"Mommy has important work and won't be home for a few days, so she asked me to come and play with you."
Oliver pressed his palm on Little Tribios's head and gently stroked it.
"Is that so? Then, Envoy, what shall we play?"
Tribios let that big hand stroke her head.
"Don't call me Envoy, call me brother."
Oliver smiled and hugged the little girl in his arms, "How about we go shopping?"
Tribios: "But Mommy said I can't go outside, it's dangerous."
Oliver: "Not anymore. Those bad guys who caused trouble have been chased away. As long as you're with me, no one can harm you."
Tribios: "Really? Then I want to see what it's like outside."
Oliver: "Let's go."
Although the Three-Phase Temple was strictly controlled by Guards, it was effortless for Oliver to enter and exit.
The afternoon sun generously shone on City of Janus's marketplace, warming the flagstone paths.
Oliver's tall figure walked silently through the hustle and bustle, his broad right hand carefully enveloping a smaller hand—
Tribios was tightly holding his long, fair fingers. The eight-year-old girl was like a golden silk canary just released from its cage, her gem-like eyes filled with wonder for the world.
"Brother Oliver, look!"
She suddenly pulled Oliver to a stop excitedly, her small hand pointing to a honey stall.
On a huge stone slab, sticky, golden honey solidified with plump dried fruits, emitting a sweet, sun-like fragrance.
She tilted her small face up, longing almost overflowing from her eyes, yet she pursed her small lips, daring only to repeatedly 'lick' the largest piece of candy with her gaze.
Oliver lowered his eyes, taking in her silent plea.
He didn't ask anything, walking straight to the stall.
A silver coin 'clinked' into the old woman's clay bowl.
"This one."
He nodded his chin at the target.
When the honey amber, wrapped in a reed leaf and about half the size of a small palm, was handed over, he gestured to Tribios with a side turn.
The girl's eyes instantly sparkled brighter than the Aegean Sea under the sun.
"For me?"
Her voice trembled slightly. Only after seeing Oliver nod gently did she joyfully take it, hugging it tightly to her chest, her small face breaking into a sunflower-like smile, and affectionately rubbed against his thigh: "Thank you, Brother Oliver! You're so kind!"
Oliver's body stiffened for an almost imperceptible moment.
Is this the destructive power of a little loli?
Little Tribios was picked up by Oliver's strong arms, her view suddenly broadening.
Sitting in his sturdy embrace, Tribios contentedly nibbled on the honey, the 'crunch' sound accompanied by her squinting hums of enjoyment, her mouth and nose smeared with shiny, golden sugar crumbs.
After eating most of it, she suddenly remembered something, laboriously holding up the remaining small piece, trying to offer it to Oliver's mouth, her small face full of the joy of sharing: "Brother Oliver, let's eat together!"
"Okay, let me taste what it's like."
Oliver paused, looking at the honey, stained with syrup and small handprints, pushed to his lips.
He silently and quickly lowered his head to bite it, the intensely cloying sweetness instantly invading his mouth.
He chewed and swallowed with a smile, and Tribios, too, was satisfied by his acceptance, giggling as she licked her fingers, relaxing as she leaned against his shoulder.
Leaving the bustling main street, they turned into a quiet flagstone path leading towards the acropolis.
Tribios dangled her small feet, giggling and pointing at the ground: "Step on shadows!"
The shadows on the ground were stretched very long, because the glowing dawn machine was far from City of Janus.
"I'm an adult, I don't step on shadows."
Just kidding, he really couldn't bring himself to step on shadows in the street --- when she leaned forward while counting the gray pigeons on the low wall by the roadside, Oliver's arm instantly tightened, steadily supporting her small body.
To be fair, it was soft --- in front of the stone steps, a thin boy was guarding a few wild flowers.
Tribios's gaze was drawn to the tender pink, and she got down from Oliver's arms, leaning over the flower basket to admire them.
Oliver offered a copper coin, and the boy immediately presented the most blooming stalk.
Tribios happily sniffed the flowers, then looked at Oliver, who was silent beside her.
She suddenly stood on tiptoe, painstakingly inserting the tender pink flower in her hand gently into Oliver's belt.
Tribios tilted her small face up, her eyes filled with pure joy: "Brother Oliver, you look even better!"
The sunlight passed through the stone pillars, gently enveloping the large and small figures.
Oliver looked down at the abrupt yet soft flower on his waist, then at the girl's radiant smile, truly unable to bear to spoil her mood.
"Thank you for the flower."
Oliver bought another flower and pinned it in Tribios's hair.
She smiled, even more joyfully.
Tribios's small hand re-inserted itself into Oliver's large palm, warm.
"Brother Oliver," her voice was soft and sweet, like honey, "you smell like sun-baked stones."
"Is that so? Do you like it?"
"I do!"
Oliver smiled, said nothing, just held the small hand more tightly, more carefully, leading her, step by step, up the sun-drenched stone steps.
For the next five days, Oliver stayed with Tribios.
He taught her, took her shopping, told her bedtime stories --- perhaps because the little girl had not been in contact with others for many years, her affection for Oliver grew very quickly, to the point of being clingy.
Wherever Oliver went, she would stick to him.
Even so, the script had no substantial progress.
Oliver felt a little lost.
"Staying with the script's protagonist hasn't triggered any quests. Could it be that the real protagonist is Tribios when she grows up?"
"If that's the game, I'd have to live here for ten years, accompanying her as she grows up ---"
"Is this script a Development (nurturing) type?"