"Olivia... come here."
The moment Fruela loosened the rope from the womanâs wrists, she rushed forward and pulled her daughter into her arms. The two clung to each other, trembling, their sobs breaking softly in the cold air.
Leon turned away, his voice calm and even. "Letâs go."
He started walking out of the alley, his boots scraping lightly over the snow-coated stones. Fruela wiped her hands on her cloak and followed immediately, silent as ever.
But before they reached the street, a voice called after them.
"S-Sir... please, wait!"
Leon paused mid-step and turned slightly, his expression unreadable. "Hmm?"
The woman stood a few paces behind him, still holding her daughter close. Her eyes were red from crying, but she forced herself to speak clearly. "Sir... do you live around here?"
Leon regarded her quietly. "No. I live outside the kingdom."
Her breath trembled. "I... I canât thank you enough for saving our lives. Pleaseâcome to our home for a warm meal. I insist it as a thank you. Please, donât say no." She bowed deeply, the motion awkward with the child in her arms.
Seeing her, the little girl mirrored the movement, bending her head respectfully.
Leon looked at them with confused expressions.
"Well," he said after a moment, "I have some time to spareâand I havenât eaten breakfast yet. I suppose I can stop for a quick meal."
The woman straightened, relief spreading across her tired face. "T-Thank you, sir."
"Fruela," Leon said evenly, "go to the wagon station. You should find Gerald there. Return with him to the dungeon. Iâll be back soon."
"As you command, Master." Fruela bowed her head once and vanished from sight in a whisper of displaced air.
Leon gestured lightly toward the mouth of the alley. "Letâs go."
They stepped out together, leaving behind the narrow shadows and the two dead bodies.
---
Through the Streets...
The woman walked beside Leon, carrying her daughter carefully against her chest. "Thank you again for saving us, sir," she said, her voice soft but sincere. "If you hadnât arrived when you did, I... I canât imagine what those men would have done to my child."
Leon glanced at her, expression still neutral. "Your daughter canât speak?"
The woman nodded faintly. "Yes. She was born unable to speak or hear." She gave a small, tired smile and brushed a few flakes of snow from the girlâs hair. "But sheâs strong. Always has been."
"Whatâs your name?" Leon asked as they turned a corner.
"Ahâyes. Iâm Dira. Sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier."
Leon inclined his head slightly. "Say, how did you end up in that alley ?"
Dira sighed, shifting the childâs weight on her shoulder. "We were out buying a few things from the market. On our way home, I noticed a man following us. I tried to ignore it, but when I looked back, he was already trying to close the distance between us.
I picked Olivia up and started walking faster, but just as we passed that alley, someone grabbed us from inside. After that..." She stopped herself, shaking her head.
"I see," Leon said quietly.
They continued in silence. The snow muffled every sound; even the kingdom seemed to move more slowly under the warm lights of street poles. After nearly ten minutes of walking, Dira stopped in front of a narrow wooden house at the edge of a small lane.
---
The house was small, leaning slightly to one side, its roof patched with mismatched planks and a sheet of worn cloth. Two of the windows were cracked, and a thin draft hissed through the gaps. The structure looked exhausted but still standing.
"I... I know it looks bad," Dira said quickly, embarrassed. "But weâre poor, and paying the kingdomâs taxes leaves us almost nothing. We make do."
She reached through the broken window, unlatched the door from the inside, and pushed it open with a creak.
Leon stepped through first. His eyes moved slowly over the single-room interiorâfaded curtains, a chipped table, a few wooden chairs, and the faint scent of herbs that failed to mask the cold dampness. "Wow," he murmured under his breath, not mocking, simply observing.
"Please, take a seat, sir. Iâll prepare a meal right away." Dira hurried into the small kitchen corner, gathering what ingredients she could. The sound of clinking pots and kindling fire filled the quiet space.
"Call me, Leon." Leon spoke as he sat at the table, resting Nyxter against his chair. Across from him, Olivia had climbed up onto the opposite seat. The child sat with folded hands, staring at him intentlyâcurious, cautious.
Leon met her gaze and, after a brief pause, he activated his skill.
<Inspect>
---
[Name: Olivia]
[Class: Aura Master]
[Race: Human]
[HP: 100/100]
[MP: 300/300]
[Description:
Olivia possesses a rare and unique class. Though she cannot hear or speak, when she activates her aura she perceives the presence of all entities within a one-kilometer radius. She can see their emotional signatures and sense their intent.
If mastered, she may even manipulate these aurasâstriking directly at the soul of an opponent.]
---
Leon leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing with quiet intrigue. âShe has tremendous potential. If raised properly, she could become powerfulâdangerous, even.
But when she awakens that power, if she canât control it... itâll destroy her from the inside out.
Sensing the feelings of every person standing in a one kilometre radius will destroy her mind.
If she survived through all that, she is going to have a great future.â A faint smirk touched his lips at the thought.
From the kitchen came Diraâs voice.
Leon turned his head toward the kitchenâs doorway and asked, "So... where is your husband, Dira?"
Dira laughed once, short and bitter. "Ran away with some stupid slut who used to live in the neighborhood, three years ago. I donât care anymore about him. The only good thing he ever gave me was Olivia."
"I see," Leon murmured, gaze shifting back to the girl. She had slipped down from the chair and was now sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing quietly with a small set of carved wooden toys.
Dira spoke again from the kitchen, a hint of teasing in her tone. "What about you, sir Leon ? That pretty girl back in the alley, was she your girlfriend ?"
Leonâs response was steady. "No. Sheâs just a friend. Iâm not interested in young girls."
"I see," Dira said, half amused. "Thatâs a new one. Most men Iâve met are interested in nothing but youthâwomen barely of legal age, or worse, ones younger still.
My husband also ran away with a 16 year old slut. If you donât mind asking me, what kind of girls do you like, sir Leon ?"
As soon as Leon heard this, a thought entered inside his mind and a perverted smile appeared over his face.
Leon slowly stood up from his chair and activated his skill.
"Remis..."
<Touch of Lust>
After activating his skill, Leon entered inside the kitchen with a smile on his face.
As soon as he looked at Dira, he noticed that her figure was hided by the thick coat that she was wearing.
She had a fair face, a little pointy red nose from the cold and she also had a cute smile.
âWell... She is a gamble, I can either get very lucky or I can just fuck an average milf and get out.â He thought with a smile.
"I like a little older women. Ones who have kids mostly." Leon spoke as he looked at Dira.
As soon as Dira heard this she turned to look at Leon with a smile, "Oh my... Thatâs an interesting choice you have."
Dira started stirring the vegetables in the pot as she didnât understand the meaning of Leonâs words.
"I like women with a big ass and huge boobs..." Leon spoke with a perverted smile as he walked closer to Dira and placed his hand over her hand.
As soon as he touched her hand, a wave of arousal ran through Diraâs whole body and she felt something in between her thighs for the first time in 32 years.
"I-I-I-I... S-See..." She replied in a stammering voice as her face turned completely red while staring into Leonâs eyes.
"Looks like that coat of yours is getting you hot from the insides... Why donât you remove it ?" Leon asked with a smile as he slowly slipped his hand under her soft hand.
"Y-Yes... I-I should." Dira replied as she used her other hand to open the buttons of her court while staring at Leonâs face in a trace.
As soon as she opened the coat, a wide smile appeared over Leonâs face.
âJackpot.â
The tight bodice beneath was a masterpiece of obscene restraint. It strained brutally against the massive swell of her breasts. the fabric stretched so tight he could see every faint blue vein beneath the pale skin.
Her nipples hard as pebbles and desperately erect pushed against the material, begging to be sucked on.