Chapter 23: The Turning Wheels of Fate
Chapter 23: The Turning Wheels of Fate
As Rayn approached his home, he spotted his neighbor, Anna, standing by the door, clad in a thin garment, holding a small basket in the chilly autumn breeze.
Hearing his footsteps, she looked up and smiled sweetly, dimples forming on her cheeks, as she approached him.
"Rayn, these are pies I made with the wild blueberries and hazelnuts you gave me last time. I wanted to give them to you earlier, but Mint told me you were attending the servant training and only come back on Saturday nights."
As the girl handed over the basket, a soft spot in Rayn's heart was touched.
This girl, with her tragic fate, still preserved gratitude and kindness in her heart.
He had only given Mint some wild fruits he had picked, but she was thinking of ways to repay him.
It was late autumn, and the evening breeze was chilly, yet the thinly-clad girl had been waiting for him at the door.
"Hmm? Sure, take it," Scarface hesitated, but reached out without much thought.
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The cold night wind blew, cooling Rayn's emotions. Now, shouting for the night watchman would cause too much commotion, and it was too late! Moreover, if the watchman pressured the intruder, the criminal might even kill Anna.
A small hammer slipped from Rayn's sleeve into his palm, instantly gripped tightly.
"Boss, I'll go check it out. It sounds like a kid. Should I just catch him?"
A surge of adrenaline rushed to Rayn's head.
"I kept some for myself. They're enough for me!" The girl smiled as Rayn took the basket, and then turned away cheerfully.
The distance might have been too far for a regular person to hear, but Rayn's recently improved physical condition allowed him to hear every word clearly.
Suddenly, Rayn thought he heard a faint cry and the sound of something heavy falling in the neighboring house.
The man's curly yellow hair and tall, robust build gave Rayn an oppressive feeling.
Rayn held the hammer with the pointed end up, hiding it in his slightly oversized sleeve, and took a step forward to knock on the door.
"Alright, hurry up and leave!"
The sound of tearing linen filled the air.
"This girl has quite a temper. Boss, after you're done, I'll have a taste too! There's only her in this house, so don't worry, we'll have a great night, hehe!"
If it were any other day, Scarface might have teased the kid in front of him, but now, he was in a hurry to attend to more important matters and had no time for small talk.
Could the intruder have targeted Anna?
"Afterwards, we can sell her to the Wilderness Brotherhood. They've raised their prices recently, so we can get a good price."
Mint looked at Rayn with her pure, innocent eyes, clearly explaining her thoughts.
Scarface impatiently waved his hand, indicating for Rayn to leave quickly.
However, Rayn tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
"Well, okay, but can you help me deliver a small gift to Anna?"
"Help?"
Rayn stared at the pies in the basket, falling silent.
Thinking of his father's worn face and stooped body, Rayn shook his head, erasing the thought from his mind.
"Hiss!"
The rustling sounds Rayn couldn't quite make out earlier became clearer as he drew closer to Anna's door.
After a while, Rayn stammered,
"Kid, what are you doing?"
The intruder's fierce gaze surveyed the small, frail boy before him, and upon confirming that the boy posed no threat, he relaxed and said,
"Pat!"
Call for his father's help?
Rayn gazed at the five neatly arranged pies in the basket, at a loss for words.
Rayn looked again at the hammer in his hand, one end pointed, the other rounded. It was a tool his father used to repair their old furniture, well-preserved despite its age.
"Huh? Did Anna make this? No wonder she hasn't been playing with me these past few days. She said she was helping out at Aunt Mary's place."
A dull thud of footsteps sounded in the room, as if the person inside had first peered through the door crack to observe the outside, confirming that it was merely a young kid. Then, with a creak, the door opened.
"Scarface, get rid of him quickly. We still have business to attend to later, so don't make too much noise!"
"Damn, this little girl may look small, but she's pretty strong!" Scarface exclaimed.
"You know, Scarface, you hit the jackpot this time! This girl is pretty, except for being a bit skinny." Another voice, belonging to the leader, chimed in.
"Yeah! Almost no one in town is willing to hire Anna for work. Occasionally, Aunt Mary will ask her for help. Anna is poor, but making pies requires flour, which is expensive. She can only earn enough money by helping out."
"Who are you? I... I'm looking for Anna. Isn't this Anna's house?" Rayn pretended to be timid, his expression filled with fear.
"Anna's house?"
"Damn, it's been a while since we've had such a young one! This time, we're gonna have some fun."
Rayn smiled and patted his sister's head. "This is your Anna's sister's doing."
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Rayn's gaze fell upon a stranger's face, one without scars, leaving him puzzled as to why the man was nicknamed Scarface.
"You've taken everything, so what about you?"
"Waaah..." It seemed to be the sound of Anna, the young girl, crying with her mouth covered.
Right now, he just wanted to get rid of this annoying kid.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The man's hand remained on the sword hilt at his waist, his expression alert.
"I'm Anna's uncle. Anna and her aunt have left Flashgold Town, and this house will be mine from now on. You don't need to come here again." Scarface forced a smile, casually lying like a deceitful uncle.
Rayn stood at Anna's doorstep, his heart filled with anxiety. He wanted to rush in and rescue her, but there were at least two thugs in Anna's room. If he acted rashly, the consequences of failure might cost both his and Anna's lives.
As Rayn entered the house, Mint looked at the small blue box in his hand, her big eyes sparkling with joy. "Brother, is this for me?"
Rayn immediately sprang up from the bed like a carp, glanced around, and swiftly grabbed the carpenter's hammer from the storeroom, darting out like a nimble cat.
"Crash!" The noise grew louder, with the occasional sound of earthenware jars shattering as they fell to the ground.
"Boss, don't worry, I've got this! I've been pushing the cart around the southern part of Flashgold Town these past few days."
At the same time, Rayn continued calmly, "I prepared something for Anna..."
The room suddenly fell silent, and extremely faint voices could be heard. If not for Rayn's keen hearing, he wouldn't have been able to make out the words.
After the family dinner, Rayn retired to his room early to rest.
Rayn's pupils constricted, immediately thinking of the recent child disappearance cases in town.
"Anna, are you home?"
"Why did Anna leave so suddenly without even saying goodbye to us?" Rayn muttered, his fists clenched in frustration. It seemed like a budding romance had ended before it even began.
Rayn stared at the girl, realizing he had even forgotten to say thank you.
Just as Scarface was about to listen to what Rayn had prepared, he bent down slightly, ready to take the item from Rayn's hand. But suddenly, his vision blurred, and he couldn't see the boy's hands clearly.
Scarface's heart skipped a beat, and his scalp tingled.
A gust of wind rushed towards him, its powerful force causing Scarface's curly yellow hair to fly wildly.
A small black dot appeared in Scarface's line of sight, suddenly expanding and transforming into a pointed, small iron hammer.
(End of Chapter)
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