Episode 76. Cake (5)

On days when drums sound and ships come in, you can find orphans living on the Skia Bridge that crosses the Kaela River as a roof running around the commercial district.

Occasionally, without knowing why, the passers-by who grabbed the hand held out by the children, were led without explanation for about 5 minutes, and ended up in a tent with a hole.

There was a troupe of starving clowns doing tricks with clumsy smiles in order to get some porridge.

What the children had for dinner during the week depended on how many guests they brought.

In a week when the circus is booming, you can eat bread every day, but if your income is not as good as last week, you may have to collect and boil fruit peels or vegetable scraps discarded from the commercial district.

Of course, even a meal that is not much different from the fodder the horse eats is a banquet that is not easily allowed to members who do not produce results.

‘Jack, you son of a bitch, how can you not bring a guest? uh? Do you still deserve to eat!’

A week ago, Tony, who supervises the children right under the circus leader, beat Jack badly for not bringing any guests.

After a week that seemed like the belly skin was sticking to my back, the day when the ship came into the commercial district again and it was full of people.

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Jack remembered the day he wiped away tears because he was more saddened by the loss of fruit peel than by being beaten.

‘Please… . Take even one.’

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Jack looked up desperately at the faces of passers-by and reached out.

However, they all reacted as if a stone had been caught in their feet.

He tried to walk around this wide commercial area without stopping with shoes with holes in the soles, but in the end, only one person held his hand.

“Oh, Jack!”

It was his circus partner, the one-armed Bill.

He recognized Jack, who was crouching in the middle of the rush of crowds, smiled bitterly and shook hands with his one free arm.

“Are you stupid too? I thought I would get beaten up like a pooping dog, but after all, we are partners.”

“… It’s really not easy to bring guests these days.”

“It’s because our troupe has become so famous. Until a few months ago, if I held out my hand, everyone would be confused and grab it, but these days they just ignore me. Please, even if I beg you to come and see me, it won’t work.”

“This is a problem caused by bad rumors about the troupe. I just leave some customers who want to leave before the play starts, why are they forced to pay the entrance fee… .”

“It’s stupid. I think the leader is out of his mind these days. I wasn’t such a jerk when I first came in, but I’ve been like that ever since I fell off my head while riding a rope the other day?”

Without his left arm, flapping his empty sleeve, Bill shook his head.

“jack. I’ve said it before, but don’t think about rotting in a place like this. With a body like this, it’s hard to be damned anywhere, and even if I stay still, people look at me in wonder, so I’m still in this troupe… . You’re not worth being here.”

“I’m trying to raise some pennies. If I’m living alone, I don’t mind leaving right now, but because of my sister… .”

“Oh right. How is your brother these days? Are you feeling better?”

“If you tell me to stay still, I will. Even now, he’s probably sitting alone on the riverbank waiting for me.”

“Uh, then I need to save at least one guest today. Let’s go around a bit together. Aren’t you sharing the food you get at the theater with him? Like last time, Tony, if you lose your porridge to that pig, your sister will starve too… . huh? What happened over there?”

“What is it?”

At the place Bill pointed to, a girl in a white robe was receiving love and blessings from countless people.

The theologian, covered in flowers, fruits, favors, and caresses, showed off his ignorance and was at a loss for what to do.

Grabbing his left sleeve, which was fluttering in the river wind, Bill grumbled as if he had seen something useless.

“Hey, look at that immaculate face. It’s different from us living under the scorching sun reflected on the river. Don’t you think you would have lived without suffering at all?”

“It’s a theological tool that goes to Kiruna. envy. All the kids who go to Kiruna must be rich. I heard that even princesses go there.”

“Hey, then, he’s never had to go hungry because he’s never had a job, so he already has a lot of money?”

“Can’t you see that?”

“envy. Why is Goddess so unfair? Are you stuck in school and can’t get out? If you go over a wall, there are guys like us, right? If you make me a priest, I’m confident that I’ll do well.”

“… I don’t think you can.”

“Hey. The Goddess must have fed me, I served and lived my whole life. Why does the cathedral not accept one-armed people? Is it because you can’t put your hands together to pray? Oh yeah. jack!”

