Athena knelt among the shifting colors of the vast flower field, marveling at the srizing hues that rippled like a living rainbow.
But as she reached down to brush her fingers against a delicate blue blossom, sothing caught her eye, beneath the dazzling petals lay a hidden treasure.
Nestled among the roots were clusters of dicinal herbs, their leaves and stems distinct from the surrounding flora. These... are treasures!
Her heart leaped with excitent. She had seen herbs like these before, not on this planet, but in ancient texts and dicinal records back ho.
Their alien appearance was deceptive, but their structure and scent hinted at properties she recognized. Mors’ library was a good place to study! I never thought I’d see so many herbs.
"Mors," she called, glancing over her shoulder. "Can I pick so of these plants? I want to cultivate dicinal materials back ho."
Mors, who had been scanning their surroundings, turned to her with mild curiosity. "You know how to use them?"
Athena nodded, her fingers grazing the stalks of a plant that reminded her of ginseng. Does he think it’s uncommon for a celebrity to cultivate plants and study dicine?
"Yes. These are similar to herbs used in dicine where I co from. They could be valuable for treatnt."
Mors crouched beside her, his expression thoughtful. "Then let’s gather them properly. We’ll need to preserve the roots if you want to replant them."
With care, they began collecting the dicinal plants, using small tools from Mors’ pack to loosen the soil and extract the roots without damaging them.
Athena’s excitent grew with each discovery. So plants bore striking similarities to the ones she had studied, though their interstellar variants had evolved in remarkable ways.
She found Lunafla Root, its twisted golden strands resembling Earth’s ginseng, known for boosting stamina and healing injuries.
There was Azureveil Leaf, a translucent blue herb similar to honeysuckle, used to treat fevers and infections.
The Voidpetal Bloom had a scent akin to lavender and carried calming properties, much like valerian root.
As she continued collecting, she discovered more dicinal plants. She captured photos of them through her optical brain and wrote descriptions.
Starfire Vine – Resembling cordyceps, this fiery-red vine was known to enhance physical recovery.
Silverdew Lily – A cousin of the lily family, its petals secreted a cooling gel akin to aloe vera.
Ironthistle – With spiky leaves like milk thistle, it was rumored to cleanse toxins from the body.
Moonshadow Fern – Resembling mugwort, it was used in teas to ease pain and improve circulation.
Nebulabark – A tough, dark-streaked plant, similar to cinnamon, known for warming the body and aiding digestion.
Eclipsedrop Berry – A small, deep purple berry, its properties mimicked goji berries, enhancing vision and immune function.
Crimsonstar Root – Resembling astragalus, it was valued for strengthening the body’s defenses.
Etherbloom Sprout – A pale, luminescent herb, it had effects similar to licorice root, soothing respiratory ailnts.
Voidwillow Bark – Much like willow bark on Earth, it was used to relieve pain and inflammation.
Sunflare Bud – This fiery-orange bud was rich in nutrients, reminiscent of red ginseng.
Celestial Orchid – A delicate, bioluminescent flower, akin to dendrobium, believed to promote longevity.
Stardust Moss – A soft, glowing moss that functioned like motherwort, regulating heart health.
Nightshade Lotus – A rare flower, its deep blue petals carry detoxifying properties similar to rhubarb root.
Eonmint – A sharp-scented herb, much like peppermint, used for digestion and headaches.
Novafern – Its curling tendrils reminded Athena of ashwagandha, used for stress relief.
Phantom Peony – A ghostly white flower, similar to a white peony, aiding blood circulation.
Skyroot Bulb – A starchy plant like yam, known for restoring energy.Solaris Stalk – A bright yellow herb, resembling turric, with strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Drifting Bellflower – A hanging blossom with immune-boosting effects like bellflower root.
Glacierleaf – A frost-covered leaf, akin to kudzu, known for cooling the body.
Luminlily Root – Resembling angelica root, it was used to nourish the blood.
Athena wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and smiled as she counted their findings. "Twenty-five kinds... I never imagined I’d find this much."
Mors placed the last of the collected herbs into a preservation pouch. "Seems like you’ve got enough for an entire garden."
She chuckled, running her fingers over the pouch. "More than that. If these can thrive back ho, they could change lives."
Mors regarded her for a long mont before finally saying, "You really care about helping others, don’t you?"
Athena glanced up, eting his gaze. Sothing about the way he looked at her sent a small shiver through her, but it wasn’t from the cool evening air. "Is that so surprising?"
Mors exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "No. Just... admirable."
Their eyes held for a beat longer before he turned away, standing and shouldering the pack. "Co on, let’s head back before nightfall."
Athena lingered a mont, watching him. He is incredible and it surprises as much.
She had never expected to find soone like him on this journey, soone who, despite his hardened exterior, understood her ambitions without questioning them.
If I t him in my last life... He might beco one of the targets.
He would be killed for his brilliance and he would shine as bright as the stars in the night sky, sought by millions.
But he is different from other people. So... unique, that sotis I doubt he’s even real.
As they walked back to camp, she found herself smiling. It feels great to have an ally like him. I also feel honored to be able to live in this dinsion.
Maybe, just maybe, this second chance in life was about more than survival. Maybe it was about finding people who truly saw her for who she was.
And at that mont, as Mors glanced back at her, his expression unreadable yet strangely warm, Athena had a distinct feeling that he saw her clearer than anyone ever had.
Mors, will you stay as my husband till the end of ti?
"What’s wrong? Is there sothing on my face?"
"Nothing," Athena answered as she chuckled.
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