“Who is Freckle?”
Everyone looked at Oliver without saying a word to his innocent question.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“……”
After a long silence, someone burst out laughing.
“Hahahahahahahaha… you don't know who Freckle is? ”
“Um, yes. Who is Freckle? I think he’s a human, right?”
"You think he's a human…? Haha-! Of course, he's a human. He's a famous human around here… Hey, do you really think this guy is Freckle's subordinate? He doesn't know who Freckle is?"
“No, he could also be lying.”
"Yeah, maybe he is lying. Maybe he really doesn't know him, look at this guy's face. Does he look smart enough to lie?"
The man named Kent said as he grabbed Oliver's face with both callus-studded hands to make sure that there was no sense of distance.
Contrary to his appearance, he was very strong.
Seeing Oliver's blank face, they were a little discouraged because they were persuaded.
“Well…, maybe he doesn’t know.”
“Yes. Maybe he doesn’t know. Still….”
“Kent…we owe you a lot but to send him like this is still a little bit…don't you know?”
Oliver couldn't understand what they were talking about, but he could see that everyone was feeling anxious, flustered, and afraid.
The man named Kent was also in agreement to some extent.
“Ugh… I understand what you guys are saying…how about this?”
“What?”
“I’m going to take in this friend.”
“What? What are you talking about…”
"I'm taking this dude, and if there's anything suspicious, I'll scold him. With this!"
Kent waved his wooden stick and said.
The pursuers were confused at his statement.
“No, you can’t…”
“Why? Are you saying you can’t trust me?”
“Oh, no, how can we say such a thing?”
"Then, what's the matter? I'm going to monitor this guy. Then, you guys can be relieved, right? I will ask you again. Do you guys trust me? Believe me, if you say no it’s going to make me really sad."
In the end, without being able to cope with Kent’s pressure, those who followed Oliver hesitated and then backed off.
"… I understand. We owe Kent a lot. I'll trust you, but if something goes wrong with him, then we can't just let it slide."
"Thank you! Thank you…! As expected, I knew you would trust me. I think I am going to cry, come on, this is my personal thanks to you. Accept it. Accept it."
Kent took out some bills from his pocket and forced them into their hands.
They said no but still accepted it after Kent's repeated push.
“Ah… you really don’t have to. Well then, we’ll be on our way.”
“Yes, good night. If you have any difficulties don’t forget to come to me, and it’s always nice to see you guys.”
Kent saw them off with an attitude that was neither bright nor gloomy.
When they disappeared, only Kent and Oliver were left on the street.
Oliver saw the emotions of people who were leaving one by one and then turned toward the man named Kent.
He seemed not to be a normal person.
“……… Look, hey? Hey! Can’t you hear me?”
Oliver came back to his senses.
He looked forward and saw the man named Kent snapping his fingers.
“Do you space out often like that?”
“Um…… I’m sorry. I was just scared.”
“You are scared? Ugh… I don’t think so.”
"I was a little… Anyway, thank you for your help. I survived thanks to you."
“Oh, I guess you are aware of that. If you were a person that Freckle had sent then you would be beaten to death, and even if not, your items including your underwear would have been stolen. Of course, you should be grateful.”
"Yes, thank you."
Oliver immediately bowed his head and said thanks.
It was a skill that he learned in the mine and orphanage.
Fortunately, it worked on the man in front of him.
The man named Kent raised the corners of his mouth.
“In that sense, may I ask, where did you come from?”
“…from Wineham.”
“Wineham? Oh…there are people still living there. But, why did a guy who used to live in Wineham come to Landa? That also to District X?”
“There was a situation…”
“Situation? It is a situation…”
Kent muttered and looked at Oliver.
Long-worn shiny jackets and dusty shoes.
Kent nodded as if he had guessed something.
“… Where are your parents?”
"I don’t have one."
"What? No parents… Then, why did you come here? I'm very curious… No, actually, outsiders don't often come to District X, so I'm very curious.”
Oliver didn't answer right away but looked into Kent's eyes.
He was a very handsome man who had not shaved his beard properly, but his eyes showed the same sharp insight as the pharmacist and James.
Oliver had a gut feeling that he shouldn't answer roughly.
“… A person who took care of me in the past said, he was living here… I wondered if I could meet him again.”
“Who is that person?”
“He was the one who took care of me in the past.”
“…… Is that so? Did you meet him?”
“Um… no.”
“…… Why did you come to meet him?”
“I wanted to ask him something.”
“What did you want to ask him?”
“Um… This is my first time out in the world alone, so I wanted to ask him some questions. There are a lot of things I don’t know.”
"… First time coming out to the world? You seem a little silly, but your intentions are very noble, isn't it?"
"Thank you?"
"Ha…! You don't have any parents, so you came to Landa… Did something happen?"
“Um… this and that.”
“This and that…? Haha, what a strange and suspicious kid.”
"Really?"
"Yeah, yes… I’ll ask again. I'm asking this very, very seriously, so answer seriously."
