1 – Eugene
December 12th. Overcast.
Flags fluttered in the wind above the dome. The dome was green, not painted green, but simply rusted green.
The bank was once the most iconic building in the vicinity, simultaneously the tallest.
The war robbed the bank of its distinctive brass-colored dome. However, it couldn’t snatch away its height. Even now, standing at the top of the dome, one could easily survey this dilapidated city.
Placing a flag seemed fitting beyond measure.
Foreign flags fluttered in the wind.
“What damn good weather.”
The rain momentarily ceased.
So, I emerged from under the bridge.
*
Surviving on dew alone is impossible. That’s why my belly clung to my spine.
“I’m starving to death.”
Gurgle. Thunder rumbled from my stomach.
It had been two days since I last chewed on something. The audacious attempt to endure the past five days with two pieces of bread and rainwater ended in a dismal failure.
In theory, a person can live for a month just by drinking water, but the theorist probably never experienced starvation.
It tastes like death.
Luckily, the rain stopped. Merchants opened their shops, unfolding the previously folded stalls.
This filthy city might regain a bit of vitality.
I resumed a task I hadn’t done in a while.
Entering the market street. A good spot with a clear view happened to be vacant. I plopped down and, after a moment, placed an empty can I had picked up nearby in front of me.
Begging is forbidden. It looks arrogant. Gather your knees, emphasize your pitifulness, and don’t forget to smear some soot on your face.
With this, preparations are complete.
Now, if you sit quietly, a passing passerby would throw a coin your way.
This is my job.
Some might derogatorily call it begging, but heavens no. Where else can you find a business with such little discrimination?
Unlike businesses that require trading skills, good relations with neighbors, the ability to identify quality goods, and most importantly, a privileged background to secure the foundation, this one can be done by anyone with just a bit of preparation. There isn’t even an intermediary distributor, so revenue is almost synonymous with profit.
So, call me an entrepreneur.
“A penny, please ― I have no bread to eat today ―”
I began my soulful street performance.
There are many people. That’s the nature of the market. This business is somewhat like fishing; the more fish, the better.
However, these people are not my customers.
“….”
The man who briefly glanced in my direction swiftly turned his head.
If he can afford to do that, he must be from a wealthy class. Most others either pretended not to see me or casually passed by.
“A penny ―”
Every time I opened my mouth, he deliberately averted his gaze.
Now it feels like I’m working.
If you’re a beginner, you might resent why they’re so harsh, but that’s normal. When you suppress your emotions and observe, you can see that their situation is just slightly better than mine.
Small fish are too busy trying to survive. They probably don’t have the luxury to be generous to others.
The real customers were different.
I’m targeting the well-fed and warm-spined predators.
“A penny, please ―”
After about forty minutes of fishing, someone took the bait.
Clang! The can let out a refreshing scream.
A sidelong glance was directed at me.
“Oh my. You should eat your meal.”
“Thank you. Thank you…”
“Really, how pitiful.”
A woman, dressed in an elegant coat, gave me a sympathetic look and even handed me a coin.
I bowed my head in gratitude as I watched the woman walk away on the bustling street.
But deep down, I laughed ominously.
Just as planned.
The woman who threw cheap sympathy and expensive coins. According to my extensive market research, she is most likely the wife of a Prauvia Federation military officer.
There were many soldiers dispatched here to manage the post-war affairs of the Jumbum Nation. A considerable number of officers brought their families, so there was quite a large temporary settlement in the area.
They were different from us, who hurriedly sought refuge. They came on boats, fully prepared. They had money, that’s for sure.
So, even if the officers didn’t know, their wives and children were the ones who sustained the local economy.
I couldn’t miss this opportunity.
“Let’s see… Oh…”
Clank. Inside the can were two dirty coins. How kind of her.
It seems like I’ll be able to have a whole piece of bread for dinner tonight.
After suppressing my laughter, I resumed my role as a street performer.
“Please give me a penny― I’ve been starving for three days―”
It’s not a lie. Apart from the coins in my pocket, it’s been three days since I’ve eaten anything.
A lower-class citizen.
An orphan since before the war.
Now, even the reputation of the country has been turned upside down.
At least, a genuine human being.
That was the last bit of dignity left for me, Eugene.
*
It’s regrettable, but in a society that has experienced war, the dignity of others is considered as insignificant as a pebble on the street.
“Hey, you beggar Eugene!”
So, I couldn’t argue against those words.
The street filled with a gray twilight. Thanks to my passionate plea, six more coins were collected. If turning this excited heart into despair in an instant is a talent, then it is a talent.
Welcome, Les Misérables.
Just like I call myself a businessman, those guys call themselves revolutionaries. They might even resemble the opposite in reality.
From now on, I have to gather my wits.
Roar! Six strong boys and girls forcefully surrounded me. Each of them holding a blunt weapon like a pipe or a wooden stick.
Seriously? Are we going to do this?
It’s still a bit bright for dinner.
Moreover, this is the corner of the market. There are still quite a few people walking on the streets. I doubt even the most audacious person would dare to harm someone in a place where there are dozens of eyes watching.
I know. Those guys are not usually audacious. They’re crazy individuals who engage in theft, assault, and extortion right next to the Pravia military camp.
