"Why is he the one leading us?" one of the youths, a boy named Claine, turned toward Berry with a look of pure bewilderment. He gestured toward William with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Aren't you the one supposed to be in charge here, Berry? What's with him being here in the first place? He shouldn't even be in this part of the estate during a lockdown."
"Claine! He is someone entrusted by me—and by my grandpa!"
The moment the words left Berry's lips, the atmosphere shifted. She didn't just answer; she retorted with a fierce, slightly enraged edge that left Claine blinking in shock.
Berry's general reputation among the clan's youth was well-established. Everyone knew she was notoriously kind, often showing a soft heart toward weak spirit masters or people in miserable positions, like porters or the struggling Pride disciples.
