Latina was in a pinch.
“What to do…”
Restlessly, she looks at the people coming and going with an anxious face.
Right now where she is, is not where she normally lives in South Kroix. Following Kenneth out to stock up, she came all the way to the East district.
This is the second time Latina has come to the East district.
The first time she came, she didn’t even know the language and even if she worries about her surroundings, there was never a need to since Dale would never leave.
That was good as a result.
This time, she finally took notice of the surroundings.
A row of shops, each of them having their own ingenious ideas to attract the interests of people walking along the road. Kroix with money flow as importance is abundant with goods. It was overflowing with items which up till now Latina has never seen and don’t know how to use.
The South district, is where the atmosphere disagrees with the streets, and snatches away knowledge.
In the first place Latina’s curiosity is strong. And even caution and awareness ended up being surpassed by curiosity, you could even say it can’t be helped.
While she was doing that, by the time she had noticed she had lost sight of Kenneth.
(I promised, to properly, stay with Kenneth… Dale, will he be angry)
Thinking like that, she withered away becoming even more depressed.
Looking puzzled Latina brooded over what to do.
But helplessness won, and she didn’t know what to do.
If I can’t go back, I wonder what I should do.
(What should I do, If we don’t, meet again)
I don’t like being alone anymore.
Even though there is so many people, I’m tormented by a sense of isolation I can’t control.
Bad thoughts, I couldn’t stop leaning towards the bad thoughts.
(No… what should I do, if I can’t go back… if I can’t return…)
My thoughts were wrapped around that.
No matter how smart you say she is, Latina is after all still a young child.
Without reason, having her feelings swinging about like that, it’s a natural reaction.
But, right now there isn’t anyone here to tell her that.
Latina didn’t have the judgement that ‘If you’re lost, you should wait at that spot’ because inside ‘That forest’, it’s not ‘Waiting for someone’s help’ but rather an environment where ‘You yourself have to do something somehow’.
Latina walked towards the approximate direction she came from.
Later, even if she had just stayed there for a little longer, a panicked Kenneth would’ve come back.
“… Where is this?”
Somehow or another Latina who had walked into various streets, and ended up entering an area which she has genuinely never seen before.
She doesn’t know but, even inside the East district, in the boundary called the workers street, are homes lined up serving as both housing and work studios. Compared with the main street of East district, it’s an area with the prominence similar to low-lying part of the city.
For that reason there are also a lot of complicated alleys, and other people apart from the residents might feel like it’s a maze.
And that’s how it was for Latina, even if she was to turn around, she already didn’t know where she came from to get to here.
“… What to do”
Muttered Latina, puzzled.
“What do you want, you?”
A voice came from behind and she jumped in fright.
Turning her head, there was several young boys loitering around. They were frowning, at the sight of a young girl they don’t know.
“You, whose kid are you, never seen you before”
“……”
The one with the biggest physique amongst the youths said to Latina as he came up to her without hesitation. Not knowing what’s the best thing to say, she stepped back from the boy. He doubted her actions more and more.
“It’s a hair colour I’ve never seen before, you a noble’s kid?”
“That’s wrong, Rudi. If she was a noble’s kid, she’d be wearing a dress”
“True. But, it’s a strange colour. It’s like it’s not gold nor silver”
Next to the big kid called Rudi, a calm-looking young kid with a round face and the young kid with light brown hair behind them both said.
“If this kid was moving in, there’s no way we didn’t hear about it”
“Then you, you’re an outsider!?”
With Rudi’s strong tone of voice, Latina once again jumped in surprise.
(Why, is he angry?)
(Latina is… am I somehow, weird?)
(What should I do… why is he angry, I don’t know)
“That’s no good Rudi, this kid’ll cry”
“I’m the one asking over here so, the one who should shut up is her!”
Even though the round-faced boy tried to stop him, Rudi came closer to Latina violently. Latina, completely panicked, with a pale face wanted to run away and did.
“Why are you running! That’s sus yo!”
“Un! ”
However, there was the difference in physique and Latina ended up being caught by Rudi who took a shortcut. The young boys were astonished at the shriek that Latina let out the moment her arms were caught.