Seeing Pen's rashes fade and hearing the system's chime, Ziqian finally let out the breath he had been holding. Relief crashed over him so strongly he wanted to cry.
Together with Yan, they gently dressed Pen again, careful not to disturb his weakened body. Lia stayed close, checking every rise and fall of his chest.
When Pen's breathing steadied into a calm rhythm, the three of them finally allowed themselves to relax. The young sub-beast's eyelashes fluttered once, then stilled as he drifted into deep, peaceful sleep, no longer in pain.
The tent, which had been filled with panic and despair only moments ago, was now heavy with silence—a silence of exhausted relief.
Ziqian sat back on his heels, his trembling hands pressed against his knees. Thank goodness… we made it in time.
"You're amazing, Ah-Zi! You completed a side quest," Phi happily said, her tiny body twirling above his head like a glowing wisp.
"The rewards are really generous!" Ero added, his sharp eyes scanning the blue screen only they could see. "In just one side quest you opened the shop."
Ziqian's heart was still pounding from the scare, but his weary peach-blossom eyes brightened when he heard that the shop is now open. He was about to check what the shop can offer when he saw Xue walking towards him.
Xue, who had been silently watching everything from the side, finally moved. He crouched beside Ziqian, gently taking his trembling hands into his own. The man's cold fingers brushed over Ziqian's reddened palm, and his brows furrowed tightly.
"Is it hurt?" he asked in a low voice, pulling out a small woooden tube of cool sap and carefully spreading it over the burns.
Only then did Ziqian notice the red marks on his skin. Earlier, in his rush, he hadn't even registered the pain of carrying the hot ginger soup. Now that Xue's touch soothed the burn, a sharp sting followed by cool relief spread through his hands.
Ziqian blinked, his lips parting. "I… didn't notice."
Xue's gaze darkened. "You always forget yourself. Next time, don't," Xue murmured, wrapping the palms with gentle care.
Yan, finally able to breathe now that Pen was resting peacefully, shifted her gaze—and froze.
Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. Xue was bent over Ziqian, his large hands gently cradling the sub-beast's burned palms. His expression was one she had never seen before—soft, almost pained, as though every mark on Ziqian's skin was carved into his heart.
She never thought their cold, aloof young patriarch would act this way toward anyone, much less so openly.
She hadn't thought much earlier when Xue carried Ziqian back, assuming it was simply because the sub-beast had been injured, but this… this was different. Xue's every movement was careful and protective, and the way Ziqian looked back at him with faint surprise and trust. It was like they were in their own world.
Unlike Yan, Lia wasn't surprised at all. She had already caught the two kissing once, and now seeing them together again only warmed her heart. Rather than feeling awkward, she was genuinely happy. To her, Ziqian didn't just help Pen—he was slowly changing Xue too.
Lia softly cleared his throat, his cough deliberate but gentle. The sound drew Xue's sharp gaze and Ziqian's tired one, pulling them both out of their quiet moment.
"Now that Pen is out of danger," the High Priest said, his voice calm yet carrying quiet authority, "Ziqian, I want to understand what really happened. You said Pen wasn't poisoned, so then what was it?"
Ziqian hesitated, lowering his eyes. He wasn't sure how to explain an allergic reaction in terms they would understand. Back on Earth, the word was common knowledge, but here… would they even believe him?
Yan, still sitting close to her brother, looked up at Ziqian with hopeful eyes. "Yes, please… tell us. If it's not poison, then why did he suffer like that?"
"It wasn't poison," Ziqian began carefully. "The fruit Pen ate… it reacts differently with some people's bodies. It's called an allergy. To most, this fruit is harmless, even nutritious. But to someone like Pen, his body fought against it. That's why he couldn't breathe and why rashes appeared."
Lia frowned in thought, repeating softly, "An allergy… not poison. Are you saying that there are plants that are harmful to other individuals even if they are edible?" he asked, his tone carrying both curiosity and caution.
Ziqian nodded. "Yes. Some plants can be nourishing to most people, but for others… their bodies see them as an enemy. Instead of gaining strength, it harms them. That's what happened to Pen, and it can be as dangerous as poison, sometimes even worse. If we hadn't acted quickly, Pen might not have survived."
