## Chapter 56: The Road
The Winter City was bustling in the frosty morning. People were weaving in and out of the streets, each wrapped up in their own business.
And there I was, standing in the crowd, completely dazed, as if I could still hear the cawing of the ravens above me.
Just then, someone walked past me, and I quickly called out to him.
“Um… hello.”
“Ah, most distinguished miss, greetings! How may I assist you today?”
“Do you know where Powell Street is?”
“Powell Street? Hmm… doesn’t ring a bell. Is there such a street in Winter City?”
“There should be…”
“…I’m sorry, haven’t heard of it…”
“Oh, thanks.”
Tap tap tap tap.
I hurriedly ran over to a pair of chattering ladies nearby and tugged at one of their sleeves.
“Hello…”
“Oh my, where did this lovely little girl come from? Goodness, black hair!”
“Uh… do you know where Powell Street is?”
“Powell Street? Never heard of it… Are you a child of the city lord’s family?”
“…yes. May I ask…”
“Wow, such beautiful hair! What’s your name, little one? Can we chat a bit? I must tell you, my son is quite handsome!”
“Uh, sorry for bothering you.”
“Are you living in Shanter Castle? Do you have hundreds of servants waiting on you for everything… Hey, don’t go! Let me introduce you to my son—”
And I escaped like lightning to the edge of the street.
“Uncle…”
“Oh, oh! Most esteemed and beautiful miss! Please accept my highest reverence!”
“…no need for that. Can you tell me where Powell Street is?”
“Powell Street? Haven’t heard of it. I’m sorry, can’t help you… Do you need a knight? One who can handle ten at a time?”
“…No, thank you.”
“Don’t be too hasty in your refusal; I think you don’t understand my prowess.”
“Really, it’s not necessary…”
“…is that so? What a pity! It would be a great honor to protect such a beautiful lady… I live not far from Shanter Castle on Michael Street, in the smallest house. I hope you will grant me that honor ~”
“…goodbye.”
…
Bang—
I kicked a nearby lamppost.
I had cursed Edward a hundred and eighty times in my head already.
I had asked twenty people, that’s right—twenty.
No one knew where that blasted street was.
I had been wandering in the city for so long that I didn’t even know where I was anymore. The sun was directly overhead, and time was running out for our appointment.
I even started to suspect he was playing a prank on me, provided an address that didn’t exist, just to have a laugh.
Unless he was just foolish.
Could it be that I’m the foolish one?
Just when I was at my wit’s end, a cheerful little voice rang out: “Hey? It’s the noble lady!”
I turned to see the little girl Aili standing nearby, her face a picture of delight.
“Aili! What are you doing here?”
“I came to buy some things… What are you doing, sister?”
“I’m… oh! By the way, do you know where Powell Street is?”
I hadn’t expected much from this casual question, but to my surprise, Aili answered immediately: “Powell Street? I know!”
My heart leaped with joy.
“You do?!”
“Yup… what’s up, sister? Why are you so happy?”
“I’ve asked many people. No one knows…”
Aili started giggling, her little pout accentuating her dimples, looking all the more adorable.
“Of course! The people here are all wealthy. Powell Street is in a faraway slum; nobody would know a place like that! You asked the right person!”
“……”
I gently rubbed my forehead, keeping my face calm while internally cursing Edward for the one hundred eighty-first time.
“Then, how do I get there?”
“Hmm—it’s a bit far. How about I take you there?”
“Aili, aren’t you busy?”
“I’m not busy at all! I’m just glad to help you!”
After some thought, I nodded.
“Then, I’ll trouble you.”
Aili beamed at me again and took my hand, leading us forward.
“Sister, what are you going to do on Powell Street? It’s so dirty there; it doesn’t seem like a place you would go…”
“I’m going… to find someone.”
“Find someone?”
Aili tilted her head, her small face marked with confusion.
“Yup-yup.” I answered casually, not wanting the topic to continue. Instead, I asked her: “Aili, what are you buying here?”
Aili lowered her head slightly, smiling shyly.
“I want to make a pretty dress for myself…”
“Make a dress?”
“Yep. There’s a tailor across the street who’s very skilled; he’s famous in the city, but the prices are a bit steep…”
A bit steep?
I tilted my head and then unfastened the coin pouch from my waist.
The pouch was a lovely silver silk, given to me by a lady, embroidered with a crescent moon—very exquisite.
I pulled out two Valen Gold coins and handed them to Aili.
“Are these enough?”
Aili gasped, flailing her little hands.
“No! Sister, I have my own. The Dean gave it to me; I already paid. I just need to pick up the dress in a few days.”
I tilted my head to the side.
“Then, how about buying some snacks?”
“Sister…”
Seeing that Aili still wanted to decline, I pried open her small hand and placed the coins into her palm.
