The night was already deep, and the moon was already high in the sky. Heimer held the torch, and Zeref followed closely behind.
Heimer looked back at the place where they were moving away. Through the moonlight tonight, it seemed that he could still vaguely see the cloud-like smoke floating in the sky there.
Heimer quickened his pace. After a while, when he looked back, he could see nothing.
The land that was killed by the war has disappeared on the horizon.
"Are you awake? That child."
While he was looking back and thinking, Heimer asked Zeref about the boy.
"I woke up for a while, but then there was no movement again."
Zeref sighed, and used his arms to push the still sleeping boy on his back, making him lie down more stable.
"This kid... seems familiar to me. Who is he?"
Heimer turned his attention to the road ahead. Now they were walking in a wilderness.
Because they were worried that they would encounter a lot of "trouble" on the main road, they deliberately avoided the main road and took a detour instead.
Heimer didn't have much impression of this child, but he always felt that he had indeed seen this boy.
The military generally rarely takes women and children with them, but there are always exceptions.
If you are a homeless child and you meet a commander with a good character, you can indeed apply to have the underage child in the army to work as a handyman or as a child servant.
"The child that the general took in, Mr. Heimer probably hasn't seen him much, right? This child is very afraid of strangers. Apart from the general, his guards, and us handymen, he will hide when he encounters other soldiers."
Zeref's eyes were a little sad.
"A very nice boy. He will bring me some wine to drink when I am tired."
"The general took us in? Then why did he hide when he saw us?"
Heimer didn't quite understand.
However, there are some bad people in the military, and bullying may occur on a daily basis.
Heimer himself has seen this kind of bullying happen with his own eyes. He has also taken action many times, and not only was he penalized several times, but he also developed conflicts with those people.
But if it was the Golden Lion Weinabodo who took him in, then the legion shouldn't be so bold as to get into trouble with the legion commander.
Zeref smiled bitterly and said: "This child has been separated from his relatives, and his family members don't know whether they are alive or dead. And for him to become like this..."
"Is it us soldiers with swords?"
The second half of what Zeref didn't say was picked up by Heimer.
"War orphans..."
Heimer lowered his head, not knowing why he felt inexplicably guilty after hearing what happened to this young man.
The other hand holding the sword handle was a little sweaty, as if the dead souls who had held hatred under this sword were relatives of that young man.
"Well, you can't say that. If this kid heard an adult say that, he would be so angry that he would jump up and bite someone."
Zeref laughed, and he took out a hand from his back and patted Heimer on the shoulder.
"He hates people pity him the most, and hates people saying that his family is gone. In short, this kid is a very stubborn guy."
"Oh! Really?"
Heimer also imagined contacting the child and couldn't help laughing.
Although Heimer felt that laughing like this was a bit silly, he always felt that if he didn't laugh, there would always be something weighing on his heart that would make him unable to breathe.
"Haha, that's really an interesting boy."
Heimer laughed along with Zeref.
The two people's voices were very loud.
A few hares suddenly jumped out of the bushes on the roadside, and the surrounding vegetation began to rustle.
Now, these two idiots have obviously forgotten their current situation.
"Don't make too much noise when walking at night" - there is a reason why such common sense exists.
"Um, Lord Heimer..."
Zeref's laughter stopped suddenly, and he carefully approached Heimer's back.
"What's wrong?"
Heimer was a little surprised, but he also discovered something was wrong.
"We seem to be in trouble..."
Heimer handed the torch to Zeref. After taking it, Zeref turned his back to Heimer. He supported the young man on his back and swallowed his saliva.
"It seems that we are surrounded, can you rush out? Sir."
“You’ll know if you try it or not?”
Heimer held the hilt of the sword with both hands, and the sharp blade scraped against the scabbard.
The bright blade of the sword, illuminated by the torch in Zeref's hand, gave off a dangerous aura.
I believe those who are knowledgeable should also understand that they are a tough nut to crack.
However, the "trouble" they encountered didn't seem to be that way.
Jackal.
A beast as cunning as a fox and as ferocious as a wolf. Their teeth can easily cut through pieces of meat, including human throats.
