Chapter 004
“Didn’t you say you could treat wounds?”
“The child refused.”
The doctor blamed the man who had entered with the child, but when he heard the answer, he realized it wasn’t really his fault.
“Still, the child needs treatment.”
The physician sighed deeply and approached Ronshka.
“Child, let’s treat your wounds.”
Ronshuka rolled his eyes and looked at Adele, then quietly extended his foot. It was a completely different attitude compared to when she was unconscious.
“There seems to be more to treat than just the foot.”
As the doctor gathered his supplies, he rolled up Ronshuka’s sleeve. There were scars, scratches, and bruises all over his arm.
“Who could have done this to such a small child?”
The doctor spoke in a voice full of sighs, but Ronshuka didn’t react.
There had been many people who worried about him in the past, but that was always short-lived. Whenever they saw him handle fire, their attitude would change. They called him a monster and distanced themselves from him.
So Ronshka didn’t like other people. Their kindness was always temporary, and the end was always painful.
Even if they called him a monster or hurt him with words, only his mother remained by his side. She was his entire world.
As the physician cleaned and treated his foot, Ronshka held tightly onto Adele’s hand.
“Does it hurt?”
Adele asked softly. Ronshka rolled his eyes, hesitated, then answered.
“No, it doesn’t hurt.”
He was so used to wounds that they didn’t feel pain anymore. So, he said he was fine.
‘I should have said it hurts!’ He thought.
The realization came too late.
What if I don’t get mom’s attention now? Ronshuka looked at Adel with anxious eyes.
But unexpectedly, Adel kept looking at him. That unwavering gaze made him feel happy. Ronshuka grinned again.
But Adele’s heart ached even more.
How much pain must he have endured to become like this? She felt crushing guilt.
“The foot is treated. Now let’s check the rest.”
The physician examined Ronshka’s arm and then removed his shirt entirely.
Seeing the wounds all over his small body, Adele wanted to close her eyes but didn’t. She felt she had to watch—it was her fault, after all.
She held back tears as she watched ointment being applied to his wounds, her throat tight with emotion. All she could do was hold Ronshka’s hand more firmly.
If only she could take all his pain onto herself. But she couldn’t. All she could offer was an apology.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Adele’s voice trembled with guilt as it escaped her lips. The physician, too focused on treating the child, didn’t notice, but Lucas did.
Whether Adele had directly hurt the child or allowed it to happen, one thing was clear: she was responsible for the abuse.
The moment he realized this, a wave of disgust rose in his throat. Looking at the child, still holding onto his abuser, reminded him of his own past.
His own mother had abused him, and he had never been able to let her go.
Maybe that was why. Lucas made an impulsive decision.
He kneeled down to Ronshka, who had almost finished being treated, and met his gaze., “When your wounds heal, will you come with me?”
Ronshka’s red eyes widened in surprise.
“I may not be able to give you everything you want, but I’ll make sure you grow up without any lack.”
It wasn’t an impossible promise. Lucas was the eldest son of a duke.
Though he had distanced himself from his family, the inheritance from his grandmother ensured he could live however he wished.
He couldn’t give Ronshka a mother’s love, but he could provide everything else.
“Come with me.”
Ronshka’s gaze shifted briefly to his mother. Adele’s face crumbled in shock. Her green eyes filled with tears that she fought to hold back.
“By myself?”
Ronshka asked in trembling voice.
“Yes, alone,” Lucas said firmly.
At those words, Adele’s expression broke completely. Her lips trembled as she bit down her lips to stop herself from crying.
Countless emotions flashed through her eyes, then settled like a still lake as she came to a decision.
“Alone?” Ronshka repeated in shock. His small body began to shake.
“No, I can’t! I want to stay with Mom!”
“Your mother can’t come.”
“Why not?”
Lucas remained firm despite Ronshka’s distressed voice.
“Because she hurt you.”
“No, she didn’t!” Ronshka shouted desperately.
He clung tightly to Adele, digging his nails into her hand, then grabbed her arm and held on with all his strength.
He wanted his mother to say she wouldn’t let him go. But those words never came.
Fear gripped him.
Was he just a burden to her? What could he do to avoid being separated from her?
Desperate, Ronshka came to a conclusion.
Lucas didn’t know about his fire. If he found out, he would surely change his mind.
“I’m a monster!”
He shouted it, then squeezed his eyes shut, expecting harsh words. But none came.
Confused, he opened his eyes and saw Lucas, who had gotten even closer, looking at him with a twisted expression.
“Why do you think that?” Lucas asked.
“What?”
“You said you’re a monster. Why?”
After hesitating, Ronshka whispered, “Fire.”
As soon as he said the word, a small flame ignited at his feet.
“Ah! Fire!”
The physician screamed, running to find water.
Adele, however, calmly pulled Ronshka into her arms, shielding him. Lucas observed the scene closely.
The fire soon extinguished, but suspicion lingered in the physician’s eyes. His previously kind demeanor turned to wary.
Ronshka wasn’t surprised. This was always how it went.
People who showed him kindness never stayed.
Only one person had ever remained by his side—his mother.
The one who caused him pain, and the one who gave him joy, was all the same person. She had hated him, but unlike the others, she had never spat on him or hit him.
So the doctor’s change in attitude wasn’t surprising.
He no longer cared about such things. All that mattered now was the warmth of his mom’s embrace.
As Lucas inspected the scorch mark on the floor, he looked back at Ronshka and asked, “Did you do this?”
“Yes, because I’m a monster,” Ronshka replied, hoping to scare him off.
Is it scary now? You won’t take me, will you?
He tried to sound as frightening as possible, but Lucas’ expression didn’t change. With a neutral expression, he continued to look at Ronshuka before speaking again.
“You have the talent of a spirit master.”
The declaration made Adele’s arms loosen around Ronshka.
Someone had finally recognized Ronshka’s abilities—and it was someone offering to care for him.
Despite all her doubts about humanity, Adele couldn’t help but wonder: Could someone else give him happiness?
Ronshka, noticing his mother’s weakening grip, panicked.
“Mom, are you going to leave me?” he asked, his voice trembling with fear.
For the first time, he didn’t want to give up. His mother’s rare attention had been too sweet to let go.
“I’ll be good! I won’t cry, and I’ll eat very little! I can work hard too!”
He desperately listed the things he could do.
He could eat just once a day, and even if that was hard, he could manage without food. Later, if his stomach hurt, he could eat tree bark or grass.
He’d never worked before, but he’d figure it out. Anything to stay with her.
