Harley walked slowly, carrying the heavy roll of fabric and sewing supplies in one arm, and gently holding Leon's tiny fingers with the other hand. They arrived at Harley's house, a modest but well-maintained cottage with a white-painted wooden fence in front. Behind the house, a colossal stone wall stretched endlessly, forming the boundary between the commoners' dwellings and the magnificent grandeur of the Pendragon family's mansion. Harley's house, like many others around it, abutted this sturdy wall, a silent testament to the greatness and social distance that separated them.
"Lilian, I'm home!" Harley called out, opening the slow-creaking wooden door.
From inside, Lilian, Harley's wife, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, appeared. "Oh, you're home early, dear? That's unusual!" she asked, surprised.
Harley smiled wearily. "I got permission to come home a little early. This is... Leon. He'll be staying with us starting today." Harley avoided unnecessary detours and got straight to the point.
Lilian frowned, gazing at Leon who stood beside her husband. "Leon? Who is this child, dear? Why did you bring him home?" Lilian had unwavering trust in her husband, so she didn't suspect Harley of infidelity in the slightest, only great curiosity.
Leon, knowing he now had to perfectly play the role of an adorable and pitiful toddler, immediately began acting. He lowered his head slightly and looked at Lilian with pure, sparkling eyes, as if he were the unluckiest child in the world. "Hello, Auntie! Thank you for having me!" he said in the sweetest voice he could manage, striking directly at a mother's heart.
"Oh... how cute!" Lilian chuckled, captivated by his endearing expression. "But... whose child is this, little one?"
Leon looked up again, his lips trembling, and dramatically let a single tear roll from the corner of his eye. It was a trick he had learned from his long past. "My parents... they abandoned me, Auntie. Now, I'm all alone..." His small voice was filled with feigned sadness.
Harley quickly interjected, "That's what he said, honey. I just... I felt sorry for him."
Lilian sighed, looking at her husband, then shifted her gaze back to Leon. Her face was filled with pure sympathy. "Is that so, young man? You can live here, for as long as you like."
"Thank you, Auntie!" Leon exclaimed, then added with a firm tone, "But I won't stay here long. Only until I finish my treehouse!"
Lilian burst into laughter, taking it as a child's fantasy. "Oh... what a cute boy! Do as you please, young man. Will you stay here until your house is finished?"
"Thank you for your hospitality," Leon said, his language surprisingly polite for a child his age—an interesting contrast.
"Well then, I'm going back to work, honey!" Harley placed the roll of fabric and sewing supplies on the table. "Lilian, please take care of this child. See you later!" Harley kissed his wife's forehead and hurried back to the guard post, leaving Lilian and Leon alone.
"Be careful, dear!" Lilian waved, then turned to Leon with a gentle smile. "Alright... Leon, you look quite dirty. Come on, let's get you bathed first." Lilian tried to take off Leon's clothes.
"Ah... wait! No!" Leon immediately refused, quickly stepping back. He didn't want to be bathed like a baby anymore. "I'll do it myself! Where's the bath, Auntie?"
Lilian smiled amusingly. "Alright, alright, Auntie won't peek. You can bathe behind the house, near that well." She led Leon to the backyard, still thinking he was just an ordinary toddler.
Harley's backyard was modest but tidy. Right beside the colossal Pendragon wall was a stone well with clear, fresh-looking water. Next to it was a wooden chair for laundry, and further back, Lilian's small flower garden bloomed, beautifying the atmosphere.
"Don't watch me bathe!" Leon shouted, looking at Lilian with an adorable yet threatening expression.
"Okay, I won't peek!" Lilian laughed, enjoying Leon's cute gestures, still believing he was just an innocent toddler.
While Leon washed himself behind the veil of privacy he created, Lilian examined Leon's smelly clothes. She was about to wash them when her hand suddenly stopped. A heavy pouch fell from Leon's clothes pocket. Lilian picked it up and her eyes widened at its contents: a pile of gleaming gold coins! To her utmost surprise, she recognized the pouch. It was Elio Pendragon's money pouch! Lilian worked part-time as a laundress at the Pendragon mansion, so she was very familiar with the nobles' belongings. The pouch even had the unmistakable Pendragon crest specially embroidered on it.
Lilian gazed at the gold coin pouch, various scenarios racing through her mind. How did such a small child, who claimed to be an orphan, have such a noble's money pouch? Had he stolen it? Or... was he actually a distant relative of the Pendragon family in disguise, or with amnesia? Lilian decided not to question Leon, as her intuition told her there was something bigger than just a simple theft. She prepared clean clothes for Leon—they were the worn-out clothes of her eldest son, Christian, who was currently eleven years old and playing outside.
