Tesoro's chest rose and fell with excitement. The future Kyle was painting for him, a grand plan to overturn the entire world, made his blood sing. He was ready to bet everything he had on this one incredible gamble.
Just as Tesoro thought the conversation that would define his destiny was over, Kyle suddenly turned back to him, a strange, unreadable smile on his face.
"But…" Kyle said slowly, the playful tone breaking the serious atmosphere. "You said you don't want a reward, but I'm going to give you one anyway."
He winked at Tesoro. "Eh heh~"
In an instant, all the grand ambitions swirling in Tesoro's mind vanished. He was completely bewildered, unable to follow Kyle's sudden shift in logic.
Kyle ignored his surprise and simply called toward the door. "You can come in now."
Someone was outside the door? Tesoro's mind immediately started racing. What kind of reward could it be? Anything personally prepared by Lord Kyle had to be extraordinary. Was it a powerful weapon that suited his abilities? Or maybe an important position that would let him establish himself in the crew more quickly?
An unwanted thought popped into his head. Could it be… a woman?
Tesoro's expression shifted almost imperceptibly. He had seen too many powerful men use women as prizes to win the loyalty of their subordinates. If Kyle did the same… He was about to speak up and politely refuse such a "reward" when a voice from the doorway stopped his heart.
"Tesoro!"
That voice… He had replayed it in his mind countless times during lonely, desperate nights. He had traced the memory of it every morning after waking from a nightmare. He thought he would never hear it again in his life.
Tesoro felt as if an invisible hand had clamped down on his heart, squeezing the air from his lungs. He turned his head stiffly, inch by agonizing inch.
A figure was standing in the entrance to the living room. The sunlight poured in from behind her, wrapping her in a warm, golden glow. She had golden hair and a familiar face. Her eyes, once filled with tears in his memory, were now shining with joy and longing.
She was standing right there, real and alive, just a few feet away. She wasn't a memory. She wasn't an illusion.
Stella.
Time seemed to freeze. The distant sounds of the archipelago, the light and shadows in the room, all of it faded away. In his world, there was only the face he had yearned to see for so long.
Stella looked at him, a single tear rolling down her cheek, but her lips were curved into a beautiful, happy smile. In the gentle tone he knew and loved so well, she said softly, "Welcome back."
Those two simple words shattered the hard shell that Tesoro had built around his heart with years of hatred and ambition. He trembled and took a shaky step forward. The carpet beneath his feet felt impossibly soft, impossibly far away. Each step felt like he was walking on clouds, completely unreal.
He walked until he was standing in front of her. He slowly raised his hands, his fingertips trembling as he cautiously, almost fearfully, touched her cheek.
It was warm. It was real. Not a cold body, not a ghostly illusion.
"…Stella?"
He squeezed the name he had whispered to himself thousands of times from his dry throat.
Stella couldn't hold back her tears any longer. They streamed down her face as she nodded vigorously, her voice choked with emotion. "It's me… Tesoro… It's me…"
At that moment, Tesoro lost all control. The man who had buried a "god" in gold, who could speak so confidently to a monster like Kyle, was now like a lost child who had finally found his way home. He pulled Stella into his arms, holding her with a desperate tightness, as if he could merge her into his very bones so they would never be separated again.
"Wuwu… Ahhhhh…"
Years of suppressed pain, longing, regret, and despair erupted from him all at once. He wasn't just crying; he was wailing. Wailing for the version of himself who had been too powerless to protect her. Wailing for all the days and nights he had spent consumed by hatred. Wailing for the treasure he thought he had lost forever, now found again.
Stella hugged him back just as tightly, letting his tears soak her clothes. She gently stroked his back over and over, silently comforting him as he let it all out.
The living room was filled with the sound of a man's unrestrained cries and a woman's silent sobs.
At some point, Kyle had stood up. He glanced at the embracing couple, then at Robin, whose eyes were slightly red and who had quietly turned her face away. He said nothing, but gave Robin a knowing look before silently leading her upstairs.
Moriah had already retreated into the shadows, leaving the entire space to the two lovers who had finally been reunited.
At the turn of the staircase, Robin asked softly, "Did you save her?"
"Yeah," Kyle replied, leaning against the railing. His voice was quiet. "I found her by chance back at Mary Geoise. I was just waiting for this kid to finish his business before giving him a surprise."
Robin looked down at the man who was crying like a child in the arms of his beloved. She remembered her own rescue, and a warm feeling spread through her heart. She looked at Kyle's profile and said softly, "You really are… a gentle person."
"Don't say that," Kyle immediately waved his hand. "I'm just an entertainer. I just like watching a good story unfold."
He paused for a moment, then added, "Besides, you can't buy true feelings with gold. But true feelings deserve a reward more precious than any amount of gold."
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