It was the first time Arsenio to come out of his house. He went outside because he wanted to explore and wanted to adapt to his home environment. And coincidentally, he found out that there was a village he could visit, the one where his mother lived before marrying Androcles.
He went there together with Layla who was forced to go with him. Only Cheryl knew that he and Layla had left the castle. Even so, Cheryl had told Androcles that Arsenio went to the village with Layla. So in that way, Androcles knew that his son had gone out to play and was visiting the village.
Arriving there, before Arsenio entered the village, he saw an old man with the appearance of wearing a hat, coat, and with a fishing rod walking towards him.
Arsenio just looked at the old man, without any intention of greeting him. But the man seemed to recognize Arsenio. It was seen from the look on his face that suddenly smiled at him after bowing 90 degrees.
"Young Master de Jansen, what are you doing visiting this place?"
He asked from a distance, then approached Arsenio and Layla.
"Who's he?" Arsenio asked in his mind, turning to Layla who was also confused.
Arriving in front of Arsenio and Layla, the old man bowed 90 degrees once more, then passed Arsenio and Layla just like that.
Unhappy with that, Arsenio turned around and stopped the old man.
"Wait! Who are you, and… where do you want to go?"
The old man turned around and answered Arsenio's question.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself first. Since it is a sunny day, a good day, peaceful, and nothing bothers me, I want to go fishing there."
He showed a place near the river. It was a place where the villagers used to fish, and the old man wanted to go there to fish.
"Oh, you have a reason to fish. Your reasons for fishing are so many; today is a sunny day, a fitting day, a peaceful day, and a day where no one bothers you. However, your answer doesn't reveal you're true identity. You haven't introduced yourself at all."
Arsenio took issue with that, though the old man didn't bother him to head for the village. And apparently, Layla didn't like it when Arsenio was too concerned about it.
"That's enough. Let's go! Let him fish, that's his business."
"Shut up! He knows me, so I should know him too. This is a principle I just came up with. If anyone knows me, then I should know him too."
"Heee… I don't care about your principles. We're not here to live up to your principles, but to go to that village. You sent me there, so you should be the one taking me there."
"Are you stupid, skinny girl? It's up to me what I want to do. If you want to go there, go alone!"
"Skinny girl… What are you saying!?" It seemed that Layla was angry because she was offended by Arsenio's words.
"Skinny girl..." Arsenio looked at Layla with a flat gaze, confirming his sentence.
While they were arguing, the old man quietly left there and went fishing. He was in a hurry to get there, so he paid no heed to the two bickering boys.
"Listen! I am like this because…"
"Ah… that person has left." Arsenio realized that the old man had left there while they were busy fighting and arguing. It was his fault he didn't realize. And without thinking, he ran towards where the old man was, which he had previously known because the old man pointed out the place. He also left Layla who was still explaining the reason why she was thin.
When he got there, he saw the old man sitting and holding his fishing rod calmly.
Out of curiosity about the old man, Arsenio made a fishing rod with a simple item he found; wood, flower fiber, and bait in the form of worms. He did that to get close to the old man, so he could fish with him.
Throwing the worm into the river, the old man realized that Arsenio was nearby.
"You followed me, Young Master de Jansen."
He smiled at Arsenio who was beside him after saying that.
"It can't be helped, you just left without introducing yourself."
"Sorry to intrigue you, Young Master de Jansen."
As Arsenio just sat there, barefoot so that his pants were dirty, the old man explained who he was.
He is Tono. Tono is the village mayor. He was the leader of the village, which was where Arsenio's mother used to live. He knew Arsenio because he had met Arsenio and Ernesto when they were 3 years old, and maybe Arsenio and Ernesto didn't remember that—or maybe it was just Arsenio who didn't. So that's why just seeing Arsenio's face made Tono realize that it was Arsenio.
He had been the village mayor for decades, now at the age of 63. Even though he is an old man, the villagers still rely on Tono to be the village mayor. It was all thanks to the high care he gave to the villagers. Even to this day, even though today is for him to rest, he still has time to look for food for the villagers who are short of money and who do not have permanent jobs. Generous and noble, maybe that's what the villagers describe him.
