I was too absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't notice Leo already went back with a bowl in hand while the steam is visible above it, indicating that it was freshly-cooked. When he placed it above the table, I leaned more closely to see what he cooked and was glad to see a bowl of macaroni soup in front of . It does look tasty.
"Help yourself, Prince Arthur," Leo said while pointing both of his palms to the bowl he placed above the table.
I was about to correct him once again, but seeing how he reacted earlier, I chose to remain silent and have a taste instead of the al he prepared for tonight.
My eyes sparkled after having a taste of this deliciously-cooked macaroni soup. The flavors put to it reminds of the sa dish that was always prepared for and my brother by our dear mother.
Aww... I suddenly missed our ho.
Seeing my surprised reaction, I heard Leo laughed proudly to himself before going back to the kitchen and served his little brothers and sisters the sa dish he gave to . He motioned them to sit at the dining table while he serves them their al.
"You know, I worked as a part-ti assistant cook in a mini restaurant in Cordova, so therefore I was there to hear your fantastic speech on the king's birthday on my way ho." Leo started explaining when he placed mini bowls above the table before warning each child that it's still hot.
His words made stop sipping on the soup for a while and looked at the kid while he continued to talk about his life.
"Besides being the assistant cook, I worked many jobs as well like being a shoe shiner, attending to so noblen's horses, storekeeper, and many others just to attend to my siblings' needs," he said as he walked again near to us when he was able to get himself a bowl of soup and sat beside the girl with pigtails.
"But they are not my real siblings," Leo continued. "We are all orphans and are now under the care of Aunt Lucinda, the one who adopted us all."
That made gape in awe. So this is like an orphanage where a foster parent brought these orphans altogether and took care of them all. I ntally facepald myself for judging this place to be a hideout of a syndicate earlier. Sha on ...
"That must be kind of your Aunt Lucinda to take care of each one of you like this." A smile appeared on the corner of my lips upon thinking that there are still many kind souls out there who are willing to help others.
I saw Leo bead at that.
"She is the best!" he exclaid.
Then as if rembering sothing, he suddenly stood up from his seat and walked past the kitchen and into another shabby-looking wooden door.
"Where are you going?" I asked, quite confused about his sudden action.
With a faint smile plastered on his slim face, he said, "I forgot to take this dicine to Aunt Lucinda. She needs to drink this for her to feel better."
And that's the ti I noticed him carrying a small paper bag where the dicine must be placed. Did he sohow steal so money just to buy those?
He already went inside while closing the door behind him, while I and the rest of the children sitting with in this dining table continued to eat.
We remained like that until one of these children, the one with the pigtails, suddenly asked , "Are you really the prince?" which stopped from further eating and looked at the child.
"No, sweetie. I am sorry for the misunderstanding earlier," I tried explaining myself using the words that a kid can sohow comprehend. "I am just an ordinary person. That's all."
"What a bumr," the girl then replied, tilting her tiny head down in the process while pouting. "I thought you can make Aunt Lucinda's sickness go away."
I can't help but ask this kid what is their foster parent's sickness upon hearing that. The kid, in turn, looked at with those round, brownish eyes of hers before responding. "I don't know. But sotis I see her coughing blood, then that ans her sickness is already critical."
"I wish I could indeed make your aunt's sickness go away so that you can be with her for long,"
I suddenly felt this wave of sympathy that starts to overwhelm right now. However, since I am still an E-rank wizard until now, which is the lowest rank, and had a little knowledge about magic itself, I felt too bad that I couldn't help these children right now.
anwhile, all of us swiftly turned our heads to look at the door to their Aunt Lucinda's room when we heard soone wailing from the inside. I started to grow worried so that made stood up from my seat and looked at these children.
"I'll be checking your big brother for a while, alright?" I said which they only responded with a nod.
I was just about to go near the door when it suddenly swung open with force, revealing a tear-stained faced Leo standing near to it.
His puffy eyes, which ca from crying heavily earlier, looked up to and declared these words with a heavy heart, "Aunt Lucinda's dead."
That made gasped in disbelief and these children to cry along with their big brother. Leo walked near his siblings and hugged all of them as they all wept together. The sight of them crying made my heart heavy as well.
I feel useless at this ti...
--
"Tell ... what can soone like you do sothing for them huh?"
---
"You're just a re replica of the prince and master wizard."
---
Alex's words echoed again in my mind which made felt more useless than I was before. He is right. I don't have the capability to protect those people I have sworn to protect in my speech in Cordova... nor I can't save a single, poor soul at this mont when these children badly need my help.
In short, I am indeed useless... especially at tis like this.
---
-ALEX-
Feeling annoyed, I went back to the castle and t up with Lancelot and Lucas near the doors. I expected to be greeted with their puzzled faces the mont I returned without that annoying girl with right now.
"I can't seem to find that girl all over Citadel," I stated before they could bombard with their questions in mind. Then I focused my gaze on my umbrella and closed it.
"Look!"
Lucas pointed his right index finger to sowhere so we decided to follow it.
All three of us were shocked to see Krisella being dripping wet under the rain as she walked towards us from a distance. Her face went blank and her eyes beca nonchalant, looking like she doesn't the rain pouring down at her.
"Krisella!" We all shouted in unison before I opened my umbrella once again and ran my way towards her to sohow shield her from the heavy drops of rain.
As we continued to walk towards the doors of the castle, she suddenly stopped walking which made also halted in my tracks and gave her a questioning look.
"What's wrong?" I dared to ask. She was acting so strange since this ti that we saw her returning to the castle.
"You're right..." she said, almost in a whisper.
It stunned for a while when I saw this girl beside burst into tears all of a sudden. Her sobs made my heart ache just now for seeing her like this. Then her eyes, which was still heavily filled with tears, looked straight at before saying,
"I am a useless being for not saving a poor soul earlier..."
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