Lira's gaze swept across the cavern, taking in the scattered scrolls and jars, her curiosity piqued. "May I… look at your scrolls?" she asked gently, careful to keep her tone calm.
The hermit flinched, stepping back, his eyes wide with unease. "No… no, there's nothing important there," he muttered quickly. "Just… scribbles, old notes. You wouldn't understand."
Lira knelt slightly, keeping her hands visible to show she meant no harm. "I think I might understand more than you realize. I've been… on a journey myself. Searching for others like me—people who have powers over multiple elements. I've seen things… learned things. I don't mean to take anything. I just want to see, to learn, to understand."
The man's eyes flickered toward her Spirit shard, then back at her face. He hesitated, suspicion warring with curiosity.
