"What is this? Explain yourself, right now-" I dash and cover Alexia's mouth.
Infront of us, Kela slightly turns around.
I sigh in a low voice. "Shhh! Come outside."
I stuff the remaining bread in my mouth only to sneak outside. Shortly, Alexia follows and gently closes the door. "Explain now! What is the insignia of SilverTusks doing here? Are you working for that old bitch?"
I sense the obvious hostility in Alexia's tone. "Stop yelling."
"I am not yelling!"
"Yes, you are."
"Stop dodging the question! Are you with that old bitch or not?" Alexia was still yelling.
I think for a moment before uttering my next words. "How do you know Lenia?"
"That bitch used to abuse Grandpa Ryhard whenever he spotted him with us. Whether in the orphanage or in the house, that old hag couldn't see Grandpa spending time with us."
I narrowed my vision as I was thinking deeply.
"You still haven't explained yourself….. Altaris!"
I simply walk past Alexia and take seat on the fence, I gesture her to come and sit beside me. Alexia reluctantly stands besides me.
"Take a seat. For the things, I am about to tell you. It's necessary." She sits beside me, still sulking. "Do you know why Melsier left?"
I began to narrate her, my entire journey with Melsier, Helen's bad living conditions and all the crimes the party committed. "Do you understand now?" I ask lastly.
Alexia holds her head while mumbling to herself. I lean back and give her time to adjust.
Few moments later, Alexia grabs my shoulder and shakes me. "W-What about the money? The money left by Grandpa?"
"Tarma denied the claim of any inheritance whatsoever."
Alexia aggressively bites her thumb and curses. "That bastard… Did you tell this to brother Mel?"
"No. I still want to confirm it with my own eyes." I lift the scroll in one hand. "For that I am going to infiltrate into SiverTusks house. Gather information and possibly bring light to any buried secrets."
"A-Are you going to kill people?"
I flip open the scroll and glance at the names. "I have to. Not all but few. We need money, Alexia. For Helen. For Melsier. For the kids."
Alexia jumps off the fence and starts chanting while moving her hands in a weird way.
After watching her for some time, I couldn't help but ask. "Hey, what are you doing?"
She peeks at me for split second. "I am asking for forgiveness from gods. For the crimes we commit and for the crimes you are going to commit."
I chuckled at first but quickly began laughing loudly.
"What?" Alexia questions me, clearly annoyed.
"N-Nothing. Hahaha. I forgot that you were raised in an orphanage, among nuns. Wait. Wait. Are you going to become a nun too? Turn bald? Hahaha-"
SMACK!
Alexia slapped me so hard that I fell of the fence. "For once! Be serious!"
I sit up while rubbing my cheek. "Ugh. You started it."
"Take me with you."
I look up and see Alexia offering her hand to me. "What?"
"The crimes you are going to commit, the work you are going to do and when you are going to see big sister, take me. Take me everywhere with me."
For a second, I stay shunned there but then an unpleasant memory resurfaces in my mind. I click my tongue and stand up on my own. "Take a kid like you? No thanks."
Alexia pouts again. "Hey. You are a small kid yourself." She deliberately shows the height difference between us.
I immediately get frustrated and look away. "Whatever. But I need you here. With the kids."
"Here? Why?"
My expression quickly becomes serious. "That Father…. He is not a good man."
"What? You are kidding, right? Afterall, he is a Father of the church. All Fathers are good."
I smile at Alexia's naivety. 'Heh. You should enjoy your innocence while it lasts.'
"Not all. Anyhow, I need you to trust me on this one. Is there any way to reduce our interaction with that church?"
Alexia quickly shakes her head in refusal. "We can't do that. On the contrary, I was going to personally request him to invite us for supper every day. Instead of every other day."
Unconciously raise my voice. "You can't do that! Ahem! I mean, you cannot do that. As for our food… Give me until tomorrow and I will come up with a permeant solution."
Worried, Alexia decides to question. "What are you going to do?"
I hesitate at first but decide to reveal it anyway. "I am going to visit Tarma again. He was offering me a role as an explorer-" I was interrupted by the sound of the hooves entering our front yard.
I look at the armoured man who hopped out of the horse while looking at directly at me. "Hey, kiddo."
"W-Who are you? What do you want?" Alexia asks in an anxious voice.
"Jerald. Why are you here?" I stand up to the man who was comically taller than myself.
Few minutes later, I glare at Jerald who sits on the creaking old bed. "Uh… Nice house." He comments.
"Thanks." My expression was not matching my words.
"Don't be on edge, Altaris. I am already apologetic for disturbing the sleep of other kids."
"Oh no. I am sure they are having fun outside. Now why are you here?"
Jerald suddenly starts to smile while looking at me. "You are just like Melsier when I first met him, it was years ago. Always doubting my every action. Haha. But in the end we managed to become best of friends. I believe the same could happen to the two of us. You know, I have a kid myself. Though she doesn't like in the villages too muc-"
"Cut the crap. Tell me why did Lenia sent you here."
Jerald bit his tongue and changed his personality completely. "How did you figure it out?" His tone clearly hostile.