I slapped Lucia across the face. She was stunned, unable to understand what happened as she slowly turnned to me, hand on her cheek, staring me as if asking, what just happened.
Even King and Laren were speechless.
Confused she asked, "... Why?"
"Why, you say... What are you an idiot or what? Why do you act so reckless, huh? What happen if that demon really killed you on your provocation? Are you stupid?!" I yelled at Lucia.
Looking down, she didn't utter a word.
"..."
"Tell me, if I weren't here, what would have done? Don't you see you have a family who you... love you... Still you act so reckless, throwing away your life."
Laren tried to cut in but King stopped him.
"Didn't you have a job to do dumbass, something only you can do."
"... Job?" She repeated in confusion.
"Don't you say that you want to protect your people, your kingdom... You are a hero, aren't you? It's your job to defeat the Demon Lord and protect everyone!"
"...!" At my words, Lucia realized her fault and passed a apologetic nod.
"How will you suppose to protect others when can't even protect yourself?! Throwing away your life means running away from your duties, running away from being hero... Disgracing the decision of Gods. Those Gods who give you this power in order to protect others."
"...!"
"𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙆𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚, hup! What do you think you were doing, a legendary sacrifice? The one who is going to protect your people is you yourself not others. No one is gonna come to fulfill your duty just keep that in mind, tch... Let him kill me." I muttered last part but kept it audible.
"..."
That was the main reason why I diagree to save her in start. I was going to save her without anyone's plea. There was no reason for King to beg me in the first place but, the moment she throw away her life as if nothing, I gave up on saving her... But in the end, I still saved her in round-bout way, cuz, it was my duty...
I looked at Lucia. She was barely holding herself to burst into tears but my anger stopped her.
She knows well that crying will not gain her sympathy but only act as a oil in fire in my anger.
"... I... I am... sorry..."
Lucia said in a low voice. My words has surely hurt her as it can clearly sense in her voice, but it was necessary.
From what I have seen, Lucia is a kind hearted girl. She is weak from inside, easy to be used. She is way to emotional and didn't use much of her mind. Anyone can easily use her just by pushing a bit of her emotions, that's why I have to train her.
I break Lucia just because she is immature... Since I'm going to be here, I will rebuild her, make her strong, help her to grow so that she can get mature... Mature enough that no one can manipulate her or break her will easily. She needs to work hard cuz this battle has hasn't begin yet. It's going to be way brutal and I'm not going to help them everytime cuz it's them who will write there own fate to either survive or turn into dust... That's why I can't let her die now, not yet. She can grow, no she will definitely grow. I'll make her grow.
She is like a small plant, which has just came out of the seed. A small plant can be easily uproot if someone pull it, but a tree can not.
One day, this little plant will grow into a large tree that now one will be capable of pulling it out from the ground. You can cut the tree, break it's branches, but, it will grow up again. And become even stronger to be penetrated, same will go for Lucia.
It's not like she will also be undefeated. She will definitely face harness, defeats, and worst, even the near death experience in battles but, the more she survives, the more she faces... the more she will grow and become strong.
I know she had a potential which is yet to release. I'll help her to unlock that potential and help her to become strong. Stronger than anyone else in this world.
And in the end, I'll watch from the side line the whole show... Spect how things are going to end...
And wait for her victorious moment or... her death, her end.
But first,
𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘐 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘵.
I looked over Lucia who was on the edge of tears and then saw King and others from the corner of my eyes. They were wait for what I was going to do next but were definitely worried.
I sighed, and then put my hand on her head.
I patted her head as she looked up at me with those innocent eyes of a baby animal.
"... Look, treasure yourself. There are people who thinking about you worries about you. Don't you think they are also gonna hurt if anything happened to you. There is no need for you to do something that is beyond your reach, just leave it to them who can handle it, alright... Think about it."
After listening my words, Lucia looked around at Laren and other, they smiled at her.
She realised that there are people who also care about her and will be sad if she will be gone.
Then she turned back at me again.
At that very moment, she finally burst out in tears. She collapsed in my chest, hugged my front tightly. Clinging my shirt, she let her tears flow.
"... I am sorry. I am really sorry for acting so reckless and to make you all worried... Th-Thank you... Thank you so much for saving me. I-I was scared, so sacred. I wanted to die, you really saved me. Thank You!" She finally confessed.
𝘏𝘦𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧?! 𝘔𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺?! 𝘎𝘦𝘦𝘻, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺, 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳...𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯...
Wait, didn't I just patted her head? I didn't did it before asking her or someone's permission, so that makes us equal, doesn't it? Well, maybe I'm also in the fault here so I think, I'll just let it go this time...
I looked around and saw King and Laren smiling at me. Leon and Red hairs were also doing the same but, it was clear that Red hairs was irritated.
𝘏𝘦𝘩, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘪𝘵?
On the other hand, Nerisa was glaring at me without hiding her displeasure... She was gesturing something. Her eyes... It was as if they were saying, "Hug her! Hug her back or else I'll kick your ass!"
I gave them all a wry smile and then lightly patted Lucia's head again.
. . . . .