Chapter 3
HH5“He was pickpocketing.”lJZO
LXH6NBurleigh spoke from behind Vlad, who was looking frustrated.BTNi
Oh1“He was awkward, foolish, and he had no skill. That’s why he got caught.”pN1M3
Txw“······.”1dlApH
ohbM2yRather than responding to Burleigh’s words, Vlad was examining the condition of the child writhing on the ground.7rJg
p187er“Did you cut his fingers?”9OuRA5
EzuFd“No.”VQPw
DAWzDKg“Did you cut his ankle?”xibd8z
w0QYNiR“No.”CbwkKq
klEBduBurleigh smiled as he watched Vlad inquire about the young pickpocket’s condition.xEkHxn
pQFBecause he was confident that his cute junior would definitely hand over the silver coins.BKe
QNbOn8w“It’s really fresh. I just gave it a little touch. You can eat it raw if you want.”FGSfz6
fWtJ7“Hahaha!”F4At
eP0W“Then! I even gave it a good beating to make it taste better!”8XZeK
bcFRPThe members of the Jorge Family who were behind them burst into laughter as if Burleigh’s words were amusing.pFv
WpMP“······Fine.”X6f
PU1PVlad sighed and took out the glittering silver coins from his pocket.yoK
zrm“As expected! I was sure my proud junior would agree to the deal.”PvuZXt
Mlq“Next time, don’t call me. Just kill him.”3pndJt
KUepFW“Why do you say that? We’re gang members, not murderers.”jmfz4sK
U5PUuet“The bastards who scam their own family members.”Ntj
1xi6ppThe members of the Jorge Family just laughed even when the youngest, Vlad, uttered harsh words.gXcjLH
IqRThey had already recognized Vlad, who had survived in the tough back alleys.GSyB8e9
W0yqpThey could easily tolerate the harsh complaints of their young brother.hd6KyTw
ZCYH“The big brothers are going for a drink!”JaIeJcX
zjWVY“Go and catch a venereal disease.”3Tx
T1afvJ“As expected of the rising star! Vlad’s club is spicy, and his tongue is sharp!”66a7ixH
Jy6BL“I don’t know if his middle club is spicy too!”EFXEAQ1
Nb7“Hahaha!”fHqyiAp
C4dMoreover, Vlad stood out despite his young age.jnXd2O
ZzF0x9SThe sharp awl is bound to stick out of your pocket no matter where you are.kriwGD
8cqSurviving in the slums alone was not enough, Vlad had also taken control of the young vagabonds in the alleyways and garnered the attention of various gangs operating within the slums.DgVBGd
qwdqEHe was an object of admiration for young vagabonds in the alleys who had not yet received the gang’s call.INy5cOh
vaWEAnd the boy was the top priority recruitment target for gangs in need of talent.VER6x
lGiThat was the value possessed by a 16-year-old boy, Vlad.R6KZ
62e“Get up, before I kill you.”wI6E9U
DEXGZ“Ugh… ugh…”cZcxj
dNO0Vlad said while tapping the bound boy with his foot.96BY
aRKoIn“Did you see that I just got ripped off? Read the atmosphere.”ZKhvEj
zST19r9“Huh…”5xYGPnn
vRzrIn response to Vlad’s stern warning, the dark-skinned boy with both hands bound and a gag in his mouth rolled on the ground with all his might and managed to stand up somehow.RJHd
SRLW“Puh-ha! Sorry, Vlad. I was trying to slip away in moderation.”2cUtD
QXRVlad couldn’t tell if the boy was apologizing for pickpocketing or for getting caught, but he could at least see that the young black boy in front of him was sincerely apologizing.04tv
xFDJ0cvSmack!GPai
f05“Ow!”Yifgojg
I1jUoJ“I am really pissed.”6EOILkO
PmP10After vigorously slapped the back of the black boy’s head, Vlad rubbed his eyes with both palms as if tired.A4SuU
xrv“Five gold is getting farther away again.”CoN
cgouL“Do you need money? Then borrow it from the one-armed Jack.”bJvzIrq
qCMoT“I’d rather eat rat poison than borrowing from that guy.”IbLUwoH
YpIBKykVlad shook his head when the name of another boss, who ruled the back alleys alongside Jorge, came up.cyEV
N5pGne“Did you have any broken bones?”PUcSN
A7uF“No.”2xVTi7
ogW7Mby“Then get out of here right now.”IrJdnY1
5fhbVx9“…Are you going to tell my hyung?”hxoDdl
rAVKWhether he was aware of how close he had just come to being severely beaten or not, the black boy was simply afraid that his actions would be reported to his older brother.CTuK5
EcI“I will get 40 silver from your brother.”OXIvE
ga9“No, Vlad, please!”GxYKJdt
kAGL“Then your brother will give me 40 silver, and you idiot will get at least 400 beatings.”Ypd05
h15The young black boy smiled fearfully and predicted the impending future after seeing Vlad’s unwavering blue eyes.9cJM3kZ
1Xk“Next time, I won’t get caught…”jTeuQtn
p6nB“Maybe you haven’t improved at all because you’re so stupid.”a7XO
