Noah felt a surge of relief. Finally, he thought, I'm mending. He could walk, though the cane was a necessary companion for now.

  The ghastly pallor that had clung to his skin was fading, replaced by a faint, but welcome, flush. Rest and good food, he mused, that's the key. Rebuild the blood, regain my strength. His thoughts drifted to the race-change pill he had so carefully concocted for Arthur.

  He'd initially planned to give it to him right away, but the image of Arthur's near-hysterical reaction to his weakened state stopped him. He was beside himself, Noah remembered, a flicker of warmth mixing with a pang of guilt. So worried. It was...touching, in a way. But also alarming.

  The last thing Noah wanted was for Arthur to blame himself for Noah's illness. It wasn't his fault, he insisted silently. He made a decision. I'll wait, he told himself. My own recovery has to come first. And Arthur's peace of mind is just as important.

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  He felt confident he'd be almost back to normal tomorrow. Yes, he thought, I should be able to manage some goblin farming in the forest then. That would help him regain his strength and perhaps even hasten his leveling up. And besides, he added, a new thought taking root, I'll be leaving the village soon, at most within a week.

  That will be the perfect time. I'll give him the pill then. He was confident that in another week he would be able to level up to level 10. It would be easier, somehow, to explain everything and then depart, giving Arthur time to process the change. Yes, he concluded.

  Noah realized a critical oversight: he'd neglected to teach the goblins medicine. Their kingdom lacked healers or priests, a dire situation.

  Previously, forest training rarely resulted in serious injuries, and minor wounds were treated with simple mud poultices. This makeshift remedy wouldn't suffice for more serious ailments.

  Noah recognized the urgency of the matter. He needed to acquire medical texts and learn about medicinal plants.

  The goblins' well-being depended on him quickly rectifying this dangerous gap in their knowledge.

  He resolved to prioritize this crucial education immediately.