Chapter 180: When Things Are All Aligned

"I'll be sending a message." Gesth suddenly stood up from his chair and made a move towards the door. His resolve was finally complete and he didn't have a lot of time to feel terrible about it.

Liam bolted up from the bed and rubbed his eyes, "Are you finally going to tell Your—"

"No—it's none of your business." The old man's tone was gruff and rough. Even for his own liking and somehow it made him feel his age more. The pain and stiffness in his back and entire body was getting to him and it wasn't something that could be mitigated with Healing Potions or Anti-Aging Poultrices that the Noble Women like to use.

The younger Bodyguard looked crestfallen. And the boy was honestly too soft for a job as important as the one they had now—which was probably one of the reason why they messed up in the first place. But for now, the old man chose to ignore that and focus on this. He hadn't always been good with his own relationships, but this was finally a start to mend it.

He was finally going to contact his old employer.

Gesth didn't think that he would ever contact them again after what had happened twenty years ago, but there was no time to pander about. If what that boy had said was the truth—he couldn't consider them actually lying about something like that, then it was time to let them know.

At least that was something he could do to ensure that they had a better life. If they truly lost their mother, then they deserved more. Gesth rubbed his face and let out a sigh, he glanced once again at Liam and wondered if he and the boy would have had a relationship like this if things had actually been better back then.

"...I'm not just your apprentice, Gesth. I'm also your equal, I don't think our current employer would like it when he hears about you sending messages to someone else." Liam frowned at him and blocked the door.

The actual moment that this young man started to show some spunk was right now? "I can't believe it. Finally grown a backbone now?"

"I just don't feel comfortable letting you go out and do something you might regret." Liam answered as he took out the truth stone. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere."

The younger man sent him a glare, "A little more specific please?"

"To the place where I can send messages obviously."

The jewel didn't change its colors at all and it reflected the truth. Gesth could probably try barrelling himself past the boy or at least knocking them out—but he was too tired for that. In a way, he only wanted to retire. Head back to a village in the middle of nowhere and live the rest of his life in peace. Could he actually trust them with the truth?

"Do you have any intention of telling other interested parties that our ward is missing?"

So that was what the boy was worried about? Gesth's eyebrows twitched at them questioning his loyalty, but it only went to show that the young man was careful in their own way. There was a reason for someone as young as them taking up their role. They took their Class seriously. "Of course not. I'm not that kind of person, Liam." He needed to be a little more patient and reassure them.

"Then why are you going out? Who are you going to send a message too?"

"You can ask questions about my loyalty—but I'd prefer you to no longer ask about things that don't concern you, lad."

"I'm worried about you, started tearing up from nowhere."

Gesth narrowed his eyes at them, "Have you never seen a grown man cry?"

"Not really." Liam scratched the back of his head, "My papa always told me to keep a stiff upper lip and all that, I wounded up being a Bodyguard to show him that I'm actually—"

"I really didn't come here to listen to your past troubles, boy."

"Well, I don't mind listening to yours—maybe you can consider it as training. What makes an old man like you cry anyway?" Liam coughed lightly and grimaced. "Is it the death anniversary of your wife? Because if it is, I'm sorry for prodding in."

Gesth sighed and rubbed his forehead, he glanced behind him before turning back to the boy. "You know, I can just jump out of the window if I wanted to."

Liam's eyes widened before he motioned to behind him, "...uh, the Innkeeper will get mad if you do?"

"I'll pay for the repairs."

"Darn it, you're richer than me. Is this some kind of unfairness in payment?"

"I'm higher leveled and more experienced than you, boy." Gesth answered and looked at Liam carefully. What actual harm would it be to tell the young man the reason for him going out anyway? Based on how they interacted with the boy from that day, and from how long they've worked together—Liam wasn't the type to betray another person's trust.

"Alright, fair enough." Liam scratched the back of his head. He finally moved away from the door, "And I guess if you don't feel comfortable telling me, then it's fine too. But after that, we really should start into looking for our ward. I'm getting worried about her."

Gesth eyed them doubtfully and reached for the doorknob, the young man fully stepped back. Now that they said that, it meant that he had no need to tell them at all—and for now, he wound up taking that offer. The less people who knew about it was probably better in the end after all. After sending them a message and perhaps receiving a response, it would also be the time where he'd visit Kraelonia Academy.

Knowing his old employee, it was more than likely that they'd want to see what was happening for themselves. If they didn't wish to do it though—he could probably make a small fuss and give them a headache if he wanted to, but they at least deserved to know the truth.

.. .

Before Han decided to send a message to the Wood Elf again or check on the Moderator, he noticed that everyone was starting to leave. And a certain ginger-haired young woman came their way, "Timothy, if Professor Orleans is also absent from today, will you be available to study with my brother at once?"

The dark haired man closed his bag and slung it across his shoulders, "I don't think so, I might drop by the city and buy some stuff that I need… I realized that I wasn't able to bring everything that I need, Penelope."

"Huh, hmm… may I have the opportunity to know what are those things?" Penelope Primrose inquired with a tilt of her head. "If it's something that I have in spares, then I may give it to you. Or my brother? Although if it's clothes, I'm afraid his clothes won't fit you."

Han pulled up to his feet and looked at Timothy. The guy was lucky in ways that they didn't even realize did they? It was getting free stuff. Then again, Han Jing wasn't one who liked receiving charity from other people, so if the man was uncomfortable then that also made sense.

"Uhh, I wanted to get an extra pillow, er… big loose shirts and some essential personal things?" Timothy scratched the back of his head. "Thank you for the offer, but I think it's best that I still go out and buy them in the city."

Penelope folded her hands together, "Um, I have another pillow—and it's enchanted with the Softness Spell, the pillows here in the Academy really can't compare to it. I don't mind giving it to you if it helps."

Han blinked at the offer.

"Really?" Timothy asked. "It could probably uh, save me some coin… are you sure that you have no need for it?"

"Completely—it's yours!"

"If you say so." Timothy scratched his cheek. "Thank you."

Han slapped a hand over his face. And he thought that he was the cheapskate—did the guy even consider what it meant to lend a pillow to someone else? Well, he didn't know anything about it, but that was intimate to him. Penelope was even blushing right now! Was Timothy really ignorant to this or did he care about saving more?

"Ah, but I guess you're still going out then…" Penelope pursed her lips, "I wish I could join you—"

"You don't have to, it might be too dangerous for you or you have other things to do." Timothy waved a hand, "I'll be fine on my own. But I'll see you later, or just your brother?"

Penelope shook her head, "I'll be there. I'll give my support to you and to Eli. And if I can give a little help, I'll do my best. I'll see you later then, Timothy… goodbye for now." The Lady curtsied and then made her way back to her group of friends without any single miss in her step.

Heck, there was a skip to it.

Han was about to suggest that he was the one going with them—but the guy didn't sound too eager about having someone come along with them. But there was another thing, "You didn't tell me that you're getting help from her!"

"Do I need to tell you that?"

"Nope, but I could also need some help to learn too, you know?"

"Um… I'm also willing to tutor you if you're really interested, Han." Ellynn said. She coughed lightly, "I'm not sure if I can do it well, but I think that the both of us can learn together."

Han scratched his head, "...Well, if that's the case."