Chapter 62: CH 62

“… Mm.”

“Ah.”

Just after I left it, I hurried back to Lucy’s house to ask for directions to the nearest carriage terminal and opened the doors of the house.

Suddenly, I ran into Miu, a guest of this manor. Next to her was a young woman, perhaps her maid as she was dressed like Ms. Halwi.

“Miu,” I said. “I thought you were out, I didn’t see you.”

“… Mm,” Miu went.

The reply isn’t so good.

However, it seems that she’s removed the thorns, and I didn’t feel any disgust or anxiety in her unfriendly response. If it’s good, it’s good.

“Oh, Miu, welcome back,” Lucy called out as she looks at me by the door. “Did you get what you were shopping for?”

“… Mm,” Miu said, holding out the shopping bag in her left hand. Seems she went out to the stores herself.

Looking at this scene makes me feel like I have a kid. I don’t think Lucy would be her mother, though.

With a nod, the woman who was attending to Miu disappears from the front doors. It seems that Lucy had other servants besides Ms. Halwi. Goodness, Lucy is certainly living a very good life.

It’s time to wonder if things are going to stay this grim. I can’t read Miu’s expression very well. I couldn’t tell how she was standing here now, as she replies with so few words.

“Gone shopping?” I asked. “Good job.”

“… Shut up,” Miu said. “Anyone could do this.”

I decided to praise her for the moment. However, the reaction, as you could see, wasn’t very good.

Well, looks like I made a mistake. But, well, I think you should compliment kids that are doing their best, helping around the house like this.

“Why are you here, Pops?” Miu asked.

“Oh, umm… I had a bit of business here, you see,” I said.

Lucy did say she hadn’t told Miu anything. Then, I should avoid spilling everything here. I also have to cut this conversation here.

“I see,” Miu said.

Then, she said no more.

At that, some heavy silence descends around the front doors.

“… But, know, it seems you’re living a good life,” I said. “I thought Lucy would be using you all the time.”

“Hey, hey, what’s up with that misconception of me?” Lucy snapped.

“Hahaha.”

She didn’t sound negative about it. She probably knows it’s all just friendly teasing.

Miu’s appearance was clearly much better. She’s not dressed in the rags she used to wear but in clean clothes that aren’t flashy.

It was hard to tell in the dark, but her skin and hair were doing much better. Those are signs she’s getting good nutrition and a good night’s sleep, too.

These seem to be proof that Lucy isn’t taking advantage of her, and I feel relieved even though I’m not Miu’s parent. I wanted to ask her forgiveness for that teasing I made at the start.

“… Why are you doing this?” Miu asked quietly.

“Hmm?”

“Why would you be so kind to me like this…?” Miu continued.

She sounded uncomfortable.

The emotions there weren’t dissatisfaction, but confusion.

“Hmm…” I said.

Why, indeed? As I scratched my head, my gaze turned to Lucy behind me. Lucy being Lucy, she also seemed a bit confused about how to answer.

“It’s natural for adults to take care of children,” Lucy said.

“I agree,” I said. “We may have limited reach, but it’s normal for adults to do so if they can.”

The answer I came up with was similar between me and Lucy.

Well, we were being honest.

For sure, there was the objective fact that Miu was committing crimes. Although she had no choice but to live the life of crime, that does not justify her actions. If you go by that logic, most crimes of the world would be acquitted because of circumstances.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Miu escaped from the criminal world, and the crimes she was guilty of weren’t so heavy. If the person feels remorse, it would be appropriate to take into account their age.

“… There weren’t any of those kinds of adults around me!” Miu cried as if squeezing the words out.

“I was! I was… I was only thinking about stealing things from people and living for that day! I didn’t even care about you, Pops, I just thought you were a mark! Just give me the money! Let me do what I want! Why… why are you…?”

Her confusion became a scream, echoing in the hall.

I’m sure she’s intelligent, if uneducated. She’s reflecting on the crimes she’s committed.

And it’s not hard to imagine that she’s only lived in the world of criminals till now, surrounded by adults who weren’t good for her. The thieves that were there when we raided their safe house weren’t very good people, either.

She’s probably confused now.

I don’t know how she’s being treated, but looking at Miu now, I’m sure it wasn’t too poorly. That, in itself, is a good thing, but the important matter is that Miu isn’t satisfied by this treatment.

First of all, it may be necessary to deal with her mental issues.

