Chapter 38 Bird's Nest

Chapter 38 Bird's Nest
After hours of darkness, the sun slowly rose in the east, its light sweeping over the great forest and illuminating the whole of Malakh, marking the beginning of a new day.

Lyriel could not have been more relieved at the sight of dawn. She had been looking forward to the morning all night long, as was evident from her sunken eyes and the dark circles beneath them. She had not managed to get a wink of sleep after seeing those evil spirits and spending the night alone in the cottage.

How could Eli be so unemotional and cruel? He had told her the previous day that he would return in the evening. Not only had he lied, but he had spent the entire night goodness knows where. She had been frightened nearly to death by what she had experienced, and when the sun finally rose, she had jumped out of the cottage in relief.

Now she was heading to the old man's house with her basket and the money she had forgotten to give him.

A loud knock sounded on Hugo's door. When he opened it, he found Lyriel standing there with a sad and worn-out expression on her face. Her once-beautiful hair was now tangled like a bird's nest, and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion and lack of sleep.

He gazed at her inquisitively, wondering whether she had gotten herself into trouble or faced some kind of danger. He had always known her to be a lively girl, so seeing her in such a state was cause for concern.

“Are you... feeling well?” he asked.

“Yes, Hugo,” she nodded, but her face said otherwise. She was pouting as though she were about to cry.

Hugo patted her shoulder and led her inside. He simply couldn't bear to see her in such a pitiful state.

“You don't have to go to the market today. Go home and get some rest,” he said.

But to Lyriel, that was terrible advice. She had waited all night just so she could leave the haunted forest, and there was no way she was going back there again... well, unless Eli returned. And even if he did, she would make sure they never returned to that cottage.

“You don't have to worry about me. I'm perfectly fine and ready for the market today,” she said, forcing a smile.

“Are you sure about that?” Hugo studied her carefully. There was no way she was fine. She used to be bubbly and childlike, but now she seemed tense, as though she had seen a ghost.

“Yes, I'm very sure.”

Hugo sighed deeply and sat down on his chair, growing tired of standing. Age had robbed him of much of his strength and agility. Even the smallest movement put a strain on him.

He could no longer work to earn a daily living like everyone else in the village, and he had no family to depend on. All he had was the large garden behind his house, where he had planted a variety of fruit trees many years ago. How fortunate he was to have such a young girl who was more than eager to sell his fruits and earn him an income. She was truly a blessing.

Lyriel stood beside the old man, observing him and realizing how impossible it must be for him to manage all the household chores on his own. He needed a maid... or at least someone to help him.

An idea struck her immediately, and her face brightened.

What if she volunteered to stay in his house and take care of all the household chores, as well as sell the fruits at the market? She would at least live in a comfortable home instead of a lonely cottage deep in the forest. Better still, she would be among the humans, where she could interact freely with everyone. It was a wonderful idea, and somehow she believed the old man would be more than happy to accept her.

She gasped excitedly and slipped her hand into the pocket of the same dress she had worn since yesterday. She had been so eager to leave Eli's cottage that taking a bath or even eating breakfast had never crossed her mind. All she had wanted was to run for her life the moment dawn broke. She could only hope Eli would come to visit her in the village occasionally because she certainly wasn't going back to that cottage... never!

“I'm sorry, Hugo. I forgot to return your money yesterday,” she said, handing him the coins while smiling as warmly as she could in hopes of winning his favor and, eventually, his permission to live in his house.

Hugo burst into laughter before accepting the money.

Lyriel became utterly confused, and her smile faltered. Had she done something wrong... or was he perhaps impressed by the amount she had brought?

“You see, when I waited for you yesterday, I thought you had run away with my money, just like all the workers I had employed in the past. I was so relieved when you appeared at my door this morning,” he said with a smile, shaking his head.

“I'm so... sorry, Hugo,” Lyriel apologized sadly. “But I would never steal from you. You're a good man.”

Hugo nodded and patted the chair beside him.

“Come, sit down. You've been standing for quite a while.”

She sat down stiffly and quietly, watching as he counted the coins. She had never sat beside an old man before.

“Here is your share.”

He placed the coins into a small pouch before handing it to her.

Her face lit up with excitement as she accepted her very first earnings. It was far more than the twenty percent she had expected. It was closer to half the money, as she had watched him divide it almost equally.

“Thank you so much, Hugo. But this is much more than what you agreed to pay me,” she said with a sheepish smile. She would have gladly brought down the sun itself just to own such an amount, but she still felt obliged to remind him, just in case he had forgotten their original agreement.

“I'll give you whatever I choose, child. After all, you need this money far more than I do. I'm only an old man who needs nothing more than food on his table.”

Lyriel fiddled with the little pouch, unsure of how to respond to such a heartfelt remark. She was more than grateful to have met this kind old man.

Once again, the thought of living in his house crossed her mind, and she wondered if this was the perfect moment to ask.

“I was thinking... I... I was wondering if...” she stammered, drawing the old man's attention once again.

Hugo waited patiently for her to continue.

“Do you have a servant who helps take care of you and your house?” Lyriel asked, even though she already knew he had none. She simply couldn't bring herself to ask outright if she could live with him.

"Yes, infact I do." Hugo replied camly, to Lyriel's dismay