However, Scott's face brightened when he heard the address.
"Oh, I know that neighborhood well! I spent several months there building a house when I was working as an apprentice carpenter. It was decades ago, but rural areas don't change much, after all."
The worry vanished from Aila's face upon hearing those words. What a relief.
"I think you're talking about the mansion at the entrance to that village. I think I can find it somehow."
“I’m so glad...!”
Aila felt a strange sense of joy and wiped away the tears that flowed from her eyes.
And then, that night.
It was the couple's last night in the cabin they had grown attached to, and for Aila, too. Perhaps their last night before leaving a place they might never return to.
Debbie spent that precious night with Ayla, not her husband. It was probably not enough time to gaze at Scott and share fond memories.
"Would you like to sleep with me tonight?"
"Oh, I know that neighborhood well! I spent several months there building a house when I was working as an apprentice carpenter. It was decades ago, but rural areas don't change much, after all."
The worry vanished from Aila's face upon hearing those words. What a relief.
"I think you're talking about the mansion at the entrance to that village. I think I can find it somehow."
“I’m so glad...!”
Aila felt a strange sense of joy and wiped away the tears that flowed from her eyes.
And then, that night.
It was the couple's last night in the cabin they had grown attached to, and for Aila, too. Perhaps their last night before leaving a place they might never return to.
Debbie spent that precious night with Ayla, not her husband. It was probably not enough time to gaze at Scott and share fond memories.
"Would you like to sleep with me tonight?"
Scott asked, then sent Aila to the guest bed where she had been staying.
“Aila, are you sleeping?”
Debbie asked the girl sleeping next to her, but there was no answer.
There were many questions she wanted to ask. Was "Aila" really the girl's real name? How did she end up involved in such a dangerous situation at such a young age?
But she just stroked Aila's round hair as she let out a deep, even breath.
"Everything will be okay, Aila. You and us."
Debbie would be lying if she said she wasn't scared.
Even though she'd lived for half a century, the world is still full of fear.
But Debbie, and probably her husband Scott too, have had a truly happy two months thanks to Aila, the first time in decades since losing their son.
The gaping hole in the middle of their hearts could not be completely filled by anything... Still, Aila helped to heal the couple's wounds, even if only a little.
If that's what Aila said, then even if some parts were questionable, it was something that had to be followed.
Even if it means leaving your home and going to an unfamiliar place.
Debbie, who had been watching the pretty face of the sleeping girl for a while, fell asleep without realizing it.
Knock knock.
There was a knock on the door of a remote cabin in the forest.
The three people who had been sitting apart from each other, staring into space in silence, were startled by a signal coming from outside the cabin.
Scott turned to Aila, and when their eyes met, she nodded.
“Who are you?”
“It’s me, I’m here to pick up Ayla.”
It was Capella, who called herself Aila's mother.
“Oh, come in.”
Scott opened the door with a clicking gesture.
He wasn't a professional actor, and he was just an ordinary person who had lived a good life, never deceiving anyone, so it was inevitable. Watching the scene, Debbie couldn't help but think, "What if he gets caught like that?"
But fortunately, Capella wasn't interested in Scott's awkward movements. As soon as she entered the house, she rushed towards Aila and hugged her tightly.
“Aila, Mommy is here.”
“Are you here, Mom?”
Aila barely managed to utter the word 'Mom', which was completely out of her mouth.
Her heart felt like it was rotting and rotten as she had to use the words to Capella, which she had never used even once to Ophelia, but fortunately, unlike Scott, she didn't feel that awkward.
Sadly, she was used to this kind of acting.
"It took longer than I thought. Did things not go well?"
Debbie smiled gently and, unseen by Capella, gave her husband a firm pat on the back of his foot. It was a silent signal to him to take care of himself.
"Oh, that's... well, the loan sharks were guarding my sister's house. I managed to contact her without them noticing, and we were able to settle down in a village a little further away."
And Capella was equally adept at acting. How could she be so shameless and good at lying?
