"Why is Roman so upset today?" Sylvian asked, noticing the boy sitting by the edge of the pond with his knees pulled tightly to his chest.
The boy looked up and offered a small bow before returning to his curled position.
Sylvian lowered himself to the grass beside him and placed a comforting hand on Roman's head. "What's wrong, little one?"
"I heard bad words for my mama," Roman whispered, his voice trembling with sadness and lingering anger.
"What do you mean?" Sylvian furrowed his brows in confusion, his expression instantly sharpening. "What kind of bad words did you hear someone say about your mother?"
"Mama's father, my grandfather, Uncle. He speaks so cruelly to my mama. I felt so angry seeing the tears in her eyes," Roman muttered, staring blankly at the ripples in the pond.
