One Afternoon in Bouville

"I can't grant your first wish."

Harris's eyebrows furrowed at Veron's calm response. "Wait," he said, a little bit agitated. "Why not? Let me speak directly to the Miss—"

"I said no!"

Veron's yell silenced Harris. The sunlight that entered the window of the room could not prevent Harris from freezing. He seemed to be choked by the silence created by the sharp gaze of the dark blue-eyed man.

"I don't remember them ever allowing their people to be so impudent," said Veron with a displeased look, "but as someone closest to her, I refuse to let you drag her down in your ambitious dreams."

When Veron turned away, he just stayed still. The man's grim expression triggered so many questions in his head. However, since Veron didn't utter a single word and a little girl approached him grinning, he gave up his intention to negotiate.

"Brother! Please stay here for a while with that sister and me! The world outside is dangerous!"

Veron turned to Ashley, who was beaming at Harris. Between surprise and disbelief, he approached his only daughter.

However, Alessia walked in front of him, saying, "You wouldn't tell them to go home when they were just attacked by those people, would you?"

The blue-eyed man glanced at Harris who looked at him reluctantly and Brissia who still closed her eyes on the couch. Their endurance indeed impressed him. However, he couldn't deny that they seemed inexperienced in dealing with sworn enemies, just by looking at their condition when he first found them. One more attack and they might never return to Archtier.

In the end, there was no other choice for him but to allow them to live with his small family. He walked past Alessia toward Harris, making Harris look at him warily.

Half-heartedly, Veron said, "There's only one empty room upstairs, which means one of you have to sleep in the living room."

He patted Harris's shoulder for a moment before letting him go, but not with his firm gaze on the hazel-eyed man.

"I'll kick you out if you happen to be here to elope."

Alessia snorted to hold back laughter, while Harris glared in disapproval.

"W-what?! How could you think me and her came all the way here to do that?!"

A snort turned Harris quickly toward the sofa. His annoyed gaze suddenly turned confused when he was sure he had heard it from the girl lying on the sofa, but the girl still had her eyes closed with a peaceful face.

Ashley looked confused at Veron and asked, "What's elope?"

Alessia blinked her then glared at Veron. However, Veron simply threw a small grin at her.

While Veron was holding Ashley on his lap and explaining enough to the little girl, Alessia approached Harris.

"How about we lay your friend upstairs?" she asked.

Harris nodded. When he was carrying Brissia with Alessia, he grumbled under his breath, "I know you're pretending to be asleep, Brissie. Why don't you walk with your own feet?"

Seeing the girl he was carrying still closed her eyes without any expression, Harris's gaze turned flat. Despite his annoyance, his hands still supported Brissia's body, even until he and Alesia had arrived at an empty room. A white-walled room with sea-facing windows created a different feel for Harris.

"Did the person who entrusted you with this letter tell you a lot about that 'arrow of light'?"

As Harris laid Brissia down on the bed, he shook his head. "He just said that before I left."

Alessia fell silent for a moment hearing that, walking to a rattan chair in the corner of the room opposite the position of the bed. "He must've been advising you on stuff."

She briefly fixed her gaze on the window before being called back to the room by the hazel-eyed man's voice.

"How do you know him?"

It brought a faint smile to her lips. "Let's just say he's an old acquaintance of mine."

Of course, Harris didn't find that to be a satisfactory response. However, Alessia glanced away, rose from her seat, and moved nearer to the window as if she had noticed it in his eyes.

"In Archtier, everyone has the power to change your allies into enemies and vice versa. He, though, was never among them. That man always trusts his virtue."

Alessia paused. "He once inquired about the meaning of the 'arrow of light', which I eventually realized was something special that God had bestowed on him for his kindness."

Harris rephrased, "Why did he choose to stay in Archtier if he's that kind-hearted?" as he frowned at the woman with dark orange hair who seemed to to be speaking to the night sky.

While waiting for Miss Savior's answer, he occasionally glanced at Brissia who was lying there, checking whether the girl had secretly opened her eyes or was eavesdropping.

"Because..."

Alessia's hanging words brought Harris's attention back to her. Unlike before, the woman seemed more deep in thought. Finally, all that was left of her response was a slight smile directed at Harris.

"Nevermind. I have to get lunch ready. Remember to invite her to join us once she wakes up."

He and the shoulder-length hair girl were the only ones left in the quiet room after that. When Harris heard someone slowly rising from the bed, he turned to look and rolled his eyes.

"You must have enjoyed keeping a silent ear to everything, haven't you?" the man quipped as he switched from the edge of the bed to the rattan chair.

The girl chuckled softly, even though her face showed a glimpse of guilt as well. Leaning against the headboard of the bed, she replied, "I would still prefer to sleep longer though."

Hearing that, Harris blinked. He came closer to her, which made the girl momentarily wipe off her smile.

"Have you really gotten fine?"

Brissia stroked her chest as she recalled the enigmatic force that had pierced her heart from behind. The pain she felt from fighting the black-robed people a moment ago was still imprinted in her brain. But eventually she just nodded at Harris and smiled a little.

"By the way, Harris, do you think those two are actually acquaintances?"

It took Harris a few seconds to realize who she was referring to before he noticed a small smirk on her lips.

"No... no, Brissie. Don't be prejudiced."

"How cool that you could figure out what I was thinking about."

"It's all perfectly drawn on your face," he stated with a deadpan look. "Anyway, she already has a partner so don't think inappropriate things about them."

"It has nothing to do with an affair or anything of the sort."

Harris stared confusedly at Brissia, who argued him with a knowingly smile.

"She didn't sound entirely confident about them having an encounter in the past, but also remained hesitant to view him solely as an acquaintance," said Brissia.

"So what?" Harris raised an eyebrow.

"So, maybe we can use him so that she would thoughtlessly help you find your family members."

Harris fell silent. His hand then reached out to Brissia and Brissia rushed to dodge, standing on the floor with a soft chuckle, especially when he saw Harris's uneasy look at her.

"Gosh, you're being very serious."

"How couldn't I?!"

Harris furrowed his brows as he watched the girl laughed for a while. He then thought of something and rose from his seat, headed for the door. Brissia's laughter suddenly came to an end and she quickly turned to face Harris.

"Where are you going?!"

"I'm hungry."

"Wait for me!"

Harris smiled briefly before he slowed down his pace, waited for Brissia, then walked with her down the stairs to the dining room next to the living room.

"Come on, brother, sister! Sit here!" said Ashley while patting the two empty chairs on the left side of the dining table before walking over to the empty chair on the right side, right next to the one Veron was sitting on.

Harris and Brissia blinked their eyes while staring at the two chairs. But then, Alessia touched the shoulders of the two and led them to the two chairs with a warm smile.

Brissia and Harris were moved by the warmth that the Miss Savior and her family given throughout the meal. The warmth their real family will never give them.