Chapter 94
Leroy bit his lower lip with a sense of ominous feeling. He could intuitively feel that his opponent was not enticed by his offer.
Sure enough, the man began to chuckle with disbelief.
But what to do? These lowly lives are worth less than ants; theyve long been pawned off somewhere.
Noticing the tense atmosphere, the girl twitched slightly.
It was a minor act of defiance, but it seemed to irritate the man significantly.
Without hesitation, the man raised his arm and struck the childs nape, knocking her unconscious.
Startled by his ruthless action, Leroy reflexively lunged at the man.
What the hell do you think youre doing!
Throwing his full weight, Leroy knocked the man off balance.
However, this was merely the result of the mans momentary carelessness; he wasnt so poor a fighter that he couldnt subdue a single cumbersome boy.
The man grabbed Leroy by the hair and slammed him mercilessly to the ground.
A surge of intense pain washed over him, his consciousness quickly becoming blurred.
His forehead felt damp. The smell of blood wafted to his nose.
Judging by the numbness across his face, he thought perhaps his nose was bleeding.
Still, instead of groaning in pain, Leroy glared fiercely at the man.
The man, checking on Leroys condition, let out a sly chuckle.
Well, well, the venoms already in your eyes.
Ill remember your voice... Ill find you, no matter what, Leroy warned with a hoarse voice.
The man looked on with an unaffected gaze, as if not feeling any immediate threat. He seemed perhaps to be lost in other thoughts.
Abruptly, the man spoke up.
Why go through all the trouble of finding me?
Leroy furrowed his brow, puzzled why the man would suddenly ask such a thing.
It was odd the man had been aggressive until now but seemed oddly intrigued upon hearing a promise of revenge.
Leroy showed his wariness, and the man, as if exasperated, pressed for an answer.
So what, if you get her back, do you plan to take responsibility for her life?
Do you think I cant?
Why would you show such earnestness to a stray orphan you just met? Unless, during the time you were trapped together, a deep bond of comradeship blossomed?
It wasnt a wrong assumption. However, Leroy had no desire to share his poignant story in the face of the mans mockery.
Instead, Leroy attempted to negotiate once more.
If its the girls ransom you want, Ill pay it in her stead. The offer to help you escape safely is still on the table. So...
Youre talking nonsense again.
Nevertheless, Leroy did not give up hope and continued to search for the girl. However, after his family became entangled in a crisis, it became increasingly difficult to maintain such stubborn determination.
He had assured her that things would be okay, that the future wouldnt be as bleak as the present, so confidently promising...
In the end, he couldnt fulfill any of the promises he had made to the girl.
Leroy often worried about the girl afterward, deeply regretting the rash vows he had left in his youth.
Was it the guilt that remained in his heart like a burden?
He couldnt forget her. For some reason, he couldnt leave her memory to fade naturally like the others.
Instead, the image of the girl became clearer in Leroys memory as time passed.
So much time had flowed that when he unexpectedly came face to face with Iona from a distance one day, Leroy recognized her instantly, as if by some miracle.
Her translucent silver hair, the red eyes that met his gaze, and the inscrutable look that made it impossible to guess what she was thinking - she was just as he remembered.
It was her. He couldnt deny that it wasnt.
He couldnt approach and reveal himself to her as she stood beside the crown prince, but instead, Leroy watched her from a distance for a very long time.
He did indeed feel a desire to share the past that he remembered with her, but he never acted on it.
Because she did not recognize him.
If she was living a new life, having stepped beyond a sorrowful past, there was no need to unnecessarily remind her of those unpleasant times.
With that thought, he could suppress any personal impulse to reveal himself to her.
Instead, he felt a sense of relief within.
She was doing well.
He had thought she had a talent for martial arts, and seeing her become a knight confirmed his belief hadnt been misplaced.
Fortunately, that must have led her to be adopted by a noble family where she could eat well and dress well...
Yet, there was a part of him that felt a twinge of regret for not being able to fulfill that promise himself.
And internally, he made a pointless regret that perhaps he should have at least let her know his name.
Because the desire for her to recognize him certainly existed in his heart.
But that small wish started to grow.
He could have remained patiently indifferent if she and he had continued as nothing to each other, but she kept treating him like he was someone special.
Leroy found emotions in her behavior towards him that went beyond a sense of obligation.
He hoped that she would acknowledge their not so brief connection, that they would become more meaningful to each other.
Iona, do you by any chance remember a time when you had no name?
So, laying down such a small stepping stone couldnt be seen as cheating.
Without at least this hint, there was a good chance she would go through life never knowing who he was.
--- End Of The Chapter ----
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