However, I think that role should be given to Lucy, the one who’s currently taking care of her, rather than me, but when I glanced at Lucy, she was silent.

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Ah, wasn’t this unfair? I can’t help but feel that Lucy’s using me for her convenience. I certainly understand that I can’t tell Miu the circumstances, like Twilight and the suspicion cast on Bishop Lebios.

“Miu,” I said.

Well, it can’t be helped. I’m definitely the one who gave her the rope to haul her out of the criminal underbelly.

“You’re a kid,” I said.

“…”

I consciously use a gentle voice, to avoid riling her up as much as possible.

I remember the past when I was admonishing my problem-child students. Since the dojo was a place to learn swordsmanship, there were a certain number of troublemakers that came up to enroll.

It’s a little different to simply describe Miu as a troublemaker.

“Children shouldn’t think about such difficult things,” I said. “It’s important that you never stop thinking… but in a place like this, you should spend your time leisurely.”

“That… sounds so childish…!” Miu snapped.

“You are a child,” I returned.

That stops her.

Children are one of the assets that adults should protect. There is no nobility in this.

“Here, there are no adults who’re out to deceive you, no adults who mean to take advantage of you,” I said. “Didn’t I say that before? It’s the adults’ responsibility to do something, that’s the proper way to be an adult.”

“… You’re just asking me to be spoiled…” Miu said.

“Hmm? Is that so?”

Miu is quite observant or rather, cynical, at this age. I get that impression from her.

It’s not unreasonable considering her environment so far, but this is why we must correct her course as much as possible.

Children should be spoiled by adults. Or rather, that’s their role in life.

Eventually, they’ll grow up both physically and mentally, learn to be sensible, and gradually learn how to integrate with society firsthand. Miu has never been in a place where the parents, teachers, and seniors did their duty, however.

Speaking of duty, her older sister would have been in that role.

With that in mind, that Miu was able to think and judge herself like this at her age, even though she was a pickpocket, seems to be a result of her sister’s education.

I’m sure she was a wonderful older sister. So much so she didn’t belong in that criminal underworld.

But all that said, I couldn’t protect her and she was swallowed up by the pus of the world.

“… Is it alright…?” Miu asked. “It can’t be… that can’t be right…”

“It’s alright, Miu,” I said. “You have a future. Yours will be a lot brighter and longer than mine.”

Compared to such a boring old man, Miu’s life was still tiny. There’s still time to course-correct her life. That’s why we must take responsibility for taking her there.

“Well, it’s just like that,” I said. “If you still can’t accept it, then that’s that.”

However, it’s a difficult problem to clear all her doubts with just this one conversation. That’s why she needs time to get used to this current environment.

“When you grow up to be a good adult, Miu, this old man wants you to buy him a delicious dinner,” I said, patting Miu’s head. “Then, we’ll be even.”

I just reached out but when I saw she wasn’t rejecting me, it seemed that she’d accept it.

“… You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Miu mumbled.

“No. I’m not.”

“Oiii,” Lucy grumbled. “You owe me for that time, too. Didn’t I do my best?!”

“You just went on a rampage,” I said.

“What!?” Lucy cried.

Lucy tried to cut in, but she just beat the crap out of the boss. Ah, it was going so well until Lucy hijacked the conversation.

“… Hmph,” Miu huffs.

It seems she thought it was meaningless to continue the conversation. Well, so long as I needed to talk to Lucy, it’s almost the same thing. Let’s give the adults’ egos a pass here.

“Come on, aren’t you going to go inside?” I asked, pulling my hand back.

“… I got it,” Miu said with a sullen voice and expression.

“Well then, Beryl, you needed something?” Lucy said.

“Yeah, I need some help,” I said.

With that, I remember why I came here in the first place.

There’s still not enough time for Miu to truly recover. For her, everything was such a sudden turn of events.

Hopefully, she’ll live her second chance in life in peace. For that reason, we have to get rid of her anxiety over our caring for her.

I turned back to see Lucy standing in the doorway with her hand behind Miu’s back, hugging her.

Hmm, it if was Ms. Halwi, it would have been a familial picture. When Lucy does it, it looks like two kids playing with each other. Rather, Lucy looks even younger than her.

“… This is like a father being seen to work by his kids, isn’t it?” I mumbled.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a pseudo-family.

But, it’s not a bad feeling to be seen off like this before going to a job.

So, I’m going to do that task. It’s best if nothing happens and I don’t miss Lebios.

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