Thirteen looked in horror and surprise as the chubby Cristopher ran in his direction.
His horror was for the Trolls running after the other party, and now, probably him too.
While his surprise was for the unexpected fact that the chubby boy could run.
He could run really fast!
If there was an Olympics for one thousand-meter-dash for thirteen-year-old boys, Cristopher would definitely win the Gold Medal hands down.
"Help me!" Cristopher shouted as snot and tears streamed down his face.
Thirteen didn't even bother replying and simply ran away in a different direction. There was simply no way he could help someone with two Trolls running after them.
But, Cristopher, who had seen him, felt as if he had seen the light at the end of the tunnel and ran after him.
"Don't leave me!" Cristopher shouted. "I don't want to die!"
Thirteen glanced behind him as he continued to run.
Cristopher had almost caught up to him since the chubby teenager had insanely fast running speed.
After looking at the two Trolls running after them, Thirteen noticed something that made him breathe a sigh of relief.
The two Trolls seemed to be injured, so they were unable to run as fast as they could. Perhaps they had a skirmish with an Ogre and got injured as a result.
It was thanks to their injuries that their speed was lacking and so couldn't catch up with the two children, who had managed to gain a safe distance away from them.
Because of this, the two Trolls decided to stop chasing them and went to look for something easier to hunt.
Ten minutes later…
"Hah… Hah… Hah… I thought I was going to die," Cristopher panted for breath as he leaned on a boulder.
He was in a complete mess and looked very pitiful.
Thirteen, on the other hand, kept watch on their surroundings, making sure that there were no signs of Trolls or Ogres in the vicinity.
They were in dangerous territory, and it would be very stupid of them if they didn't exercise the utmost caution.
When Cristopher had managed to regain his composure, he wiped the tears and snot off his face and looked at the boy in front of him.
He recognized him right away because Thirteen had made a lasting impression on him at the party.
But this only confused Cristopher even more.
There was no way for someone as young as Thirteen to appear in Solterra. The other party was still too young to be spirited away.
"Young Master Zion, what are you doing here?" Cristopher asked.
Since he had acknowledged that Thirteen was a member of the Leventis Family, he referred to him in a polite and respectful manner.
"I entered a Dimensional Gate by accident," Thirteen replied, still scanning their surroundings for danger.
After careful consideration, he decided to use this excuse if someone were to ask him this question.
Although it sounded ridiculous, it was still more acceptable and believable than saying that he was spirited away on the night of the Solstice.
"…"
Just like he expected, Cristopher was dumbfounded by his answer.
"Y-You entered a Dimensional Gate by accident?" Cristopher stuttered. "How did that happen, Young Master?"
"I was just curious about what was on the other side, that's all. So I decided to enter it."
"…"
Cristopher didn't know if he should be impressed or be horrified by Thirteen's lack of common sense.
'I shouldn't think much about this matter or I'll go crazy,' Cristopher thought as he eyed the younger boy. 'At least, I am no longer alone in this place. Although Young Master Zion is still only seven years old, having him around puts my mind at ease.'
The chubby boy didn't understand why he felt more secure having a younger boy with him in a place filled with Monsters.
But this was what he genuinely felt and only thought that thinking this way was natural because Zion was from the Leventis Family.
After all, the children of the Prestigious Families were built differently compared to ordinary children.
"Young Master, what will we do now?" Cristopher asked. "Where should we go?"
Originally, Thirteen had every intention of leaving Cristopheralone. He had no plans to carry extra baggage because it would only delay his journey toward the territory of the Barbarians, where he planned to go.
However, after looking at the pitiful boy who looked like the standard template for a cannon fodder, he changed his mind.
Thirteen had a soft side for these people because they were HIS people.
"Cristopher, I will be honest with you," Thirteen stated. "To me, you are just extra baggage who will hinder me from going back to Pangea."
