Chapter 56 56: A Runaway Kid [Pt2]

Shinu seemed to be in a bind after Keith pointed out the contradictions in his words. He looked at a loss for words and Keith decided to take mercy on the kid and not tease him any longer.

"It's alright if you want to take a small trip outside and come back but it is too dangerous to go out at night without anyone supervising you. You will make your guardian worried."

Keith warned the kid and the kid flinched at Keith's words. He seemed to be at a loss for words and Shinu's eyes also trembled.

"I-I was going to come back soon anyway. I just need a little time to gather myself. Leave this place? Never! I want to be here forever."

Shinu sounded convinced about his dedication. He was a good kid in the end but Keith could not allow the kid to do as he pleased.

Just because Shinu had not been captured by the slave traders did not mean it could not happen. And if the protagonist did not trigger the hidden event quest to free Shinu, who knows what would happen to this kid?

'I do not usually have a soft spot for kids but I might for Shinu. My clumsy ass was saved by this kid too many times in the original MMO.'

"Alright kid, tell you what. If you want to go outside at night then I will not stop you. I also want to take a walk outside so I am sure it will be safe there."

Keith forced his words out and tried not to show the uneasiness on his face outright.

He hoped that the words about this surrounding being blessed and not having any monsters turned out to be true. Keith was not going to be able to fight a strong monster on his own.

Luckily, he had somehow managed to swipe the priestess's precious skill, bind, this time so he had some kind of protection. But it would not be enough in a long fight.

"No, you cannot come with me outside. I will go alone and that is final. Do not you dare follow me; you dirty human form outside. And I am strong. No monster would be able to harm me anyway."

Shinu pointed his small finger toward Keith in a warning. He looked equally offended and pleased at Keith's suggestion but he seemed not to know how to express these conflicting emotions of his.

Keith raised his hands in a universal pose of surrender to show the kid he did not mean any harm and Shinu decided to start his climb again.

"You know, if all you want to do is to get out of here, then there is a way I can take you out. What do you say? Are you going to take my hand and follow me?"

Keith extended his hand out toward Shinu, hoping for the kid not to be stubborn.

But of course, the kid was going to be stubborn. He was already suspicious of Keith anyway, so why would he take the offered hand just like that?

Shinu looked at Keith's offer for just a single second before he turned his face away and continued to climb up. Keith sighed tiredly and took a seat.

He waited until Shinu was at the top of the wall and then quickly made his way outside. By the time Shinu climbed down the wall, Keith was already outside. Shinu's eyes bulged at seeing Keith arrive outside before him.

"H-How did you do this? Are you some kind of magician? Is this some kind of ability? Can you teach this to me?"

Shinu seemed to have forgotten everything Keith had told him. He looked at Keith in awe before realizing what he was doing and turning his head away.

Keith did not miss this opportunity to ask the kid to join him.

"You like my small trick, Shinu? You can learn much more if you come with me. So, what do you say? Do you want to come with me?"

The kid looked tempted for the first time. He had seen something amazing and his desire to learn was rather great as well.

In the end, dragons were greedy little bastards, hoarding treasure, and skills they came across. Shinu's nature was not any different from his predecessors, but he was still able to control himself.

It was most likely due to his upbringing.

"A-As if I need your help. If I want to learn something then I will do it on my own. And you, stop following me."

Shinu pointed toward Keith again, this time his words were mixed with an irritated grown. He was warning Keith not to over-step his boundary.

That warning sent shivers down Keith's spine and he felt fear grip his heart. Shinu was one dangerous kid after all.

But Keith forced himself to move. Shinu was a relatively passive kid and he would not hurt Keith. Keith just had to believe in Shinu.

"Sorry kid, but I am not following you. My destination happened to be in the same direction you are heading into."

Shinu did not buy Keith's bullshit but he could also not spot any lies in Keith's words. But Shinu still felt as if he was being tricked.

In his irritation over his conflicting feelings, Shinu ended up growling at Keith which caused the man to take a step back.

"Go another way. This is a desert so you can easily avoid me, right?"

Shinu was going to force Keith to go another way and for that, he needed to be harsh. Even if it hurt his heart to send someone interested in him away, it was for his safety.

Keith should have left by now, seeing how unfriendly Shinu was being but Keith just stood his ground.

"Yeah, I think not a kid. I am free to go where I want to and even you cannot restrict my freedom. Now set up and start walking."

Nothing had made Shinu flinch before but these words certainly did. As a part of a group that was all about freedom, the idea of restricting anyone's freedom was horrifying to Shinu.

So, he ended up bowing his head in the end.

"Fine, do what you want to. As long as you do not talk to me, you are free to follow me or whatever."

Keith looked satisfied and Shinu tried not to show how happy it made him. No one had ever looked at him favorably before (except his mother) and this new feeling excited Shinu.

Maybe Keith was not as bad as he was making him out to be. Maybe not all outsiders were as bad as Shinu thought of them.

"Hey, I want to ask you something. What do you think of the outside world? Is it dangerous? Is it as dishonest and filled with bad people as elders say? Not that I am doubting them or anything. I just want to confirm my beliefs."

Keith could have lied here and told Shinu that his elders were right. That would have won him a lot of brownie points with this kid. But Keith had a feeling that lying would not be a wise option.

'Hmm, how should I answer this question?'

Keith was in a dilemma but he decided to go with his gut answer.

"Well, I won't say that the outside world is bad, but it's not a good place either. The world is not black and white, but in a constant shade of grey and everyone looks at it with a different colored lens. What may be the truth for me might be a lie for you and vice versa."

Shinu looked like he was 7 years old in human age so there was a good chance that he would not understand all this philosophical bullshit Keith had decided to go with.

'Why did I make my words so complicated? The one I am talking with is a kid, not my colleague. I should have used simpler words.'

So, Keith tried to simplify his words the next time he spoke.

*cough* "What I mean by those words was that-"

"I am not a moron so there is no need for you to repeat your words. I understand what you wanted to say to me."

Shinu looked away with his lips pulled tight. He kept on walking after that, not speaking a word for some time. They reached the small oasis that was hereby the Hermits' camp and sat down on a rock.

Keith felt sorry for the kid and he was also hungry. So, he decided to stand up and look around for some fruits.

Otherwise, it was time to go back now. The night would soon get too cold for anyone to be out here.

"Hey kid, I will be looking around for something to eat now. Give me a yell if something happens, alright?"

Keith warned Shinu which got him a calm and satisfied look back. It almost seemed as if Shinu had not heard him but Keith knew he had been heard loud and clear.