The story of the non-existent sister became even more vivid when told of the loan sharks guarding the front of the house.
Debbie clenched her hands under her apron, saying she would have been completely fooled into believing her if she hadn't heard from Aila beforehand.
“That’s really great, isn’t it, honey?”
“Oh, yeah. That’s good.”
Suddenly, when Debbie asked for his consent, Scott stuttered and answered, looking quite suspicious.
“...What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”
Capella asked with a puzzled look at the suspicious sight of him sweating profusely.
Scott was so terrified that he felt like he was going to faint as he looked at her with those red eyes that were blazing with life.
“Why, I’m saying this because I’ve grown so attached to Aila that it’s sad to have to part ways.”
"My wife is right. Aila is so cute. After sending her away, I'll be so lost in thought that I won't know how to live."
As Debbie cunningly made up an excuse, Scott nodded in agreement. Fortunately, he didn't look too awkward.
“...I see. Thank you so much for loving my daughter, who is lacking in many ways.”
Capella smiled seductively and placed a hand on Aila's shoulder.
Aila resisted the urge to shake off her touch, stood up, and bowed politely.
“Thank you so much for everything, Ma’am, Sir.”
'I'll definitely see you again alive.'
Since it was something she couldn't say in front of Capella, she blinked and prayed that her feelings would be conveyed.
She hopes they can safely reach the hideout Winfred has prepared for them.
“Yes, Aila. Take care, stay healthy... and come visit me when you have time.”
Debbie smiled affectionately and waved at her. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Let’s go, Aila.”
Capella tightened her grip on Aila's shoulder and led her out of the cabin.
She couldn't take more than a few steps and kept looking back at the couple's cabin. The image of the couple, their weeping faces, kept flashing before her eyes, and she couldn't bring herself to move forward.
“...What are you doing, Miss? The Master is waiting.”
At this unfamiliar sight, Capella whispered in a small voice, audible only to her ears. Under the constant urging, Aila had no choice but to move.
How far along the forest path did she go? A flat path suitable for horses appeared, and a carriage was parked. Cloud was waiting beside the carriage.
“When are you going to handle this, Cloud?”
As Cloud opened the carriage door to allow her to board, Capella asked in an overbearing tone.
“Once the sun sets... I’ll take care of it right away. Wait in the carriage.”
He answered in his usual blunt voice, no different from usual.
And Aila tried to read the thoughts in that hard face.
What choice did he make? Did he follow Byron's orders and execute the couple, or did he follow Aila's advice and show mercy?
But Cloud didn't give any answer to Aila's earnest gaze.
As the anxious hours passed, the sun began to set and paint the sky red.
“...Then I’ll be off.”
Cloud said as he mounted his horse.
“Oh my, I’m so confused. I don’t even know what to pack.”
"Still, wouldn't you need some travel money? There's a pouch of money in the closet under the winter blanket, Scott."
Aila returned, and the couple were busy packing.
Since they settled down here, they've never packed their bags for a long trip, so it felt awkward.
"Ah, here it is. Is this enough? I need to know what prices are like these days."
Scott put his hand between the thick blankets in the closet and pulled out his wallet full of coins, licking his lips as he spoke.
Still, he would occasionally go down to the village store across the mountain to buy necessities like salt that couldn't be found in the mountains, and exchange things like animal skins for money. However, since it had been two years since he last went, he had no way of knowing what the outside world was like these days.
"If it's not enough, there's nothing we can do about it. I think these clothes are enough... Let's get going, honey."
As Debbie, who had roughly packed a change of clothes in a bundle, urged Scott, he stuffed his wallet deep into his pocket and grabbed the crossbow and dagger he used for hunting.
Now it was truly time to leave the home they had grown attached to.
The couple personally cleared the land, felling trees and leveling the ground to build the house. Every single piece of timber used in the construction of this house was untouched by their hands.
But they have to leave this place.
They were still at a loss as to what had suddenly happened to the couple who had been living peacefully.
