Chapter 15
“Looks like something good happened? What are you hiding in your arms that you’re smiling like that?”
When Cadic mocked Deon, imitating the way he was concealing something against his chest, his gang let out a low, ominous chuckle.
“Heh heh heh.”
‘Damn it!’
Deon was certain he’d been caught checking his gold pouch—but there was no way he was going to let them take it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Sorry, but I have somewhere to be.”
He forced his face into a blank expression and tried to walk calmly past them, but Cadic suddenly grabbed him by the back of the neck.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“That’s what I want to ask. What do you think you’re doing? Just leaving like that? That hurts our feelings.”
“What are you—”
“You should share with me, too. We’re friends, right? Happy things should be shared together.”
Once again, the gang burst into laughter.
“Let go of me!”
“Let goooo!”
“Heh heh heh.”
Deon struggled desperately to pry Cadic’s hand off, but the difference in their strength was overwhelming. He flailed helplessly in the air. Cadic mocked him for a moment, then casually flung him aside.
“Ugh!”
Deon slammed into the alley wall, his vision flashing white from the impact. When his senses returned, he realized the pouch and the box he’d hidden were gone.
Forgetting the pain, he sprang up and glared at Cadic. Cadic was grinning, holding the stolen pouch and two boxes.
“Wow, you were going to keep something this good all to yourself? I’m hurt, Deon.”
Cadic opened the pouch, checked the gold, and exaggerated his expression before stuffing it into his pants pocket. Then, uninterested in the ornament, he tossed it onto the ground. He draped the cravat around his own neck and asked the others how it looked.
“Give it back!”
Deon shouted, his body trembling, but Cadic ignored him.
Deon reached out to grab the ornament lying on the ground. At that moment, a large boot stomped down on his hand.
“Aaagh!”
He tried to pull his hand free, but it wouldn’t budge. After grinding his foot into Deon’s hand for a while, Cadic crushed the ornament beneath his other foot until it shattered. Sneering, he looked down at Deon.
“Thanks for the present today. Bring me another one next time, friend.”
He tossed the cravat aside and turned away with his gang. Grinding his teeth, Deon gathered the broken ornament and cravat into his arms, then rushed forward and clung to Cadic’s waist.
“Give back the pouch! It’s mine! It’s mine!”
He needed that money to cure Hanna. To feed warm soup and bread to her frail, skin-and-bones body.
Driven by desperation, Deon bit into Cadic’s waist. Cadic shrieked and thrashed violently. Scowling in irritation, he tore Deon off like an insect and hurled him toward the wall with all his strength.
Thud.
The moment Deon hit the wall, his world went dark.
“You little runt—who do you think you are?”
Rubbing the spot where he’d been bitten, Cadic snarled and moved to kick the unconscious Deon—
“Argh!”
A stone suddenly flew in and struck his head dead-on. Letting out a pig-like squeal, he clutched the spot, his hand coming away smeared with blood. Furious, Cadic glared around.
“Who did that?!”
He turned toward where the stone had come from and saw two figures standing there, their heads covered by hoods.
Cadic’s gang quickly surrounded the unexpected intruders. But the woman, sensing no real threat, stepped forward slowly.
Even with her face hidden, the anger radiating from her made the gang hesitate. Still, fearing Cadic more, they lunged at her.
At that moment, the man standing behind her moved with precise efficiency, knocking them all down—without even drawing his sword.
Thanks to that, the woman walked forward unhindered and stopped in front of Cadic.
“Was it you?”
“What?”
“Were you the one who did this to that child?”
Cadic glanced back at Deon, lying unconscious, then wiped the blood running down his forehead.
“Yeah. That brat bit my waist, so I taught him a lesson. But your voice is pretty—are you pretty too?”
Grinning shamelessly, Cadic reached out and yanked off her hood.
Soft orange hair fluttered in the breeze. Golden eyes that looked unmistakably precious, red lips, and a delicate jawline were revealed. Saliva almost dripped from his mouth before he swallowed hastily.
“You’re really beauti—kgh!”
A brilliant flash exploded before his eyes as pain shot through the most precious part of his body. He jumped straight up.
“Aaaaaagh!”
A tragic scream only a man could make echoed through the alley. The woman, however, ignored it completely and walked past him.
The woman—Harna—approached the unconscious child. Relieved to find him breathing, she carefully lifted him into her arms. Blood trickled from the back of his head, soaking her hand.
