Chapter 15 Part1 (1/2)

Vermillion Niito Tadano 30050K 2022-07-20

Villagers

It felt like it eltering It felt overbearing

If you had to describe the feeling, it would be unpleasant

Still half asleep, Aleen shook it off She roughly pushed it away and thought she heard a small, ”Umph—”

”…Mmh”

She opened her eyes a crack and saw the bare wooden bea

Slowly, she sat up in bed

She mumbled to herself and drowsily looked around the room

”…Oh, you're up now”

Her eyes reen door—Danny

Shocked, her drowsiness completely disappeared

Why is he here?

Some man she didn't knoas in the bedroom with her Even if it was the home's owner, it stillshe shoved ahen she woke up A chill ran down her spine

Aileen wrapped the sheets around her as if to protect herself, silently staring at him with narrowed eyes The color in her face drained even more and Danny said, ”Wai-, breakfast is ready,” and quickly left the room

The door closed behind him

After asure nothing rong

—She was fine There wasn't anything particularly wrong

”What's with that guy?” She got goosebu came instinctively She wrapped her arms around herself

Unable to calm herself down she looked around uneasily and happened to look outside

The green forest gave her a so meet up with Kei

She got out of bed and put on the wooden shoes she'd been lent The simple shoes didn't match her size, so her feet slid around in them However, the as smoothed out, so they didn't feel bad

Aileen didn't want to run into that greasyrooht outside

Her shoes clacked against the dirt path as she walked in the soft sunlight

I feel light now… she realized that she clearly felt much better than yesterday

She should have realized when she clith in her legs

A sled to herself as she lightened her step Hht, he was at the village leader's second son's place Cronin, or Cronen, or so

She reh, she had no idea where that was

”…Umm” She wondered what to do and paced back and forth when she saw a group of wo fro loudly

The one at the front of the group took notice and called out to her It was Cynthia with her gentle s you here?”

The others noticed her too, and stopped their chatter, quickly putting on polite expressions

”I was on my way to see Kei, but… I don't knohere he is,” flustered, she avoided looking them in the eye

Aileen felt a little embarrassed when she answered them honestly

The women teased her innocence, ”Oh, are you now~?”

Aileen felt even ht red

”Ah, if it's Kei-dono then he's at etically

”What's your name?”

”I'm Tina, Cronen's wife!” While she held a jar of water, the freckled woht Aileen with her to her ho the way The house was disappointingly close by ”It's small, but please,” she invited Aileen in ”Kei-dono left early in the , but it's the ine he'll be back soon”

”Oh, alright” Aileen sat at the table in the living room and casually looked around Like Tina said, it was se leader's house However, it was so clean that there wasn't even a speck of dust

It'd even be fine to go barefoot she thought, as she clacked her wooden shoes together under the table to kill ti the water fro a fire underneath it

”—I' some water for tea, if you'd like some” Tina smiled and held some dried herbs in her hand

”Sure Thank you” Aileen realized Tina was going through the trouble for her and slightly nodded, grateful

They were quiet for a while The fire crackled and popped

Aileen spaced out with her head propped up by her hand, and of course, that came to mind

That greasy man's face crossed her ly