Chapter 19
As Lith predicted, his fifth winter revealed to be quite interesting .
Treating Tista's condition required two session per week minimum, each one lasting around four hours . Two for the treatment itself and the remaining time for him to bathe and recover his strength .
Manipulating Tista's mana flow while simultaneously using fire, water and dark magic took its toll every time . The good news was that with so much practice, he was becoming accustomed to casting and maintaining several spells active at once .
Every treatment was easier than the previous one and her symptoms were quickly improving . Tista was now able to help with the house chores and the livestock .
She could even afford making long walks outside, when the weather was good .
The bad news was that Lith's relationship with his brothers was now uglier than ever before . Every time Tista got better, someone would reproach Orpal for his past words, and if no one did, then Tista would .
Orpal's fits of rage had really hurt her, his cruel words had shattered the image she always had of her perfect family, of her caring big brother .
Tista had been humiliated and betrayed, and she was not going to forget that easily .
Also, soon after hot winter baths had become available, Raaz too started to bathe often .
Orpal and Trion were the only ones left out . Orpal because he could not stand the thought of having to ask something from Lith, especially if he had to do it politely .
"I'm the eldest brother, I'm not supposed to beg runts for favours . I'm supposed to give orders and be respected for it! That Leech now has turned even the cripple against me! And I can't put Tista in her place, otherwise she will make me look like I'm the bad guy who picks on a sick little girl . Manipulative b*tch!"
Trion was between a rock and a hard place . He deeply loved Tista, but he also loved and respected Orpal . Trion was the only one by his side, so he had not the heart to betray their bond .
With everyone else fresh and clean, their smell stuck out like a sore thumb . Even with all their family goodwill, disgusted grimaces were impossible to avoid from time to time .
The first time Tista dubbed the duo as Orpoop and T-reek, she brought down the house with laughter . Orpal and Trion blamed Lith for their humiliation, but he just ignored them like he always did .
Raaz made for Lith a pair of snowshoes, spending more and more time with him . Raaz also started imparting him lessons about how to operate a farm and teaching how to whittle . Lith was still very young, but knowing he was able to skin and gut his game, Raaz thought there was no risk for him in handling a carving knife .
Orpal and Trion lived the situation differently, though . Until then, Lith had spent most of his time with the girls, letting Raaz spend all his free time with the boys . They felt wronged twice, once because Lith was robbing them of their dad time, the second because he always refused teaching them whittling before they reached the age of eight .
Things got even more unpleasant for Lith after midwinter . Every time he would treat Tista, he could notice that something was off . Both his mother and sister had an odd look in their eyes .
Often, they would open their mouth, only to close them right away, giving him the silent treatment for hours . Lith couldn't figure out the reason of this behaviour, so his mind started spinning like crazy .
"Do they believe me a pervert? Have I looked at them in an inappropriate way? Maybe they are starting to suspect something . Maybe they know I am from a different world!"
Lith's full blown paranoia wouldn't give him a second of rest, preventing him to have a good night of sleep . He heard them sighing too often, something was definitely off .
It took Lith all his courage to muster the strength to face them and ask for the truth .
The confrontation took place in the girl's room, where they were all gathered for Tista's treatment .
"Lith, did you really not notice any changes?" Elina asked pouting .
"Yes, I did . Tista is feeling much better now, right?"
"Off course there's that . But don't you notice anything here?" She waved her hand, going from Tista's head to toes .
"That's my sister . "
"And?" She prompted .
"Her health is getting better, nothing is getting worse . Tista is still Tista . " For the first time in his three lives, Lith could spectate with his own eyes a synchronized facepalm outside internet meme gifs . Rena was fuming .
"Really? Don't you notice that her hair is soft and silky? That it never tangles or get split ends?" Tista had light brown hair with shades of purple all over them . Ever since the treatment began, the colour had got more vibrant and visible .
"Shades of purple, uh . This is really another world after all . I wonder why women do have them and men do not . " Lith thought .
"Now that you mention it, yes I do . But normally I don't care for hair, I keep mine short for a reason . " Rena shook her head .
"Don't you even notice that her skin has got smoother? With no imperfections? That she is growing taller and slender than her peers?"
Lith kept scratching his head . He knew nothing about the average girl . Also, they were simply describing the side effects of removing impurities .
"And why is that a problem? Aren't those all good things?" This time even Tista joined the facepalm .
"They are envious of those things, dummy! They just want you to do the same for them . "
Lith was flabbergasted by such trivial demands . "All those grimaces, the silent treatment, all of it for such a stupid reason?"
"Lith, dear, being attractive for a girl is a pretty big deal . For your sisters could mean getting the possibility to choose between just a wealthy man, and a good, wealthy man . It can affect their entire life, their happiness . "
That sounded right to Lith's ears . "How could I have not thought of that?"
"While for your poor mother, it means that she can finally make all those pompous, high and mighty neighbours of her, that keep bragging about having so much more money than her, flaunting all the pricy beauty creams they can afford, kicking themselves out of envy!"
That sounded right to Lith's ears too . He accepted with a sigh, and his life finally returned to normal . He had to spend at least three afternoons a week for all the treatments, but it was worth it .
All that practice made his mana core grow steady and fast, his control of mana and cast speed improved by leap and bounds .
Right before the end of winter, he was forced to take in a new customer .
With the weather improving, the neighbouring families started meeting often . Sometimes for a visit, more often they would simply bump into each other while trading goods at the village .
And that was driving Raaz crazy .
"Lith, you have to help me!" His plea was desperate . "Your mother looks at least ten years younger, and I am starting to look more like her father rather than her husband . People keep murmuring how she was unfortunate marrying me, that she could have got so much better . Please do your thing on me too!"
Lith had heard the rumors . They were mean and petty, and deserved to be faced head on . He would not allow anyone to speak ill of his dad .
"Fine, but only at some conditions, the same I asked from mom . One, secrecy . Nobody must ever know outside you and me . Think of all the bad people that could want to exploit me . "
Raaz nodded .
"Second, you will never talk about it with Orpal or Trion, nor ask me to do it for them . I don't care if they fall on love or want to marry . They made pretty clear what they feel toward me and Tista . I will not endanger my safety for them . Take it or leave it . "
Raaz wanted to object, remind Lith that they were family too . But their behaviour had only gotten worse after being forced to spend so much time together during winter . Raaz had to scold them multiple times just to make them behave properly .
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