Chapter 11: The Thief

Content Warning: Murder, Mention of weapons, Violence, Mental/emotional abuse.

Eighteen years ago, a man dressed in long black shiny clothes; unfamiliar by the eyes of homeless folk, was leisurely walking at the alleys of a poverty ravaged town, face scrunched with a smile, he nodded to the confused and glaring people bathed in sweat and dirt that passed him unsure looks and knitted brows.

"There the upper-class nobles go again." Murmured a woman who sat weakly on the ground, trying to feed her malnourished baby on her ragged breasts.

Then a thin looking woman beside her lowly murmured back with a dagger's eyes locked at the man: "Bah, picking up stray children to gain face, we've seen this countless of times."

The man seemed to overheard them and looked at their direction, turning around to walk at where they were seated.

He looked not too old and neither too young, he was wearing black and leather clothes, which gave the seeping hint of gap on their ranks. Strong aura of the stratus diadem crown he wore fluttered and spoke his rank to them by sparkling enchantingly around his forehead.

When his footsteps stopped, he started, "I am the head of the Svarozich house, Raius Svarozich. I am looking for a man named Darius, perhaps you know my friend?" Asked the black-dressed man in a calm tone, but the two woman refused to make a noise. Either scared to answer or just purely stubborn.

"Hm. How about now?" He stretched a basket of warm toasted bread to the two with a straining smile. The tongue-tied women flinched, gulping at the sweet scent of freshly cooked bread.

"I guess there's no harm for us to tell him." Whispered the woman whom had a baby sucking the life out of her chest; the thinner woman only nodded to her as response.

"Well, we heard a man named Darius who did came to this town just yesterday. 'Dunno what he does. You might find him staying at the end of that hill at the south." Pointed the woman away from the town. Just afar, dead grass engulfed the surrounding of the small town of ghostly people, if you search a little longer, your eyes will capture a fleeting silhouette of a small house. Or a cabin?

Then the thinner woman scratched her oily scalp. "Travellers stays there sometimes. Its abandoned afterall, free to use for everyone y'know." The woman snatched away the bread out of the noble's grasp and began munching hungrily on it.

"Thank you." Smiled him again. Another black dressed man came beside Lord Svarozich, obviously a troublesome bulky man under his cloak. Turning around, the cloaked man behind him chuckled. They walked away. "To only speak when offered. Oh how low they've fallen Lord Svarozich."

"Oh tell that to a mirror. I picked you up while you were shoving rotten meat and fish bones to your guts, I had to bait you with a bread when you were a step away from death too." Scoffed him to his servant who got awkward at his reply.

Clearing his throat the cloaked man says, "So? Why are we finding that Darius sir?" The Lord beside him sighed, walking on the gray dead grass, "You might be alive and breathing, but your head still is full of rust huh?"

A loud cry of an infant rang their ears, turning their heads to squint away. A baby laid naked on a boat cried out and wailed. The nobleman followed the small cries, descending off the hill to check out the bare and crying small bean beside the lake.

The cloaked servant pulled the boat away from the water, coldly staring down at the loud child having such ear violating cries.

"Who leaves a baby on a boat? but to no surprise, mothers even kill their own children after vomiting them to this world." The man commented again and crossed his arms while the nobleman picked up the baby, wrapping his clean handkerchief around the small creature's body. "Ah-ah. Your mother probably discarded you. A creature that is only a burden." He laughed and poked the forehead of the baby.

"Cold?" Checking for the temperature wellness of the child, however he was shocked at his survey.

'That's not it, he's really warm despite being on the lake..' Then the boy stopped crying.

Svarozich halted and asked mumbling to himself. "Are you worth it?" Its round eyes colored in faint red opened widely towards him.

"To stare at me with those eyes. You dare. Hm, very well. I'll house you." Said Svarozich to the rare eyed boy on his arms, the man amused and chuckling, and the cloaked servant was surprised.

"Are- are you sure about that Lord Svarozich?" Asked the man in anxiousness. "What, jealous that im taking in another child besides an old waste like you?" The nobleman laughed.

"...."

