12: Innocence and Dilemma

'What happened to you Knave?!' as soon as I entered I don't know if it was my luck or Robert's bad luck but he met me.

'Nothing Master! nothing happened!'

' Tell me why you are drenched like this in sweat didn't you go to Lark's library?'

' Yes, Master I did go but grandpa Lark was sleeping and I did not want to wake him up so I did not disturb him'

' That is ok but why are you drenched in sweat'

' Grandpa Rick told me to ask before I enter a room but grandpa Lark was sleeping so I was waiting for him to wake up so that I could ask him to get in'

' So you were waiting at the door in this sun?'

'Yes,' I answered with the most brilliant and innocent smile plausible.

Robert looking at the smiling kid in front of him could not help but laugh in his mind. He did not think this kid would be so honest, that not only would he listen but abide by the teaching of old Rick so thoroughly.

'Knave your name really sounds similar to your behaviour '

'My behaviour?' I looked at him in a way as in questioning him about what he was talking about

' Yes, Naive! Hahaha!' after that Robert started to laugh out loud like he had told a said funny joke, hearing his laugh even the servants came out behind Steward Sam.

'What is the matter, Master Robert?' asked Sam when he saw Robert laughing loudly.

'Sam hear this out this kid stood 2 to 3 hours at the doorway of Lark's library because he was nodding off and he could not get the permission to get in'

Sam after hearing this could not help but look at me, I showed him a bashful side of me as I kept my head down as I had done some mistake. Slowly everyone started to laugh a little, after Robert was done laughing he looked at me more meaningful

'Knave you can move to the house near the herb garden built for Rick now that he is gone' after giving his instructions he was about to leave when I played my last card go the day.

' Thank you, Master and I am deeply sorry'

'Oh! why are you sorry?'

' Because grandpa said that adults only like a smart kid and if I am too naive they will dislike me, I will try to be smart and I hope that Master can forgive the mistake I did today.'

After saying the sentence in the most pitiful way I could, I gazed down as showing how sorry I felt for my blunder and used my hands to rub my face to look like I was crying, while I was using my sweat to make my eyes watery.

When Robert had just turned around he heard the words said by a 'pitiful' kid and he could not help but halt his step, he looked back and when he saw the way Knave looked he could not help but feel guilty.

He had not thought that saying something like that would trigger this kid, but thinking about his own past he could not help but imagine if he was in this kid's situation he might also cry.

He was always someone who said what was on his mind and many times got into problems because of this, first, he looked at Sam for help but he was also looking at him implying that he would have to take the action himself sighing I said ' Knave I do not dislike you, on the other hand, I really like you'

'Really Master!!'

'Of course, who won't like a cute and attentive kid like you?'

' But grandpa said..' before I could finish Robert started speaking, he really looks worked up.

'Forget about what Rick said, he has gone senile, now hear me clearly we all like you don't we everyone'

'YES!!' they said in unison.

'See everybody agrees, now go and take a rest in your new house'

'But my work for the day...'

'Look at you all sweaty, go take a rest and work tomorrow those herbs won't die in one day but you might get sick, so this rest this is an order!!'

' Ok! Master Robert' after saying that I ran to the house beside the garden while smiling slyly.