Take As Long As You Can Afford

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The room descended into chaos. Shocked gasps turned into panicked exclamations as the Kurta elders tried to process the information. Jahleel himself sat quietly, his eyes reflecting the turmoil raging in his mind.

"I already saved the lives of every person in this village twice," Haruto said, his tone devoid of arrogance but filled with factual certainty. His words caused a wave of confused murmurs among the elders.

"Twice?" a younger elder questioned, his voice wavering between disbelief and cautious hope.

"Once, when I stopped the person on the screen from killing every one of you," Haruto explained, his gaze cool and unwavering. His words fell heavy in the room, their implication hanging in the air. It was a stark reminder of their close brush with a massacre.

"The second?" Jahleel questioned, his voice betraying his anxiety, the weight of leadership heavy on his shoulders.

"When I didn't accept the offer of the Kakin Empire," Haruto answered, his words landing like the final stroke on a masterpiece, leaving the room in stunned silence. The realization of their vulnerability, the double threat they had unknowingly faced, was overwhelming.

Jahleel didn't want to believe it, but the evidence was right there in front of him. The recording, the strength of Haruto and his group, the grim certainty of their words. He had to accept the truth; their lives had been in grave danger and were saved by these young individuals.

Haruto continued, cutting through the heavy silence, "Now I'm offering you another chance." He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "The world wants you dead. Not for something you've done, but because of who you are."

Phinx, watching the Kurta elders, interjected, "We aren't like the rest. We value strength, loyalty. We respect who you are." His voice held a note of sincerity, a rare occurrence for the typically stern man.

Machi added her voice to the discussion, "We can offer you protection." Her words, though spoken softly, were unyielding.

Franklin, his eyes narrowed, cut in, "Not for free though." His words were sharp, a stark contrast to Machi's soft offer.

"You'll serve Haruto," Uvogin stated, his voice as solid as the mountain he resembled. His words were not a question, but a statement of fact.

Nobunaga, silent up to now, added, "You'll be part of his city, his subjects. We promise to protect you." His eyes met each elder's, his promise clear in his gaze.

"But in return," Feitan concluded, his gaze unwavering, "You will serve Haruto." The words hung in the air, a contract waiting to be signed.

Jahleel considered the proposition, weighing the safety of his clan against their independence. His gaze traveled around the room, meeting the eyes of the younger man offering sanctuary and the others who stood with him. Each of them held an unwavering conviction, a silent vow of protection.

The choice was clear.

The room remained still, each Kurta elder weighing the heavy words spoken, the prospect of subordination igniting a defensive flame within them. From their rigid stance, one younger elder suddenly stood, jolting the room from its deliberative silence.

"Who do you think you are?" His voice rang through the room, a hot blade of defiance slicing through the chilling reality of their circumstances. His pupils were ablaze, the infamous scarlet glow of the Kurta Clan illuminating his rage. He moved his hand towards his sheathed sword, his intentions clear.

However, before his fingers could graze the hilt of his weapon, the room darkened. It wasn't a loss of light but rather an unnatural shadow spilling across the room, undulating beneath Haruto's feet. Then, as if the shadow itself were a portal to another realm, a figure emerged.

From Haruto's shadow, the silhouette of a small, slender girl materialized, her sudden appearance as shocking as the manifestation itself. Her emergence from the shadow was not a simple step but rather a phantasmal transition from two dimensions to three. It was as if the universe folded in on itself, twisting the reality of space and time to birth her form. Her form solidified within seconds, the darkness receding to reveal Canary, a guardian forged from loyalty and courage.

In her hand, a wicked-looking dagger gleamed ominously under the sparse lighting, its curved blade belying a chilling threat. Before the Kurta elder could even react to her sudden appearance, she had moved, appearing right before him, the sharp point of her weapon caressing the tender skin of his throat.

"Do not disrespect the King!" Canary's voice echoed through the room, as cold as the icy wind that sweeps across barren lands. Her young face was devoid of any warmth, her violet eyes mirroring the stern reprimand of her words. Her dark hair swayed slightly as she tilted her head, her gaze never leaving the Kurta elder's widened scarlet orbs.

Her statement lingered in the air, a frigid reminder of the power and authority Haruto held. The room fell silent, the elders taken aback by the swift action and the determined conviction of the young girl. The shock in the room was palpable, but the meaning behind the unspoken words was clear - Haruto was not to be belittled, not while his loyal defenders stood by his side.

Feitan, leaning against the wall, watched the spectacle with an approving nod, a small, almost invisible smirk playing on his lips. He seemed to find a dark amusement in the elder's startled expression. "Not so quick to draw your sword now, huh?" he muttered under his breath, his sharp gaze never leaving the tense scene.

Phinx, despite his amusement at Feitan's words, remained stoic, his eyes locked on the Kurta elder. He made no move to step forward, his respect for Haruto evident in his restrained demeanor. He believed in Haruto's ability to command the situation, his silent, watchful stance asserting his faith in the young leader.

"P-please," the patriarch stammered, his gaze shifting from the space Canary had occupied to Haruto. Haruto offered a slight nod, an unspoken command. In response, Canary dissolved back into the shadow at his feet, her presence evaporating as though she had never been there. The elders collectively exhaled, their breaths held during the tense confrontation. Their eyes darted around the room, as if questioning the reality of what they had just witnessed.

"We need to discuss this. Please give us some time," Jahleel pleaded, his voice strained under the weight of the proposition at hand.

Haruto rose from his seat, a gesture signaling the end of the discussion. His gaze flicked towards the patriarch, a silent acceptance of the old man's plea. "You can take as much as time you can afford," he responded, his voice steady and resolute.

A confused murmur swept across the room, punctuated by an elder's question, "What do you mean by that?"

Haruto turned, the flickering candlelight casting an ominous shadow over his face. "Like I said, the world wants you dead, and next time, the hired guns might not be as benevolent as me."

The air turned cold as the gravity of Haruto's statement set in. His words weren't a threat, but a chilling reminder of the perilous reality the Kurta clan was facing.

Without waiting for a response, Haruto turned towards the exit, his loyal followers falling into step behind him. As he passed by Feitan, he paused for a brief moment, a silent exchange of respect occurring between the two.

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