Rin
Arriving back at the Upper District, all three of us were limping from our injuries. We ended up staying in the ruined clearing for another 30 minutes.
The little girl I found was still unconscious, most likely not to awake anytime soon.
Someone of her age being oppressed by the Aura of a High Will Beast, and hit by the powerful explosion, it's impressive she's still alive.
When we returned to the section of the market where the guards and couple were, we found the crowd to have mostly dispersed by now.
Making our way to the front, Leo took charge to talk–
…What?
Why would they?
The area was rich with the smell of blood. One of the guards had his weapon drawn, its blade covered in crimson… below his feet, the father lay dead on the floor.
"What is the meaning of this?" Leo demanded of the two guards. His voice cracking though his strained vocal cords.
"Please! You must help, my Lord." The mother pleaded, crying while cradling her husband. "My daughter, you found her!" Upon seeing me with her girl, the mother raised her arm, reaching for her.
"My Lord, I mean no disrespect. However, these agitators illegally entered the Upper District and attracted the presence of a Hunter to our borders. I am well within my rights to eliminate every one of them."
"It was just an accident, my Lord! Out of necessity!" The mother spoke up again.
Lavinia jumped in, "Good sir—" Only to be cut off.
"My Lady, you do understand, don't you? Our non-tolerance rule is non-tolerance." The second guard spoke up.
'non-tolerance', for something as minimal as this. It's ridiculous.
"Leo! This isn't right!" I said, stepping closer to him.
He responded, looking down at his feet, "Rin… just hand over the girl."
"Leo, you can't be serious. You can't kill them just for being here. Why don't–why not just send them back, forget this ever happened."
His eyes shot at me, wide and crazed. His voice had a dark pitch I'd never heard from him before. "We almost died, Rin. There's no forgetting this happened."
The first guard spoke up again, staring at me like I had just suggested heresy. "Don't be maudlin, my Lord. That's too much work for these Lower District scum!"
"Please, don't do this, my Lord!" The mother cried.
I looked to Lavinia, hoping she'd be a voice of reason. But she was quiet, her eyes hollow, and mind elsewhere.
…We almost died. But it still isn't right. These aren't bad people. They were just given a bad life.
I scanned my eyes over the bystanders. Their life of luxury and these Lower District residents 'aren't worth their time.'
What about me? Just because I'm dressed like them, I'm suddenly a Lord. It's not right.
"Rin…" Lavinia spoke in a soft squeak only I could hear.
My eyes shot to her, hoping she'd say something helpful.
…But she was damaged…
Without anyone else seeing, but me, a single tear fell from her face.
Lowering my head in defeat… I handed the little girl over.
The mother, begging for her life, was killed alongside her daughter in front of us.
The only solace I could find… was that at least the little girl didn't die awake.