"Survival of the fittest, so don't blame us. If you wanna blame someone, blame yourself for being too weak, and blame this unfair world, huh..."
As soon as Lucian finished speaking, the two boys who had been acting so arrogantly toward Cerydra only moments ago suddenly froze in place, as though an invisible layer of ice had descended upon them and locked their bodies in place.
Their eyes widened until they were nearly round, filled with terror and disbelief, while their mouths remained open without producing even the slightest sound. It was as though their minds had already realized what was about to happen, yet their bodies were completely incapable of responding.
Seeing their frozen state, Lucian merely raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
*SNAP!*
Even though the sound was soft, almost insignificant, to the two boys, it was like the tolling of a death knell.
Suddenly, their bodies trembled violently before beginning to crack like ice sculptures struck from within, the fractures running through their bodies inch by inch as a series of crisp, unnatural sounds echoed through the cold air.
*KA-CHA!* *KA-CHA!*
Unlike the usual method Lucian used, there was no spray of blood or gruesome display of flesh this time.
Instead, countless ice-blue cracks instantly covered the boys' entire bodies, spreading across their faces, limbs, and torsos as though their very existence had been transformed into fragile ice that could shatter at the slightest touch.
In the next moment, they collapsed with a loud crash, completely breaking apart into countless ice fragments that scattered across the snow—the fragments rolled and slid across the white ground before gradually blending into it, until the remains of the two boys could no longer be distinguished from the surrounding snow.
They had not even been given enough time to scream, as the entire process had happened so quickly that everyone nearby was left completely unable to react.
All the refugees who had been kneeling and begging for food only moments earlier now stood frozen where they were, their bodies stiff with fear and barely even daring to breathe.
Now, their faces had turned deathly pale, and the despair that had filled their eyes had been replaced by an even deeper fear.
Trembling violently, they scrambled backward on their hands and knees until they were pressed together in a frightened mass, staring at Lucian as though they were looking at a demon even more terrifying than the ones they had already known.
Only moments ago, they had been witnessing the law of the jungle, where the strong preyed upon the weak, but in the blink of an eye, the predator had been devoured by someone even more ruthless.
In this world, there truly was always someone more ruthless—there was simply no such thing as the most ruthless person.
Lucian casually shook his hand and inspected both his palm and the back of it, finding them perfectly clean without even a speck of dirt on them. He turned his hand slightly from side to side, confirming that there was not even the slightest trace left behind.
Since the scene had not been particularly bloody either, he figured it should not be enough to frighten any children.
He then turned his gaze toward little Cerydra, who was still lying in the snow, looking completely dumbfounded. She had not moved since the two boys had disappeared, as though her mind was still struggling to process what she had just witnessed.
At this very moment, the terrible pain in her stomach, the wound on her forehead, the biting cold, and even the gnawing hunger that had tormented her for so long had all been forgotten.
Her jewel-like eyes remained fixed on Lucian, and the resentment that had filled them earlier had been completely replaced by another emotion.
It was admiration, absolute admiration.
Witnessing the boys who had bullied her, stolen her bread, and kicked her to the ground—the same people who had sneered about survival of the fittest and told her that she had only herself to blame for being too weak—simply disappear at the casual gesture of the handsome big brother standing before her, she couldn't help but wonder: was this what true strength looked like?
No need to reason with anyone, no need to cry or plead, and no need to beg for mercy.
If someone possessed enough strength, then they could decide everything for themselves. They did not need to accept the rules imposed upon them by others, nor did they need to endure injustice simply because they were weaker.
For the first time, the blood flowing through the little girl's body seemed to burn with heat. Her heart pounded wildly inside her chest, beating so hard that it almost felt as though it might burst through her ribs.
'If... if I had this kind of power too, I could definitely make the world fair!'
Cerydra now truly wanted this kind of power.
More than food, more than warmth, and even more than escaping the miserable life she had been living, she wanted to become strong.
Lucian watched the transformation in the little girl's eyes and immediately understood what she was thinking, since the admiration in those bright little eyes was practically shining like a pair of light bulbs.
He then walked over and looked down at the girl from above.
"Do you wanna come with me?"
Hearing the sudden offer, Cerydra was dazed for a moment before blinking several times, as though she had not expected those words to come from him.
"Can I...?" Cerydra answered in a hesitant voice. "Will you adopt me?"
"Don't answer a question with another question," Lucian said while extending his hand toward her. "You only need to tell me yes or no."
At that, Cerydra immediately reached out and placed her filthy little hand into Lucian's palm without the slightest hesitation.
"Yes!"
Now, she wanted to become stronger than ever.
She wanted to possess the power to change the rules of the world, just like this incredibly handsome big brother before her. If she could become that strong, then perhaps she would never again have to kneel before anyone, beg for food, or helplessly watch others take everything from her.
Lucian did not show the slightest trace of disgust at her dirty hand. Instead, he closed his fingers around it and smiled at her, as though the dirt covering her small hand was completely insignificant.
"In that case, from today on, your name is Cerydra."
He had recognized Cerydra the moment he first saw her.
Her blue-and-white hair, even though it was dirty and tangled at the moment, resembled a small flame and was far too distinctive to mistake for anyone else's.
Of course, the Cerydra standing before him was filthy and smelled terrible, looking no different from any other beggar.
Aside from her beautiful eyes and striking hair, she could hardly be described as pleasant to look at, and her current appearance was practically a complete mess, with dirt and grime covering nearly every part of her small body.
"Cery... dra? I'm Cerydra..."