"There is something about this boy that interests me, i dont know what it is but I want to watch over how will he handle this world."

Around this time, adopting a lowborn would be one of the best ways to be recognized by the fellow upper class nobles as a genuine 'kind hearted' noble. That, resulting to more chances of 'friendship' or either 'partnership' to one upper class house to another.

Nowadays, many nobles are adopting children from orphanages, maybe by influence and trend.

They would take the child under their care, to feed and provide them food and deluxe clothes as well as bonus easily gained ranks. The lucky, selected children growing up to be a noble with a wealthy and comfortable future ahead of them.

The wind shifted around the air, and the clouds gathered till everything was grey. "You will go by the name of Lev. Be fierce and clever, for you will live on a difficult world ahead. To this day, until my end, you will serve me."

Long, blank, eighteen years had passed and Lev, taken in by one of the three wealthiest mansions, had lived. He was a fine looking man that was always dressed in formal clothes, eyes bathed in red, a godly body, and a mind blessed with exceptional knowledge.

The boy lived a lonely life dedicated solely for his master's orders only.

Just as his head came to have an understanding about the world, he already learned that he was adopted and sheltered since he was a toddler. That he was to share the same roof as with his supposed to be father. However, the boy wakes up alone, eats alone, and sleeps alone; experienced nothing of a children's play nor parental love, he was drowned with nothing but books in the morning, and to be trained with daggers at night.

Lev lived it normally, he was secluded with the town and anyone he knew were older men, he never had a normal thought of what a normal child should do. He thought being choked and cut with swords near death when you're a nine year old, barely surviving child, were just perfectly normal. That any boy in his age naturally possesses a ready-to-pull dagger inside his boots, or that anyone could have a supernatural ability to create small floating red fires from their fingers, this however, he kept to himself.

Lord Svarozich constantly gave him harsh lectures, watching over the little boy nearly make it out alive from his normally exhausting daily routine. Just until that blue night, the twelve year old boy's small body had adjusted well from his training. His body grew faint streaks of muscles at his arms and a small physique blessed with fully mobile and active body. Of all the vigorous training he received from different strangers, he was he wasn't allowed to cry nor to act being pained by the wounds inflicted to his thighs, or some bruises he receives from everyday beating. Lev was a student that was astonishingly good at his skills that he earnestly polished from birth until he became an excellent learner at the field of defense and assault arts.

He didn't really thought something about seeing his guardian, Svarozich, as his father. That thought never even knocked inside his head. He lived only for the man's orders and treasured only himself, he had emotions but never really put it to use. At the events concerning the social ability of the nobles to get along, that much too, he didn't dare make any friends even though he was deemed as the perfect son of a nobleman. Lev avoids socializing with them and only does when necessary as he would always notice that their eyes contains something wicked inside, even though smiling, they do not sincerely look like it.

At his twelfth year of living, he was given a certain task by his own master to go around the city at night, and memorize every passageways, locations of small roads, arrangings of houses, number of lodgings, mansions, stores and to observe people.

While concealing himself from high ground, he came to learn that kids doesn't train at night with their fists but to go home inside their warm houses to lounge and eat with their parents. He also saw that kids are never allowed to hold weapons to cut down someone, but is kept away from violent actions and to be held as fragile as possible. That kids aren't supposed to be taught not to yelp in pain, but they are freely allowed to cry and laugh very often. And that he realized himself the fact that he wasn't entirely a "normal" boy of the society.

After successfully examining the entire capital in his head, he was to retire himself home again and create a mini map of the capital inside his head. Even though feeling confused of himself, he had to put aside his thoughts and continue the given order as ge always does.

The next task given to him the next day was to ride the family carriage carrying the crest of the Svarozich nobility, and roam around the city, to make small acquaintances as a noble under the name of Svarozich, to have a helping behavior around and donate a generous amount of gold to other organizations regarding of the poor in order to build a honorable name for his Lord knowing nothing of his objective, even so, he obeyed.

At the same year, he was given another task, to gather children and bring them to the orphanage being run by the Svarozich family.