In the midst of the crowd, Remy, wearing a fairly neat raincoat, looked at me with a crooked posture.
“Hello? Long time no see.”
Lemi greeted with a sly smile.
“Hello, my foot.”
“Kid. With that shameless mouth and a face like a leech, you’re still the same… But who gave you the right to spread your mat here as you please?”
“It’s my right.”
“What the hell is ‘my right’? Eugene. Do you have any idea how many months of rent you owe for this place?”
“I said I wouldn’t pay from the beginning—”
Thunk!
“Cough.”
His words were cut off as his jaw turned away.
From Noble mtl dot com
It wasn’t to the point of being fatally painful, but it was enough to crush a person’s pride. Lemi laughed mockingly.
“Well, I didn’t come all the way here to listen to a beggar’s excuses. Right, guys?”
Lemi snapped his fingers, and five gang members smirked.
He was remarkably wise for a gangster, and he knew very well that having a conversation with a beggar, who was also an orphan, was unnecessary. Dammit.
A fist flew.
“Drop dead!”
Bam!
“Ugh—”
He was hit right in the spine out of the blue. Cowardly bastards.
With eerie pain, cold sweat trickled down, and he couldn’t catch his breath.
“Keuhk!”
While I pounded my chest spasmodically, they began beating me as if I were a stray dog, whether I liked it or not.
Thud. Thud….
An unexpected scene of violence unfolded on the main street.
I crouched down as much as possible, trying to minimize the pain, and opened my eyes to peer through the legs of those guys.
I felt their gaze.
Easily, at least a dozen people were staring in our direction.
Yeah, just staring.
Soon, they seemed to realize that I was watching them too.
In the next moment,
They averted their gaze and started walking their own way.
Indeed, they were like fish. Even if they formed a group and roamed around, it was just an instinctive manifestation. If someone threw a stone, they’d scatter in all directions in a chaotic frenzy.
Yet, I don’t resent them for it. That was the kind of world it was.
“Where are you looking?”
Bam! I got a hit on the back of my head.
“Ugh—”
Ah, a lead pipe is unfair.
My brain shook.
Although I collapsed to the ground with all my strength drained, the beating didn’t stop.
Even though the guys knew that hitting the head with a blunt object could be lethal, the rough girls, without such concerns, energetically kicked me. Personally, the latter was more malicious.
“Enough.”
Nevertheless, those bastards do listen well to the commander.
Lemi, who had teased his subordinates, sat crouched in a dough-like state in front of me.
Contemplating whether to spit on his disgusting face, I couldn’t resist, and right before executing the plan, he spoke.
“Isn’t the club sauna warm?”
“Yeah. It’s cold out. Thanks. Ptoo!”
Oops. Couldn’t hold back.
The spittle mixed with blood dirtied Lemi’s face.
This time, it was my turn to smirk.
“Indeed. Maybe it suits your oily face, that spitting of yours. Leaving that aside, whose coat did you steal?”
“…This punk’s.”
Phew. Wiping his face with the sleeve, Lemi let out a deep sigh.
“You should be grateful I’m being lenient.”
“Oh. Is that so?”
“Pretending to have high self-esteem till the end. Nothing to show for it. Our esteemed businessman. Can’t pay the rent because you’re broke, right? Am I right?”
“…”
“That’s why you should’ve accepted my proposal last time. I get what I want. You’re not a good fit, that’s good. A win-win deal for my sister and brother-in-law.”
“It’s noisy. Get to the point.”
“Hand over the spellbook.”
I open my eyes. It was a sincere gaze.
“I’ve seen everything you’ve been carrying with you for a long time. Well, isn’t that interesting? Hurry up and hand it over. If you hand it over smoothly, this place is all yours from now on. You can do ‘business’ as much as you want.”
Puhahahaha, they burst into laughter. Because of the roaring in their heads, it echoed layer upon layer….
That aside, the reason Remy is making this proposal was obvious.
Reward.
It’s because of the reward offered by the Federation for magical items.
Our country, the former Bayel Empire, was on the path of decline.
When the Federation across the sea was flourishing brightly, the Empire paid the price for neglecting magic. The glory that once dominated the entire continent was replaced by a financial crisis that could lead the nation to ruin.
Even in such a situation, unwilling to bow their heads to the Federation, the Empire took out dusty weapons from the warehouse and started a war.
They were defeated.
That was seven years ago.
The Empire was cruel, and there was no altruism or adherence to international agreements in their war.
The Federation decided to become a mirror. We will emulate your ways.
The collapse of the regime was inevitable. Furthermore, the Federation declared a magic prohibition throughout the entire ex-Empire. It was a declaration to practically eliminate the future of the Empire, and the few remaining magical books were completely burned as a result of it.
After the extensive magic purge, the Federation handed over the task to civilians.
They put a bounty on it.
If you hand over magical items or books to the Federation army, you’ll be rewarded with a substantial bounty. Precisely fifty pounds.
That’s exactly what Remy wants.
But what should I do about this?
Does anyone not know about the bounty?
In a world where dignity has dwindled, magic is my soul, and I have only one thing to say to those trying to turn my soul into money.
“Eat dirt.”
Remy’s expression crumpled abruptly.
