Edward walked through the streets of White Deer Town, leading the children one by one and asking each of them where they lived.
The streets were bustling with people, but as soon as passersby saw Edward, they scattered like they were avoiding a demon.
Even though Edward had sent most of the patrolmen away, leaving only West by his side, the reputation he and his men had built still made the townspeople uneasy and fearful.
Edward shook his head inwardly, feeling a sense of helplessness as he approached a worn wooden door and knocked gently.
The door creaked open, revealing an elderly man with clouded eyes.
Upon seeing the armed young man at the door, the old man instinctively tried to shut the door, clearly terrified of Edward.
However, Edward stopped the door with his hand and stepped aside, allowing the small boy standing next to him to step forward.
As soon as the boy saw the old man, he rushed into his arms, crying hoarsely.
"Grandpa!"
The old man stood frozen for a moment, blinking his swollen, red eyes as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
His nose tingled, and tears welled up in his eyes as he trembled, holding the small, frail body of his grandson tightly, afraid it might all be a dream.
"Hide quickly! Don't let those damned patrolmen find you!" the old man rasped urgently, his voice hoarse.
But before he could finish his warning, he realized that Edward, a member of the very patrolmen he feared, was standing right in front of him.
Panic surged through the old man as he glanced nervously at Edward's strong figure, realizing he had spoken out of turn.
He quickly shut his mouth, unsure of what to do next.
Edward, however, ignored the old man's words.
He took out five sausages and two loaves of bread, and gently placed the food at the old man's feet.
"Your grandson has been hungry for a long time and frightened. Let him eat some meat," Edward said calmly.
West stood off to the side, carrying a sack of flour, and looked a little surprised.
Having followed Edward for many years, West had never seen him act this kindly.
The usual stern look on Edward's face had softened, showing something close to a friendly smile.
Even more astonishing was that Edward, after doing this, gave a slight bow before gently closing the door.
Just as the door was about to shut completely, the old man's voice called out, stopping him.
"Thank you, Mr. Edward, for returning my grandson. Wait a moment."
Edward paused, looking at the old man, who hurried back into the house.
A moment later, the old man returned, holding a worn and tattered piece of parchment in his hands.
He approached Edward with an earnest expression and said, "This parchment has been passed down in my family.
It contains some skills, but in my generation, none of us could learn them, and much of the content is missing."
The old man handed over the parchment with both hands, his face filled with sincerity.
"I hope Mr. Edward will accept it.
That way, I can have peace of mind."
Edward looked at the old man's sincere gaze, remaining silent for a moment before taking the parchment and softly saying, "Thank you."
West, standing nearby, was secretly horrified.
Edward just said "thank you"?
The once cold and ungrateful Edward, who never showed appreciation, was now expressing gratitude with such gentleness.
West couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease.
Something was definitely wrong.
It was like Edward had been possessed by some ghost.
After delivering all the children back to their homes, Edward stood on the street, feeling his facial muscles stiffen from smiling all day.
He rubbed his cheeks, trying to ease the unfamiliar sensation of having smiled so much.
In the distance, Caitlin and Roy stood quietly watching him.
They had been silently following Edward, curiously observing his actions.
Roy, with innocent eyes, asked, "Sis, do you think Edward has become a good guy?"
He held a small basket containing some cheap black bread and animal innards, clearly the only food they could afford.
Caitlin's expression was complicated as her gaze remained fixed on Edward in the distance.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"A moment of kindness doesn't erase the sins of the past. Stay away from him."
With that, she gently took Roy's hand, preparing to leave the street.
Though her tone was resolute, her heart was filled with conflicting emotions.
Edward had once been a cold and ruthless villain, yet now, he seemed to show a glimmer of humanity and kindness.
This sudden change left Caitlin deeply confused.
She couldn't easily trust that Edward had truly changed.
Just as Caitlin and Roy were about to walk away, Edward's voice suddenly called out from behind them.
"Hey, you two, where are you headed?"
In truth, Edward had noticed the siblings following him for a while, but since he had been carrying food, he hadn't bothered to ask.
Now that the children had been returned home and his hands were free, he decided to address them.
Hearing Edward's voice, Caitlin instantly froze, her body trembling slightly.
She didn't dare turn around, her heart filled with fear.
Edward's footsteps drew closer, the sound echoing in her ears like a heavy weight pressing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Roy, however, wasn't as tense as Caitlin.
He smiled innocently, turning to look at Edward as he approached.
Edward walked up to them, gently ruffling Roy's hair before casually patting Caitlin on the backside in a seemingly nonchalant gesture.
"I told you to buy more meat. Why'd you only get some offal? Roy's still growing."
Edward said as he glanced at the basket of food in Roy's hands.
His words made Caitlin's heart race even faster.
The slap on her behind had caused Caitlin to tremble even more, and her face flushed red with embarrassment.
She stood frozen, still too scared to look at Edward, as if he were a beast ready to explode at any moment.
Her lips trembled as she struggled to say something, but no words came out.
Her emotions were a tangled mess.
There was the fear of Edward, the shame from his touch, and yet there was also an odd sense of care in his actions, leaving her feeling deeply conflicted.
Ultimately, she could only hold onto Roy's hand tightly, lowering her head and staying silent, her mind in chaos.
Nearby, West observed Edward and Caitlin's interaction with a knowing expression, as if he had figured everything out.
He slightly parted his lips, convinced he now understood the relationship between Edward and Caitlin.
Even Roy noticed the moment, recalling the noises he'd heard from the room next door the previous night.
A smile crept across his small face, his eyes narrowing into slits.
The intimacy between Edward and his sister didn't seem strange to him at all. In fact, he found it perfectly natural.
Edward turned to West, who was still standing nearby, and said.
"Leave the rest of the sausages and bread on the ground. It's getting late—you can head home now."
West quickly responded.
"Yes, boss!"
He hurriedly placed the food down before running off, eager to share this juicy piece of gossip with the other patrolmen.
Once West had left, Edward picked up the food from the ground and turned to Caitlin.
"Let's go."
Seeing that no one else was around, Caitlin gathered a bit of courage and asked, "Where?"
"Your home. I'm hungry," Edward replied nonchalantly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Caitlin hesitated for a moment, feeling conflicted, but in the end, she silently followed behind Edward, leading Roy as they made their way back home.