Chapter 72
Chapter 72
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Ignorance is Sin
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Nihil grabbed the flustered Lianus's hand and pulled him to his feet.
The cat that had been curled up contentedly on Lianus's lap tumbled to the ground with a protesting meow, but Nihil just told it to guard the meat properly and headed toward the bonfire where the children were gathered.
The kids were still busy preparing the pigeon meat.
"Haha, Nil, Ner, what's up?"
Dave awkwardly smiled as he hid the somewhat mangled pigeon meat behind his back.
"Ner has something to ask."
"Uh, uh?"
Lianus, who wasn't mentally prepared yet, hesitated in surprise, but he seemed to think this was something he had to do himself, so his hesitation didn't last long.
Lianus turned to Yvon and Jane, who looked the oldest.
"How old are you, Yvon and Jane?"
"Hahaha, curious about our age? Jane and I are seventeen. Why?"
Lianus hesitated a bit before carefully opening his mouth.
"Do you... have ID cards, Yvon and Jane?"
"ID cards? We don't have anything like that."
"Why not?"
"It's hard to find anyone with an ID card on Sharton Street. Our status is kind of... low, so we probably don't qualify anyway. Even if we could get one... most of us don't even know how to write our own names, so applying would be impossible..."
"...!"
Lianus froze as if he'd been struck hard on the head. His pretty green eyes began to tremble faintly.
"Th-then, if you knew how to read, you'd apply for an ID card?"
"Hahaha, what would we even do with one? We don't even know what they're used for. If kids like us showed an ID card, everyone would just laugh at us."
At those words, Lianus burst out emotionally.
"Yvon, you're an idiot!"
"Uh, uh?"
Lianus turned away in a huff, ignoring the bewildered Yvon. Nihil watched him with a low chuckle and followed after.
"What was that about...?"
"I-I don't know."
Back at their spot, the cat guarding the pigeon meat greeted them with a meow, as if demanding praise for doing a good job.
Lianus pouted as he picked up the cat and plopped down on a log.
"You knew, didn't you, Nil?"
"Knew what?"
"Why they don't make ID cards."
Nihil chuckled softly and flipped the pigeon meat. Lianus grumbled as he watched the meat browning nicely.
"...Ignorance is a sin."
"Maybe so."
"We need to build educational institutions where even people without money can learn. But... can I convince His Majesty?"
Lianus started to worry a little. He'd confidently said it was possible, but he couldn't guarantee the king would approve. If worst came to worst, he'd divert his own budget allocation to set one up, but that might draw scrutiny from the 1st Prince's faction.
Lianus absolutely did not want the street kids dragged into his power struggles.
'What should I say to His Majesty to persuade him effectively?'
Nihil watched the pensive Lianus for a moment before speaking.
"...But is teaching those kids really going to benefit us?"
Lianus tilted his head at Nihil's sudden tangent. It was Nihil himself who'd made him realize how important education was—why was he talking about benefits now?
"What are you saying, Nil? We're not teaching them to gain something."
"But relief efforts are still a business. The costs are enormous. If there's no return, it's pointless."
"You're the one who taught me that empty relief is just deception. To change their lives, it's essential—and this is a royal project. We have to produce results, even if it means a small loss. It can't end with just 'We provided necessities to the poor.' This is politics, a kind of investment. We can't expect dividends right away."
"So what do we gain?"
Lianus began to ponder. Nihil poked at the bonfire with a stick, waiting patiently.
A long while later, Lianus's answer came.
"First, public sentiment. They're members of society too. If this relief project succeeds, it'll expand to other slums, and that population can't be ignored. No royal house has lasted long without the people's support."
"Hmm, and?"
Determined to convince Nihil, Lianus explained methodically and convincingly.
"Second, talent. We might uncover potential hidden by ignorance. Look at Sir Evan—he rose from commoner to royal knight. The royals become their patrons. By binding talented wards to the crown early, we secure them easily."
"Hmm..."
"That's not all. The educated will know what they can do. Kids beg or steal because that's all they've seen and learned. We need to broaden their horizons. Knowing letters lets them read job postings; basic math enables trade. Unless they use it for crime, they'll contribute to society."
"But Ner, can you guarantee no discrimination in hiring? You know these street folk aren't exactly reputable. They steal, beg, sell themselves to scrape by. People assume pretty ones like that are already selling their bodies. Would employers want to hire them?"
