The black-haired boy was walking through the dimly lit streets of the city, falling asleep.
The good part of the city, that is – because at a specific moment when the quality of the houses dropped significantly, the nightlife was bustling.
The serious-faced oy made a little detour and returned to the spot where he almost lost his hand and checked the leaky barrel.
"Hmhm~"
He hummed with satisfaction as he noticed that the knife was still there, then he reached out and grabbed it.
The clothes he was gifted were nice indeed – shining black loafers, black socks, black pants, leather belt, white undershirt, white shirt, and black vest – and although the fruit stall owner's knife would look far too suspicious sticking out from behind the boy's belt, it was possible for him to hide it entirely under the vest.
With the added weight, the boy smirked to himself and picked to sneak around the back alleys instead of the main roads.
As he walked, he noticed a commotion at a dead end that he was passing.
"N-no...! Noo! URGH!"
Three thugs were beating up a whining man curled up in a fetal position while a fourth thug was on the lookout.
"Huh...?"
"..."
The fourth thug noticed the black-haired boy and squinted his eyes, reaching towards the knife at his side, making the child stop in his track.
"Oh, hey, it's you. Go home, kid. It's already late."
suddenly the thug straightened his back and breathed out in relief, relaxing and having his hand amicably.
"Debt collection?"
The boy waved back before asking, motioning towards the struggle in the dead end.
"Nah. We got tipped off that our friend here got his hands on some silver. It's a happy occasion, and we want him to share his happiness around, but he isn't too keen on that..."
The thug on the lookout shrugged his shoulders dramatically and sighed, disappointedly shaking his head.
"Tsk. What a cheepskate."
"Exactly~!"
The boy clicked his tongue and scoffed, causing the thug to chuckle and nod.
"..."
"What is it...?"
The boy turned away from the thugs trying to beat the spirit of charity into their victim and furrowed his brows while looking at the fourth thug's face to the point of confusing the man.
"Mister, you have a scar across your nose. Big sister Angie asked me to tell a man with that scar to visit her soon because she is feeling lonely without you."
The boy tilted his head before saying with an innocent hesitation.
"O-oh...? OHO?! A-Angie said that...?"
The thug flinched, and even with the only light source being the moonlight of the moon, it was obvious that his face had turned hot.
"So it was you! Mister, come visit her after you're done here~"
"Y-yeah!"
The black-haired boy lowered his head, smirking to himself before looking up and cheering out to the excited thug and walking away, leaving the crime scene behind.
The child had one last stop before actually going home.
An unassuming pawnshop on the corner of the red-light district.
The shop was always open, and as far as the boy could tell, its owner would never sleep.
The shop seemed to be big from the outside, but after entering it, one would immediately feel trapped – only three steps from the door stood the massive counter blocking the rest of the way – and the counter and the ceiling were connected by a grid of thick iron bars, with a small hatch that the transaction could take place.
*ring*
"Welcome~"
The moment that the door opened, the bell attached to it let out a clear sound, and the smooth-skinned man with long violet hair and dark bags under his eyes so big they were taking over his face sprung up from behind the large counter and peeked through the bars at who his customer was this time.
"Good evening."
"Oh! If it isn't the young master of the lower district!"
The black-haired boy bowed his head to the violet-haired man and got playfully greeted back.
"What do you have for me today?"
The pawnshop owner grinned, pressing his forehead against the bar, which made for a rather creepy effect despite his rather handsome face.
"This."
The black-haired boy didn't react to the teasing and took out the acquired knife, placing it n the counter in front of the bars.
"Hoo?"
The violet-haired man opened the hatch and took the knife, closing the hatch and putting it up to his face.
He squinted his eyes as he appraised the quality of the weapon.
"...one big copper coin..."
The man breathed out and declared while tapping the bars with the tip of the knife.
"Deal!"
"...huh...?"
For the first time, the serious boy's face lighted up with excitement – and that very reaction confused the pawnshop owner.
"Now, now. That's not how it works, kid. Didn't I teach you to always haggle with... ah... I see."
The violet-haired man frowned, shaking his head with a slight disappointment before flinching as he realized something.
"If we add the big copper coin to my account balance, I will finally be able to buy the protection charm and still have one small copper coin left!"
The overjoyed boy took a step forward and pointed triumphantly at the tired shopkeeper.
The violet-haired man turned to the side and picked up a truly massive book. He opened it and searched through the pages sliding his finger across countless scribbles until he finally found the right note.
"...yes, yes, young master is precise. Do you want to purchase the paralysis protection charm for one small gold coin?"
"SHHHHHH! Don't say how much it's worth out loud, mister! Do you want me to get robbed the moment I walk out?!"
The violet-haired nodded, putting the book aside, and asked one question causing the boy to turn ghastly pale and look over his shoulder before pressing his index finger to his lips and shushing the man.
"Oh, don't worry, the only way to take this charm away from you against your will is to kill you... isn't that precisely why you wanted it instead of the cheaper ones?"
The man smiled wryly.
"I can't believe that you have difficulty comprehending that it is precisely why I don't want anyone to know how much it is worth!"