BxR5FOVlad ushered the young pickpocket, who was pledging his next success, out of the shop with a gloomy expression.3o1hMY
dbo9Watching the black boy disappear into the alley at the end, Vlad raised his head and looked at Rosa’s smiles.zwk
rjfQFRosa’s smiles seemed to be filled only with tranquility without flashy lights.e6RbP
8DIEHowever…uj2z6Ga
8qh“… I need someone’s comfort today.”DrD0el
qPQLsToday, he just ruthlessly dealt with an innocent customer and heard about the corruption of bright Madame, and even had money taken by senior members.FPzYKu5
6fjYNormally, he would go inside the Rose’s Smile and get some sleep, but today he decided to bask in the bright sunshine.Vbn
7vhaRVlad walked in the opposite direction of where the young black boy had gone. He could smell the thick stench of filth lingering in the mist around him.V8eer
HF5RNY※※※※g99LRPs
Mfhg0KThe knight of the whores, Jorge.HGR07
2oeMoney bug, one-armed Jack.BP6CC
JHhQJtqSwine Slaughterer, Black Bear.wfvG0
y8fmkThe gambling den’s Dice.zufTUU
6ZRPAnd the whale hunter, Captain Hoover.Zw0mF3A
3rHGlThese five were the bosses currently ruling over Shoara’s slums.ZWsK
uo4a1“So, why did you come to see me?”57M
JVr“You got some money?”vV5n
IlKAnd the man named Harven, whom Vlad had come to see, was a member of Captain Hoover family, the whale hunter.cT8
MRE“The first thing you say as soon as we see each other after a long time is, ‘Give me money’?”EUVClev
adOmqi“I just need 5 gold.”lrPJ90G
wxqPK“Can I really get the money back if I lend it to someone who’s already been robbed?”2TxmVWT
hcXeI“I had no choice.”s6JI
RctxK“No, you can’t. You have no credibility.”rJSt
gJnVYHarven shakes his head.IOpuBZi
CTh1CHarven has unremarkable brown hair, unlike Vlad’s flashy blond hair, but his impression is just as strong as Vlad.p2k
WH3zEpd“You’re really something, too. How can you ask a disabled guy who can’t even stand up for money?”rtft72z
csmMhmIt was a small room.4uyt
oMowBA tiny room that would be cramped with two people sitting in it.yQOBK
zO1Therefore, even Harven, who had to rely on a cane, could reach for a bottle in the cupboard with one foot.4WpX
cI5cGEven with his left hand, which had only three fingers.fx7
ZcZ“Drink this and get out. Your hyung is busy.”iYQq1l
1ToCviH“Is it okay to drink this?”VgKl
UJaiWZVlad opened the bottle and wrinkled his nose at the strange smell emanating from the alcohol.rTzs
5gaEd3“It’s Captain Hoover’s masterpiece, Captain Q. It’s a drink that kills three when two people drink it.”7CB3
RNGF“Then I can use it as poison later.”p4GwuBQ
N46N6cIVlad gave up on drinking the suspicious alcohol and sat in front of Harven, and watched him work.Nm4VlEc
gUA39rnA small room, a nondescript desk overflowing with bundles of paper, and densely written numbers and letters inside.mvgXM
ZnabUuAnd Harven was flipping through them tirelessly.WfMAHQ
R2yCDq“Even though I can read and write, I don’t know what’s written there.”KxF
JHFO5t“That’s something I taught you, too.”yoQ
IryTsOT“I can read numbers, at least.”AmE7T
QFpaoV“That’s something I taught you as well.”yky
wsinA smile lingered around Harven’s eyes as he listened to Vlad’s grumbling words.a9A
72U1LAHarven was like a benefactor to both Zemina and Vlad. Harven shared his blanket with them when they were rolling around in the back alleys as children.PQpKEX4
qPbAzMIf it weren’t for the warmth he provided, Zemina and Vlad would have frozen to death long ago, and if it weren’t for the bread he stole, they would have starved to death.T1qgD
2fz9“But that kid was lucky. They set pickpockets and cut them here and there like they did to me.”xO4
MsYyPz6“Well, there were good times too.”B1lwMFB
Rviq1Back then, they were a trio who made a living as pickpockets, but that also came to an end after Harven became a cripple.WVsJ
KwLz3“…But unlike last time, this new bishop seems more interested in something other than pickpockets.”plFi
EXGmHarven had been unlucky. The bishop in Shoara at that time happened to be sensitive to theft and pickpocketing.bSPY
3UZJNormally, it would have ended with a beating, but Harven lost two fingers and had his left ankle slit as a demonstration of the bishop’s tendency.tS5VC
BmCbXPHarven’s pitiful screams echoed through the back alleys, but no one was there to help the street vagabond, who was like the dregs of the city.b1YaFuG
cVKQ2AeFortunately, Vlad had grown enough to feed all three of them at the time when Harven couldn’t earn a living.FlG2mi
