Noir was naturally unaware of the peeping from a distance.
The owner of those bright eyes had short purple hair, and her petite body looked like it could be blown away by the wind. She seemed to be around Noir's age.
In her arms, she held a little girl who looked just about a year old, with tufts of orange hair on her tiny head.
The orange-haired little girl had a dirty face, looking pitiful as she tugged at her sister's arm and spoke in a voice that seemed filled with milk scent: "Sister... I'm hungry..."
The older sister frowned upon hearing this, looked at Noir's receding figure, bit her lip, and softly said, "Be good, don't talk. Let's follow him."
Thus, the two tiny human cubs stealthily followed behind Noir.
After walking for a while, the clueless Noir finally sensed something was wrong.
Why did it feel like there was a mischievous child's aura approaching?
Frowning, Noir slowed down and suddenly turned around!
Huh?
There was nothing there, just a ruined wall with a purple and an orange tuft of hair sticking out...
Raising an eyebrow, Noir pretended not to notice, walking calmly, then suddenly turning back again!
Uh...
Two tufts of short hair, like wildflowers, stuck out, looking like two little mushrooms from a distance.
Noir almost burst into laughter. Intending to play with them, he turned around and quickly turned back again after taking a step.
Then...
A one-year-old cub jumped out right before his eyes.
Upon seeing Noir looking at them, the older sister quickly pulled her adorable little sibling back.
Noir chuckled and said to the hiding girls, "Come out, I saw you!"
The two little figures trembled, then slowly emerged from behind the wall.
A big and a small girl? Are they war orphans?
Noir tried to smile as gently as possible as he approached the girls. "Why are you following me?" he asked softly.
The orange-haired little girl hid behind her sister while the older girl, a head shorter than Noir, looked up and said, "We are looking for something to eat."
"Something to eat?" Noir was stunned.
He was starving himself and had no idea where to find food.
"I don't have anything on me right now. How about we keep walking together and see if we can find something?"
The girls didn't respond immediately. Noir scratched his head and added, "If you don't want to, that's fine."
As he turned to leave, the two girls hesitated but eventually followed him at a cautious distance.
Noir noticed their quiet trust and felt a bit relieved. After all, they were just kids and more likely to believe in others.
As they walked, the smell of decay and burnt flesh grew stronger, nearly causing them to gag. Bloodstains appeared more frequently on the ground, and Noir even stumbled upon several corpses.
Despite his fear, Noir couldn't show it with the girls behind him. He took a deep breath and searched the bodies with trembling hands.
He found a pirate's corpse, covered in knife wounds and blood, a sailor's bandana on its head. The face was twisted in a horrifying expression, but Noir was relieved to find a small bundle tied to the waist.
He untied the bundle with shaky hands and found a piece of nearly dry bread inside.
Swallowing his saliva, Noir looked at the eager faces of the girls and sighed. "Here, you take this," he said, handing them the bread.
The older girl politely took the bread, bowing in thanks before handing it to her younger sister. They shared the bread piece by piece.
Noir, having gained some experience, resumed searching the bodies. As more corpses appeared, they managed to find more food, and the bond between Noir and the sisters grew stronger.
The three sought shelter as darkness fell, finding a place to rest for the night. The sisters huddled together, and Noir smiled at their resilience despite the grim circumstances.
Thanks to his "Enhanced Stamina" ability, Noir wasn't as exhausted as he might have been. This ability, for now, seemed to be quite helpful.
...
In the distant sea, a Marine battleship was slowly approaching. A pink-haired girl in a Marine uniform stood on the deck, gazing blankly at the sky.
Nearby, a group of Marine soldiers whispered worriedly about her.
"Is Bell-mère going to be okay?"
"She hasn't eaten in days. She'll collapse at this rate."
"Well, considering what happened to her previous unit..."
"Shh, keep it down!"
Bell-mère seemed oblivious to the concerned murmurs. Her usually mischievous eyes were clouded with sorrow.
"Attention!" The ship's commanding officer suddenly barked, and the soldiers swiftly formed a neat line on the deck, Bell-mère included.
"Private Bell-mère!"
"Yes, sir!"
A look of determination replaced Bell-mère's previous sorrow.
"You will lead a team to scout the village on the island. The rest will follow me to support the kingdom's interior!"
"Yes, sir!"
As they prepared to depart, Bell-mère approached the commanding officer. "Sir, about my resignation..."
The officer's expression softened. "Are you sure you want to leave? You have a bright future ahead of you."
Bell-mère shook her head silently.
"Your entire unit was wiped out; you were the only survivor. You should live on for their sake!"
The officer's tone grew emotional, but seeing Bell-mère's downcast demeanour, he relented. "Think it over carefully."
"Yes, sir..."
Bell-mère stared at the war-torn land, contemplating the meaning of survival.
...
Back on the battlefield, Noir was jolted awake by approaching footsteps. The two girls, sensing the disturbance, woke up as well.
The steps grew closer, and Noir, suppressing his fear, broke into a cold sweat. Shielding the little girls behind him, he bit his lip and squinted into the distance.
Marine uniforms?
That person is... Bell-mère!
No way... could these girls be...