Hunter and Mad Scien Chapter 61

Alter District. Behind a secluded alley.

"Is this all?"

A large man said, scanning the scrawny children. The children, barely covered by rags, squeezed their eyes shut. They couldn't tell who those pot-lid-sized hands would target.

"Lazy parasites!"

As soon as his hand touched the smallest girl's body, the child collapsed pathetically. The child, who should have had chubby cheeks at her age but had a gaunt, hollow face from days of starvation, couldn't breathe properly and wheezed before going completely limp.

"Great, another corpse to dispose of. I sent you out to earn money. Jack! Guide her to that undertaker."

"That undertaker moved away."

"Then you should have found another undertaker!"

Jack skillfully suppressed the retort that was about to burst out. During the weeks when the gang had shifted their attention away from Alter District and settled at the docks, drug addict Peter had taken control of this alley. Taking control ant nothing more than intimidating pickpocket children with his fists to steal their petty cash and buying drugs with it, so even the dregs left behind by the gang paid no attention.

"Is this brat really dead? This is why girls are useless. They collapse at the slightest beating. Should just sell her off sowhere..."

The sales channels that a drug addict would know were obvious. Jack usually let all of Peter's ranting pass through one ear and out the other, but he couldn't stay still when it ca to selling the child. So even knowing it was foolish, he opened his mouth.

"A kid like that wouldn't even cover the cost of drugs if you sold her."

"Hmph. What would a brat like you know? There's a market where even skinny girls like that sell as soon as you put them up. Let's go to the undertaker's house first."

It sent chills down his spine. Peter was already licking his lips as if he could see white powder in his glistening eyes.

"R-right."

Jack forced his lips into a smile. While carrying the collapsed child and walking deep into the alley on trembling legs, he nearly dropped the child several tis, but Peter paid no attention and stamped his feet whenever Jack's pace slowed.

Jack guided him to the quietest building in Alter District.

"Ah. This used to be the undertaker's house..."

Now it was where the mysterious information broker called 'Teacher' had made his nest. Looking at the tightly closed door, the afterimage of a black riding hood flashed through his mind. A magician with sparkling eyes. Cruel hands, unhesitating, who had given Jack bread.

But the magician had left. As magicians typically do, without a trace or word.

It wasn't just the magician. Adults who approach unfortunate children are usually like that. There was no reason to suddenly long for that restrained kindness now. The kindness shown to the orphanage children in the opposite alley or the girls selling flowers was the sa.

"He really did move. Damn it, if he was going to move, he should have said so. Who am I supposed to entrust the corpses of these starved brats to now?"

Peter cursed roughly. Jack pretended not to hear.

"I really do need to find another undertaker. Ha, it's hard to find soone tight-lipped."

Jack, who had been groaning while carrying the corpse, suddenly flinched.

The child had moved. She was still alive!

But he couldn't say anything in front of drug addict Peter. He might really sell her off. If the information broker had been there, he might have solved the problem, but seeing the door tightly shut, it seed the information broker was also away. What should he do?

Should he let her be sold? It's not my business anyway. It's not uncommon for girls and boys alike to be sold off in this alley. She wasn't even a particularly close friend.

Peter, who had been cursing, moved on to find another undertaker to dispose of the corpse. Jack, carrying the child on his back, followed Peter out. His heart was pounding. He didn't know if this was the right thing to do, if it was really okay to do this. Watching unknown children suddenly get sold off one day was different from selling them off with your own hands.

He hadn't known it was different, but it was completely different.

An alley where no light entered. Jack dragged his feet as if weights were attached.

And from the opposite alley, a pair of eyes watching that scene slowly blinked. It was Esperanza, who had been looking for Jack and had headed to the information broker's dwelling when she couldn't find him.

"Is the child sick?"

Was he looking for a quack doctor? But why make a child who was already sickly carry a kid as big as his own torso?

"Hurry up and follow!"

The mont Peter raised his pot-lid-sized hand toward the child, Esperanza launched her body almost instinctively.

"Argh!"

A pair of eyes hidden under the black hood glead sharply. With a single gesture, drug addict Peter, who was all bulk with no substance, collapsed like junk. Jack, startled and losing strength, let the child slip from his arms.

Jack stared ahead blankly with wide eyes.

He thought she wouldn't co. He thought she had forgotten forever...

No. So what? Should he wag his tail and welco her like a dog that greets even the owner who abandoned it? Should he go crazy with gratitude and lick her palm for such patronizing help?

"In the past few weeks, there's been a new face I haven't seen."

During the brief pause in speech, Esperanza twisted Peter's thick arm in the opposite direction. The middle of his forearm bone broke with a cracking sound and twisted backward.

"Cover your eyes."

Jack covered the little one's eyes and ears so she wouldn't wake up from Peter's screams, but he himself kept his eyes wide open to watch the scene. How could that 'ladylike' arm snap the forearm of a giant twice her size like breaking twigs? He watched as if he wouldn't miss a single mont.

Against the backdrop of Peter's pig-like screaming, Esperanza, who had been breaking his arm, hastily threw Peter away when her eyes t Jack's.

"Did you see?"

"...What are you going to do if I did?"

"Right. You're probably used to this kind of thing."

