The streets were in disarray with all the destruction showcasing over them. Many shops were still closed even though the morning was about to reach its peak.
This was the result of war.
A small-scale war, not containing many participants to begin with— But those who participated in it were not humans.
They were monsters, not just creatures of beyond but rather those who released them were monsters as well.
But undoubtedly the most damage done was due to the stray attacks of transcendents, who had fought above the city.
Many had witnessed their might that night, those who were living in ignorance all this time finally understood what kind of world they live in. That this world was never for the weak and only those chosen could climb the ladder, to ascend towards great heights.
Sadly, people will never know the truth. That the monsters who had attacked them were just like them— A victim of someone's ridicule.
But for me, this fact was clearly known. That I was being dragged on something bigger, unbeknownst to me someone is pulling the strings. Enjoying the view of hell from afar.
I continued walking through the streets. People were still repairing their shops and homes.
"Haa..."
I sighed.
I was supposed to attend the memorial service and have a good talk with Morgana to share information.
But what I got was nothing but out of the blue. The questions I had wanted to ask were about enlightenment, I have been here in this city for more than a month now. But no clue for my next enlightenment had come yet.
Instead, the information and experience I had just now was horrible. I deeply regret coming here today. I thought while putting my hand over my chest, the star was still there, resting above my heartbeats.
'What is that goddess even planning?'
I had been trying to avoid this topic but I can't help but think that she was connected with the white world and was the woman from my dreams.
I should avoid going to Temple for some time now. Morgana had said that the mark of the star wouldn't be an issue or bring any harm.
...And I also feel the same.
Heaven's judgment doesn't have any reason to hurt me and if she wishes to I don't think she will need to go to this length.
Unless.... she has a twisted sense of humor.
"Pfft~"
This thought somehow managed to make me laugh if she needed to play a game like this. Then is she really a god, won't she be just a sick human being?
By this logic, she could also be harmed in the longer game.
"...I have truly lost my mind now," I mumbled and patted my heart as a silent apology to the goddess.
But the sound of shattering glass snapped me back to reality.
In the middle of the street, a young girl, no older than twelve, stared wide-eyed at the mess she had made. A fruit vendor yelled at her, waving his hands in the air. His stall was in chaos, with fruit rolling down the cobblestone and his wooden shelves lying in ruins.
The girl looked up at him with trembling eyes, her fists clenched around what seemed to be money.
Her dress was ragged and dirty, her hair messy and a low shade of black with a mole under her eyes.
"You Rascal! Who is going to pay for this?!" The shop owner shouted making the girl flinch back in surprise, her step crushed the shattered glass on the ground making her eyes watery in tears.
"I–I didn't do this." She said in a low voice but the shopkeeper didn't hear her plea. He grabbed her by the hair, making her look up.
"You are going to pay for it you little shit!"
"Alright stop." I grabbed his wrist, he seemed surprised but soon frowned trying to break free from my grip.
"You!"
"...I said stop."
I said in a threatening tone, increasing my grip on his wrist simultaneously.
"Tch—"
Clicking his tongue he finally let go of her, she went to her knees trembling with tears in her eyes.
"Don't make me the villain..." He sighed taking a step back and looked at his stall. "I also suffered a loss now... Once again."
"I– I am... sorry, I didn't—" She took deep breaths as she tried to complete her words, I knelt on one knee beside her and patted her head.
"It's alright, big brother will do something...Stop crying."
I said trying to calm her down, but this seemed to have made her cry even harder.
"Even if she was at all fault, treating a kid like this. What did you even expect her to do now, pay you money that she obviously doesn't have."
I tried to treat her with patience as she shivered under my touch her pale face turning red with tears streaming down her face.
"It's okay, it's okay. Everything will be fine," I whispered soothingly, "Just tell me what happened here."
The girl sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I... I just wanted to buy some fruit for my mother. She's sick. And when I reached out, the shelf just... fell. I didn't mean to," she said, her voice quivering.
The fruit vendor looked at her, his anger subsiding slightly. "Look kid, I'm sorry about your mother, but that doesn't change the fact that you've ruined my livelihood," he said gruffly.
"Haa... I will pay for the damage but don't expect me to pay for all the goods. They have not been damaged just some of them have rolled out. You can still pick them up " I said with a small sigh.
The vendor looked at me, his expression morphing from anger to surprise.
"How do you expect me to make a living if I just let anyone destroy my stock and get away with it?"
"And what are you going to do? Beat a small kid, if your kid was the one who did this, would you let her get beaten up by a stranger?"
My voice was firm, If he wanted to pick a fight— A fight is what he would get from me.
