Isiah's exhaustion had reached a breaking point, and without warning, he collapsed onto the ground.
There, beside him, stood the young boy he had encountered earlier, Ciel, still wearing that endearing smile.
It quickly became apparent that Ciel had nowhere to go, and the mysterious Katarina he had mentioned was nowhere to be found.
Isiah, gathering what little strength he had left, tapped the ground with his palm and addressed the persistent child, "Aren't you tired from all this walking?"
Ciel remained standing, his innocent gaze fixed on Isiah. With a hint of hunger in his voice, he replied, "I'm not tired, sir. I'm just hungry."
Isiah nodded in understanding, recalling the boy's earlier admission. Ciel's eyes wandered, scanning the surroundings, and Isiah noticed that he had resumed his walk.
Curious, Isiah raised his head from the ground to keep an eye on the child.
