Chapter 37
Lahad was still bowing and handing out flyers.
When I handed him a cool drink I’d bought from a nearby café, he looked at me with a puzzled expression.
We sat down on the curb of a nearby street and started talking.
“Your daughter’s about my age, huh?”
“Yes. Her birthday’s passed, so she’s eight now. She wasn’t as beautiful as you, my lady, but in my eyes, she was the most precious thing in the world.”
“How did you lose her?”
“It’s my fault. I came home from work, and… that day, she was late, so I thought she was just out playing with friends. It never crossed my mind she’d gone missing. If I had realized sooner, I might have been able to find her…”
“Where did she usually play?”
“There’s an empty lot nearby where children gather. She usually met kids her age there to play.”
Lahad gave a bitter smile and then stood up.
“Thank you for listening to my story. But you should head back before the sun sets, my lady. You’re so beautiful—if something happened to you, your father would be devastated.”
I doubted that.
He’d probably just sigh at the inconvenience and start looking for a new heir.
Duke Clasta might seem to be treating me well now, but I hadn’t forgotten what he once told me.
To be honest, whether you’re assassinated in the street or die from poison, it’s no concern of mine.
If I relied on the duke’s goodwill, I’d only be setting myself up for disappointment.
“You’ll find her. I’m sure of it.”
Lahad bowed his head at my words of comfort.
“Thank you.”
A strange bitterness welled up in me.
…I wonder what it would have been like to have a father like him.
When Lahad spoke about his daughter, his eyes brimmed with longing and love.
It was something I could never have, no matter how hard I fought for it.
I was envious of his daughter, who received such pure and undivided love from her parent.
But wishing for it now wouldn’t change anything.
I headed toward the empty lot Lahad had mentioned.
So this is where she disappeared?
It was in a secluded spot, but there were shops nearby and a decent number of people passing through.
It’s only been half a year—if anyone saw something, they might still remember.
I walked into a nearby clothing store.
The shopkeeper, who had been lazily fanning herself, hurried to her feet when I entered.
She immediately began aggressively trying to make a sale.
“Welcome! Oh my, what’s a noble young lady doing here? Do you have a particular style in mind? These dresses are all the rage right now.”
“No. I was wondering if you saw anything about the child who went missing six months ago.”
The shopkeeper’s bright smile froze for a split second.
But she quickly rearranged her expression, answering in a tone that sounded more irritated than anything else.
“Oh, that. I already told the child’s father everything I know.”
Her exaggerated movements and shifty gaze made it seem like she was hiding something.
I placed a gold coin on the counter, and her eyes went wide.
“I’m just curious. Could you tell me anyway?”
Without even touching the coin, she said,
“No, forget it! I don’t know anything! I was busy working that day—I didn’t have time to notice some kid! Stop bothering me… if you’re not buying anything, get out!”
In the end, I was chased out, still holding the gold coin.
Her reaction only made me more suspicious.
It was obvious her shop wasn’t doing well.
She didn’t seem financially comfortable, either.
Even if she didn’t know anything, she could’ve just taken the money.
But to reject it outright and kick me out?
She’s definitely hiding something.
From the flicker of emotion I caught on her face, she seemed… afraid.
While rolling the coin in my hand, I was lost in thought when someone called out to me.
“Hey. You there, blue-haired lady.”
From between two buildings, a beggar child beckoned to me.
When I got closer, the kid lowered his voice to a whisper.
“I heard everything. You’re looking for the kid who disappeared from here six months ago, right?”
“You know something?”
“Shh, keep it down.”
Then he held out his hand.
“Give me that gold coin and I’ll tell you. You were gonna give it to the shopkeeper anyway, right?”
When I placed two gold coins in his palm, he gasped.
“Wow, two! You’re really spending big.”
“If your information’s useful, I’ll give you more. So, hurry and talk.”
“I don’t know why a noble lady cares about this, but you should stay out of it. Those guys… they’re scary.”
“Those guys?”
“Yeah, I saw it. That day, the kid was playing alone in the lot—squatting down, digging in the dirt. I was watching in case she found a coin or something I could snatch. Then some Dumdy gang members came and took her away.”
“Dumdy gang?”
“They’re pretty big around here. Loans, prostitution, human trafficking—you name it, they do it if it makes money. I’ve even seen them snatch up some beggars before.”
“What happened to the beggars they took?”
“Who knows? Judging by how they operate, they probably sold them off as slaves. My guess is they thought that little girl was just another beggar, since she looked so shabby.”
“Then why not report it?”
The beggar burst into laughter.
“Wow, you really don’t know how the world works, do you? How would I report it?”
“Why not? A gang must have a hideout somewhere.”
“Even if you report it, they’ll be out in no time. I don’t know if it’s because they have ties to the capital’s knights or what… And if they find out who reported them, you can imagine what’ll happen. I value my life, you know?”
“Did you tell Lahad this?”
