As Maliny turned with that wide smile when she heard Leonardo's voice, her blind eyes blinked in his direction. She said softly, "Big brother, did you come to visit me?" Her voice dripped with longing.
Leonardo paused and answered warmly, his expression softening but his tone still carrying a hint of sarcasm. "Yes, Maliny, your big brother came to visit, and I brought a gift for you."
Maliny's face lit up. Before Leonardo could say more, she eagerly asked, "Where's my gift? I love gifts, especially yours—they're the best."
Leonardo chuckled and said, "You mentioned last time you felt lonely and wanted a cute friend, right, Maliny?"
Maliny got excited and bounced like a child, saying excitedly, "Did you bring me a puppy? Or better, a rabbit?"
Leonardo chuckled more. "No, much better."
Maliny paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "What on earth is better than a puppy?"
Leonardo replied, "A friend who can talk and listen to you…"
Maliny cut him mid-sentence. "Like a real friend? Wow, that's amazing. Where are they?"
Leonardo paused and looked at Druvok, then pushed him forward toward Maliny. Maliny smelled Druvok's scent, a mixture of forest and mud, and reached her hand out. When she touched his hand, she held it gently, then slid her hand from his wrist to his arm, shoulder, and finally to his face, caressing it softly.
Maliny commented, "He's tall and his skin is rough." Her blind eyes blinked at Druvok as she asked excitedly, "So, what's your name, my new friend?"
Druvok stared at her—the blind girl who looked beautiful and fragile like a primrose. He lowered his gaze to her neck, thinking he could snap it in half with one hand. He couldn't believe he would need to watch over such a weak creature…
After a long pause, he responded, "My name is Druvok."
Maliny smiled wide and said eagerly, "Nice to meet you, Druvok. I am Maliny, and I am really happy we will be friends."
Druvok stared at Maliny's excited expression, his own softening for a moment before quickly returning to coldness. He reminded himself that even though she looked weak and innocent, she was still one of those filthy humans—the same humans who enslaved and humiliated him.
Before Druvok could respond, Leonardo asked, "So, Maliny, do you like this gift? I paid a lot to get him."
Maliny ran toward Leonardo's voice direction and hugged him tightly, responding, "Yes, brother, I like him so much. I'm so happy."
Leonardo chuckled and stroked Maliny's hair. "I'm glad you like the 'new friend.' In the end, you have nothing else to do in your day but wait for others to pity you and spend time with you—but I spared you from that." His voice dripped with sarcasm and a hint of disdain, which Druvok caught, but Maliny didn't notice and just smiled.
Druvok felt something was really wrong in their brother-sister relationship but couldn't put his finger on it.
Maliny turned to Druvok and said sweetly, with a hint of hidden obsession like a child admiring their new toy, "Druvok, I will take care of you. We will spend all our time together."
Maliny's words and tone sent chills down his spine, but he couldn't judge her from the first meeting, even if she was just a filthy human and a blind, fragile girl in his view.