Bad child

It suddenly occurred to me that I had never told Sheila my age. Is she still under the impression that I am a little kid? I was about to tell her my age when I thought about how she had acted around me. Is it because she thinks I am a kid that she is not fighting with us? If I tell her my real age, she might become violent again. If I did tell her my age, I wanted to do it when Cleo and Leana were there just in case.

I shook my head and asked instead "Did Ifera ever put a slave mark on you?"

"Slave mark? What is that? Mistress never put any kind of mark on me."

If it wasn't the slave mark, then what was Sheila so loyal to her? I decided to find out if she was still loyal to her.

"Do you want to go back to Ifera?"

"Uh? Um… I don't want to leave Ren….." she said shyly.

What… she is really staying here just because of me? Now I really couldn't tell her that I wasn't a kid! Then again, she is 10 years older than me. Maybe it's fine even if I did tell her my age.

"Why do you want to stay with me?"

"Be..because Ren is so cute!"

I am worried about my safety now. This woman is obsessed with me! My fear must have shown on my face

"Ren doesn't want to stay with me? Do… Do you hate me?" She started tearing up!

"No no, I really don't hate you. Didn't I tell you that already! I like you ok? I like you!" I needed her to stop crying. We were not in our room anymore! Everyone could see her if she started crying. It would be really bad if they find out she is a bandit.

Just then I heard a voice "What did you do to make your mom cry? Are you a bad child?"

It was Elise, she had come back with our food. She glared at me with an adult-like expression and started scolding "Don't you know that you shouldn't make your parents cry?" She continued her scolding even after Sheila had stopped crying and wiped her face. She was watching this young girl scold me with an amused face. At this point I was sure that Sheila just likes kids a lot.

"Do you understand what I said?"

"Uh.. yeah. I won't be bad." Since I wasn't ready to expose my age to Sheila, this is the only thing I could do.

Elsie patted my head and said "Good boy!" and went back to her desk.

I sighed and looked at the food. I had not eaten properly in the last few days and I was quite hungry. I started eating and found that the food was much better than Hobb's inn. Sheila also started eating her food and it looked like she liked it too.

"You are eating without us?" Suddenly I heard a voice right next to my ear. I almost spit out my food but stopped just in time. I looked to my right and saw Cleo looking at me with an amused smile. She started giggling and said "I startled you didn't I?"

I saw Leana and Turek taking their seats. I looked back at Cleo and said "Don't do that again! I almost spit out my food."

Cleo giggled and sat next to me. Leana sat next to Sheila and Turek sat next to her. Next, Elsie came over.

"So, are these three the ones you were talking about Ren? Are they friends of your mom?"

She looked at everyone and said "Hello, I am Elsie. I am going to be Ren's big sister from now on! Nice to meet you!"

She just said that shamelessly! When did I agree to this?

"Big sister?" mumbled Turek in confusion.

"Mom?" Leana raised her eyebrows as she looked at me.

I averted my eyes from Leana and said to Elsie "Yes, these are the 3 we were waiting for."

Just then, Cleo asked Elsie "How old are you Elsie?"

"Eh… I am 14 years old you know!"