Hari's joy overflowed. He thanked Gara over and over, even promising payment worthy of the miracle.
Seeing there would be no funeral today, Mohan, Kian, and Narin—dragged along by Kian—took their leave. Their exploration duties still awaited.
The villagers began to disperse as well, leaving only a few behind to tidy Rima's room at Gara's request.
Left in the care of an elderly man, her living conditions had been far from decent. Her clothes reeked, unchanged for days. Dead skin clung to her frail body, her hair was tangled and filthy. And the room itself was worse. The windows sealed shut, furniture thick with dust, the air heavy with damp and mold.
They moved Rima temporarily to Hari's room, but unfortunately, his room was no better.
The old man was overflowing with gratitude toward Gara. He had no idea how much the surroundings had factored into Rima's condition.
All he knew was that he had worked himself to the bone to earn money, desperate to save his granddaughter.
