Chapter 13: Hope to Live [1]
Doubt
Worry
Confusion
Suspicion
These were the feelings that emerged within Loyola. A happy official... This was an ominous sign, according to her. She could never be worry-free after spotting a happy official.
Those Gold Coins...
Her instincts were to reject straight in the face of the official. But she didn't have the guts to do so.
But that didn't restrict her from throwing them after reaching home. Thinking of this she increased the pace at which she was walking.
Sigh... Those foolish people... Readily jumping when that monster said he'd reward anyone who told the truth...
Do they really think an official would care for us? Some might but definitely not that monster. His voice contained malice.
She then eyed her daughter Sera who had a proud smile on her face as she grasped onto that coin.
Veins suddenly popped up on her head.
"You little Brat. From where did you gain the guts eh?" Sera abruptly felt all the happiness vanishing as she felt a tug to her ear.
However, she still held onto the coin.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Mom! Forgive me!" Sera wasn't sure what she had done but apologized in advance. This surely made up a funny scene.
Loyola's heart melted somewhat as she saw the cute huge puppy eyes
"Now now Loyola, it's not my place to talk in but no one can stand those cute eyes." Loyola instantly retracted her hand as she heard Mornil's voice.
"Mornil." She acknowledged.
"You look worried."
"Well..." Mornil scratched his head. "Can I have a coin? I promise to return in within 10 days. You're a smart woman. I'm worried that there's something wrong with that coin..."
"Mn." Loyola nodded. Mornil was a doctor. Even staying in such a shabby area he could generate 4 gold coins a year, and if the business the year was good he could generate 8.
Food was never a problem for Mornil and he was a man who never cared about luxury. He was a man of principles.
Her main worry was...
"What if... Somehow you're hurt by these coins?"
"What if all the stars suddenly fall down? Or what if a tsunami strikes? What if the 3rd disaster occurs over here?" Mornil questioned with a straight smile.
"Loyola, you see life is unpredictable. We can take some precautions but at the end of the day we can just 'Hope', hope to live."
"..."
Loyola was speechless. Indeed in this life, a human could only 'hope'. Without hope, one couldn't live life to its fullest.
With some small amount of hesitation, she whipped out a coin and gave it to Mornil who didn't touch the but coin instead opened a leather pouch.
Am I beitoo to paranoid? Why would such a high-ranking official go ahead and try to kill us?
Nevertheless, he was still going to study this coin. First came the poison test. After using all his medical knowledge he would conduct tests on that coin to determine if any kind of ability with malicious intent was used.
Of course, he wasn't a professional appraiser. He was just a doctor with few tricks.
At the end of the day, he could just hope... Hops to live.
"I suggest you buy food and furniture for your house. I'm sure you figured why." Mornil added to the conversation.
Loyola was somewhat hesitant. Not because greed had possessed her.
First of all, having such a heavy amount with her meant that she was in a tough situation. Save a few, the rest of the people living in this area were total scums. Greed would possess them in seconds.
Information travelled the fastest. It would be a matter of seconds before she'd be murdered for these coins.
Dispose of them in front of everyone? This would basically be a slap to the face of the official.
He'd get a chance to mess with her in the name of being ungrateful.
Dispose of it secretly? The villagers won't believe she did so and torture her and her kids to find out the whereabouts of the coins.
The only sensible choice was to buy the things necessary for a household, things that a woman like herself loved to buy.
However...
"Sigh, I don't want to hurt them."
"Hahah." Mornil could only give a dry chuckle.
Too kind for her own good.
"So will you leave your children starving? Shiro is a growing young man, our Sera the cute little fairy should also sleep with a full stomach and a smile on her face." Mornil tried to persuade Loyola enthusiastically.
Sera who was quiet till now trying to understand what kind of conversation these two were conducting couldn't help but nod at the last part, words spoken by Mornil. As a matter of fact, only those were the words she could understand.
No harm in pretending right? Doesn't hurt to do so.
Sera shrugged inwardly.
"You're right." Loyola puckered her lips. Kindness, what was the use of it when it could lead to her children's suffering?
It would break her heart to see Shiro and Sera starve.
Sigh...
After a few more lines of conversation, Mornil finally left. As fast as possible she blended into the crowd and then quickly entered one of the shops buying dry food and rations.
A few hours passed by as she had just spent over 2 coins. It was obvious that she couldn't spend 6 coins in a day. Exhaling another sigh she stood there on the spot realizing a lot of time had already passed by.
'Even after buying months of rations and furniture, I can't finish this money? Looks like I underestimated the power of a gold coin.'
'The only seller who sells costly things over here is...'
Mornil. Since he wanted to study these coins, she could just give some 2 gold coins in the name of repaying debt from the past and using other coins she could just buy medications.
'I should hurry... Shiro must be starving.' With this thought she hurriedly towards her new destination.