?Chapter 79:


    “Miss, could you let us go now? We’re just hired hands, not after you,” one of the men in ck begged desperately.


    Without another nce, Maia tossed the wooden stick aside and called out toward the entrance, “Let them leave!”


    A few momentster, soft footsteps shuffled outside, and the heavy door creaked open just a sliver.


    Without wasting a second, the three men bolted for the door, scrambling away like frantic sprinters chasing the finish line.


    Behind them, Maia stepped outside, her eyes quickly finding the teenager who stared at her as if she had just descended from the heavens.


    Earlier that day, she had whispered a n to him. They agreed that if they wanted to do something to her without being noticed in the ck market, these forgotten…


    The crumbling houses on the deserted outskirts would be their safest bet. Time had shattered every window, leaving jagged ss and rotting frames behind.


    Following her instructions, the teenager had wedged a heavy stick against the door from the outside, then tossed a sturdy wooden rod through the broken window to her. Thanks to his help, Maia had sealed off the exit and dragged the truth out of those thugs.


    Now that the chaos had died down, Maia finally had the chance to really study her unexpected ally.


    Standing there awkwardly, the boy looked around fifteen or sixteen. Dirt smudged his face, and wild hair fell across his forehead, but it couldn’t hide the refined features or the lively spark flickering in his half-shielded eyes. Had he not appeared when he did, pushing her out of danger back in that alley, she might have been the one bleeding instead of standing here.


    Drawing closer, Maia offered a warm, easy smile. “I owe you one, little hero.”


    The teenager instantly blushed, ducking his head so low that his messy bangs swallowed his face.


    Curious, Maia asked, “Where’s your home?”


    Silence answered her, the boy keeping his head bowed like a turtle retreating into its shell.


    A soft chuckle escaped her lips. “Shy one, huh?” she muttered to herself. Closing the distance, Maia gently tousled his unkempt hair and grinned. “You saved my life. The least I can do is escort you home. What do you say?”


    For a heartbeat, the boy seemed reluctant. Then, almost shyly, he gave a small nod.


    Turning on his heel, he started walking, and Maia fell into step beside him. Instead of heading back toward the ck market, the teenager led her somewhere else entirely—straight into the slums.


    Step by step, the scenery shifted, and soon the crumbling streets came into view, a haunting reminder of the forgotten corners of the city, even under the cover of night.


    Broken-down buildings lined the filthy roads, while the homeless huddled together under scraps of cloth, shivering in the cold.


    For a ce like Wront, which prided itself on being a beacon of modern progress, the brutal contrast hidden behind its polished streets was enough to leave Maia speechless.


    A heavy weight settled on her chest, tightening with every step deeper into the ruins.


    Trailing behind him, Maia followed the boy until he stopped at what could barely pass for a house — just a crooked frame of rotting wood and battered walls.


    “Is this…?”


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