Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: The Hideout
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"Nil! Run!"
As if those words were the signal, Nil whipped around and bolted.
"Fuck, let go! Hey! Grab that one!"
Kelvin slammed his elbow into Dave's face, who was clinging to his waist, shook him off roughly, and gave chase after Nil.
Dave rubbed his throbbing cheek without a word and hurried after Kelvin and his gang.
"That little shit's fast!"
No matter how hard they chased, the distance wouldn't close, and Kelvin spewed curses. Dave huffed and puffed inwardly in admiration. Nil was really fast. Of course, they weren't gaining on him either...
That's when Dave spotted Nil heading into an alley. Out of breath, Dave shouted with all his might.
"Nil! That's a dead end!"
But Nil slipped into the alley anyway, rendering Dave's effort pointless. Kelvin snickered.
Dave thought they were done for as he trailed behind Kelvin. But when Kelvin rounded the corner, he bounced back from something.
"Ack!"
"...?"
Kelvin tumbled to the ground. The boys chasing him looked puzzled when a bearish, rough-looking man lumbered out of the alley.
"Hey, kid. You shouldn't run like that in tight alleys. Right?"
The man rolled his shoulders a few times, strode over, grabbed Kelvin by the collar, and yanked him up.
"Huh? Feels like my shoulder popped out. What do you think, kid?"
Kelvin cursed inwardly. The height difference was so extreme that his head barely reached the man's shoulder, but he couldn't muster any retort.
The bearish man scanned the surroundings coldly. They had the numbers, but Kelvin knew they stood no chance. The man shook Kelvin by the collar like a toy, showing off his strength. That supposedly dislocated shoulder worked just fine.
Then one of Kelvin's boys fetched a wooden club from somewhere and swung it at the man's head.
Crack. The sound echoed through the alley.
"..."
"Ah..."
The boy stared at the splintered club in his hand, let out a faint sigh, and backed away slowly. The man's head turned slightly toward him, utterly unscathed. His fierce orange eyes rolled, fixing on the boy.
"U, uwaaaah!"
The boy shrieked in terror under that mad glare. The broken club clattered to the ground, and he turned tail and fled.
The other boys took the cue and scattered one by one. Kelvin twisted desperately to escape, but it was no use.
Kelvin's face drained of color. He ground his teeth, vowing to half-kill the bastard who swung that club when he got back.
Dave was terrified but thought he had to grab Nil and run, so he ducked into the alley and whispered urgently.
"Nil, Nil, where...!"
Scanning the alley, Dave locked eyes with a pair gazing down calmly from atop the wall. He froze in shock. Beside them sat Nil's little brother Ner and the clever cat.
Nil's hood cast his face in shadow, but his eyes gleamed mysteriously, asserting their presence.
The enigmatic child stood steadily on the narrow wall, cradling his brother in one arm. In the other, he held a pigeon with a snapped neck.
Nil leaped down lightly, landing without a sound.
A voice surprisingly calm and low for a child rang out in the alley.
"Don't follow us."
"H-huh?"
"I said don't follow."
"..."
Nihil spat the words coldly at Dave, set Lianus down, and took his hand. As they started to leave, he spotted the deep bruise on Dave's face, paused with a sigh, and stopped.
Lianus watched his friend pull ointment from his bag instead of walking away harshly, and his eyes crinkled in a smile.
Nihil pointed at the ground in front of him and called Dave over.
"Kneel."
"Uh, o-okay?"
"Now."
Dave shuffled closer and dropped to one knee as Nihil tilted his chin up questioningly. Nihil scooped ointment onto his finger and slathered it roughly over the bruise, then flicked his hand dismissively.
"Go."
"..."
Nihil left the dazed Dave behind and led Lianus out of the alley by the hand.
And then they got caught.
"It's dangerous for kids to wander around places like this!"
"...We're fine."
"No other kids with you?"
"Yeah, just me and my brother."
"Eaten yet? Got a place to go? New faces—when'd you get to Sharton?"
"..."
"...Sigh..."
Lianus rolled his eyes. Nihil started to dry-wash his face in exasperation but glanced at the pigeon in his hand and lowered it. 'Yvon's the meddlesome one,' they said, and his nickname fit perfectly.
Yvon had approached Nihil first, but when ignored, he grabbed Lianus and started persuading him.
Lianus couldn't shake Yvon easily. Rolling his eyes to show his dilemma, he seemed to like the boy's selfless kindness.
"No place to go? Come with me and my brother."
"...Um, we're leaving Sharton tomorrow..."
"Smart thinking. This place is rough. Stick with us just for today, then. Sun's setting soon. You saw those scary guys chasing you, right? No idea why, but if you run into them again, could be bad."
"...Uh, yeah."
