Lila felt a pang of sadness at Ash's words.

She broke the bread in half and handed a piece to him. "I can't finish it all. Will you help me eat half of it?"

Ash shook his head.

"Grandma said one for each of us. I can't take yours, Lila," he said earnestly.

His eyes suddenly caught sight of the man in the military coat, and his face lit up with a cheerful smile. "Mr. Mapleford!"

Said man looked up briefly. He had taken off his mask, but his long hair and lowered head still obscured most of his face. When he heard Ash calling, he gave

a low grunt in acknowledgment without looking up further.

Lila hadn't heard James speak when she met him, so she didn't recognize his voice.

After finishing his meal, the man in the military coat quickly put his mask back on, as though afraid someone might see his face.

Lila asked Ash, "Have you ever seen what Mr. Mapleford looks like? Why does he always wear a mask?"

"Because he's not handsome," Ash replied with a child's bluntness. "I asked him once, and Mr. Mapleford said he has scars on his face and doesn't want to scare people."

Lila's grip on her spoon tightened. "Have you seen those scars? Where are they? What do they look like?"

in thought before pointing

she felt more disappointed or relieved at

remain unavenged if she couldn't find

with police bulletins seeking James, and news could

that if cornered, he might act

glanced at the man. He kept his head down

area. If this man were James, wouldn't it be

In the afternoon, he followed Lila around, sometimes even helping her carry a few pots of

well-behaved, the

up, Lila washed up and prepared to head back,

they walked,

seemed unusually crowded

you know those people?" Lila asked

clothing didn't stand out much from the locals, but Louise had mentioned there were few young people left

his head.

tightened her grip on his

a corner, she felt the cold

a

instinctively pulled Ash into her arms to

voice low, but Lila caught a glimpse of green fabric out of the corner

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