The man watched him for a moment.
The merchant was breathing heavily, his eyes glazed over.
-Please..." he whispered with his last drop of life. Forgive me...
The man said nothing, got up from the chair in which he waited every time the merchant fainted, and left the room; he just let him die.
Such a rotten soul did not deserve a final blow, He deserved to feel his own body wasting away until the last second.
The man wiped the blood from his hands and collected all the merchant's money. Sacks full of gold coins, Jewelry, and Papers with important names. He took everything he could carry.
The girl stayed out of the room the whole time after the merchant was tied up.
Before leaving, the man took a handful of coins and went to the room where the girl was.
She was sitting on the floor, her back against the wall. Her gaze was still vacant.
The man knelt down in front of her and held out the bag with the money.
- Now you are free. -
The girl blinked.
-You can go wherever you want. Make your own decisions. No one is going to stop you. -
She looked at the bag, but she didn't take it, she didn't say anything, she just looked him in the eyes.
The man sighed, stood up, and turned to leave. At that moment, the girl looked at the money and looked up at the man's back.
For the first time in years, her eyes reflected light and hope, she smiled for the first time...She had not been used, she had been saved.
She could do what she wanted with her life, and she had decided she wanted to follow that man.
The man was walking down the streets, away from the building, but he heard footsteps behind him. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. The girl was following him silently.
-Don't follow me. - The man frowned.
She didn't stop, He turned around completely.
-It's dangerous. I don't want you to be near me, go and live as you wish.
The girl took out a small paper and a pencil from her pocket. With small hands, she wrote something and then showed it to him.
"You are not dangerous. You saved me. You told me to do what I wanted with my life. Now my life belongs to you because you saved me. I choose to follow you."
The man blinked. For an instant, his hardened features showed confusion.
-Why are you writing?
She lowered her gaze and then nodded her head.
She could not speak. She had never been able, She had never been able to cry out, She had never been able to ask for help, The merchant had controlled everything in her life, even her voice, and yet she had chosen him.
The man stood silently, watching the girl. She didn't scream when he found her in the office. She made no sound when the merchant died. She didn't even let out a gasp when she saw the blood on his clothes, and now... she only communicated by writing.
He narrowed his eyes.
-You can't talk, can you?
The girl hesitated for a moment, then looked down again.
The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
Leaving her here was not an option.
She was small and fragile, and this place was infested with rats worse than the dead merchant. If he left her alone, someone else would come to take advantage of her.
If he took her with him, at least she would have a chance.
It wasn't an ideal option, but it was the best option.
-Do what you want. - The man sighed deeply.
The girl looked up and stared at him. For a moment, she seemed surprised. The girl followed him without hesitation. For the first time, she felt that her life really belonged to someone.
After walking for a while through the stores and streets of the town, listening to ephemeral conversations, she took out her notebook and wrote something.
"What's your name?"
The man blinked, somewhat puzzled by the question.
It wasn't what he had expected, but then, after all he had been through, he laughed a little. In all this time, no one had ever asked him his name.
-Ryan," he replied with a small smile.
The girl nodded and went back to writing.
"What about me?"
-Don't you have a name? - Ryan frowned.
She shook her head. Of course, she didn't have one. To others, she was nothing more than an object, A possession, A toy.
But that was about to change. Ryan was thoughtful for a moment, then he looked at the girl with a faint smile.
-I'll call you Lia. Do you like it?
She tilted her head.
-It means "lioness. - Ryan folded his arms.
Lia blinked.
-If you're going to travel with me, you need to be strong and learn to defend yourself; you can't stay weak. In the world, weak people die," he said.
For the first time, the girl's eyes shone with something more than emptiness, and, for the second time, she smiled.
With money in their pockets and new clothes, Ryan and Lia took to the streets again.
The lights of the market shone brightly, and the merchants announced their products with loud voices. Lia watched everything with fascination. Every stall, every item, every person.
Ryan noticed how her big, curious eyes kept moving from side to side, Finally, her gaze settled on one stall in particular.
It was a skewer vendor, and the aroma of grilled meat and spices was irresistible.
Ryan watched her swallow saliva.
-Do you want one? -he asked.
Lia nodded quickly with her eyes shining like stars. The man smiled softly and approached the stall.
The owner, a stout woman in a grease-stained apron, greeted them with a smile.
-Welcome, what can I get you?
-Two each," Ryan replied, taking out some coins.
As the woman began to prepare the skewers.
-Do you know this place well? - Ryan decided to seize the moment.
-I've lived here all my life," the woman replied. Are you lost?
-Something like that. - Ryan hesitated for a moment.
The woman nodded and pointed east.
-If you're looking for guidance, you should go to the Central Unit. They help travelers and people who get lost there. -
-Where is that? -
-In the Land of Fire, in the Hidden Leaf Village. - said the lady.
Ryan frowned.
-I've never heard of that place. -
The woman shrugged her shoulders.
- It's weird. A lot of people from the outside know about it. But if you want to get there, it will only take a few days. -
That was good news, but there was a problem.
-I need transportation. -
-In that case... -The woman leaned a little towards him. -Right now, there's a merchant who needs a bodyguard. He had a problem recently and has to return to the village. If you help him, you could travel with him.
Ryan arched an eyebrow.
-Where do I find him? -
The woman pointed to an area on the other side of the market.
Ryan thanked her for the information, paid for the skewers, and handed one to Lia. She took it with both hands and, as soon as she took a bite, her eyes widened with surprise. It was her first real meal in a long time.
-Slow down, we have time. - Ryan chuckled.
Lia smiled as she chewed. For the first time in years, she looked like a normal kid.
After eating, Ryan and Lia headed to where the merchant was. When they arrived, they saw a man organizing his cart. There were several boxes of fruit and other products arranged in the back.
Ryan approached.
-Do you need help? -
The merchant stepped out of the cart with a friendly smile.
-Yes, I just need a gua.... -
Silence fell on both of them like a slab. The merchant froze, and His face lost all color. His eyes widened immeasurably.
-Y-Y-Y-You... -
Ryan arched an eyebrow.
-AAAAAAAHHH!!!!! - The merchant let out a scream and, with a desperate leap, fell backward into the chariot.
Ryan blinked, and Lia cocked her head, Then, Ryan recognized him.
It was the same merchant he had attacked a few days ago... by order of the deceitful merchant.
-Damn..." Ryan sighed and put a hand to his face.