Lyra and Kai trudged along the road, their bags heavy with supplies. As they walked, Lyra couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety in her stomach. They had spent nearly all of their money on the supplies they had just purchased, and now they were broke.
"We need to find a way to make some more money," Lyra said, breaking the silence between them.
Kai nodded in agreement. "Maybe we could do some odd jobs in the next town we come across."
Lyra snorted. "Knowing our luck, the only job we'll be able to find is shoveling manure."
As they walked, they overheard some travelers talking about the rumors of a new demon king rising to power. Lyra's heart sank at the news. If the rumors were true, it could mean another war.
"We have to be careful," Lyra said, glancing over at Kai. "If these rumors are true, we need to be prepared."
Kai nodded solemnly. "I'll be ready, Lyra. I won't let anything happen to you."
Lyra couldn't help but smile at the young boy's determination. "I know you won't, Kai. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."
As they walked, Lyra's thoughts turned to their financial situation. She racked her brain for ideas on how to make some quick money.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. "Kai, do you remember the magic tricks I used to do for extra money back in the day?"
Kai looked at her with wide eyes. "You mean the ones where you pulled coins out of thin air?"
Lyra grinned. "That's the one. Let's find a crowded street in the next town we come across and put on a show."
Kai nodded eagerly. "That sounds like fun! I'll even help you with the tricks."
As they continued on their journey, Lyra felt a newfound sense of hope. With Kai by her side and their skills combined, they would find a way to make ends meet.
They soon arrived at the next town, and Lyra searched for a busy street to perform their magic show. Kai followed her closely, scanning the crowd for any potential trouble.
Lyra began her act, using her charm and charisma to draw in a crowd. She performed her signature tricks, pulling coins out of thin air and making objects disappear and reappear. The crowd was mesmerized, and soon they were tossing coins into their collection basket.
Kai noticed an opportunity and slipped away from the show. He deftly made his way through the crowd, snatching wallets and purses from unsuspecting villagers. Lyra was too busy with her act to notice what Kai was doing.
After they had collected a decent amount of money, they decided to call it quits for the day. As they were packing up their things, Lyra noticed something odd.
"Kai, where did you get all of this money?" she asked, eyeing the large pile of coins and bills in their basket.
Kai shifted uncomfortably. "I, uh, found it lying around."
Lyra narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Kai, did you steal this money?"
Kai hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Lyra. I saw an opportunity and I couldn't resist. We needed the money."
Lyra sighed. "I understand."
Lyra and Kai continued their magic show, performing their tricks for the villagers who gathered around them. As they went on, Kai's pickpocketing skills grew even more skilled, and he managed to nab a few more coins than they had expected.
Lyra noticed Kai's success and couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride. They were making more money than she had ever managed to do on her own. But as the show went on, she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of greed taking over her.
She began to focus more on getting as much money from the crowd as possible, using flashier and more impressive tricks to wow them. Kai noticed the change in her attitude but didn't say anything, instead choosing to go along with whatever Lyra wanted to do.
As they finished their show and counted their earnings, Lyra was disappointed that they hadn't made even more. She couldn't shake the feeling that they needed more money, that they needed to have a bigger cushion in case something happened.
Kai, on the other hand, was just happy to have made some money and excitedly talked about all the things they could buy with their earnings.
Lyra smiled at him, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't shake the feeling that they needed more, that they needed to be even more prepared for whatever was to come.