He was an important person for the village, the most useful person for the Catfish village.
"Oh, I see. Then, why are you fishing here, Mr. Tono? Are you short on food? I have a lot of food in my house. I can get one for you."
Arsenio intends to give food that is in his house if it turns out that Tono does not have food. He had thought that the reason Tono was fishing here was due to a lack of food.
"Thank you for your concern for me, Young Master de Jansen. I didn't mean to deny your kindness. I fish not because of me…"
"What for? You fish for fish, don't you? Fish can be eaten, right? So what for?"
"This is just my hobby, which happens to be someone who needs food at this time. I have to get fish to give to the people who can't eat today. That's why I'm here."
When the rich met the poor, Arsenio felt that there was a difference in degree there. The poor need food, while the rich waste food on trivial matters: for beauty or whatever.
Before responding, Arsenio looked at the condition of Catfish village. There were indeed some houses that were in disarray, had holes in the roof, and some dirt that was never cleaned in every few yards and porches of the house. Then he turned to face his home, the castle of the de Jansens; compare Catfish village housing with his house.
Sad, that's what he might be thinking right now. While on the other side some live in luxury, on the other side there are still some people who need proper housing, proper food, proper clothes... proper furniture. He only found out now, maybe because he had been in his house for too long, so he didn't see the condition of his immediate environment.
"I will have a maid deliver food to those who need food."
Arsenio volunteered. It was his kindness to those whom Tono spoke of. But when he wanted to leave, Tono stopped him and told Arsenio not to do that.
"Why?" Arsenio asked confusedly why Tono refused his kindness again.
"My apologies, Young Master de Jansen, but your mother has helped this village a lot. We can't trouble Cecelia and Androcles anymore. We want to live independently, which can build this village together. If you help us, we are just as spoiled by your family. We don't want that."
To be honest, that sentence was hated by Arsenio. When he wanted to help, he even got a gentle refusal and Tono said that the residents could still do that. That sentence from Tono, his rejected kindness, was something Arsenio often got when he was a major. Even now, he still remembers when his subordinates rejected his kindness just for their egos.
Even so, at this time, Arsenio didn't want to take the trouble even more. If he responds by going against Tono's words and saying something that could hurt Tono's feelings, he's the same as being a bad person. The only way he can do it is to accept it and not make a fuss about it.
"Okay..."
"Thank you for your kindness, Young Master de Jansen."
After a while, when Tono was uncomfortable seeing Arsenio sitting beside him, he finally asked why Arsenio had not left there.
"Um..."
"I will accompany you fishing. Getting fish, right? That's an easy matter for me."
Well, he thought that the only way to help those who lacked food was to get fish, the result of his efforts. Tono won't be able to resist his kindness this time, because Arsenio gets his food from his efforts; not from his family.
"But, your fishing rod…"
"Don't worry, I'll get a lot of fish. We will see later."
***
After an hour of fishing there, according to the name of the village, Catfish village, Arsenio managed to get a catfish with his simple fishing rod. He managed to get catfish thanks to his patience in waiting for the worms to be eaten.
"See, I'm good at fishing."
Tono smiled seeing that, knowing that Arsenio had been trying to get the catfish. Even if he has caught more catfish than Arsenio, he still thinks Arsenio has struggled.
Layla who was already beside Arsenio, accompanied Arsenio and felt uncomfortable being there, immediately came to a conclusion and badmouthed Arsenio's efforts.
"You just got one, but why are you feeling so proud? Look, Mr. Tono, he has got 9 catfish; more than yours."
"Shut up, you skinny! This is a fish that will make people smile. These are fish that will fill their stomachs."
"Hah!? I am..."
Tono could only smile when he saw Arsenio and Layla fighting beside him. He felt that Arsenio didn't mind his position as a noble.
"Look at this, I'm going to get a lot more than this. I'm going to get 80 catfish, so they have plenty of stock. Look and see...!"
With that said, Arsenio threw his worm into the river.
"Eighty catfish? Have you gone mad?"
"Shut up, you skinny! Just sit next to me, and look at this great angler. I will fill their hungry bellies today."