By the time Rudra and Aarav reached the outskirts of Drona Village, The sky was pitch black and very cold. Not a single light was on in the village because everyone was fast asleep.
Aarav rubbed his arms to stay warm and looked at Rudra. "It's so late. We should have been back hours ago."
Rudra nodded, his eyes tired. "I know. My legs feel like lead."
"Do you think anyone saw us come back?" Aarav asked, looking around the dark path.
"No," Rudra replied softly. "The whole village is silent. Let's just get inside before someone wakes up."
Aarav sighed with relief. "Good. I just want to hit my bed and sleep for a week."
The village gates finally came into view. Their legs ached with every step, and the straps of their heavy bags dug into their shoulders, but they had made it. They were safe.
The moment they stepped past the stone pillars of the gate—
"RUDRA! AARAV!"
Both boys froze instantly, their blood turning to ice. They looked at each other at the exact same time, eyes wide with genuine terror.
"That voice…" Aarav whispered, his lower lip actually trembling. "That's definitely Aunty Naina."
Rudra's face turned a ghostly shade of pale. "We're dead," he muttered, his grip tightening on his bag of Ember Seeds. "How did she even find out we left the village? I thought we were being quiet!"
Rudra glanced at Aarav, his eyes narrowing with sudden suspicion. "You didn't tell her... right? You didn't crack under the pressure before we even left?"
Aarav stared back at him as if Rudra had grown a second head. "Are you stupid? If I'd told her, do you think we'd have spent the night running through a monster-infested forest? We'd be locked in the cellar by now!"
Rudra let out a long, shaky sigh. "Yeah... fair point."
Before they could even adjust the heavy bags on their shoulders, Naina stormed toward them. Her eyes were bloodshot from a sleepless night, and her expression was nothing short of furious.
"Rudra," she said, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "Do you have even the slightest idea what time it is?"
She didn't wait for an answer before whirling on Aarav. "And you! You too? You went with him? He literally just regained consciousness yesterday! And you thought it was a brilliant idea to take him roaming outside the village walls in the dead of night?"
Aarav opened his mouth, his hands up in a defensive gesture. "Aunty, I-"
"Quiet!" Naina cut him off instantly. "Don't you dare say a word."
Her voice began to tremble, the anger giving way to something much more painful. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I've been scouring this village for you both since last night. Not once—not even once—did it cross your minds that you have an aunt who might be scared of death?"
Rudra swallowed hard, the weight of the Ember Seeds feeling like lead. "Aunty," he said softly, "I was just about to tell you today-"
"Today?" Naina interrupted, her voice breaking. "When? After I had a heart attack? Do you know how terrified I was ..."
She couldn't finish the sentence. Tears finally spilled over, tracking down her tired face.
Rudra and Aarav stood there, paralyzed by the sight of her crying. They looked at each other for a split second before, without a word, they both stepped forward and pulled her into a tight, desperate hug.
"Aunty..." Aarav said quietly, his own voice thick with guilt. "Please don't say things like that. We're okay. We're right here."
He took a deep breath, realizing that they needed a miracle to stay out of trouble. "You know Rudra... he's trying to become a Chemist. That's why we went."
Naina stiffened in the hug.
"And it's not just a dream," Aarav added quickly, doubling down to save their skins. "He's actually incredible at it. He can identify herbs I've never even heard of."
Naina pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she looked at Rudra, stunned. "What? A Chemist? Rudra... is that true? You went out there for medicine?"
She took a shaky breath, her professional curiosity as a healer warring with her maternal anger. "Show me. What herbs could possibly be worth a night in those mountains? I want to see for myself what you were doing out there."
Rudra offered her a gentle, tired smile. "Aunty," he said calmly, "I'll show you everything. I promise. But first... please. Come eat with us. You look exhausted," Rudra said, his voice softening as he looked at her tired face. "We haven't eaten a single thing since yesterday evening and honestly, looking at you, I don't think you've eaten either."
