Linia Took in a Child - Chapter 8: Ruin (6)

“I’m not hurt, so don’t worry,” he reassured her.

Before she could ask why there was blood on him, Ruin gently took her arm and tugged her toward the house.

“It’s cold. Let’s go inside.”

Together, they stepped into the warm interior of the house. Though exhaustion pressed heavily on him, Ruin headed straight for the bathroom. He couldn’t bear the thought of holding her while covered in the filth of the night.

Once inside, he removed the child’s clothing and stepped into the steaming water. By the time the water touched him, his body had shifted back to its adult form. Taking extra care to scrub himself clean, Ruin finally felt free of the grime and unpleasantness that clung to him.

After donning comfortable clothes, he walked into the bedroom. Linia was waiting for him, seated on the bed. Her face was etched with visible fatigue, likely from staying up all night.

Without hesitation, Ruin sat beside her and pulled her into a firm embrace, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Linia tried to hold him back with her hands, but he didn’t stop. For a while, his lips lingered against her cheek, leaving soft kisses. He exhaled a contented sigh, his tension melting away.

“Were you so worried that you couldn’t sleep at all?” he asked, his voice soft as he nuzzled his cheek lightly against hers. The sweet warmth of her skin and scent soothed him, erasing the weariness that had weighed him down.

“Tell me what happened, Ruin,” she said, her sleepy voice firm with curiosity.

Nodding slightly, Ruin guided her to lie down beside him. Offering her his arm as a pillow, he began recounting the night’s events.

“…I negotiated with the slave trader and bought the other children as well. There were six of them, and all had their tongues cut out. Two of them were in particularly poor health, so I entrusted them to the orphanage in the village.”

The man who had come to take Noah had indeed been a slave trader. As Ruin shared the story, Linia’s drowsiness faded, replaced by the weight of what she was hearing.

Her thoughts turned to what she needed to do next. Once she got some rest, she would head to the orphanage to check on the children and help treat their injuries.

“You did well, Ruin. You worked so hard,” she said, her voice filled with quiet gratitude.

“I only did what needed to be done,” he replied with a soft smile.

When Linia leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips, Ruin’s smile deepened, warm and genuine. He recalled the effort it had taken to get the slave traders to talk and ensure the safety of the children. While the “negotiations” had involved more screams than actual conversation, the result was worth it.

Though dealing with the bodies and delivering the children to the orphanage had been tiresome, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction with his actions—especially now, rewarded by her kiss.

“I think I’ll have to do more good deeds from now on if it means getting more praise like this,” Ruin teased, his grin widening.

Linia chuckled softly, watching him. His expression reminded her of a child, pleased to receive approval.

“Now, let’s get some sleep. We’ll visit the orphanage tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah. Wake me up when you’re ready.”

“I’ll wake you after I’ve prepared breakfast. Though, it’ll probably be closer to lunch. What do you want to eat?”

“Anything’s fine. Everything you make is delicious.”

“Even what I make… down below?” she teased with a playful smile.

“…Yes,” he replied, his voice faint, clearly not catching her joke in his drowsiness.

Ruin laughed quietly, finding her endearing. She seemed barely aware of what she was saying, lost in her sleepy haze.

Resisting the urge to tease her further, he reached out and gently stroked her long hair. As Linia teetered on the edge of sleep, she closed her eyes, a sense of peace enveloping her.

Watching her serene expression as she drifted off, Ruin leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to her lips.

“Good night, Linia.”

* * *

Linia often went down to the village to care for the children at the orphanage. As the orphanage was always short-staffed, the director was delighted to see her whenever she visited. At first, Ruin accompanied her on these visits, but for some reason, the children seemed afraid of him. Eventually, Linia decided to go alone, leaving Ruin at home.

The house was quiet whenever Linia was at the village. Ruin didn’t pay much attention to Noah, and Noah, in turn, behaved as if he didn’t exist.

At first, Noah wouldn’t even step out of his room. But now, he would come out to eat and occasionally wander around the small house—though only when Linia was around.

