In Leon’s indecision, the carriage carrying Leon’s family passed Luca, entered Redwood Avenue, and proceeded deep inside.
As the two little ones clung to the edge of the carriage window, marveling at the towering hundred-meter-tall redwoods, Leon also saw Senior Emma’s familiar silhouette at the entrance of Treasure Flower Manor.
After taking William and Melanie off the carriage, Leon looked at Senior Emma, who was standing quietly next to the street, wearing a simple woolen skirt with hardly any decoration, holding a little girl’s hand. She smiled gently at him, and Leon inexplicably felt much more at ease.
"Sorry, we’re a bit late."
"Not at all, Ellie and I just came out not long ago."
Seeing the two little ones on either side of Leon, curiously peering at her daughter, Emma couldn’t help but chuckle and gently squeezed the little fist in her palm, which was nervously trying to clench.
"Ellie, say hi to Uncle Leon."
After obediently nodding, the little girl, wearing a wide-brimmed child’s soft hat and a matching woolen dress, timidly spoke, "Hello, Uncle Leon, Aunt Anna, and... you too."
The little girl’s voice was very pleasant, not only crisp and clear like a summer wind chime but also carried a soft, tender note, making one feel she must be a gentle child just by listening.
However, compared to the soft voice, the little girl’s attire was a bit ’hard to approach.’ The sleeves and hem of the woolen dress seemed intentionally lengthened, completely covering her wrists and little shoes.
Even the collar, embroidered with small flowers, was turned up, firmly hiding the slightly chubby chin of a baby. Her face, mostly hidden by the wide hat brim, was further obscured by a pair of thick, light-blocking glasses, nearly concealing her fair little face.
*Is this child afraid of sunlight?*
Leon, noticing that the little girl’s hand held by Senior Emma was also adorned with a pair of delicate gloves, raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, then released his hands to squat down and smiled, saying, "Hello to you too, Ellie, happy birthday."
"Thank you, Uncle Leon..."
When Leon voluntarily squatted down to meet her gaze, the little girl, seemingly unaccustomed to interacting with others, instinctively retreated a step, hiding half her body behind Emma’s skirt.
*However, hearing Leon’s powerful but gentle voice, and seeing his eyes filled with kindness laced with a hint of affection, little Ellie’s fear diminished considerably, and she unconsciously stepped forward again.*
*Sensing the little hand in her palm relax, even moving slightly outward as if inviting her to get closer to Leon, a hint of surprise flickered in Emma’s eyes.*
*Ellie did not seem to reject interacting with Leon?*
*[Trustworthy Brother (Bronze): Due to the early passing of your parents, you took on responsibilities early and are cherished deeply by your younger siblings.]*
*[Effect when worn: During conversations with minors lower in age than you, they will easily develop trust in you, and in moments of emotional agitation, they may trigger a special state, "Reveal Their Heart," sharing their burdens and secrets with you.]*
*Indeed, Senior Emma’s daughter, seldom in contact with others, was naturally apprehensive of strangers, so preparing the badge in advance was the right choice.*
Looking into little Ellie’s eyes through the lenses, and confirming most of her fear and unfamiliarity had dissipated, Leon couldn’t help but smile slightly, gesturing for William and Melanie to come over and greet "Little Sister Ellie."
And with the foundation of being the *[Trustworthy Brother]*, and the tension and fear of meeting social photons reduced, they soon found themselves animatedly socializing with Leon’s two Demon Lords of Mayhem, and she even generously took off her glasses, letting the curious Melanie try them on.
*My guess was correct. Senior Emma’s daughter had "issues."*
Although the two children didn’t notice, when little Ellie removed her glasses, Leon, who had been attentively observing, acutely detected that as more sunlight fell on her skin, her *body grew slightly transparent.*
Even though the degree of change was minor, merely shifting from entirely opaque to 99.9% opaque, the ethereal and elusive sense wasn’t falsifiable; she was certainly not a "normal" child.
*Before Ellie took off her glasses, Emma, engaged in conversation with Anna, bit her lip slightly, seeming like she wanted to intervene, but ultimately remained silent, allowing her daughter’s abnormality to be exposed to Leon. Only when Ellie’s soft hat tilted during their frolic, about to be directly illuminated by the sun, did she gently adjust it.*
"Miss Anna, could I ask you to do me a favor?"
Watching her daughter, who had never been so "alive," laugh and dance joyfully under the sun, Emma’s gaze, half tender and half guilty, couldn’t pull away even for a moment, but at last, she tried turning her head and turned to Anna, saying, "Could you please look after them for me? I have something to discuss with Leon. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"Sister Emma, you don’t have to be so polite."
In front of her lifesaver, Anna certainly wouldn’t refuse, and she immediately led the three playing children around the execution platform next to the redwood tree and down the main path into the Treasure Flower Manor.
Emma, with something to say, lagged a step behind, walking beside Leon, who also had questions, and said softly with her head down, "I’m sorry... Leon, I haven’t told you about Ellie’s situation before."
Shaking his head slightly, Leon answered gently, "Senior Emma, besides ordering a gift for little Ellie yesterday, I also reached out to a friend at the police department, asking her to help me inquire about the Bauhinia Family’s residency records and some case files from back then.
"Therefore, I can somewhat understand your feelings. It’s not that you don’t want to tell me, but every time you try to bring up past events, too much resurfaces from deep within your heart, making you unable to speak."
Seeing Emma with tightly pressed lips and a deeply complicated expression, Leon contemplated and firmly held her slightly cold hand, then sincerely explained, "Senior Emma, I conducted this investigation not because I suspect you would harm me, but because it seemed like you and the director were keeping something from me, something distressing for you.
"But, unlike the director, I’m willing to respect your wishes. If you’re not ready, you don’t have to disclose the reason, and I will halt my investigation.
But in return, I hope you can promise me that before being compelled to do something, you’ll think about Ellie and be sure not to regret it, okay?"
Feeling the warmth from Leon’s hand, Emma bit her lip, gently withdrew her hand, then pulled out a sharp little knife, forcefully cutting her own palm before grabbing Leon’s left hand.
*[Name: Sin of the Precious Flower (Blood, Flesh, Life, and Death)]*