When Odette made her way through the hallway, dressed to begin her training, she didn't expect to see the five year old she grew to become fond of crouching at one corner. He hugged his knees, hiding his face in his thighs, and his body was trembling.
Odette had a possible guess of what could have happened, and Dennis most likely had to pay a role in this. After all, she was the one who pulled the strings behind the scene by punishing him.
Given the boy's jealous nature, there was no way Adrian wouldn't suffer.
For a second, Odette was about to go train, considering that to be her priority. But as though her leg was tied to a heavy boulder, she wasn't able to take a step forward.
This made her subtly grimace yet be amused at the same time.
Odette shook her head, wearing a smiling expression, and only she was aware of the thoughts that brewed up inside her as she stepped over to him.
"What's the matter?" asked Odette while standing before the crying boy.
Her voice made Adrian raise his head. The boy's cheeks were flushed. Red and swollen, those beautiful blue eyes of his glistened due to tears. The remnant of those tear wet his cheeks.
"Lady Odette," he stammered. A hiccup left his mouth after that.
Odette brushed away the slight guilt she felt. She deemed the emotion to be distasteful and pathetic.
Adrian wiped away his tears with his fist and tried to stand up. Maintaining his balance proved to be hard due to how long he had been sitting down for.
"Lady Odette, Dennis stole my coins. I gave them to him to take care of them, and now that I am asking him for them, he is lying, saying that I didn't do so. But that's not true. You believe me, right, Lady Odette?"
Noticing the desperation in his voice, Odette found herself responding, "Even if I do, do you have any proof?"
She wanted to be harsher with her words but couldn't bear to be cruel to the boy after seeing how shaken up the boy was. She hated being a coward, but unable to look at him, she turned her gaze away, afraid that stone told heart of hers would be pierced through.
She didn't need that. Closing her eyes for a second, she drove away all those unnecessary emotions, placing a strong shield around herself.
Odette Albinius wasn't easily swayed; she kept on repeating that in her hand.
Adrian fell silent as he lowered his gaze. Odette's eyes then glanced at him and noticed that those eyes of his were filling with water.
"Stop crying," Odette said, "I will take you to somewhere fun, alright?"
"Somewhere fun?"