"Ah..."
He was right. Normal employers wouldn't easily hire former thieves. If something went missing, they'd suspect the hire first—fact or not, label them thieves, and even if cleared, fire them for 'causing trouble.'
His thinking had been shortsighted. A little education wouldn't suddenly turn public views positive, nor boost the self-esteem of those long discriminated against. If efforts failed to land jobs, they'd despair and revert to old ways, wallowing in pessimism.
"Should we make an anti-discrimination law? No, that might backfire... We need to boost their self-esteem and change perceptions. Can education shift mindsets...? Instill a sense of protection on both sides... A guarantee system? Employers want reliable people..."
Lianus muttered, lost in thought. Nihil smiled lightly at him and flipped the potatoes rolling by the fire with a stick.
The cat, which had been looking fed up, flinched when its eyes met Nihil's, then hopped onto his lap and started acting cute.
"By the way, the pup must be bored."
"Meow~"
"Not the time for whining, kitty."
"Meeooow?"
"No. I don't speak cat."
"Meeeooow, myaow!"
"I'm just predicting what a cat might say."
"...".
The predictable kitty shut its mouth.
The kids tried preparing the pigeons like Nihil had shown, but the results were disastrous.
They burst organs from poor strength control or mangled the meat with clumsy knife work—countless failures.
Pann, holding a filthy chunk with ruptured guts, yelled.
"Damn it, that guy's knife was just sharp! Mine's dull, that's all!"
"Pann, shut up and clean out those guts properly."
Jane, who'd managed a decent job, handed her cleaned mountain pigeon to Yvon while glancing at Nihil.
The two little ones who'd gotten strawberries from the veggie shop earlier had started another bonfire a bit away, skewering meat on thin sticks and grilling it earnestly.
As Jane approached to give thanks, a delicious aroma wafted over. She swallowed involuntarily and spoke.
"Th-thank you b-both. Nh-now the k-kids can h-have m-meat after so l-long."
Lianus, muttering to himself, startled at her approach but smiled brightly.
"No, thank you!"
"St-still, too mu-much. Y-Yvon was so pushy, mu-must've been trouble..."
Actually, the biggest trouble had been Jane's stomach clock, but Nihil didn't bother correcting her.
As Nihil added spices to the skewered pigeon, he asked.
"When was the last time you ate meat?"
"Uh, uh?"
"Meat."
"P-pork fat a w-week ago."
"Real meat?"
"...C-can't remember. A m-month?"
"Tell your leader: only three birds today. Boil or steam, don't grill. I'll separate the bones if needed."
"Uh, o-okay."
Jane didn't understand why, but since Nil provided the meat, she'd relay it and headed back to Yvon.
Lianus, equally puzzled, scooted close and whispered.
"Nil, ten kids—three birds enough? These pigeons are tiny."
Plucked, they were indeed small—maybe a third chicken size.
"Sudden meat after none causes upset stomachs. Even that month-ago meat wasn't much. They'll regret greed; better not suffer."
Lianus tilted his head. Hadn't Nihil, starved for days, devoured massive meat upon palace return?
"Ever gotten sick from it, Nil?"
"Raw meat doesn't faze me."
"...I see."
Lianus nodded half-heartedly at the firm answer.
Imagining a bedridden Nihil was impossible. Same for him tearing into raw meat, but...
"Wh-what're those for?"
Lianus watched Nihil toss round pebbles into the fire one by one and asked curiously.
"Nights are cold. Heating stones."
"Got it. But we have heated stones?"
"We do; they don't."
Nihil nodded toward the kids. When Jane approached, Dave's gaze followed. Lianus glanced over, finally realizing they were being watched, and sighed softly.
Dave was already mimicking Nihil, gathering stones and sneaking them into the fire.
"Nil, you're really..."
Kind? Thoughtful?
Lianus pondered how to describe his friend. But "kind" or "thoughtful" didn't quite fit.
Rather...
"...Meticulous."
Nihil's lip curled up. Lianus shivered at the smile—not from fear or creepiness, but a thrill.
Did those kids know? Their "independent" choices were all guided by his friend. Maybe he was manipulated too.
As if reading that thought, Nihil asked.
"Hate it?"
"No."
How could he?
Lianus's lip curled up too.