“Auntie! So you were safe!”
“My, if it isn’t little Anna! So I guess this means you made your escape yourself! It’s a relief to see you doing so well!”
She was the same owner who’d helped Anna make her escape from the men the other day. Anna ran and leaped straight into her arms, only for the owner to firmly catch her in an embrace.
“Auntie... Something awful happened to you, and it’s all my fault. I’m so terribly sorry.”
“Don’t be so formal, dearie! It’s an adult’s job to keep children safe! You just let us keep you out of harm’s way, okay?”
The owner shook her head, but even from within her arms, Anna looked less than convinced. The owner gave a small laugh.
“Oh, come on now. It’s hardly fitting to have a well-to-do young lady like you worrying about us. Did you take after your father on that?”
Perhaps she had. At the very least, it certainly wasn’t something she’d learned from her stepfather, Lezamer. Had it been him, he’d likely have paid no heed to anything as lowly as the suffering of the common folk.
Just as the thought crossed Anna’s mind, Meddié interjected with a proud look on her face.
“Of course she did! Anna is master’s daughter, after all!”
“You’ve got a point there!” the owner replied. “Everyone who’s lived in the city for a while has had Watt help them out at some point!”
Anna looked at Meddié curiously, only for Meddié to begin her explanation as she waggled her finger. “After all, master really is just too kindhearted for his own good! The moment he sees anyone with even a tiny problem, he comes rushing to the rescue right away. The most impressive part was right when he came to the city! Boy, he sure was strong!”
Strong? Just what was it he’d even done? Even the owner was smiling, as if she were pleasantly reminiscing on the past.
“It’s all calm and settled now,” she said, “but this city was pretty rough and rowdy back in the day. Steelriders went around acting like big shots even more than they do now, trying to be all high and mighty like they ruled the place. ‘And just who d’ya think’s bringin’ money into the city, huh?’ That’s what they’d say!”
“We get a few knuckleheads like that even now,” Meddié remarked.
“Well, now! Wonder if they’re newcomers? We’ll just have to have Mr. Watt take ’em down a few notches!” the owner said as she and Meddié broke into laughter.
“It’s been a bit over ten years since Mr. Watt came to this city, I suppose. He butted heads with the Steelriders as soon as he came, and boy, did he ever make a scene!”
“Really...?” Anna asked. “What did he do?”
“He really was amazing!” Meddié exclaimed. “I was just a little kid, but I still remember it clear as day! One moment he was picking a fight against a Mechsteel with nothing but his bare hands, and the next he’d stolen the fool’s Mechsteel! And then he went on and pulverized all the other Mechsteels!”
Anna didn’t understand it, but if he’d made a proper scene of it, she could certainly see how tales of it could be passed down in the city for years to come.
“That sure was a surprise! Even a whole bunch of Steelriders who knew their way around a Mechsteel were no match for him!”
“That’s master, all right!” Meddié said. “Pops wants him to be a Steelrider from the sound of it, but... Yeah, it wouldn’t do to just force him. I think he’s fine doing just what he does!”
“That’s for sure,” the owner replied. “The fact that he doesn’t get stuck up about it is just like him.”
“You’ve got that right!” Meddié said. “Speaking of which, this next part’s the real masterpiece! He put all the Steelriders through training! Said he was gonna straighten them out! Everyone leveled up their skills because of it, but the ones who’d been in town the longest were the ones who felt the most indebted to him!”
Anna giggled. Even during the short time they’d been together, Anna had gotten a clear sense of just how good Watt was at looking after people. She could practically imagine the sight of him going all out for someone, even if he’d butted heads with that same someone.
“So this is just our way of saying thank you, Anna. Bandits came in and stomped around a bit, that’s all. There’s not a thing you should be worrying over.”
Ah...I get it now. Father was keeping me safe this whole time.
It wasn’t just since she’d arrived in the city. The ways that Otto and Meddié had helped her, the kindness that the city’s people had shown her... It was all thanks to the trust that Watt had built up here.
As far as Watt himself was concerned, he likely thought he hadn’t done anything special. And even from here on out, there was no doubt that he’d go on extending a helping hand to people.
Your judgment was sound, mother. Father hasn’t changed a bit. He’s continued on as a noble knight.
Torn away from him, her mother had continued to trust Watt, even as the years passed. And now Anna could see the reason for herself.
I... I want to help someone too. I want to be the sort of person that someone would trust.
It was such a natural feeling. It was as if strength were gushing out from her chest. She’d found what she had to do. Her head had been hanging low, but now her gaze naturally lifted in turn.
“Thank you. I’ll do my very best!”
“Hmm?” the owner replied. “I’m not quite sure what you mean, but if you’re feeling better, that’s all that counts!”
It was right then that a poorly timed growl rang out from Anna’s stomach. Instinctively turning bright red, Anna found herself presented with a steaming bowl.
“There ya are! A bowl of our top-notch soup! Dig in before it gets cold, now! You’ve gotta eat it this time—not those filthy bandits!”
“Okay!” Anna replied. “This looks great!”
“Oh, save some for me too!” Meddié added. “Your soup’s outta this world!”
Back when she’d still been at the palace, Anna could’ve never imagined eating at the side of the road. But now, that was normal to her—and delicious to boot. The soup was every bit as tasty as its reputation suggested, leaving broad grins to spill across the girls’ faces.
Just as they were savoring their breakfasts, a low sound echoed out from the distance. Anna could see a billow of smoke rising from the other side of the walls that surrounded the city.
“Those bandits really don’t have any manners! All righty, then! Let’s go, Anna!”
“Of course!”
Meddié gulped down the rest of her soup in one go. It was positively unbecoming to do such, but Anna didn’t waste a moment before doing the same herself.
“Thank you, auntie! That soup was wonderful!”
“All right, see ya around!” Meddié added.
“You two be careful out there, you hear?”
The girls dashed away, without even a hint of hesitation.