Chapter 6

I rented a small storefront along a street in the distant neutral territory and started a flower shop.

My neighbors were warm and genuine. The lady from the bakery next door would bring over freshly baked bread, and the elderly man from the fruit stall would press slightly bruised but still sweet and crisp fruit into my hands.

Surrounded by such pure kindness, my nerves that had been wound tight for five years finally eased.

"Kaia, the flower rack looks a bit wobbly," a cheerful male voice called from the doorway.

I turned and saw Leander Darkclaw, a carpenter. He wore a simple white T-shirt, with a few flecks of sawdust still caught in his hair. His smile was brighter than the sunlight outside the window. He was a well-known carpenter in the area, skilled in his craft and always ready to help.

Two days ago, when my door hinge broke, he took the initiative to fix it for me and refused a single coin in return.

"Really?" I walked over and shook the shelf. Sure enough, it wobbled.