Episode 898
Hans glanced back at Ian and Barsabe, who were following closely behind.
They were right in the heart of Rugerspell. Just walking around here as kids was enough to draw attention, but on top of that, they were wearing Enerjes uniforms. Not only that—their bags and shoes were all top-of-the-line luxury items.
“…Do they even realize?” Hans wondered silently.
That the crazy people from the slums were watching them.
“Sis, why are people staring at us so much?” Ian asked.
“Maybe it’s because I’m pretty,” she replied with a smirk.
“Me?”
“I’m the pretty one!”
…So they do know.
Hans sighed deeply and turned into a narrow alley. The carriage had already left. He couldn’t just leave them alone in the middle of Rugerspell, so he figured he’d keep them at his place until his brother got off work. Ian and Barsabe stuck close to him as they followed.
“Well, well, Hans. Heading home from school?”
“Hello, sir.”
“Are those your friends back there?”
Inside the alley, the owner of a small tavern was sweeping tables and greeted them with a hearty slap of his palm. Hans naturally returned the gesture with a crisp high-five, and Ian and Barsabe copied him.
“Not everyone in Rugerspell is weird,” Barsabe muttered.
Hans snapped back gruffly, “Of course not. People live here too.”
The problem was that more than a few of those people weren’t exactly… human.
The three of them weaved through the endless maze of alleys, heading deeper into the district. Just as Hans was about to turn a corner to the right—
BANG!
CRASH!
“Let’s turn back.”
“Why?”
“There’s a fight.”
In the narrow alley, a crowd was tangled up, throwing punches left and right.
Hans spun around and grabbed Ian and Barsabe by their clothes to pull them away. But Ian, seeing such a scene for the first time in his life, couldn’t look away, and Barsabe seemed oddly fascinated, as if watching a real fight.
“You arrogant bastard!”
BAM! THUD!
Looking closer, it wasn’t just a brawl—it was one against many. Hans yanked the two closer and warned them.
“Don’t even think about getting involved. These guys are notorious troublemakers around here. They fight like this every day and don’t even die.”
“Shouldn’t we help? Call the guards or something.”
“The guards? In Rugerspell, the guards are basically janitors. They only show up after the mess is done to clean up.”
Ian blinked, a little shocked. What he’d seen up in the central city was all about mysterious wizards, clean, wide streets, and friendly people. This place felt like a completely different world.
Noticing Ian’s reaction, Hans softened his tone a bit.
“Really, there’s nothing to worry about. This is just their everyday life. If you call the guards and make a fuss, it’ll only get louder. I don’t want the hassle. This is our neighborhood, so just trust me on this.”
“Ah, okay.”
“…This is exactly why I told you not to come along.”
Hans’s ears flushed red, embarrassed. To a well-bred noble like him, this world must seem utterly strange.
But Ian just smiled shyly and took Hans’s hand.
“Sorry. I didn’t know anything.”
It was an apology for his ignorance and narrow experience, not a judgment on whether Hans’s situation was right or wrong.
“…”
Hans, who had been born and raised in the slums, could tell the difference between hypocrisy and sincerity. And he knew there was no lie in Ian’s heart right now.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”
Ian tugged on his sleeve gently, and Hans’s eyes reddened. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and spun around.
“…Let’s go. We’re almost at my place.”
“Okay.”
Ian looked a little deflated, thinking Hans seemed upset. He tugged Barsabe’s arm to hurry him along.
Barsabe, who had been dazed watching the fight, licked his lips and followed Ian.
“They fight well.”
“Who?”
“That guy getting beaten up alone. Now I get why the others ganged up on him. Fight well. Kill his spirit too.”
Ugh. Honestly, Barsabe wanted to just pull up a chair and watch the whole thing, but that wasn’t an option. Ian pushed him from behind, urging him to keep up before Hans got even angrier.
Tap tap tap!
They hurried through the alleys and arrived in front of a shabby building. It didn’t look like a residence; the entrance was cluttered with all kinds of boxes.
And sitting here and there among the boxes were some men. Hans froze the moment he saw them.
“Oh, Hans. Long time no see.”
“…What are you doing here?”
“What do you think? We’re not here because we missed you. Nobody was home, so we just sat here. Where’s Naum?”
“My brother said he’d be late with work today…”
“Wasn’t here.”
“Huh?”
“He wasn’t at work. Heard he got fired recently. Didn’t you know? You’re still making money, right?”
Hans’s face paled bit by bit. What was this about? His brother worked odd jobs at a nearby printing shop. So where was he working now?
Hans tried to run toward the printing shop, but the men grabbed him by the collar.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Let me go!”
“We gotta get what’s owed to us, right?”
Hans struggled, dangling helplessly, but the grown men didn’t budge. Ian and Barsabe rushed forward in surprise, but Hans shouted.
“Don’t get involved!”
“Hey, sometimes friends help each other out.”
“Shut up! This doesn’t concern you!”
“Who’s this little punk, talking back?”
One of the men roughly shook Hans’s body, and Barsabe shouted.
“Hey! Isn’t this too much? If you have business with Hans, just wait quietly. Why are you grabbing a kid?”
“What’s this? Some rich girl? Then why are you covered in dirt?”
“Everyone, calm down—first, please put Hans down.”
Or else this fiery sword-wielding mage might just break your backsides with a stick!
Ian tried to intervene, but the men sneered and brushed his hand away. The sudden shove sent Ian tumbling onto his backside.
“If you’re not paying up, don’t stick around. I hate kids.”
“Wait, this one looks decent. Where do you live? Got parents?”
“Leave Ian alone!”
“Oh? Your name’s Ian, huh? Heh heh.”
