Chapter 513: Bonus - 54: The Royal Clerk and the Beggar: Which Body?
Leaving a silver coin for Chiron, I immediately started running.
My feet pounded against the cobblestones, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I sprinted through the winding streets of the city.
The silver coin was more than enough to keep him fed for weeks, a small fortune that would ensure he did not go hungry while I figured out a more permanent solution.
But that was not what mattered now. What mattered was finding him... that beautiful man with the piercing blue eyes and the gentle smile, the stranger who had shown me a truth I had been too blind to see.
I was looking for him; that beautiful man.
My eyes darted from shadow to shadow, scanning the faces of the few people still out on the streets at this late hour.
The city was settling into its nightly rhythm, the shops closing their shutters, the street vendors packing up their wares, the honest folk retreating to the safety of their homes.
But I did not stop. I could not stop. I had to find him.
Fortunately, using a shortcut I knew, I ran into him at a corner.
The shortcut was a narrow alley that cut through the heart of the district, a path I had discovered during my years of working in the palace.
It was dark and smelled of damp stone and refuse, but it was faster than the main roads, and it brought me to the exact spot. Right in front of him.
He was walking alongside two dark-skinned women.
One was tall, statuesque, with proud bearing and powerful builds that spoke of a life of combat and physical labor.
The other was petite and far younger.
Their skin was a rich, warm brown, and their hair was dark and flowing, adorned with intricate braids and beads that caught the dim light.
I didn’t spend any more time. I looked at him in his blue eyes and said:
"Thank you... Thank you for showing me this..." My voice was shaky, raw with emotion, and I could feel the tears threatening to spill from my eyes once more.
I had been so wrong for so long, and he had shown me the truth in the simplest way possible.
He and the women were a bit puzzled by my outburst, their eyebrows raising in unison, but he soon smiled at me and patted my head.
The gesture was gentle and somewhat paternal, and it sent a warmth through me.
His hand was soft, his touch light, and there was a kindness in his blue eyes that made me want to weep.
"Glad I helped." He answered and continued walking with the women...
They seemed to be Amazons.
The realization struck me as I watched them move away, their strides long and purposeful, their presence commanding attention even in the quiet of the night.
I had heard stories about the Amazons, about their fierce warriors and their matriarchal society, but I had never seen one so close before.
Just who is this man...?
He looked over his shoulders and said lastly, "Always help someone. You might be the only one who does. Be smart, though. Ahaha!"
His laughter was light, musical, and it echoed in the empty street long after he had disappeared from sight.
I stood there, rooted to the spot, watching the space where he had been, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a blessing.
They had disappeared into the distance, leaving me standing alone in the street of the night.
The darkness closed in around me, but I did not feel afraid. For the first time in years, I felt hopeful.
But since it may soon start getting truly dangerous, I turned and went home to my father, and to tell him the story of that day.
The streets were quiet now, the few remaining pedestrians hurrying to their destinations, and I walked with a lightness in my step.
I could not wait to see my father’s face when I told him what had happened, could not wait to share the joy that was bubbling up inside me.
***
While at work the next day, I was very excited.
The usual tedium of the palace seemed less oppressive, the stacks of paperwork less daunting, the endless demands of the nobility less grating.
I went about my duties with a smile on my face, humming softly under my breath as I filed documents and wrote letters.
On the way to work, I gave some pennies to the beggars, and even bought food for some.
The coins were a small price to pay for the warmth that spread through my chest at the sight of their grateful faces.
The food was simple: bread, cheese, and fruit. But it was more than they had expected, and their thanks were honest.
Hehehe.
I hope I don’t fall into debt or something, but the feeling of being good is good. I have to plan it into my budget now.
I would find a way to make it work, to balance my finances while still helping those in need.
I had a plan to meet Chiron where we first met and buy him all the treats he wanted. He was a growing boy after all.
And if I think about it, he is very adorable, just extremely malnourished.
The thought of his hollow eyes and gaunt cheeks made my heart ache, but I knew that with time and care, he would recover.
He would become the boy he was meant to be, full of life, laughter, and joy.
I want to learn more about these people now.
They are... human beings as well.
The realization was so simple, so obvious, and yet it had taken a stranger’s kindness to show me the truth.
In the morning, that accursed noble from Chimustar successfully grabbed my behind.
The violation was sudden, unexpected, and I felt my body freeze with shock and disgust.
His fingers dug into my behind, squeezing roughly, and I could hear his oily laughter in my ear.
Thankfully, I was saved by a guard who was roaming the area. The guard’s presence was enough to make the noble withdraw.
But before I left the palace, said noble was discussing something with a friend. I had been walking through the corridor, my mind still churning with anger, when I heard his voice.
It was obvious, that pompous, arrogant tone that made my skin crawl. I stopped, pressing myself against the wall, and listened.
He said— "...That rat has probably understood the reality of life by now. I hate that I cannot see its pitiful face this instance. Ohoho!"
His laughter echoed in the corridor, cruel and mocking, and I felt a chill run down my spine.
A rat?
He was talking about someone like he would talk about vermin. Someone who had been disposed of, and someone whose pitiful face he longed to see.
***
"..." I stood in front of Chiron, holding some goodies I bought him.
The bags were dangling over both of my arms, and I had been excited to see the childish look of joy on his face.
I WAS looking at his face, but he wasn’t looking back. He was looking elsewhere, very far away from this plane.
His eyes were open, but they were empty, staring at nothing. His body was still, too still, and there was a pallor to his skin that had not been there before.
Feeling my knees get weak, I dropped to the ground as rain began to drop at that time.
One bag slipped from my fingers, spilling their contents onto the wet cobblestones. Pastries, fruits, and sweet treats rolled across the ground, forgotten.
"Uh, are you a friend of his?" A man suddenly walked towards me, "If you are, please let us help you take away the body. It should not be on the street like this."
The words hit me like a physical blow, and I felt the world tilt around me.
The body?
He said the body... Chiron’s body.
"Wh... what happened here?" My voice was practically a whisper, my fingers squeezing the bag I held so tightly, I felt my knuckles cold.
The coldness spread from my hands to my arms to my chest, and I could feel the numbness creeping into my heart.
The man looked at me with pity in his eyes, and I knew, even before he spoke, what he was going to say.
The noble’s words echoed in my mind, a mocking refrain that would haunt me for the rest of my life.
That rat has probably understood the reality of life by now...
The reality of life. The reality of poverty. The reality of being disposable. The reality that a single act of kindness could be extinguished by a single act of cruelty.
I had found Chiron a little too late.
And now... he was gone, and there was nothing I could do to bring him back to me.
If... Benjamin could see me now, I would not be able to behold his gaze. What a failure I am.