The Lower City covers a much larger area than the Upper City.
The current Leon Empire is in a time of great prosperity, and with the reforms brought about by Princess Iris, the lives of the people have been somewhat secured. The entire royal capital is thriving.
But where there is light, there is shadow; where there are leaves, there must be roots. The capital is vast, and shadows inevitably grow—life is not happy for everyone.
The Wobei District is what people truly imagine when they think of the Lower City.
Unemployment, violence, smuggling, chaos, poverty… Mere words cannot capture the reality of this place. Here lies the largest black market in the vicinity.
Compared to Sheriffs and knights, it’s the gangs who rule.
Of course, these so-called gangs are merely the white gloves of the nobility. The upper class coldly exploits the people here, perhaps just to add a crystal chandelier to their rooms.
Sounds.
Cielsa had no time to bother with these dark places; the effort required to reform them was too great, and the resistance too overwhelming. Besides, these people were too insignificant to make a difference.
Everything she did was for the throne—she scorned any action from which she gained not a shred of benefit.
Even so, many of the poor in these parts still felt grateful to the princess. Her policies had, at least partially, reached them, which made her far nobler than those bloodsucking bigwigs.
When El walked in, he immediately felt several hostile gazes.
A stranger like him, looking weak and harmless, was, in some people’s eyes, nothing more than a fat sheep.
“Ivena, this place is worse than I imagined.”
Dilapidated houses, filth everywhere, and even uncleaned excrement in the alleyways.
“Yes, Young Master, I told you long ago not to come here yourself. You’re too noble; you simply don’t fit in with this place.”
El saw a ragged Courtesan waving at him. She threw a flirtatious glance, but what El saw in her eyes was pain.
“I’ve only just realized how narrow my own perspective was. At the very least, this will cure some of my ignorance.”
“You shouldn’t let the suffering of others affect you.”
Ivena knew El was overflowing with compassion—otherwise, he wouldn’t have saved her, nor would he have helped Vita at the freshman ball.
Still, she couldn’t help but remind him; after all, their positions had changed.
El made no comment.
“Tell me, if Cielsa becomes emperor, do you think she’ll make things better here?”
Ivena pondered the question seriously.
Around them, El was probably the only one deceived by that woman’s beauty. From the very first meeting, Ivena had recognized the true nature of that princess.
She was cold-blooded to the extreme. Sometimes, Ivena even felt that what she saw wasn’t a person, but an icy calculation.
The higher your position, the more clearly you could see Cielsa’s true nature. All feared the princess.
But only with El did her feelings seem genuine. In front of him, she maintained a perfect persona—a mask that had yet to slip.
“I think it’s very possible,” Ivena replied, if she intended to keep up the act for life. “At least, I believe that if the Second Prince becomes emperor, he certainly wouldn’t do anything so thankless.”
El’s words suddenly stopped, for he heard a child’s sharp scream coming from a nearby alley.
A child?
El quickly ran over to check. Three thugs were beating a boy who looked to be around ten.
His face was covered in bruises, so swollen you could barely see his eyes.
One of the men waved El away. “Don’t mind us. This brat tried to steal from our boss, so we caught him. Just teaching him a lesson, that’s all.”
El hesitated. “That’s enough, isn’t it? If you keep beating him, he’ll die.”
“This is nothing. When we’re done, we’re selling him to the brothel. I’d advise you to mind your own business.”
El didn’t hesitate anymore. Even if the boy had done wrong, he couldn’t just watch this happen.
“What? You looking for a beating too?”
The three men turned and advanced on El.
Ivena didn’t step in, following the signal in El’s eyes.
El punched the first man square in the jaw, knocking him out. Then he swept a kick into the second one’s stomach, sending him crashing to the ground, unable even to moan.
The third took an elbow to the head and was also knocked unconscious.
The whole sequence of moves was swift and clean, as if preordained.
Joking aside, El might have been a fragile mage compared to knights of his rank, but to ordinary people, he could still run wild without restraint.
Ivena understood her master’s intention and crouched down to cast a healing spell on the child.
The magic worked instantly. Most of the bruises on the boy’s face faded, and he gradually regained consciousness.
In a daze, through the emerald glow, he seemed to see a woman with platinum-blonde hair—so beautiful it was almost unreal.
Was she an angel from the Church?
Ivena rose and nodded to El.
El said, “Kid, you were nearly beaten to death just now. I saved your life. Don’t steal from others again.”
“My name is Shari. Thank you for your kindness, sir.” As soon as the boy came to his senses, he immediately knelt to El.
This kind of behavior had to be taught by someone. Children with poor education wouldn’t even know the word “sir.” But what kind of person would teach a child to steal?
He.
El asked, “Do you know Old Mike? I have a job to discuss with him.”
“Of course, sir. He’s our boss—the most famous thief in all of Wobei District. I can take you to him.”
Shari agreed readily. El had saved his life; of course he was willing to help.
He never doubted El might harm the boss. In his eyes, Old Mike, respected by all the local gang leaders, was untouchable.
With Shari leading the way, El and Ivena made their way through filthy streets and alleys, finally reaching a run-down house.
“Shari, what’s happened? Who did you bring?”
An old, crisp, and commanding voice rang out. El looked over and saw a thin, elderly man with a black cloak, graying hair, and a long beard.
Old Mike, leader of the Mouse Gang—renowned thief of the Lower City, a silver-ranked assassin, and the talent Cerys had recommended to El.
El glanced at Ivena.
She nodded to him and said, “His stealth skills are top-notch. Besides, with his familiarity with the Lower City and the Mouse Gang’s information network, investigating cultists will be much easier.”
Shari introduced, “Old Mike, I got caught stealing and was nearly beaten to death. He saved me, and he has a job for you.”
“Which idiot didn’t know the rules?” There was clear anger in his voice.
“I don’t know. I already told them I was with the Mouse Gang, but they wouldn’t stop…”
“I’ll see to them myself. Young man, thank you for bringing my little mouse back. Let’s talk.”
He signaled Shari to leave.
As El sized up Old Mike, the old man also sized up El.
With those handsome features, Old Mike recognized at a glance that he was a noble of some standing. Though his clothes were plain, they were new—clearly prepared on purpose for this trip.
He sighed. Nobles’ commissions were always the most dangerous, liable to get you into real trouble, especially now when the political climate was so tense.
Shari was too naive, thinking himself invincible. But Old Mike knew, in the eyes of the real bigwigs, he was nothing but an old rat that could bite.
Yet, since this young lord was willing to return Shari, perhaps he was just a little naive and kindhearted. Hopefully, my refusal won’t make him lose his temper, Old Mike thought worriedly.