I looked toward the unfinished house before turning back to Kadar. "How long will it take to complete?" I asked.
Kadar crossed his arms and examined the workers for a moment before replying, "Not much longer. In a few weeks, you and your family should be able to move in properly."
Hearing that eased some of the worry in my chest. Ever since leaving Granada, we had been moving from place to place without knowing where we truly belonged. Even a small home in the outskirts of Sous felt more stable than anything we had in months.
"I truly appreciate all this support," I said sincerely. "You barely know us, yet you've helped more than most people would."
Kadar glanced at me quietly before letting out a small chuckle. "Do not misunderstand me, boy. I did not help you out of pure kindness alone. The Qitt Clan protects those under its banner. If we abandon people after accepting them, our name loses value."
Even so, his words did not lessen my gratitude.
"Still," I replied, "most people would not go this far for outsiders."
For a brief moment, Kadar's expression softened. "Perhaps," he admitted. "But Sous survives because clans stand together. One day, if you truly become part of this land, you will understand that."
I nodded silently as my eyes drifted back toward the kobold workers carrying timber beneath the burning sun. This place was harsh and filled with things I still could not fully accept, but it was slowly becoming the foundation of our new life.
I returned to Kadar's home not long before evening. As I stepped into the courtyard, I noticed Lily and Elara sitting together near one of the rooms, quietly talking among themselves.
I stopped a short distance away instead of walking directly inside. In Sous, most homes were built differently from what I was used to. Doors were usually placed only at the outer gate of the house while the inner rooms remained open. Families lived closely together, and privacy depended more on custom and respect than walls.
Since we were staying inside Kadar's household, there were also women from his family living there. As an outsider and a male unrelated to them, it was considered disrespectful in their culture to casually enter areas where the women rested.
Because of that, I remained outside and called softly, "Elara, Lily, can you come here for a moment?"
A few moments later, the two stepped out from the room. Lily looked curious while Elara immediately noticed the tired look on my face.
"Did something happen?" Elara asked.
I shook my head lightly. "Nothing serious. I was just checking on both of you."
Lily tilted her head slightly. "You were gone for a long time."
"I took a walk outside the town," I replied carefully, avoiding too many details. "I wanted to understand the surroundings better."
Elara studied me for a moment as if sensing there was more I was not saying, but she did not press further. Instead, she simply nodded and motioned for us to sit near the courtyard fire where the evening meal was being prepared.
As we sat near the courtyard fire, I told them about the progress of our new home. Lily seemed excited hearing that we might finally have a proper place of our own soon, while Elara listened quietly with a faint smile.
"It still needs some work," I said, "but Kadar said it should be finished within a few weeks."
"That is faster than I expected," Elara replied. "At least we won't have to depend on others forever."
I nodded before lowering my voice slightly. "Actually… I was thinking about something else too."
Elara looked at me curiously.
"When the house is finished, I want us to start earning properly instead of relying on our savings." I glanced around before continuing. "You know medicine better than me. If we can make simple remedies or healing mixtures, maybe we can sell them."
Elara seemed surprised for a moment before thinking seriously about it. "Medicine?" she repeated softly.
"Even basic things sell well," I explained. "Travelers, laborers, hunters… people always get sick or injured."
Elara slowly nodded. "That is true. In villages, healers are always needed."
I leaned closer. "What herbs or plants would you need?"
She thought for a moment before answering carefully. "Basic feverleaf would help for simple sickness. Dry red thornroot can stop bleeding if crushed properly. Sungrass is useful for pain relief, though harder to find in dry regions like Sous."
She paused again before adding, "If I had enough ingredients, I could also make salves for burns and infections. Those are always needed among laborers."
I memorized every name she mentioned. Some of them might be difficult to obtain naturally, but hearing her speak gave me another idea alongside the spice plantation.
Maybe food and trade alone would not be enough. If we could slowly build a reputation through medicine too, people in Sous might begin to accept us more easily.
The next morning, I headed toward the market shortly after sunrise. The streets of Sous were already crowded with traders, laborers, and caravans preparing for the day. After spending some time asking around, I bought the herbs that were easiest to obtain in the region. Most of them were common plants used by travelers and poor families who could not afford expensive healers.
I purchased bundles of feverleaf, dried thornroot, bitter moss, and a few handfuls of sungrass, though the last one cost more than I expected due to its rarity in the desert lands.
By the time I returned to Kadar's home, the small pouch of silver coins I carried had become noticeably lighter. It reminded me again that I needed a steady source of income soon.
I found Elara near the cooking area sorting clothes with Lily beside her.
"I managed to buy some of the herbs you mentioned," I said, placing the bundles down carefully. "Can you make medicine with these?"
Elara wiped her hands before kneeling beside the herbs. She examined each plant carefully, her expression slowly turning thoughtful.
"These are decent quality," she admitted. "Not fresh, but good enough."
Lily watched curiously as Elara picked up the thornroot. "Can these really become medicine?" she asked.
Elara gave a small nod. "Simple medicine. Enough to treat fever, small wounds, stomach sickness, and infections."
I crouched beside them. "Can you make them with what we already have?"
"Some of them, yes," Elara replied. "If I grind the feverleaf and boil it with bitter moss, it can reduce fever. Thornroot can be turned into wound powder. The sungrass can be mixed into oil for pain relief."
She paused briefly before looking at me seriously.
"But most medicine here is made by healers connected to clans or temples. If we want to sell it, people may not trust us immediately."
"I know," I replied calmly. "We don't need to earn their trust all at once. Even if a few laborers or travelers buy from us, it's enough for now."
Elara looked at me for a long moment before giving a slow nod. "Then I'll try."
For the first time since arriving in Sous, it felt like we were finally starting to build something with our own hands instead of merely surviving day by day.
Later that evening, I went to speak with Kadar about another matter. He was sitting near the courtyard fire speaking with a few clan members when I approached him respectfully.
"Kadar," I began, "I wanted to ask for your permission and help with something."
He glanced toward me. "What is it?"
"I want to open a small medicine stall in the market," I explained. "Elara knows how to prepare simple remedies. We thought we might be able to earn a living through it."
For a moment, Kadar looked genuinely surprised. Then, to my confusion, he suddenly laughed loudly.
"A medicine stall?" he repeated. "Now that is something Sous actually needs."
I blinked, not expecting such a positive reaction.
Kadar shook his head with amusement. "Most people here rely on tribal healers or old home remedies. There are herb sellers, yes, but no proper stall focused on medicine itself. Even small injuries become dangerous because people wait too long before treatment."
Hearing that made me realize there was probably more opportunity here than I first thought.
Kadar leaned forward slightly. "If your woman truly knows medicine, then this could become valuable for the town."
"I don't expect much at first," I admitted. "Even a small income would help us."
Kadar nodded firmly. "No. This is good." He turned toward one of the workers nearby. "Tomorrow, help the boy build a small stall near the outer side of the market."
The man nodded immediately.
I was honestly caught off guard by how quickly Kadar agreed.
"Thank you," I said sincerely.
Kadar waved his hand dismissively. "Do not thank me yet. If your medicines actually work, people will come. If not, they will throw rotten vegetables at your stall."
The others around the fire laughed lightly at that.
Still, despite the joke, I could tell Kadar was pleased. A medical stall would not only help us survive, but it would also bring usefulness to the Qitt Clan's territory. In Sous, usefulness mattered more than words.