Bill, who tried to clap his hands saying he had a good idea, laughed shyly when he realized it was impossible, and spoke to Jack in a serious voice.

“Stop being a clown, go to a church and say you’re going to take refuge. It seems like the last time there was a rumor that once you went in, you couldn’t come out, but isn’t it better than starving to death on the street?”

“… I’ve been to a few places already. Everyone could accept me, but my sister said no, so I gave up.”

“I, really… . huh? Hey, why is your sister saying no?”

“Why, you know, why do you ask? He-”

“What’s wrong, that priest girl looks dumb too.”

“… What?”

* * *

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Just like Virgo, who raised his honor and prestige by conquering pirates, the Imperial Guard Knights refer to those who have received the sword directly from the emperor with outstanding skills and achievements among those who walk the path of the sword.

Truly the utopia of knights, Harlock, one of Princess Frill’s four guardian knights, also went through countless battles to reach this position.

With a burning sense of duty, he jumped into the front line that other knights shunned, and in the third year, he cut off the head of the large beast that had destroyed the border… . In the end, he was appointed as an imperial guardian knight, which he had dreamed of his whole life, but he did not neglect to polish himself.

Not only concentrating on martial arts, but also devouring literature and philosophy on chivalry, and working hard to acquire a level of dignity that would not be embarrassing even standing next to the youngest princess.

He was Harok, who reached the pinnacle of knighthood at a relatively young age, but as a member of the Imperial Guard, he was proud of having accumulated various experiences to help the princess in any situation.

‘Was I too arrogant… ?’

At noon, when the dizzyingly clear sky was reflected in the window of the agoge hallway, Harok was in the middle of an adventure with Princess Frill that started out of nowhere.

A red-haired girl named Harin, a member of the arduous journey, rolled things that looked like small jewels on the palm of her hand to the floor.

“Chief, you haven’t played with air! Watch what I do.”

“… .”

One of the strongest knights in the Empire, Harlock, squatted in the middle of the gray hallway and focused on Harin’s playing with air.

The Agoge students, passing by the hallway, found it and hesitated.

‘Successful all over the age of 3! (0/4)’

I rubbed my eyes and re-read the magical phrase that sparkled brilliantly in his head, holding back a laugh as I passed by.

“Hurray! Success at once! even 5 years old My senses from childhood are still alive!”

“I… . knight? Did you see what Harin did? You don’t have to catch all five like him. Well, if you only do three things… . Yes, please.”

Harin, whose mental age is not much different from Yuka, was absorbed in treasure hunting before he knew it, and Ji-on whispered to him restlessly as he noticed Har-lock getting involved in this childish game.

“Isn’t it a little too much to ask a knight for something like this? Oh, I’m so sorry. What about Yuka? I’m going to die of embarrassment… !”

“no. Is the princess happy too? . I can only thank you guys.”

It is true that his pride as a knight would not allow him to hang out with girls ten years younger than him.

As a knight, the most important thing is the owner to protect.

To put his petty pride first… . Princess Frill was so sincere about this adventure.

“Harlock, cheer up… ! I will cheer you on!”

He looked at Frill’s clenched hand, then nodded heavily.

“I will definitely do it, Princess.”

That’s how the world’s most serious air play began.

* * *

“What is it, really… ? Seeing you keep nodding your head like that… .”

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Jack’s eyes as he looked at the theological student, who couldn’t really say a word, went blank in bewilderment and disappointment.

“Why, not my sister. He-”

If you take refuge in the goddess and enter the cathedral, you can live your whole life as a priest without worrying about food, but why are so many beggars lying hungry under the Skia Bridge?

“Obviously, you said it was because the criteria for selecting priests were strict.”

Since theology students are the messengers of the Goddess and the face of the church, the church said that it selects healthy youths and educates them thoroughly over a long period of time.

Didn’t my sister, who had lost her voice after a serious head injury, say that she couldn’t accept it because she had flaws in representing the church and preaching the goddess’ kindness?

Bill, who had heard that far, sighed as he looked at the back of the theologian girl who was getting farther away.

“You really don’t know? I guess that’s just what you say Actually, I just don’t want to accept beggars.”

“… ah.”

