It’s been seven days ever since we’ve escaped from Lord Stuart.

We easily got used to living in the wilderness, which is quite surprising.

I think the reason is because I’m quite used to eating small portions of food and living here is much better than in the slums.

There was a time when Keith barbecued a lizard he caught.

He had a very hesitant face during that time because he thought I’d be disgusted by it.

But when he saw me eating it with gusto, he became really surprised and stifled a small laugh.

As for gathering and searching for water, I’m quite useless.

From time to time while Keith gathers food, he would come back with a canteen full of water.

And, even though, seven days had passed, I never found it empty.

So I asked him where he was gathering water from and he answered, “There are some things in this world that’s better not known.”

Honestly, his answer really scared me and stopped my curiosity.

However, from time to time, I couldn’t help but wonder where he gather’s it.

Our schedule for sleeping is also quite uniform.

We’d decide to start setting up camp when we see that the sun was starting to set.

The first one who’d sleep would be Keith, he says that it’d be better if he would guard when it’s late because it was dangerous.

Considering that he was stronger than me, I decided to accept his suggestion.

On the eighth day, we finally exited the forest and were now walking on a proper road.

After walking for a while, the two of us stopped at a crossroad.

“Which is nearer to a town? The left or the right?”

“Leave it to me!”

Keith unsheathed his sword and made it stand.

He quickly removed his hands from the sword and let it fall.

“Yosh! It says right! Let’s go!”

“Nonono. I refuse.”

“Why?”

I gave myself a facepalm as Keith made an expression that he doesn’t understand why I refused.

“It’s better if we wait here for a caravan or a peddler to pass by.”

“We don’t even know when they’ll come, so why wait?”

“It’s not like we’re in a hurry or anything and besides…”

“Besides?”

Keith picked up his sword and sheathed it into the scabbard.

He then crossed his arms as he waited for me.

“I’m tired of walking.”

“If you say so.”

I approached a nearby tree and sat there.

I then beckoned Keith to place his head on my lap.

“I-it’s fine… I’ll just lie on the ground.”

“You don’t want to?”

His face became beet red and his actions became strangely stiff.

“It’s not like I don’t want to…”

“Then stop dawdling around and come here!”

“Yes!”

Keith slowly approached me with weird movements.

Every time his right leg stepped forward, his right hand would also follow and the same goes for his left hands.

What’s more, the way he moved his body looked like he was a poorly oiled robot.

When he sat beside me, he started sweating profusely and his eyes were rapidly swimming from left to right.

I became a bit impatient, so grabbed his neck and forcefully placed his head on my lap.

“It’s not like this is the first time right?”

With my left hand, I started stroking his messy hair.

“This is very embarrassing…”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We’re the only people here.”

Keith was really red and if I looked closely, I could see steam coming out from his ears.

“But still…”

“This is just skinship, Keith. Skinship.”

(Doesn’t he know that skinship is a really great way to deepen the bonds between friends?)

I continued stroking his hair and after a few minutes, the sound of snoring drifted in the air.

“Did he think I wouldn’t notice? Hmph…”

For the past days, he has been the one who’d gather food and water.

So I was pretty sure that he was really tired, but because he would say that it was nothing, I had been searching for a way to make him rest.

And thanks to the crossroad, I was able to make an excuse to have him rest.

***

As the sun rose to its highest peak, the sound of wooden wheels clattering as it turned along the road.

I turned my head around and found a small wagon heading towards us.

When I returned my gaze to Keith, I discovered that he was already awake.

“It’d be good if we could hitch a ride.”

“What if he wants some compensation?”

“Then we’ll trade some of the rabbits you’ve skinned.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Eulalia.”

“Un...”

I stood up from the tree and walked closer to the road while I waved my hands around exaggeratedly.

“Oy Mister! Can we hitch a ride?”

“Hnn?”

The wagon stopped in front of us.

Now that he was close, I was able to see how the driver looked like.

He was a man who was in his mid-30s.

His hair was dyed brown and his eyes were dark.

While he was wearing a loose tunic, it wasn’t able to hide his slightly muscular body.

“Why are two children here?”

“We’re young travelers, Mister.”

“I see.”

The man then observed me from head to toe before moving his eyes to Keith who stood beside me.

“You said if you wanted to ride on my wagon, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“It won’t be free though…”

“Do you want us to pay you?”

The man waved his hand in response to my question.

“Ahh, nono. I’m not the kind of guy who’d make children pay him.”

“Then what do you want in return?”

“I could use some help from that young lad there to unload my cargo once I’ve reached the town.”

I turned my head to Keith and asked him if it was okay.

He nodded his head as a show that it was okay.

“Then hop on the back!”

“Thanks, Mister.”

The two of us then circled around the back of the wagon and found that his cargo 30 sacks of wheat.

It seemed like he was delivering it to a village and not selling it.

Keith who was taller jumped first before helping me climb up.

The wagon started traveling along the road.

With the sound of the horse’s steps coupled with the relaxing breeze, I started becoming sleepy.

“Keith… sorry… it’s your turn…”

“Heh?”

Without waiting for his response, I placed my head on his knees.

“Wha-wah-wah!”

“Fufu”

I made a small laugh as I heard his panicked voice near my ear.

After a while, he finally became quite and I could feel that his hand was stroking my hair.

It was very gentle and comfortable.

(Now that I think about it… isn’t this the first time he gave me a lap pillow?)

That was my last thought I before I fell asleep.

Spoiler :

quite obvious huh?