Chapter 20 Part1 (1/2)
[PART 1]
Abduction
A little before noon, the main street was already croith people
A guard pulled on his horse's reins, looking for the post station
A well-dressed
A vagrant, dirty child
A slave, all of their body was covered in black clothing save for their face
Lily slipped her way through the crowd merrily as she went to cram school
It was the day after she guided Kei and Aileen around
Just like before, she had her hair up in the same ponytail that Aileen did With every step she took, the blue ribbon in her hair swayed
”He-y, Lily, how are you?” came a deep voice from behind her
She spun around to see an aardly s Borris
”Oji-chan…” Her expression darkened slightly as she slowly made eye contact with him His voice carried a hint of caution and discomfort
She recalled when Montand looked sad and told her not to speak too much with Borris
”Hey… It's been a while since we've met, huh” He scratched his cheek bashfully and looked away
Just like he said, it had been a long time since they met If her memory served her correctly, the last tio Borris would co the day time Lily went to cram school The chances for the
”What's wrong, oji-chan…?”
Her father warned her, but she couldn't just ignore hiht in front of her She turned toward hirabbed the hem of her skirt
Honestly, Lily didn't dislike Borris
Perhaps it was because she couldn't bring herself to not like him Of course, she knew that his recent visits to ask forher father Even so, froe of the old Borris, the kind Borris
When she was younger, her parents both worked themselves hard and couldn't look after her It was none other than Borris that took care of her That hen he was a brighter,with her antics, like playing house or pretending he was her horse He even got hborhood kidsthe riverside and he would let her ride on his shoulders In the sunset lit road, they would secretly eat honey candies that he bought for her
She remembered all of it
His appearance noas dirty, his hair messy, and even his eyes had a bad look to them However, because she knehat he used to be like, she held faint sy heart
”Ah, well The truth is—” said Borris in a hushed voice as he squatted down to her eye level As if cautious of other's stares, he pulled out a leather bag from his shi+rt
The sound of
”The truth is, I thought it was about time that I pay Montand back”
”Eh? Really!?” Her expression suddenly brightened
”Yep Work is finally looking up”
”Wow, that's great, that's great! Good for you, oji-chan!”
”Thank you I've been relying on Montand all this ti away
”I'm sure dad will be happy too! Oji-chan, what kind of work are you doing?”
”Haha… That's a secret” He winked and said, ”By the here are you going?”
”Cram school!”
”Cra hard, aren't you? Where was your craain…?”
”It's at Cornwell-san's h-class area!”
”Oh, I see Are you going to be there until it gets dark out?”
”Yep! Usually we end around four or so”
”Oh! That's a… Do you always go alone?”
”Yep At first o by myself!”
”Haha, that's right You've grown big, haven't you?” He smiled fondly at her proud expression ”So, for Lily who is trying so hard…” he fished around in his right pocket and presented so to her, ”Here! A candy for you”
”Yay, thanks oji-chan!” Lily took the ball shaped candy and bounced up and down
”Now then, it's tio Good luck with your studies”
”Okay! You too, good luck with your work!”
”Yeah, I'll do my best Bye then!” Borris turned back to her with a smile
”See you!!”
She watched him disappear into the crowd before she headed off to crah spirits
As she walked, she unwrapped the candy It was an amber ball The mellow honey flavor filled her mouth ”Hehe…” She sht steps turned into skips
She was happy
Borris could be like he was in the old days
Dad can see hiht with this, too
She felt proud for him
Borris and dad would get along again She believed that
Everything was heading in a better direction
At that time, she believed it
”That's too much! Thirty silvers is a rip off!”
”Not at all, you can't get me any lower than this!”
Kei argued with a man just outside of northern Satyna at the harbor
”It's just downstream until Yuulia! It's different if it's to Urvan, but why is it so expensive when you just need to ride the current?!”
”Duot four horses, just how ot a ton of goods toa profit!”
”That's why you overcharge it as thirty silvers? What, are you guys carrying gold and silver treasure!?”
”Even if I wanted to, there's no way I'd be carrying so so profitable!! It's just nor, a quick thirty silvers!”
They were screa the goods cast Kei a suspicious look Aileen watched nervously