Chapter 134: Judgement (3)

"Why have you chosen a dagger out of everything?" he asked, voice calm.

Lisa’s clenched fingers loosened slightly as soon as she heard God’s voice. His silence before had been unbearable, like waiting for punishment in a room with no light. Now, just hearing him speak made her feel like someone had opened a door to a way out.

She didn’t try to hide the reason behind her taking the dagger and answered honestly, though not completely.

"Having this dagger makes me feel safe."

She held the hilt tighter, pressing it to her chest like a plush toy—not to fight, but to hide behind.

Leon could feel that this child had some trauma—not just her, most of the people here were likely traumatized. Spending their childhoods in slums, having experienced brutal hunger and violence shown by the city—how could they not be?

Not just the children, but the adults and the elders might also be. Still, they hid themselves well—unlike these young ones, who showed their nature openly through their behavior.

"Safe from who? You aren’t in any danger now, are you? In my world, you don’t have to worry about your safety."

"I—" She wanted to say something, but her words were caught in her throat.

Leon’s eyes caught her glancing at the others.

Her eyes darted left for just a second, lips pressed tight. Then it was gone in an instant—buried beneath the nervous mask she’d learned to wear.

Hmm... for a child that has poison affinity, she sure has a different personality.

It was clear to Leon that someone in the group of beggars was the reason for her fear, which caused her to choose the dagger.

However, if she didn’t want to tell him, he wasn’t going to force her. Yet he could see the visible marks on her neck and hands. She had definitely been harassed and bullied—or much worse.

She had short black hair and violet eyes. Despite her dirty appearance, her facial features stood out. Out of the 20 or so women in the group, this teenage girl was the prettiest of them all.

Yet a certain possibility was making him quite angry. He would just ask her one question. If it weren’t so, he wouldn’t intervene as of now, because here, she wouldn’t be bullied.

He looked at James, his slave. Despite being as weak as an ant, he could still maintain order among these non-awakeners.

Leon showed him a small smile, which made James shiver in place.

Leon moved closer to her, brought his mouth near her ear, and whispered something.

It made Lisa flinch and her eyes shake violently, but she held on and didn’t cry.

Silence lingered for a moment. Leon was waiting for her reply.

Her lips trembled. The word sat in her mouth like a stone—heavy, stuck. She wanted to lie. She wanted to say nothing. But she remembered how his voice sounded... how he hadn’t been angry.

Please... don’t hate me...

"No!"

After that, she went completely silent.

There were different reactions from the group of beggars to this conversation, as it was a bit mysterious—since their God had whispered something in her ear.

Leon’s anger calmed down a little. The worst hadn’t happened, it seemed. Yet she was definitely assaulted by one of the beggars.

"Let me give you my judgment for stealing the dagger, but first tell me your name."

He changed the subject. If he talked more about that, she would break. He didn’t want that—he wanted her to overcome her barrier herself. She was definitely much more valuable than the rest of the beggars.

Lisa held her breath in anticipation after telling him her name.

"Lisa."

"Hmm... Lisa, I have decided you won’t be getting any punishment."

Her eyes widened in shock, and her God’s words didn’t even stop there.

"Also, you can have this dagger for yourself—and don’t hesitate to use it if you are ever in danger."

Lisa’s body shuddered as she asked, even when her voice was barely a whisper.

"But God, this is not fair to others."

Leon couldn’t help but pat her head. Despite her eyes saying she really wanted the dagger, she still tried to be fair.

"Don’t worry. You are given them for free. Once you have enough merit, the cost of the dagger will be deducted."

He paused for a moment and continued.

"As for your punishment being fair... Have I ever said I would treat everyone equally? In the future, you will realize just how special you are compared to others."

He remembered Rudy had Rank 4 Fire affinity. Despite his element not being as rare as hers, fire is one of the strong elements, known for its destructive power. Rudy would be a good seedling, like her.

He could see that Lisa had some courage, but not enough. He wanted her to have courage and confidence in herself, so it wouldn’t stunt her growth in the future.

It wasn’t a lie—she was the most special out of all of them present.

His words spread like a divine revelation to the others.

A few bowed their heads instinctively. One man stepped back from Lisa, muttering a quick prayer under his breath. Even the skeptical ones in the crowd looked surprised.

Their God had said Lisa was special. They couldn’t take that lightly—there had to be something Lisa had that they didn’t. More than jealousy, most of them looked at her with respect.

They also decided to be careful around her and treat her with respect, even though she might be much younger than they are.

Lisa wasn’t sure if she was special or not—but God had said it himself. It gave her a base of confidence in herself, though there was still doubt and things she had to overcome.

After receiving the order to go back to the others, she left while clutching the dagger tightly in her hands.

Her grip on the dagger was tight, but not desperate anymore. For the first time in years, something like hope stirred in her chest—small, fragile, but real.

She left with a subtle smile—a protective smile, like a child clutching something precious only they could understand.

Others asked many questions of her, wanting to know more about the teenage girl and why God thought she was special.

Next was a woman around the age of 30. She had taken necklaces and rings made of gold. She came clean, and her description matched what Leon already knew.

The treasures were put back into the pile, and she was given the punishment of two meals taken from her.

Next came the grandma. Her steps were slow, her joints creaking faintly as she shuffled forward. Leon didn’t even ask her any questions—his expression was unreadable as he simply ordered her to put the treasure back. The air around them felt heavier for a moment. Her punishment was the same, despite her age.

Because he remembered what she had taken—a pair of lingerie made out of gold plates.

He feared he would increase her punishment if he heard the reason behind stealing such a thing.

People still gasped when she put down the treasure.

They wonder how an old woman like her would take something as revealing and flashy as lingerie made out of gold. If it were a young girl, they would have understood.

But a sixty-year-old grandma?

Oh hell nah... I really didn’t need to know that.

Leon resisted the urge to rub his temples.

If she tells me she stole it for "sentimental reasons," I might just hand out double punishment for mental damage.