Each of the foxwolves is a powerful hunter, and what's even more frightening is that they rarely act alone.
Now, such a difficult group of guys surrounded Heimer and his party.
As nocturnal beasts, these two humans walking in the wilderness naturally became a delicious meal in their eyes.
"Fortunately, there are only four..."
Zeref couldn't help but get closer to Heimer. The four foxwolves were not afraid of the fire and approached them step by step from four directions.
"Are you...sure?"
The muscles on Heimer's face twitched.
Ouch!! Ouch! Ouch...
The four fox wolves suddenly howled together. After a while, a group of green light spots suddenly appeared on the surrounding grass, like wandering ghosts from the battlefield, which sent chills down the spine.
"This is really bad."
Heimer drew his sword and couldn't help shouting curses...
————Dividing line————
Today is a good day.
Today is indeed a good day for Nia.
The sunshine this morning was bright and dazzling. When Nia looked up at the blazing sun in the sky, she could no longer keep her eyes open.
"This means that the goddess is praying for us!"
The girl smiled sweetly. She felt that she must look very silly now.
But so what? No one saw it anyway.
"Is she a younger sister or a younger brother? If she's a younger sister, I'll tie her hair into the most beautiful braids. If she's a younger brother, I'll sew the most beautiful clothes for him..."
Unknowingly, I suddenly became intoxicated again. I began to imagine the future of the baby who was about to be born.
"If she is a younger sister, she will definitely be as beautiful as my mother in the future. As for a younger brother...well, why don't you suddenly think that she will be a younger brother?"
Nia herself felt baffled. She suddenly had a premonition: this new life would be a girl, a beautiful and healthy girl.
"Oh, no! The flower stem is broken!"
Is it because of too much force? One of the flowers that had just been tied into a bundle suddenly broke. Once the stem was broken, all the flowers in front of it spread out. Several flowers fell to the ground without being caught by Niya. Once the petals
It was stained with mud and could no longer be used. Now Nia had to tie it again.
But being able to twist off the tough flower stems requires a lot of strength.
"Sigh... I'm too strong and I don't look like a lady at all. I really need to be gentle like my mother."
Nia was a little discouraged. She was indeed a bit violent sometimes. So much so that the boys in the village did not dare to provoke her, and the grandparents in the village always said that she would not be able to get married if she continued like this.
"No matter what, lilies, lavender, carnations... a garland made of the most beautiful flowers will definitely bring happiness."
Nia squatted half-crouched among the flowers, and the dew on the flowers and grass wet her sarong. Realizing that her clothes would be stained, Nia lifted the hem of her skirt and threw the selected flower branches into her arms. Waiting for her
When the flowers in her arms were piled into a ball, Nia could no longer hold it.
"Every flower is so beautiful, it's really hard to choose...I picked up so many before I knew it."
Nia bent down and carefully walked out of the flowers, then shook the flowers wrapped in the sarong onto a tablecloth spread out on the grass.
As soon as she sat down, she began to weave the garland again. Nia's hands were very skillful, which was something she was proud of.
Nia obviously inherited her mother's dexterous hands.
In just a moment, this garland made of flowers of different colors but all with their own charms was born. Nia put the delicate garland she had just made on her head, held it up with both hands, and felt it with her palms.
Resilience satisfies her.
"Although there were a few mistakes in the middle, the result is still satisfactory!"
Nia was very happy and danced on the grass with this beautiful wreath on her head.
She stood on tiptoes and spun in circles again and again. Her long skirt floated up along with her dancing figure. Her long golden hair was spread out with a few braids, and there were also delicate hair strands.
With dew.
She danced lightly, sparkling in the sun.
It must look beautiful now.
Nia thought with some pride. Suddenly a light flashed in her eyes, which attracted her attention and made her stop dancing.
"That is?"
There was a flower on the cliff above her head. The pure white petals overlapped like the lines of a conch, forming a beautiful shape. When Nia saw this flower for the first time, she felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy.
"What kind of flower is this? I haven't seen it before, but it's so beautiful. It's a pity..."
