IBHJ Chapter 948

"Every grain of food is a hard-earned miracle" - the village chief's words echoed in Ramoi's mind. She took this lesson to heart.

On the third day, she returned to the cave with more food. The basket from yesterday was still full.

"Don't come near me!" Altera warned.

Ramoi left silently and continued her routine.

On the fourth day, the food in the basket had been disturbed, but not by Altera. It was the work of forest animals.

"I don't know you, please don't come again!" Altera insisted.

...

On the seventh day.

"You're annoying me. Why do you insist on caring for someone who only brings disaster?" Altera turned her head, looking at Ramoi with confusion.

Ramoi smiled gently. "Because you saved my life."

"Then your debt is repaid, don't come again," Altera said coldly, turning her head back to face the dark cave.

Ramoi didn't argue, she simply continued her seemingly pointless act of kindness.

The eighth day...

The ninth day...

The thirteenth day...

Bringing food to Altera had become a part of Ramoi's daily life.

Until the twenty-seventh day, when Ramoi found the basket empty.

She held the empty basket, smiling at Altera who had her back turned. She said nothing, just left new food and quietly retreated.

Perhaps it was because Altera disliked wasting food, or perhaps she was moved by Ramoi's persistent kindness. In the following days, she ate the food Ramoi brought.

Although there was no verbal communication between them, Altera felt a strange sense of connection growing, a feeling she had experienced with Ayaka and Artoria Pendragon.

Perhaps it was this gentle connection that allowed her to accept Ramoi's kindness.

But one question lingered in her mind.

Finally, one day, she couldn't hold back anymore and asked Ramoi: "Why do you keep coming close to me? If it's to repay the debt, you can stop now. Don't come anymore. If you keep coming close to me, something unfortunate will surely happen."

"Actually..." Ramoi hesitated for a moment, then gathered her courage and looked at her, saying, "Actually, I feel Miss Altera is a bit like how I was when I was little."

"Like you when you were little?"

Ramoi nodded: "A bit... lonely, and then inside... there's an emptiness and loneliness that can't be filled. It's strange, but I feel a unique calmness in my heart when I'm with you, Miss Altera."

Hearing this, Altera fell silent.

Ramoi's words hit her hard. She knew it was true – she was lonely, miserable, and wanted something more. But reaching out, trying to fill that void, could ruin everything she cared about. If she gave in to her longing and lost control, she might end up destroying everything around her... how selfish would that be?

So, Altera decided to shut herself away.

"This is your misconception. Don't come again. I don't like you."

Altera's harsh words didn't stop Ramoi. She came back the next day, frustrating Altera even more. She thought about running away to some far-off place, but a small part of her didn't want to. She realized she liked this regular life and talking to people. But she also knew that someday, she would ruin this peaceful life.

Ramoi, meanwhile, was thinking about what to make for Miss Altera to eat tomorrow.

Although it might sound strange, during these days of making food for Altera, she surprisingly felt a sense of warmth and coziness that she had never experienced before.

Perhaps this was the feeling of home that the village chief had talked about.

Not the empty, lonely house, but the warm feeling of being able to care for others and being cared for by others.

At this point, Ramoi finally understood why she was so tirelessly delivering food to Altera. It was the act of caring for others and the anticipation, as if life had become brighter.

Simply put, it gave her something to look forward to.

However, beneath this budding anticipation, a strange man approached Altera.

It was a new morning, and Ramoi, on her way to deliver food to Altera, saw a strange man talking to her.

"I've finally found you, Lady Altera," he declared, bowing deeply. "From the beginning, I felt this wavelength was yours, and now I see it's true. I've finally found you, Great Titan Altera."

She eyed him warily. "Who are you?

"Your loyal servant, a humble human named Archimedes," he replied, a smile playing on his lips.

Hmm? As if sensing something, he raised an eyebrow and turned his head. His gaze immediately fell on Ramoi's third eye, a flash of surprise passing through his eyes as he murmured, "Now this is an unexpected gain..."

Archimedes looked thoughtfully at Ramoi's third eye. "It's incredible. I always thought it was just a Maya legend, but to think it actually existed in history. It seems this trip wasn't in vain..."

"Um, Mr. Archimedes...?" Ramoi looked at him timidly. She didn't want to get close to him, but in this situation, it seemed impossible to leave on her own.

Archimedes smiled at Ramoi, "Hello, have you been taking care of Lady Altera these days?"

"I-I wouldn't call it taking care of her. I'm just repaying a debt by bringing Miss Altera some things."

Ramoi gazed at Archimedes nervously. The man's smile was gentle, and he looked kind, but Ramoi felt he was extremely dangerous because her third eye on her forehead had a constant stinging sensation.

She knew that her third eye had the ability to discern good from evil. When looking at people with good intentions towards her, the third eye felt comfortable. But when looking at those with ill intentions, this eye would have a stinging sensation.

So, even though Altera's berserk and scary appearance was frightening and she was so cold to her, Ramoi was still willing to approach her because she couldn't sense any malice from Altera. However, the person before her, this man called Archimedes, was different.

Although Archimedes constantly exuded a sense of goodwill, the stinging in her third eye made Ramoi instinctively not want to approach him.

"Is that so? Well, thank you very much."

Archimedes smiled, then turned to Altera and respectfully said, "Lady Altera, please come with me."

"Why should I go with you?" she looked coldly at this uninvited man, "I don't even know you."

"Of course Lady Altera doesn't know me. I'm just a humble scholar," Archimedes said with a smile. Then his tone turned serious. "But I believe I can help Lady Altera break free from the Umbral Star's control."

Altera's eyes widened. She locked her gaze on Archimedes. After a moment, she spoke. "Now I know who you are. You're that ancient Greek scholar who was supposedly killed by a Roman soldier while you were lost in your work, back when Rome conquered Syracuse."

The smile slipped from Archimedes' face. But he nodded calmly. "Yes, I am that scholar."

"I remember you now. But you say you can help me break free from the Umbral Star? How arrogant!" Altera said bluntly.

She hated weakness, and she hated arrogance even more. The Umbral Star's civilization was far beyond Earth's, beyond anything Earth could even understand.

Which meant no one on Earth could help her break free.

"Please don't say that. I studied the Umbral Star extensively during my life. I was able to find you because I used my knowledge to sense your aura. And I have fragments of the Star and the terminal that fell when your Earthly form died. I believe my knowledge can help you."

She frowned. "What do you want from me?"