Charlotte looked at Ethan, her expression softening slightly.
"I almost forgot… your condition hasn't fully recovered yet."
Her tone stayed gentle, without pressure.
"If you're still not feeling well, you should just rest."
She paused for a moment, then added carefully—
"Once you've fully recovered… I hope you can help take care of the other kids here."
Ethan let out a short breath, then lifted his head.
"…I'm not refusing to be a supervisor," he said.
He paused for a moment, then continued in a firmer tone.
"I just… want to go with you."
Silence.
Charlotte looked briefly surprised, before her expression turned more serious.
"That's not possible," she replied immediately. "You're not mature enough to go outside the village, especially a guild."
"Yeah, that's right!" one of the kids chimed in.
"Ethan, just stay here…" another added. "You're not fully recovered yet…"
Several other kids nodded, clearly agreeing.
Ethan shook his head slowly.
"I'm fine," he said shortly. "And… I'm actually quite skilled at gathering medicinal plants."
That sentence made the atmosphere turn strange.
Everyone looked at him.
Not impressed—but doubtful.
Some even glanced at each other.
Damn it… I don't have the original owner's memories. But from their expressions… it's obvious what I just said sounds ridiculous.
"Ethan…" Charlotte spoke gently. "I know you want to help me, but—"
"I'm already 13," Ethan cut in.
His voice wasn't loud, but enough to stop Charlotte.
"And when I turn 14, I plan to join the adventurer's guild."
He looked straight at Charlotte.
"I think… I'm mature enough to just pick some plants."
No one replied immediately.
The room fell silent again.
But from the faces around him, it was clear—no one truly agreed.
Ethan took a short breath, then added—
"Besides… we need someone to keep an eye on Miss Charlotte. Who knows, maybe she's lying to us and planning to take something dangerous."
In an instant—Charlotte's eyes widened.
She clearly didn't expect those words to come out of Ethan's mouth.
Ethan knew Charlotte wouldn't agree, so he used the other children to force her into a difficult decision.
"Huh?!"
"What do you mean by that?!"
The kids started getting noisy again, their voices overlapping.
Charlotte quickly raised her hand, trying to calm them down.
"Alright, calm down—"
"Which is why," Ethan interrupted again.
"I'll go with Miss Charlotte to make sure she doesn't do anything reckless."
The voices slowly died down, even though the tension remained.
"if Ethan goes… it should be safer, right?" one kid muttered softly
"Yeah…" another replied, still unsure. "At least someone can stay with and watch Sis Charlotte."
Charlotte immediately shook her head.
"No," she answered firmly, though her tone stayed gentle. "That doesn't change anything."
She looked at Ethan, her expression now serious.
"Going outside the village is still dangerous. I can't bring another child just because of that."
The tension returned.
Some kids immediately looked disappointed.
"But—"
"No," Charlotte repeated, a bit more firmly this time. "You all have to stay here. That's the safest option."
Ethan let out a quiet breath.
"I won't be a burden… and didn't you say it was safe, Miss Charlotte? Or… are you actually planning to do something dangerous?"
Charlotte flinched.
"What—of course not!" she replied quickly, slightly flustered. "I'm only taking simple jobs. Nothing dangerous."
"Then… it shouldn't be a problem if I come along, right?"
Charlotte fell silent.
"If it's safe," Ethan continued calmly, "then you don't need to worry about bringing me."
He looked straight at her.
"…and if I don't go, they'll just keep worrying."
Several kids nodded quickly.
"Yeah! I'll keep worrying…"
"What if something happens to Sis Charlotte…"
Their small voices started rising again, filled with urgency this time.
"Please, Sis…"
"So someone can watch over Sis Charlotte too…"
Charlotte looked at them one by one.
Their small faces were full of worry—not just desire.
She bit her lip slightly.
"…you're all exaggerating," she murmured, but her voice had already lost its firmness.
"Please…"
One of the kids even tugged lightly at her clothes.
Charlotte closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, her gaze shifted to Ethan.
A few seconds passed.
Finally—
"…alright."
Her voice came out softly.
Some of the kids immediately cheered quietly.
"But listen carefully," Charlotte continued, her tone turning serious again despite the fatigue in it.
She looked at Ethan.
"No reckless actions. You follow all my instructions. No exceptions."
She paused for a moment, then added in a lower voice—
"…and if anything happens, we turn back immediately." Charlotte let out a quiet breath.
