16. Red Evil Mercenaries
"I have some bastards I really want you to kill for me......"
What the hell was that out of nowhere?
Theo's sudden words left me completely dumbfounded.
"Huh? What're you talking about all of a sudden, kid?"
Just yesterday when we parted ways, Theo had been this bright, energetic boy despite scraping by in what looked like a pretty rough situation. So why was he suddenly glaring with pure venom in his eyes, spouting something like that?
It wasn't entirely unexpected, though.
He was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday. But they were dirtier now, torn in places. His hair hung limp—probably soaked from the rain all night. His face and the exposed skin through the rips were even worse. Bruises bloomed purple across his body. A swollen eye, split lip. Scraped elbows and knees everywhere. And from the way words kept slipping through his slurred speech, a few teeth were busted too.
No doubt he'd been beaten by someone—solo or a group. The silver coins we'd given him yesterday were probably taken too.
But asking someone to straight-up kill people? Hmm......
I crossed my arms, pondering, when Theo piped up.
"Um, hyungnim. Can't you do it?"
"......Well, it's not that I can't, but......"
Adventurers aren't required to only take monster hunts or dungeon clears. Of course, with the guild around, openly taking hits like mercenaries to assassinate people would be tricky...... But if it was a private commission off the books? Not impossible.
Still, jumping in blind without knowing why he wanted someone dead? We'd only met briefly yesterday, and that was mostly him guiding me to this inn. For a material-gathering or monster-slaying job, sure. But killing a person for a near-stranger? It felt off—really off. No way was I committing murder for someone I barely knew.
That said, turning him down flat when his eyes were that desperate? No way. If I refused here, he'd probably scrounge up some blade and go after them alone.
Tough call to make solo.
"Let's head inside first and talk. You must be freezing after standing out here all night. Dry off, change clothes. No kids' stuff, but I'll find something that fits."
"Huh? N-no, I'm f-fine. Atchoo...!"
"Fine my ass, you little shit. You look one sneeze away from a cold. Won't even charge you—c'mon."
"Y-yes, s-sir......"
Leading Theo inside, the innkeeper at the counter spotted him and gasped in surprise.
"Theo? What happened to you? Look at you!"
"H-hi, ma'am. I'm f-fine. It's n-nothing."
"Nothing? You got beat by those sons of bitches again, didn't you? Looks worse this time...... Oh dear. Go warm up by the fire. Auntie'll make you some hot cocoa."
"Th-thank you, ma'am."
Most folks would recoil from a drenched, filthy kid like that. But she greeted him with genuine worry. Either the innkeeper had a heart of gold, or Theo was a good kid usually. Probably both.
As Theo shuffled to the fire, I asked her,
"Hey, boss. Those 'sons of bitches'—what's that about?"
"Oh, that? Theo lives in the back alleys."
"Back alleys?"
"Yeah, sweet, smart kid—but bad luck with parents. Anyway, that area's full of scum, and some of 'em pick on poor Theo. Always stealing his money, beating him. But he works every day so his sick mom can eat properly......"
The story poured out in a rush. Deadbeat dad left massive debts. Mom whored herself out to pay them, caught something bad. Theo cares for her, scraping by—only to get exploited by inhuman trash.
"Thanks for the rundown."
"Oh, no problem. You seemed sympathetic, so......"
"Got any spare kids' clothes? I'll pay later."
"Sure! My boy's old stuff's still around—be right back."
"Thanks."
Hearing it all, I felt a deep pang of pity. Kid that young, living like hell......
Taking the hot cocoa from the innkeeper, I sat by Theo and handed it over.
"Feeling better?"
I smiled lightly. He clutched the warm mug and nodded faintly.
"Y-yeah. Th-thanks."
"Good. Let's chat then. Save the commission for later—tell me how you've been getting by."
"Huh? That's......"
"C'mon, vent to big bro. Spill it."
"......Okay."
Theo haltingly pieced together his tale, slurring through broken teeth now and then. No laughs escaped me. Same as the innkeeper's version, mostly—just more details on life with Mom pre-illness. Then, as he reached her getting sick, my eyes started stinging.
"......And then, yesterday......"
His steady voice cracked.
"On the way home with the silver from you and sis."
Perfect bad luck—the thugs saw us give it to him. They played dumb but beat him anyway. Lost the money, took a thrashing. Passed out in the rain for hours till it woke him.
"When I got home, Mom was......"
Theo started sobbing.
"Mom g-gone......"
The story stopped. Just tears plopping into the cocoa.
I said nothing, stood quietly.
"H-hyeongnim...?"
"......Wait here. Gotta run upstairs quick."
"O-okay......"
Supposed to check the carriage, but whatever. Stunned or not, my face climbing the stairs was ice-cold—nothing like with Theo.
His mom could've lived longer. Theo got robbed every other day delivering his earnings. Still, he'd starve himself to feed her properly.
......Kid that age, already so mature. Admirable. Heartbreaking.
And if not for those thugs stealing his cash. If fewer days too beat-up to work.
She might've survived.
Hindsight, sure. Didn't matter.
§
Woke Bella, Cheong-ah, and Dina, brought 'em down. Explained Theo.
Cheong-ah recognized him from yesterday. Bella and Dina slept through in the cargo hold, so more backstory needed.
Bella spoke first.
"I'm against it."
"Huh?"
"You know I'm in a hurry."
"For a hurry, yesterday you were......"
"Hey, yesterday's rest was 'cause pushing too hard would've felt bad for you guys. Doesn't change shit—I'm still rushed. Hell, I'd go ahead solo if I could."
"Yeah...... Fair."
Bella hadn't wanted to stop yesterday. Only relented after me and Cheong-ah's convincing. She'd clung extra close last night, maybe to forget the frustration.
She grimaced bitterly.
"I pity the kid too, okay? But my situation's urgent."
"......Got it."
I nodded. Cheong-ah countered.
"I want to help, darling."
"What? I'm hurried, damn it! Don't you get it?"
"I do, Bella. But Theo's heartbreaking. I get your rush—totally. But left alone, he'll rush revenge and die pointlessly. Darling worries too, right?"
"Yeah."
He'd looked ready to solo it if I hadn't dragged him in. And it'd end ugly.
"So what're you saying, Cheong-ah?"
"Those 'revenge targets'? Just back-alley vermin trash. Won't take long to clean up. Handle his enemies and go."
"Back alleys are crawling with thugs—how long to pick out his? Tch. Dina, your take?"
Bella oddly used Dina's name, not "brat." Dina, dozing on my shoulder from early wake-up, blinked awake.
"Yaaawn...... Why hunt just the brat's foes? Sweep the whole lot."
Cheong-ah stared blankly.
"Oh, Dina. Genius!"