𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮↳ 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙯.

19: The Raid on Liberio

"How long has it been, Gertrude?" A woman with black hair asked Gertude as she walked through the door, smiling at her. Gertrude switched her gaze towards the woman then frowned. "Since what? The war? Paradis?"

"Since Y/n got sent out, how long's that been?" The woman asked, limping over to a couch using a single crutch and taking a seat. "11 years, I think. And it's been 4 since Oliver got sent out. Maybe they'll send someone else," Gertrude answered roughly, then looked at the woman. "Sorry for being curt."

"That's alright. I think I remember seeing Oliver resting on a bench one day, on the south side of Liberio." The woman replied, sending Gertrude a gaze and waiting for a reply. The Mercenary sighed to herself, crossing her legs. "Is that so? Wonder why he didn't bother to come say hi to me."

"Well, that was a few years ago, and I do remember you were on an assignment to Fort Slava. By the time you returned, I'd forgotten about it. I apologize, though."

"You're fine, it was probably someone else anyways." Despite that, Gertrude did hope it was him. It might've meant that he was back for good, and she could finally get some answers from him, as well as give him an earful for being gone so long. There was a 5 minute long silence that fell between the two, the atmosphere in the room getting thicker and thicker with each passing second.

"Pieck, did you by any chance spot someone that looked like Y/n, too?" Gertude broke the silence, turning to Pieck with a look of confusion on her face. The said woman, Pieck, shook her head briefly. "No, but I do hope they're ok. I know it's been 11 years, and they might've died–" Pieck took a pause, looking at Gertrude to make sure she was alright with the topic. "But even Porco misses them. At this point he just wants to know if they're ok."

"We all do, Pieck. That 17 year old girl who got sent out 11 years ago was the best Marley had to offer. Now we don't even know her whereabouts." Gertrude concluded curtly, frowning a bit. Pieck nodded before the door opened once again.

"I think it's time we consider the other possibilities," A deep voice said as it entered the room, walking around the couch Pieck was sitting in and sat on the chair opposite from it. Pieck and Gertrude turned to face the man with distasteful expressions as Zeke took his seat on the chair. "Zeke, don't speak like that. Gertrude's in here."

"And I'm sorry for that sensitive topic, but it's been 11 years. I'm starting to think it's a bit hopeless." Zeke concluded for himself, crossing his legs and leaning back in the chair. Gertrude rolled her eyes at the blond man and scoffed quietly.

"Now, now, Y/n was quite charismatic 11 years ago, so who knows? They could've gotten married."

"To an Island Devil? Please, they hated those sinners, what makes you think they'd fall in love with one?"

Pieck shrugged with a soft smile, hunching her back a little. Gertrude frowned even more before crossing her arms, even though Zeke said what everyone was thinking, she couldn't stop Pieck's words from getting into her head already. There were many possibilities that could've happened to you; you very well could've died, or fallen in love, or got caught and got sent underground to be tortured until you spilled answers, which Gertrude was willing to bet that's the least likely possibility. Her patience was running thinner than a sheet of paper, but she knew she'd have to wait until you turned up, she wouldn't even be mad. She'd just be relieved that you're safe. (though you and Oliver would both have some explaining to do.)

"That's not impossible. My mother fell in love with my father, who was an Eldian–"

"Well your mother was delusional, so that doesn't say a whole lot."

Zeke shrugged, seeming unbothered by the insult. "She might have been, she might've been perfectly fine. But I'm saying that the chances aren't zero, Gertrude."