After listening to Ang's instructions, the boy Roel stopped feeding her and silently nodded. He gently set the bowl aside, then began eating himself. Bubuta lay in bed, a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she watched her brother wolf down his food. She knew that in order to care for her, he had always been reluctant to eat, and he had not dared to casually use the two Black Magic Crystals their father had left behind. Seeing him finally eat now brought her a trace of comfort, as though the hardships ahead had become bearable in that moment.
When Roel had nearly finished eating, Ang broke the silence. "Can you introduce yourself?" The question made Roel pause slightly. He looked up at Ang, wiped food from the corner of his mouth, and answered softly, "My name is Roel. This is my younger sister, Bubuta."
"Where are your parents?" Ang pressed.
Roel's expression immediately darkened. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "They... are gone." The words were simple and calm, but the grief and helplessness in his voice were impossible to hide.
Ang vaguely guessed what had happened. From his earlier investigation, he had learned that Roel's parents had once been members of an adventuring party. While exploring the depths of Andalutin Forest, they had encountered a powerful magical beast, and almost no one in the party had survived. Roel and Bubuta's parents had also perished in that expedition. From then on, the young Roel had taken on the responsibility of caring for his sister alone.
Roel continued, "After our parents left, Bubuta and I could only depend on each other. At first, we could still live off some savings our parents had left behind, but as time passed, the money dwindled. We couldn't find steady work