Ian glared at them with wide eyes. From deep in his chest to the top of his head, a wave of anger surged.
“…Why do you want to know if I have parents?”
The men didn’t notice the change in his tone—they just thought it was cute whining.
“Just… good to know.”
“Why?”
“Kids with parents are a pain to sell. We get less money.”
The man grinned lecherously, and Ian’s face darkened.
“Foolish. Focusing on useless details.”
“What?”
“Don’t you know what wearing an Enerjes uniform means?”
“No, I don’t—”
He’d heard it was a school for exceptional talents, but if they were Hans’s friends, they were probably all about the same—good memory, math skills, or some talent for useless number games that didn’t help in real life.
Ian grabbed Barsabe’s hand, dusted off the dirt, and stood up.
“Hans, did you borrow money from these guys?”
“…Yeah.”
“Do you have the money to pay them back now?”
“No. I have to ask my brother.”
“Then is it okay if I lend you some?”
“…”
Hans bit his lower lip hard. His pride was hurt, but he had no choice. If he didn’t settle this, Ian and Barsabe would get dragged into trouble.
When Hans nodded slightly, the men whistled as if they’d hit the jackpot.
“Oh, you’ve got a good friend, Hans.”
“We’re owed twenty silver coins today. That enough?”
“Hey kid, can we check your bags?”
One of the men reached for Ian’s bag, but Ian raised his hand to stop him lightly. The men’s hands froze on their own.
“…!”
It wasn’t strength or status that stopped them—it was the intangible authority radiating from the boy.
Ian said, “Before that, we need to settle something among ourselves.”
“Among yourselves?”
“This.”
He pointed to the dirt stains on the bottom of his bag from falling over.
“Because your lot dirtied my bag, you need to compensate me for this first. Then I’ll give you the silver.”
“Hahaha! What a joke. Compensation for a little dirt? You’re ridiculous, kid. Don’t pick fights, okay?”
“Does that look like picking a fight? Do you know how much this is worth?”
Ian answered calmly, and the men exchanged glances. Annoying little brat. Should we just grab him and leave? Then one of them chuckled and asked.
“Alright, how much?”
“Two gold coins.”
“…What?”
At that moment, Ian grabbed the men’s sleeves tightly, as if warning them not to try running.
“Hey, how much?”
“They said it was two gold coins.”
“That’s right! I picked it out with them!” Barsabe added slyly, shouting to prove it was true.
Wait, what? A kid’s bag worth two months’ salary? The man, flustered, shoved Ian again, then threw up his hands in irritation.
“Shut up, you lot! I’ve been letting you slide since earlier—”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
“…!”
“…!”
In an instant, Ian’s eyes shifted from pale blue to golden. Not only the men but even Hans froze in shock. It was the first time they’d locked eyes with something that didn’t seem human.
“Let me ‘let you slide’?”
Who’s letting whom?
A gust of wind whipped around Ian, and the men stumbled backward. A mage! Someone from a far higher realm. There was no chance of winning by force. No, it wasn’t about odds—it was about whether they’d live to see another day.
“Hmph!”
“S-sorry!”
How did a poor, sharp-tongued guy like Hans end up with a mage? The men, unable to imagine such a thing, panicked and tried to flee.
Just as Ian prepared to unleash his magic—
Swish!
Barsabe was quicker. The child swung a stick, striking the men’s knees and shins with satisfying thwacks.
Crack! Crack!
“Aaah!”
One man collapsed forward, a stick lodged upright beside his head. Barsabe crouched down and whispered softly.
“…Money.”
“Huh?”
“Hand over all the money you have and leave. Didn’t you hear? That bag’s worth two gold coins.”
Reluctantly, the men emptied their pockets, coins clinking onto the ground. Barsabe smiled with satisfaction and slung the stick over their shoulder.
“Well then, to make sure you get the message—”
With all their might, Barsabe swung the stick down, splitting one man’s backside in two.
Splat!
“Aaah!”
The fight was over in an instant. Ian helped the dazed Hans to his feet. Hans glanced between Ian and Barsabe, then asked cautiously,
“…You two aren’t nobles, are you?”
Especially Barsabe—wasn’t she the granddaughter of the famous Count Jacques?
Ian chuckled softly.
“When I’m wearing my Enerjes uniform, none of that matters.”
“Huff!”
Naum carefully hoisted a massive bag of waste onto his back. The printing press was struggling, and layoffs had begun—unfortunately, Naum was among those let go.
They said he could come back when things improved, but he couldn’t wait around forever. So, he found a temporary job at a waste collection site. He hadn’t told Hans yet, worried he’d be upset…
‘Once I get used to this, I’ll be able to leave on time, right? Hans must be home from school already.’
The work was twice as hard, but at least starting tomorrow, he could give Hans money for lunch.
“Naum!”
“Yes, boss!”
“Your little brother came looking for you.”
“Huh? Who?”
“Finish up quickly and go see.”
Startled, Naum set down the waste and stepped outside the warehouse. Three scruffy kids stood waiting.
Hans spotted his brother and ran over, tears in his eyes.
“Brother!”
“Hans. How did you find me here?”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been looking for you!”
“Sorry. Did you come to the printing press?”
Naum patted Hans on the back and glanced at Ian and Barsabe. What were these two doing here? Seeing Naum confused, Ian extended a cautious hand.
“…I’m Ian Hadel.”
“Oh, Hans’s friends? Nice to meet you. I’m Naum. Sorry, my hands are dirty—”
Naum hesitated, but Ian grabbed his hand firmly. Then, without quite knowing why, Ian blurted out a heartfelt greeting.
“I kept looking. Kept looking… over and over.”