Russell was still troubled by uncertainty when he returned to the hall.
Then he looked up and met Carpenter's concerned gaze, and suddenly came to his senses: no matter how powerful the real Gilbert was now, they belonged to entirely different worlds.
He might not even be human anymore.
But Russell still had his own life, and people beside him who depended on him, just as he depended on them.
"It's nothing. I was just overthinking." Russell smiled softly. "Like you're always telling me, anything I can think of, people stronger and smarter than me must have thought of long ago.
Ah... I'll be more careful from now on... I'll try..."
Carpenter tilted her head slightly, then pursed her lips and cut him off bluntly. "What are you talking about!
Even if someone else has already done everything you mentioned, and done it perfectly, having someone willing to ask after them and worry about them is still a blessing, you know?
Why would you feel uneasy over something so trivial!
Would anyone really be unhappy to receive genuine care?"
Although Carpenter had misunderstood Russell's hesitation... at that very moment, he suddenly felt that all his painstaking deliberation and endless worrying had been worth it.
Indeed, people might not care whether their efforts were reciprocated when they gave, but when a response really came, they still felt happy.
He nodded, smiled faintly, and repeated, "I understand. You don't need to worry about me."
This time, Carpenter said nothing more about it and quickly changed the subject. "When do you think we'll leave?"
"Probably within the next couple of days?" Russell was a little confused himself. "There's been no word from Mage Aislin.
She's responsible for the first relocation, right?"
Carpenter couldn't help rolling her eyes. "How would I know!"
Russell had