Punishing : Gray Raven (Official)

Chapter 15 : Escape to Somewhere (Interlude 0-1)

"—Tch ..."

"Okay ..."

Nun : "Two more mouths to feed it is."

"From today onwards, you two'll come with me.",

.....

Luna : " Lucia, are we finally safe now?"

Lucia : " Yes, at least we can feed ourselves if we work every day... No more unnecessary risks..."

Luna : " That's great..."

" But... Lucia, you've been coming back later and later..."

Lucia : " After this, Luna, we'll have all the time in the world to be together."

Luna : " Okay... "

...

Little Girl : " Luna, your sister is amazing! She's doing so much work."

" And she looks after everyone as well. It's like she's the class monitor back in my school"

Luna : " Ehe... "

Little Boy : " Um... Can you.... spare us some food...?"

Luna : " Um... "

Little Boy : "It's  so cold lately, we're all too sick to even work... We don't have food either... We're not going to live..."

Luna : "... "

Little Boy : "I'm just borrowing it, okay? When I get my strength back, I can earn more food and return it to you, how's that?"

Little Girl : "We  live in a group, so we should help each other to better everyone's lives!"

Luna : " Okay... "

...

Luna : "Lucia , you're back!"

Lucia : " Luna... I found a... doll... outside..."

" I think you might like it, so I... brought it back for you..."

Luna : " Ahaha... It's so ugly!"

Lucia : "'s ugly?"

"I see..."

Luna : "But I like it!"

Lucia : "You do?"

Luna : " It's the first time you've given me a plushie, I'm so happy!"

Luna takes the plushie and begins to check it out.

Luna : " If you ever come back too late, I can go to sleep hugging it!"

Lucia : " As long as you like it..."

Luna : "But my favorite is still Lucia! Hehe!"

Lucia : "... "

Luna sits on her bed and plays with the plushie as Lucia walks before their food stash to store the food she earned today."

Lucia : "The food... Why's there so little left."

" Luna, did you eat some of it?"

Luna : " I didn't eat it, just... I lent it to... people... the last few days..."

Lucia : " All the food and you... lent it to people?"

Luna : " I did... what's the matter?"

Lucia : "..."

Lucia steps back, stupefied. She mutters to herself silently.

Lucia : " It's all my fault for not checking the food crate..."

" Blizzard's coming in a few days..."

" All the food supplies are going to be cut off..."

" That's why I've been coming home so late recently..."

" Luna... with this much food... We won't be able to..."

Luna : " But... they said they would return it to us afterward..."

Lucia : " Luna! "

Luna : "What's  the matter? Lucia?"

Lucia : " You—"

Luna : " Lucia... "

Lucia grabs Luna's hand and promptly rushes outside.

Luna : " Lucia... It hurts..."

Lucia brings Luna to the hall

Lucia : " Whoever borrowed food from Luna, come out!"

The crowd merely gazes at the two, not a soul daring to make a sound.

Lucia : " It was you, wasn't it?!"

Little Boy : "—!—!"

" I already ate most of it... What's left is... only barely enough for myself..."

" Do whatever you want with me, I still won't give it back to you!"

Lucia : " You...."

Little Boy : " I'm just trying to live! What's wrong with that?!"

Lucia : " PL...."

Little Boy : "What?"

Lucia: "PL... please..."

Luna: "Lucia..."

The boy could not bear to look at Lucia, and instead huddles himself up, not showing any emotion.

Lucia : " Please..."

Lucia turns to the crowd.

Lucia : " Please... help us..."

—Not a sound.—

Nun : " Alright..."

" Well... No one to blame but your own gullible selves."

" Don't expect there to be any law-upholding police or judge around here."

Lucia : "... "

Lucia glares at the curled-up boy, her fists unconsciously nearing the knife she always kept close to her.

Lucia : "..."

Lucia and Luna return to the surface...

Luna : " Lucia..."

Lucia : "We don't have a choice..."

"We have to head out together and search for food..."

—to be continued—