40 Different Fathers, Different Worlds (1/2)

Allen was still trying to catch up the pickpocket kid. Sometimes, the latter made used of the objects on the way to hinder the former. With Allen's speed, he could actually slowly catch up to the kid. However, the obstacles prevented him from doing so and maintained the same distance between them.

Seeing that Allen was still on his tail, the kid panicked and entered an alley, followed by the former.

As soon as Allen entered the end of the alley, the kid was already on the top of the alley wall and slowly went to the other side.

When the kid saw Allen, he was greatly frightened and hastily crossed the wall. Meanwhile, Allen immediately climbed up the wall at a shocking speed. With the boost of his bodily strength and experience of climbing walls for many years, he quickly reached the other side.

The pickpocket widened his eyes and started to run away again, but before he got away, Allen grabbed hold of the former's shirt and forced him to sit down on the dusty ground in front of the alley wall.

”Take back your money, please don't take me to the guards!”, the kid threw the measly two bronze coins to Allen and backed off to the alley wall.

Allen inwardly sighed. This was one of the situations that would perfectly show what poor people would do in times of hardship. He has been doing the same thing for many years. Now that he was technically rich, he stopped being a pickpocket.

”Here...”, Allen took out eight more bronze coins. Including the two bronze coins, Allen was now holding ten of them.

”W... what?”, the kid was surprised.

”Here, take it.”, Allen crouched down beside the kid and handed him the bronze coins.

On the other hand, the kid slowly took it with his dirty hands while looking cautiously at Allen.

When the kid got hold of the ten bronze coins on Allen's hands, the former immediately took it and put it in his own pockets. Seeing that Allen wasn't really joking, he relaxed his guard down.

Ten bronze coins was already worth a lot for Allen when he was still a pickpocket. It could already buy a loaf of good bread which could be rationed for several weeks per one person.

”What are you planning to buy with that money?”, Allen asked.

”Food.”, the kid shyly answered.

”Alright, be good to your family.”, Allen stood up and was about to leave when he saw that the kid's body shook and started crying.

'Huh, did I say something wrong?', Allen crouched back down and asked. ”What's wrong?”

”Nothing... it's just that I remember them.”, the kid swiped off the tears of his face.

”You mean...”, Allen stopped his words and didn't continue talking about the subject.

”Yes, I'm alone now. My father and grandfather recently died, and my mother hasn't come back yet.”, the kid answered the unsaid question. After which, the kid stood up and passed by Allen.

”Hey kid, wait!”, Allen called out.

”What is it?”, the kid asked.

Allen opened his hands, and showed ten bronze coins to the kid.

The kid widened his eyes and checked his pockets, but didn't find the coins that Allen gave him earlier.

”Take it... sorry about that, it's an occupational disease, hehe...”, Allen said. The kid took the money again.

”Hmm, how about I teach you the key principles of how to steal on other people's pockets?”, Allen suggested.

”Ehh... alright.”, the kid didn't refuse.

Afterwards, Allen taught the kid the rules of how to pick on other people's pockets. The kid sometimes even gasped in surprise as he realized that he just tried to pick a true pickpocket's pocket. After the talk, it was as if, the kid was enlightened.

”Thank you mister!”, the kid said.

Allen's mouth twitched and immediately said, ”I'm probably just a bit older than you, so don't call me mister.”

”Oh, alright.”, the kid excitedly ran away to try the new things he learned, but stopped and turned around. ”I forgot to ask your name.”

”My name's Allen, what's your's?”, Allen asked.

”My name's Edwin. Thank you again for everything.”, Edwin exited the alleyway.

On the other hand, Allen's look was blank, he was trying to remember something.

”H... he's the son of that man?”, Allen remembered the letter that the man he killed when he just became an assassin.

”No... but then, the chief guard, has died already?”, Allen pondered.

After a few moments, he walked out of the alley and went to the Three Heads Tavern.

***

Inside the Three Heads Tavern...

Allen arrived in the tavern, and saw Drake and Kate preparing for a new day.

”It's only a few minutes before opening. You woke up early today.”, Kate remarked.

”Hey, what's with that face?”, Drake saw Allen's depressed face.

”It's nothing, I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”, Allen said.

”Alright, get prepared then, the day's about to start.”, Drake said.

”Uh-huh.”, Allen nodded.

...

As soon as they opened for business, some customers had already arrived on the front door and entered at once.

”I'll have fish soup and a bread.”, a customer said.

”Alright.”, Allen wrote the order down and approached an another customer to take his order.

After getting three orders, he passed them to Drake and the latter immediately cooked the food. When the food was cooked, Kate delivered it to the customers.

***

Near afternoon, at the Morgan Residence...

William was climbing up the stair with a book after he was back from a temporary excursion.

Marco entered the door and saw William walking up the stairs, the former asked, ”Is Allen in here?

”No, he's working somewhere called Three Heads Tavern.”, William answered. He has been doing his own investigations about Allen's condition these days. However, he really couldn't understand why he would return back at midnight or leave for at least a month.

Marco didn't waste anymore time and left.

***