Chapter 59

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Even in the commoner's district, the security can vary greatly depending on the location.

In areas closer to the noble district, the wealthy have built their homes and live a life similar to that of the nobility. However, the further away from the royal castle, the worse the security becomes, and some areas have even turned into slums.

The three brothers are currently strolling around the middle of this area.

"Something... about this place... feels so relaxing, doesn't it?"

Georg stretches widely as he walks. The three brothers, who usually attract attention (mainly due to Emma) when they are at the academy, are not being noticed by anyone in the commoner's district.

In the capital, after continuous interactions with the royal family and nobility, and living in overly luxurious mansions, the sense of being commoners feels comfortable.

Even if noble children were to disguise themselves as commoners, they would likely be found out, but the three brothers blend in naturally. After all, in their previous lives, they were from a very rural and sparsely populated area, so it's not surprising.

It's simply a matter of the three commoner brothers dressing as commoners. They wear these clothes more comfortably than evening gowns or formal attire, which is a bit of a mixed feeling.

"It smells delicious."

Emma sniffs the air. The streets are lined with food stalls, where large chunks of meat are being grilled on spits, and the smell of baking bread wafts from makeshift ovens.

"Indeed."

It's usually snack time. After walking a considerable distance from the noble district, Georg thinks it's time to rest at one of the shops. Suddenly, a light impact comes from behind.

"Huh?"

"Sorry!"

A boy smaller than William, who was looking elsewhere while walking, bumps into Georg. He bows his head and runs off quickly.

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

As Georg waves his hand in response, the boy disappears around the corner.

"Was he in such a hurry on an errand?"

William tilts his head, looking in the direction the boy ran. Emma also looks in the same direction, her face showing a bit of surprise as she thinks about something.

"Hmm... in manga, games, and novels... this pattern usually means the wallet gets stolen, doesn't it?"

Neither Georg nor William seems to notice anything amiss, but Georg, slightly touching his slightly askew hat, asks if they still have their wallets.

"Yes, I have it."

William rummages through his shirt. William is the one who carries the wallets for the three brothers, keeping them hidden under his shirt and securely hanging from his neck. For some reason, Georg and William don't want Emma to carry the wallets, even when she insists she can.

"Ah... it's not here...!!"

Georg, who doesn't carry a wallet, turns pale as he searches his pockets.

"Huh? That kid? Really a thief? Huh?"

"Since I have the wallet... what's missing, brother...?"

Since they usually don't carry much money, even if it were stolen, they shouldn't be this upset. Georg, shoulders slumped, answers weakly.

"Monster cards..."

"Wow..."

Georg's words shock both Emma and William. The monster cards are handmade by the three brothers, unique and irreplaceable. Over the past year, Emma has drawn and colored each card, while William has written the descriptions, putting in a lot of effort and time.

Georg always carries the completed cards with him, memorizing them during free moments.

"If they were going to steal, they should have taken the wallet..."

Dark clouds loom over the upcoming basic monster studies test. Georg must pass the advanced level to inherit his title. Muttering "It's over... monster studies is over..." Georg sits down dejectedly. The boy who stole the cards is probably disappointed now, realizing it wasn't a wallet. Emma pats Georg's shoulder, saying it's not too late to give up.

"We can still catch up! Let's chase after him!"

However, the boy has already run out of sight. Georg looks at Emma with a resigned face, but she smiles confidently at him. Emma slightly lifts her large hat, which she wears to hide her long hair, showing Georg something.

"Ah!"

Not only Georg, but William also exclaims.

Inside Emma's hat, there is a large, purple spider. Violet.

The spider, noticing the theft, had immediately spun a transparent thread, wrapping it around the boy when Georg was bumped. When the spider suddenly moved, Emma, startled, looked up and saw the thread reflecting light, leading to the running boy.

Violet wouldn't do this for no reason.

The thread is still attached to the boy, who hasn't noticed it.

By following the nearly invisible thread, they can find the boy.

"Emma, nice one! Thank you, Violet! Let's go after him!"

With renewed hope from the spider's assistance, Georg carefully grabs the transparent thread.

"Brother, this thread is probably strong, so if we pull hard, we might catch the boy?"

Emma, touching the thread extending from her head, suggests a somewhat rough but quick method.

"No, no, that's dangerous! The boy might get hurt!"

While it's true that pulling suddenly without knowing where he is could be dangerous, Georg's concern for the thief shows his kindness.

"Well... since we can't find the ink, let's look for the monster cards first."

They had been looking for red ink in suitable shops, but hadn't found it yet. Finding the monster cards is more urgent than the missing ink, so the three brothers decide to carefully follow the nearly invisible thread to chase after the boy.

They turn the corner where the boy disappeared, pass through a pharmacy, and enter a narrow alley. The buildings become more densely packed, and the structures, built haphazardly, rise higher and higher.

For the Stewart brothers, who carry the memories of the Tanaka family, born in earthquake-prone Japan and killed by an earthquake, this place feels extremely dangerous. However, even in such a place, signs of human life are evident everywhere.

"Here... it's too dangerous, right? Not just earthquakes, but if a fire breaks out, the narrow streets will quickly spread the flames, and it will be difficult to extinguish them."

William looks up fearfully. The palace has ample land and a small population, so there are no such densely packed areas. Since coming to the capital, their activities have been centered around the noble district, commercial streets, the academy, and the royal castle, where they never felt the danger of disasters. However, here, the tall, precarious buildings are crammed together, and the narrow streets are worrying.

The three brothers don't realize that they have already entered the slums at the edge of the commoner's district, the area with the worst security in the capital. They unknowingly followed the thread into this area.

More concerning than the risk of earthquakes or fires is the threat to their own safety, which the three brothers haven't noticed.

The crucial thread continues deeper into the heart of the slums, where the buildings are even taller and more densely packed. Despite it still being daytime, the area becomes increasingly dark as the thread leads the three brothers further in.

It feels like more characters are about to appear.