Upon hearing Thirteen's words, Cristopher felt as if the sky had fallen on his head. He couldn't understand why he felt this way, but the mere fact that the younger boy thought of him as extra baggage made his heart ache.
"However, if you can promise me three things, then I will take you with me and ensure that you survive your First Wandering," Thirteen stated in a serious tone.
"Three things?" Cristopher felt as if an olive branch had been thrown his way. "I will do anything you say, Young Master."
Cristopher decided to accommodate whatever conditions the younger boy would impose on him in return for successfully completing his First Wandering.
"The first condition," Thirteen said as he raised his index finger. "You are not to question me in any way. Do as I command even if you think that I am sending you to your death. Will you put your life in my hands, and trust me with every fiber of your being, or should we part ways here?"
Cristopher lowered his head and clenched his hands into fists.
The retainers of the Younger Generation of the Leventis Family knew that they were mere tools who would help their Masters reach greater heights.
All of them were well aware that Terrence could discard them anytime if he no longer found them useful.
In fact, they had also thought of the possibility that the young man would use them as bait or as a distraction against the Monsters in Solterra in order to escape with his life if need be.
What Thirteen was asking of him was something that all those who wished to become the retainers of the Leventis Family already prepared for.
In the end, they could only trade their lives for a chance to make a name for themselves in the family so that they would no longer be treated as disposable tools and become useful and trusted subordinates by the Masters they served.
"Young Master, are you saying that I should swear my allegiance to you and break my ties with Young Master Terence?"
"Mmm? No. You can continue to be Terence's subordinate. This is just a deal until both of us return safely to Pangea. I help you clear your trial, and you help me to get home. This is what you call an equivalent exchange, no?"
Cristopher sighed in relief because he didn't want to break ties with Terence. His relatives had worked hard just so he would get a chance to become a retainer of the Leventis Family, and he didn't want to let them down.
His mother was currently in the hospital, and only the funds from the Leventis Family ensured that she would receive the best medical help in Oakheart City.
Cristopher loved his mother so much that he sacrificed himself in order to cover her medical bills.
'I can't die here,' Cristopher thought. 'Mom will be lonely without me. I'm the only one she has in this world.'
After steeling his nerves, he nodded his head, but he still looked at the boy in front of him with pleading eyes.
"Young Master, I will do as you say. But my Mother is in a hospital in Oakheart City," Cristopher stated. "I'm the only one that she has, so please, don't use me as Monster fodder. I want to take care of her for years to come."
Thirteen's gaze softened a bit after hearing Cristopher's statement. He also had Hosts who had this kind of family setup.
In fact, one of his hosts was called Son Jinwoo, and he had to take care of his mother, who was in a coma, and sister, who was still in high school.
Despite being the weakest Awakener of that world, he strove hard in order to earn enough to support the two of them.
But Cristopher was nowhere like Son Jinwoo.
Although he was young, he was forced to go to a dangerous world in order to ensure that his mother would be able to continue living. This was something worthy of respect, even from someone like Thirteen.
"I promise that I will not discard you to ensure my survival," Thirteen said. "I gave you my word that, no matter what, I will help you clear your First Wandering. However, I will not deny that I will treat you as a tool.
"I will make you work hard for my sake and treat you like a slave. But in return, I promise you that you will not only live a long life but also reach a Rank that you never thought possible. So, I ask you again. Will you give me your absolute obedience and loyalty, Cristopher? Will you place your life in my hands?"
Cristopher nodded, and even knelt in front of Thirteen like a knight.
"I hereby swear that until both of us return to Pangea, I will obey every word that comes out of your lips, Young Master," Cristopher vowed. "My life is in your hands."
"Good." Thirteen said as he patted the boy's shoulder, and asked him to stand up. "You will not regret your decision today, Cristopher. I promise you that."
Cristopher looked at his temporary Master gratefully and slowly rose. He could feel Zion's sincerity, and he truly felt like being with the seven-year-old might be the luckiest thing that happened to him after being sent to the world of Solterra.
