Chapter 63: Poking nose in another’s business
By the time they reached home, Aric was able to tell the story of what had happened. Albert had already listened once, but not in great detail. Aric knew that his words would twist and turn through the mouths of others, but that was enough as long as there were no stains on his name.
He even spoke of the location so that people would go and see if what he said was true or not. After all, there should be frozen bodies there—unless the animals and magical beasts hadn’t gobbled up everything by now.
William encouraged and praised Aric before leaving. Albert took Aric home by hand, as if Aric was some kind of doll and he would crumble at any given moment.
"Uncle, you don’t have to be so careful. The healer said that I am fit to go home."
"Shut up. I don’t even understand why you would want to be a bell boy. If you wanted experience, you could have hired any team and gone for an adventure. But you went as the bell boy. How stupid can you be?" Albert was reprimanding Aric when the door of his home opened, and out came a young boy. Albert hadn’t seen him before.
"You never told me you have a brother," Albert asked, thinking the boy, who was Alden, was Aric’s brother. Alden, who had just arrived, was massively puzzled by the words of this man who had come holding onto Aric. He had seen Albert before because there were very few good bakeries in the city, and Albert’s bakery was now selling drinks that were apparently very good.
"He is my long-lost brother whom I found," Aric said. He didn’t want to say that he had just picked Alden up one night and given him a place.
"Oh. Hello. I have seen you around," Albert said, sure that he had seen Alden’s face before.
"Yes, I was living on Down Street before big brother Aric here took me away and let me and my sister stay with him," Alden said. This made Aric laugh as he didn’t expect Alden to be so quick-witted, going along with Aric’s lie so fast.