“Are you crazy? That guy would charge straight in! I don’t want to see someone get killed for nothing.”
“But you’re telling me.”
“That’s because I’m telling you to stay away from dangerous places and go home. And hey, I’m making some pocket money while I’m at it.”
“Do you know where their hideout is?”
“Wait—don’t tell me you’re planning to go?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you insane? I just told you not to!”
“It’s fine. I’m strong.”
“Strong or not, you’re still a kid!”
I sighed. Finding another informant would be a hassle, so he might as well just tell me.
“You’ve never seen my face before?”
“This is the first time.”
“Think again. You’ve probably seen me on the advertisement board of the biggest store in the capital.”
“Hm? Oh? Ohhh!”
The beggar squinted at me, then his eyes widened in realization.
“You’re the Clasta duke’s daughter!”
“Yup.”
“I mean, even if you did win the martial arts tournament…”
I handed him another gold coin.
His eyes wavered.
When I gave him yet another, he finally said,
“Just one more.”
After giving him a total of five coins, he sprang to his feet.
“If you’re Duke Clasta’s daughter, they probably won’t dare kill you. Let’s go.”
The Dumdy gang had grown rapidly in recent years.
They operated out of a two-story building in the back alleys, a place so feared that locals avoided even passing nearby.
But sometimes, people came of their own accord.
Like parents whose children had been taken.
There was a man now, on his knees, pleading for his child back.
“I… I brought the money. Please, just give me back my son.”
His eyes darted anxiously toward the boy standing near the gang boss, Dumdy.
“Well, well. Said you couldn’t pay, but here you are. How’d you manage that?”
Dumdy chuckled as he opened the envelope the man handed him.
But his expression soon hardened.
“This is all?”
“I begged everyone I could… this is the best I can do for now. Please, just this once, have mercy.”
The man bowed his head low, but Dumdy’s scowl didn’t ease.
Tapping the man’s head with the envelope, Dumdy said,
“Teacher, aren’t you supposed to be smart? You teach kids, but you can’t do basic math? With this measly sum, you think you can take your kid back? Maybe watching him get sold off will make you come to your senses.”
“I have nothing more! I’ve already paid five times the principal!”
“That was last year’s interest. You haven’t even paid this year’s interest and principal yet.”
The man clenched his teeth and glared, but it didn’t faze the thug.
Grinning, Dumdy stroked the man’s rear.
“If you don’t want to pay in cash, there are… other ways. Male clients are in demand these days. If you don’t like that…”
His gaze slid to the boy beside him.
“…your kid could work it off. Helping his dad out—wouldn’t that make him happy?”
“Don’t hurt my dad!”
The boy, about thirteen, couldn’t hold back and lunged at Dumdy, but the nearby lackeys restrained him immediately.
“Ahhh!”
“Roto!”
When the man tried to run to his son, one of the lackeys pushed the boy’s shoulder down even harder.
“Agh!”
“Stay still, teacher. You try anything, and your kid might lose an arm.”
“I’ll pay! I said I’ll pay! Just let him go! He’s done nothing wrong!”
The man clung to the thug, tears streaming down his face.
“Yeah, I was going to let him go… but you keep changing your story. First you’ll pay, then you won’t—it’s annoying.”
“I swear! I’ll pay!”
“When?”
“By… by the end of this month! I’ll pay by the end of the month!”
“The end of the month, huh?”
Dumdy’s smile widened.
“You really mean it?”
“Yes! So please… let him go.”
“No can do. I think you’ll just change your mind again. We need proof of our agreement, don’t you think?”
He jerked his chin at a lackey.
“Make him lose the use of one arm and send him back. That’ll motivate the teacher to work faster.”
“Yes, boss!”
The lackey pressed down on the boy’s shoulder.
“AAAGH!”
“Roto!”
The man tried to rush forward, but the others blocked his path.
“No! It’s my fault! Hurt me instead! Not his arm—break mine!”
“Dad! Aah!”
The boy’s arm was yanked so hard it seemed it might be torn from its socket—
Then, suddenly, a rock flew from somewhere and smashed into the lackey’s nose.
Blood gushed as he fell backward with a thud.
“What the hell?”
When they looked toward where the rock came from, they saw a blue-haired girl standing at the entrance, with a beggar boy beside her looking panicked.
“Well, look at that. You’ve got a daughter too?”
Dumdy nudged the fallen lackey with his foot and asked,
“Was that you?”
“Yeah.”
“Huh? Talking back to me? You’re a sassy little brat, aren’t you?”
Usually, just seeing Dumdy’s broad shoulders and tattoo-covered skin was enough to make kids cry.
But the girl nodded with a calmness that seemed completely devoid of fear.
“Pretty face… but maybe you’re crazy. Kid, if you don’t want a beating, you’d better start begging for mercy now. I don’t like bullying kids.”
“Really?”
The girl smiled sweetly and pulled another rock from her pocket.
“I like bullying people like you.”