"Heard rumors kids have been going missing lately."
Yvon pressed on, oblivious that he was one of those 'scary guys' himself. He crouched in front of Lianus, explaining the dangers softly. Dave crouched nearby too, apparently planning to follow Yvon out of his gang.
Nihil sighed deeply again. Their goal was Lianus's homework, so blending in with the kids to experience their lives wasn't bad. But he already knew Yvon's hideout was a half-collapsed old warehouse—not the best even in the slums.
Grrrooowl~
Someone's stomach clock blared.
"Ah, s-s-s-sorry. Ig-ignore th-that."
The tall boy standing silently beside them stuttered, head bowed in embarrassment. His ears burned red.
"..."
Nihil sighed heavily.
...Maybe just feed the kids.
Nihil tossed a stone.
"Kitty, fetch."
"Meow, meooow...!"
The cat, frozen at the sight of the plummeting bird, startled at Nihil's call and dashed off.
Lianus realized 'fetch like a dog' meant literally just bringing it back in its mouth. Sir Evan must have been baffled too.
Nihil stood gazing at the sky, calculating briefly, then tossed another stone. Another innocent flyer plummeted.
The cat returned with one rock pigeon in its mouth, spotted the falling second one, let out an odd yowl, and crammed both in before coming back.
"Good job, Kitty."
"Meeeooow..."
"..."
Lianus hugged the exhausted cat and stroked it gently. He felt a bit guilty for overworking the knight who'd come to protect him.
Dave glanced at the cat in Lianus's arms and whispered to Nihil.
"Can you talk to cats too?"
Nihil eyed Dave pityingly at the foolish question but answered anyway.
"The cat's smart."
"Oh..."
"It understood everything you said, even the curses."
"...Really?"
"Watch your mouth around kids."
"...Yeah, sorry."
"Hold these."
Nihil shoved the pigeon carcasses into Dave's hands. Yvon muttered, eyes trembling.
"...You get meat like this..."
"Wild animals can have parasites or germs—always cook them. And don't eat ones already dead; high chance they died from disease."
"O-okay..."
Nihil picked up another stone. Whenever a pigeon hit the ground, the boys rushed to grab it.
Yvon vowed to curb his nosiness. He'd made the little kid hunt for their food too.
Too chaotic to notice, they were heading to his hideout—with the kid leading.
"We're here."
Twilight had fallen by the time they arrived. Kids peeked out the warehouse door at the noise and shouted.
"Yvon! Jane! Hurry in!"
"Huh? Who's that?"
"Yvon picked up more kids?"
"Uh, n-not picked up exactly..."
"Stop bringing strays! We got no food!"
"S-sorry..."
Yvon scratched his head with an awkward grin, and the kids grinned back. They ribbed him, but they were strays too.
Then some recognized Nihil and Lianus, pointing and yelling.
"Hey! I know these guys!"
"Yeah! The suckers who shared bread with us!"
Yvon clamped their mouths shut before more slips, smiling awkwardly. He'd known from the start—they matched the descriptions Jane and the kids gave.
That's why he'd pushed harder. Sharing bread freely, no wariness—they seemed fresh to the streets.
Big mistake. These kids weren't new; they were wild-born. Sharing food was easy because they had plenty.
"H-ha, so you were the ones who shared bread with the kids."
"Water. Gotta prep the pigeons."
"How much?"
"Fill a big pot."
"Got it..."
The kids swarmed Lianus, eyes sparkling, as speechless Yvon fetched water.
"Hi!"
"Remember us? You shared your bread."
"Oh, hi. Of course."
"Got any more bread left?"
"Uh, huh?"
The kids peeked at Lianus's bag. Yvon yelled from the back.
"Don't trick the kid!"
"Tch."
"Who're we tricking~"
The chatter flew everywhere, confusing Lianus, but they seemed nice. He rummaged for leftover bread.
The kids crowded, peeking in. Something fell out; one snatched it quick.
"What's this?"
It was a heat stone. Lianus handed over the paper bag of bread crumbs, took it back, and explained.
"Heat stone. Gives off heat when you hit it. Bread's almost gone, but take it if you want."
"Whoa, for us?"
"Can we eat it?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks!"
"Yum!"
They grabbed the bag, glanced warily at silent Nihil—afraid he'd snatch it—and scurried off.
Yvon watched them joyfully munch, wondering if it was okay to accept food like this. But after the pigeons, worrying now was silly. He just passed on thanks.
Busy Yvon sent Jane to show them around. It was just a half-ruined warehouse and a crude pit toilet—no real tour needed.
"Th-this is the t-toilet. D-don't go into the w-woods alone; it's d-dangerous. Use th-this."
"..."
Lianus froze like ice upon seeing the pit—nothing more, nothing less.