Beggar Siblings - Interview
Darkness fell over the city.
Leo purposely fiddled with a silver coin as he wandered through the alleyways.
“Got one.”
Petty thieves, hoping to snatch the silver coin from the small beggar, began to tail him.
Thanks to the {Rules of Back Alley}, he knew a thing or two about this world.
Thugs like these weren't of interest to the real criminals. The real power belonged to the “Families.”
The Families that ruled the underworld dealt in all sorts of illegal businesses, often paying off nobles for protection and using their names for influence. They adhered to a strict set of rules, rarely harming ordinary citizens.
Of course, kidnapped slaves were an exception. They weren't considered ordinary citizens, but commodities.
Thugs, on the other hand, were those who couldn't make it into a Family. The troublemakers who threatened ordinary people for money, the kind who were destined to get beaten up by the city guards.
Leo pretended to be oblivious, ducking into a dead end. As he turned around, feigning confusion, three thugs blocked his path, smirking.
“Get in there. And don't try anything funny.”
“Look at this little beggar, acting all tough. You must be raking in the donations.”
He didn't resist, walking deeper into the dead end.
He had no weapons.
But Leo had trained relentlessly in the Engagement Ring scenario, experiencing months of brutal warfare. He didn't even need {Swordsmanship} to deal with three measly thugs.
“You look like you got some coin on yo… Urk!”
He slammed his elbow into the armpit, right next to the nipple, of the thug who approached carelessly, all his vital points exposed.
Leo's body was so frail that he feared he might break his wrist if he threw a punch. He had to be careful.
“What the… Gah!”
He followed up with a swift kick to the face of the thug behind him, who was still trying to figure out what was going on, using his momentum to block the entrance of the alley, preventing their escape.
“You little…!”
The remaining thug whipped out a small dagger, thrusting it forward in a panic.
This idiot doesn't know how to use a dagger.
Daggers weren't meant for stabbing in a standoff. It was the shortest weapon, with a reach of less than a handspan. Using it for stabbing was foolish.
A dagger was best used to slash at an opponent's arms in close quarters or to carve them up when locked in a grapple.
But right now, this idiot was fixated on stabbing him.
Leo deflected the incoming blade with his forearm, using the momentum to close the distance. With a loud smack, he slammed his palm into the thug's jaw.
As the thug's head snapped back, Leo seized his dagger-wielding hand and twisted the wrist with a sharp, practiced motion. Clang! The dagger clattered to the ground.
“Thanks. I needed a weapon.”
He shoved the disarmed thug hard, sending him crashing into the one who was still reeling from the groin shot.
Leo picked up the dagger.
The thug who had been kicked to the face cautiously got back on his feet, wary, but it was too late. They were already dead men walking.
[ Achievement Unlocked: Back Alley Cleaning - You are stronger in the dark alleys. ]
Leo casually strolled out of the alley.
Two daggers and fifteen copper coins. Not a bad haul for a few minutes of work.
He headed towards the marketplace.
He had no intention of making a living beating up thugs. Catching them was just a means to an end.
To survive in the underworld, he needed to join a Family.
The only skill he could utilize right now was {Swordsmanship}. Since he couldn't leave the city because of Lena, the only profitable profession involving swords was being a thug.
He had considered joining the Orville City Guard, but they were soldiers at their core, subject to deployments and transfers. Besides, the pay was lousy.
Leo located a carriage rental shop, a place where one could rent a two-seater carriage within the city.
As it was closing time, a young man who was tidying up the rental counter saw the approaching beggar and waved him away.
“This isn't a place for beggars. Go away.”
But the beggar suddenly pulled out a dagger, pointing it at him.
“W-What do you think you're doing? Who sent you?!”
He stammered in alarm, but the beggar didn't lower the weapon. The young man's eyes darted between the outstretched dagger and the beggar's face. Finally, he discreetly stepped on a lever hidden beneath the counter.
It wasn't a coincidence that Leo was taken to the stables when Lena was kidnapped in the previous Childhood Friends scenario.
To smuggle illegal goods in and out of the city, the Families owned carriage rental shops.
It was safe to say that almost every carriage rental shop in the city was run by one Family or another.
Soon, a burly man flung open the shop door and charged out.
“What's with the beggar?”
“I don't know. He just came in and pulled a weapon on me.”
“A new begging tactic? Put the knife away before you get hurt.”
The thug glared menacingly, but the beggar, no, Leo, instead drew a second dagger, holding it up alongside the bloodstained fabric of his clothes.
“I took down three thugs in the alley west of the marketplace. That should be initiation enough, wouldn't you say?”
“...What a load of crap. Get out of here before I call your bluff.”
“I'll be back tomorrow. You can check for yourself.”
There were many ways to be recruited by a Family.
They might hire a retired mercenary through connections, scout for promising thugs, or entice capable commoners with clean records.
Leo's method was the most radical and uncommon.
Bloodstained hands and a display of force. The fastest way to get into a Family.
Of course, there was a downside.
Since he wasn't brought in directly, he would be treated as an outsider until he earned their trust.
Leo had no other choice.
Short and small, he was unlikely to catch their eye otherwise. He had to be proactive.
Leaving the young man and the thug behind, Leo turned on his heel.
“I was going to buy some clothes… but everything must be closed by now.”
Darkness had already descended. Luring the thugs and finding the carriage rental shop had taken longer than expected.
He had no choice but to return to the shoe store.
Cassia wasn't there.
Perhaps because he had flaunted his wealth during their first meeting, or maybe it was just her personality, but Cassia had left the table with the money pouch untouched.
Leo took off his shirt before Lena saw him.
He had dusted himself off and brushed away the dirt earlier, but there was no guarantee that no bloodstains remained.
“Lena, are you in there?”
“Brother! What took you so long?!”
His sister flung the door open and greeted him.
“Finding a job took a bit longer than expected.”
“Why are you taking your shirt off?”
“It was a hot walk back.”
“You must be tired…”
“No, no. Not at all.”
The two sat down and chatted.
Lena in this scenario was rather quiet.
She simply listened as Leo spoke. She responded occasionally, but rarely brought up her own thoughts or experiences. Even when he persistently asked about her day, her answer remained the same:
“I was just in the room.”
Maybe nothing had happened. Tomorrow, he would buy her some clothes and toys. He also needed to find a tutor…
The siblings lay side by side on the narrow bed and drifted off to sleep.
It was the first time in a long time that Lena had slept in a warm bed.