Nia looked at the direction of the flower. This flower grew on a towering cliff and was beyond her reach. It was a bit dangerous to climb up the cliff, but should she try it? Nia was hesitant.
"Ah! No, it's already this time!"
Nia patted her forehead. The rising sun in front of her was already reminding her that she had to go back. Nia took off the garland on her head and put it in the basket. She arranged the tablecloth on the ground and gently covered the garland at the bottom.
.She has made plans today and must give her mother a surprise.
Difenni Village, where Nia is located, is an ordinary and peaceful small village.
There are only a few dozen households in the village, and the village's population is only a few hundred people.
Most of the fields in the village are planted with wheat, which is no different from other villages, so it is not considered a specialty. The location is also far away from the town, and it is not a major transportation road.
It is not convenient to transport goods from the village, and traveling merchants and vendors from the city rarely come to this remote place to do business.
It is the newly appointed local governor who is planning to make a difference, that is, he will come to this place to visit when he first takes office.
From now on, perhaps until the next term, I will never see the disgusted look on that officer's face again.
However, in such an ordinary village, there is a special atmosphere filling the air today.
"Don't...don't come here!"
The petite girl huddled in the corner, with baskets and broken wheelbarrows piled up nearby blocking her escape direction. Of course, it was not that she had no way out, but the two tall boys in front of her would not let her go so easily.
leave.
"Hand over the bread!"
A boy, estimated to be thirteen or fourteen years old, with hair already growing on his mouth, yelled at the girl who had nowhere to run. Another tall, thin boy also raised his arms without much muscle and stood in front of her.
Waving his fist.
"No, mom hasn't eaten yet..."
The girl hugged the things wrapped in coarse cloth tightly in her arms. Of course she was very scared and her body was shaking non-stop. However, she curled up into a ball and the two boys were unable to do anything to her.
"Hand over the bread, Lisa. We are hungry too, and we are very angry when we are hungry."
The two boys didn't have much patience anymore. If they continued like this, they might attract other people. If their parents knew about it, they would probably get a beating. So they reached out to grab the girl's slender arms. Although the girl resisted hard,
But how can her strength compare to theirs?
"No!"
The bag containing the bread was grabbed by the tall and thin boy. The girl wanted to pull it back into her arms, but the force was so strong that the boy couldn't bear it. But another boy with a hairy mouth held back the girl's grip.
With his fingers, he tried to break apart her tightly clenched fingers one by one.
"ah!!"
The girl could only scream loudly, which frightened the two people. But when they looked back and saw that no one appeared, they turned around and tried harder to grab the bread. After all, they knew that they would continue to make trouble like this.
Sooner or later someone will notice.
"Stop it!!"
A sudden scolding came from behind, making the two people who were already guilty even more panicked. The strength in their hands suddenly relaxed, and the bread in the bag fell to the ground.
"N-Nia?!"
The three of them immediately recognized the blond girl in front of them, wearing a white skirt and carrying a flower basket. The two boys were completely panicked and at a loss what to do.
Nia ignored the two of them, but walked directly towards the girl huddled in the corner. Without thinking, the two of them stepped back at the same time, making a way out of the way, not daring to anger the person in front of them again.
"Lisa. It's okay, I'm here."
Nia was half squatting, supporting Lisa who was kneeling on the ground with tears on her face, holding her in her arms, patting her shoulders to comfort her.
"Nia, it's great that you're here."
Lisa choked with sobs, tears still welling up in her eyes. She hugged Nia with her backhand and buried her face into Nia's shoulder. The two boys didn't know what to do, and they didn't pay attention to them.
, and planned to sneak away secretly.
As soon as Nia helped Lisa up, seeing the two people trying to escape, she turned around and shouted to them: "Stop!"
She didn't intend to let them go like this. And with Nia's angry voice, the two boys immediately froze and did not dare to move at all.
"Jack, Blainey, did you two rob Lisa and her family of food again?"
Nia was still carrying a flower basket on her right arm. She rolled up her sleeves and clasped her fists, her knuckles making a "clack" sound. Seeing Nia's posture, the two older boys were so frightened that they trembled all over.
"How, how could it be possible? Blainey and I were just passing by here and found Lisa being chased here by a wild dog, so we came to help her."
