met free 2: New home
2: New home
The night wind swept across the gray-blue rocks of Elbaf, bringing with it the unique vastness of the distant sea.
"Giants don't like beating around the bush, so I'll just say it straight."
Before they had taken more than a few steps, the "Mountain Beard" Aruru, who resembled a moving small mountain, spoke in a deep, booming voice, like muffled thunder. His enormous, bell-like eyes swept over Oro and Carmelo without any preamble.
"Charlotte Linlin is a dangerous person. If Oro hadn't stopped her in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Aruru's voice was deep and serious, his brows furrowed, and the terrifying power emanating from that child's body was truly chilling.
As soon as Aruru finished speaking, Yoruru, the "Waterfall Beard" walking beside him, smoothly followed up. His voice was relatively clearer, but it still carried the deepness and authority unique to giants:
"As elders, it is our inescapable responsibility to protect our people and maintain order in our territory."
"Elbaf is a village of warriors, fearless in the face of challenges, but it cannot tolerate uncontrollable destructive forces within its borders. Oro, Sister, can you understand?"
His gaze shifted between Oro and Carmelo, carrying both inquiry and determination.
Oro raised his head. In the distance, firelight flickered. He squinted slightly as he looked at the thick beards of the two giant elders, which resembled a mountain and a waterfall.
"Of course I understand."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for the two giants and the nun to hear: "I was the one who brought Lingling back from the beach, so I also bear some responsibility for that. Therefore, I have a suggestion."
Oro paused briefly, not finishing his sentence in one breath, but first observing the reactions of the two giants.
Yoruru nodded slightly, and Yaruru crossed his strong arms in front of his chest, both indicating that he should continue.
"Old Tarol has a stone house in the underworld where we can live permanently. Lingling and I can go there. That way, even if something unexpected happens again, we can..."
Before Oro could finish speaking, Sister Carmel interrupted him anxiously, "That won't do, Oro!"
The ever-present kind smile on her aged face was replaced by a hint of genuine worry.
The nun raised her voice, her tone filled with an all-encompassing concern: "The underworld has no sunlight, no protection from the sun god!"
"That place is only cold, damp, and dark, teeming with enormous beasts! How could you two children go to such a place!"
"Waterfall Beard" Yoru nodded in full agreement, his large, waterfall-like beard swaying gently with the movement:
"The nun is right, Oro."
"The underworld is a place of exile and execution for criminals. You are Taror's adopted son, a member of the giant race recognized by the Sun God and all your people. How can we let you go there?"
Even "Bearded" Aruru chimed in, "A person with the heart of a strong person will not stand idly by and watch a child abandoned on the beach, just like when Taror brought you back."
"You may consider this your responsibility, Oro, but it is by no means a fault! To exile the innocent is not part of a just order!"
"Sister Carmel, do you have any suggestions?"
Aruru looked at Sister Carmel, whose face was adorned with genuine compassion. She patted Auro on the shoulder: "Thank you for your trust, Elder Aruru."
The nun’s voice was gentle yet persuasive: “In fact, I do have an idea. There is a very habitable island in the waters near Elbaf that I discovered by chance before.”
"The island isn't far from Elbaf, the climate is pleasant, and the produce is plentiful. I plan to move there with Lingling."
"This way, Lingling can have a safe environment to grow up in, and we can also avoid causing any more trouble for everyone in Elbaf."
"I see. What about the younger siblings at 'Lamb's House'?" Auro raised an eyebrow.
Carmelo's loving smile remained unchanged: "The children have the right to choose their own lives; whether they go to a new home or stay in Elbaf is their own choice."
Aruru and Yoruru exchanged a glance, tacitly deciding not to try and stop the "Saintess" who had once "saved" several giants from the Navy. Instead, Yoruru spoke first:
"I've been to that island; it's definitely a great place to live. Well then, that's settled."
He paused, then a hearty and straightforward smile appeared on his face: "Sister Carmel, the giants will not forget our 'friendship'."
