"Rook infusion," Syryn muttered as he left the widow's house with Dinah. "It could be the reason for why he died faster than the other man."

"Did you get a good look at his face? It wasn't scrawny and malnourished."

"It wasn't," Syryn agreed. "And yet he died." That shot Syryn's hypothesis about malnutrition killing the victim. If he could get his hands on the corpse of the freshly deceased man, Syryn was sure he could find a hint in there.

"What do you feel about grave digging?" He asked Dinah.

"No," she replied. "Not until we are left without a choice."

"You can watch a few more people die if that's what you're waiting for, Dinah. It'll happen," Syryn told the priestess.

"Do you have any other suggestions?" She asked.

"How about you catch the disease and die from it? I can cut you open to solve the mystery."

"I'm surprised we haven't caught it yet," Dinah replied. "The old woman was spared while the little girl contracted it. And now the hunter. It's a random chain of transmission I can't make sense of."

"Maybe that's where we have to start," Syryn said. "Patient zero, the man from the hilltop house. We have to find what connects him to the hunter that died today."

"I'll ask the innkeeper about him," Dinah replied.

"Find out what he does, where he spends his time and who he spends that time with aside from his family members."

"And what about you?" She asked Syryn. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll wait for the results of your enquiries," the alchemist replied. "Work hard, Dinah."

-----

"Syryn, Lucien hasn't made a peep since this morning," Rei told him as soon as he reached their temporary base. The moon had climbed the sky and the builders were adding the finishing touches to the house.

"It's fine," Syryn told the worried healer, "as long as he continues to wake up once a day. Where's the builder with the butt chin?"

"What?" Rei turned to him. "Butt chin?"

"There are only seven of them working outside. Where is the eighth builder?"

"Kida sent him home."

Syryn turned around and walked over to the other cabin where the guard was rubbing salt into some meat on the cooking table. His sleeves were folded to the shoulders, exposing the swell of his strong biceps.

"You're back." Akida continued to work on the raw meat as he spoke to Syryn.

"Yep. Saw another dead body."

"There won't be a shortage of it in the coming days. Wash your filthy hands outside before contaminating the cooking area," Akida growled out without much heat.

"I didn't touch the dead body," Syryn dryly informed the guard but he went out and duly got his hands cleaned up.

When he came back, Akida was hanging the meat over a fireplace that hadn't been there when Syryn had last been in the kitchen. How the guard had managed to build it during a span of a few hours stumped Syryn who had no building experience to speak of.

"You're really handy, aren't you?" He marvelled at the guard. "Can I poach you from Riaku?"

Akida's heavy-lidded eyes glanced up at Syryn. "What makes you think I want to be anybody's guard?"

"You're good at it. Might as well get paid handsomely for it, dont you think?" Syryn grabbed a fruit out of the basket that was hanging on one side of the room.

Akida's hands were just as dextrous as Syryn's but with chopping vegetables. Thinly sliced shallots were pushed to the side to make room for more vegetables.

"How much?" Akida asked. Syryn hadn't thought that far. He hadn't expected that the guard would even think about his offer. He already had a bodyguard in Rowan but the blond just couldn't travel with Syryn because he had his own responsibilities.

"What's your price?" He asked the guard.

"Depends on how dangerously you live."

"500 crowns per month," Syryn told Akida. "Free healthcare. I'll even add a bonus if you get injured in the line of work."

The guard's hands stilled before they began moving again. "That's a lot of money for a healer to be making or paying. What do you need a guard for anyway?"

"Guards are useful," Syryn airily replied. After spending time in the company of the avian guards who ensured that he didnt have to lift a single finger to get food and comfort, Syryn was seriously considering the idea of hiring a butler guard for himself. And out of them all, Akida seemed the most well rounded.

"One year," Akida replied. "I have obligations that I will be free of in a year."

It was surreal. Syryn had just got himself a guard.

The alchemist left Akida to his work and went to check on the construction. To his delight, it was complete. The builders had done a fantastic job in a single day. The washroom was roomy, sturdy, and had a partition that separated the bathing area from the toilet area. The alchemist decided right there and then that he was taking a bath.

----

A few hours past midnight, Lucien roused Syryn. "Hungry."

The alchemist noticed that the bed next to theirs was empty. Syryn and Lucien were sharing a bed while Akida slept in the one next to theirs.

When they stepped out into the open, Syryn saw the guard sitting outside the cabin door.

"Can't sleep?" He asked the avian.

"Came out to take a piss," Akida replied as he noticed Lucien who was watching the new avian with interest.

"And that's why you're sitting here," Syryn raised his brow at the guard.

"Yeah," the avian rubbed his neck uneasily. "Why are you awake?"

"My brother is hungry," Syryn replied, and then "Go to sleep, Akida. I'm sure you're inexperienced with the logistics of protecting your charges from an enemy that comes as a disease but that's what I'm here for. I'll plug in the holes that you miss."

Akida snorted but he stood up and walked back into the cabin after another glance at Lucien.

The guard had cooked up vegetable croquet, roast rabbit, and carrot soup, and there was still enough left for Luci to eat. Syryn warmed the food and brought it over to the ravenous young boy.

"Who is Akida?" Luci asked Syryn as he reached for the roast meat first.

"A guard Riaku sent to protect us," Syryn replied.

"We don't need protection, do we? You're strong, Syryn. And so am I."

"Yes, but it doesn't hurt to have someone as useful as Akida around."

"Are you just saying that because he's good looking?" Luci innocently asked Syryn. The alchemist spluttered at the redhead's insinuation.

"You're the one that noticed his looks. I just hired him for his skills!"

"You're not denying it. I'm gonna tell Rowan."

"Listen here you little- It's not like that!" Syryn whispered as if Akida could hear them. "Rowan would get pissed if you tell him any of this."

"So you really think he's good looking?"

"Fucking hell Luci, this isn't about his face."

"What is it about then?"

"Skills. That avian is a bodyguard, butler, chef, and a carpenter all rolled into one."

"Makes sense," Luci smiled mischievously at Syryn. "Fine, I won't tell Rowan."

"What did Rowan bribe you with?" Syryn asked the redhead.

"Nothing. I like Rowan. He's like a dad isn't he?"

Oh no, Syryn thought. "Did you want a father?" Why didnt Luci think he could be a father?

"Eh? No. I think Rowan is really dependable. Red also likes him."

"And why are you telling me this?" Syryn asked the boy even though what he wanted to say was - how am I not as dependable as Rowan?

"No particular reason."

"You're going to get a beating tonight," Syryn idly threatened the boy.

"You love me too much for that," Luci replied. It made Syryn's breath catch. He loved the kid. He really did. How did he only realise that now? Syryn's mouth opened and closed like he didn't know what to say.

"I love you, big brother. I just wanted you to know that. Red would kill me if I said that while he was awake so I'll probably never say it again, probably. Anyway-" Luci's rambling was cut off when Syryn knelt beside him and hugged the boy. Such purity, Syryn thought. He never wanted Luci to grow up.

"Can you always stay like this, Luci?"

"Like what?"

"Stay 12, Luci."

"I already turned 13, big brother. Last week."