Chapter 5: Facing Fears (3)

As Grandfather left with the two boys on his back, I quickly jumped into the carriage. Locating their belongings didn't take much time, and I soon packed up nearly everything they might want to keep. The cold began to settle in, causing me occasional shivers. While contemplating the best route back, I noticed something unusual: a shiny object protruding from the cloth they had used as shelter.

Deciding it might be something important to them, I approached and bent down to pick it up. However, as I recognized the strange object, a cold sweat broke out, and shock took hold of me.

"What the-"

It appeared to be a necklace with symbols—a shiny green leaf over a silver shield. The chain showed signs of rust, giving it a brownish tint. Despite the discoloration, it still looked quite fancy. What confused me the most was that I had a similar necklace, though mine had a dark blue chain and a golden shield instead of silver. However, it also had the same shiny green leaf.

Grandfather had already told me I wasn't related to him, and that my real parents were killed. He gave me this necklace as a keepsake. I never understood its significance and was never told, so I usually ignored it.

'But what does this mean?'

My thoughts raced as I pondered various theories.

'Were they my brothers?'

'Are my parents perhaps still alive in some city?'

'I need to talk to them', I concluded. There was no use speculating about whether they were part of my family or had some connection to me. The only way to unravel this mystery was to ask them.

With determination, I leaped out of the carriage. The wind surprised me as I landed, almost causing me to fall backward.

"Ah, forgot about the storm."

Reinforcing my barrier and legs with mana, I assumed a starting position and dashed into the forest as fast as I could.

'Hopefully, it's just a coincidence'

Setting aside my worries, I concentrated on my sprint, eager to reach my destination.

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Hismond's POV:

'What was that fool thinking?' I asked myself, clenching my fists.

Upon arriving with the two boys on my back, I immediately brought them to Asrem's room. After laying down the injured kid, I heightened my senses to assess the severity of his wounds. To my relief, he seemed fine. The bleeding had calmed down thanks to some medicine that was applied to him. With a smile, I turned to the younger one, who sat on a chair, patiently observing me.

"Your brother will be fine. He just needs some good rest to wake up. Don't worry, kid," I reassured him. He instantly relaxed and sank comically into his chair. Chuckling, I signaled him to stand up.

"You can rest in the living room. We don't really have another room to spare, so you'll have to make do."

"I am fine, thank you. But I will just wait for my brother to wake up," he replied.

'He seems distressed. Don't they have a guardian? What are two boys doing here in this isolated forest anyway?'

"Leaving him alone would be best; he needs to rest undisturbed. And you also seem pretty tired, boy. Don't give your brother a hard time. You will need your strength to continue soon," I advised, hoping to glean some answers from him as well. 

He pondered my proposal for a moment, then nodded and made his way to the door. With one last glance, he closed the door, worry still evident on his face.

As he settled on the couch I had brought from the village of Elsinmore, he started fidgeting with his hands.

"Uhm, thank you, sir, for taking us in," he whispered, staring at the floor.

'Now that his brother wasn't around, he seems pretty nervous. What a funny little fellow.'

A small smile formed on my face.

"Don't worry; you were in danger, and we saved you. I've lived long enough to understand that this is just how the world should work haha."

As I said this, he calmed down and even gave back a smile. 

Returning to my casual expression, I sat down on a chair in front of his temporary bed. There were some questions to be addressed before he could go to sleep.

"What is your name, boy?" I asked calmly as he settled under the blanket I provided.

"Henry, sir," he answered, his gaze turning towards me.

"Don't you have a last name, Henry?"

"No, sir, I never met my real family. My brother Heinrich and I live in an orphanage," he said, a sad undertone present in his voice.

'So, his brother is actually just another orphan', I thought, my expression turning to one of grief.

In my life, I have seen many children lose their parents or some part of their family. It haunted me to no end when I knew that the family's blood of these children I saw was on my hands as well. This was one of the many sins I had to carry into my grave. Shaking my head and raising my slight smile again, I halted my drift in thoughts and continued the conversation.

"I am sorry to hear that. Asrem, the brother who helped you is also like you. He also lost his family a long time ago," I said solemnly.

"But he has you, or am I wrong, sir?" he said innocently. His response surprised me a little, but I regained my composure without him noticing.

"Well, it's kind of complicated. There is much that keeps us apart in forming a bond like one would have with their family. Anyway, let's talk about that later," I said to change the topic, as I didn't really have an answer to that.

"What are you and your brother doing in this desolate forest? And where is your orphanage?"

"Ah, I don't really know why we're here. We came through the way we normally travel but didn't use the same one to return. Although Henrich told me that it would be safer to travel through the woods while the storm was there," he said, seeming disappointed in himself for not having an answer to my first question.

"And our orphanage is in Windsfield city." He continued.

'Windsfield city...'

Windsfield was a moderately populated city on the outer edge of the kingdom's center. I had been stationed there for a few months during my training under my mentor. Those memories were precious, as it was a time when I still had hopes of effecting positive change in the world for my friends and family. Before the downfall of everything I held dear.

"I see. I will ask your brother about it later; don't worry. You go ahead and rest, it's going to be a while before he wakes up," I said, standing up to leave.

Before the boy could say anything, a thud came from outside the door. A few steps could be heard before the door burst open, revealing a completely drenched Asrem.

'This boy...'

He dared to burst through the door like a madman and didn't even apologize for ignoring me. Not only that, he also ignored me and sat down on the chair I had just used while talking to Henry.

'What is he doing?'

He fidgeted with something shiny in his hand, raising it up for the surprised Henry to see. As I saw what he held, my breath caught, and fear enveloped me. The necklace he was holding wasn't the one I gave him but looked almost identical.

'Could it be something he found in the carriage?'

Asrem had a serious expression and stared directly into the boy's eyes.

"Does this belong to you, Henry?" Asrem asked, his voice shaking.

"N-No! That's my brother's; he always wore it. Mother told me it belonged to his real family before they disappeared!" Henry said, a little frightened by Asrem's sudden appearance.

He then turned to me, and I shook my head, indicating that I also didn't know what it was. Of course, that was a lie, but I didn't want him to know that I knew his parents' family before the incident that had changed my life.

'If these kids just hadn't come here... No, it would only delay the inevitable, I reminded myself.

'How peculiar; I never would have expected them to have this kind of connection. Was it perhaps fate that brought them together?'

As I contemplated whether the revelation would be good or bad for him, I noticed he was about to storm into the room where the older one was sleeping.

"Asrem, calm down, boy! He is still resting from the wound on his chest and hasn't woken up yet. I know you're dying to know, but you have to be patient!" I reprimanded him.

He always told me he was satisfied with living here, but now it had become more obvious that his greed for information and answers was eating him up from the inside.

"Go get yourself clean in the bath and calm down! We still have to talk about your little stunt as well." As I said this, he seemed to realize the state he was in. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed.

"I am sorry, Grandfather; I will," he said as he went to the bathroom and closed the door.

"You can sleep now, Henry. Don't worry about us," I told the boy. He still looked taken aback but just silently nodded. 

After making sure everything was settled, I went outside and looked at the night sky.

'This is going to be a long week.'