A little girl

"What kind of price?" the girl asked, trembling in fear.

"Not too much. Just answer my few questions," Lucius said with a smiling face.

"Sir Jasper, I think she is afraid of you, so please, can you move back a little?" Lucius said to the knight.

The knight moved back, creating some distance between them.

Lucius put the girl down and released a thin layer of mana, creating a barrier around him and the girl. "I have created a barrier which will stop our voices from going outside. Now, are you ready to answer my questions?" Lucius asked.

The girl trembled in fear just by seeing Lucius smile.

"First, how old are you?" Lucius asked as his first question.

"Ten," the girl replied.

"What's your name?" Lucius continued.

"I don't have one," the girl replied with a sad face.

"Where are your parents?" Lucius asked.

"I don't have parents. I'm an orphan," the girl said.

"Do you have someone who lives with you or any little brother or sister?" Lucius continued.

"I have one brother. He's five years old, and there is no one to take care of us," she replied.

"Is he your real brother? Are you both blood-related?" Lucius asked.

"No, I found him near the garbage bin. I thought he was just like me, so I took him with me," the girl replied, tears welling up.

"Do you have any place where you live and sleep at night?" Lucius asked.

"We live in an abandoned broken house," the girl said, controlling her tears.

"When was the last time you ate something?" Lucius asked.

"Four days ago," the girl replied.

"Do you want to eat something?" Lucius continued.

"Yes," the girl replied without hesitation.

"Do you want to eat pizza or a burger?" Lucius asked with a smile.

"I want to eat pizza," the girl replied.

"What type of pizza do you want to eat?" Lucius asked, noticing the girl's enthusiasm.

"I want to eat cheese pizza that has a salty and creamy taste, and the cheese melts in my mouth," the girl said, imagining the taste.

"But this world doesn't have any pizza in it, so how do you know what pizza is and what it tastes like?" Lucius whispered into the girl's ear.

The girl snapped out of her imagination, looking at Lucius with a confused and shocked face, unsure of what to say.

"I know what you are thinking right now, but I can only tell you one thing: I am from the same place as you, the place which has different types of pizza," Lucius said reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I am here for you. I will protect you, take care of you, provide food, clothes, a nice bed to sleep, and warm baths daily," Lucius said, comforting the girl as she cried herself to sleep in his arms.

"She is a strong girl," Lucius said softly, rubbing the girl's head.

Lucius removed the barrier and stood up, carrying the girl like a princess.

"Sir Jasper, there is an abandoned and broken house somewhere around here. You will find a small five-year-old boy there. Go and bring him to me," Lucius ordered the knight.

"But, young master, what about you?" the knight asked, worried for Lucius.

"Don't worry about me. We are not far from the wagon. You go and find the kid for me. If you can't find him in one hour, come back to the wagon," Lucius ordered the knight.

"Yes, as you wish, young master," the knight replied, leaving to search for the kid.

"She doesn't have any weight in her. She is like a feather," Lucius said to himself as he made his way towards the wagon, carrying the girl.

After some minutes, Lucius arrived at the wagon, where he saw Elina and both his sisters waiting for him.

"What took you so long?" Elina asked, but stopped midway. "Who's that girl in your hand?" she asked.

"Brother, did you kidnap her?" Leona said.

"I didn't expect it from you, Lucius," Athena added.

"Listen to me, stop making weird assumptions," Lucius said.

"Sir knight, open the gate of the wagon. I have to put her down first," Lucius instructed, laying the girl on the seat of the wagon.

"Now, tell us who is that girl and where is the knight with you?" Elina asked.

"First, that girl bumped into me and stole my money, so I caught her. Then, I asked her some questions and found out that she is an orphan with no place to live, nothing to wear, and nothing to eat. She was forced by some group of thugs to steal for others, and if she didn't do it, they would beat her. When I got to know about it, I told her that I would protect her, provide her with food and everything if she works for me. Then, she started crying and fell asleep. So, rather than waking her up, I just carried her here like this," Lucius explained, weaving half-truths into the story.

"Oh, my baby, you are such a gentleman. Rather than leaving a girl alone, you tried to help her. I am proud of you," Elina said, hugging Lucius.

"Then why is your knight not with you?" Elina asked.

"Well, the girl told me she had a five-year-old brother. Even though they are not blood-related, she still raised him. She found him in the garbage, abandoned by his parents, so I have sent Sir Knight to bring the kid to me," Lucius explained.

"You are such a good boy, Lucius. Mama will give you a gift today. Ask for whatever you want," Elina said to Lucius.

"Then I want the girl and that little boy under me. I want them to work for me inside the duke family. I want to provide for them, train them to become strong," Lucius asked for his gift.

"Fine then, from today onwards, Lucius will be the only one who has the right to order this girl and the little boy. They will only work under you. No one in the duke family or anyone in this world has the right to order them, to control them, other than you. As you promised to that girl, you will be her caretaker from now on," Elina declared in front of everyone.

"Thank you, mother," Lucius thanked his mother.