Every time you exhaled, white breath puffed from your mouth.
A gray-haired man, wearing a black mourning suit with his bangs neatly slicked back, walked down an alley.
The bricks, once painted white, were now covered in black and yellow dirt, and the smell of alcohol and cigarettes stung the air.
Normally, the ugly back alleys of the kingdom, hidden in the shadows, would be filled with drunken tramps yelling profanities, and broken liquor bottles flying around.
Yet, as the man walked slowly down the street, it was surprisingly quiet, except for the sound of his footsteps.
Had everyone gone somewhere?
A cat playing on the roof, watching the scene, tilted its head before running toward a restaurant across the street.
The man, who had been walking for a while, eventually stopped and glanced around as if he had reached his destination.
A shabby-looking man lay motionless on the street, a brass bowl for begging placed in front of him.
The man in mourning clothes frowned as if he couldn’t see what he was looking for, tilting his head in confusion. But then, something shiny and silver peeked out from the fallen man’s pocket.
He took out his gloves, put them on both hands, and carefully pulled out the object. Opening the small case attached to a silver chain, he found a very familiar portrait of a brown-haired woman.
It was a locket his friend and his wife had lost while dining out a month ago. He had finally found it, just as his friend had asked him to. The owner of this locket, however, was now lying in a cold coffin. His heart grew heavy, and his eyes turned red with sorrow.
Lost in thought for a moment, the man turned back to look at the path he had walked.
It was like a famous painting, a scene where time had seemingly stopped.
From the bearded man spitting profanities to the scrawny old man smoking a cigarette, and the grimy homeless people holding broken liquor bottles—everything was frozen, captured in a split second.
He had performed a miracle, one that could easily be called a supreme work of art, yet he showed no interest in it.
He took out a small box from his coat and shook it, but no sound came. He clicked his tongue once and continued walking.
With each step, a sound like crumbling ice echoed, while white sparks decorated the alley. The shabby-looking tramps slowly faded away, like a mirage, disappearing as if they had never existed.
The gray-haired man who had k!lled countless people in the alley and walked away calmly was Krail Raynell.
The cold rope hanging from his fingertips felt icy, and the Heretic Inquisitor was in a very bad mood today.
From afar, solemn and majestic singing could be heard—a woman, who had not even received a congratulatory message at her wedding, could only feel bitter at the gift she received at the end of her life.
***
After the fuss that erupted while choosing his clothes, Julius stepped out of the store for a moment and leisurely strolled around the village.
When Rosa had said it would take a year to pack all the clothes she bought because she’d taken nearly everything in the store, Cecil took some money from him and went into Uncle Finn’s bakery.
Julius was enjoying his moment of leisure, leaving Cecil behind, who had ignited her competitive spirit by saying she would try all of the store’s secret product, “Kente Dessert Special 20.”
Although it was officially called a demotion, in reality, it was more like a very long vacation. Was it really okay to live like someone with nothing to do?
After working without a single day off for five years, Julius found this break somewhat uncomfortable.
While snooping around, looking for something to occupy his time, what caught his eye was Thalia, a black-haired girl with a somewhat gloomy aura.
When Julius saw her, he realized she had grown up so beautifully that it would be rude to call her a girl. His thoughts quickly shifted, and he noticed her playful nature.
As soon as the sadness in his heart subsided, her true, tough nature emerged.
He silently followed her, suppressing his footsteps, watching her work. Just as he was about to surprise her, he saw something shocking and jumped behind a large cedar tree.
Holding his breath, Julius tilted his head slightly, peeking out once more.
It wasn’t a mistake!
The woman in strange clothes, arguing with Thalia in front of a shabby mill, was clearly Ronelle.
Those ridiculous pants were so short they could hardly be distinguished from underwear!
Though Ronelle was always confident and often resorted to violence to solve problems, she was still a good person. Seeing her in such a state made Julius’s heart sink.
“So, these are just clothes! It’s the latest trend from across the sea!” Ronelle exclaimed.
“Ms. Ronelle, please come to your senses! What’s so great about marriage? You’ve completely lost your mind!” Thalia countered.
“Don’t bring up marriage in front of me! … Wait… I can smell it, he’s a strong one. Where is it?”
Ronelle suddenly stopped, sniffing the air as if searching for something.
Julius remembered the legendary declaration everyone in the village knew.
Without another word, he left, unwilling to face what was coming next. He had promised to give his love to only one person in his life—Cecil.
Although he personally felt sorry for his sister, that didn’t mean she couldn’t be sacr!ficed.
***
When Julius returned to Rosa’s store, clothes were piled high in a large box.
Cecil was holding a white dress in one hand, chatting excitedly.
“So, the moment I saw him, it just came to me. ‘Ah, he’s the one!’ I thought. He’s the man who will have my love, hehehe,” Cecil said proudly.
“Oh my, my, kids these days are so bold,” Rosa teased, her face flushed as she fanned herself with her hands.
Cecil, still proudly talking about the events of that day, saw Julius and waved him over.
I NEED YOUR HELP: During the recent unrest in the country I am from, our family hardware store was broken into and looted by thugs. I don’t know why they did it, since my family has always been minding our own business, without bothering anyone else. I’m guessing some people are taking advantage of the current lawless and chaotic state of the country.
Anyways, the incident now leaves me as the only earning member of my family. Long time readers know that I was already dealing with a mountain of trouble (that I inherited from my father), and was already struggling. I had created a plan of action, and was steadily moving forward. But this incident destroyed whatever plans I had, again. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me again and again. I might as well be cursed or something.
So here I am, after much hesitation, once again asking for your support. If you are reading this, please help if you are able to, I repeat, help only if you are able to. I am not asking something for free, you can become a Patron at Patreon to gain access to more chapters, or sponsor as many chapters you can from any of the novels you enjoy on Goblinslate here at BuymeaCoffee. Or if you just want to help, you can donate any amount at the Wishlist at BuymeaCoffee. Thank you.