Ramos' eyes reignited with the flicker of hope, his head nodding eagerly, like a chick pecking at grain, as he awaited Kino's next words.
Kino withdrew the Silver Moon from his pocket, rolling it between his fingers as he spoke, his tone calm and unperturbed: "I have a few questions to ask. If you are cast into the lower-tier quarantine zone, how much time do you have left in this life?"
A horrifying thought seemed to cross Ramos' mind, and he murmured, "At most, half a month..."
Kino inquired further: "In half a month, how much can you earn?"
Ramos, his mind clouded with confusion, unable to grasp the logic of the question, stammered out his reply: "I earn 27 Iron Moons a day... for half a month, that would be... um... how much..."
Luca, quick-witted as ever, clutched her father's neck and whispered the answer: "405 Iron Moons."
Ramos slapped his forehead. "Yes, 405 Iron Moons."
Kino pressed on, unrelenting: "What about Luca?"
Ramos, unease creeping into his heart, fidgeted as though seated upon needles: "She's still young... she can only help with small tasks, earning just 3 Iron Moons a day. In half a month, that would be..."
Kino interrupted, his voice steady: "45 Iron Moons. A total of 450 Iron Moons. That is the value of your lives for the remainder of your days."
With a soft "ding," Kino tossed the Silver Moon into the air, catching it effortlessly, before placing it flat on the back of his hand. "The King, or the Laurel?"
Paladin, upon hearing those words, went pale with fear.
Ramos, still unaware of the gravity of the situation, tentatively asked, "My lord, what do you mean?"
Kino shrugged nonchalantly. "Just choose. It's either the King or the Laurel. Pick one."
Only then did Ramos understand. Kino was playing a coin toss game with him. He hesitated and quietly asked, "If I guess correctly, what will my daughter and I receive?"
Kino's trademark smile returned, serene and cold: "Everything for the rest of your lives."
Ramos' dull eyes brightened, and just as he was about to choose, he faltered, his gaze widening as he asked, "And if I guess wrong? What will my daughter and I lose?"
Kino continued to smile, the curve of his lips unchanging: "Everything for the rest of your lives."
At that moment, the full weight of the situation hit Ramos. His face drained of color, and he instinctively recoiled, clutching Luca tighter in his arms as he stumbled backward, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "I... I don't want to play this game... I don't want to choose..."
Kino's voice remained firm, unwavering. "You wanted a chance. Now, that chance stands before you, with the stakes balanced evenly on both sides. Choose. The King, or the Laurel?"
"No... no, no, no! I don't want this chance anymore!"
"Life is no game," Kino's voice was low, yet carried an undeniable finality. "Every step you take cannot be undone, just as I cannot return the coin to my pocket unless you tell me—The King, or the Laurel?"
"My lord! I was wrong! My lord! My daughter is still so young... You can't do this to her!"
"Then be brave and save her. This is a step you must take yourself, for you are her father, not I. So, choose. The King, or the Laurel?"
Ramos, stricken with terror, repeatedly slapped himself across the face, muttering incessantly, "I'm sorry," as though such words could atone for his grave error.
Luca, still young and innocent, remained unaware that her and her father's lives now hung by a fragile thread, the Silver Moon a wager of fate. To her, it was merely a game, and she watched with wide-eyed curiosity, oblivious to the peril.
As Ramos stubbornly refused to speak, Kino's smile slowly faded, and he issued his final ultimatum: "The King, or the Laurel?"
Under the weight of impending death, Ramos' consciousness blurred, and fear had paralyzed him, rendering him incapable of uttering a coherent word.
Kino turned his gaze toward Paladin, who, understanding the unspoken command, reluctantly unsheathed his saber and advanced toward Ramos.
Seeing Paladin draw near with his blade, Ramos, overcome with terror, clutched Luca desperately, holding her close to shield her from the encroaching threat.
Luca, ever dutiful, hugged her father, her small hands gently wiping away his tears.
A shadow loomed over the two, and Paladin raised his hand, the blade glinting coldly in the fading light of the sunset.
"Laurel," a sweet, innocent voice suddenly chimed in.
Luca, gazing at Kino, spoke with a soft, childlike lilt, "I choose the Laurel. I really like its scent."
At the sound, Kino withdrew his hand and glanced at the back of his hand.
Paladin instinctively stopped in his tracks, his eyes darting toward the same place.
On the back of Kino's hand, the Laurel flower bloomed with a tender smile.
"Yay! I guessed right!" Luca exclaimed, clapping her small hands, her delicate beast ears twitching in time with the rhythm.
"Well done," Kino said, smiling as he clapped for her. "I will take 450 Iron Moons from my own wages and have Paladin deliver them tomorrow."
Luca beamed sweetly. "Thank you, Lord Kino."
"Mm~ You are very polite. How old are you?"
"Eleven. Today is my birthday. Tomorrow, I'll be twelve."
"Happy birthday, little one." Kino placed the Silver Moon into Luca's hand, his tone warm and friendly, like that of an older brother. "I was in a rush today, so I didn't bring anything else. Consider this your birthday gift."
"Thank you!" Luca cradled the Silver Moon in her hands, marveling at it. "I heard these kinds of Moon coins are really valuable. I can buy so many candies with this!"
Kino shook his head. "No, do not spend it on candy."
"Then what can I buy with it?"
"Do not buy anything with it. This is your lucky coin. Keep it in your pocket, or make a hole and wear it around your neck. It will bring you good fortune."
"Oh~" Luca nodded obediently. Her eyes then caught sight of Kino's damaged sleeve, and she shrank back slightly, as though caught in some wrongdoing. "I'm sorry, my papa ruined your clothes... Do we need to pay for it?"
Kino answered calmly, "Of course, when you damage someone else's belongings, you should make reparations. It's basic courtesy, don't you think?"
Luca, head lowered, asked cautiously, "Then... what should we give you in compensation?"
Kino stroked his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he extended his arms toward her, smiling as warmly as a gentle winter sun. "How about a hug?"
Luca's face lit up like the sweetness of honey, and she eagerly flung herself into Kino's embrace.
"Wait a moment." Kino stepped back, his expression suddenly serious as he addressed Ramos. "Mr. Ramos, your daughter is still a child. Before I make physical contact with her, I must first have her father's permission. Do you consent to me hugging her?"
Ramos, shaken from his anxiety, nodded repeatedly, muttering, "Yes... yes..."
"Thank you." Kino then embraced Luca, gently ruffling her fluffy ears.
After spending a pleasant time conversing with Luca, Kino finally bid farewell to the father and daughter, the moonlight now high in the sky.
As he turned to leave, Kino glanced back at Ramos, his smile tinged with something inscrutable. "If you ever need to help me in the future, would you?"
Ramos, nervously wiping sweat from his brow, answered in a meek voice, "Of course, my lord, I will definitely help."
Kino's smile held a certain depth as he turned and walked away.
Once beyond the barricade and onto the street, Paladin, half-joking, remarked, "One Silver Moon, 450 Iron Moons—almost 500 cranberry breads gone."
Kino remained silent, his amber eyes shifting as he stared toward the Triple Shackles Domain.
[Respect from Luca Moppesson: 54.]
[Fear from Ramos Moppesson: 59.]