy, sitting on top of a rock, watched Jeanne's back as she ran. Her golden hair swayed in the wind, giving her an even more dazzling and elegant appearance. With a warm smile slowly disappearing from his face, Rémy affirmed to himself, "I won't let anyone hurt her, I promise."