Having been among gang mbers, he would have seen blood and flesh flying around countless tis. There was no reason to be surprised or afraid now. Still, it wasn't a good sight for a child to see. Though when they first t, she had shown him sothing even worse.

"Have you been well?"

"What's it to you? Why did you co? Do you need information? Teacher doesn't even show up here these days. That's it. Satisfied?"

Doesn't show up? Could the assassin she saw on that train have been the information broker himself? If so, his value as an information broker had disappeared. No, rather, there was a possibility that information from this side had leaked out...

Having finished her calculations, Esperanza gestured with her chin toward the collapsed child.

"Is that child okay? Shouldn't you take her to see a doctor?"

"I'll handle it myself."

He didn't need help or anything like that. It had always been that way. Getting bread... that wasn't help. It was paynt for bringing him to the information broker.

Jack finished his rationalization and turned pale again. Seeing the eyes burning with hostility, Esperanza hesitated. Being suddenly t with hostility was bewildering, but she was certain he wouldn't give a proper answer even if she asked.

"You'll die at this rate. Let's do sothing about that child first. How did this happen?"

Esperanza picked up the child and urged Jack.

"Peter hit her."

"That doesn't seem to be the only problem. Are you eating properly? Surely the bakery owner isn't refusing to give you bread just because I haven't been coming? I put more money in today, so if that's the case, I'll ask for it back."

"If you were curious about that, you should have co to check."

Jack muttered quietly. It probably wasn't ant to be heard, but Esperanza clearly heard those words.

Now she understood why he was suddenly angry.

"Will you guide

to a doctor first?"

??????°??☆????°??????

On the way back after giving enough money to the quack doctor and leaving the child in his care, Esperanza spoke first to Jack, who was walking silently while only looking at the ground.

"Have you heard of Mabelwood?"

"No."

"My friend lives there. I went there recently."

Jack could have asked "So what?" but he kept his mouth shut. The voice of an adult trying to comfort a hurt child could be recognized just by hearing it. A voice that beca a little higher and as gentle as possible. A voice so pleasant to hear that it made you want to create wounds just to show them.

But he shouldn't get his hopes up. Even if it was sincere at that mont, once they left, that was it. People who approach pickpocket kids in slums are never permanent.

"But after I went there, I realized I hadn't said anything to you. I thought you might worry about

if I suddenly didn't show up for several weeks."

Of course, Jack hadn't worried about Esperanza, and Esperanza didn't think he would have. Even though they both knew this, Jack shot back.

"I didn't."

"Really? That's a relief. Anyway, I felt sorry about it. I bought so gifts, but I'm not sure if you'll like them."

Jack's mind raced. Trusting adults was foolish, but adult gifts were innocent, right? Unable to admit his heart lting at just a few words, Jack beca even more high-handed.

"What is it?"

Esperanza stopped walking and presented the gifts she had prepared. Each ti a gift appeared, Jack crossed his arms and tapped his foot like a strict matron.

"Do I look like a little kid to you?"

Anyone could see that he was. Esperanza couldn't bring herself to answer that way and mumbled.

"What ten-year-old plays with rabbit dolls and stuff like that? Ten-year-olds are all grown up these days."

"...You could use it as a pillow if needed. It would be warm to sleep with."

"Hmm."

Jack pretended to give in and picked up the gray rabbit doll. And contrary to his words, he hugged it quite preciously.

"It's ugly."

"Dolls are supposed to be a bit ugly to be cute. Oh, and this is a board you can draw pictures on. After you finish drawing, you can erase it like this. You can draw pictures without buying paper and pens."

The board was definitely much more expensive than paper and pens. Jack clicked his tongue looking at the gifts that were clearly taken from so young master or young lady's toy store.

"If I bring stuff like this to our place, it'll be stolen within half a day."

"If you carry the doll around with you, won't it get dirty quickly? Well, if you really don't like it, you can sell it. And this... hide it well and play with it. Oh, I bought candy too. These rot your teeth, so only eat one a day."

"It's up to ."

Jack said while clutching the gifts tightly. Esperanza sighed deeply.

What should I do with this kid?

You shouldn't carelessly touch stray cats. Giving them a can of tuna is different from making them dependent on human hands. That child is the sa. If you can't take responsibility, you shouldn't carelessly get involved. If you're going to let him live on these streets, you shouldn't get any closer.

But the tender hearts of children at this age get hurt just from a mysterious woman who used to visit regularly not appearing for several weeks...

"Jack."

"What?"

"Do you want to live sowhere other than here?"

It was an impulsive question. But wouldn't this much be possible? Even if she couldn't take responsibility, she could send him to a slightly better place.

Jack, who had been making a sour face while continuing to hug the gifts, slowly nodded. Hope rose in the child's eyes, then as if realizing this fact, he hastily put up walls again.

"Everyone does. Who would want to live in Alter District?"

She couldn't redy Nine Holder's poverty. She had neither the heart nor the obligation to do so. But couldn't she help at least one child she had happened to beco connected with?

Then, sothing flashed through her mind.

Charity party.

Miss Talbot's charity party was a ball for establishing and supporting orphanages within Nine Holder. So there, she would be able to et people who knew well what could be done for poor children.