That didn’t mean he raised the child well. Not only was he devoid of any talent in child-rearing, but his employer never expected that from him to begin with.
Heuser made sure the child ate when he remembered, and occasionally imparted lessons on how to navigate the world.
The only consistent thing was the promised swordsmanship training.
Surprisingly, the child had a knack for wielding a sword, so their skills progressed quickly. Once Heuser judged the child competent enough, he taught her other useful tricks too.
The child endured training that even adults would find difficult, fueled only by sheer determination.
If Heuser said something, the child would follow without question.
He ruled over the child’s little world like a tyrant. It was possible because Heuser controlled every aspect of her life.
On the rare good day, he’d sit the child down, uncork a bottle of liquor, and embark on a long-winded tale about his past.
If Heuser overlooked one thing, it was that his casual stories about the outside world ignited a curiosity within the child.
“Damn it! Did you think you could just run away like that?”One day, after throwing a piece of bread for the child to eat and then proceeding to drink away the day, this happened.
Waking up late in the afternoon, he felt an odd silence in the house. A nagging suspicion drove him to look around, only to find the child missing.
He, who always locked doors securely, found this immensely frustrating.
Frantically checking his waist, Heuser realized that the bundle of keys he kept there was gone. He clenched his teeth in fury.
Rushing outside, Heuser enlisted the help of acquaintances to search for the child.
He needed to remedy the situation before his employer found out the child had run away. Otherwise, his own life would undoubtedly be in jeopardy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the girl had distinct features – silver hair with red eyes.
With her short legs, she couldn’t have gotten far. He was confident she’d be found if they just searched the city thoroughly.
As expected, it wasn’t long before one of his informants tipped him off about the child’s whereabouts.
In a dimly lit alleyway, away from prying eyes, Heuser nervously lit a cigarette as he awaited the arranged rendezvous.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a false tip. Soon enough, a familiar face appeared, pulling a horse-drawn cart.
“Hey, Heuser.”
“What took you so long?”
“Do you even know what I had to deal with on my way here?”
With a furrowed brow, the man, showing signs of irritation, jumped down from the cart. His left temple was swollen red, suggesting he’d had a scuffle, likely while fetching the child.
True to assumption, the man shot Heuser a reproachful glance, grumbling, “Just who is this kid? Thought she was ordinary, but I nearly passed out after she struck a vital point. Should’ve warned me, so I could’ve prepped a sedative or something.”
“I didn’t know either; it’s just a job.”
Heuser, dismissively, stowed away his half-smoked cigarette.
Though he had sought external assistance, he had no intention of revealing the true nature of their search: the child he had been entrusted with.
It would be problematic if the client discovered the child’s appearance had been revealed to the outside world.
Yet, the man’s suspicious gaze was already upon Heuser.
“She seems familiar, similar to someone I know.”
“That’s interesting.”
“You’ve been suspiciously quiet lately. Did you have a child?”
“What nonsense! Why would I ask you to chase my own flesh and blood like some stray dog?”
“Well, we’re just a bunch of bastards after all.”
Laughing as if he’d made the joke of the century, the man seemed to find immense amusement in the situation.
Rather than engaging in such idle banter, Heuser approached the back of the cart, wanting to check on the child.
The child’s silence indicated she might’ve already been sedated. Nonetheless, for peace of mind, Heuser cautiously opened the door.
The man, suddenly recalling, interjected, “Oh, right! She made a scene, leaping out of the cart. Some passersby got a good look at her face. Remember that.”
“Can’t you do anything right?”
“There’s another small problem...”
“What? Spit it out.”
Heuser scowled, annoyed by the man’s endless chatter.
Thanks to the cart parked in the shaded alleyway, the interior was dimly lit. Without much ado, Heuser tossed aside a straw bale and stepped in.
As expected, the child he sought lay peacefully asleep.
However, there was a hitch, just as the man had mentioned.
“Hey, look here.”
“Huh?”
“Why are there two kids? Who’s this?”
With that, Heuser grabbed the young boy lying beside her and pulled him out of the cart.
The boy, too, seemed drowsy from sedation. But that was all the more concerning. It meant they’d unintentionally kidnapped an unrelated individual.
‘Even judging by his appearance and face, he seems like a child from a wealthy household. Doesn’t it look even harder to avoid trouble?’
Heuser glared at his companion, a fierce look in his eyes. “What on earth have you done?” The man avoided Heuser’s gaze and mumbled in a subdued voice.
“That’s precisely the problem we need to address now...”
***
When Leroy opened his eyes again, he found himself trapped in a dim room.
Attempting to stand, he realized that his arms and legs were tied. With a jolt, he managed to lift his body.
Though the sense of danger was palpable, Leroy tried to retrace his memories calmly.
Right, he had seen a suspicious man dragging a young girl and had raced down to the lower floor.
He had tried to wrest the girl from the kidnapper’s grasp, but it wasn’t easy. He wasn’t facing just one opponent.
Sure enough, it seemed the store’s staff were in league with them, as several quickly rushed him, muffling his mouth with cloth.
That was his last memory. He must’ve been drugged soon after.
The effects seemed potent, his head still ringing.
Leroy muttered, a sigh in his voice, “I was careless.”
He regretted being so dismissive of others while searching for Viviana. If he had an escort with him, he wouldn’t have been dragged to this place.
However, lamenting now wouldn’t change anything.
Was this a case of human trafficking targeting street orphans?
He had heard of such incidents in places with poor security. But he never expected to witness it in broad daylight, especially in a high-end shopping area.
And now, he himself was entangled in it.
‘I wonder how long it will take them to find me.’
Though abducted and brought to an unfamiliar place, Leroy wasn’t particularly worried.
He had deliberately drawn attention, shouting loudly while chasing the kidnappers.
Many passersby had witnessed the event, so his guards would likely come looking for him soon.
Even if the kidnappers realized his identity and planned to demand a ransom, that was welcome news.
Leroy knew that money often simplified matters. And he was the privileged offspring of a wealthy individual who had never been left wanting.
He was even willing to reveal his name to the kidnappers and help negotiate a ransom.
While scanning the surroundings for any trace of the kidnapper, Leroy’s gaze suddenly halted at a particular spot.
The girl he had tried to rescue was sitting nearby, her head deeply bowed. She had been so still, almost like she was trying to be invisible, that he had missed her initially.
Had she lost her will from fear? Or was she still unconscious?
With her face buried in her knees, it was hard to tell.
Clearing his throat lightly, Leroy called out to her, “Hey.”
She flinched at his voice.
It took her a moment before she slowly lifted her head to look at him. Then, with an almost accusatory tone, she blurted, “Why did you follow?”
“Do I look like I followed?”
With a fleeting smirk, Leroy raised his tied arms as evidence.
He hadn’t followed her; he was dragged along.
The girl closed her mouth, seemingly guilt-stricken, as if she felt responsible for dragging him into this mess.
Leroy, on the other hand, couldn’t deny that he had gotten himself involved in unnecessary trouble.
But how could he just stand by and watch a young girl being taken away helplessly?
Above all…
“You did ask for help, didn’t you?”
He said, looking intently at the girl’s frail shoulders.
--- End Of The Chapter ----
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