Chapter 249 Adrenaline
The man appeared to be deep in thought, processing what Aleshia had just said. After a moment, he tentatively asked, "Has he been able to pay you for all your work? Is everyone else safe?" Dread was visible on his face as he tried to get out of bed and look more presentable, despite having just woken up. The fog of sleep still clouded his mind, possibly a side effect of the curing circle or waking up for the first time in a long time.
"It's quite good," Aleshia replied reassuringly, standing her ground and making no moves to seem threatening. "Everyone here is as safe as can be. Your friends are in the same condition you were and are beginning to recover. I'm being treated well by the kids here, so there's no need to fret about me on that front."
"Wait, kids? How can there still be children here? Wouldn't this place be ruined and unfit to house them now, according to the alliance? Shouldn't they have been taken away? How is this possible?" He looked around, taking in the age of the room and the sight of his friends lying there, looking sickly in their cots.
After a while, his mind began to clear as he overlooked his friends, and he realized that the things the girl had alluded to might indeed be true. "This can't be happening. Could he really have managed to keep this place running with so many of us incapable of helping?" he said in disbelief.
The man crawled out of the cot and stumbled to his feet, supporting himself against the wall, feeling its nostalgic texture. After a moment of reminiscing, he exited the room, slowly scanning his surroundings. He saw the sleeping bodies of children, and peeking into other rooms revealed even more. As he observed their peaceful faces, a sense of calm washed over him, reassured by the sight of so many restful children.
'So, he was able to keep this place afloat,' the man thought. 'I need to get better as soon as possible.' However, it seemed that the adrenaline that had driven him out of bed was wearing off. He slowly collapsed onto the ground, bracing himself as he fell to minimize noise and avoid disturbing the children's sleep.
Aleshia had been closely monitoring the situation as it unfolded. Lucia had returned to her head, but there was a hint of annoyance about her. Nonetheless Lucia lifted the man off the ground and floated him back to the now-empty cot, remarking, "That cure circle seems a lot better now, don't you think, Aleshia?"