“lets think. If they start accepting guys like us little by little, within a week it will become an orphanage instead of a cathedral.”

That girl was probably born into an aristocratic family.

It’s just that he took refuge in the church because he was afraid to face the suffering of living as a mute in a noble aristocratic family.

Bill’s self-talk that that theology student would surely be that kind of girl ignited Jack’s empty eyes.

“Hey, Bill. Are not you hungry?”

“ship? Babies are always hungry. It’s to the point where I forgot the feeling of being really full.”

“yes? Great. Follow me, let’s chase him before he gets further.”

“… what? Hey, please… . calm down. Are you really crazy?”

“why? They are in trouble because they have a lot of luggage, so let us lighten it up a little.”

“Jack, don’t you remember what Tony said? Other people may not know, but they said you shouldn’t rob priests!”

The reason Tony notices the priests is because the church distributes meals for the poor every morning.

If rumors circulate that the troupe’s orphans stole the priest’s goods, in the worst case, the members could be banned from the church.

For the beggars, a meal provided free of charge by the church is so precious that it is difficult to find anything to compare it to.

If anything, on the day Jack steals Tony’s breakfast at the church… .

“If this goes wrong, you will be crushed by Tony and die… ! You do it alone, I can’t!”

“Bill, can you please help me just once? yes because of my sister He’s been eating nothing but a piece of bread from the church for two weeks now.”

“Don’t do that, let’s find at least one more guest at a time like this. No matter how many people you bring, I’ll tell you that you’ve found them all.”

“Put your hand on your chest and think about it. Do you really think it will take even one person today?”

“… .”

“It’s not even stealing. In the end, we are helping the clergyman who is in trouble with too many burdens.”

Eventually, Bill and Jack pursued the theology student, looking for an opportunity to rob her sleeves.

The two female wizards standing by her side seemed more formidable than expected, so she calmly waited for the situation to come when the girl was left alone.

“Bill, I think it’s now.”

“I know.”

After following them all the way to a large general store, the two were able to catch the moment when the naive theologian was left alone.

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Jack said, observing her looking around the store with clear, round eyes.

“I’ll draw attention with a stunt. you steal.”

“… why? Can’t we do the opposite?”

“Because I don’t think he’ll find it that much fun to see you do tricks without your left arm.”

“Well, noble priests always turned their heads whenever I appeared. You don’t know that it’s less bad to just laugh openly… .”

After a short strategy meeting, Jack went right up to the girl, and Bill crept behind her around the inside of the general store.

As she appeared to be looking at the plates on the shelf, Jack casually stood next to her and took out one.

“Hello, priest. What plate are you looking for? I will help you find it.”

Saying that, Jack began turning the plate with his fingertips.

The girl’s reaction was better than Jack expected.

It was stinging that the figure overlapped with his sister for a moment, but Jack soon brushed off his worthless thoughts and picked up the plate he had been turning and handed it to Karin.

“Our troupe uses this dish a lot. It is less likely to break when dropped.”

In fact, it was strictly forbidden to perform tricks on anyone outside the theater.

The purpose was to prevent individuals from using the skills they learned together in the theater company for the sake of only enlarging their stomachs, but for members who were starving right away, those regulations were not more important than a loaf of bread.

Then, although there were not one or two members who almost died after being discovered by Tony, he had already sufficiently confirmed that there were only himself and Bill around now.

‘That’s what’s important, you have to be soliciting like an idiot. Just show some tricks to get people interested… .’

what is the ban From the time he touched the priest, the line had already been crossed.

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Jack took out three cups this time.

“If you like it, I’d like to show you something else.”

Over the girl’s shoulder nodding eagerly, I could see Bill creeping up to her.

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Jack didn’t change his expression and started juggling right away.

‘… What?’

However, as Bill approached the girl, his expression grew darker. The shadow over Jack’s bedside began to darken at a similar pace.

“… .”

By the time Jack put the cups he had been spinning in the air back on the shelf without a word, Bill had already taken them out.

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Jack slowly turns his head and looks up… . I met the eyes of a brown-haired woman with ferocious eyes.

“I, that… .”

“what are you doing.”

She handed the three cups back to Jack.

“It’s fun. Where are you going?”