Lia's brows knitted, his fingers drumming against his knee as he absorbed the thought. "So, it is not poison in truth, but the body treating it as such…"
Yan clasped her hands together, trembling slightly. "Then… if it happens again? How can we know what to eat and not to eat?"
Yan knew how delicious the food cooked by Ziqian was. That's why, like the others, she was also eager to find edible plants, but with this kind of situation, how could she ensure that the food safe for others would also be safe for her husband and little brother?
Ziqian had the same thought as Yan. How can I know?
On Earth, allergies were common. With modern medicine, there were ways to know—skin pricks, blood tests, and elimination diets. There were doctors, hospitals, and even medicine to counter the reactions. But here, in Gaia, where none of that existed, how can they prevent something like this from happening again?
"You don't need to worry about this, Ah-Zi. People in Gaia are different. Their bodies have strong adaptability. It's an innate ability for survival in this kind of environment. They might be allergic to it now, but tomorrow, they could eat it with gusto," Ero said lazily from the top of Ziqian's head, bored by the entire discussion.
"Pen's case is rare," Phi added, his gentle tone carrying a note of sorrow as he hovered near the unconscious youth. "It could be due to his weak constitution or complications when he was still in the womb. He's far more fragile than most sub-beasts."
Ziqian bit his lip. He couldn't give Yan the kind of certainty she was looking for, so he simply echoed Phi's words.
Yan froze, she was caught between disbelief and relief, then finally she lowered her gaze, her trembling hands settling over her brother's. Everything Ziqian said aligned with what she knew deep down—Pen had always been weaker than others because of some complications with their mother's pregnancy.
A heavy silence lingered in the tent as Lia, Yan, and even Xue absorbed the strange yet weighty explanation. When someone from the outside shouted, "High Priest! How's Pen?"
The voice immediately stirred the restless crowd. They had been waiting outside the patriarch's tent, straining their ears for news. They had heard shuffles, then exclamations, and finally a long silence. Some of them were genuinely worried for Pen's condition, while others were simply eager to know if the beautiful new sub-beast truly had the ability to save him.
The one who asked was one of Kea's lackeys, his tone more mocking than concerned. He clearly intended to stir trouble by making noise and drawing attention to humiliate Ziqian.
"Mother, Ziqian needs to rest," Xue said, his low voice leaving no room for argument. His protective gaze swept toward the tent's entrance.
Lia nodded, already understanding. "You two can go out at the back," she said softly to Ziqian. "Let me handle the rest."
Without a word, Xue bent down and scooped Ziqian into his arms. The sub-beast was startled for a moment, but exhaustion quickly overcame his protests. His burned palm still stung, and his body felt drained after the tense rescue.
Xue didn't slow down. With steady steps, he carried Ziqian through the back exit of the patriarch's tent, where no curious eyes were waiting. The quiet cold breeze brushed against them, a stark contrast to the murmuring crowd at the front.
Ziqian blinked up at him, peach-blossom eyes heavy with fatigue. "You didn't have to carry me…" he whispered.
"You need rest," Xue replied curtly, though the way he adjusted his hold to make Ziqian more comfortable betrayed his gentleness.
Meanwhile, at the front of the tent, Lia and Yan remained behind. As soon as they stepped out, the crowd surged closer with questions.
"High Priest! How is Pen?"
"Did he survive?"
"Ziqian saved him?"
Lia raised a hand for silence, his voice cutting through the noise.
"Pen is safe," he announced, his tone calm yet commanding. "He is resting now." His sharp eyes swept over the gathered beasts and sub-beasts.
The announcement drew mixed reactions. Relief washed over most, while a few exchanged doubtful glances.
"He really saved him…?" One voice whispered in awe.
"Ziqian did it?" another asked, disbelief lacing the words.
Yan stood firm at Lia's side, her gaze was sharp and unyielding. She swept her eyes over the whispering sub-beasts, her earlier grief and panic replaced with simmering anger. When Pen was struggling, she had been too disoriented and consumed by fear to shield Ziqian from their cruel words. But now that Pen is out of danger, she has enough energy to deal with them.
Her jaw tightened as her eyes landed on Gio, Kea, and the few who had pressured Pen into eating the strange fruit. "You dare to gossip after what you've done? If Pen had really died, would you have the courage to shoulder that blame?"
The crowd fell into uneasy silence. The weight of her words, coupled with Lia's cold aura beside her, pressed down on the guilty party like a heavy stone.