After bathing, Leon felt incredibly sleepy. This was a side effect of his toddler body requiring intensive rest. "Why... why can't I keep my eyes open, Auntie...? I want to sleep..." he mumbled endearingly, acting exactly like a tired, normal toddler.
"Here, sleep in this room." Lilian led Leon to the only room in the house. Since there was only one room, all of them would sleep together, creating a new family warmth.
A New Family and Busy Morning Routine
The sun had set, leaving a gentle twilight. Harley came home with his eleven-year-old son, Christian. After taking a bath, Christian immediately entered the room to change and was surprised to see a toddler sleeping soundly on his bed.
"Mom! Who's this baby? Why is he sleeping here?" Christian asked, frowning, looking at his parents in confusion.
Harley and Lilian explained to Christian that Leon would be living with them from today onwards. Christian felt a bit jealous but was also curious. That night, Leon woke up and got acquainted with Christian. They had a simple dinner together and then slept soundly until morning, enveloped by the warmth of family.
In the morning, the routine began. Harley went to work at the guard post at the city gate. Christian, filled with childish adventurousness, immediately went out to play. Meanwhile, Lilian prepared for her work at the Pendragon mansion. Lilian worked as a laundress, and her work usually finished around noon, 1 or 2 PM, when the sun was directly overhead.
Since there was no one to look after Leon at home, Lilian decided to take him to the Pendragon mansion. Ironically, despite their house being adjacent to the Pendragon wall, which was right behind their house, they had to walk a considerable distance, circumventing the vast property to enter the main gate of the Pendragon mansion. It was an ironic symbol of the divide between poverty and wealth.
Lilian walked along the winding path, moving away from their humble cottage. Little Leon in her arms occasionally squirmed, his sharp toddler eyes observing his surroundings, taking in every detail of the environment. However, this time, Lilian had a hidden agenda, something bigger than just babysitting. Her intention of bringing Leon to the Pendragon mansion was not just because there was no one to watch him at home, but a secret mission rooted in that pouch of gold coins.
Lilian's heart pounded in her chest. Tucked securely in her apron pocket was Elio Pendragon's money pouch that she had found. Doubt had crept into her mind, eroding her peace of mind. How could such a small child, who claimed to be parentless, possess such a noble's money pouch? Had he stolen it? Or... was he actually a distant relative of the Pendragon family in disguise, or with amnesia? Lilian knew the risks. If Leon was a thief, she too could get into serious trouble. If Leon was a runaway noble child, she didn't want to be accused of harboring him. And most importantly, she didn't want this adorable toddler, Leon, to be accused of stealing from the revered and celebrated Pendragon family. This was her reason. She wanted to see if anyone in the Pendragon family recognized Leon. If no one did, she intended to return the money pouch under the pretense of "finding it" to protect Leon from unfair accusations and ensure his safety.
The walk to the Pendragon mansion's main gate felt distant, even though geographically their house was a stone's throw away. However, the magnificent wall separating the Pendragon estate from the commoners' dwellings was like an abyss, a symbol of status and power. Lilian circumvented most of the massive wall, taking increasingly secluded paths, and finally arrived at the towering main gate, flanked by two colossal statues of majestic and arrogant griffins.
"Good morning, Auntie Lilian!" The gate guard, recognizing Lilian as a loyal servant, greeted her respectfully. "Have you brought the young man with you today?"
"Good morning." Lilian replied with a warm smile, trying to hide her escalating tension. "Yes, this child... he stayed as our guest last night. There was no one to watch him at home, so I brought him here. I hope it's not too much trouble." She consciously stared at the gate guard's face, searching for a reaction, even a slight sign of recognition towards Leon.
The gate guard merely nodded, glancing at Leon without any particular expression. There was no sign of recognition in his eyes. "Please come in, Auntie Lilian."
No reaction... Lilian thought to herself. Her heart felt a little disappointed, but also relieved. At least, the gate guard didn't recognize Leon. That was a good sign. Now, it was her turn to confront the Pendragons inside and find the truth.
As Lilian passed through the grand gate, cradling Leon, she felt an ambiance of unparalleled luxury enveloping her. The beautifully manicured gardens with rare flowers, crystal fountains spouting gracefully under the sunlight, and the mansion buildings themselves, towering like a fairy-tale castle, all exuded magnificence. Her footsteps carried them deeper inside, and every encounter with servants or other nobles would become part of her unspoken mission: to seek answers about the enigmatic identity of the toddler named Leon.