How was he supposed to help when he didn't know what was the matter? Ethan felt like he'd done something wrong, maybe step over some invisible line or said something he shouldn't have, who knows. It didn't take long for Amuné to spill the beans, and while now he knew the reason for the crying it didn't exactly make things any easier. Not only was she homesick it seemed, but something nasty must have happened to her father. How in the world was he supposed to make that any better? Letting the little Ydran girl take his hand he gave her a heartbroken glance, trying to think of anything, anything at all he might say to comfort her. 

Not wanting to overstep any boundaries, Ethan simply kept his hand on Amuné's head and offered her a gentle smile, moving a bit closer in hopes maybe the proximity would help soothe her. "Hey now... I'm sure wherever your dad is, he's fine. And we can even go try and find him later, okay? I'm not sure where he is, but when we're in the city we can ask around! With how many people are supposed to be inside of these places someone there is bound to know something." If he could find information on his friend there then surely they could find information about Amuné's father. Asking about a missing Magi was risky, and bringing a human-like Machina into a bustling city was as well; Ethan couldn't think of a single reason why asking about some young girl's father would be risky whatsoever. 

"I know you miss your dad right now, and I know how much it hurts to be away from someone, believe me. But we'll see him again, I swear my life on that." Knowing the pain of loss and separation he could really sympathize with the girl, and that made him all the more determined to help her out. Much as he wanted to keep trying to console Amuné, they really should get moving here soon. There was no way of knowing where those men from before might be, and given they had spent the night out here it was possible the gap between them was minimal at best. Figuring a way to help her a little he reached out and eased her off of her feet, smiling kindly as he lifted her and placed her on his shoulders. "There! Now you can have a break from walking for a bit, and you get to see things from way up there! It's a win-win!" he said cheerfully, trying to tickle at the little girl's sole to pep her up a little.

Wyth was no doubt snarling at him by now, but Ethan wanted to focus on getting them away from potential danger and closer to the city. There was an awful lot riding on this adventure, even more now that Amuné's father was thrown into the mix. The longer they took to find either man the more danger they could face, so time was of the essence here. "Right! To the next town for some oil, then on to the city!" he announced, grinning as he gave Amuné a playful little bounce before stepping out to the road and starting down it, "Oh, and we've gotta get Amuné a new dress too, can't forget that!" Which likely meant he'd be picking up some work while they were there, be it chopping wood, moving crates or whatever the locals might ask of him. Ethan was no stranger to doing menial labor for change, and if it meant providing for his new companions then he was all too happy to do so. "By the way, Cecil? Where did you come from anyways? I mean were you in a city and then wandered out here?"