Chapter 12 Commitment
◎The bloody memories gradually faded, dripping into the yellow sand, leaving only a hint of stale aftertaste.◎
I’m dying… I can’t breathe!
Thick muscles and bones squeezed my throat, and my vision gradually blurred.
【Is he going to ascend to heaven again?】
Melia tried to struggle again, but her arms dropped as she felt dizzy. "I'm still... too weak."
"Hey, hey! Cheer up!"
"What do you want to do to the lady? Let her go!"
Why is the murderer afraid of my death? And...Taffy's voice.
The force on her neck suddenly loosened, and she slid down helplessly. Ronnie held her petite body in her arms and pressed hard on her philtrum.
"Ah--Wu! Huh~Huh... What are you doing!" Melia struggled to get up, her waist was clamped, and her upper body leaned out to breathe heavily.
"I'm sorry, I have to do this." Ronnie tightened her arms again, this time hugging her waist so that she wouldn't feel suffocated like before.
This young lady's neck was so thin and fragile. Not to mention compared with her gladiator opponents, even the lambs sacrificed to the gods at the Harvest Festival would not die if caught.
"Let go of the young lady, or Master Mario won't let you out alive!" Taffy's eyes were red, and she held a short knife in each hand. Due to Melia's safety, she couldn't lock onto the champion's vital points.
"Impossible, if I let her go, we will all die." Ronnie grabbed Melia's soft waist in her hands and lifted her to her chest.
Such a position not only ensured that the prey could not escape, but also blocked the arrows shot by the guards. They were all slaves, and with Mario's weak character, he would never order the use of long-range weapons.
"I say, why are you holding me hostage? With your skills, you will be able to redeem yourself sooner or later. There is no need to take the risk." Melia gradually regained her senses.
Just now I thought she was bribed by some elder to be an assassin, but now it seems that is not the case at all.
"…True, but they're going to die. If I can trade one life for sixty-four, I won't complain to Hades."
Ronnie held Melia in her arms and walked out step by step.
She felt the gravel under her feet. Every time she walked out of the circular sandy arena, the rough touch reminded her that she was still alive.
Sand is a good thing. It can prevent the gladiators from slipping and reduce injuries from falling, and it also makes it easier for slaves to deal with the debris afterwards.
Even defeated gladiators could win "freedom", their blood mixed in the yellow sand could be sold for a good price, and their bodies would be buried under the land gifted by the boss to enrich the next year's harvest.
But burial alive is different.
No matter how grand the funeral fight was or how much cheers it received, the gladiators who participated were no longer glorious warriors.
They were merely sacrifices whose very souls were purchased, devoured by beasts as offerings to the gods or buried beside their masters to provide protection after death.
It would be extremely foolish to attack the heir of a senator. For more resources, join the knocking group: medicine. Even if she was confident that she could walk out of the arena alive, Muala's guards and the Roman guards would not let the gladiators leave.
But she had no choice.
"Ronnie, listen to me." The girl's voice reminded her of the stream in her hometown. "My father is dead, and there are people who want me dead—the guards will shoot right through us."
Luo Ni walked slowly and steadily: "Thanks for the reminder, I will let them go their separate ways."
Pasha, Pasha. She could already see her companions practicing not far away.
"Also, I want to tell you something." Melia leaned forward and turned her face away. "When I came here, I said in front of everyone that I wanted to break my father's contract."
Emerald eyes sparkled, and a flamboyant smile played: "You moved too fast. I prefer gold coins to meaningless sacrifices~"
"You, you're lying."
Ronnie almost let go of her arms, and she hurriedly looked at her companions not far away.
"Really? Even though I just promised Nicola's brother?"
They had already walked onto the training ground, and both the instructors holding whips and the students holding weapons were staring at the two of them without blinking.
Melia was fine, it was just that Ronnie looked too weird.
They all knew the champion had ten identical sets of leather armor, a new one he wore every day, and he loved it. He wasn't even wearing a smock today, wasn't he worried about it getting worn out?