Harna’s expression crumpled for a moment. She quickly took out a handkerchief and pressed it against his wound.
Moments later, Cadic, having recovered slightly, staggered toward her with bloodshot eyes.
“How dare you do that to my—!”
His words never finished. A powerful blow smashed into his head, his eyes rolling back until only the whites showed before he collapsed unconscious.
After neatly dealing with the thugs, Haren watched Harna as she examined the child without caring that her hands and clothes were getting dirty.
“Brother. That fat thug probably has the gold pouch he stole from this kid.”
“I see.”
Haren retrieved the gold pouch from Cadic’s pocket. Harna turned to Deon, who was struggling to open his eyes.
“Can you hear me?”
“Ah…”
As Deon came to, he realized the woman holding him was the owner of the gold he’d stolen. Startled, he tried to pull away, but Harna wouldn’t let go.
“You lost a lot of blood. Your hand is a mess, too. You need treatment—let’s go to the clinic.”
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
Though dizzy, Deon slipped from her arms and dropped to his knees.
“It was supposed to be a gift… I ruined it. I really tried to give it back… I really did…”
From inside his worn vest, he pulled out the dirty cravat and the ornament with its shattered gemstone—the items he’d protected even while being beaten.
Harna stared silently at the objects resting in his battered palms. Then, suddenly, she pulled Deon into a hug.
Startled, Deon stiffened, but when her warm hand gently patted his back, tears burst from his eyes.
Perhaps tears were contagious—before long, Harna’s eyes filled as well. And as Haren watched them, something sparkled briefly in his eyes before disappearing. It seemed the Jurne siblings were simply prone to tears.
* * *
Because of a child who tried so desperately to protect a dirty, broken gift, I ended up sobbing.
Once time passed and my emotions settled, I wiped my tears roughly and let the child go. The small boy, who looked to be about ten, rubbed his tear-soaked face with his tattered sleeve.
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat. No matter how pitiful he was, I couldn’t just overlook the fact that he’d stolen.
I deliberately composed my expression and narrowed my eyes.
“You know what crime you committed, don’t you?”
At my scolding tone, the child bowed his head deeply.
Pushing aside the part of Yoon Seung-ah inside me that wanted to say it was okay, to forgive him, I continued in Harna’s voice.
“Theft isn’t something that can be easily overlooked. You must be punished.”
“I’ll accept any punishment. Please, just grant me one request.”
“You’re in no position to make requests.”
I snapped harshly, getting too immersed in my role. The child shrank back slightly, but then spoke with determination.
“I have a sick little sister. If I’m not there, she might starve to death. Please take care of her. I don’t care what happens to me—just please help my sister.”
The maid who’d once begged for her life after pushing Harna in the hallway had also pleaded because her mother was sick. And now this child wasn’t begging for forgiveness, but for his sister’s life.
‘Why are there so many people in this world who are sick and suffering?’
I reflected on how I’d complained about being possessed by the villainess Harna. What if I’d been possessed into a body like this child’s? Or into a powerless maid who had to endure a noble’s violence?
Only now did I understand.
Being possessed into Harna’s body—with her status and family backing her enough to commit villainous acts freely—was a blessing.
The child’s tears dropped onto the dirt, darkening the ground. Steeling my wavering heart, I spoke to him.
“Even if there’s no one to look after your sister, you still must be punished. But first, let’s go to the clinic.”
“Pardon?”
He looked up at my words. I reached out and gently arranged his blood-matted hair.
“Your body needs to heal first. Otherwise, how could I give you a proper, frightening punishment?”
I put on a stern expression to scare him. He flinched and tried to pull away, but I held his head gently and didn’t let go.
His face turned pale—he must have thought I was about to rip out his hair. But I couldn’t help it.
* * *
Haren watched from behind, smiling warmly at his sister. Harna lightly held the child’s pale head and stood up.
“We need to take this child to the clinic. If he dies too easily after daring to steal from me, he won’t properly receive his punishment.”
“Very well.”
Haren agreed, stepping once more on Cadic’s precious area as the man twitched awake.
Harna was a mess—her clothes dirty with soil, her hands stained with blood from stopping the child’s bleeding, tear marks still on her face.
But she paid no attention to her own state, insisting on treating Deon first. Watching her gentle 모습, Haren’s smile never faded.
