Chapter 23: An Alibi

[Portia's POV]

He takes a long breath and exhales it slowly as he tries to cope with his nervousness. I can also see his bangs flowing back and front because of his breath, making his figure look more beautiful than before. His sapphire pupil gleamed under the dim lamp on the wall made out of magic stone.

After a while, Ezekiel starts to tell me his stories.

"To begin with, I don't have a home. I sleep under the broken bunk bed in an unused warehouse. That morning, I woke up before dawn came as usual and felt peckish because I hadn't had any meal for two days."

Hearing Kiel's backstory makes me bite my lips because I can not stand this for too long. Diane also said that I am indeed having a sensitive heart and get too emotional whenever hearing a tragic background from someone. However, now I try to restrain my own tears as long as I can because I do not want Kiel to stop talking just because of seeing my uncontrollable tears.

"In the slums, there is always a charity food every morning. All the beggars and derelicts gathered in one place to get their part of the food in a long queue. I was also in that queue this morning, but some adults didn't like to share food with the child and pushed me from the queue, so I needed to start over again from behind because I couldn't fight with them. They're too big and terrifying for a young child like me."

He fidgets his finger in an uneasy feeling, which I can guess this time is a starting point for his true dark memories in the slums. Somehow he does not want to share it because it is just too shameful for his pride.

"When it's my turn, all the porridge and meat had run out. There was none left in that big cauldron for me. Then the nun who was in charge gave me a hard rock bread with a glass of water. I was still hungry, but I could not throw a tantrum and leave that place to return to the warehouse again. I think if I sleep until tomorrow and woke up more earlier, I'll get porridge and meat, not hard rock bread and water."

"However, when I was walking back to the warehouse, someone called me, and I was given the order to bring a weird package to a place."

My brows furrow as hearing his words just now. A weird package? Somehow I remembered Kazech's statement about his prejudice toward Kiel a while ago.

Is that related to this mysterious package mentioned by Kiel?

I am itching to ask about that weird package, but I undo it and listen to Kiel's story until it is finished. It is inappropriate to cut someone's words in the middle of the conversation, right?

"When I finished delivering that package, I went back to the warehouse and wanted to sleep as soon as possible. But I mistook the road and went to those thugs without knowing because I was too starving, making me not focused. Both my feet felt numb, and I accidentally fell in front of those thugs and broke one of their alcohol bottles. Then … as you may know, they were beating the shit out of me until you came from nowhere and saved me, Tia."

"I was so grateful for that, really."

He turns to me with a content face, making me feel like walking on the air from his compliment—even though I am unsure if that counted as a compliment. I do not know if I bring an immense impact on Kiel's life.

However, just like him, who brought an enormous impact on my previous life, I also want to be one of his important people. He and Diane are two people I need to protect with all my strength. I do not want to lose them again this time.

I gave him a slight nod when he finished talking. "Alright, I have heard all your stories, and nothing seems strange with that. It might be that the crown prince suspected you because you were forced to deliver that 'weird package' somewhere, and he must have seen you. But that's fine. I'll talk to him and reassure him to erase his false thought about you. Don't worry, and just focus on healing your wound. Oh? Look, our lunch is coming over."

As I have said before, a trolley full of warm food was brought by a maid from the queen's chamber. I can smell the tender and juicy meat and another side dish coming over me. It makes both my and Kiel's stomach growl from hunger. We then laugh together when listening to our own stomachs. I get up and approach Kiel while holding out my hand toward him. He answers it by grasping my palm, and then we walk to the couch, ready to eat all those delicious meals together.

Wise people once said that what's valued more than gold is time. So, I will deal with Kazech later. Even I do not know how long I can feel this peaceful situation before another storm comes. Life is not exciting without a problem following behind, indeed.

When I was done with my thought, I saw Kiel eating his meat on the plate with sparkly eyes. He eats like a hungry puppy. His hands and mouth look dirty because he rushes to overeat. I chuckle when seeing his action.

"Calm down, Kiel. I'll not eat your food, anyway. Here, eat mine also." I push my plate to him and see his confused look.

"B-But this is yours, Tia …."

"Just eat it. I'm not that hungry, though."

"Really?"

I nod again. "Just looking at you eating like this makes me feel content." I pick up a tissue from the trolley and slowly wipe out Kiel's mouth, cleaning all the meat sauce around his lips and cheeks. He looks so cute, indeed. It is like I am nursing my own son. "Don't forget to clean your mouth with this."

Kiel blushes because of my action just now. He used both hands to cover his red face, similar to a boiled tomato. "I-I can do that myself, Tia."

"Yes, yes, I know." I put the tissue beside his plate while laughing. It is so fun to tease him like this. Ah, just looking at him eating makes me feel so full. Now I am getting puzzled about what to do until dinner because I do not feel like eating again. I turn my head to the side and see the balcony there.

People often say that the palace balcony is the best spot to look at the sunset in the Tamerlaine. I think it is not a bad idea to try once. I get up from the couch while bringing a chocolate cupcake in my right hand. Kiel stops his eating activities and looks at me with a confused expression. "Where'd you go, Tia?"

"Going to the balcony. Just finish your meal, Kiel."

Leaving Kiel, I walk to the balcony and open the window door using my left hand. The cool breeze passes through me and makes my short hair dance freely in the air. The cold temperature of autumn mixed with the dangling sound of rustling leaves is a perfect combination to be watched at the end of the day.

My eyes glance down to see the palace's central garden full of blooming flowers even though the weather is too cold for a flower to bloom. It must be the act of the palace's sorcerer that enchants that flower and keeps the warm air wrapping around them so it still could bloom even in the middle of winter.

"Oh?" I let out a small gasp when seeing something familiar there.

Kazech walks through the garden alone with his usual rigid and flat expression. Well, he is always like that. I have never seen him smile or cry like some sort of normal human. But I often see him get mad … at me.

Ah, why must I think about that now? Just remembering it makes me get irritated.

"Wait a minute … rather than waiting for night to come, why don't straight this misunderstanding between Kiel and him right now?" I clap my hand with a whole spirit, step back from the balcony, and then run to the front door. I need to hurry before losing him. It is because Kazech has mysterious feet that make him disappear within a second, even though I have focused on him all the time. He must be a witch.

"Tia, where'd you go?"

"Just a small business! Just wait for me here. I'll go back soon! I promise!" I wave my hands short and get off from the room, leaving Kiel alone in that room, who is still frozen on his couch, biting another tender meat with a blank face.

Climbed down the stairs, I ran through the palace corridor with both hands lifting my skirt so I would not get fall because I stumbled from all this flowy and frilly material.

'Sorry, Kiel. I will accompany you later after this. But I need to solve this matter as soon as possible to eat my dinner peacefully. Please understand me!'

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