Alexia tightly holds my waist as I tap my feet on horse's side to increase the speed.
The sun was up and brutal, sweat drenched me from head to toe. "How long till we reach home?" I heard Alexia's muffled voice in my chest.
"Just a bit."
She softly sighed while resting her head on my shoulder. "Why did you say that to Mr. Red?"
I narrow my eyes and direct bit of mana into Alexia's head. 'Why you don't me to help Madison?'
She quickly jumped, clearly startled by my direct voice. "T-That's not it, I really want to save Maddy and help Mr. Red but I can't help but hold myself accountable. The Jerald thing and that scary red haired woman, I know that you endured so much pain."
'It wasn't that bad. Also, I was just doing my part as…' I actually bite my tongue after realizing what I was going to utter.
"As?" Alexia asks in a soft voice, I felt her breath near my ear, leaving a tingling sensation.
Suddenly I pull the horse's reins so hard that it was forced to stand up on two. "NEIGHHH!" The brown small stallion led out a rasp noise. Alexia almost fell off. In panic, she dug her finger nails in my back. "W-WOAH!!"
The horse slams it's front hooves on the soft ground. "Fran! And Kel?"
Two tiny kids who were crouching in fear, looked up and started crying loudly. "SISTER!!!"
Alexia immediately hopped off and hugged the kids. "You two? What are you doing here? In the middle of forest?"
The two frightened kids were sobbing non stop. I held the horse's rein in one hand and jumped off. "What happened? Is every okay back home?"
Fran turned to me and hugged me. "Altaris!!" He rubbed his nose full of snot on my coat, but that didn't bother me.
"F-Fran? What happened? Why are you here?" I pull him away and try to calm him.
Only after drinking three glasses of water did the kids calm down, Alexia held them closely. "Now tell me what happened? And why were you so thirsty?"
Kel, the only girl with glasses and the only one in the entire group who could read and write. I remember her proudly announcing her skill of literacy, apparently Grandpa used to praise her a lot.
She spoke in a low voice. "W-We were worried about you and F-Fran kept asking Rushian about you, last night he got yelled at by him and sneaked out all alone to find you. I-I tagged along to help him, I-I thought reading might come in handy in cities. But when we were walking, I slipped and broke our water bottle... Hic! Uwaahh!"
I lean towards her and ask in a cheeky voice. "You came to find Alexia and not me?"
The poor girl freaked out and hid behind Alexia. She is the only girl in the group who is still wary of me.
Fran on the other side, I looked down to see the boy basically stuck to my waist. "I was worried about you too, Altaris!" He declared loudly.
"Well, thank you." I patted his head.
Alexia dragged Kel to the front and tightly held her shoulder. "Who yelled at Fran? Rushian?"
The small cutely nodded with tears still leaking from her eyes.
With two kids squeezed in between us, I and Alexia gallop straight to home. Once we reach home, I carefully halt the horse in front of our wooden fencing so the kids can safely climb down but Alexia isn't interested, she jumps off the horse and storms into the crooked house. "Oh! Sister Alexia! You are bac-"
"Did you yell at your siblings???" She yelled so loudly that even I heard it.
I carefully hop off the horseback and help Fran and Kel getting down. "Listen kids, stay here for some time, okay?" The kids nod as I made my way into the house.
Inside, I saw rest of the kids hiding in the corner while Alexia behind Rushian with a rusty pan in hand. "Come here, you rascal!" She yelled before throwing the weapon.
Rushian barely dodged the pan and ran to hid behind me. "A-Altaris! Help! Sister is going to kill me!"
I simply step aside and let their chase continue.
On the bed, Kela sits alone while cutely laughing at the scenes unfolding in front of her. When I sat down beside her, she actually crawled towards me. With a smile, I lift her up as she laughs more loudly. "Aww! You're the only one in this house who loves me right?"
Kela tilts her head as she squeaks in a cute manner.
THUD!
Alexia slammed the rusty pan so hard on the ground that it broke into pieces. "I did not give you permission to bully others."
In the corner of my eye, I saw Gerblt flinch in fear. With Kela in arms, I got up and sighed. "Haah. Alright! Everyone that's enough!"
Rushian took the chance to crawl behind me for protection. Alexia glared at him but decided not to continue the quarrel. "Gerblt, go and fetch Fran and Kel. Now, you."
I look back at Rushian, who was smiling at me in hopes that I will save him. "Sit right there."
Fran and Kel walks in the house, clearly uncomfortable, they have their head down. The other kids who remained in house, all had different reactions. Most of them were happy that they are back but Gerblt was not, he appeared very scared if anything.