When it was just him and Ruin, Noah was nowhere to be seen, and Ruin didn’t bother looking for him. Instead, he passed the time tending to household chores.

While airing out the rooms and sweeping the floor, a sudden crashing sound came from the kitchen. Startled, Ruin went to investigate. He saw Noah standing frozen in place, staring down at the shards of a broken glass scattered across the floor.

“Step back,” Ruin said, waving his hand to move Noah away. He grabbed the broom he had been using and began sweeping up the broken pieces.

The glass Noah had broken was a drinking cup. He must have dropped it while trying to pour himself some water.

Noah stood a little distance away, motionless. Glancing at the boy’s hesitant posture, Ruin set the broom aside and asked, “Were you thirsty?”

Noah nodded, shrinking into himself even more. Ruin snorted quietly, amused by how frightened the child seemed, even though he hadn’t scolded him.

Ruin retrieved a new cup from the cabinet, filled it with water, and handed it to Noah. The boy accepted it silently and drank the water right there, gulping it down. It seemed he’d been holding back his thirst while Linia was away. Ruin thought it was foolish but decided to be generous and spoke up first.

“I’m heading out to pick up Linia. You can come along. While we’re out, we’ll grab a few things we need.”

Noah nodded quickly, his small head bobbing up and down. Seeing this, Ruin smirked and added, “Go get changed.”

Still holding the cup, Noah dashed off to his room. Watching the boy’s retreating figure, Ruin resumed cleaning up the broken glass.

Soon, the two of them boarded a carriage and headed for the village. It was Noah’s first outing since coming to this house, and he looked nervous. His lips were pressed tightly together, making his round cheeks puff out even more.

“What’s wrong? Worried you’ll run into someone scary?” Ruin asked suddenly, causing Noah to flinch and look up. The boy neither agreed nor disagreed, instead fidgeting with his small hands.

“You don’t need to worry. Scary people are no match for me,” Ruin said with a shrug.

Of course, the “scary person” Noah had in mind might very well have been Ruin himself, but he said it nonetheless. Linia’s suggestion to try and bond with the boy floated in the back of his mind.

Noah didn’t seem convinced, lowering his gaze back to the floor of the carriage. Ruin sighed inwardly. Winning over this child’s trust seemed even harder than winning Linia’s heart. He couldn’t figure out how to break through Noah’s defenses.

“We’re here,” Ruin announced as the carriage came to a halt. He opened the door, stepped out, and reached back to lift Noah out by his underarms, placing him gently on the ground.

As they walked through the village market, Ruin occasionally glanced down at Noah, who was quietly trailing beside him. The boy’s small frame, barely reaching Ruin’s waist, followed him obediently. The soft, light-colored hair on his head reminded Ruin of a puppy’s fur, fluttering as they moved.

“First, we’re going to the grocery store,” Ruin said.

“…”

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

Noah paused, then looked up hesitantly, his wide, round eyes blinking as if trying to convey something.

“Ah, right. You can’t talk,” Ruin realized, feeling a twinge of regret for phrasing his question poorly. He quickly corrected himself.

“You liked the roast chicken and cream soup I made last time, didn’t you? Should I make that again for dinner?”

Noah nodded enthusiastically, the fastest reaction Ruin had seen from him yet. A small laugh escaped Ruin as he turned his gaze forward and led the way into the grocery store.

It was Noah’s first time in a shop like this, and his curiosity was evident as he looked around wide-eyed. The nervousness from earlier had vanished entirely, replaced by childlike wonder.

After purchasing the cooking ingredients, Ruin paid for them and stepped out of the store, his hands full of bags.

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll take these to the carriage,” he said.

Though he considered taking Noah with him, he figured it would only take about ten minutes to drop off the bags and return. So he left the boy standing there, glancing back briefly to make sure Noah stayed put before heading back the way they came.

However, when Ruin returned after leaving the bags in the carriage, the spot in front of the store was empty. Noah was nowhere to be seen.

