Unholy Player

As Adyr slowly ate his meal, his eyes caught the boy in the crowd—the one still staring at him with quiet focus.

He smiled, reached into the bag, pulled out another can, and called out.

"Do you want one? This one’s good. Boiled meat and vegetables."

Without hesitation, the boy ran from Neris’s side and approached him.

He waited silently for Adyr to open it. When he was handed the plastic spoon, he dipped it into the thick mix and carefully scooped out a bite, making sure not to spill.

The moment the taste touched his tongue—tender meat and soft vegetables melting together—his eyes lit up. It was, without question, the best thing he had ever eaten.

"It’s good, right? Told you," Adyr said with a faint smile, taking another bite from his own can. "What’s your name?"

"Boy," the child replied, lifting his head to meet Adyr’s eyes directly.

There was something in that look—something familiar, something distant. It stirred something in Adyr, but he didn’t let it surface. He simply kept smiling.

"You seem to get along well with kids," Neris said, approaching cautiously before sitting down beside the boy.

She was still tense around Adyr, and the edge of fear in her posture hadn’t vanished completely. But after seeing how he treated the child and knowing he had saved all of them, her guard had softened. At the very least, he deserved thanks.