Cerydra nodded repeatedly, quickly accepting the new name that had been given to her.
To her, that name represented more than simply a new way of addressing herself. It meant that she could finally leave her miserable past behind and begin her life anew, without ever having to live as a refugee or beggar again.
From this moment onward, she was no longer the homeless girl who had spent her days wandering through the snow and begging others for food.
*CLIP-CLOP!**CLIP-CLOP!**CLIP-CLOP!*
Just then, the hurried and disorderly sound of hoofbeats came from the distance, accompanied by the metallic clatter of armor rubbing against armor—the noise rapidly grew louder as the approaching group drew nearer, disturbing the previously tense silence surrounding the refugees.
A few moments later, several arrogant shouts soon followed.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
"YOU FILTHY COMMONERS! DON'T BLOCK THE ROAD!"
Hearing the shouts, Lucian's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He turned his head toward the approaching commotion and saw a group of roughly five hundred people making their way through the refugees, with several nobles riding tall horses leading the procession.
They were dressed in luxurious silk and satin, with thick Dromas-hide cloaks wrapped around their bodies to keep out the cold, while gemstones had been set into their hats, sparkling beneath the pale light of the snowy sky.
Their faces were ruddy and well-fed, and they carried themselves with the unmistakable arrogance of people who had never needed to worry about whether they would have enough to eat.
Compared with the gaunt, beggar-like refugees around them, many of whom were barely covered by their tattered clothing, the difference between the two groups was like heaven and earth. One group was wrapped in warmth and luxury, while the other was struggling merely to survive another day in the cold.
Several hundred soldiers followed behind the nobles, all dressed in uniform leather armor and carrying long spears, with swords hanging from their waists.
Judging by their equipment and formation, they appeared to be an elite force, and before a crowd of starving refugees who could barely remain standing, they looked practically like an army of gods, as their orderly movements and imposing appearance were enough to make the already frightened refugees even more uneasy.
In the end, the refugees hurriedly scattered to either side of the road, parting like a tide to make way for the nobles with eyes filled with fear, but beneath that fear was an even deeper sense of numb resignation.
In their eyes, the passing of noble lords was no different from the arrival of a blizzard, since both were disasters that could descend upon them without warning.
Not only would they not receive any food from these nobles, but they might even be run through with a sword simply because their filthy appearance had offended a noble lord's eyes.
Eventually, the army came to a halt not far from Lucian.
A fat nobleman who appeared to be the leader pulled back on his reins and stopped his horse. He immediately covered his nose with a silk handkerchief, his expression twisting with undisguised disgust as his eyes swept over the gathered refugees.
At first, his gaze moved slowly from person to person, carrying the same detached scrutiny one might use when selecting livestock, until finally, his eyes stopped on Cerydra. More precisely, they had locked onto her messy hair, whose distinctive blue-and-white color could still be seen despite the dirt and grime covering it.
In that instant, the fat nobleman's eyes brightened at once, and a flash of shrewdness and greed passed through them before he gave one of his subordinates a subtle look without saying anything.
A man who appeared to be the captain of the soldiers immediately dismounted and strode toward Cerydra, his expression somewhat more restrained than that of his master, but his eyes still carried the condescending arrogance of someone offering charity to a beggar.
"Little girl, don't be afraid. We're nobles of Hyperborea, and this is Count Adler."
He deliberately softened his voice, trying to make it sound 'gentle,' but the superiority in his tone remained impossible to conceal as he glanced at the fat nobleman.
Being mentioned, the fat nobleman known as Count Adler raised his chin slightly in confirmation, silently acknowledging the introduction.
"And the person in that carriage is the honorable Duke Alphine."
Gazing back at Cerydra, the captain of the soldiers continued and pointed toward the luxurious carriage behind the count, clearly showing that an important person was inside.
For ordinary civilians, nobles were figures before whom they could only lower their heads and beg for mercy, so revealing their status beforehand would naturally save them a great deal of trouble.
"Our duke has chosen you. Come back to the imperial palace with us. You can enjoy warm fireplaces, soft bread, and delicious meat soup there. You'll never have to go hungry or freeze again."
As soon as those words were spoken, the surrounding refugees erupted into a restless commotion. Many of them looked at Cerydra with undisguised envy, while several children around her age could not help swallowing at the thought of the food they had just heard described.
Warmth and food—those were things they had never even dared to dream about. For people who had spent so long enduring hunger and cold, merely imagining a warm room and a bowl of hot meat soup was enough to make their stomachs ache with longing.
Just then, Count Adler watched the refugees' reactions with satisfaction before chiming in.
"Hurry up and come over, girl. Don't stay with these filthy commoners."
Hearing that, everyone present immediately thought the same thing.
Faced with such an irresistible offer, how could a little refugee who was practically starving and freezing to death possibly refuse?
Yet Cerydra's response completely exceeded everyone's expectations.
She did not even think about the bread and meat soup that had been promised to her, nor did she spare a glance at the luxurious carriage or the nobles dressed in fine clothes. Instead, her large eyes cautiously shifted toward Lucian first, as though she wanted to make certain that he was still there.
Right afterward, she reached out with her little hand, its fingers red from the cold, and gently grasped the corner of Lucian's clothes.
"Can this big brother come with me too?"
Cerydra's voice was quiet, but there was no hesitation in it.
"He was willing to adopt me just now."
"He's a good person... I want... I want him to have a good life too..."
===
[A bonus chapter for reaching 400 Power Stones]
[Support and get early access to upcoming chapters at: patreon.com/VALRRR]