Surely, no one could have kidnapped him in such a short time. Perhaps he had wandered off to look at something else.

‘Just like her,’ Ruin thought with a mix of amusement and irritation, realizing how much Noah’s tendency to vanish mirrored Linia’s occasional absent-mindedness.

The marketplace was small, so Noah couldn’t have gone far—or so Ruin hoped. Despite his reasoning, a flicker of unease showed on his face as he scanned the area.

Noah’s small size made him even harder to spot in the crowd. On top of that, since he couldn’t speak, he wouldn’t be able to ask anyone for help if he got lost. Swallowing a frustrated sigh, Ruin quickly searched the opposite street.

“Noah!” he called loudly, his voice cutting through the chatter of the bustling marketplace. If the boy was nearby, he should hear him.

At that moment, the sound of a door opening came from behind. Ruin turned and saw Noah standing there, peeking out hesitantly. It seemed he’d been inside the store, curiously looking at items, and had rushed out upon hearing his name called.

“…”

Noah fidgeted nervously, taking cautious steps toward Ruin. He timidly tugged at the hem of Ruin’s coat, unsure if he would be scolded or, worse, left behind.

“…Anyone watching would think I yell at you every day,” Ruin muttered under his breath.

Reaching out a hand, Ruin saw Noah flinch, shrinking his small frame as if bracing for a blow. But instead of punishment, the boy felt the gentle warmth of a hand ruffling his hair.

Noah blinked, his wide blue eyes darting upward. The touch was soft, the hand running through his hair soothing rather than harsh.

“Let’s hurry up and finish shopping. Linia’s waiting for us,” Ruin said, withdrawing his hand. He gestured downward with a slight nod of his head.

“What are you doing? Hold my hand.”

Encouraged by the prompt, Noah reached out and clasped Ruin’s long fingers with his small hand. Instantly, Ruin’s larger hand enveloped his securely, offering a sense of protection.

As they walked, Noah glanced up at Ruin’s broad back before looking down at their joined hands. His heart swelled with a warm feeling he’d never experienced before—an unfamiliar yet comforting sense of security.

Linia poured tea from the kettle, the aroma of flowers wafting through the air. With the warm teacup in hand, she stepped out of the kitchen and into the living room, where Ruin and Noah were seated.

For the past few days, Ruin had been teaching Noah magic—or, more precisely, helping him sense and become familiar with magical energy.

“Can you feel it moving?” Ruin asked, holding Noah’s small hands as he guided the boy’s energy. The lessons seemed to be paying off; Noah’s large eyes widened in amazement, sparkling with excitement as he felt the flow of magic.

“This is magical energy. Everyone’s magic manifests differently, and once you learn to use it, it can make life much easier.”

Of course, Ruin thought, magic wasn’t just convenient. It could also serve as a powerful means of self-defense, something Noah sorely needed. The boy’s bright blue eyes shimmered with fascination as he wiggled his fingers, still feeling the lingering energy.

“Do you want to try again?” Ruin asked.

Noah nodded eagerly, his enthusiasm bringing a smile to Ruin’s face. Taking the boy’s hands once more, Ruin guided the flow of energy back into him. Noah stared at his hands, completely absorbed in the sensation, as if trying to memorize every detail.

Watching them, Linia smiled to herself and stifled a quiet laugh. She didn’t want to interrupt. The man who had once seemed indifferent toward Noah now showed a surprising gentleness as he taught the boy. Linia couldn’t help but feel proud of Ruin’s change in attitude.

But Ruin wasn’t the only one who had changed. Noah, too, was vastly different from when he first arrived. The boy who used to avoid eye contact and shyly avert his gaze now had a spark of curiosity and life in his eyes, much like any other child his age.

It had only been two months since Noah had come into their lives, yet Linia already felt deeply attached to him. Like Ruin, who had unexpectedly entered her life and stayed, Noah’s arrival felt like another twist of fate—a gift of destiny.

Linia sipped her tea, her thoughts wandering. It would be wonderful if we could become a family, she mused silently.

* * *