When I returned to the arena, Cradle was nowhere to be seen. His match was likely about to start.

I led Emera to the waiting area in the arena. Only one or two matches remained, so there were no other gladiators around.

I decided to wait until Cradle finished his match, hoping he could put in a good word.

To be honest, I wasn’t keen on watching Cradle’s match.

After all, Cradle was too strong.

Because gladiator matches are tied to gambling, overly strong fighters are eventually scheduled for fewer matches. As a result, Cradle held back when fighting.

This left him uninjured and with enough energy to fight every other day.

That’s how Cradle rose to prominence as one of the top gladiators.

Frequent fights build a fan base, making a gladiator popular and attracting more gamblers. Popular gladiators then get placed in the main matches.

Since I knew all this, I had no concerns about Cradle’s safety.

I laid the body of Emera’s deceased sibling against the wall and told Emera to sit nearby.

Emera, who appeared around ten, was surprisingly obedient. Ever since eating the meat, she had quietly followed me and was now seated with her knees hugged to her chest beside the body.

Unsure what to say, I maintained silence until Cradle returned.

"Ah, Cradle is definitely our top gladiator for the Capital Games! No doubt!" came Sprex's cheerful voice, followed by Cradle’s laugh.

As Sprex passed by, Cradle noticed me.

"Oh, Matt! Back already? So responsible... huh?" he said.

With a cheerful demeanor, Cradle approached but stopped when he noticed Emera, then looked at me, puzzled.

"Did you… buy yourself a girl? Isn’t she a bit young?"

"No," I corrected Cradle's assumption, when Sprex appeared over his shoulder.

"Hey, you got a silver coin. You could’ve bought someone better. She’s all skin and bones. With a silver, you could get a woman with a figure as big as her face."

"I didn’t buy her."

Sprex frowned as if realizing something.

"Oh! Was that your way of saying a silver wasn’t enough? What a nerve for a rookie!"

While Sprex grumbled, Cradle noticed the child’s lifeless body and grew serious.

"…What happened?"

Cradle asked, turning to me. Emera looked up at him from my side.

"It’s a child who starved to death. This is her sibling, Emera. I thought I’d make her a gladiator apprentice," I explained.

Cradle widened his eyes, while Sprex’s face twitched.

"You brought back an apprentice? Really, Matt?"

"How could you find an apprentice on your first day out of the guild? What made you think you could bring one back so easily, rookie?"

Hearing this, I tilted my head.

"Apprentice? That’s not what I intended."

Sprex looked at me sternly.

"Normally, rookies don’t pick up apprentices; that’s up to the impresarios. Sometimes established gladiators pick a promising candidate, but that’s rare and typically done by top veterans. What’s a rookie doing bringing back a disciple on his debut day?"

I glanced down at Emera, who looked back up at me.

I patted her head lightly and turned to Sprex.

"I’ll cover her expenses from my earnings. I don’t care who I’m paired against. Besides, I have eight bronze coins left. I’ll return those."

Sprex’s expression shifted to one of amusement.

"…Really? You mean it? Then, I don’t see any issue with one little girl," Sprex said, while Cradle frowned.

"Wait. Take that back. Sure, it’s all well and good now, but there could be brutal matchups down the line. In two years, you’ll be on the rise, but you could lose a limb over this. Don’t throw your life away over one kid."

Cradle’s words were solemn, but I shook my head.

"I don’t take back my words."

With that, Cradle looked down at Emera with a grim expression.

Sprex, eager to finalize my statement, stepped forward.

"Alright! You’ve got guts! I’ll provide her clothes and food. You handle the rest. Anything else you need?"

"Bury her brother’s body."

"We haven’t had any casualties lately, so sure! Hey, someone come here!"

Sprex laughed and strode away, leaving Cradle to glare after him. Cradle turned back to me.

"…I could still help. Can’t you just give her a little money and have her brother buried?"

"No. She would probably die soon after," I replied.

Cradle sighed deeply, then turned away.

"Fine. Do as you wish," he muttered, leaving.

Emera stayed silent, only gripping the hem of my clothes tightly.

That night…

Outside the city, four logs were laid out, with grass arranged atop them to hold the body of Emera’s brother.

We gathered around, praying as his body burned.

The guild conducts these rites, as death is common among gladiators.

Most gladiators come from hardship and tragic backgrounds.

So, instead of burying bodies like nobles, we send them to the skies through fire, believing it leads to a better world.

Remaining bones and flesh are buried, ending the rite.

In the dark night, we gathered around the blazing fire, our rough voices in prayer sounding almost like a mournful song.

Emera, crying, stared at her brother’s burning body.

If I died, it would likely end like this too.

Somehow, that thought came to mind.