“...Let’s go, Debbie.”
Scott smiled kindly and held out his hand to his wife.
As he grew older with her, wrinkles grew on him, and he now looked like a middle-aged man, but in his smile was the same smile of the young carpenter who had made Debbie's heart flutter when she was young.
“Yes, Scott.”
Debbie was just about to leave the cabin when she took his hand.
The door to the cabin opened with a bang, and a giant figure appeared in the doorway.
A solid, muscular body and a blunt face. A long, vertical scar, perhaps a testament to his hard work. A gaze so intense it could kill.
He was a man who looked scary at first glance.
For a moment, the couple wondered if they had been too late.
Did I take all that money for nothing? Should I have just left my clothes behind and run away?
Will I be unable to keep my promise to Aila that we would meet again alive?
“Aila, are you sleeping?”
Debbie asked the girl sleeping next to her, but there was no answer.
There were many questions she wanted to ask. Was "Aila" really the girl's real name? How did she end up involved in such a dangerous situation at such a young age?
But she just stroked Aila's round hair as she let out a deep, even breath.
"Everything will be okay, Aila. You and us."
Debbie would be lying if she said she wasn't scared.
Even though she'd lived for half a century, the world is still full of fear.
But Debbie, and probably her husband Scott too, have had a truly happy two months thanks to Aila, the first time in decades since losing their son.
The gaping hole in the middle of their hearts could not be completely filled by anything... Still, Aila helped to heal the couple's wounds, even if only a little.
If that's what Aila said, then even if some parts were questionable, it was something that had to be followed.
Even if it means leaving your home and going to an unfamiliar place.
Debbie, who had been watching the pretty face of the sleeping girl for a while, fell asleep without realizing it.
***
Knock knock.
There was a knock on the door of a remote cabin in the forest.
The three people who had been sitting apart from each other, staring into space in silence, were startled by a signal coming from outside the cabin.
Scott turned to Aila, and when their eyes met, she nodded.
“Who are you?”
“It’s me, I’m here to pick up Ayla.”
It was Capella, who called herself Aila's mother.
“Oh, come in.”
Scott opened the door with a clicking gesture.
He wasn't a professional actor, and he was just an ordinary person who had lived a good life, never deceiving anyone, so it was inevitable. Watching the scene, Debbie couldn't help but think, "What if he gets caught like that?"
But fortunately, Capella wasn't interested in Scott's awkward movements. As soon as she entered the house, she rushed towards Aila and hugged her tightly.
“Aila, Mommy is here.”
“Are you here, Mom?”
Aila barely managed to utter the word 'Mom', which was completely out of her mouth.
Her heart felt like it was rotting and rotten as she had to use the words to Capella, which she had never used even once to Ophelia, but fortunately, unlike Scott, she didn't feel that awkward.
Sadly, she was used to this kind of acting.
"It took longer than I thought. Did things not go well?"
Debbie smiled gently and, unseen by Capella, gave her husband a firm pat on the back of his foot. It was a silent signal to him to take care of himself.
"Oh, that's... well, the loan sharks were guarding my sister's house. I managed to contact her without them noticing, and we were able to settle down in a village a little further away."
And Capella was equally adept at acting. How could she be so shameless and good at lying?
The story of the non-existent sister became even more vivid when told of the loan sharks guarding the front of the house.
Debbie clenched her hands under her apron, saying she would have been completely fooled into believing her if she hadn't heard from Aila beforehand.
“That’s really great, isn’t it, honey?”
“Oh, yeah. That’s good.”
Suddenly, when Debbie asked for his consent, Scott stuttered and answered, looking quite suspicious.
“...What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”
Capella asked with a puzzled look at the suspicious sight of him sweating profusely.
Scott was so terrified that he felt like he was going to faint as he looked at her with those red eyes that were blazing with life.
“Why, I’m saying this because I’ve grown so attached to Aila that it’s sad to have to part ways.”
"My wife is right. Aila is so cute. After sending her away, I'll be so lost in thought that I won't know how to live."
