38. A blink that costs life

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While everyone had own plans, Anna took her two sister to gather more plants. The sun was not as warm in summer, but it was definitely not a cold day.

They even saw butterflies and bees buzzing over the flowers and all three looked at the book that girls got.

"We asked mother to ask soldiers and she went to the one with name Jackson. He gave it to us quickly. He said they have multiple copies of this book so we can keep it." Michelle happily hugged the book that was not thicker than her finger.

'Wild herbs and foraging in the forest.'

Anna Gale didn't see any names and found it quite strange, but gave up thinking about it. They had own people and this might be just book made only for them.

Looking at the book it was obvious they just copied a book and gave them one copy with plastic covers.

Luckily there were various pictures in color as well so the girls started looking at healing plants one by one.

Suddenly Anna Gale looked towards nearby trees and saw familiar person slowly walking out.

Him again?

"Young Count, why is a noble walking around on his own without guards?" Anna Gale opened the invisible map and saw that he was literally alone.

"Stop the act. I saw you three using a strange way to travel. I can use blink to go fast from place to another. Unfortunately the other time I couldn't use it as I was wounded. And I was afraid to show you as I feared you three would get scared." He calmly explained and looked at the strange book in their hands. "What is this?"

"Book of herbs. We are still learning." Michelle put the book behind her body in fear he would steal it.

Seeing her cautious expression he chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not interested."

Anna Gale was looking at him with curiousity.

"Gate, are there magical powers and creatures in this place?"

Manfred Sano saw her looking at certain direction and whispered. "What is she doing?"

Alice ignored him and went to nearby rosehip bushes, while Michelle just blatantly opened her book and started looking trough the various pictures and comparing to the surrounding flowered.

Manfred Sano never was ignored in his lifetime and was stunned by these three commoners.

Commoners my foot!

While he tried to see what she was staring at, she read a whole page of information.

*...so some humanoid forms developed differently in this world. Some have as your humans would say magical powers but those powers are very dangerous to use. Every time someone uses power, energy was taken away from that person, like I take time from your gates.*

"How long do people in this world live?" Something else made her think about.

*Approximately the same as in your world, except those that have special abilities. They live shorter life.*

She flatly glared at the stunned young man. "Don't use your powers anymore. Understood!"

Her yell stunned him. "Huh? Why are you telling at me?"

"Idiot! I just find out you shorten your life every time you use the energy. You can live eighty or hundred if you don't use the energy often. Gate, is it possible for him to regain the life energy?" That idea came from various books she read about cultivation.

*It is possible. But for that he must leave this place and go back where he is originally from. To go there he must use the energy and might even die trying. If he successfully gets to the snake temple on the mountain top, he must stay there for exactly ten years and gather his life energy back. But he can do that only once in lifetime and can't give up on it. Afterwards he can use blink once a week in case of danger, and only then or his life energy might be harmed again.*

Anna Gale read everything and wanted to kick him. "You can regain your life energy by going back where you originally come from. There is something called snake temple. If you stay there for ten years you will gather enough energy to live a long life and even be able to use your power once a week. But to go to that temple you must use the power and might die if you do so."

Manfred Sano came forward and patted her head. "Ten years you say? Just like the old story... Good, then so be it. Ten years. I will go to snake temple as I don't want to die. I'm not that heroic to not care. Will you three be fine?"

Anna Gale thought about it and sighed. "If you have any maps it would be amazing help to me."

With maps she would know where to go.

"Maps... I will gather whole box for you. Now I have to go back. Can you put come to the Snake Mountain?"

"My power is different than yours. I can travel only in place I already saw or was. To travel further I need to go there at least once. So having maps would help me greatly as then I won't go into wrong direction." She saw Michelle picking up a blue flower and got stunned. "Lavender? Isn't it a bit late in year to flower?"

Even he was stunned to see Michelle slowly cutting the ends with scissors and put into basket carefully. "There is lot of wild lavender. We can dry it and sell it."

"Alice, wanna continue with rosehips or wanna help finding lavender?" Anna Gale could see that Alice was bored as she listlessly gathered rosehips.

"Lavender!" She willingly gave up the bushes and went to help her sister gather the plant.

Anna Gale could only shake her head and chuckle. "These girls... By the way, will you be able to survive up there?"

He chuckled. "Are you worried about me?"

Without answering she just rolled her eyes and went to the rose bushes. "Why would I be worried? It's not like I can help you or change your fate. Is there anything you need up there?"

Hey, she is just twelve, about what is this boy thinking again...?