Chapter 61

EP.61 Side Story - Coincidence

Time passes.

Days accumulate into weeks, and weeks line up to form a month.

It was around this time, a month after, when the memory of the girl began to fade from Leo's mind.

"Is this the place?"

Holding the reins, Leo examined the map. With the wanted poster and the commission letter spread out, he was certain this was the right place.

"...Tsk... Is it really so hard to find something to do that you have to buy and sell children?"

This time, the task was to catch a human trafficker. A farmer whose son had been kidnapped had used all his savings to commission the job.

Coincidentally, the human trafficker was also known as 'Hydra' from an assassin organization, with a bounty on his head. For Leo, whose income had decreased this month due to an injury, this was the perfect commission.

'I kind of want to beat this guy up with my own hands, too.'

With that thought, Leo spurred his horse toward the city.

***

"...Stop, there's a checkpoint ahead."

While riding, a guard stopped Leo. He seemed different from the guard Leo had beaten up a month ago.

Leo showed his mercenary badge expressionlessly and went through the inspection.

"You look young... Are you a mercenary?"

"...I had my reasons... I'll leave it at that."

It was complicated to explain, especially since it involved his mother, and he didn't want to tell just anyone.

"Is that so? I see. You may proceed."

"These kids these days are so big."

While hearing the guard grumble, Leo entered the city without a word.

"...Not bad."

The city was bustling with activity. People were haggling at the market, couples and families were enjoying meals and attractions, laughing together.

It would be perfect if there were no human trafficking.

"Leo!"

"...Huh...?"

Leo turned around instantly.

"Momma!!"

The child named 'Leon' who was next to him hugged his mother. He didn't call Leo 'Leo' as if it was natural, and there was no one who would call him.

"Where have you been? I found you!"

Leon's mother stroked his hair and checked his body, making sure he hadn't been hurt.

Suddenly, the scar on Leo's chest throbbed. It seemed that using the elixir was too reckless.

"That... I saw an incredibly beautiful sister on the street... I got distracted for a moment..."

"Beautiful sister?"

"She had white hair and blue eyes, like a fairy from a fairy tale!"

Leo hesitated for a moment at this, but then laughed it off.

'There are more than a few people with white hair and blue eyes... I'm being too paranoid.'

With that thought, Leo moved away from the mother and child. For some reason, he felt he wouldn't be able to focus on his task if he stayed there.

"Ariasfil! No, where did you go!?"

In the city, a large knight was shouting, looking for a missing child.

'So there is human trafficking after all.'

The disappearance of the missing child was probably not a coincidence. There must be some connection.

'...I should check the back alleys.'

With that thought, Leo moved to a different location.

***

The back alleys of the city were more like the depths of the abyss than shadows cast by light.

There were sick patients, beggars, orphans abandoned by their parents, and the elderly abandoned by their children.

If there were a museum that collected human suffering by type, Leo would always mention the back alleys.

'...Still, it's relatively good. At least there's no one eating human flesh.'

While Leo was inspecting the back alleys, an old woman called out.

"Buy flour...!"

Holding a small sack, she was alone on a street where no one paid attention, asking people to buy flour.

'...If this continues... probably...'

Perhaps it was a pointless thought, but Leo approached the old woman.

"How much flour do you have?"

"...This... is all...!"

The old woman handed over a single sack of flour with trembling hands, as if she knew exactly how much Leo needed.

"...It's just right. It's also finely ground. How much is it?"

"One leaf of copper..."

The price was too cheap, even for back alley flour. Even if it were mixed with sand or cheap medicine, it would be more expensive.

"Isn't that too cheap?"

While handing over a copper leaf, Leo asked casually.

"...That flour holds the key to your destiny... You can't afford to pay a high price for it."

"...Are you a fortune teller?"

Caught off guard by the revelation of his hidden intentions, Leo's voice trembled.

"...Fortune, it could be... but... I hate... destiny... I don't want to... see it..."

"Then why don't you just not give me the flour?"

"...I can't... Even if... there's no key... you will... still move forward, raising the sail or rowing the oar..."

Thinking the old woman might be a bit crazy, Leo was about to leave when she spoke again.

"...The place you want to go... will disappear the moment you give up... Destiny is like a sea made of air... You will be pushed by invisible waves..."

Out of curiosity, Leo turned around.

The old woman had disappeared. The air almost seemed to be the old woman, creating an illusion.

"I have work to do."

With that thought, Leo picked up the sack of flour and continued.

***

Was it a twist of fate? Not long after entering the back alleys, Leo saw men carrying sacks with children's faces.

The children weren't struggling, suggesting they had been knocked out by poison.

'This is definitely not an ordinary case.'

An assassin using such precise poison would be difficult for even experienced veteran mercenaries to subdue.

"...Then..."

He would pursue them without being noticed. That way, he could find their base. As expected, the men started moving with the children in sacks.

Familiar with hunting and tracking, Leo successfully followed them to their hideout without being detected.

'...Something seems off.'

For a human trafficking organization, something was strange. Normally, they would have a well-prepared route for selling their victims to make money.