Jack, the boy with a furry mouth, forced out a flattering smile, bent down and paid respect to Nia. He also did not forget to pat the tall and thin boy Blainey who was standing aside.
"You think so? Blainey."
"Yes, that's the case. The wild dog is so vicious that we spent a lot of effort to drive it away."
Blainey reacted immediately and followed Jack's words.
"Do you think I will believe your lies?"
Nia was really angry. She picked up a stone on the ground and tried to throw it at it. Jack and Blainey quickly raised their hands to protect their faces, and Jack shouted:
"Nia, if you don't believe it, you can ask Lisa!"
"Lisa?"
Nia turned to look at the girl huddled behind her. Nia didn't think those two people would tell the truth, but when Jack said this, she herself was a little unsure.
And Lisa lowered her head and said in a voice so small that only the two of them could hear: "Yes, yes..."
Seeing the astonishment on Nia's face, Jack was secretly happy. He immediately pulled Blainey and said to them: "It's nothing, let's leave."
Then the two of them ran away without looking back, but Nia was not willing to let them go.
"Don't run away!"
Nia was about to chase after her, but someone grabbed her arm.
"Don't go, Nia."
That person was Lisa. She held Nia's hand tightly and showed no intention of letting go.
"Why? Lisa..."
Nia was very puzzled. She didn't understand why Lisa, who was clearly being bullied, didn't want those two people to give her justice.
"Because I've caused you too much trouble. This is just a small thing. I'll be fine."
As Lisa spoke, she wiped away the tears on her face. There were red marks on her calves, which were probably scratched by some sharp-edged objects when she ran into this place. Her hands were a little bruised and swollen.
There was also a lot of dust on the clothes. It didn't look like everything was fine.
Jack and Blainey turned around several alleys before stopping. Both of them were out of breath and leaned against the wall, gasping for air.
"Is that the same Nia who beat the arrogant Rupp into the stable and made him lie on the bed for half a month?"
Blainey patted his chest, feeling that his heart was still beating wildly.
"That's right, Blainey. We must not mess with her, unless you want to spend the rest of your life in bed."
"clear..."
Blainey agreed deeply. He could feel that the seemingly fragile girl was not a simple character. Being able to judge the gap in strength was a required course for him, who was born as an Orion.
"Let's go."
Jack felt angry, so he stamped his aching feet to leave.
"So what should we eat this morning? Mom and Dad have punished us without breakfast for three days, and it's only the second day!"
"Well, I remember there is a beehive in the woods to the east. Let's dig out the honey."
...
"Uh...Lisa your bread."
Nia picked up the long piece of bread from the ground. Although it had not been stepped on, the surface was already covered with dust.
"It's okay. If you go back and peel off the skin, you can still eat it."
Lisa reached out and took the piece of bread, and her expression became much more relaxed until she put it back into the bag.
"Thank you Nia, I've been troubling you... eh! It hurts so much!"
As Lisa was talking, Nia suddenly reached out her hand and flicked Lisa's forehead hard.
"Nothing is too much trouble, Lisa, we are friends! Friends should help each other."
"Yes..."
Lisa looked a little confused.
"Lisa, have you had breakfast?"
"Uh, I ate...huh?"
As Lisa was talking, her stomach suddenly started to growl loudly. Lisa blushed and covered her belly, not knowing what to say.
"As expected... Although the food supply in the village has been a bit tight recently, after all, taxes have increased... But at the very least, we still need to have enough food!"
As if by magic, Nia lifted the tablecloth in the flower basket and took out a sandwich with ham.
"Here, don't be hungry, Lisa."
"Well, thank you, Nia."
Lisa took the sandwich and put it into the bag together.
"By the way, Nia, I just saw Uncle Belkas looking for you."
"Well?!"
After hearing what Lisa said, Nia remembered her own affairs.
"Oops, I have to go home."
Nia picked up her skirt and ran towards home, not forgetting to say goodbye to Lisa as she ran.
"Goodbye Lisa."
"Um!"
The petite girl stood on the street, waving to Nia who was walking away, until both parties could no longer see each other...