Mayor Heguel and Heartman had already left.
Inside the house, only Cashew remained, standing quietly in the middle of the room.
The small door in the wall slowly opened.
Almond crawled out and let out a long breath.
"That feels so much better… It was really cramped in there."
Cashew suddenly noticed that Almond's body was covered with many wounds.
On his shoulder, a long cut was still bleeding.
She hurried over to him.
"Almond, are you okay? You have so many wounds."
Almond shook his head.
"I'm fine. It just hurts a little."
Cashew looked at his injuries, her face filled with worry.
"Leaving wounds open like this is dangerous. Almond, sit here. I'll go get some medicine for you!"
After saying that, she hurried out of the house, leaving Almond alone inside.
Almond watched her leave for a moment before standing up.
In the distance, Heartman was about to leave.
"I'm heading home to my wife now, Mayor."
"Alright. Be careful on your way."
Heartman waved goodbye and walked off in another direction.
Just then, Cashew came running toward them.
"Mayor Heguel!"
Her voice made him turn around.
"What is it, Cashew? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Cashew stopped and caught her breath before speaking.
"Mayor… do you have… bandages… and disinfectant?"
Heguel looked at her for a moment.
"What do you need them for?"
Cashew hesitated.
"I… I got hurt by accident."
Heguel immediately looked over her body in concern.
"Oh my, where are you hurt?"
Cashew froze for a moment, then looked down at herself.
"Maybe… somewhere."
Heguel stared at her with a confused expression.
Cashew waved her hands frantically, trying to explain.
"I… I got hurt… hurt…"
Heguel suddenly laughed.
"Alright, Cashew. Maybe you got hurt somewhere you can't really talk about."
Cashew immediately blushed.
"N-No, that's not it!"
Heguel smiled reassuringly.
"It's fine. Go back home. I'll bring the medicine to you."
With that, he turned and headed back to his house.
Cashew remained standing there, still flustered.
"A place I can't talk about… Did he think I hurt my mouth or something?"
She shook her head and walked back home.
But after taking a few steps, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
"If Almond stays in my house forever… that won't be good either…"
When she reached the door, Cashew suddenly stopped.
The sight inside made her stare in surprise.
Almond was reaching up to the cabinet, cracking eggs and pouring them straight into his mouth.
When he saw Cashew, Almond blinked a few times and hurriedly swallowed the eggs before turning away.
"I-I'm sorry!"
Cashew blinked as well, still standing at the doorway.
"I was just a little hungry… I'm sorry."
Almond turned his face away, trying to swallow the rest.
Suddenly—
A laugh burst out.
Cashew started laughing.
She stood at the doorway, watching Almond's awkward and clumsy behavior, which was completely different from his intimidating appearance.
Her laughter made Almond turn back to look at her.
Cashew wiped the tears from her eyes as she laughed.
"Sorry, Almond, I just—"
But before she could finish, she started laughing again.
That innocent laughter made Almond simply stand there and stare at her, even forgetting that some egg was still on the corner of his mouth.
After a while, Cashew finally calmed down and walked inside.
"Almond, it's dangerous to go outside right now."
She said gently.
"You should hide here until night. After that, I'll find another place for you to hide."
Almond nodded quietly.
But Cashew's laughter still echoed in his mind, making him blush slightly.
"Cashew! I've brought the medicine!"
Mayor Heguel's voice came from outside.
"Ah!"
Cashew turned around.
"Wait a moment, Almond. I'll go get the bandages and medicine."
She quickly ran outside.
Almond watched her leave and quietly nodded, waiting inside.
Just as Cashew left, a small figure appeared in the yard.
"A… child?"
Almond looked confused.
It was Melen, Gouda's grandson, returning from playing outside.
The boy peeked into the house.
When he saw Almond, he immediately jumped in fright.
This was the man his grandfather had always warned him to stay away from.
Melen rubbed his eyes a few times.
But when he lowered his hands—
No one was in the house.
The boy panicked.
"Grandpa! There's a ghost!"
He cried as he ran home.
In the corner of the house, Almond was hiding behind a cabinet.
After making sure Melen had gone far away, he finally sighed in relief.
"That was close… If it had been an adult, I'd be in trouble."
A while later, Cashew returned.
In her hands were bandages and a bottle of disinfectant.
Almond quickly went back to sitting on the floor.
"Here, Almond. Take these and treat your wounds."
Cashew handed the medicine to him, then hesitated.
"I… I don't know how to use these things."
Almond sat down on a small wooden box.
"Cashew, please turn your face away."
Cashew blinked a few times, then turned her head.
A moment later—
A painful groan echoed in the room.
The sound of blood dripping onto the wooden floor followed.
Cashew quickly turned back.
"Almond!"
She shouted in shock.
"You pulled the arrow out already?!"
The arrow had just been pulled from his leg.
Blood dripped onto the floor.
Almond gritted his teeth and breathed heavily.
"I've done this many times before… but it still hurts."
He poured disinfectant onto the wound and quickly wrapped it with bandages.
Sweat covered his forehead as he continued treating the other injuries.
His shoulder.
Then his head.
Finally, he stood up and tested his injured leg.
"It feels better now."
Cashew also stood up.
She raised her hand to compare her height with Almond's.
"Almond is really tall."
She looked up at him.
"You're almost as tall as the ceiling."
Standing so close made Almond feel embarrassed, and he quickly stepped back.
Cashew watched him for a moment before asking,
"Almond… where do you usually sleep?"
Almond leaned against the floor and slowly sat down.
"I used to sleep in an abandoned church far from the village."
He said quietly.
"But since the soldiers built a camp nearby… I've been sleeping outside."
Almond looked up.
Cashew was sitting across from him, staring at him.
Startled, Almond quickly looked away.
"C-Cashew… why are you looking at me like that?"
Cashew shook her head.
"It's nothing."
But inside, she was thinking something else.
"Poor Almond… No one cares about him… and he even has to sleep outside."
Such a kind person. Someone with such a warm heart.
Yet everyone treated him like a monster.
Suddenly, Cashew realized something.
"That's right… Almond is lonely too. He doesn't have parents… and he doesn't have anyone by his side."
Almond turned his head slightly.
Seeing Cashew still looking at him, he quickly turned away again.
Just then—
His stomach growled loudly.
The sound completely broke the silence.
Cashew jumped in surprise.
Almond became even more embarrassed.
"I'm sorry…"
He scratched his head.
"Those few eggs… weren't enough."
Cashew looked at his awkward expression.
Behind that terrifying appearance was a gentle and kind person.
She smiled softly.
Watching Almond as he shyly turned his face away.