'...These guys don't seem to care about their customers.'

Even if they were criminals, they were still merchants and should consider their buyers. However, it would be faster to kidnap people in the back alleys than to do it in a remote and deep forest.

'...There might be other reasons...'

Just as he thought this, the kidnappers carrying the children entered their hideout. Fortunately, the lock was a simple padlock.

'...This should be easier to infiltrate than I thought.'

The group entered the hideout, and listening closely, it seemed they had gone into a secret underground space.

"...Then..."

Leo looked around, holding a stone. The most suitable target was a bird perched calmly on a tree branch.

Whizz, crack!

The bird, hit by the stone, started to cry with a broken leg. Leo didn't kill or knock it out.

A noisy bird was perfect.

'...There's enough distance, so there's a chance.'

"...What's that noise, anyway."

Soon, one of them came out to investigate. Leo couldn't kill him. If this person didn't return, they would definitely notice an intrusion.

So.

Creak...

He slipped in as the door opened and closed. His steps were as quiet and quick as possible.

'...A good place to hide... here will do.'

He hid in an empty barrel. With a hidden weapon in his sleeve, Leo entered the barrel.

This plan was possible because of his small stature.

"...What's this bird doing here? Is it a sign to eat it for dinner?"

Unexpectedly, the assassin was a fool, picking up the injured bird and thinking about tonight's dinner.

But they would be dead or captured by tonight.

'...Or I will die.'

With that thought, Leo carefully came out of the barrel. The key was not to be detected now that he had successfully infiltrated.

'...Should I set it on fire?'

He had brought the flour for that purpose. A convenient strategy to burn the entire hideout and kill anyone who tried to escape.

'...But I need to assess the situation first.'

There were likely many kidnapped people here, including the child he had just seen. Burning the place down would be a bad omen.

'...Should I go in?'

He first looked at the basement. Fortunately, there were no guards, and the narrow path meant he wouldn't be detected if he moved quickly.

'...If it gets dangerous, I'll set it on fire.'

His life came first. Anyone who criticized that was a hypocrite.

'...Why... is it so large?'

It looked more like a slaughterhouse where animals were kept before being butchered.

'...Is this really about kidnapping?'

"Ugh... Ahh..."

Someone let out a weak scream. Soon, the sound of a whip. Leaving a mark to avoid detection, Leo headed toward the source of the whip and screams.

"Ugh... Ahh..."

"Shut up and eat...! Eat it!!"

One person clearly had language skills. The other, however, couldn't even speak, only screaming.

'...Like they can't speak at all.'

Just in case, Leo moistened a cloth with water from a canteen. It was a precaution for the worst-case scenario.

"!"

Suddenly, Leo stopped at the end of the alley. From that angle, he saw two things.

'...What is this...?'

Children being raised like livestock, eating feed from troughs without a care, and making animal-like sounds.

"Ow... Uh..."

"Clunk... Cough..."

Next to a corner, a girl holding a sword was trembling. She was too young to be part of the gang, but her white hair and blue eyes were striking.

'...Why are you here...!?!'

The girl who had stabbed him in the chest.

"Y-You!"

Unable to hold back, the girl drew her sword and tried to attack.

Click

"!?"

Leo covered her mouth and sword. Struggling, he silently conveyed a message.

(If you go out, you'll die.)

The girl, recognizing him, nodded in confusion.

"Let's go now. You're eating well now."

Satisfied with the child who was forced to eat despite the whipping, they left. The sound of the guard's keys jingling and the children's chewing created an eerie harmony.

(Why are you here?)

As soon as Leo released her mouth, the girl asked. Fortunately, she followed his lead and whispered.

Leo silently showed his mercenary badge. He also had to take out a valuable item.

[I'm a mercenary here to handle this job.]

He took out a notebook bound with string and a piece of charcoal wrapped in cloth, the best tools for writing.

[From now on, we'll communicate in writing. Keep it simple. I don't know many words.]

Learning to read and write was already a significant achievement for a mercenary. It was a testament to Leo's efforts to stay safe from contracts and traps.

[Why did you stop me?]

The girl wasted the precious paper and charcoal on the most useless question first.

[If you went out, you would die, and so would I. Even if we survived, we'd end up like them.]

Once they knew there was an intruder, the alarm would sound. Even a child would trigger it.

In a place like this, even a monster like her would have a hard time breaking out.

'...Especially for someone who can't kill people...'

Meanwhile, the girl kept writing.

[What about those kids?]

Now, a meaningful question.

[We'll save them. That's why I'm here.]

[How will you save them?]

[We don't get along, but we need to work together. It's the only way to survive.]

The girl hesitated for a moment, then wrote without speaking.

[If you save those kids.]

Even in this situation, she was worried about others. A true hero, even in the worst circumstances.

[Yes. First, we need to get them out of the cages.]

[How? The keys were with those guys.]

[We don't need the keys.]

Leo took the girl's sword and wrote.

[There's someone who can cut a metal sword with a fruit knife, stronger than the cages.]

Of course, he wasn't talking about himself.

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