Alexia walked to Fran and Kel and wiped their faces with a wet cloth. "You both are covered in dirt, after this bath. With me, understand?" Her serious finally crumbled as the kids were nodding, if anything, Alexia was grateful that she bumped into them and managed to bring them home, unharmed. Both Kel and Fran were pulled into a tight hug by their older sister.
Meanwhile, I turned to Rushian who was slightly guilty now that he realized his mistake. "Tell me, Rushian. What did you do when I left?"
The boy placed a finger on his chin as he thought for a second. "At first everything was normal, even with you gone, sister Alexia was here. But then in the evening, that stupid steward of Tarma appeared."
'Jerald?'
"He asked about sister, I was going to kick his ass but sister Alexia stopped me."
I smirked at Rushian's words, everyone smiled with me as they knew how Rushian acts.
"Why are you smiling?? I was really going to beat him, only if sister didn't stepped in." He pouted cutely before continuing his narration. "Then, sister and he talked for some time before she rushed into the house. I followed to see if she is alright and she! She said that she was leaving us."
"I just told you that I was stepping out." Alexia interrupted him.
"For days?"
I had to side with Rushian on this one, leaving the kids all alone was not a great decision. "He is right, Alexia. You continue."
Rushian made a smug face as he continued. "She handed me the coin pouch and told me to take care of everyone. After she was gone, I tried my best. I brought the food, did the dishes, kept an eye on everyone and left Kela with aunt Meloni."
"Did you count the change?" Alexia's sudden question caught Rushian off guard.
He took a second to think before turning silent.
"You just took what was handed to you?" Alexia snapped making Rushian flinch in fear.
I quickly put my hand up. "Not now, Alexia." Only then she calmed down, but clearly later she was going make him regret his mistake.
"A-Anyways, I did everything but I was too getting worried when you did not come back in the night. Luckily Altaris did, but he again left in hurry, leaving us alone for an entire day along with uncle Red."
I had to acknowledge the fact that Rushian really did his best, my mistake was also crystal clear and I try not to repeat it. But I had to make sure Rushian wouldn't as well. "Why did yelled Fran?" My question clearly upset Rushian and frightened Gerblt.
"I-I had to." He spoke in a low voice. "Fran kept asking about sister's whereabouts, about your work as if I had the answers. His useless queries made dinner unfun, made everyone sad. Because of him, Iris asked me if we were abandoned."
Unconsciously, I tightened my fist and looked away.
"I couldn't answer her. After that, everyone's mood kept on worsening. But this moron kept asking the same question over and over. I got fed up and told him to keep quiet."
Alexia couldn't help but tear up, she pulled her brother towards her and hugged him. "I would never abandon you. Never."
Suddenly almost everyone ran to hug their sister, I turned to Gerblt who was the only one standing. "Now shall we hear your side? Gerblt?"
The cute chubby kid was already shaking in fear. "I-I am sorry. I-I didn't mean to hurt Fran."
Alexia turned her head towards him and made an confused expression.
"The day he asked this question, I g-got a nightmare. Where fell into a pit and never returned home. I-I was so scared but Fran kept asking the same stupid question. Last night after Rushian yelled at him, I grabbed his arm and pushed him."
"Fran, what did he say to you?" I calmly ask Fran.
He stepped forward and looked Gerblt in the eyes, his confidence was beaming with me by side. "He told me to get lost."
Gerblt started crying loudly as if the crime he committed was brought to light, Alexia made a complicated face, not sure whether to scold or console.
I decide to help her out and pat Gerblt's head, calming him down. "Look kids, Gerblt is worried about you as much as you are and he only meant to teach Fran not to speak during dinner but his fat belly is known for violence, isn't it?"
Everyone giggled at my words, Gerblt put his hands on his belly.
"He taught Fran in a wrong way. So, Gerblt what is the next move?"
"Apologize." He spoke in a low voice, sneaking glances at Fran.
"Good. Fran it is not approiate to speak during dinner times also if you have any questions ask Marshal- I mean Rushian! I ask Rushian."
Fran nods and shakes hands with Gerblt.
Suddenly Kel raises her hand and fixes her glasses. "Actually, Gerblt calls me four eyes."
I smile as everyone slowly begin complaining about Gerblt, overwhelming the poor child. "Gerblt, hit me once we were playing outside!" "He ate my sweets one time."
Meanwhile, I caught Alexia staring at me, little too intently. I quickly look away but she does not. 'Damn that mark.'
I clap my hands to gather attention. "Now before Gerblt starts his apologizing streak, I need to make one thing that Rushian did nothing wrong. He took all the right steps, I hope you all understand that and continue living under him."
Everyone is bit unsettled as I speak in a strange tone, my military accent slipped out. "Please don't cause any more trouble for him as me and your sister is going dungeon diving."
The kids stare at my face before Rushian screams out loud. "WHATTT??"