"…" The mother silently watches Doni's downcasted expression, evoking the feelings of empathy.
"You are a victim to them right?" She asked softly.
"I guess it was obvious," Doni replied, offering a light smile masking his deep scars.
"Wait." Realising what she just said, he asks, "Are you perhaps a victim to those thugs?"
"…" Her gaze shifting, silently reminiscing her past.
The lady's eyes refocuses and softly chuckles, "It's a long story anyways."
The little girl walks up to a sheathed blade stashed on the side of the cabinet.
"Mister, what is this?" Clueless, she grabs the handle of the sheathed blade.
But before she could raise the blade up revealing its sharp edges, Doni grasps her hand tightly.
"You shouldn't do that. This is a very dangerous weapon." With a calm response, he looks at her gently, reminding what he had lost.
"Okay! Ehehe…"
'Treesha… I wonder if you are okay.' Relaxing his face as he continues watching her prance to another part of the house.
"I guess I should let you rest now. Call me if you need help," the lady said, giving him a thumbs-up before taking her leave, closing the door behind her.
'Her scars, her dirtied work clothes." He attentively analysed her trying to understand her circumstances from afar.
"Ah!" He suddenly remembered something critical.
"I got work today!" Taking his belongings, he burst out of the room.
'She is going to kill me because I didn't show up to work yesterday!'
Hurriedly dashing out of the building, he leaves a bag filled with money for his stay at the lady's place.
'I will figure out how to find her after I talk to Boss.'
Watching him move with haste, she shakes her head.
As he paced through the streets, the tantalising smells of vendor foods enveloped his nostrils. A delightful mix of natural ingredients, like fresh herbs, mingled with the industrial smoke surrounding him, giving him a surprising sense of peace.
'If only we lived here.' Sighing, he stands in front of a run-down convenience store.
"Excuse me."
Entering the building, he was greeted an extraordinary situation.
"Boss!" Pacing towards the laying figure, her body's tattered, bruised. Looking around, even the building itself was damaged beyond repair.
"What happened to you Boss!" The boss was eye catching as ever, her soft skin touches his as he grasps her tightly, pulling into his embrace. She had long, glistening red ponytail, a voluptuous figure marked by her tattered work clothes.
Slowly opening her eyes, she softly spoke, "I got into a little accident."
"This is more than a little accident." He refuted, his concern was as palpable as ever.
"From now on Doni." As she pulls her face closer to her own, whispering to his ear.
"Take this money I stashed for your severance pay." She insisted.
'It must be another group of thugs.'
"Boss. Tell me who did this to you, please."
"Don't do anything rash. It's not like you to be worrying about my wellbeing."
"…"
Placing the back of her hand gently on her forehead, she sighs.
"Such a cruel world," grasping her adorned golden necklace with a covered family image.
Doni persisted, "I'm a swordsman. Even though I was once inept with my job here. I still retained my skills from before as a mercenary."
Holding onto his hilt, he asked, "Where are they located, Ruby."
"…"
"I'm not of any importance anymore."
"We only had a employer to employee relationship, nothing more, nothing less."
"Don't disguise your suffering!" His voice abrupt and loud.
Slightly shocked, Ruby asks, "Why?"
"It's because it's a rule I have marked for myself."
'Why does this keep happening to those around me. Am I the problem?'
Lifting her up, he dashes out of the building, finding the nearest apothecary.
—-
"Hmm…" An old lady walks back and forth, thinking of what to do.
"She can recover yeah?" He said, laced in worry.
"Indeed." The apothecary walked up to a batch of fresh herbs, mixing them together. Putting a mix of coloured liquid to make a wet green paste.
"Is this your wife?" The old lady asks as she holds onto the bowl filled with rejuvenating paste.
"No." He firmly responded.
"Mm…"
"I don't think it's appropriate for a man to be here." She said while softly chuckling to herself.
"What are you talking about." Seeing as though the lady is slightly undressing Ruby, he became red faced.
"Ah—I see what you mean. Take care Ruby. Ehehe…" He then slowly closes the door behind him.
'I didn't realise she was extremely pretty.' He coughed.
—-
At night…
Standing before a bright lighted, timbered building, with windows showing multitudes of people lifting up their glass of beer with joyous laughter.
He proceeded to head inside, barging through, "Excuse me."
The sounds got louder, the music played on the stage soothed his nervousness. However, the cheery atmosphere daunts him a little.
A friendly waitress appears bowing slightly to him.
"What would you like for tonight."
"…" he continues to observe his surroundings and then said gravely, "I would like some information."
With a polite gesture, she answers, "Come this way customer."
Leading him to the back with a mysterious masked man who is currently shaking a glass of wine.
Their figure muscular and toned, their outfit prim and proper with a red bow tie at the top and their voice maskly deep.
"What you need?"
"I need information on a girl." He vocalised, imbuing with noticeably fear.
He recalls her appearance. Treesha was a small girl, about ten years old.
She was intelligent with dull, long black hair, red jeweled eyes, a small birthmark on her left cheek resembling a butterfly, an ordinary peasant dress, white socks and red shoes.
"…" The masked man slowly laments on the information given to him.
"This information is classified Highest Level, you would need to an adequate background or proof of background." He stoically responded, his confident voice hints with years of experience as a dual expert at information management and Tavern owner.
'What the heck!' He asks once more with seriousness hinted at his tone, "It's my little sister. Can't I just hand you money for this knowledge?"
Unresponsive, the man continues to shake his glass of wine for the hooded customer right next to him.