"What you heard from the guards is true," Ash began, his voice calm and serious. "The road to the city is indeed dangerous. It's best avoided if you want to live a long life and take care of Grandma Linda. Although I myself haven't gone there since I live in a small village far from here in the middle of the forest, I have also heard rumors. Many people in my village who tried to go there never came back," He lied without blinking, having already prepared a script for most normal questions. Fooling a little guy for his own good is no problem, even if the content is out of script.
Just then, Linda's call echoed from downstairs, "Dinner's ready, boys! Come down quickly!"
James, eager to delve deeper into the city's mysteries out of curiosity, Linda's sudden shout from downstairs poured cold water on his excitement. Ash, equally relieved to escape further questioning, hurried out of the room before James could utter another word.
"Hahaha, looks like you two have already become friends," Linda chuckled, setting dishes on the small table. "Well, that saves me a lot of trouble. I was worried James' lack of friends might make him shy around you."
"Grandma! How many times do I have to remind you that it is not that I don't have friends but in our entire town, there are only two more children at my age, and they never come out of their houses. And even if I go there, their parents shoo me away, saying outside is too dangerous. So, how am I supposed to make friends?" James pouted as he complained while sitting on his chair along with a hesitant Ash.
"Alright, alright, I won't bring it up again. But... did you wash your hands?" Linda ignored James' childish complaints like always and asked with a serious expression while raising an eyebrow and arms folded in front of her chest.
"I... I will do it right now," James blushed and replied embarrassingly. After giving Ash a quick glance, as if saying "You also hadn't washed your hands," he ran out of the kitchen.
"I will do it as well." After seeing that Linda was now staring at him with a smile that didn't look like a smile, Ash followed James' suit and hurriedly walked out of the kitchen. Before coming to this new world where people seemed to care a lot about hygiene, he was a single dog. Like 90% of bachelor boys, he hardly cared about hygiene. The concept of washing hands before eating was a very rare thing for him.
"Why didn't you remind me about it? Do you also, like me, always forget to wash your hands before eating?" James grumbled unhappily while pouring water on Ash's hands.
"At my home in the village, because I live alone, I never actually care about those small things. This might be the fourth time I've washed my hands before eating," Ash replied honestly without any shame. After all, what's the point of being nice and perfect in front of a little boy, it is not like he had to impress him in order to get some kind of work done.
"Wow, cool, Grandma never let me eat without washing my hands. Your mother didn't scold you for this?" James, who clearly wasn't listening to Ash's seriously asked.
"Well, she did—a lot. But I never really took her words seriously. She was very nice by nature and open-minded about those minor things, so she never scolded me for such a little thing. Nor did she really know the benefits of washing hands, she just heard it was good from someone, so after some time, she got used to it. This is what happens when you acquire half-knowledge," Ash replied with a smile as he walked back to the kitchen.
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"Good, now take your seats and start devouring as much as you can. Young people should eat more; it is good for your growth," Linda announced, filling their plates with generous portions.
"But Grandma Linda, I really can't eat so much," Ash said embarrassingly while looking at the small mountain of rice on his plate and other minor dishes in front of him.
"Ohh, you can; otherwise, I won't let you go out of the kitchen," Linda said with an ear-to-ear grin, which clearly was no different from a devilish smile in Ash's eyes.
...
"So, Ash, since you've decided to stay with us, let's discuss the terms. I'll provide three meals a day, a place to live, and full use of the house amenities. In return, you'll play with James, tell him stories whenever you're free, and keep your room and dishes clean daily. Simple enough?" Linda, sitting on a cheap wooden couch with a handmade soft mattress on it, while drinking what looks like herbal tea, laid out the conditions with a serious face.
"What!?"
Ash, who had lived many years in a tiny, overpriced apartment and ate fast food to give his body energy, after hearing Linda's terms and conditions, which were no different than saying that she was adopting him unofficially, couldn't help but exclaim with disbelief at his luck. Poor James, who was sitting on the edge of the couch, directly fell to the ground because of Ash's sudden overreaction.
"Huh? Did I ask too much?" Linda ignored James, who was rubbing his painful ass (she had warned him not to sit there) and continued, "Since you don't know children's stories, it's okay. James is a very open-minded child. You can also tell him some made-up stories or about your hometown, etc, he just needs someone to play with."
Misunderstanding Ash's exclamation meaning Linda spoke casually.
No, it's not about that. I know a lot of stories, but I was surprised because you are literally providing me with food and shelter for free. It's just too much. I can't accept such a loss-making deal from a kind lady like you. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth as if I am taking advantage of your kindness," Ash replied earnestly with a serious expression.
"Oh, about it, don't worry. Actually, I was letting you stay here. There is also a selfish reason of mine behind it because you look a little bit like my late son. And it's not free. Don't you have to entertain James and clean that extra room I'm providing you? Anyway, it's been a long time since it was abandoned. If you use it, it won't be left useless, providing shelter to insects and bugs. Do you want to drink tea?" Linda offered with a gentle smile.
James, who was complaining under his breath because of getting ignored by both of them, after hearing that Ash looked like his father, a giant question mark appeared on his head. He carefully looked at Ash's face but found no similarities to his father's features. So, he could only rub his head in confusion, wondering if it had been so long that he started forgetting his own father's face.
"No, thanks. I don't like tea, and I have already eaten so much that I can't even drink water, right now" Ash said helplessly, gesturing toward his now-prominent stomach. "While I appreciate your offer, please understand me too. I can't accept everything for free."
Sighing heavily, Linda saw Ash's stubborn streak. She massaged her temples, seemingly anticipating this resistance.
"Then tell me, what do you want so you can live here peacefully?" Finally giving in, Linda insisted, her eyes flashing with determination, clearly, she was not going to accept Ash any unreasonable offer.