But the vendor after hearing my words, finally took a deep breath and let out a sigh.
"You're right. I shouldn't have gone so far. But times are tough," he mumbled, his eyes dropping to the ground.
"Let me help," I said picking up his stall from one hand.
I turned my head to look at him. "...So you plan to help or not?"
The vendor looked at his hand and then back at me, his expression a mix of defeat and relief. "Fine, I'll help too," he grumbled, bending down to pick up the scattered fruits.
"Ah, let me help too— Ouch!"
The child hurriedly tried to pick up the broken glass shard her eyes getting red from crying and instantly jerked back as her finger touched a sharp one.
"Are you okay," I asked pushing the stall up and going to see her bleeding finger.
The girl nodded, her eyes still watery, "Yeah," she said, trying to put on a brave face.
I smiled.
"You need to stay calm, I said I will take care of it. Didn't I?"
The vendor looked at her, then at me, and finally nodded. We worked together to clean up the mess, placing the bruised fruits into a basket and setting the stall back into place. The girl watched us with a mixture of gratitude and fear, her eyes never leaving the vendor's face.
"So how much should I pay?" I asked.
The vendor paused, eyeing the basket of bruised fruits. "500R should do," he said finally, his voice gruff.
"The stall is also damaged, are you sure about that?"
He looked at the stall and then at me with a sigh.
"It's alright, I can manage the repair cost. Just the fruits for now." He said while handing me the basket.
"I have no use for it right now." I handed him the basket back along with the money he asked for.
The vendor took the money with a surprised look, "Thanks, I guess." He said as he pocketed the cash.
"If I see you doing something like this to a kid again, I will be the one to destroy your store next time," I said nonchalantly with a smile.
He licked his lips and gave an awkward laugh, he was not sure if the man in front of him was joking or not.
"S–Sure." The vendor said nervously.
I sighed and looked at the girl with her gaze down.
Was she sulking?
This thought made me smile, at least she wasn't crying anymore.
"See I took care of it." I leaned toward her and smiled. She looked up at me, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Th–Thank you, big brother." She said with hesitation and looked up.
"What's your name, I am Asher."
"Um... Lilia."
I frowned as I heard her name, Now that I look at her, her looks are similar to the description that I was told in the slums.
Making her sit on the bench and giving her something to eat she nibbled at it slowly like a squirrel. Sensing my gaze she looked up only for her to get embarrassed.
"Lilia tell me were you kidnapped some weeks ago?"
Her eyes grew even wider at my question, her chewing slowing down. She nodded, her mouth still full of the dessert I just bought.
'So it is her after all'
"But how did you know you?" She asked tilting her head and looking at me sitting beside her.
"Your mother had asked me while searching for you... So I just remembered her description of you."
Lilia looked down at the desert, "But you didn't find me, did you?"
I smiled.
"But you are safe aren't you?"
Lilia nodded, taking another bite of the dessert. Her eyes searched mine, looking for the truth in my words.
"Good, that's all that matters." I patted her head.
"But what happened to your mother? Is she okay?"
Lilia's eyes dropped to her lap, "No... she's not," she mumbled around a mouthful of food, her voice barely audible.
The slums were probably attacked the most. One of the den must have been there.
"Did she get hit by monsters?" I asked in a low voice, each word was full of caution not wanting to hurt her.
Thankfully she shook her head in denial and spoke softly. "She just has a mild fever... During the monster attack, she was awake the whole night. So she must have ended up getting sick."
The words didn't match the way she spoke, the sadness in her tone didn't go unnoticed by me.
I sighed and took out a 200R from my bracelet while hiding it in my pocket instead and fluttered it toward her face with a smile.
"Here you know what to do with it, right?"
She looked at me in astonishment and frowned in suspicion.
"Why are you helping us?... Brother we don't have the money to pay it back."
She was smart for her age, knowing that she couldn't trust strangers. But in the end, she was still a kid. She was also Naive— Just like me.
"I have too much money nowadays, so use it wisely. I can't come with you since I have to go but I will give you a visit later on, okay."
She parted her lips and stretched the money I gave her in fear and hope.
"Wh-what should I tell my mother?" She asked.
I stood up and looked at her calmly.
"Just tell her a kind big brother helped you on the way. Also to be rest assured I won't ask it back... You should go now, be safe while going back and don't stumble upon stalls again."
Lilia looked up at me, her eyes brimming with gratitude and something else that I couldn't quite place. She took the money with trembling hands and tucked it safely in her pocket.
Seeing her running in excitement, I smiled softly, forgetting all the problems I had faced just before coming here.
"Life is not that bad after all..." I mumbled and got ready to go for my next destination.
It was time to buy a house.