Chapter 164
They arrived at the inn just like that.
Perhaps because it’s still far too early for dinner, the first floor is completely empty.
“Sit here.”
When she sat him down and tried to go upstairs, the child jumped to his feet.
With no other choice, the two of them went up to the second floor together and then knocked on Sillian’s door, but there was no response.
If he were inside, even if he had been asleep, he would have woken up.
Lynette knit her brows slightly, then knocked on Euphen’s door.
As expected, not only him but Eshar also seemed to have left the inn long ago.
With nothing to show for it, she went back downstairs, sat Edwin down again, and got some medicine from the innkeeper.
“I’ll take you home a little later.”
“…”
“Lift your leg. It looks like you’re badly hurt. I hope it’s not torn.”
She carefully rolled up the worn, loose pants and wiped the blood-soaked knee. Thankfully, it wasn’t the kind of wound that required stitching.
When the wet cloth touched his skin, the boy winced, as if it stung quite a lot.
She applied ointment over the red, scraped area and cut a piece of bandage to place over it.
“Are your hands alright?”
Edwin held out both his hands.
Judging by the scrapes on his palms, he must have caught himself when he fell.
Letting out a small sigh, she treated his hands as well.
‘When is Sillian coming back?’
She thought he would return soon, but she had no idea where he had gone.
After she finished treating him, there was nothing to say and nothing to do, so the two of them simply sat facing each other in silence.
To ease the awkward atmosphere even a little, she ordered tea. Thankfully it helped.
Just pretending to bring the cup to her lips made the silence feel less suffocating.
After finishing their now-cold tea, and then letting the second pot grow cold again, the door finally opened.
A familiar and welcome figure came into view.
“Sillian!”
It was the first time she had been this glad to see him.
The man smiled faintly at her words, then tilted his head when he saw the child sitting across from her.
“Lynette, whose child is that?”
“Well…”
How is she supposed to explain it? Should she say that she’d felt bad seeing him pick food up off the ground and, after buying him a meal, he ended up following her? Or perhaps just say they happened to meet?
After a brief hesitation, she gave a more vague answer.
“He fell and got hurt, so I brought him here to treat him.”
“I see.”
He didn’t ask any further.
“I’m going to take him home now. I thought it’d be better to go with you than to go alone, so I was waiting.”
At those words, the man smiled brightly.
He seemed especially pleased because of the fact that she hadn’t wandered into anything dangerous on her own.
“Alright. It’s almost dinner time, so we should get him home quickly.”
Lynette nodded and approached Edwin.
“You really have to go home now.”
“…”
“Where’s your house? I’ll take you there.”
The child glanced at Sillian.
Perhaps sensing instinctively that stubbornness wouldn’t work on him, he pressed his lips together with a slightly deflated expression and stood up.
“What is your name?”
“Edwin…”
The boy answered the man’s question in a small voice.
As they started to leave the inn with the child leading them, Sillian spoke to her.
“There is no need for you to come, Lynette. I’ll take him home safely, so why not wait here instead?”
At those words, Lynette looked at Edwin without thinking, and their eyes met.
Seeing his discouraged expression, she couldn’t bring herself to say yes to Sillian.
“I’ll come too.”
Though he didn’t say it aloud, it seemed Sillian had guessed from the child’s appearance that he might live in some dark back alley. She could understand the sentiment, but since she had extended her hand to help him, she felt she had to stay with him until the end.
Fortunately, Sillian didn’t try to stop her a second time.
Earlier, Edwin had followed behind Lynette, but now it’s the opposite. She followed the small, thin back moving ahead of her. He walked in front, glancing back from time to time, his expression not looking very good.
Watching him quietly, the man whispered a question.
“Are you certain he actually has a home?”
“He said his mother was at home… so I think he does have one.”
“It’s a relief he has family.”
He replied calmly.
After a short silence, he added a few more.
“Even if he’s a child, I’m relieved that you didn’t follow a stranger without hesitation.”
“Do you think I’m a kid?”
Lynette let out a short laugh, and Sillian softly laughed with her.
After they left the main street, she looked around and tilted her head slightly.
‘It doesn’t seem like he lives around here.’
If they followed this road to the end, they would reach the Count’s manor.
Since that’s where the lord stays, naturally the surrounding area is home to retainers and the wealthy.
Sure enough, the farther they walked, the larger the houses became.
They weren’t large enough to be called mansions, but they were elegant buildings with well-kept gardens.
She glanced at Sillian.
He also seemed to find this strange, his expression tightening with caution.
Whether Edwin is aware of this or not, he kept dragging his feet as he continued forward, as if he’s reluctant.
“…”
The child stopped before a large manor at the end of the road. The one she’d heard is the Count’s manor.
Seeing the wide garden beyond the iron gate, Lynette instinctively turned her head to the side. Sillian also looked bewildered by the situation.
“This is it.”
With his head lowered, Edwin spoke firmly.
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