Naina blinked, the sharp edge of her anger momentarily blunted by his concern. "You haven't eaten? Neither of you?"
Before either of them could pull away or offer an excuse, she reached out and snatched both of their ears in her firm grip. "Idiots!" she snapped, though her voice was still thick with the remnants of her tears. "Come with me right now!"
And just like that, she began dragging them back toward the Orphanage. She scolded them with every step, her grip just loose enough not to cause real pain, but tight enough that they couldn't even think of escaping. She was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions of furious at their recklessness, exhausted from the vigil, and deeply, quietly relieved to have them back in one piece.
However, once she realized they hadn't eaten a single bite since the previous day, her worry turned into action.
As soon as they reached the orphanage, she hurried to the kitchen to see what was left. "There's some food here," she called out, "but it's gone cold. Give me a moment to heat it up."
She quickly warmed the meal and brought it to the dining hall, placing the steaming plates on the table. "Eat up," she told them firmly. "But remember, once you're finished, you have to show me exactly what you were doing up in those mountains."
Hearing this, both boys started to bolt down the food as if they hadn't eaten in years. Seeing their hunger, Naina's expression softened, and she eventually sat down with her own plate to join them.
"Slow down, you two," she teased, though her eyes were still tired. "The food isn't going to run away."
After they had finally finished their meal, the tension in the room began to fade into a exhaustion. Naina watched as both boys struggled to keep their eyes open, their heads nodding as they sat at the table.
She let out a soft sigh and began clearing the plates. "Actually, look at the two of you," she said, her voice much gentler now. "It's already late, and you look like you're about to fall asleep in your chairs."
Rudra started to reach for his bag. "But Aunty, I wanted to show you-"
"No," Naina interrupted, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "The herbs aren't going anywhere, and neither am I. You both need real rest after what you put your bodies through today."
She pointed toward the hallway. "Go to sleep. You can show me your results tomorrow morning when your heads are clear. I'll be waiting right here at the table."
Aarav didn't even try to argue; he just stood up with a weary grin. "Thanks, Aunty. I think my legs would have given out if I stayed up another ten minutes."
Rudra nodded, feeling the weight of the day finally catching up to him. "Goodnight, Aunty. Tomorrow, I'll show you everything."
Ashfall Orphanage
Next day, because they stayed up so late last night, Rudra and Aarav overslept. By the time they finally made it to the dining room, the other children had already finished eating and left.
The three of them, Aunty Naina, Rudra, and Aarav sat at the simple wooden table in the center of the room. They ate their breakfast in silence, but the air was heavy with tension. It felt like a trial was about to begin.
Aunty Naina finished her last bite and put her spoon down. She looked at the two boys, who were still eating quickly.
"You two are very late today," she said firmly.
Aarav stopped chewing and looked down at his plate. "We're sorry, Aunty. We were just really tired from last night."
Rudra kept eating, trying to look natural, but he could feel her staring at him.
"Is that the only reason?" Aunty Naina asked. "Because you were tired? Or is there something else you want to tell me about where you went?"
After the question everyone was silent. Naina broke the silence first, her voice firm and demanding. " Now. Show me. Show me exactly what you risked your lives for in those mountains."
Rudra felt a cold bead of sweat trickle down his back. He nodded slowly, his heart thumping against his ribs. "Yes, Aunty. Just a moment."
He reached for his bag, his fingers brushing against the bottom where the Ember Seeds lay. He could feel their warm, pulsating energy even through the fabric.
'I can't show her the seeds,' he thought frantically, his mind racing. 'If she sees them and realizes their true value, she'll panic. Or worse, she'll forbid me from ever stepping outside the gates again to "protect" me.'
One by one, he began pulling out the other herbs, placing them on the table with deliberate care while keeping the Ember Seeds buried deep in the shadows of the bag. Within moments, a vibrant pile of greenery had formed on the rough wood.
