The Road Through the Forest

He went on to explain his circumstances—why he couldn't go himself right now, and his concerns about putting the children on a public carriage.

"I see. Well then, how about I take them for you?" Wilde offered. "I'm heading to Gustglen Town anyway. I'll be taking a slightly longer route, but my wagon's probably a safer and more comfortable way to travel than a shared coach."

"Oh, that would be a huge help. I'd feel much better about that." Boris took a folded sheet of paper from his satchel and handed it over. "Here's the address and a map to the house they're supposed to go to. Sorry to trouble you. I'll make sure to thank you properly later."

It felt like a lifeline, and Boris handed over the map with genuine relief.

"Don't worry about it," Wilde replied with a shrug. "Helping each other out is just part of being a merchant. No one should push themselves too hard. Those who can help should help—that's how our kind survives."

"I really appreciate it," Boris said gratefully. "Let me buy you a drink later."

"I'll hold you to that," Wilde chuckled.

Then Boris turned to Bao Bei and Judy and pulled each of them into his arms in turn.

"That Uncle Wilde will take you to Gustglen Town. Once you're in the city, you're probably going to run into more bad and painful things. But at the lady's house, study hard. Learn to live strong. If I ever have the chance to visit the city, I'll definitely come find you."

"Yeah. Yeah, thank you, Uncle Boris. Thank you so much. I'll do my best—I promise!" Judy burst into tears as he hugged Boris tightly and expressed his gratitude through sobs.

"Uncle Boris... th-thank y-you… sniffl… Bao Bei too… Bao Bei too… waaahhh…"

Bao Bei also cried with his face buried in Boris's clothes. He wept so hard that both his tears and runny nose soaked into Boris's outfit, but Boris didn't mind. He simply held them both close without hesitation.

"Stay safe! Be strong!" he shouted, his voice filled with emotion.

Boris looked back again and again as he boarded his wagon and finally departed, each step away heavier than the last.

Even after Boris's wagon disappeared from view, Bao Bei and Judy kept waving their hands. Watching this, Wilde called out to them gently.

"Alright, little ones, how about we get going now? We're taking a route that goes through the forest, so I'd rather not fall too far behind schedule," Wilde said with a gentle smile.

"Yes!"

"Okay!"

Wiping their tears roughly with their sleeves, Bao Bei and Judy quickly ran after Wilde, their little feet pattering on the road.

Wilde's wagon was a proper horse-drawn one, the real kind pulled by an actual horse.

"Wow! A horse!"

"Look at its face—it's so long!"

Wilde laughed at their excitement.

"I'm a traveling merchant, you see. I spend almost the whole year going from place to place. This guy's my precious partner," he said, giving the horse a light pat.

Inside the wagon, Wilde had neatly packed loads of fluffy, well-dyed wool and carefully tanned furs, all wrapped in waterproof cloth. It seemed he was planning to sell them ahead of the coming colder season. Nestled among the soft cargo, Bao Bei and Judy found a comfortable spot, while Wilde loaded up smaller sacks of wheat and medicinal supplies meant for the villages they'd stop at along the way.

He tossed a small hemp bag toward the children. Curious, they opened it and found candies and baked sweets inside.

"Waaah! Thank you, mister!"

"Eat it slowly, alright? We've got a long road ahead, since we're taking the long way," Wilde warned them with a wink.

When Wilde climbed up onto the driver's bench and gave a gentle tug on the reins, the horse let out a lively whinny. With Bao Bei and Judy on board, Wilde's wagon took off down a path separate from the shared coach that was heading toward Gustglen Town.

As the town scenery faded behind them and the surrounding fields grew sparse, the narrow road began winding into a thick forest.

The trees, some already tinged with autumn colors and others still lush with green, loomed over them as the wagon rolled along with a steady clatter.

The soft rustling of falling leaves could be heard, unfamiliar birdcalls echoed from the treetops, and far off, something howled like a distant wolf.

Gripping their bag of sweets tightly, Bao Bei and Judy huddled close together, clearly nervous. Wilde turned around to reassure them.

"That sound you heard was a Conga—it's a kind of monkey. They're loud, but they're gentle creatures. There aren't any monsters or dangerous beasts around these parts, so don't worry."

The forest, shaded by thick foliage, was cool despite the strong autumn sunlight. The rhythmic clop clop of the horse's hooves was soothing, and before long, drowsiness began to creep in.

Just as Judy's head bobbed and she snapped back awake, her gaze landed on something tucked behind the cargo. Peeking out from the edge of a slightly opened bundle was a small toy horse, painted in red and blue.

"Uncle... Do you have a kid?" Bao Bei asked innocently.

Wilde turned around from the driver's seat and saw Bao Bei holding the package with the wooden horse. He gave a slow nod.

"Yeah... He's four years old."

"That's the same as Bao Bei!" Judy piped up brightly.

Bao Bei's ears perked as he looked up at Wilde. But when Wilde met his eyes, he continued in a more somber tone.

"My boy's got a weak body," Wilde said, his voice low but steady. "He's always bedridden. Watching Bao Bei makes me envious. I bet my son would love to run around outside, just like him."

With a sharp flick of the reins, Wilde guided the horse expertly. The animal stepped neatly around a thick tree root protruding from the middle of the road.