Aristia stared at the boy from where she sat on a chair beside the bed.
Adeline had cleaned him moments ago.
Now that he had been cleaned, he looked better. Even with the bruises and cuts on his face, Aristia could still tell that he had a handsome appearance. He had silver hair and lavender eyes.
Aristia had seen his eyes before he fainted.
The boy made no movement as he continued to sleep.
Adeline left the room on Aristia’s orders to talk to the inn manager.
"Is the food ready?" She asked.
"Almost, my lady." The inn manager, a fat man with a mustache that curved upward at the end, replied.
"Bring it into the room when it’s ready."
Adeline turned to leave the inn. She had to go with Lucas to get a new set of clothes for the boy. His clothes were dirty and torn. It was unsuitable to be worn. So the boy was currently wearing one of the inn’s guest coat.
A few minutes after Adeline left the inn, Aristia left the room for a glass of water.
She entered the room again and closed the door behind her.
"Oh, you’re awake." She said when her gaze met that of the boy who was now awake and was sitting up.
"Wh— argh!" The boy opened his mouth to speak but winced from the pain he felt from the cut on the side of his lip.
"How do you feel?" Aristia asked.
"I-I’m feeling better."
A knock on the door made the boy stiffen a bit.
"Come in." Aristia turned to the door.
The door opened and the inn manager walked in with a tray.
"My lady. I’ve brought the food." The man said.
The manager nodded and left, closing the door behind him, though his eyes swept over the two curiously.
Aristia asked the boy. "What’s your name?"
The boy cleared his throat and opened his mouth to answer, but held back a cough.
"Oh," Aristia looked down at the glass of water she as holding on her lap and handed it to him. "Drink."
The boy took the cup and drank the water. "Thank you," he said. "My name, my name is Kai."
"Okay, Kai. Eat this." She handed him the bowl of rich porridge. Adeline had given the inn manager money to buy ingredients to make the meal, and the manager sent one of the inn workers to purchase it.
The boy stared at her skeptically, but then picked up the spoon and began eating. From his movements, you could tell he was very hungry.
After he was done with the food, Aristia collected the tray and placed it on a stool in the room.
"Adeline will come to give you new clothes."
The boy nodded, watching her as she left the room.
"Thank you," he said just as her hand touched the door’s handle. "Thank you for helping me."
Aristia turned her head. "It’s what I should do for the people of my kingdom." She smiled. "Rest well."
When she left, she met Adeline coming from the other side with a bundle of clothes.
"He’s awake. You can help him change."
"Yes, princess." Adeline nodded and continued walking.
[Oh. Before I forget.] Aristia remembered something.
’Papa, I may not return home early.’ She looked out of the inn’s window. They had been here for more than an hour.
’I see.’ Wilson responded through the mental link. ’Be careful.’
He didn’t ask what she was up to even though hours earlier, she had asked him through the link to send a few guards to take care of someone.
Something perched on Aristia’s shoulder.
’You’re back, Millie. Did they take care of him?’ Aristia asked.
’Yes.’ Millie replied.
’Good.’ Aristia nodded.
Before they left for the inn, Millie had stayed behind to watch that bread seller to make sure he didn’t escape while the guards coming to take him away were on their way.
She headed to the inn’s dining room and sat down. Millie flew down from her shoulder, perching on the armrest. They were outside, so she didn’t change forms easily.
Owen was already sitting down.
"So what now?" He asked.
"We’ll wait for him to come out."
Adeline entered the dining room. "Princess, he’s fallen asleep."
Aristia turned to Owen. "We’ll wait for him to wake up."
"Princess, should I ask the cook to prepare your meal?" Adeline asked.
"Mm. Ask the cook to prepare our meal. Or am I the only one who is hungry?"
Owen shook his head. He was hungry too.
Adeline left to inform the cook.
"We could have just eaten at The Vanilla Courtyard." Owen suggested.
"Yeah... but we had to treat Kai’s injuries. That’s why we came to this inn. We also can’t leave him here alone."
[What if he wakes up?]
Owen looked at her. "Kai?" The rightful source is NoveIＦire.net
"That’s his name." Aristia replied.
They waited in boredom until their food came accompanied by Adeline and the cook —
Oh no. That sounded wrong.
They waited in boredom until Adeline and the cook came accompanied by the food.
The cook placed the tray in her hand on the table and turned around to leave.
Adeline took a seat at the table beside Aristia and began serving her.
Owen rolled his eyes opposite Aristia and muttered. "Baby."
Aristia smirked. "What’s wrong, Owie? Do you also want Linny to feed you?"
Owen almost spat out the food he had just put into his mouth. And what the hell was Owie?!
"Cough! Cough, cough!" He coughed, quickly reaching for his glass of water.
Aristia shook her head at him, but she caught someone from the corner of her eyes.
Kai came into the dining room. He had woken up and hadn’t seen anyone, so he left the room in search of the princess or the people with her.
Seeing then eating and talking harmoniously, he stood to the side near the entrance, not knowing whether to join them or return to the room.
"Come and sit down, Kai." Aristia said.
After a second, Kai nodded and approached the table. He decided to take a seat beside her on her other side.
He’d already eaten and wasn’t hungry, so he wasn’t given any food.
Unbeknownst to them, Millie’s eyes flashed.