Chapter 12
So this was where Travis lived.
Before I could approach the house, I noticed two children near the training ground.
A boy and a younger girl were playing beside the practice dummies.
Those must be Travis's younger siblings.
The younger girl was chasing after her older brother, laughing as they ran around the training ground.
I walked toward them.
"Excuse me," I called.
The two children stopped and looked at me.
"Do you know Travis?" I asked.
The boy nodded.
"Yes. He's our brother," he answered.
"Is he home?" I asked.
He shook his head.
"No. He went out for a job this morning," he replied.
"Oh," I murmured.
I glanced toward the house.
"When will he be back?" I asked.
"He said he'd be home later tonight," he answered.
I nodded slowly.
So Travis was still out working.
I had come all this way, only to find him away from home.
I looked at the two children again.
They seemed wary of me, and I couldn't blame them.
I was a complete stranger, after all.
Instead of leaving immediately, I decided to stay for a while.
"What's your name?" I asked the boy.
He hesitated before answering.
"Leon."
"And you?" I asked, turning to the little girl.
She hid slightly behind her brother before peeking at me.
"Elia," she answered quietly.
"Leon and Elia," I repeated with a small smile. "Those are nice names."
The two children looked at each other.
"What about you?" Leon asked.
I hesitated.
My name.
I couldn't exactly tell them I was Rishima Grimaldi.
That name belonged to the Duke's daughter-the identity I was trying to leave behind.
If I wanted to live here without anyone connecting me to the Grimaldi family, I needed a new name.
But what should I call myself?
I searched my memories for a name I could use.
Then one name came to mind.
I smiled.
"I'm Luna."
It was the name I had used for my character in Skyrim, one of the games I used to play back in my old world.
I glanced at the practice dummies beside them.
"Do you two practice with those?"
Leon shook his head.
"No. My brother won't let me."
I tilted my head.
"Why not?"
"I said I want to become a mercenary like him, but he says it's too dangerous and I'm still young," Leon explained with a pout.
"Oh, I see."
I smiled softly.
"But how old are you?"
"I'm eight," Leon replied proudly.
"Eight?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "And you're already thinking about becoming a mercenary?"
Leon nodded enthusiastically.
"I want to help my brother earn money!"
I couldn't help but smile at his determination.
"And what about you?" I asked, turning toward the little girl.
"I'm six," she answered shyly.
Just then, a small growl came from Elia's stomach.
She immediately looked down, her cheeks turning red.
I blinked.
"Are you hungry?" I asked gently.
Elia nodded shyly.
I looked at Leon.
"Have you two eaten yet?"
Leon shook his head.
"Not yet," he replied.
"Why not?" I asked.
"My brother usually brings food when he comes home from work," Leon explained.
I frowned slightly.
"So you haven't eaten anything all day?" I asked.
Leon lowered his gaze and nodded.
"We're waiting for him."
I glanced at Elia.
She was still rubbing her stomach.
My heart ached.
I couldn't just leave them like this.
"Come on," I said.
Leon looked at me curiously.
"Where?"
"We're going to get something to eat," I said with a smile.
His eyes widened.
"But my brother told us not to go anywhere with strangers."
I paused.
He was right to be cautious.
"That's true," I admitted with a small smile. "So how about this? You can stay beside me the whole time, and we'll come straight back afterward."
Leon glanced at Elia.
She was still rubbing her stomach, looking hungry.
Leon hesitated for a moment.
"You'll bring us back here?" he asked.
"Of course," I replied.
He thought about it for a moment before finally nodding.
"Okay."
I smiled.
"Good. Now, let's go."
Leon and Elia followed me.
We walked back toward the village together.
After a few moments of silence, Elia looked up at me curiously.
"Luna, where did you come from?" she asked.
I thought for a moment.
"Somewhere far away," I replied.
"How far?" Leon asked, looking up at me.
"Very far," I answered with a small smile.
His eyes widened with curiosity.
"Farther than the next village?" he asked.
I chuckled softly.
"Much farther," I replied.
Elia looked impressed.
"Have you really traveled that far by yourself?" she asked.
"Something like that," I replied, careful not to reveal too much.
She seemed satisfied with that answer and continued walking beside me.
