Beggar Siblings – Lena’s Job
“Something you can do?”
Cassia entered the room and sat on a small chair, crossing her legs beneath her long skirt and facing Lena.
“Why?”
“I think I’m making things too hard on my brother.”
“Well, that’s probably true. But did he ask for your help?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“I hate seeing him struggle because of me. I want to help him somehow.”
“What difference would it make if you worked and made money? You don't even know what your brother wants to do, do you?”
“…”
“Just study like he tells you to. That’s how you help him. Besides, you’ve never even learned to do any kind of work.”
Lena hesitated, speechless at her words.
*Sister Cassia is right. All I've ever done is rummage through some trash cans. Even if I earn a few coins, it won't change anything.*
“The education I'm receiving is expensive. I won't even be able to afford half of it with the money I earn, and my brother won't be able to let go of that dangerous job.”
“And I don't even know what my brother wants to do.”
“He just earns money for me; he's never said anything about what he wants to do in the future.”
“But…”
“I want to buy a house,” Lena confessed, finally opening up after much deliberation.
“It’s my dream to live in a nice house with my brother. But he said it takes a lot of money to buy a house. I want to contribute.”
Cassia, twirling her hair as she observed the girl, spoke in a pointed tone.
“So, it’s not really for your brother, but something you want to do?”
Cassia's words struck a nerve.
Lena hated just staying the way she was. It was clearly different from her desire to help her brother.
“But if we buy a house, surely my brother will like it too…”
“Ah, I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything,” Cassia said, waving her hand dismissively. She uncrossed her legs and leaned toward Lena.
“I also tried to help someone unconditionally once, just because I wanted to. It didn't end well…”
Lena remained silent, and Cassia, after a moment of contemplation, spoke.
“Okay. I'll introduce you to something you can do. If you want to make a lot of money, that is.”
“…Thank you.”
Cassia rummaged through her closet and found a hooded garment for Lena to wear. It was thick and drab, and a little too big for Lena, the hem dragging on the floor.
Cassia and Lena stepped outside. It was already dusk, and Leather Street was bustling with merchants hurrying to close up shop.
Cassia led them off the main street and across the road, heading for an alley on the opposite side. As they crossed, the South Gate was visible to the right, and the Royal Palace, bathed in light, could be seen in the distance to the left.
The place Cassia was looking for was the sixth dark alley. A couple of thugs loitered at its entrance.
As they entered the alley, red lanterns came into view, scattered here and there. Lena flinched, intimidated by the crimson-tinged path, but she continued to follow her sister. A pungent odor hung in the air – she couldn't quite place it.
Beneath each lantern, men smoked or engaged in boisterous conversations, their eyes raking over Cassia as she passed.
Whew!
Men whistled at Cassia as she walked by, but she paid them no mind.
They continued down the wide alley, which felt narrower than it was due to the interplay of darkness and red light, until a long shadow fell over Lena.
“Who’s this?”
A man, standing with his arms crossed in front of a large door, blocked Lena and Cassia's path. Despite his gruff appearance, his clothes were neat.
“Can’t you tell just by looking? She’s with me. Just open the door.”
“With her all covered up like that, how am I supposed to know? Go on in.”
The large door swung open smoothly and silently, and with it came the echoing murmur of voices from within.
Cassia entered without hesitation. Lena followed her across the threshold, where the humid air enveloped her in a sticky embrace. She swallowed hard, steeling herself as she stepped into the dark, red-lit passage.
At its end, a spacious hall awaited, a deceptive welcome to any innocent visitor. The lighting was uneven, some areas bright, others shrouded in darkness. The smells of meat, tobacco, strong liquor, and a strangely alluring aroma mingled in the air.
The hall was furnished with numerous tables, each with a door behind it. In the center, a small stage jutted out, where a half-naked woman played a musical instrument while neatly dressed boys scurried about, serving drinks.
Every table was a scene of revelry. Plates overflowed with fresh-looking fruit and sizzling grilled meat, and expensive-looking bottles of liquor gleamed under the lights.
Yet, none of this seemed to hold the attention of those seated at the tables. Each person was engrossed in deep conversation with their companions. Every so often, a burst of male laughter would erupt as the women seated beside them whispered suggestive words.
Lena, frozen like a statue, was startled as someone brushed past her. She flinched and looked up to see a scantily clad woman walking by. The few places her attire covered became transparent under the light. As she reached a table and sat down, rough hands reached out for her.
Before Lena could fully process the scene unfolding before her, Cassia took her by the shoulder and turned her around.
“Come on.”
Without a glance at the hall's spectacle, she steered Lena toward a staircase. The thugs guarding it stepped aside, recognizing Cassia.
Lena, shrinking into herself, followed her sister, acutely aware of the thugs' gazes burning into her back.
Cassia ascended the stairs and knocked on a door, but without waiting for a response, she threw it open.
“Come in. Oh, Miss Cassia. You’re early today…”
“Stop calling me ‘Miss’ Cassia.”
“Right, Cassia. Old habits die hard.”
A middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair greeted them from behind a desk in a room adorned with a deep red carpet and strange sculptures.
He sprang to his feet and pulled out a chair, gesturing for her to sit. After ensuring both she and Lena, whose chair he had also provided, were seated, he returned to his own seat. His courteous demeanor did little to ease Lena’s apprehension.
“And who might this be?”
“She’s with me. I brought her here to work. Think she can handle it?”
As Cassia removed Lena’s hood, the girl’s beautiful face was revealed. The face Leo had taken such pains to conceal was now exposed to the gaze of a strange man.
The middle-aged man’s eyes widened. He leaned back in his chair, tapping his cheekbone with his index finger. “I don’t know where you found this young lady… but no.”
“Why not?”
“She’s too good for this kind of work.”
“Then what?”
“I think the Master should see her.”