[CHAPTER 116]
The moment Meyna stood beside Caliph, an unexplainable sense of relief washed over her.
Since he had come, at the very least, nothing horrific would happen to her in the middle of the road.
“Where have you been, and what were you doing?”
Caliph muttered as if scolding her, alternating his gaze between Meyna and the two children.
“……”
The belated relief made Meyna’s nose sting and tears pool in her eyes, leaving her unable to answer Caliph’s question.
She took a long breath in and out to calm herself, but her legs gave way and her body swayed.
Seeing this, Caliph frowned and shifted his gaze toward the women.
“What happened?”
Among the elderly women standing side by side, none stepped forward easily, each watching the others’ reactions.
As if resigned, Amali stepped out and answered.
“The young lady said she had something to ask the children and went to Mather’s house.”
Caliph looked at Meyna with a frown, as if doubting it.
“Is that true?”
Meyna nodded.
For now, getting out of this situation came first.
At her response, Caliph’s expression hardened frighteningly.
She had asked to take a short walk and received permission on the condition that she not leave the yard.
No matter the reason, wandering alone inside the dungeon after disobeying his instructions was clearly a mistake.
Even if he were to explode in anger and remove her from the scouting team immediately, she would have nothing to say in her defense.
After reining in his emotions for a moment, Caliph spoke quietly.
“We’ll talk later.”
Meyna nodded and carefully wrapped an arm around the children’s shoulders.
The fact that he was extremely rational when working was a small mercy amid misfortune.
“So you ladies were looking for the children, and that’s when you ran into Meyna.”
Without needing to hear it, Caliph deduced and summarized the situation, then looked at Amali.
“Yes.
That’s correct.”
Amali answered calmly and added,
“The young lady said she still had more to discuss with the children, so I suggested we all go to Mather’s house together.
We needed to gather anyway to prepare breakfast.”
“Why prepare the meal there instead of where you were?”
Caliph asked in a seemingly indifferent tone.
“A welcoming meal is served at Holter’s estate, and a farewell meal is hosted in turn by the villagers.
That is our tradition.”
Her seasoned eyes carefully read Caliph’s expression.
“I see.”
Caliph gave a slight nod and looked at Meyna.
“Do you want to go?”
In the darkness, everyone’s gaze converged on Meyna.
She shook her head while looking at Caliph.
“No.”
The relaxed smile on Amali’s lips stiffened.
“She says she doesn’t want to.”
Caliph replied to Amali with a tilt of his chin toward Meyna.
Amali twisted her features and pressed her lips tightly together.
Rolling her tongue in her mouth and chewing her cheek, she alternated her gaze between Caliph and Meyna.
Like a beast measuring its opponent’s strength before a fight, her eyes glinted instinctively.
“The children, the children…”
“Mather.”
Amali cut off Mather, who had been about to speak, and looked at Caliph.
“Then it can’t be helped.”
Waving the other women back, she added,
“We’ll all go to Mather’s house and prepare the farewell meal.
Please take your time talking with the children, and we’ll meet again in the morning.”
Amali lifted the corner of her lips as she looked at Meyna.
No sooner had she finished speaking than the elderly women beside her bowed and smiled in perfect unison.
However, the kindly faces they wore when serving the meal were long gone.
The unexpected encounter seemed to strip away the veil and reveal their true selves.
“You seem very eager to serve us a farewell meal.”
“……”
“We appreciate it, but we’ll think about it.”
Caliph also seemed to sense that something about them was off.
And this was without even hearing what the children had told them yet.
“You’re saying you’ll leave without eating?”
Amali asked again, her body trembling as she finally lost control of her expression.
Caliph answered calmly, brushing the back of his head.
“We ate and drank quite heavily last night, so we’re still full.”
“No!”
Mather, who had been silent, suddenly screamed.
Startled, Meyna flinched and looked at her, and Mather clasped her hands in front of her chest as if pleading desperately.
“I really hope you’ll accept the farewell meal.”
Amazingly, a pure white light rose like smoke from her fingertips.
* * *
After soothing the children to sleep, Meyna came down to the yard where Caliph was waiting.
“Are you out of your mind?”
The sharp question and glare she had expected flew straight at her.
“I’ll explain.”
Caliph spoke as if chewing on each syllable and took a deep breath.
His chest heaved as though he were doing everything he could to suppress his anger.
“The children came looking for me while I was in the yard.”
From what had happened hours earlier to what she had heard from the siblings in the secret house, Meyna relayed everything without omission.
She glanced around uneasily.
She was afraid someone might be eavesdropping or attack them at any moment.
In an emergency, how many people could immediately lend their strength?
Some of the guild members were staying together at Holter’s estate, but the rest were scattered throughout the village, spending the night in villagers’ homes.
Now that things had come to this, even their safety weighed heavily on her mind.
Caliph, who had been silently lost in thought, finally spoke after a long while.
“I understand.”
There was no further explanation beyond that overly simple reply.
“That’s it?”
She asked, but he gave no answer.
He merely stared wordlessly into the air with a dark expression, as if he had just received news of someone’s death.
“Go back up and get some sleep.
I have things to take care of until dawn.”
Even if she asked what that was, he would not tell her.
Seeing Meyna nod blankly, Caliph added,
“It would be better not to eat the meal.”
“No.”
Meyna lifted her lowered head and spoke.
“Earlier, in the alley, when Mather said she wanted us to accept the farewell meal, I saw a white light at her fingertips.”
“……”
“Until I saw that, I was sure she was evil, but now I don’t know.
If Mather isn’t a bad person, why are the children so afraid of her?”
Meyna looked up at Caliph, her confusion laid bare.
Meeting her pleading gaze as she searched for an answer, Caliph replied,
“I’ll think about what we should do, so go get some rest.”
“……”
Unable to answer easily, Meyna watched as Caliph turned his back and left the yard at a brisk pace.
Like someone carrying every burden alone, his back looked unbearably heavy.
* * *
Morning arrived a few hours later.
Caliph’s decision was to accept the farewell meal.
The guild members gathered not at Mather’s house, but at someone else’s.
No one seemed to know what had happened during the night.
“Our little chicks are here early in the morning?”
Biterion, still wearing an innocent expression, gently met their eyes and patted Niniel’s and Theon’s heads.
Both children clung tightly to Meyna’s side, while Mather, seated across from them, gnawed at her nails as she watched.
“Please, eat your fill.”
At Holter’s gesture, breakfast began.
As she served food onto the children’s plates, Meyna felt as though her head might burst.
What should I do?
She had brought them here on impulse, thinking she needed to separate the children from the adults, but what came next?
She looked at Caliph, but he continued eating with a calm expression.
“When we serve breakfast to guests, there’s something we always ask.”
Amali, looking visibly exhausted, suddenly drew everyone’s attention.
“What is it?”
When Sera asked, Amali set down her fork and knife.
As if on cue, all the villagers stopped eating.
“Will you stay here with us?”
With Amali’s question, an eerie silence settled over the room.
