Felicia was momentarily stunned, remembering the previous night on the cliff edge. Stephan had been there with the little white dog, but after their fall, the dog had been left behind and brought down the mountain by villagers to Macey's house. Now that Macey was gone, Cloud needed a new caregiver.

This, for some reason, made her think of Stephan. He had taken Cloud that day, suggesting he liked the dog. Should she take it to him in Khogend?

Considering this, she crouched, picked up Cloud, and gently patted its empty stomach—no wonder it had been whining so pitifully. She took Cloud back to Romeo's house. He had adopted it first, so she placed it beside his larger dog. The bigger dog lazily opened its eyes, glanced at the puppy, and then returned to sleep.

Cloud immediately attempted to nurse, but after several tries, it returned to Felicia's feet and whined. Aya saw this and laughed. "The big dog doesn't have milk anymore, so it probably won't get anything. But the meal will be ready soon. We'll give them some mushroom pasta."

"Okay."

Aya worked quickly and efficiently, preparing several dishes in no time. Felicia had little appetite, managing only a small serving. She had caught a cold the previous day, suffering a high fever. Although her temperature had subsided, she remained susceptible to low fevers if not careful.

After taking two pills, she helped Aya clean up. By then, it was past midnight. Having slept too long during the day, she couldn't sleep now. She put on another coat and went outside. Cloud, full of energy, bounded over as soon as it saw her, biting playfully at the hem of her pants and pulling her toward Macey's house.

Was it trying to go home?

Felicia picked up Cloud, stroking its head. Even a tiny puppy could be so sensitive and affectionate, unlike some people…

Her eyes hardened as she saw a group approaching. Kayla and Arnold led the way, followed by Olivia and her companions.

When Kayla saw Felicia, disbelief flashed across her face, her nails digging into her palm at the sight of Felicia's unharmed state. Quickly masking her emotions, she feigned surprise. "Felicia! You're alright! That's such a relief! Thank goodness!"

Arnold, initially relieved, shifted to reproach. "Since you're fine, why did you worry so many of us? Did you know Kayla cried all day?" He was angry about her failure to inform anyone of her return.

They had only learned of Felicia's return by chance, a villager mentioning it. Otherwise, they would have assumed she was still missing and planned to rest before deciding how to search for her. Upon hearing the news, Arnold had rushed over to confirm Felicia's safety, experiencing relief but also a strange irritation. He resented her disregard for their concern, feeling ignored and neglected.