After a moment, she looked up at me again.
"So, why did you come to our village?" she asked.
"I came because I wanted to ask your brother to teach me swordsmanship," I answered honestly.
Leon's eyes widened.
"You want to learn swordsmanship from my brother?" he asked excitedly.
I nodded.
"Yes," I replied.
A wide grin spread across his face.
"He's really good!" Leon said proudly. "He's the best swordsman in the village."
"Is that so?" I asked, glancing at him.
Leon nodded enthusiastically.
"He can beat almost anyone!"
Elia giggled beside him.
"Leon always talks about how strong our brother is," she said.
"Because it's true!" Leon protested.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Then I suppose I've come to the right place," I said with a smile.
Leon beamed.
"Definitely!"
A few minutes later, we reached a small food stall near the center of the village.
The smell of freshly cooked food filled the air, and Elia's eyes immediately lit up.
"It smells good," she said softly.
I smiled.
"Go ahead and choose whatever you want," I told her.
Elia looked over the food displayed at the stall.
"Can I have that?" she asked, pointing at a plate of warm pastries.
"Of course," I replied.
I turned toward Leon.
"And what about you?" I asked.
Leon looked over the food for a moment.
"I'll have that," he said, pointing toward a bowl of meat stew.
"All right," I said with a smile.
I ordered their food and found us a small table nearby.
When the food arrived, both children immediately began eating.
Elia took a bite of her pastry and smiled.
"It's really good!" she exclaimed.
Leon chuckled.
"Slow down, Elia," he said. "You're going to choke."
"I'm hungry," Elia protested.
I laughed softly.
"Take your time. There's plenty," I told them.
The two children nodded and continued eating.
Watching them, I couldn't help but smile.
They really had been hungry.
After they finished eating, I ordered a few more portions for them to take home.
I didn't want them going hungry again before Travis returned.
Once the food was packed, we made our way back toward Travis's house.
The children seemed much more relaxed now.
Leon talked excitedly about becoming a mercenary, while Elia happily chatted about the food she had just eaten.
By the time we reached their house, the sun had already begun to lower in the sky.
I handed the food bundle to Leon.
"Keep this for later," I told him. "You can eat it if you get hungry again."
Leon looked down at the bundle before looking back at me.
"Thank you, Luna," he said with a smile.
"You're welcome," I replied.
Elia stepped closer to me.
"Luna..." she said hesitantly.
I looked down at her.
"Yes?" I asked.
She glanced at Leon before looking back at me.
"Can we call you Sister Luna?" she asked shyly.
I blinked.
"Yeah! Can we?" Leon asked excitedly.
I couldn't help but smile.
"Of course," I replied. "You can call me whatever you like."
Elia's face brightened.
"Thank you, Sister Luna!" she said happily.
I laughed softly.
"You're welcome."
I looked at the two of them.
"Now, you two should get inside before it gets dark," I told them.
"Okay, Sister Luna!" Leon said cheerfully.
I smiled and waved as they headed inside.
"See you tomorrow," I called.
"Yeah, see you!" Leon and Elia called back.
The next morning came quickly.
As soon as I woke up, I took a bath, changed into fresh clothes, and ate a quick breakfast.
I didn't want to waste any time.
After finishing my meal, I headed straight for Travis's house.
I had told Leon and Elia I'd be back, and I intended to keep my word.
More importantly, I needed to meet Travis.
I picked up my pace as Travis's house came into view.
The training ground beside it was already visible from a distance.
I could see the practice dummies standing in their usual places, but there was no sign of Leon or Elia yet.
Maybe they were still inside.
I walked toward the house and stopped in front of the door.
I was about to knock when the door suddenly opened.
My eyes widened.
A handsome face greeted me from the other side.
His blond hair was slightly tousled, framing his sharp features. His green eyes were clear and striking, drawing my attention immediately.
So this was Travis...
I knew he was handsome, but seeing him in person was completely different.
Somehow, the description in the novel had failed to capture just how striking he truly was.
"You must be Luna," he said.
His voice was deep and steady, with a slight rasp that made me pause.
I stared at him for a moment, completely mesmerized.
Damn, he's handsome.
.
.
.