They entered the kitchen, a cozy space with a large wooden table in the center, surrounded by some stylish chairs, used by nobles.
Sunlight streamed through the open window, illuminating the pots bubbling on the mana-stove. Elara stood there, stirring a pot of chicken soup with a wooden spoon, trying to make it hot once again. The steam rose in lazy curls, carrying the rich scent of herbs she might have put in the soup, and some tender meat.
On the counter beside her were fresh loaves of bread and a bowl of vegetable salad, carrots, potatoes, and greens, all bought with the money Lys had left for household costs before heading out on the morning.
Elara looked up as they came in; her fiery red hair was tied back with a simple cloth, and her threadbare gown was clinging to her body slightly from the heat.
"About time you came home, have you seen how high the sun is now. I was beginning to think you weren't coming home for lunch."
Elara said, her voice mild as she set the spoon down. A small smile tugged at her lips, but her eyes lingered on them a second longer than usual, flicking to how Mira hid behind Lys. "Sit down, you two. The soup's hot, and I've bought bread to go with it."
Lys guided Mira to the table, pulling out a chair for her before taking his own. They settled in, the wooden seats creaking under their weight. Mira fidgeted, her hands in her lap, avoiding Elara's gaze.
Lys, however, felt a surge of appetite hit him; the soup looked tasty, chunks of chicken floating amid the golden broth.
But before they could dig in, Elara turned from the stove, wiping her hands on her apron. "Wait, wait, wait. Wait a minute, you two. What are you two doing now?"
Mira gasped with shock, anticipating what was about to come.
But instead of scolding them, Elara just said, "Why are two siting down without washing your hands first? Go wash your hands first. Both of you."
Mira groaned softly, slumping in her chair with relief. Then she picked up what Elara said just now, "Mom, why waste water like that? We have only a small amount of mana crystal left now. Let's not use it up for something like this."
Elara placed her hands on her hips, her expression firm but not harsh. She walked over to the table, setting down bowls with a soft clink. "I've already collected water from the pump earlier for household use, Mira. And however low we are on mana stone, what needs to be done can't be left undone just because we are running low on mana stone. Clean hands mean clean health, end of story. Go wash your hands with the water I've put in the bucket beside the tub in the bathroom."
Lys and Mira stood up and went toward the washroom to wash their hands.
Lys's mind was on the mana stone now. He knew the pump used for collecting water from underground was used by manastone. But the problem was, mana crystals weren't cheap, especially in a village like theirs. Even though Sara had said she'll take care of it, that doesn't mean he can lean on her for every detail like these.
"Then why not buy more mana crystals?" he asked his mother as he sat down on the chair, genuinely curious. "We could just stock up, can't we? We have gold coins to spare. How much could it even cost?!"
Elara shook her head as she ladled soup into the bowls, the steam rising like a veil. "We're okay, Lys. We shouldn't be using money to buy things for luxury, like manastones for the water pump. We can just go to the well built for villagers' use, it's just around the area, not too far."
She sat down across from them, her own bowl in hand, and blew gently on the soup to cool it.
Lys thought for a second, chewing on a piece of bread as the flavors burst in his mouth, fresh and hearty. It was a little bland compared to Earth, but it had a feeling mixed into it, which food back on Earth didn't have. It was the feeling of home. He put a spoonful of soup into his mouth, feeling the warm aroma of it.
As he ate, he began thinking about things in his mind.
Their previous hut, however worn out it was, had a well right in the yard. They'd never worried about water until now. But this new place, with its noble touches, they had to rely on the pump for getting water, and no other source was built in, too.
The closest well was a few houses away, meaning trips back and forth with buckets, tedious work, especially for Elara and Mira when he wasn't around.
So, in other words, buying mana stones was a necessity in this house. Either that, or build a new well in this house. And seeing how reluctant his mother was about spending coins on what she saw as "luxury," he knew the burden would fall on him.
Digging a well? No way in hell could he build one in this fancy house; it would ruin the yard and take days. Plus, it probably requires permits from that smug chief. No way he is going to him for this.
So, the option before him was obvious: he'd have to go to the market himself to buy mana stones. It wasn't a big deal for him; he had extra coins now, so he would just solve the problem quietly, without letting his mother know. When she sees he has already bought it, she can't refuse it, can she?
"However much it is, we shouldn't use coins for things like that. Save them for emergency, honey."
"Alright, Mom," Lys said between bites, deciding not to push it right then.
The soup he was eating was delicious, savory chicken mingled with herbs, warming him from the inside out. Mira finally relaxed a bit, sipping her own bowl, though she still stole glances at her mother, trying to figure out if she was angry or not toward her.
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The three of them ate in companionable silence for a while, the only sounds the clink of spoons against bowls and the occasional slurp from Mira. Elara passed around the bread, tearing off chunks with her hands. "So, how was your morning, Lys?" she asked casually, her tone light as she dipped her own bread into the broth.
"Hmm, Busy," he replied, keeping it vague. No need to dive into the village drama just yet. "Helped Sara with some things, and ohh, forgot to tell you. The guild's coming along in our village, it should be good for everyone, right?"
Mira perked up at that, her shyness fading as curiosity took over. "Huh, the guild? You mean the adventurers and stuff? Whoa, that sounds…..exciting! Will there be knights or mages visiting our village?"
Lys just replied casually, "Hmm, I think so."
Elara smiled faintly, seeing how happy her daughter was with the mention of the guild, but her eyes held a watchful glint. "As long as it brings steady work and not trouble. We've had enough upheaval with the monsters growing more dangerous around the forest lately."