The boy clenched his fists and hissed at the man, doing his best to keep quiet and not to attract the attention of someone passing by the pawnshop.
"Do you want it or not?"
"Of course I do."
The unbothered pawnshop owner raised his brow and asked, making the boy lower his head and grumble.
"A moment, please."
The violet-haired man nodded and walked away deep into his store.
Behind the counter and the bars, one could catch a glimpse of rows upon rows of sturdy metal shelves with metal compartments, each locked with a separate key...
The separate keys being a reality was confirmed by the pawnshop owner taking out a bunch of keys on a metal ring that looked heavy enough to weigh as much as the black-haired boy peeking at it.
The violet-haired man had no trouble finding the right key compartment and key to unlock it, and soon enough, he was back at the counter holding a simple wooden box with no ornaments.
"Here. As you said, you also have one small copper coin remaining on your balance. Do you want to cash it out?"
The man opened the hatch and put the box outside before hurriedly closing it and asking.
"No. Someone, my age carrying any money around is asking to be punt across the street and robbed."
The boy shook his head while happily grabbing the box and opening it.
Inside it was just plain wood with no cushioning, but the content was where it counted.
A heart-shaped pendant the size of a bottom of a beer bottle, seemingly made out of an ordinary white river stone on a double thin leather strap.
"..."
The boy gulped down his saliva and reached out for the pendant with a trembling hand.
It was the most expensive thing he had ever laid his hands on by far... by literal miles...
He grabbed the white heart as gently as he could and slowly raised it...
*thump*
Just for it to fall apart in two jagged pieces...!
"IT'S BROKEN!"
The boy shouted in panic before glaring at the violet-haired man.
"YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL ME A BROKEN CHARM!?"
He roared furiously, but a child's scream did not have any effect on the pawnshop owner.
"Look closely, boy. This charm is made for two people from the start."
"...huh...?"
The man pointed out calmly, causing the boy to stop with his mouth agape.
"...oh, true..."
The boy calmed down almost instantly, seeing that the charm wasn't a whole heart-shaped pendant on a double thin leather strap but simply two broken-heart-shaped pendants on thin leather straps that could be put together so seamlessly that they looked as one.
"Four years ago you ran here all excited, asking me if I have a paralysis protection charm that can be bound to its owner, and I told you that this one was the only one I have and it was worth one small gold coin. Then you proceeded to open an account and bring me all sorts of goods to build up enough money to buy it. I thought that you figured out that it is too expensive to be something meant for only one person... since even if you put on both, only one will become bound to you, and the protection effect will not stack. So you can pawn off the other half. It's still an item that becomes bound to the owner, so I could offer you one silver coin for it."
The violet-haired man felt that he should explain things more thoroughly after the misunderstanding that ended up going on for four years...
"...sell it to you for one big silver coin when it should be worth five? No, thank you. I will find some use for the other half."
The boy scoffed, putting on both charms and connecting the pendants into a whole heart.
"It stays on fine."
He nodded to himself with satisfaction and turned around.
"...a-a-ah... I feel like I lost myself a good customer... those past four years, you brought me nice things every day without fail, even straight-up coins..."
As he was on his way out, the violet-haired man plopped down, resting his chin on the counter, calling after him with a somber expression.
"Huh? What are you talking about, mister?"
The boy turned around and scoffed, hiding the heart-shaped pendant under his shirt.
"This is just the beginning! You better stock up on paralysis pellets!"
He smirked cheekily and left the pawnshop.
With that, the black-haired boy felt it was time to go home.
...so he confidently entered the red-light district and went to the side entrance of the largest brothel in the city...
"Welcome home."
The soldier working as a guard and a bouncer spotted him and instantly made his way as the boy approached.
"Thanks for the good work, mister."
The man even opened the door for him, to which the black-haired boy smiled at him.
The back of the building was the area where the girls would get dressed up and put on makeup before entertaining customers, and since the night was still very young most of them were only getting ready.
"AH! Look whose back!"
One of the girls spotted the black-haired boy and called out.
Within an instant, at least five girls picked up and hugged the child as if he was a cute toy.
"Oh my gosh! Medea, you are such a cutie!"
A freckled girl with flaming red hair nuzzled her face against the serious boy's face and squeaked.
"Madam was looking for you. Your mom wanted to know why you went to town dressed like a beggar again... But I guess that doesn't matter since you changed back."
A blond-haired baby-faced one hugged him from the back and said in a ditzy voice.
"Hold on... those look like your normal clothes, but they smell different! Don't tell me that our cute little brother started taking clients and got himself another mommy!"
A brown-haired girl with intense makeup and a chest large enough for the black-haired boy to take cover in leaned in and furrowed her brows after sniffing the pampered boy.
"Medea...!"
"Medea, nooo! You are our cute little brother, don't get stolen by some old hag! Unless, she is ridiculously wealthy and will leave you all of her money so you can take care of all your lovely big sisters for the rest of our lives!"
Two more girls cried out, joining the group hug.
"It's not like that. I just met someone stupid and got some free stuff."
Medea shrugged his shoulders and snickered...
"Kyaaaah~! Medea is such a bad boy~!"
All the girls let out a collective cheer, almost suffocating the boy with their affection.