Chapter 7

When I emerged at the top of the steep slope leading to the sea, I saw people arguing on the beach.

One was a woman, and the other two were men.

The woman had a well-tanned, brown complexion.

Judging from her build, she seemed to be a young fisherwoman.

She was probably around sixteen, a year older than me.

She had a gentle face, but now she was trembling in fear.

In contrast, the two men looked like rough, sharp-eyed thugs.

Their conversation carried up the hill on the sea breeze.

"Give me back my boat!"

"You want it back? Then pay up."

"That's terrible, taking not only my home but my boat too!"

The older sister spoke in a drawn-out manner, which made the situation seem less urgent.

She must usually be a more gentle person.

How could these people bully such a kind person? Who are they?

"If you have a grudge, blame your father for taking the loan. We’re just collecting the debt."

The men sneered mockingly.

"If I lose my boat, I can’t go fishing."

"That’s not our problem."

One of the men coldly dismissed her, while the other spoke in a cajoling tone.

"How about I get you a better job than fishing? You have a pretty face, and your figure isn’t bad. If you’re willing, you could make a decent living."

"What, what do you mean…?"

"Let me take a look."

The man leered at the older sister, scanning her body.

"No…"

"Don’t be like that. I won’t hurt you. Hehe."

"Let go of me!"

The man grabbed the older sister’s arm!

What should I do…?

The men looked vicious and were much larger than me.

I probably couldn’t stand up to them, but I felt I would regret it for life if I pretended not to notice.

There’s no way I can turn a blind eye to such evil and make Gandalcia the ideal island!

Even if I can’t match them in strength, maybe I can scare them off with a bluff…

I steeled myself and shouted loudly.

"Hey, stop that!"

As I ran down the slope, the three of them looked at me in surprise.

They hadn’t expected anyone to be on the island.

"What, who are you?"

Intimidated, I took a deep breath and replied.

"I’m Seddie Dantes, the lord of this island!"

Mentioning the Dantes family name made the men flinch for a moment.

"Is that true?"

"Look at his clothes. And he’s wearing a sword."

Even though I had been kicked out of the manor, I was still wearing fine noble attire.

Moreover, the sword was expensive, and few commoners could afford it.

Most people would prioritize essential living items over such luxuries.

These men were likely from the Dantes territory.

Knowing I was from the noble family, they slightly changed their attitude.

"Sorry, young master. But we’re not doing anything wrong."

"Right, we’re just collecting the debt from her father. We even have the contract."

The men showed me the contract.

It seemed genuine, stating that if the money wasn’t paid by today, the house and boat would be taken as collateral.

"See, it’s all correct, right?"

"Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you can mistreat the young lady."

"No, no, the house and boat alone aren’t enough to pay off the debt. She needs to work too…"

They were underestimating me because I was a child.

"That’s a lie. The contract doesn’t say that. The collateral is only the house and boat!"

"Tsk!"

The men spat and looked around.

This is bad, they might ignore me and take the older sister, or even try to kill me to silence me.

"Leave the island quickly. If I shout, my brother Alexei and his retainers will come running!"

Of course, this was a bluff.

Neither of my brothers was on the island, and even if Alexei were here, I doubt he would do anything for me.

But a lie can be useful. Even if my brother is useless, at least I can use his name effectively.

"Oh, that’s not what we meant…"

"We’ve already taken what we came for, we’re leaving."

The men seemed to believe my brother was on the island.

They released the older sister’s arm and hurriedly prepared to leave.

"Before you go, return the contract!"

These men might misuse it.

I won’t be fooled.

My tutor taught me that once the payment is made, the contract must be destroyed.

"Fine, fine…"

The men handed the contract to the older sister and then boarded their boat and hers, finally leaving.

The older sister watched the two boats disappear into the distance, her eyes streaming with tears.

She looked so miserable that I found it hard to speak.

"What will you do now? How will you live…?"

Her trembling shoulders reminded me of myself just yesterday.

I want to help her somehow.

"Miss…"

"I’m sorry for causing a commotion. I was trying to escape the debt collectors, but they took my boat too. I thought if I had the boat, I could at least continue working…"

"Did you need money?"

"My father was sick. But he passed away recently. Now I’m all alone. I have no home, and I don’t know what to do from tomorrow…"

The more I heard, the more her situation mirrored mine.

I can’t just leave her.

I was about to invite her to have some herbal tea at my place when the status screen suddenly opened.

This must mean a new development condition has been unlocked, just like with Eugenie.

"What’s your name? I’m Seddie."

"I’m Ruru."

"Ruru, I might be able to help you."

After checking the status screen, I couldn’t help but smile.

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