For the sake of the "Noblesse Oblige", the head of the Svarozich family, Lord Raius, built an orphanage to shelter homeless children so he could build his name, as well to gain more fame for his family name, to bring in fortune and praises, and have more chances to ascend to the top of the ranks, achieving the name of "White Noble" around the kingdom to be closer to the King, Hongwu.

"You must've known the Chion*, Lord Remus." Spoke Raius Svarozich to a twelve year old Lev.

*Chion/Chioness is equivalent to a Marquess in western monarchy.

Lev looked up to his master and nodded.

Then Lev lowly spoke, "Among the few chions in the kingdom, he is known for his wealth in possession of many sailing ships going in and out of the Jian territory. But with the reports Lord Svarozich presented me to analyze, i reckon he must've been the one smuggling many unauthorized medicinal drugs and as well as other artifacts and items that may cost a fortune that is rarely found buried in the sea. Legally sailing in and out of the kingdom."

"That's right. I expect nothing less from your sharpness. Nobles don't actually pay single attention of it even if they knew there were something gray occuring around them if it would not benefit them, poking their nose to that stupid pig's business is trouble just because he is higher than other nobles."

Then Svarozich added, "This time, I'm entrusting you for one simple task. Bring me the Ocean's Pearl by the next three days. I will give you time to plan out how you will bring it successfully to me-"

"Sir? But stealing is.."

"Am I done talking, Lev?"

"I apologise, sir."

"Of course, a valuable treasure would always be decorated on a valuable person's room too. The Ocean's Pearl would most likely be in the same room of the chion's. Your mission is to steal the Ocean's Pearl and erase the head of the Remus family. He is getting in the way of my plans so i need you to dispose of him."

"...You want me to kill him-?"

"Objections to my orders are useless."

"But—"

"I gave you a prestigious name and picked you up myself from hell! dressed and nurtured you alive! As long as i keep existing, you will serve me and obey all my orders!"

"As, as you wish, my Lord."

The night came and Lev, the boy, is being tested of his skills for his steel heart, clear mind and strong sense of discipline towards his lord's orders.

He arrived planned, perfectly staging his steps successfully.

Stealthily moving around the Remus mansion, he swiftly placed the Ocean's Pearl in his bag until the target suddenly appeared inside the room to pwrform his nightly routine which is to observe the treasure before he goes to his slumber.

As footsteps emerged, Lev sought a place to hide to, and just before the owner of the treasure screams off for "robbery!" Lev quietly rushed behind on the fat man's blind spot and ambushed him. With a black dagger in his right's grasp, Lev slit the man's neck open and stood there motionless, as the man's body were slammed down, blood gushing out from his neck that silently crawled to the well polished floor now stained with sticky red fluid.

Lev watched his reflection from the mirror. His red eyes looked back at him and his gaze travelled down to his cheeks that were dripping blood in a form of a splatter, the warm liquid trickling down to his gloves.

Coming back to the mansion progressed smoothly with no avail. A cloak was wrapped around him when he spoke of his mission being a success. The said pearl was presented on the table and Lord Svarozich were highly impressed.

From that day and onwards, the robbery missions from Svarozich piled up. Each and one of them were successes, making the mastermind pleased at the results of Lev.

And at his thirteenth year, the biggest mission ever ordered by Svarozich were assigned to him. A robbery inside the castle.

He ordered to him: "At the night of the Crown Prince's birthday, Kings traditionally pass down their ruby neck treasure to the Crown Prince. Each generation of all the Jian Kings have worn the treasure and had passed it down.

Just how fun would it be to get the long maintained treasure out of their hold? to break their tradition! Haha! Oh just how much fortune we could get out of those rubies!."

With that, he began planning out each and every entrances of the tightly secured castle. He was ordered to steal the treasure and to bring the mission to a perfect success. But the problem attacked him just the second he stepped foot inside the Prince's chamber like it was a landmine. The said Prince were wearing the treasure around his neck already and to top it all, he was awake, and Lev was witnessed sneaking in.

"Who… are you?" With this question, Lev stared at the Prince's white face. Contemplating and frozen in his place.