The atmosphere slowly returned to calm. The children who had been noisy went back to their seats, picking up their spoons and continuing their meals, while unbeknownst to Ethan, a pair of eyes quietly began watching him from afar.
***
"We'll borrow the horse carriage."
Charlotte gave a small nod, then stepped up first. Before sitting down, she glanced back and waved her hand.
"Thank you, we'll return it soon," she said.
A villager standing near the wooden fence waved back with a simple smile.
"Yeah, be careful on the road!"
Ethan climbed up after her, sitting beside Charlotte. The reins were gently pulled, and the horse in front of them began to move.
The wooden wheels creaked softly as the carriage left the village.
Before long, the dirt road turned into a narrow path cutting through the forest. Tall trees towered on both sides, their leaves intertwining and letting sunlight pass through only in scattered fragments.
At least—it would take about an hour to reach the nearest city.
The journey went on in silence.
Only the sound of hooves, the creaking wheels, and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
No one spoke between them.
Ethan realized something felt off. Earlier that morning when they said goodbye to the children, Charlotte had seemed cheerful—but when she looked at him, she felt distant.
"Is Miss Charlotte still mad at me?" Ethan asked in a quiet voice.
No answer.
The forest wind rustled gently, filling the silence between them.
Ethan lowered his head slightly, trying to look pitiful.
"…sorry," he continued more quietly. "I promise I won't be a burden…"
"I was just worried something might happen to you."
A few seconds passed before Charlotte finally let out a long breath.
"…I'm not mad," she said softly.
She kept looking ahead, her hands still holding the reins.
"I just…" she paused, as if choosing her words carefully, "…don't want to involve you in something like this."
The steady rhythm of the horse continued, accompanying her words.
"Working at the adventurer's guild isn't as simple as you think. Even jobs that look easy still carry risks."
Charlotte glanced briefly at Ethan.
"I said it was safe… because compared to others, it is safer."
She turned her gaze back to the road ahead.
"But that doesn't mean it's completely without danger."
Her tone softened.
"As the adult in that orphanage… my job is to protect you all, not the other way around."
"So… you're not mad at me?"
Charlotte went quiet for a moment, then the corner of her lips lifted slightly.
"…no," she answered softly.
Her hand lifted, gently patting Ethan's head.
"You think too much," she added lightly.
Ethan was slightly surprised, but didn't resist.
The stiff atmosphere slowly melted away.
After that, their conversation became lighter—small things, little stories about the kids at the orphanage, even Charlotte occasionally reminding Ethan about his bad habits.
Ethan responded casually, sometimes making Charlotte smile a little.
The journey that had been quiet now felt more alive.
About an hour later, the trees began to thin.
The city gate finally came into view in the distance—tall and sturdy, guarded by several fully armored guards.
The carriage slowed as they approached.
Charlotte stopped the horse, then stepped down briefly to speak with the guards.
"Purpose of visit?" one of the guards asked shortly.
"To take jobs at the adventurer's guild," Charlotte answered calmly.
A few simple questions followed—then Charlotte handed over some coins as an entry fee.
The guard nodded and gave a signal.
"You may enter."
The gate slowly opened.
The carriage moved again, crossing the boundary between outside and inside the city.
As soon as they entered, the atmosphere changed.
Stone-paved streets were filled with people moving nonstop.
Merchants shouted to advertise their goods, bargaining voices echoed from every direction, and the smell of warm food mixed with dust in the air.
Not just humans—
Some figures with long ears walked gracefully among the crowd, their sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.
On the other side, a large man with wolf ears and a tail carried a heavy crate as if it weighed nothing.
Ethan looked around.
This city was far more alive than he had imagined.
Meanwhile, Charlotte stayed focused on controlling the carriage, occasionally glancing at Ethan.
"Don't space out too much," she said quietly. "A city like this… can be more dangerous than it looks."
Ethan gave a small nod and kept observing his surroundings.
[Name:AdelynPartner: 5Sex: 137]
[Name: ViolaPartner: 100Sex: 1629]
[Name: JamesPartner: 23Sex: 181]
Ethan's jaw dropped slightly when he saw it. His gaze quickly swept across the surroundings, and sure enough—those numbers appeared on almost everyone he looked at, some reaching amounts that were hard to believe.
…wait, he thought quietly.
If I think about it, this makes sense.
He looked away for a moment, trying to calm himself.
Even in the modern era, it's not that different… it's just that now I can see it clearly because of this appraisal ability.
His breath caught for a moment.
For some reason… this ability is starting to make me see the world in the bad way.