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𝐏𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞
“What’s going on at this late hour?”
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“Luke! Are you okay?!”
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Startled by Leah’s scream, Sicily and Alma, who were sleeping in the next room, rushed in.
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The two froze upon seeing Luke standing still and Leah crying beside him.
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“Uh. . . are we intruding. . .?”
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“L, Luke. . . what is this. . .”
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Alma’s entire body started to be enveloped in Demonstration Armor with a clattering noise.
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“It’s a misunderstanding! It’s not like that!”
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Luke’s desperate cries echoed in the darkness of the night.
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“Our mother died of illness when we were young, and our father was killed by a demon beast during a dungeon raid.”
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Leah began to speak in a trembling voice.
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“Since then, Onii-chan has always taken care of me. He did odd jobs around the village and even joined adventurers for dungeon raids on behalf of me, who was too young to work. We were happy, even in our poverty. But then. . .”
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Leah wiped her eyes.
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“I fell ill, and it required a huge amount of money for treatment. To earn that money, Onii-chan became a slave to those people. . .”
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“Is that so. . .”
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Luke looked up at the sky.
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If that’s the case, I can understand that extraordinary patience.
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Just because someone is a slave doesn’t mean their master holds the power of life and death over them.
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There’s even the possibility of getting arrested for killing, and on the contrary, there have been incidents where slaves killed their masters due to the harsh labor imposed on them.
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Nevertheless, Pit must be enduring such treatment to protect his sister’s life.
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He could have run away, but perhaps he’s enduring it, thinking that if he escapes, the responsibility might also fall on his sister.
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Tears streamed down Leah’s face as she sobbed.
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“I really am grateful and feel sorry. . . but the more I think about it, the more painful it becomes. . . I sometimes wish he hated me, so he could be free and not worry about me. . .”
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Alma and Sicily sat on either side of Leah, gently supporting her shoulders.
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“Poor thing, you’ve been suffering all this time.”
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“Those people, they’ve been exploiting him and making him work all this time. How awful!”
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Tears appeared in the eyes of both.
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“Leah, you don’t need to be so hard on yourself.”
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Luke squatted in front of Leah, taking her hands.
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“The path Pit has chosen, enduring all that, is all for your sake. So don’t blame yourself.”
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“U. . . uaaaaahhhhh!!!!”
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Leah jumped into Luke’s arms.
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She buried her face in his chest, crying loudly.
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Pit had been branded a traitor. He likely had no one in the village to confide in.
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Her pent-up emotions were overflowing.
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Waiting for Leah to calm down, Luke quietly spoke.
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“Leah, let me handle this. I promise to rescue your brother.”
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Leah looked up at Luke in surprise.
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“But. . .”
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Luke wiped Leah’s eyes while smiling gently.
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“It’s not like I’m being nosy. It’s just that this matter can’t be unrelated to the 《Blue Sky Hawk》. Eventually, I think I’ll have to deal with Pit again. So, when that time comes, I’ll find a way to handle it.”
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“Really?”
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“Yes, I promise. So, when that time comes, make sure to convey your feelings to Pit. If you part without saying anything, you’ll only be left with regrets.”
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Pit must feel the same way.
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Luke saw his past self in Pit.
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He couldn’t just stand by and watch his sister part ways without sharing their true feelings.
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“So, could you wait a little longer? I think we’ll be staying in Mercapolis for a while, and during that time, I’ll try to sort things out with Pit.”
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Though Natalia and Sicily had hit it off, it seemed unlikely that the merchants of Mercapolis would readily accept them.
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They would need to stay here until things were on track.
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“Understood. . .”
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New life returned to Leah’s eyes as she wiped her tears.
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Then she looked up at Luke, determined.
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“Then, please let me help you, Luke-san, during this time!”
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“What?! That’s a bit. . .”
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Luke was surprised by Leah’s unexpected proposal.
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“Please! I can’t just sit and wait doing nothing! Let me at least help with chores! I’ll do the cooking, laundry, cleaning, everything!”
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Leah bowed her head again.
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“W, What should I do?”
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Luke looked at Alma and Sicily, troubled.
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He had never considered having an assistant or servant, being still in training.
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But he couldn’t refuse Leah, who seemed unlikely to change her mind with just a little persuasion.
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And rejecting her now would make their recent promise seem like a lie.
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“I agree. Knowing the situation, we can’t just leave Leah-chan like this!”
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Alma firmly stated her opinion and hugged Leah.
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“Leah-chan, you can relax now. We’ll protect you!”
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“I agree too. . . actually, I was hoping for an assistant. It was reckless to venture into unfamiliar territory without knowing anything.”
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“Alright then. Leah, please take care of us from today. But remember, you’re not a maid or a slave, you’re one of us. Never think of yourself as lesser.”
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“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
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Leah nodded with a smile as bright as a full-bloomed flower.
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Thus, accompanied by the two, Leah left the room.
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“Phew. . .”
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With a deep sigh, Luke collapsed onto the bed.
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He was once again aware of the gravity of the situation.
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He never expected to actually confront the 《Blue Sky Hawk》.
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This time, a simple compromise like in the dungeon wouldn’t suffice.
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He might end up facing the entire Mercapolis.
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Still, he was sincere in his words to Leah.
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He was determined to free Pit, no matter what.
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“First, I’ll help Sicily establish a foothold in business, then deal with the 《Blue Sky Hawk》 regarding Pit. . . It won’t be easy.”
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Thinking about this, Luke eventually fell asleep.