"A thief."

In a long period of time, he was confused why the Prince were not making any movement. His order of 'Kill when seen.' were completely violated and broken. His intent to kill seemed to refuse in front of the Prince's blue eyes. For the first time, he opened a conversation during a robbery. "You are a curious case, Prince of Jian."

"Someone not from the palace had seen my face." Lev actually started to magically relax at the position he's in and just kept talking like it was the most normal thing to do.

"This whole Prince concealing, how stupid, hahahaha!" For the first time, he smiled and laughed wholeheartedly, unable to process why he's suddenly showing emotions.

"Can I ask one thing Your Highness?" For the first time of his many robberies, this Prince's face looks too unfazed and more like amazed by what's happening.

Lev asks, "Unlike any other people I've stolen to, why are you not screaming?"

"What can a boy do to me?" Replied the pretty Prince back to him that made him laugh.

'I could make you bleed and cry. I can do anything to you.'

'I am covered in sin, and my hands are too stained.'

"I am unlike all the boys that you know. And i can always do things my way if you try to scream. I wonder what moves faster. Your guard's feet, or my dagger?"

"You.. do you intend to hurt me?"

"Ah no, of course not. I would like to settle this at the most peaceful way."

"Believe me, i was trying to be as quiet as possible on moving around your chambers. But i really did not expect a sick Prince being awake at this ungodly hour."

Then Lev eyed the treasure at the Princes neck but looked away quickly, "You do have a mountains of presents while I haven't had one in my entire life."

"Where did you came from?"

"At your balcony."

Then he laughed again. "I kid, Your Highness. This handsome boy came from out there, I'm from a far village, away from the royal capital." Lied Lev, attempting to conceal his identity as your typical thief.

"H-hey, can you tell me what your village is like? Or how does the Royal capital look?"

With the Prince's weird force of kind aura, for the first time in thirteen years, he defied the orders of his master and let the boy in front of him live under his mercy.

"If I tell you, would you be quiet and allow me to steal this?"

"Yes!— now tell me how it looks like!" Lev stared and laughed. Thinking; 'He.. is different. Special from anyone else.'

Starting with that, Lev obeyed someone else beside his master, assisted and cared for him, throwing away the mission out of his head and forgetting a damn about his objective that was at the neck of his newly acquainted friend and even showed him the underground city.

To steal and dance for the Prince, it was such an unbelievably amazing experience that would of course only happen once in his lifetime from being bounded in chains by his master.

For the first time, he showed someone else his strange ability to produce a ball of fire with his hands and to engage in a normal and fun conversation with a boy in his age. After the long and exhausting time they spent together, he carried the asleep Prince on his back and safely returned him to his bed with twice difficulty it was to get back inside the castle again. Lev sighed quietly and observed the boy, he chuckled sadly not wanting to bid goodbye.

He grabbed a paper and pen, and scribbled down a language not originating from the Jian kingdom's to protect both facts that the Jian Crown Prince disregarded the laws and to also hide the fact that Lev had a short period of time being acquainted with the Prince from his master.

"I dont even know if i could dare touch someone as pure as you. My hands will always be stained with blood, and no matter how much i try to wash them off, my eyes will keep on reminding me of how dirty i am living. Yet deep inside myself, as selfish as it sounds, i would choose to always be with you, and if i could, I'll thank the heavens and above."

He then left the note written in foreign characters,

"I will find a way to meet you again, Li."

"I promise you, I'll come back one day."

Jian Li who seemed to have a hard time sleeping because of the remaining effects of the Violet Hay grunts. Lev opened his palm and cold blue flames appeared crawling on his skin. The thief rubbed the Prince's forehead with the flaming hand and pushed his forehead hair back, the blue fire looked like it was being sucked inside Jian Li's forehead.

Few moments after, a smile appeared on the Prince's face, looking comfortable in his sleep.

Lev placed a hopeful smile on his face and watched the soundly sleeping Prince, the friend that taught him many firsts and made him experience times he would gratefully remember forever.

"Good night."

The long eighteen years raised him to be a noble in the day light, and an excellent thief at night.