Chapter 8: The Starboy And The Boy Who Stole Bread

“Be careful, M’lord! You might fall!” Axe grabbed onto Enel’s leg as he suddenly stood up on the cart, causing it to almost bounce from the ground and the wheels to crack. His horses also snorted, and they even looked like they were shaking their heads at Enel’s entire antics over the past few hours.

Enel was not listening to Axe at all. His blue eyes glittered even more, staring at the lively settlement in front of him.

“There… are so many people,” he whispered to himself, glancing in wonder as several other carts passed by them, each with different contents. “What… are those?”

“M’lord.” Axe cleared his throat, trying to calm Enel down. And when Enel realized that some people were looking at him, he quickly sat down. He also gazed down at the insignia on his armor, brushing it clean—due to its age, however, he ended up taking off crusts of the paint.

“Oh…” He quickly moved his hands away, afraid that he might erase the insignia altogether. Perhaps he should find a painter to—

“Axe. It’s a large bridge,” he suddenly muttered, distracted by the sight in front of him. “The houses are on a bridge.”

“Yes, M’lord.” Axe smiled seeing Enel’s curious expression. And as they got closer to the bridge, he pulled out a scroll and showed the seal to the guards. “From Widow’s Wall.”

“Ah. Old man!” The guard only glanced at the paper before motioning for him to just go ahead. “You are a little late today. Hope you didn’t run into some ban—who is… that?”

The guard held his breath, however, as soon as he saw a clean young blonde man with blue eyes sitting beside Axe. He then checked what he was wearing, and immediately straightened his posture and placed his spear beside him when he caught the weathered insignia.

“This… is Baron Blackwood’s son.” Axe hesitantly revealed. He was going to hide who Enel was… but he might as well try to hide a dragon. “He… came to check the town, and… join the war efforts.”

“My lord!” The guard stiffened.

“Please, my good Sir.” Enel raised his palm, making the tone of his voice deeper. “I am not your lord. Do not let me distract you from your work. Continue.”

“Y-yes, my lord!”

Axe snapped the reins, making sure the conversation continues no longer. Meanwhile, the guard looked at his comrade, interrupting him while he was checking a citizen’s cart.

“Do you remember the Blackwoods having children?” he asked.

“I might have heard something.” His friend shrugged, pointing at a cart entering Riverdown. “Do you remember we have duties?”

“...Right.”

The guards continued on with their duty, but one of them couldn’t help but glance back at Enel.

“I… have never seen anyone look more like a noble,” he whispered, in awe of Enel’s hair that almost glowed under the sunlight.

It wasn’t only him who was staring at Enel. All the people who they were passing by looked at him.

Enel didn’t notice at all, however, as he was used to being stared and gawked at at home.

His eyes were busier glittering as they reflected all the new things they haven’t seen.

“This is my destination, M’lord.”

But his tour ended before it could start when Axe stopped the cart and got down.

Enel also hopped off, his red cape and golden hair almost making a snapping sound.

“Oh my…” The ladies around, all covering their mouths at the sight, while their husbands covered their sights.

“I suppose this is where we part ways, Axe.” Enel stood in front of Axe, bowing his head. “Thank you for bringing me all the way here.”

“It was my luck that you were with me, M’lord.” Axe shook his head. “If not, the bandits would be having me for supper by now. We encountered no monsters on the road, too. I did not even have to use my Ward for the first time in years.”

“The bandits are also cannibals?” Enel’s hand shot toward the hilt of his sword.

“N-no! At least… I do not believe so.” Axe sighed, not knowing whether he should really let Enel go by himself. “Are you… sure you are well on your own, M’lord? Do you know where to go?”

“I am not going to lie to you, Axe. I do not,” Enel confidently said while shaking his head.

“Then—”

“But getting lost and finding one’s way is part of the adventure, is it not?” Enel looked around. “That was how it went in all of Mother’s stories. It—”

“Thief! Someone stop him!”

Enel’s head quickly snapped to where the scream came from, only to see a little boy running to his direction, cradling a loaf of bread in panic.

Enel then looked at the woman screaming, and then back at the little boy before suddenly standing on his path.

“W—Gukh!” The little boy practically bounced off from Enel’s leg, slamming on his buttocks. The boy panicked, seeing the woman inching close to him.

But alas, before he could even stand, Enel lifted him up by the collar.

“L-let go of me!” The boy struggled, and that was all he could do.

“M’lord!” Axe’s eyes widened, quickly rushing to Enel’s side. He stared at the little boy, then gulped as he noticed Enel slowly reaching for his knife.

“Gods…” Axe whispered, covering his mouth. “...Help this boy.”

“T-thank you…” the woman finally caught up, breathing heavily. “...the little rascal snatched my—M’lord!”

She quickly stood up when she realized Enel was probably a noble.

“What did he steal? Is it only the bread?” Enel asked while glancing at the bread the boy was hugging.

“Y-yes, M’lord.” The woman bowed. And then, she also saw Enel reaching for his dagger. “But… but it is fine. We have—”

“I will pay for the bread.”

Contrary to Axe and the woman’s belief, however, Enel was actually grabbing the pouch beside his knife.

This caused Axe to gasp and sigh in relief, holding his chest tight. He knew how… lawfully inflexible and duty-bound he was despite his hidden childishness.

“Oh…” the woman also sighed at this. “...Three Wyns, M’lord.”

“For… bread?” Enel’s eyes widened, subtly turning his head to Axe, who only shrugged and nodded in response. Enel’s hand tightened on the pouch for a moment, but handed it to axe. “Pay the lady what we owe her.”

“At once, M’lord.” Axe nodded, carefully grabbing the pouch from him. The woman bowed her head several times as Axe paid him, but the old man just shooed him away before anything else could happen.

The crowd who were gathering around them, also sighed in relief… but some in disappointment—they truly thought they would see a beating, but Enel ha already put the thief back on his feet.

“T-thank you, M’lord!” The little boy groveled in front of Enel, but Enel just backed away.

“Thank you!” The boy repeated, putting his palms up. “I will never forget this. I will not waste the bread!”

“Huh…?” Enel blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“H-huh…?” The little boy looked up at him, only to see Enel was holding the loaf of bread that was previously just in his hand. “Wh…”

The thief finally realized he wasn’t holding any bread at all. And before he could say anything else, Enel ripped the bread, giving half to Axe.

“For the troubles I caused you, Axe.” Enel said, almost hesitating to hand over the bread. “Eat it well. It is… a very expensive bread.”

“M’lord…” Axe also hesitantly received the bread. “The bread is priced right.”

“What…?” Enel looked at his half of the bread, then carefully placed it in his satchel. “Why is the cost—”

“M…M’lord?” The thief carefully stood up, interrupting Enel. “But that… is my bread?”

“Your bread?” Enel stared at him, seemingly confused. “Why would it be yours if I was the one who paid for it?”

“...M’lord?” The thief turned to look at Axe, but Axe just looked away and completely ignored them. “But I am… hungry, M’lord. I have not eaten for days.”

Enel’s eyes immediately scanned the boy’s physique… and he had more meat on him than any of the refugees they had on Widow’s Wall, and even the residents.

“You seem able. Are you not able to find work… here?” Enel looked around Riverdown, and there was so much activity it was still overwhelming him. “I do not see why you can not find work here. It—”

Enel then lightly held the bread in his satchel, once again remembering it costed three Wyns.

“How about this—I will give you gold to buy bread. You serve as my valet until I find my passage to the war.”

“The… war?” The thief muttered. “Are you here for the caravan, M’lord? Then I… I know where they are gathered!”