章節 72: Camilla
"Miss! Do you know me?" Ranav asked, his voice laced with concern. He genuinely couldn't recognize the girl before him.
But Jessica's voice echoed in his mind. "This is the girl who sold you the sword."
Ranav blinked, confused. "Are you sure? That girl was poor, yes, but she didn't look like this… a beggar."
Jessica's tone turned sharp. "Are you insulting my intelligence? Think carefully… can you even recall her face? You forgot about that incident almost immediately after it happened. Since that day, you've never even taken that sword out of your storage space. Look at her face now through my memory."
Jessica shared her memory, albeit slightly distorted by the crisscrossing mana flows. Yet, amidst the haze, Ranav could clearly make out the girl's face. There was no denying it now, this was the same girl.
"I'm sorry, Jessica. I hurt your pride. I'll never doubt you again," Ranav said quickly, genuinely apologetic.
"That's more like it. Now, focus on the situation. This girl might be going through something tragic. Her grandfather was ill back then… perhaps he's passed away, and she's grieving. That sword is more valuable now that we know its origin. If she needs money, you should consider helping her."
"I already gave her two silver out of compassion. Why should I give more?" Ranav retorted.
"Why are you so stingy? Have you forgotten about the gold in your storage? I'm not saying to just hand over money… she might not even need that. But at least console her." Jessica's stern voice made him relent.
"Alright, alright. I was already doing that."
As their internal conversation ended, the girl looked up at Ranav with wide, tear-streaked eyes. He spoke gently, "Miss, you're the girl I bought a sword from in the market. I remember now. What happened to you? How did you end up like this? And how is your grandfather? If you're comfortable, I am interested to know."
Her eyes welled up again, and tears began to stream down her cheeks. "My grandfather is dead," she said, her voice trembling. "That night, when I returned home, he had already passed. He donated his organs to the healing center, so I didn't need to pay for his dues. All the money I earned… I still have it. You gave me two extra silver that night. Here, take it back."
She fumbled through her pocket and pulled out the coins, holding them out to him.
"No, no," Ranav said hurriedly, waving his hands. "I gave you that as the price for the sword. There's no need to return it."
He hesitated before continuing, "But I'm confused. You have money, so why are you so unkempt? And why are you here, working as a cleaner?"
"I have no family left," she replied, her voice breaking. "After Grandfather died, I went back to our rented house, but the owner wouldn't let me stay. One of the caregivers from Grandfather's ward was kind to me. I came here seeking help, and she offered me a temporary job as a cleaner. Now, I work and live here."
She quickly added, "Please, go about your business. Some people are coming. I need to clean."
She stood up, grabbed a broom, and began to sweep aimlessly.
Ranav stepped aside, unsure what to say. As he turned to leave, Jessica's voice stopped him. "This girl has a cyan core, better than the count's. She could be a magical prodigy, but she hasn't awakened any element. Something doesn't add up. Why did her landlord evict her when she had money? Did your actions that night play a role in this?"
Ranav frowned, his curiosity piqued. "Fine. Remind me of your questions if I forget," he said inwardly.
Once the corridor was clear, he asked Camilla, "Do you have time to explain your situation? I can't shake the feeling that I might have caused you trouble that night."
Camilla looked at him warily. "It's not your fault," she said cautiously. "You weren't responsible for me catching the attention of that… bastard young master. You don't need to get involved. You have money, but they have power. The largest carriage business in the city belongs to their family. They're searching for me. If I stay here in the healing center, I'll be safe."
Ranav nodded, his tone reassuring. "I promise I won't do anything reckless. I just want to understand."
She hesitated before continuing. "There was a boy in that young master's gang who lived on my street. He recognized me. After I ran that night, he told them about my house. They came looking for me, threatening my landlord, who kicked me out to avoid trouble. I took what little I could and headed here, hoping to find help."
"When I tried to board a carriage, the coachman recognized me and tried to capture me. I managed to escape but had to walk here, hiding along the way. The caregiver gave me a job and shelter, warning me not to leave the center. The streets are controlled by the Rastogi family. Luckily, I have food and a safe place to sleep here."
As two men exited the washroom, she quickly resumed sweeping, her awareness impressing Ranav. He also felt a pang of sorrow for her plight.
"Jessica," he asked internally, "if this girl awakens her magic now, could she become a powerful mage quickly?"
"She may be around twelve years old. She has eight years to develop according to the Mayura Kingdom's standards. Her cyan core could become blue by twenty, but it'll be tough to awaken all six basic elements. What are you thinking?"
"I want to recruit her," Ranav admitted. "She's vulnerable, and I can give her a better life. If I bring her to my village, she'll have a safe, carefree environment to grow. My mother would take her in with open arms once she heard her sad situation. Besides, with her core potential, she could become a powerful mage in our family."
Jessica scoffed. "How can you think of exploiting her situation? Why not just help her out of compassion?"
Ranav sighed. "I've lived among humans for forty-three years. Compassion doesn't come without reason. I want to help her, but I also see her potential."
The girl interrupted his thoughts. "I've told you everything. Thank you for listening, but I'll be fine. Please, leave now."
Ranav looked at her thoughtfully. "May I know your name?"
She hesitated, then said, "Camilla."
"Well, Camilla," he said, "I have a proposal. You have no family here and are being pursued. I can take you outside the city, and you can go anywhere from there where you'll be safe. If you want, you can come to my village. My family isn't wealthy, but we can adopt you. Think it over. If you decide to come, go to the count's estate and tell the guards at the gate that you're looking for me. My name is Ranav. I will be there till tomorrow morning. If you want, please come before we depart tomorrow. Best of luck."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and left the healing center. Behind him, Camilla stood frozen, watching his retreating figure for a long time.
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