There was only a bandage on the sole of his foot, but he insisted on holding the young lady in his arms.
Ronnie noticed the looks and her cheeks flushed slightly.
She moved her lips and wanted to shout, "I've kidnapped Melia! Run away if you don't want to die!" but she couldn't open her mouth.
These instructors...if a student wants to escape, they will definitely stop him.
Is it really necessary to kill them? What if, what if what Melia said is true... She called out Nicola, a very common name belonging to a gladiator.
Damn it, how could this be true? Nine out of ten words these Roman nobles say are lies—
"Sorry I'm late."
The girl on his arm suddenly slipped off, and a dagger emerged from the shadows and pressed against her back.
Before Ronnie could fight back, Melia walked up to everyone and bowed gently.
There was an uproar for a moment: it was a greeting gift from a noble to a noble, and from a commoner to a commoner.
But she soon calmed down because her attitude was so natural, as if there was nothing wrong at all.
Her clear eyes swept over everyone, and her voice was not loud, but it echoed in everyone's ears.
"As I said before I left, I will not obey my father's will. I am only willing to pay half of the originally agreed amount—"
Before the commotion began, she continued, "These gold coins won't buy your souls, your lives. I want to exchange them for a grand show, and... my personal safety until the funeral is over."
The gladiators looked at each other in bewilderment. Most of them were debt slaves and war slaves, and their poor lives had not given them any skills other than combat.
This noble wanted to break the sacrificial contract and was willing to pay half the price. Is there really no trap for such a good thing?
Ronnie finally came out of her trance at this moment.
She looked at the girl's tall back with a complicated expression: the guy in her memory who was laughing wildly and licking his lips with bloodthirsty eyes... had he been changed by something, or was he carrying out a clever scam?
"Ms. Melia." She bowed respectfully, not caring about the dagger scratching her back. "Master Mario is your uncle. You can modify the contract at any time."
There was no trust between nobles and slaves. Melia could easily have lured everyone to the square that day and executed them all in front of everyone after the performance.
No one could prove her promise, no one could protect the dignity of the gladiators.
“It’s very simple.”
"Simple…"
"No one will need to wear shackles that day. I will provide the most elite equipment, including metal shields, and disperse you to different areas to secretly observe potential assassins for me. If anyone attacks civilians, you must immediately stop the performance and provide protection."
The gladiators couldn't help but discuss quietly. They understood the meaning of "no shackles." To prevent these strong gladiators from rebelling against their masters, they had to wear shackles when leaving the arena.
Moreover, with the metal shields, even if there were archers on the tower, they would likely be able to escape.
Melia raised her voice again. "My father only chooses the strongest warriors, the most talented and powerful. There are sixty-four of you, and you all know my name and my face! If I were to harm you, I would never sleep in peace!"
These words were spoken passionately, and a feeling that was almost resonant with me surged in my heart.
Yes, they had nothing but the martial arts they had honed with all their might. As long as they were freed from their shackles and armed, even if there were a conspiracy, what did it matter?
"Ms. Melia."
Ronnie used her strength to fend off Taffy's attack and loudly questioned: "This is not a promise!" She still had the ability and reason to kill them, and it sounded very sincere. Wouldn't it be all over if she killed everyone?
"Okay, then I promise you."
Melia waved her hand, and Taffy retreated unwillingly, stepping on her shadow and walking behind her.
In front of the champion's towering body, the girl looked exceptionally petite.
But she didn't look up at the brave gladiator. She just raised her hand and said, "From today until the end of the funeral, I hire you as my personal guard. You can go in and out with me and carry the sword."
Amidst the exclamations and Taffy's timid objections, Melia flicked the gladiator's armor. "How long does it take to kill a noble who has broken his oath? Champion."
Bathed in the sunshine is a smile as clear as an ice crystal.
The bloody memories gradually blurred, dripping into the yellow sand, leaving only a hint of stale aftertaste.
"It will be easier to protect a girl who keeps her promise, my lord."
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