Chapter 19: The Unbreakable Bond
After leaving the narrow alley, the little beggar walked onto the street. The snowy streets were nearly deserted, with only a few pedestrians hurrying by, heads down, collars raised against the chill. Even the carriages seemed to be few and far between, and the untouched snow on the ground was undisturbed by the wheels of passing vehicles, giving the scene an illusion of softness and warmth.
The little beggar exhaled, gently adjusting the swaddling blanket to cover the baby's head, leaving only her eyes and nose exposed. The baby, sensing the movement, slowly opened her eyes.
The beggar's reflection shimmered in those gem-like green eyes. The baby stuck out her tongue and made a few unintelligible sounds—"ahhh... ooo..."—like a vague, unspoken cry. The beggar stood still, gazing at her, and after a long moment of silent connection...
The baby smiled.
Her faint smile was as fragile as her breath. The beggar, somewhat baffled by her sudden joy, looked away. He raised his head and walked to a nearby apartment building.
This apartment complex was one of the more luxurious in the area. The beggar had once waited here, searching for a target to steal from. Now, he stood at the door again and rang the bell.
"Who's there?"
Moments later, a woman in her thirties opened the door. Upon seeing the beggar, a flicker of disdain crossed her face, and she began to close the door.
"Madam, please take this child in," the beggar quickly interjected, stopping the door with his foot and handing her the baby.
The woman paused, surprised that the beggar wasn't asking for money. She looked at him in confusion, then glanced at the infant in his arms...
"Ahh... ahhh..."
The baby, having taken her medicine, seemed much livelier. She stared curiously with her large, beautiful eyes, observing the world around her.
"Ah, how adorable! Child, you don't want her anymore?" The woman said, reaching out to take the baby.
The beggar nodded. "Yes, I found her on the street. I don't know who her parents are. Madam, could you please spare me a piece of bread, given the cold and the snow?"
The woman, grinning, eagerly took the baby into her arms. But for some reason, just as she held the child, the baby suddenly coughed.
The woman's smile instantly vanished, replaced by a cold, almost frigid expression. She placed her hand on the baby's forehead, and her previously warm demeanor turned to ice.
"She's sick?"
"…"
"Take her back. Hurry up and take her away—don't let her infect my precious son."
The baby was shoved back into the beggar's arms, and with a loud slam, the door shut. The beggar stood silently in the snow, facing the cold, closed door...
"Sir, please adopt this little girl," he pleaded at the next house.
"Go away! I have no money, go beg someone else."
"Madam, this little girl is so beautiful, please adopt her."
"Get lost! You filthy beggar. You've tainted my door with your stench."
"Miss, don't you want a lovely little sister?"
"Ah! Soldier! There's a suspicious child here! He's selling a baby!"
...
Time passed, and it was now afternoon.
The beggar had finished his piece of bread and continued walking through the snow. The sky grew darker, and he had lost count of how many doors he had knocked on or how many people had turned him away.
No one wants her? This little girl? No one will take her in, care for her, and raise her?
He lowered his head, his cold eyes staring down at the baby in his arms. Yet the baby, who had been rejected by everyone, seemed completely unconcerned, making soft sounds and smiling at him.
He took out the medicine, crushed it, and bought a small thermos from a shop with some of the money he had. He had the shopkeeper fill it with hot water, then mixed in the remaining medicine. The beggar fed the baby, then drained the bitter water into his own stomach, shivering from the warmth.
"Ah? So this city has two types of currency? Sula and Inai?" he remarked.
"To be precise, one Sula equals 6.204 Inai," the beggar explained.
After finishing, he wiped his mouth, hung the thermos at his side, and walked aimlessly forward.
"Is that so? Interesting. So how much money have you made this way?"
"… Only large transactions are worthwhile. And there's a transaction fee."
"Ha ha, so your petty thieving won't make you rich, eh? Forget about it. You should focus on getting this little girl into safer hands. Look, it's getting late. If you don't get her somewhere soon, you'll have to care for her another night. See that mansion ahead? That's probably the most luxurious place in the city. Do you think they'd take her in?"
The beggar paused. Before him stood the largest estate in Senagne, surrounded by high walls and a heavy iron gate. The wealth here was obvious, and surely, they had the means to adopt a child.
There was a sign next to the gate, but the beggar couldn't read, so he couldn't tell what it said. However, he knew that powerful people lived there.
He looked up at the iron gates and sighed. The baby in his arms had fallen into a deep sleep from the medicine.
At this moment, he felt a strange relief in not being looked at by those trusting eyes.
The beggar reached the gates, gently patted the baby's back, and set her down. This time, he didn't wait for anyone to come out. He chose to leave her to fate. If she could show her cute side and not cough when they saw her, she might be adopted. If not, he wouldn't take her back—let her freeze here.
He crouched down nearby, watching the sleeping face of the baby. He reached out once more, gently touching her soft skin, feeling a fleeting warmth. And now, after three days and nights of care, it was time for this chapter to end...
"Goodbye."
The beggar softly patted the baby's swaddling one last time, then stood up. Despite the mocking voice in his mind telling him that his words held no meaning, he remained calm, rang the doorbell, and swiftly retreated from the front.
The wind, mixed with snow, blew around him.
He hid in a narrow alley across from the gate, watching the mansion through the dim light, his gaze fixed on the large door. This was probably his last moment of worry. By now, he had stopped questioning why he was hiding here, not leaving. He would let himself act on impulse this once.
...
...
...
Finally, the door creaked open.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"Damn it, who's knocking at this time, with the snow falling like this? Damn it!"
The shouting from within instantly sent the beggar's heart plummeting into a pit of ice.
The door swung wide, revealing a man in his forties, with a face full of scowls, dressed like a servant. He was accompanied by three large wolves, whose size was so intimidating, they seemed more imposing than the beggar.
The servant was clearly in a bad mood. He muttered curses as he opened the door, scanning the surroundings, looking even angrier. He kept swearing under his breath until the wolves noticed the baby lying on the stairs and began to bark loudly. The servant looked down, noticing the child.
How terrifying could the wolves' bark be? The owner of this mansion had a terrible reputation, and clearly, their dogs had been taught no better manners. The baby, awakened by the howls, began to cry, frightened by the noise.
The servant shot the crying baby a disdainful glare before looking around again, ensuring no one else was around. He cursed again:
"Who the hell left this bastard here? No wonder I lost a hundred Sula in one round. Probably this little bastard's fault!"
The beggar turned away, no longer willing to watch. It was already clear this was the worst possible start, and it would lead to no good end. If he didn't leave now, he feared he would be unable to resist picking the baby up again once the servant went inside.
"Woof woof woof!"
"Oh? Isaria, Medalanro, Elizabeth, are you hungry? Good! Look at this little bastard, not even a few days old. Fresh for you. Enjoy, you filthy little thing—daring to cry and ruin my luck. I'll let you fill my precious one's stomach."
In that instant, the beggar froze in his tracks...