nT5h9yThat’s how Vlad, Zemina, and Harven managed to keep each other alive in a precarious way.wqQntvd
umzg1Z“So, what did the new bishop say he’s sensitive about?”wRC
pLDT“Pedophilia.”oLGDJ
PTwnpZU“Oh, right, I remember now. Haha! I remember Zemina muttering something.”nkQWs1
nWu10JmDepending on the tendency of each bishop in the city, church regulations varied slightly.IZS6
p1SuUnlike the previous bishop, the one who had been assigned to Shoara five years ago was more interested in children than theft and pickpocketing.4xKq
YZHCha“So, that’s why Zemina’s debut was forcibly postponed?”EuOF
zZeC“Madam is being careful. I guess the shop has become famous, so it’s attracting attention from the church.”eLrE8K
yg4qFor the young girls in the back alleys who had nothing to sell but their bodies, engaging in prostitution regardless of age was a matter of course.s2jS5
5glSh2xHowever, all of that was prohibited due to the new bishop who was appointed five years ago.ux2zWG
SYcAnyone who had sex with a girl who wasn’t an adult will be excommunicated.jhP
wmHrThat was the major rule set by the new bishop.8QR3
AzOih3BWhether it was unfortunate or fortunate, Zemina, who hadn’t yet reached adulthood, ends up doing nothing more than washing dishes as a result.Hfogsdi
832J4tPerhaps Zemina will have no choice but to remain a virgin under the protection of the church and Madam until she reaches her age.7eY
8ll“A chaste wannabe whore! It sounds like she’s a pregnant virgin! Haha!”bxm
OcPgA“And on top of that, her body still hasn’t grown at all. Even if Zemina becomes an adult, any man who sleeps with her will definitely be excommunicated, right?”I28
hJSPZcw“Hahaha! That kid won’t grow up until she dies.”Bbe
B1IQHihAfter talking about Zemina for a while, Harven chuckled but unconsciously stared at the wall.RXvxBfU
qn1Vct9It was a small room. Amidst the dust and the smell of paper, there was another scent that you could feel if you concentrated.U8l
9TW6akIt was the scent of a river.62VrfW
DaKJ3bCaptain Hoover, who primarily engaged in smuggling, had his base by the riverside, and beyond the wall that Harven was looking at, there was the river that fed Shoara, the city.RKoWq
2qhYVxBA wide, blue river that could take you anywhere. Unlike Harven, who was tied up here.KmjKc
tRtpfr“Well, I feel like I won’t be able to get out of here until I die, just like Zemina won’t grow up until she dies.”X1J4XA
aYitAqM“…”KH5Zy
bZ22BVlad couldn’t help but feel saddened by Harven’s statement, even though he couldn’t deny that he was right.oi4Yr
gN3K“Well, Vlad, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”FK8Lis
BxQXL“Yeah?”Y0ZoI
dRMRThe sharp-witted Harven taught himself how to read and understand numbers. He knew he needed more than others to survive.7BHt8j
4F6Because of that sharp mind, he got a job even if he was crippled.M4a
NNBIBecause of that sharp mind, he could understand how the city of Shoara worked even in the cramped room, as reflected in the letters and numbers written on the documents.wRaAGu
cHhjxzB※※※※Ahax
pmtK“Be careful.”POv4p3T
AWYrThose were the last words Harven spoke to Vlad as he picked up the bottle and got up.XlyyMb
HZsVBut no amount of warnings could change the fact that Vlad had no choice but to live in a place where survival meant taking from others, and taking meant hurting someone else.ABxu
jwaA“Ugh… This alcohol tastes really foul.”Pc4
MI6YAnd you would inevitably get hurt in the process.KnsOA
G6eOr“Three people will really die when two people drink it.”1Gz
QD4cpAnd perhaps, I will also die.xorp7uR
5l6lDVkThis was a place where moth-like people fluttered in the darkness, facing constant risks and dangers, and Vlad knew it all too well. He was just another fragile moth.kBeBAp
LKXqkT“It shines…”VaRG0w
GQXZhcDespite his fading vision due to the strong liquor, Vlad could see something shining in front of him.AiuIT
NUdThe boy stood before it and gazed endlessly at the shining object.LKoQ9W
aM8rwI“… Five gold wouldn’t be too much to pay for such radiance.”ZQQkj
9RiHe found himself mesmerized by that radiant object.qvwembF
cJd0N“…It’s a remarkable light.”V4b3bF
ZnSIn the dark and unforgiving back alleys where a cheap drink consoled him, the boy stood before that inexplicable source of light, just like a moth drawn to a flame.mdh5aKO
LLYAp2He gazed at it for a long time in front of the old blacksmith’s shop.b12h
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