16 Chapter 5: Thieving (1/2)
Magnus sat on the curve of the street, begging for some coins as people passed by. Even though it was degrading work and Magnus would have never believed he would have to stoop so low, it was necessary to get by.
After a week on his own, Magnus could safely say that he learned the trick to begging; you always have to look them in the eyes. That always works magic since it making the passerby feel a ting of sympathy and guilt and the cute looks that Magnus is endowed with goes a long way with helping things along.
Magnus looked up towards the sky, the two suns, Vrox and Avax, were at the apex in the sky, overlapping with each other and creating a beautiful hue of dark dusky gold while also signaling noontime. Magnus opened his palm and looked down at his day's earning, it was 7 iron shims.
That much money was a good earning for an orphan but in the grand scale of things that was chump change. If Magnus's calculations were correct this much money only amounted to 70 cents in old U.S currency.
This much money would do nothing to alleviate the orphanage's problem at all, it was only a few drops of water in an ocean of financial difficulties.
Magnus sighed as he got up from the street and pocketed the money in a safe pocket away from thieving hands. The young mech builder had to collect the other kids since they would be expected to return for lunch.
So Magnus wandered the streets grabbing each child from whatever they were doing, mostly begging like he was until finally all eleven of them were accounted for.
Magnus lead the way as all of them made their way to the orphanage while doing that he opened up conversations. ”So how much did all of you guys make so far today?”
Each child quoted how much they earned, some did very poorly with only 1 or 2 iron shims to their names, others did a good job like Magnus with 5 to 7 iron shims. In total, the amount that all of them collected together was 61 iron shims.
That was a little bit over the amount which Magnus took from those older boys who jumped him, which was a good amount for an individual. However, for a whole group of people which was made up of 30 children and 3 adults, that was basically nothing.
Magnus put aside his worries for now as the orphanage came into view. Inside a hot, pleasant meal awaited him and it was well deserved after a long day being out in the chilly morning.
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Magnus walked out of the orphanage with his belly well satisfied, before he left-- Magnus and the other children made sure to drop off their earning into the donation box. It was both amusing and depressing to have the people who needed the donations to be the only ones putting anything in.
The orphanage does not require its occupants to turn in a share of their earnings at all, the kids simply do it because they want to, it is their own very little way of helping out.
In Magnus's opinion that is a much better system since from what Magnus learned most orphanages require that you turn in a certain appoint or you get kicked out. It is no wonder that those kids who grow up in those sorts of places turn out to be real bastards.
Bluebird Orphanage has the right amount of loving, caring, fun, pleasantry, strictness, and responsibility-- which helps produce great kids. So if Magnus wants this good thing to stay open he needs to do something and fast.
As Magnus lead way with his band following behind, his mind drifted to the other things. Magnus couldn't help thinking about what he earned when he stole from those four thugs, it was nearly the same amount as all of them earned today and also when he stole those apples which is a delicacy not rarely found here in the cold mountains.
Magnus could safely say that a life of crime does pay well yet Codex words came back to him, ”It only takes one slip up and you are finished.” However, what else could he do when he would be doomed anyway if he does nothing.
Magnus stopped in his tracks making the closest person near him bump into his back, creating a domino effect that made everyone else halt in their tracks as well. Magnus turned to look over all of them if he wants to carry out this crazy idea that popped into his mind, he needs the help of all of them.
All Magnus needs to do is creating a starting fund, that money would help keep the orphanage afloat but it does not end there. This is where Magnus's crazy idea starts, just keeping the orphanage afloat is not enough, you would still be at ground zero.
What the orphanage needs are different avenues of funds and how do you go about doing that? Well, the simple answer is donations, but here lays the problem nobody gives a fuck about orphans so who is going to donate?
Well, nobody except for other orphans!
Yet we never see these orphans and that is because they too like this orphanage have there own financial problems. This system we are in is a vicious cycle, it needs to be broken and the way to do that is to get to the root of the problem. Meaning we need self-sufficient orphans then that leads to a self-sufficient orphanage.
If orphans are given jobs that pay well instead of unwanted, dangerous jobs that lets them get by then these orphans will be able to support these institutions because they feel for it.
What needs to be done here is for the orphanage to get out of this vicious cycle and enter a virtuous one but money would be needed-- a lot of money in fact.
Magnus looked at each child in turn, he felt guilty for bringing them into this but this operation requires all hands on deck. ”Before we move on I have something important to tell you guys.”
The vexed and angry looks that were being flung in Magnus's direction for making them bump into each other quickly transformed into interested and curious looks. One of the kids spoke the question on everyone's mind, ”What is this important thing, big brother?”
Magnus steeled himself up, he already got all of them interested, there was no way of going back right now. Yet even though he trusted all of them he needed some guarantee that they would keep this on the down-low.
So clearing his throat Magnus spoke up, ”Before I tell this thing, I want all of you to swear to the Great Sage that you would keep this a secret. I wouldn't have done this if this wasn't so important.”
Everyone became silent once Magnus made his address, what he was asking of them was quite a lot.
The Great Sage is a very important figure in the Starry Mountains, he isn't some God, but still, he is very well known and respected some even pray to him for wisdom and guidance. When somebody swears by him it is expected that he keeps his word or else he would be the most damned of the lot.
For a long minute silence reigned in the area until one boy one or two seasons younger than Magnus broke the silence. ”I believe in you, big brother and I know I can trust you. By the Great Sage, I swear to keep your secret.”
After the first young boy took up the challenge others followed in his footsteps until all of them swear by the Great Sage. Magnus smiled happily at all of them, it is great to see the sort of trust they are willing to place on him.
Magnus nodded his head to each child in turn, showing his appreciation and respect to all of them then Magnus moved on. ”As I said before, I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't important. What I am about to tell you is quite shocking so please do not panic. I have recently found out that our funding has been cut!”
Even with the warning that Magnus gave out, shouts and yells erupted out of everyone. These children are very smart, they have to be with no loving parents looking out for them. They all knew what this meant, if funds are cut that means the orphanage would shut down and that would make them end up in the streets.
Magnus held out his hand to calm them down yet the kids continued on with their incessant questions and blabbering untilled they gave up as Magnus just stood there silent and steadfast.
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With the last of the kids quieting down Magnus continued on with his little speech, ”I know that this is frightening news but WHAT are you going to do about it? Are all of you going to run around like a headless chicken, are you going to cry like little babies, are you going to sit there and just take it? OR are you going to do something about it?”
From the looks on each child's face, it was clear what option they picked, ”What we need to do is earn a lot of money. The amount we earn will not cut it, even if we beg all day and night or work hard until our backs are broken. So what are we to do?”
Magnus knew that there was only one option but he begged and prayed that somebody, anybody would come with a better idea than the one he had.
Nobody did so. Everyone just remained silent without any better idea than the one he had, just like he feared.
Magnus carried on without any inflection in his tone, ”I will tell you what we have to do to save the orphanage, we need to take the wealth with our own hands.”