“This isn’t for you. It’s for everyone—to buy some snacks.”
That was a bit of a trick, wasn’t it?
Aili, being young, didn’t quite grasp the nuances of adult interactions, and her little brain couldn’t come up with a suitable reason. She probably thought it was inappropriate to accept, but felt refusing it would be rude too. So, she tightly held the money, looking utterly perplexed.
This made me chuckle, so I added: “You’re not allowed to spend it secretly.”
She promptly replied, “I won’t!”
In the end, she accepted the coins.
After a while, a smile returned to her face.
“Sister, you’re so nice! Different from any noble I’ve ever met. Those people all have their noses in the air! None of them treat us like humans… You are truly a noble person.”
I shook my head slightly.
“I’m not noble.”
“You’re just saying that… You have black hair and black eyes; it’s so wonderful! And you’re willing to talk to someone like me.”
Aili looked up at me, her eyes sparkling with admiration, making my heart ache a little.
How old could she be? Probably not even twelve? But she already understood her own place in the world.
Life is so unfair.
“…Aili, how did you end up… there?”
“Hmm? Sister, are you talking about the orphanage?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm—actually, I used to have a family. Far away, my parents were very good to me. But then, bandits came to our village, stealing food and killing people, and they all died. Luckily, I wasn’t killed… maybe they thought I was too little to care for. Then the nuns from the church saved me… or was it the clerics? I can’t quite remember—it was so long ago.”
After saying that, she waited for a response. Not hearing any, she looked up at my face, puzzled.
“…Sister, don’t be sad! I’m really doing well now! For real… Oh! I have great news for you!”
Watching her fidgeting with excitement but being very serious, I smiled broadly.
She was comforting me about her situation, which was just…
“What’s the great news?”
“Do you know why I’m making a new dress?”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to the Royal City!” As she said this, Aili’s eyes sparkled with dreams, pumping her fist in excitement, “Do you remember Mr. Charles?”
“I do.”
The snobbish gentleman who left quite an impression.
“He’s coming again next month, and guess what? Lucas and I are the chosen ones! We’re going to Cataloma!”
The little girl suddenly hopped ahead, bouncing along the side of the road, looking utterly charming.
Cataloma, I remembered—that’s where the church trains talents, which means…
“Aili, congratulations!”
“Heehee! I’ve thought it through! After I get there, I will train hard with Sister Teresa and become a holy nun one day!”
“Aili, you want to be a nun?”
“Yup-yup!”
The little girl turned to face me, her little hands behind her back, stepping back.
“Actually… don’t laugh at me, sister… I want to be a saint… I want to pray to the deity so that all children like me can have enough to eat. That’s my dream… hehe.”
She poked her cheek with her finger, her smile holding nothing but innocence.
“Aili, that’s amazing.”
“Hehe.”
Hearing me praise her, Aili looked a bit bashful, lowering her head.
The snow had just cleared, and the sun was just right.
Two figures, one large and one small, walked through countless alleys, from prosperity to decay.
The air was thick with a rancid odor, and the shabby houses were patched up; some didn’t even have windows. An old lady sitting at her doorstep looked blank, like a wilted withered tree.
… I had never been here before; I didn’t even know that Winter City had places like this.
Or rather, such places are everywhere.
“Sister, what are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“By the way, sister, I still don’t know your name.”
Hearing Aili’s question, I pondered for a moment and smiled gently at her: “Peilo.”
“Eh?”
Maybe I had said it too softly. I looked at her face and repeated.
“My name is Peilo. Peilo Guniver Winter Moon.”
“Ah…”
Aili seemed a bit excited, her little fists clenched.
“Sister, you really are a Winter Moon! How amazing! This is the first time I’ve spoken with someone from the royal family!”
“Winter Moon. It’s nothing special.”
“How amazing! Really!”
The little girl seemed to want to express her admiration towards the Winter Moon family but didn’t know how to.
After flailing her hands about for a while, her expression suddenly turned serious.
“Peilo sister, can I be your friend?”
I laughed and reached out to ruffle her hair.
“We are friends.”
“Heehee.”
We passed through yet another old street.
“Sister, Aili feels so lucky.”
“Why’s that?”
“Hmm, because… the deity said… what was it again? Oh! If one door closes on you, a window will open! Yes, that’s it! Look, sister! Not only am I going to Cataloma, but I also met you. I feel like fate is treating me especially well.”
A breeze blew through, lifting my long hair.
“Aili, you will definitely be happy. Keep working hard!”
“Yup, my goal is to become a saint! Sister, we’ve arrived.” She pointed to a broken alley ahead, “This is Powell Street.”
I wrinkled my brow, the stench of decay hitting me from afar.
Taking a deep breath.
“Thank you. Aili, you can go back now.”
