Chapter 62

"..."

"Ah."

Hastily returning to Lucy's house, I asked for directions to the nearest carriage stop and was about to set out again when I opened the door.

There, I encountered Mui, the guest of this house. Beside her stood a young woman, likely a maid, dressed in similar attire to Haruwi, who seemed to be accompanying her.

"Mui, I thought you were out."

"..."

Her response was curt. However, it seemed that much of her prickliness had subsided, and there was no sense of hostility or unease in her curt reply. That was a good sign.

"Mui, welcome back. Did you manage to buy what you needed?"

"..."

Lucy, who had been watching from the door, called out next. She held out a shopping bag in her left hand, which she had apparently brought back from her errand.

This scene, if seen in isolation, felt like we had a child. It was hard to imagine Lucy as a mother, though.

The woman who had accompanied Mui bowed and disappeared into the house. So, Lucy had other servants besides Haruwi. She really lived a good life.

It was getting dark. Mui's expression was hard to read. I couldn't tell what she was feeling, given her brief, wordless responses.

"Did you go shopping? You did well."

"Shut up. Anyone can do this much."

So, I decided to praise her actions, but her reaction wasn't very positive. Hmm, did I mess up? Still, I think it's right to praise a child for doing housework.

"Why are you here, old man?"

"Ah, well... I have a bit of a talk."

Lucy hadn't told Mui anything. So, I shouldn't reveal everything here. I decided to play it cool.

"I see."

Mui accepted my response without further comment. A brief silence fell over the entrance.

"But, it's good to see you living well. I thought Lucy might be making you run errands all the time."

"Hey, hey, what kind of image do you have of me?"

"Haha."

Lucy responded with a light-hearted remark, but there was no negative tone. She understood it was just a joke.

Mui's appearance had improved significantly. She wasn't wearing rags anymore, and her clothes, though not flashy, were clean. Even in the dim light, her skin and hair looked much better, evidence that she was getting proper nutrition and sleep.

Seeing this, I felt relieved, even though I wasn't her parent. The light-hearted remark was a slip of the tongue, and I hoped she would forgive me.

"..."

After watching our exchange, Mui spoke quietly.

"Why... why are you being so kind to me?"

Her words were spoken with a sense of embarrassment. The emotion behind them was not dissatisfaction, but confusion.

"Hmm..."

Why, indeed. I scratched my head and glanced at Lucy, who seemed to be pondering how to respond.

"Adults taking care of children is only natural."

"I agree. We should extend a helping hand within our reach."

Our answers were similar.

This was the honest truth. Mui had certainly been involved in some bad things, but even if it was out of necessity, those actions couldn't be justified. If we did, most crimes would be excused.

However, Mui had managed to escape that world, and her crimes weren't too severe. If she showed remorse, and considering her age, a warning would be sufficient.

"...There were no such adults around me!"

Mui spoke as if squeezing the words out.

"I... I only thought about surviving each day by stealing from others! I only saw you as a mark! And yet you gave me money and let me do as I pleased... Why... why?"

Her confusion echoed in the room.

She must be smart, despite her lack of education. She had clearly thought a lot about her past actions. It was easy to imagine that she had only lived in a world of bad adults, like the thieves we encountered.

She was likely confused now. From what I could see, she wasn't being treated poorly, which was a good thing. But the key issue was that she wasn't accepting this treatment.

We needed to address her emotional issues. However, I thought Lucy, who was currently involved with her, should take on this responsibility. But when I glanced at her, she seemed content to observe.

Eh, isn't that a bit unfair? It felt like she was using me for her convenience. I understood there were things she couldn't tell Mui, like the suspicions surrounding the dusk and Bishop Revious.

"Mui."

Well, it couldn't be helped. I was the one who had given her a chance to escape that world.

"You are a child."

"..."

I tried to speak gently, avoiding any harsh words. It reminded me of the times I had to counsel unruly students at the dojo. There were always a few troublemakers.

Children shouldn't think about complicated things. It's important to keep an open mind, but first, they should enjoy their environment.

"That's just... like you're treating me like a child!"

"It's the truth."

I firmly stopped her protest. Children are one of the treasures that adults should protect. There is no hierarchy here.

"There are no adults here who would deceive you or use you. I've said it before, it's the responsibility of adults to help, and that's what a good adult should do."

"Are you just telling me to be dependent?"

"Hmm? Yes, that's right."

Mui seemed unusually mature for her age, almost resigned. Given her past, it was understandable, but it was something we needed to correct.

Children should be dependent on adults. That's their job. They will grow mentally and physically, learn discernment, and gradually understand the world. Parents, teachers, and seniors play this role, but Mui had never been in such an environment.

If anything, her older sister had taken on this role. Considering her age and her involvement with thieves, it was impressive that she still had such a mindset and self-evaluation, which seemed to be a result of her sister's influence.

Her sister must have been wonderful, unlike the thieves' den. That's why she couldn't protect her and was swallowed by the world's corruption.

"Is it... okay... to be like this?"

"It's okay, Mui. You have a future. Your life ahead is much brighter and longer than mine."

Compared to this old man, Mui's life was still full of possibilities. There was still plenty of room for course correction. That's why I had to take responsibility for picking her up.

"Well, if you still can't accept it..."

It was a difficult task to clear all her doubts with just a few words. It would take time for her to get used to this new environment.

"When you grow up and become a fine adult, I hope you'll treat me to a good meal. Then we'll be even."

I patted her head as I spoke. I couldn't help reaching out, but she didn't push me away, which was a relief.

"Stop making fun of me."

"I'm not. That's hurtful."

"Hey, treat me too when that happens. I worked hard too!"

"You just caused trouble."

"What did you say!?"

Lucy interjected, but she had only fought the thieves. Still, she had done well in temporarily taking care of Mui.

"Hmph."

Mui snorted, watching our exchange. She seemed to realize that further argument was pointless. Lucy, who hadn't interrupted my argument, likely shared similar thoughts. I decided to assert my adult ego here.

"Come on, let's go inside."

"Fine."

She moved forward with a sulky voice and expression as I released her head.

"Alright, Beryl, I'll leave it to you."

"Sure, I'll do my best."

With Lucy's encouragement, I remembered my purpose for coming here.

Mui still needed time to truly recover. Everything must have been a whirlwind for her. I hoped she could lead a peaceful second life. To ensure that, I needed to clear up any lingering issues.

Looking back, I saw Lucy hugging Mui from behind at the entrance.

Hmm, if it were Haruwi, it would have made a nice picture. But with Lucy, it just looked like children playing. In fact, Lucy even looked younger.

"Feels like a father being seen off by his child."

Indeed, it was a bit of a fake family. But receiving a send-off before a job wasn't a bad feeling. Well, I'll go do my job. It would be best if nothing happened and it was a wasted trip. Describing a character at a sensitive age is challenging.