As Debbie cunningly made up an excuse, Scott nodded in agreement. Fortunately, he didn't look too awkward.
“...I see. Thank you so much for loving my daughter, who is lacking in many ways.”
Capella smiled seductively and placed a hand on Aila's shoulder.
Aila resisted the urge to shake off her touch, stood up, and bowed politely.
“Thank you so much for everything, Ma’am, Sir.”
'I'll definitely see you again alive.'
Since it was something she couldn't say in front of Capella, she blinked and prayed that her feelings would be conveyed.
She hopes they can safely reach the hideout Winfred has prepared for them.
“Yes, Aila. Take care, stay healthy... and come visit me when you have time.”
Debbie smiled affectionately and waved at her. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Let’s go, Aila.”
Capella tightened her grip on Aila's shoulder and led her out of the cabin.
She couldn't take more than a few steps and kept looking back at the couple's cabin. The image of the couple, their weeping faces, kept flashing before her eyes, and she couldn't bring herself to move forward.
“...What are you doing, Miss? The Master is waiting.”
At this unfamiliar sight, Capella whispered in a small voice, audible only to her ears. Under the constant urging, Aila had no choice but to move.
How far along the forest path did she go? A flat path suitable for horses appeared, and a carriage was parked. Cloud was waiting beside the carriage.
“When are you going to handle this, Cloud?”
As Cloud opened the carriage door to allow her to board, Capella asked in an overbearing tone.
“Once the sun sets... I’ll take care of it right away. Wait in the carriage.”
He answered in his usual blunt voice, no different from usual.
And Aila tried to read the thoughts in that hard face.
What choice did he make? Did he follow Byron's orders and execute the couple, or did he follow Aila's advice and show mercy?
But Cloud didn't give any answer to Aila's earnest gaze.
As the anxious hours passed, the sun began to set and paint the sky red.
“...Then I’ll be off.”
Cloud said as he mounted his horse.
***
“Oh my, I’m so confused. I don’t even know what to pack.”
"Still, wouldn't you need some travel money? There's a pouch of money in the closet under the winter blanket, Scott."
Aila returned, and the couple were busy packing.
Since they settled down here, they've never packed their bags for a long trip, so it felt awkward.
"Ah, here it is. Is this enough? I need to know what prices are like these days."
Scott put his hand between the thick blankets in the closet and pulled out his wallet full of coins, licking his lips as he spoke.
Still, he would occasionally go down to the village store across the mountain to buy necessities like salt that couldn't be found in the mountains, and exchange things like animal skins for money. However, since it had been two years since he last went, he had no way of knowing what the outside world was like these days.
"If it's not enough, there's nothing we can do about it. I think these clothes are enough... Let's get going, honey."
As Debbie, who had roughly packed a change of clothes in a bundle, urged Scott, he stuffed his wallet deep into his pocket and grabbed the crossbow and dagger he used for hunting.
Now it was truly time to leave the home they had grown attached to.
The couple personally cleared the land, felling trees and leveling the ground to build the house. Every single piece of timber used in the construction of this house was untouched by their hands.
But they have to leave this place.
They were still at a loss as to what had suddenly happened to the couple who had been living peacefully.
“...Let’s go, Debbie.”
Scott smiled kindly and held out his hand to his wife.
As he grew older with her, wrinkles grew on him, and he now looked like a middle-aged man, but in his smile was the same smile of the young carpenter who had made Debbie's heart flutter when she was young.
“Yes, Scott.”
Debbie was just about to leave the cabin when she took his hand.
The door to the cabin opened with a bang, and a giant figure appeared in the doorway.
A solid, muscular body and a blunt face. A long, vertical scar, perhaps a testament to his hard work. A gaze so intense it could kill.
He was a man who looked scary at first glance.
For a moment, the couple wondered if they had been too late.
Did I take all that money for nothing? Should I have just left my clothes behind and run away?
Will I be unable to keep my promise to Aila that we would meet again alive?
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