Oliver looked into Kent's eyes and answered.
"Yes."
“You really don’t know who Freckle is?”
Two sharp eyes light up which contained the same insight as the pharmacist.
“Yeah, I don’t know…who is that?”
"Ha… A very bad guy… So, where are you going?"
Oliver looked at the other side of District X, the park where he met Joseph.
It had hot dog booths and ice cream booths, fountains and baby angels, and people full of joy and relaxation.
Obviously, he decided to go there, but when he saw the unidentified man in front of him, he suddenly lost interest in the park.
“Um… no, no place to go.”
“You have nowhere to go… Surely there is no place to stay tonight, right?”
“Um…yes.”
“Is that so? Ha…”
The man named Kent grazed his beard in confusion.
He felt a little conflicted.
“Um…ha, I must be really crazy. You don’t even look alike… Little boy, If you have nowhere to go then follow me. It’s going to get cold soon.”
“……”
“Well, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to follow me.”
“…if it’s okay with you, could you please allow me to ask you a question?”
" That's very polite. You don't have to be so polite, child. Just ask. Are you wondering if I am kidnapping you or trying to sell you?
"No… I know you don't have any malicious intent. I know you are genuinely trying to help. Thank you very much."
“…”
"But I've never met such a person… Can I ask why you are trying to help me?"
“Well…why? I don’t know. Maybe because I felt good about making a lot of money today. What are you going to do? Are you going to follow me or not? Just say it.”
Oliver looked at Kent once again.
His emotions showed that he had no ulterior motive.
“… I want to follow you if it’s alright with you.”
"You speak so beautifully. Then, follow me."
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
Oliver followed Kent.
Every time Kent walks, there was a tak-tak sound due to the quarterstaff hitting the ground, and people who met him by chance on the street greeted him warmly or turned their heads in disbelief.
“Hello! Kent.”
“Oh, nice to meet you.”
“Are you coming from work?”
“The job is to get some money.”
While passing by so many people, Kent turned his head and asked.
“Are you wondering where we are going?”
“Um? No… not really.”
“You sure are a……… fearless one?”
Kent's question was legitimate one.
Even after leaving District X and coming to the relatively better District W, the low-security slum remained the same, and wherever Kent goes there are more and more sparsely populated and eerie places.
Those are situations in which children should be suspicious and fearful of the adult they are with.
Obviously, Oliver didn't show the slightest bit of suspicion.
From Kent's point of view, it could be said that Oliver was a very strange child.
“… I have a lot of fear.”
"Oh, really? For your information, I hate lies.”
“It’s not a lie. I don’t like getting sick, I’m afraid to die, and there are many things I’m scared of.”
“Usually everyone is afraid of getting sick or dying. There are some weird people who like them, but that is an exception.”
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, my God… do you normally talk like that? I think something’s wrong with your head.”
"… Someone looked at me and said that I am broken."
“Broken? He got that right. Who was that?”
“Um, that’s…”
"Oh my!"
As Oliver was about to answer, a loud voice interrupted them from somewhere.
He turned his head in the direction of the sound just to see a man and a little boy.
The man was a middle-aged man with wrinkles, a wide nose, and a head with no hairs.
The boy had light blonde hair and was wearing a large, unfitting coat and shoes.
“Kent! Kent! Kent! Our beggars’ light Kent!”
The man came over to Kent, throwing away the boy he had been carrying.
He had an innocent smile but when you look at his red nose one could easily guess that he was an alcoholic.
He hummed and continued to speak.
"You're finally here. You're finally here… I'm so glad that you came back safely!"
"Yes, nice to meet you… Are you on your way to work?"
“Work? I? Haha! I haven’t worked since 20 years ago! It’s a joke!! He did it. He did it! Isn’t that right?”
The red-nosed man pointed to the blond kid and said.
The blond little boy smiled innocently and bowed his head to Kent, and Kent accepted it…
"If you came back safely, it would mean that our leader has received the money, right? Now, show this red nose how much you got. Come on."
"Looks like you're running out of booze.”
“I am always short on alcohol! So how much did you earn?”
"Later. Later. We have to check this when everyone is together so that no one can talk behind the scenes."
"Ah…! Okay, I admit it! That's right. Can I ask you another question instead?"
“I always feel that you talk a lot, but now you are talking a lot more. What is it?”
“Who is this kid?!”
The red-nosed man exaggeratedly pointed at Oliver and asked.
Kent looked at Oliver without saying a word and soon opened his mouth.
“This little kid? Uh… On my way here. I found this kid.”
"You’re saying like you picked up a dog… Kid, what's your name?"
The red-nosed man moved his face so close that Oliver felt burdensome.
Contrary to his innocent expression, that man’s eyes were shining quite sharply, though not as much as Kent’s.
It's as if he could see through whether Oliver was lying or not.
Oliver looked straight into his face and answered calmly.
“My name is Oliver. I came from Wineham.”
(To be Continued)
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