Idiot still didn't understand what the girl meant. But before he could react, the girl's fingers curled slightly, and with a light flick—
Chunks shattered, and the explosion of stone chips stung his face.
His heart almost stopped… No, to be precise, it forgot to beat at that moment. Less than a few centimeters from his ear, a huge hole suddenly appeared in the rock wall. The hole extended deep into the wall, seemingly endless…!
"I can teach you how to use the power unmatched, able to fight against a hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand foes. With this power, you will never be humiliated by anyone again. You can do anything you want, kill anyone you want to kill."
"But the condition…"
Her tender fingers pointed directly at the baby girl in Idiot's arms.
"Give me the child."
Idiot paused, lifting his head, seemingly not comprehending the situation. But that was alright; the girl was there to explain.
"I can see that this baby girl is your concern, but she is also your burden. She will distract you from mastering the power, and might even lead you astray. So give her to me, I'll take care of her, raise her. And you, you can leave this place with the sword and the enviable power, walking a path that will never cross hers again."
Would the boy accept this condition? I don't know. All I know is that he held the baby girl tightly, showing no sign of letting go.
As the girl watched this scene, she was a little shocked and waited a moment before extending her second finger—
"The other path is that you keep the child, and whether you beg or rob, you continue to care for her. However, I will take the sword from your arm. Since it has fused with your bloodline, I need to cut off your right arm to get it. Also, I won't give you any power, nor provide you with food or water, leaving you here, watching your ugly struggle."
Was there anyone who needed to consider which one to choose?
...
No one would.
The sandstorm howled in the deep night, rolling across the desert. It swept up clouds of sand that reached for the sky, engulfing everything…
…
Idiot clutched the little baby girl, huddled in a corner. He didn't respond or utter a single word. But his body was trembling, and the arms holding the baby… were trembling, too.
The infant in the swaddle was watching him, her flawless green eyes gazing. She surely had no idea of the intense inner turmoil the boy holding her was enduring.
This boy, with no blood relation, no family ties, and whose life had never crossed paths with hers before, was now caught in a struggle of thought…
Power or the baby?
By rights, it shouldn't have been a question to consider.
The first path was so generous. The girl would take the baby, who was nothing but a burden to him. Moreover, she would teach him to command the "power." With the girl, the baby need not worry about food or shelter, unlike being with him, where hunger and cold were constant, along with fear of being killed at any moment.
In contrast, the second path? No person would choose it. Who in the world would choose a path of unrewarded sacrifice with no return?
The answer… was so clear. Just hand over the baby girl, and he could free himself from these heavy shackles. But…
Why did his hands feel so heavy…
So heavy that they could not even lift a baby?
The girl sat quietly in her spot, waiting for his decision. This exceedingly simple choice dragged on for nearly half an hour. The small beggar looked at the baby in his arms, occasionally lowering his head to touch her forehead with his. The little girl sometimes laughed, her tiny hands gently patting the beggar's cheek, emitting innocent giggles…
As time passed by, after an hour, the girl stood up and approached the beggar.
"Have you decided?" The girl's words sounded cold, which was totally different from her former tone.
"…"
"It seems you still don't have an answer. Unfortunately, your indecision…"
The girl raised her hand—
"Is the best answer that I wished."