Reunion

'Now that I've got a way I should worry about what will we eat with Emma. They will probably block all bakeries around the city! I need to get there now and buy bread with all money we have left!'

As soon as John understood it he searched for a bakery where he could buy supplies for the next few days and as soon as he found one he saw five people there. He started to back off but they saw him and started running in his direction.

'How many more is there? I know that there is a bunch of them still alive but don't they have anything better to do?'

Meanwhile in the third and the last bakery in this city.

"Haa Haa Haa, Thomas, we need to find a way to lose them or we won't survive it."

"I know! I'm trying my best to find a way out of it!"

'John, now I can see how hard it was to come up with so many solutions as fast as possible. This vice leader of theirs is a big problem. Now think, Thomas, think, what can we do to survive this?'

Just as Thomas was working on the plan Grace suddenly stopped, turned around and asked.

"Will you spare us if I'll tell you where the rest is?"

"Grace?!"

Both Clara and Thomas were stunned by what Grace just did.

"You- What are you doing? Move! Stop with this joke it isn't funny at all!"

Thomas couldn't believe it and forcefully tried to move her.

"We can do it as you said"

Hearing the approval of their enemies Grace was even more certain that she wants to make this deal.

"Leo, Arthur and Elizabeth left and are currently staying in the forest and John is currently staying in an-"

"Thomas? is that you?"

Just as Grace wanted to give them info about John, he showed up.

"Quicky we need to move! I just lost another group that was defending another bakery. Now we need to move. Thomas, lead the way."

Hearing what John had to say they all started running again.

"Come back here, little kids!"

Thomas was leading the way, Clara was behind him, little further was John and Grace was at the end.

"Thomas, try to run away by constantly changing our destination but try to get to where we first stayed!"

After running for a few minutes bandits were getting closer and closer until finally one of them was close enough to attack. Seeing it, John pulled Grace closer to himself a little or else she would have been injured and unable to move. Needless to say, attacking stopped this bandit from chasing for a second ao he wasn't able to attack again for a while. Seeing how dangerous this situation was Thomas started getting nervous.

'If I won't create a plan in a moment we won't survive this. Grace would have been captured by now if John wasn't here.'

John helped Grace avoid attack again and again until finally, they encountered something they didn't expect.

'How could I forget. Their vice leader is using a sword. Alright just slash accurate, so I don't need to worry that Grace will survive this. She already showed her true nature.'

Thinking about what Grace wanted to do John couldn't help but think about events from his previous life.

'I won't be manipulated by two-faced people like you again!'

It could be easily seen by the moves that enemy vice leader that he was more experienced than his subordinates. He slashed at the place where Grace's arm was usually after John pulled her but he didn't expect that this time John reached out his hand to grab her but then suddenly took it back, resulting in the sword making a deep cut in Grace's head.

"Aaah!"

John screamed but internally felt happy.

'Do you think I didn't hear what you said? You deserved it since you wanted to sell us for your well being'

The truth was, John got free from the bandits much earlier and he was standing behind the wall listening to the conversation that took place the whole time!

'Now I only need to find a way of getting us out of this mess. If we won't be able to lose them after a little longer then we will split up and wish that vice leader follows Thomas and buys me time to take care of those four lackeys of his.'

Just as John was searching for a place where they could execute this plan he found another way.

"Thomas, then to the right!"

There was a house that kept their wood for winter in the open right beside their house when they got behind it, John turned around and used all his strength to move as much of it as he could and since it was only stable because it was touching the wall of the building so when John moved it, it all crumbled and blocked the way for others.

"We made it! What does the two of you is going to do now?"

"John... I know it's unreasonable to ask you about this but... could you take us in again? You saw it with your own eyes. I wanted to live a normal life but they won't allow me. I, I even lost Grace! Please let us stay with you! I promise I won't leave you no matter how dire the situation will be!"

"I agree with Thomas. As long as you will let is stay we won't leave you again."

"All right! You don't need to behave like this! Didn't I already say that I'm not angry that you left? Now hurry, we need to get back to our room since Emma is there alone and I don't know how much longer she will be asleep. Who knows what will she do if she wakes up and see that she is alone there? Her sister just left her, she might think that I did the same."

"You're right! Let's go back!"

While carefully getting back to the inn where they were sleeping, John felt happy for himself.

'Now I have two friends I can trust. Of course, they could've lied to me but chances are small. Through these few tough situations, people who are with me should have pure intentions. I believe there are no more two-faced people like Grace here after all a kid as bad as her should be rare, even if they experience hardships they won't be truly bad, they will be like this only on the outside.'

After entering the room John could finally relax as he saw that Emma was still in her bed sleeping. It was already getting late but Emma suddenly woke up only to hear to go back to sleep.

"I need to go to sleep? But first I want to hear the story again. I fell asleep last time and didn't hear an ending."

John started telling the story about the ants and the grasshopper again. After he saw that Emma was asleep John turned around to only see Thomas and Clara asleep as well.

'I guess, no matter what hey went through, they are still kids.'