"Sister Doris! Sister Vera! Sister Shera!"
Inside the apartment, Sylphie could no longer suppress her emotions. Tears burst from her eyes instantly, her voice thick with a heavy sob. "Thank goodness... you're still alive... But what about the others? The others should still be alive too, right?"
She turned to look at Su Mu, her eyes shining with a desperate ray of hope, as if a single word of affirmation from him could mend every tragedy.
Su Mu did not respond immediately. He simply watched the scene outside the window in silence. He knew that while the soldier's words were cruel, they likely held the truth. Those young orphans possessed neither the strength of Doris's trio nor the protection of a unique identity like Sylphie's. In the face of a ruthless manhunt and the vile trade of the nobility, their chances of survival were negligible.
Though the truth was agonizing for Sylphie, he believed that a quick, sharp pain was better than a lingering one. It was better to recognize reality now than to remain submerged in a false hope.
Seeing Su Mu's silent expression, the hope in Sylphie's heart shattered bit by bit. Tears fell like pearls from a broken string.
"Waaaah... Everyone... why? We didn't do anything wrong... Why are they doing this to us?"
She choked on her words, her voice filled with grievance and despair. Those times of relying on her companions, those days of laughter and joy, now transformed into sharp blades, mercilessly stabbing at her heart.
Su Mu sighed softly and pulled her into a light embrace, his palm gently patting her back. "Cry. It's better to let it out."
His voice was low and gentle, carrying a silent comfort.
Su Mu's gaze returned to the three women outside the window as he pondered. It was no accident that Doris, Vera, and Shera had survived years of pursuit by the Asura Kingdom's soldiers. They were likely strong enough and cautious enough, hiding their tracks and usually only encountering scattered patrols, allowing them to escape danger time and again.
But the other orphans were different. They were young, physically weak, and had no means of self-protection. They either perished during the chase or were sold like cattle to the nobility—their miserable fates were easy to imagine.
As for why Sylphie survived, it was likely due to her suspected Superd heritage. Her emerald hair and unique constitution prevented her from entering bustling cities, forcing her to wander the desolate wilds. Ironically, this kept her away from the soldiers' primary search areas and the predatory eyes of the nobles. The very identity that everyone feared had ultimately become the shield that saved her life.
From the soldier's words, Su Mu had captured several key pieces of information. The "Lord" the soldier mentioned was almost certainly Darius.
During this time, he had learned from Lilia that the current King of the Asura Kingdom was Grabell Zaphin Asura—the elder brother of Ariel Anemoi Asura and formerly the first prince. With Grabell on the throne, Darius, as his staunchest supporter, would have seen his power and ambition swell to the limit. He was the shadow ruler of the kingdom; no one would dare question him, even for his most heinous crimes.
This was precisely why his soldiers were so arrogant and overbearing, hunting Doris and her group without a shred of restraint.
"In that case, the one Ghislaine is currently guarding should be Princess Ariel," Su Mu thought to himself.
Although Ariel had technically withdrawn from the struggle for the throne, she was still constantly at risk of assassination. Inviting Ghislaine to guard her was a move to use the Sword King's strength to preserve her life. For her part, Ghislaine likely accepted the invitation to maintain the status of the Greyrat family. The two women utilized each other, maintaining a delicate balance.
However, it was unclear if Ghislaine had received news of Eris's disappearance. If she had, that balance would inevitably break. While Ghislaine ostensibly served the family's interests, she truly cherished Eris. Once she learned the girl was missing, she would undoubtedly abandon Ariel without hesitation to search for her.
Su Mu shook his head slightly, clearing these thoughts. He was an outsider; these royal feuds and family entanglements held little meaning for him. Though he was the one responsible for Eris's disappearance, the girl had been far too willful and had repeatedly crossed his boundaries. As an adult, she had to take responsibility for her actions. As for the chain reaction that followed, he would deal with it when the time came.
His eyes turned cold as he refocused on the situation at the summit. Darius's men had the misfortune of crossing his path.
"Should we go?" March 7th, keenly sensing Su Mu's intent, sent a telepathic inquiry. Her tone was full of eagerness. She had always loved a spirited battle, especially one involving "heroic justice" like protecting Sylphie and avenging the fallen orphans.
"Mm." Su Mu nodded slightly. "Let everyone out. These soldiers have mediocre strength, and we can't expect much in the way of EXP or gold—since they are human enemies, the gains will be reduced by 99%—but the team needs the combat experience. We might even get some useful item drops."
"Understood!" March 7th replied instantly. She then shouted, "Sister Misaki, Yui, Sister Anna, Eris, Lilia—come out and stretch your legs!"
Shortly after she spoke, the five people inside the apartment finished forming their party. Using the apartment's hunting deployment function, they manifested instantly beside March 7th.
The moment Eris landed, she stood on her tiptoes and looked around frantically, her clear eyes full of anxiety. When she failed to see Su Mu, her small face fell, her voice dripping with disappointment. "Where is Big Brother Su Mu? Why didn't he come?"
March 7th rubbed Eris's head with a smirk. "He's watching you from the apartment. He said if you perform well, he'll give you a reward."
"Really?!"
At the mention of a reward, Eris's eyes lit up like bright stars, her disappointment vanishing instantly. She nodded vigorously, her face set with determination. "I'll definitely do my best! I'm going to kill lots and lots of people!"
In her heart, she was secretly hoping for the reward—it would be wonderful if Big Brother Su Mu petted her head more.
March 7th turned to Lilia and instructed her seriously, "Lilia, please keep an eye on Eris. Don't let her charge too far ahead."
She had wanted to call her "Sister Lilia," but knowing that Lilia was still uncomfortable with such intimate terms due to her years of servitude, March 7th simply used her name with an appropriate level of respect.
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