Chapter 228: LOYALTY
Unbeknownst to them, Millie’s eyes flashed. The next second, it returned to normal like nothing happened.
"Do you have any family to return to?"
After eating, Aristia asked Kai this question.
Kai had a blank look in his eyes and didn’t respond immediately.
Owen and Adeline turned to him.
After five seconds, Kai lowered his head and shook it. "No."
"Then how would you like to come with me?" Aristia asked.
This surprised not only Kai, but Adeline and Owen.
The orphanage had already been completed, cleaned and furnished. What remained was for it to be opened.
Aristia could just ask Kai to stay with the Kendall sisters, so why was she telling him to go with her?
Meanwhile, Aristia had her reasons.
[He’s a boy, but he reminds me of Mia.]
Maybe it was the similar situation, or maybe it was the trust in his eyes. Just like in Mia’s.
[I couldn’t adopt Mia, but maybe...] She glanced at him and a smile formed on her lips. [I can adopt him.]
She forgot that if she couldn’t adopt Mia at nineteen, then how would she be able to do so at six?
"I..." Kai looked at her, not knowing if he really should trust this younger girl to this extent.
’But I have nowhere to go. And she’s helped me.’ He really didn’t want to keep roaming the streets.
"I would like to come with you."
"Perfect!" Aristia clapped. "Then you’re now my ch— one of my people." She reached for his head.
Kai was left staring at her dumbstruck. Did she just pat his head?
"Ahem!" Owen felt the need to snap Aristia out of whatever state she was in.
"Let’s leave." Aristia retracted her and and got down from the chair. "It won’t be good if Mama and Papa wait too long for me. Al also won’t be happy."
Thinking of an angry Alaric with puffed up cheeks made Aristia chuckle.
The inn manager came to see them off when he heard that they were leaving. These guests who were wealthy like this were rare to see at his inn.
Adeline handed him a pouch of coins. "Thank you for accommodating us."
"Oh, it was nothing, my lady." The inn manager bowed as he held the pouch of coins.
They entered the carriage and headed home. Once the mansion’s gate was in sight, Aristia initiated a link with Wilson.
[I want to prepare his mind.]
’Papa, I’m bringing a boy home.’ She didn’t think about her words before saying them through the link.
’What? What did you say you were doing, Tia?’ Wilson asked.
’I said I am— oh, I’m bringing the boy who was being beaten by a bad man home. Please don’t startle him. He’s not as strong as Owen.’
’Are Adeline and Owen with you?! How could they—’
She cut off the link immediately without waiting for Wilson to complete the words.
She didn’t understand why he suddenly turned offensive. He might as well have yelled her ears off. She thought.
"What’s wrong, Princess?" Adeline asked, making everyone turn to her. She had always been observant towards Aristia.
"It’s papa. I don’t know why he suddenly became angry."
Her words made Kai surprised and curious. What was she saying? Where was her father? Weren’t they the only ones in the carriage?
"Well, what did you say to him?" Owen asked, looking at her with a ’I-dont-believe-you-don’t-know-what-you-did’ expression on his face.
"What?" Aristia asked innocently. "I just told him I’m bringing a boy back home."
Owen facepalmed with a small disbelieving groan.
The mansion’s gate opened and the carriage entered through it. After a short time, it stopped in front of the mansion.
They could already see Wilson and Catherine there, waiting to see which child their daughter had brought home this time. Alaric just watched curiously.
"Mama, Papa." Aristia said, coming down from the carriage first.
Wilson glared at her.
[Ooh, scary.]
Aristia put on a cute smile and ran towards him with her arms spread wide.
"Papa~ I missed you so much!" She hugged him.
Wilson had no choice but to steady her so she wouldn’t fall. He cleared his throat and picked her up.
"Mwah!" Aristia placed a loud kiss on his cheek and hugged his neck.
Wilson sighed and looked at Catherine.
She shook her head with a smile.
Wilson sighed again. He knew his daughter’s tactics and tricks, but he really was helpless.
[Forgiven! Successfully let off!] Aristia rejoiced in her mind.
Owen came down from the carriage next, followed by Adeline.
"So, where’s the boy?" Wilson asked.
Adeline stepped aside, revealing Kai behind her.
Kai looked up at the people there.
The couple’s gaze trailed him, noticing the bruises on his face. Though he had been bathed and given new clothes, it didn’t clean the bruises on his face. If anything, it made them clearer.
"His name is Kai. He’s one of my people now." Aristia explained.
"Let’s head inside first." Catherine said, holding Alaric’s hand.
Wilson nodded and turned around with Aristia still in his arms.
"Follow Owen to his room, Kai." Aristia said.
Kai was a little apprehensive about entering the mansion, but he still followed Aristia’s words.
As he followed Owen, he kept looking back, watching Aristia’s figure in her father’s arms going further and further away.
Wilson entered the parlour and placed Aristia on the chair.
Alaric quickly sat down on her other side.
Wilson walked to the other side where his wife was sitting and then sat down beside her.
Aristia made herself comfortable on the chair before turning to her parents, ready to answer their questions.
"What happened to the boy, Tia?" Catherine asked.
"We were moving around the streets when we saw him..." Aristia told them what happened.
"So you decided it was best to bring him to the mansion?" Catherine asked with a frown.
They hadn’t said or done anything when Aristia brought a boy she had met for the first time back home. Now their daughter had brought another boy back home. How many more did she plan to bring back to become ’her people’?
And hadn’t her daughter built a building for children who had nowhere to go. Why did she still being the boy back home?
"Yes, mama." Aristia nodded. "I need to have loyal people working for me, don’t I?"
Catherine’s frown deepened.
"If they become loyal to me from this young age, then will they ever betray me?" Her question stunned Catherine and Wilson.
Aristia leaned her head to the side and smiled at them.
"I have a high status as Amberale’s third princess. I need people who will remain loyal to me."
After that, her parents didn’t question her again.
Aristia instructed the headmaid to prepare a room for Kai.
"Please arrange a room for Kai."
"Yes, princess." The headmaid left to order a maid to do so.
Aristia waved at Catherine and Alaric, then headed to Owen’s room.
In Owen’s room.
Kai lay asleep on the bed. He had originally planned to wait for Aristia, but his body’s tiredness won over and he fell asleep.
He began dreaming moments later.
Aristia opened the door to see him asleep.
"Hm, he’s sleeping."
She looked around. Where was Owen? He didn’t seem to be in the room.
She approached Kai on the bed.
His hair fell over his forehead, blocking his face.
She moved the hair aside, her hand brushing over his forehead.
"Is it hot?" She mumbled, placing her hand over his head.
Darkness enveloped her suddenly, and her body that had leaned down to move his hair fell forward, landing on the bed.