When Sylene returned carrying the herbs, his usual quiet presence lingered—but there was something looser in his shoulders, a subtle ease in his stride that hadn't been there before.
"You look relieved," Mavis noted, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Did you score something good?"
Sylene turned with a gentle smile. "The herbs were fresh. Auntie Rosie gave me some extra. I also did a bit of… exercise. It helped clear my head—eased up the tension in my muscles."
The words rolled off lighter than usual, the glow behind his eyes faint but real. The frustration of the past months had broken like a fever. After that alley—after unleashing some of his pent-up frustration—he felt good. Well, he could always hunt for some ghouls, but they were far from Forchel.
"Oh? Is that so?" Mavis grinned. "Didn't know you were into sports. Wanna play some games tomorrow?"
"I'm...I'm good now," Sylene answered quickly.
"Aww, you just don't wanna play with me!" Mavis complained.
