Chapter 79 - The Ones Who Came Last Night

"After that, I got a job at a shop and started earning money," Zail sighed as he remembered the times when he was at his lowest point in life, "I came back saying that I got a job, and only then did she decide to take me in."

"We had a lot of empty rooms left so I gave him a place to live and fed him three meals a day as well," The woman added with a chuckle, "Of course, he had to pay for it all." 

"That's... A touching story," Hecathe commented but he didn't look to be really touched at all. 

"So you don't have to worry about anything," Zail gathered up the courage to pat Hecathe's back as he reassured the man, "I'm more like a son to her and she's like a mother to me." 

Hecathe's eyebrows creased together in confusion as he heard this and failed to understand what the man was trying to tell him. 

In Zail's head, he was trying to make a clear understanding that he and this landlady would never have anything going on in between them so if Hecathe wanted to date the woman, he was more than free to, but of course, Hecathe, who had no understanding of how deep of a misunderstanding had been created in Zail's mind, would naturally not know what was going on inside this man's head.

"It's done," The Landlady announced as she placed a plate in front of Hecathe that was filled with two chicken sandwiches, "Just as you ordered. If you want more, just ask, okay?" 

Hecathe nodded his head as his eyes lit up, "It's my habit to eat chicken sandwiches every morning so thank you for going through the trouble." 

The woman chuckled as she heard the man being so polite, "It was no trouble. Since it's your habit, I can make it for you every day, and to show your gratitude, you can work hard and do the thing I told you to do." 

Hecathe smiled as he picked up the chicken sandwich and happily took a bite out of it. 

Surprisingly enough, the taste wasn't bad at all and it was a lot like the chicken sandwiches that his mother used to cook for him. 

"Do you like it?" The woman sat on the seat opposite to him and leaned in, resting her chin on her palm as she asked. 

Hecathe took another bite out of the sandwich as he nodded his head and honestly responded, "I love it. Thank you." 

The landlady looked to be happy as she heard this and Zail's face cringed up as he saw her blushing cheeks. 

Of course, he knew that she would be happy to see that the food she cooked was liked by the person she was crushing on, however, Zail was still a bit unused to it and when he looked at Hecathe, all he could see was a boy that was younger than him so it was only natural for him to feel a little weirded out by the fact that his aunt was crushing on this boy. 

"By the way, did you find anything about Alphius?" The woman suddenly asked and Hecathe choked on the chicken sandwich that he had been happily munching on. 

"Eh?!" 

The woman handed over a glass of water and Hecathe quietly drank it as he looked at the woman and waited for her to explain her question. 

"You were here in search of information about him, weren't you?" The woman tilted her head as she asked innocently, "Yesterday I heard some news that he went missing." 

Hecathe's eyebrows creased together as he heard the woman and he put the sandwich down as he looked at her and asked, "You heard about it? So fast?" 

The woman nodded her head as she responded without bothering to hide anything, "You were probably sleeping so you don't know but some mecha-suits came and asked around about him. They went to every door and knocked, waking us all up for any information on him." 

Hecathe gulped as he heard this. 

"Wait! You know Alphius?!" Zail snapped his head as he stared at Hecathe in shock and questioned. 

Hecathe sighed with a nod as he replied, "You can say that I kind of do." 

"Oh... Wow...!" Zail muttered in awe as he kept his eyes on Hecathe, "So that was why you were so pressed when I talked about him." 

"You didn't talk about him, you badmouthed him. There is a difference," Hecathe picked up the glass of water and drank as he corrected the man. 

"Did they go back?" Hecathe asked, trying to sound casual as he glanced back at the woman. 

"Since there was no information here, they naturally went back," The woman answered as she pondered over something. 

Before Hecathe could sigh in relief, he heard the woman continuing. 

"But someone else came instead." 

"Eh?" Hecathe frowned as he asked, "Who?" 

"The ones working for the three willows of spring," The woman answered and looked around to make sure that there wasn't anyone else there to eavedrop on their conversation before she leaned in closer and spoke in a volume that was barely above a whisper, "There were three of them and there was no doubting it." 

"Were they here for Alphius as well?" Hecathe asked as he tried to hide his worries. 

The woman shook her head as she responded, "No, they were not here for him." 

Hecathe was even more confused to hear this so he didn't say anything and simply waited for the woman to explain her own words. 

"They were here for the other tenant," The woman pointed up as she spoke. 

"That one?" Zail looked to be interested as he cautiously glanced up and muttered. 

"Huh? They were not here for Alphius?" Hecathe asked with a frown on his face. 

"Would you have liked it if they were here for Alphius?" The Landlady's lips curled up in a thin smile as she asked and Hecathe pursed his lips as he shook his head. 

"It would be better if they weren't here for him." 

"Then you'd be glad to know that they were only here for the other tenant and said nothing about Alphius," The woman informed with a chuckle.