Damoiseau in distress!

A series of footsteps softly echoed on the cobblestone path, as he made a concerted effort to avoid tripping. His expression was vacant, his gaze lost in the thrill of anticipation swirling in his heart.

For many, securing a job is merely a transitional phase in their lives, something that seems predestined, and thus they overlook its true importance, however, for him, the gravity of it was palpable. After his mother passed away to join his father in the afterlife, he found himself utterly alone. Technically, he had a brother, but he was reckless and unscrupulous.

"Sigh." Austin shook his head, suddenly recalling that he had neglected to clean the dried blood which had congealed on his forehead. He tore off a frayed sleeve from his shirt, spat on it, and used it to wipe away the blood that had accumulated over the day. "Today is a big day; I need to look... presentable?" He sighed again, glancing at his ragged clothing that barely covered his malnourished frame. A bitter smile crept onto his lips. "At least I have to make sure I don't show up with blood on my face. I could be mistaken for a murderer. Huh?"

He turned quickly to find a familiar face: the eldest chubby twin. He shook his head slowly and started to back away, only to be shoved aside by a powerful force from behind. He couldn't duck in time and was slammed into, causing him to wince as he cradled his ribs in pain. He had a good idea who the attackers were, but he didn't want to confront them.

"Hehehe. I won! Told you he would fall with one hit." Another boy, wielding an oversized stick, laughed gleefully. The assailants looked identical, with the only distinguishing feature being the well-groomed moustache of the elder one.

"What... what do you want from me?" Austin stammered as he tried to rise, pain shooting through his ribs.

"Oh, the bumpkin thinks he's better now that he has a job." The moustached one stepped forward and punched him again, breaking his nose. Austin staggered but managed to remain upright. He planted his feet firmly and retaliated with a punch, catching the eldest off guard.

The twin fell back, eyes wide in shock as blood streamed from his nose, more than the blood that dripped from Austin. Recovering quickly, the other twin began to beat Austin relentlessly. "You dumb pig! You used to eat the scraps we tossed aside; now you dare to strike my brother?!"

"Scraps, you say? He ate the mouldy leftovers we threw away. We planned to rob you and leave you half-dead, but now you will DIE!" They continued to pummel him with sticks, stones, and anything they could find. Unbeknownst to them, a figure lurked in the shadows, watching intently. She contemplated, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"He's stronger than I expected and clever too." She observed how Austin was burying money beneath him while enduring the beats. She recognized their intention to get the money from the get-go, and it seemed he was aware of it too.

"Hand over the money, and we'll let you live," the eldest twin demanded, his nostrils flaring with fury. They had struck him several times, and it was clear he wouldn't withstand much more, but suddenly they realized he didn't have the pouch. Their only option was to press him for it, fully intending to leave him in a state far worse than half-alive.

"W-what... pouch are... you talking about?" Austin's voice was barely a whisper. This infuriated them, especially the eldest, who was ready to escalate the violence. "Alright, since you've chosen death, let me—" "Hey, chubby man, leave him alone!" A woman's voice cut through the tension just as the eldest was about to smash Austin's head into the ground. The twins glared at her, scanning the area warily.

The reason why? Well, a woman wouldn't typically confront them in this situation, which left two possibilities: either she was a wealthy lady with guards nearby or just foolishly brave.

The thought that she could be absurdly stronger than them never crossed their minds. They bore a pure chauvinistic spirit.

"Mind your own business, lady. We don't want to hit a woman," the younger twin said, anticipating the arrival of guards.

"I said, leave him alone, please." The lady repeated in a melodic tone. They couldn't see her face, but her fair skin suggested she was beautiful as she clasped her hands together in a plea.

"This is no place for a rich girl like you. You better leave before we finish you off."

They would have attempted to do more than warn her however, whatever that was left of their instincts warned them against it. And of course, they never attributed it to her but to her imaginary guards.

"So, you won't leave him alone?" The twins scoffed, but they didn't advance. They were still unsure of whether she was a wealthy mistress or just reckless. She nodded, and with a swift movement that went unnoticed by them, she incapacitated both of them. They collapsed to the ground, defeated.

Austin's heart raced; he couldn't fathom how she could handle them when he had struggled. Out of sheer nerves, he picked up a stone but, instead of words, blood filled his mouth, forcing him to throw it. "Is that how you treat your saviour? Tsk!" She approached him, dodging the crudely thrown stone which she couldn't fathom whether it was to scare her or?

She shook her head slightly and gently lifted him. He hesitated to trust her but felt his consciousness slipping away, so, with reluctance, he allowed her to carry him off.

The lady walked away with him but did not forget to pull out the pouch. Once they had reached a decent distance from the market gates, she wore her hood and walked over to the guards who manned it.

She whispered something to them and in no less than half an hour, two men came to pick Austin up.