Oakhaven, seen up close, was more picturesque than Haku had expected. Kids played in the streets, their laughter filling the air, something he hadn't witnessed in what felt like ages. It reminded him of better times: lively neighborhoods, the scent of street food, the sense of community. The kind of place people might dream of settling in… if life were that simple.
But Haku shook the sentiment away. He wasn't here to reminisce. He was here to survive and maybe, just maybe, take over.
Tiberius's shop turned out to be quite pleasant, a riot of color and texture. Rolls of fabric in every shade imaginable lined the walls, while a well-used spinning wheel stood proudly in the corner. Haku had never seen one outside of books, and it radiated a quiet elegance. The whole place smelled of freshly woven cloth, crisp and new, far more refined than he expected from a small-town fantasy tailor.
Tiberius led them through the main shop and into a smaller, attached hut. The atmosphere shifted instantly. This was not a place of commerce, but of worry.
Elara lay on a narrow bed, her skin ghostly pale. She looked fragile, as if a wrong breeze might break her. Her dark hair had been carefully combed, likely by her father, and her breathing was slow and raspy.
Haku approached quietly, his mind already turning. He needed a believable diagnosis, even if he had to guess. He did genuinely want to help her, but he couldn't afford to be wrong. His first thought was anemia… but that felt too easy.
He knelt beside her, gently taking her hand. As he observed her condition, a wave of doubt hit him. No tools. No real medicine. Only his wits.
He closed his eyes, feigning concentration. "Tell me, old man," he said gravely. "Every symptom. Even the smallest detail."
Tiberius's voice cracked with worry as he spoke. "She's tired all the time. No appetite. She coughs, sometimes with blood. And she just keeps… fading. It's been years."
Haku ran through possibilities. Anemia? Maybe. Tuberculosis? Possibly. Or something worse. He needed to improvise.
"Has she been eating greens? Getting sunlight?" he asked, recalling his ex's obsessive lectures about health.
Tiberius blinked. "Greens? No, she barely eats. And sunlight? The healers said rest was best. She stays inside most of the day."
Haku sighed. "That's part of the problem. Without sunlight and proper food, the body weakens. She's been slowly starving of the very things that keep people alive."
"Is that true?" Tiberius's eyes gleamed with desperate hope. "Can she really be saved?"
"There's always a chance," Haku said smoothly. "But it won't be easy. We'll need rare ingredients for a specialized diet... and an environment suited for recovery."
"I'll do anything," Tiberius said instantly. "Whatever it takes."
Haku hesitated just long enough to make it look like he was weighing the cost. "Well... we'll need a proper space for her healing, and I'll need a specific kind of outfit to carry out the treatment. It might inspire her, too. The design is... complex."
Tiberius narrowed his eyes. He wasn't stupid. He knew he was being hustled.
But what choice did he have?
"If that's what it takes," he said quietly, "then so be it."
"Excellent!" Haku grinned. "I'll make sure Elara recovers. You have my word."
"Thank you, Master Haku," the old man said, bowing his head.
"What are friends for?" Haku said brightly, already turning back toward the shop. "Now, let's talk about this outfit of mine."
Back in the main room, he spun toward the tailor with a grin. "So, Old Man Tiberius, what kind of clothes are we thinking for me?"
Still visibly worried, Tiberius ran a hand down his beard. "Something… distinguished. Something that says 'authority.' Wisdom. Healer."
Haku nodded solemnly. "A dark blue, perhaps? Deep indigo. It symbolizes knowledge and tranquility. With some embroidery, natural motifs, or maybe something bold, like a dragon swallowing the sun."
Tiberius chuckled, caught off guard. "A dragon swallowing the sun? That's ambitious. But... powerful. I like it."
He turned to a shelf and pulled down a bolt of shimmering silk. "Imported from the Eastern Kingdoms. Nearly black in shadow, but deep blue under light."
As he laid out the fabric, Haku noticed Alexander lingering near the cottage door, his attention clearly elsewhere.
"Alexander," Haku called, drawing him back. "Why don't you help with measurements? You have a good eye, don't you?"
"I.. I don't really know how to measure clothes," the boy stammered.
"Nonsense," Haku said, clapping him on the back. "It's just numbers and strings. Besides, it'll distract you. And who knows, maybe you'll get a minute to talk to Elara later."
Alexander blushed fiercely, glancing toward the door with hopeful hesitation.
As the tailor began his work, Haku leaned casually against a table, arms folded. He still didn't have a cure, not a real one. But he had time. If Elara could read and write, if she really was as bright as Tiberius claimed, she might become something even better than a patient: a resource.
A research partner.
He would just have to keep the hope alive.
"Say, Old Man," Haku said suddenly, "you wouldn't happen to have any of that Baruga Bar Ale lying around, would you? Talking about saving lives really dries the throat."
Tiberius smiled faintly. "Of course. Nothing like a good ale to lift the spirits. Alexander, fetch three mugs, will you?"
The boy nodded and slipped away quickly.
Soon, the room filled with the rich, malty aroma of ale. Haku sipped it slowly. It was shockingly good. Better than some of the craft beers he'd had back home.
"So," he said between sips, "what else can you tell me about Elara? What does she love? What makes her... her?"
Tiberius's features softened. "She's gifted. She can sing like no other, and her tapestries are more detailed than anything I've ever seen. And she reads. Writes. Has a mind sharper than most men around here."
Haku raised an eyebrow. "Reads and writes? That's rare. She might be able to help me with a few... research projects."
An idea was taking shape: a research assistant, someone local who could document his findings, experiment with herbs, and help make his pseudo-medicine look real.
Alexander returned just then, cheeks red, breath slightly rushed. He placed the mugs carefully on the table, avoiding eye contact.
"Everything alright?" Haku asked, amused.
"Yes, Master Haku. I just... I forgot to ask if she needed anything else."
"Then go ask," Haku said, grinning. "But don't dawdle, we've still got a dragon-swallowing-the-sun robe to design."
As the boy hurried back to the cottage, Haku exchanged a look with Tiberius. The old man chuckled, shaking his head.
Yes, things in Oakhaven were starting to fall into place. A free outfit, a talented assistant, and a lovesick apprentice who hung on his every word.
Life here was about to get very interesting.