"As a token of our gratitude to 'Lamb's Home' for providing shelter for children over the years, we will send our people to escort you and build you a sturdy and spacious house in your new home."
"This is a token of Elbaf's appreciation for his friend; please accept it."
After Yoru finished speaking with a smile, Aruru beside him also smiled, Sister Carmelo also smiled and agreed, and even Oro couldn't help but laugh out loud.
……
Several days later, the massive wooden warship broke through the azure sea and sailed away from the iconic giant pillars of Elbaf.
Oro stood on the ship's railing, his hand resting on the cold, rough wooden railing, watching the island of warriors, which held years of his memories, gradually shrink and become blurry in his field of vision.
The sea breeze was fierce, blowing his short golden hair and bringing the scent of the unknown seas in the distance.
Under the guise of helping to make interior decorations that the Titans couldn't easily make, he boarded the ship bound for their new home, "Lamb's House," along with more than a dozen Titans.
The giants, with their massive bodies reaching tens of meters in length, moved across the deck, making the ship, which was a behemoth to humans, seem somewhat crowded. Their loud laughter and the clinking of glasses mingled together, creating a powerful atmosphere.
Oro knew what the two giant elders were thinking that night—
They were eager to take this opportunity to "send off" Carmelo, this potential troublemaker, and Charlotte Linlin, this unstable "danger," while maintaining a facade of harmony and "friendship."
He also knew that Carmelite's smile at that moment was genuine; it was a smug satisfaction at the prospect of retiring after achieving her goal.
At this moment, the three parties, each with their own ulterior motives, reached a strange and fragile consensus.
In this world, for anyone with a bit of talent or a secret, childhood is short and fleeting.
Or rather, they were forced to say goodbye to innocence very early on.
Well, except for those silly idiots who are always grinning like an idiot.
Like Oro, he started planning for the future as soon as he was three years old and able to move around on his own.
Although a child of a few years old has limited strength, it is not that he is incapable of doing nothing.
After a long period of inducement and suggestion from Oro, the giants also discovered that something was wrong with this so-called "saintess who saved the giants".
Especially these two oldest giants, they may be straightforward, but they are by no means stupid.
However, it must be admitted that Carmelo, this old trafficker, is indeed quite something—her preparations before the operation, her arrangements for the backup plan, and her awareness of counter-surveillance are all top-notch.
The giants have yet to find direct evidence that she trafficked children.
Those children she took away from Elbaf were "luckily" "arranged" to "better homes" and disappeared without a trace, leaving a frustratingly clean trail.
"Fortunately, it's all coming to an end."
Oro silently recited the words to himself, his gaze fixed on the white spray splashing outside the ship's side.
Although Oro doesn't have hyperthymesia, he can't possibly remember all the content of the anime and manga he watched before his transmigration, but he still remembers most of the plots involving important characters like the Four Emperors.
Especially since the original anime was already quite weak, with not much information per episode.
Even though his memory had become somewhat hazy over the years, he vaguely remembered that the transaction of selling Charlotte Linlin after leaving Elbaf was the last time that trash Carmelo sold her.
Furthermore, the day before the transaction was Charlotte Linlin's birthday, and on that day, Linlin ate a lot and then inherited the Soul-Soul Fruit.
Perhaps... what is inherited is not just the fruit...
Today is December 28th. The 12-day fasting period for the Winter Solstice Festival, which caused Linlin's hunger and triggered her "food cravings," is not over yet. There is still more than a month until Charlotte Linlin's birthday on February 15th, so there is plenty of time.
Oro looked up, and at the horizon, the outline of the island known as their new home was already faintly visible.
His eyes sharpened. His primary goal upon arriving on the island was not to directly confront Carmelo, as that would be too reckless.
His first priority was to deal with Long Bread, the Eat-Eat Fruit user who would become Linlin's right-hand man and co-found the Big Mom Pirates.