But time, as the saying might go even in Aver, waits for no recovering analyst. Edward, ever the pragmatist, reminded them of their objective as he ducked back into the cave from a perimeter check. “Capital's close,” he stated, his usual gruffness softened by visible relief. “Less than half a day's march now, I reckon. We should move while the light is good. William?” His sharp eyes assessed him. “Can you walk?”

  William pushed himself up again, this time more slowly, ignoring the symphony of complaining muscles. Delaying wasn't an option. “Yes,” he said, trying to inject confidence he absolutely did not feel into his voice. “Walking is within operational limits.”

  They packed quickly, Julia and Edward moving with their now familiar efficiency. William, though every muscle felt like poorly set concrete, insisted on shouldering his own pack. It was a point of pride, a refusal to be seen as entirely helpless. “Plus,” he reasoned wryly, forcing his protesting legs to move, “if I do collapse again, the extra padding might marginally improve impact absorption.”

  As they left the sheltered woods and emerged onto the more open, rolling hills leading towards the capital, its distant walls and tallest spires now visible as hazy lines on the horizon, William noticed a subtle but distinct shift in his companions. The air itself seemed charged differently, a mix of relief, anticipation, and something else… apprehension. With the immediate dangers of the forest theoretically behind them, his analytical focus turned inwards, towards the group dynamic.

  Edward was the most obvious change. The rigid vigilance he’d maintained constantly in the Tallenwood seemed to ease almost imperceptibly. His shoulders were less tense, the lines around his eyes softer. His hand still rested near his sword hilt, but the grip wasn't white knuckled. He scanned their surroundings, yes, but with the ingrained caution of a veteran, not the hyper-alertness of imminent threat. Subject Edward exhibiting decreased stress indicators, William noted. Proximity to destination/logistical hub and potential mission completion likely causal factors. He seemed eager to reach the city, deliver their report, secure the needed aid for Sharwood. Relief radiated from him.

  Julia, however, presented a completely different dataset. As the capital grew closer, her usual calm composure seemed to develop hairline fractures. Where Edward relaxed, she seemed to tense. William observed her casting frequent, almost furtive glances towards the distant city walls. Her fingers fidgeted restlessly with the strap of her satchel, tracing unseen patterns. There was a tightness around her mouth, a subtle furrow between her brows that hadn't been there during the dangers of the forest journey. Anomaly detected: Subject Julia exhibiting increased stress indicators correlating positively with proximity to destination (Capital). Contradicts expected relief/anticipation response observed in Subject Edward. He knew she was from Aver City, had spoken of its past beauty with nostalgia. Logically, she should be relieved, eager to return. This apprehension was… illogical. It was like approaching a critical project deadline you knew you’d met, but still feeling that familiar dread of Harrison finding some imagined fault, a distressed emotional signal. Hypothesis: Capital represents source of specific anxiety for Subject Julia, unrelated to general external threat. Nature of anxiety: Unknown. Further data required.

  Direct questioning, he assessed, had a low probability of success, given her guarded nature when discussing personal matters beyond the mission. Alternative approach: Leverage user's 'recovering invalid' status to create opportunity for isolated, empathetic interaction. It felt… manipulative. A calculated social engineering attempt. He hesitated internally for a fraction of a second, the ethical subroutines flagging the approach, but the analyst’s need for data, for understanding the pattern, overrode the qualm. Initiating Social Interaction Test Protocol v0.1: Operation Feigned Relapse.

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  As they reached the dusty track marking the true outskirts of the city, the massive timber and stone walls looming impressively large ahead, William executed his plan. He let his injured leg ‘give way’ more dramatically than it actually would have, stumbling heavily, letting out a sharp groan that was perhaps only sixty percent acting. He leaned hard on his crutch, screwing up his face in a grimace that drew upon ample reserves of genuine muscle soreness. Performance metric: Aiming for convincing but not overly dramatic.

  “William!” Julia was instantly at his side, her earlier preoccupation vanishing, replaced by immediate concern. Her hand was light but steady on his arm. “Are you alright? Is it your leg?”

  “I... I don't know,” William gasped, playing it up, injecting a tremor into his voice. He pressed a hand to his head. “Just… suddenly dizzy again. Like last night. And my leg… feels numb, tingly.” Plausible lingering backlash symptoms. “Maybe… maybe it was worse than we thought?”

  Edward stopped, frowning back at them, pragmatic concern on his face. “We're barely five hundred yards from the East Gate. Can you make it that far?”

  “I… think so,” William said, feigning uncertainty, forcing himself to look slightly pale (which wasn't difficult given his actual exhaustion). “But… perhaps I should see a physician? Quickly? Just to be certain it’s not getting worse… before we report to the Guild?” He looked directly at Julia now, putting as much pleading vulnerability into his gaze as he could muster. Execute 'Engage Empathy Subroutine'. “Could you… could you possibly take me? I wouldn’t know where to begin to look…” Please take the bait. Activating best puppy eyes look.

  He saw the flicker of conflict in Julia’s eyes, her ingrained sense of duty warring with her evident compassion. A momentary hesitation, a slight frown, then her expression firmed. Compassion won. Hypothesis partially validated: Empathetic response triggered.

  “Of course, William,” she said, her voice regaining its firm kindness. “We’ll find a healer straight away. There’s usually a reliable one near the Commons Market, not far inside the South Gate, it might be quicker than going through the main city traffic. Your health comes first.” She turned to Edward, a silent message passing between them, he saw Edward give a minute, almost imperceptible nod. “Edward, you go on,” Julia instructed. “Report to Guildmaster Borin immediately. Tell him everything we found, about the goblin probes, the urgency. We’ll meet you at the Guildhall as soon as William has been seen to.”

  Edward nodded, his expression grim but accepting. He looked from Julia to William, then back towards the imposing main gate of the capital. “Alright. But be careful, both of you.” His voice was low, carrying a distinct warning. “Watch yourselves in the Commons. Eyes everywhere these days. War breeds shadows, even here in the heart of Aver.”

  With that cryptic caution, he gave them a final nod and strode purposefully towards the main city entrance, quickly disappearing into the flow of people entering and leaving. William watched him go, then turned back to Julia. He opened his mouth to ask about Edward's warning, but she was already gently guiding him towards a smaller, less imposing gate visible further down the wall, presumably the South Gate she'd mentioned. Her steps were purposeful, but her gaze seemed distant again, that subtle anxiety returning now that the immediate concern for William had been addressed. Whatever weighed on her mind regarding the capital, it was clearly significant.

  Social experiment phase one: Successful isolation achieved, William thought, trying to ignore the slight pang of guilt accompanying the analytical success. Dependent variable: Julia's willingness to confide. Independent variable: User's questionable acting ability deployed under pretext of medical necessity. Proceeding to phase two: Observation and data gathering. He adjusted his grip on the crutch and limped along beside her, quietly whispering to himself under his breath, a genuine note of concern now mixing with his analytical curiosity, “Whatever it is she's worried about… I hope Julia will be alright.”