Rudra began naming them softly, his finger pointing to each specimen. "Blueleaf Grass. Glowroot. Mistflower. Softmana Moss. And these are the Clearwater Leaves."
Naina leaned forward, her medical instincts taking over. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the haul. She picked up a single stalk of Blueleaf Grass, turning it over to inspect the roots and the untarnished texture of the leaves.
"This... this is incredible," she murmured, almost to herself, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Such high quality? And the harvesting... they've been preserved perfectly. Not a single petal is bruised."
She looked up at Rudra, her gaze searching. "Rudra, how did you know how to handle these? Even experienced gatherers often ruin the Mana Moss by pulling it too hard."
Aarav looked at her, surprised. "Aunty, can you recognize herbs too?"
Naina smiled faintly, a look of nostalgia crossing her face. "Yes, Aarav. I can. Long before I became a nurse here… I was once a student of a famous Herbiest."
Rudra stared at her in shock. "Aunty… is collecting herbs really a profession?"
Naina let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "You really don't know much yet, Rudra. Herb collection is a proper skill. Those who specialize in it are called Herbists. Some collect herbs from dangerous forests, others grow them in their own spiritual gardens."
"And when herbs fully evolve," she added, her eyes gleaming, "they sell for extremely high prices."
Rudra looked down at the pile on the table again. "So aunty," he asked carefully, "the quality of the herbs I collected…?"
Naina answered without hesitation. "Good?"
She shook her head. "Don't be foolish. These are exceptionally high-quality herbs. The mana preservation in them is nearly perfect."
Then her expression turned serious. She looked at him with a mix of suspicion and wonder. "But tell me one thing. Where did you learn this? Finding herbs is hard enough, but harvesting them properly without damaging their roots is considered one of the most difficult tasks."
She paused, studying him. "And on top of that… you said you want to become a Chemist too? Is that really true?"
Rudra met her gaze directly. "Yes, aunty. I truly want to become a Chemist."
Then, hesitating slightly, he added, "Aunty… does a Chemist not have respect in this world? I've never left Drona Village before. I don't know much about the outside world. You're the only one who can explain these things to me."
Naina fell silent for a moment. Then she smiled gently.
"Who told you Chemists aren't respected?"
"Listen carefully, Rudra," she said, her voice filled with conviction. "A Chemist is a highly respected profession. Chemists use herbs to create medicines that ordinary people and powerful warriors can safely use."
She gestured to the hospital walls around them. "In Drona Village, medicines are extremely expensive. We pay huge amounts just to stock the basics in this hospital. Only wealthy people can afford to buy them regularly."
Rudra listened intently, absorbing every word.
"But," Naina went on, leaning closer, "if you truly want to become a famous Chemist, or sell your medicines quickly and safely then you must join a Guild."
Rudra frowned. "Guilds? What are those, aunty?"
Naina sat back and began explaining patiently.
"This world functions on many different skills," she said. "To organize them, we have Guilds. For example: Chemist Guild, Healers' Guild, Adventurer Guilds, and many more."
"And not only that," she added, "Guilds also have levels."
She held up one finger. "From One-Star to Five-Stars."
Rudra and Aarav listened without blinking.
"One-Star Guilds," Naina explained, "are basic guilds, like the ones here in Drona Village. You can register, take small jobs, and earn money."
"Two-Star Guilds are found in larger towns. Each Two-Star guild usually oversees around thirty One-Star guilds."
"Three-Star Guilds exist in major cities, and each one oversees thirty Two-Star guilds."
"Four-Star Guilds operate at the state level, each controlling forty Three-Star guilds."
"Five-Star Guilds," she said, her voice growing heavier with reverence, "exist at the country level."
"There is only one per country, and it governs forty Four-Star guilds."
Rudra and Aarav were barely breathing now. The scale of the world had just expanded right in front of them, making their small village feel like a tiny speck in a vast universe.