Luna (1)
Chapter 2
It had been three days since the warmth, other than her own, disappeared from the house.
Blinking her dimmed eyes, Luna looked around but the few goods and usable furniture that had once been there were already gone, taken by someone else.
She rummaged through the torn, old clothes scattered about.
Despite it being spring, a chilling cold that seemed to pierce her very skin lingered, whether due to her empty stomach or her hollow heart, refusing to leave her side.
After enduring prolonged hunger, her stomach was twisted in knots, causing nausea, yet nothing came out when she tried to vomit.
Though she needed to move to survive, Luna stayed put. It was more efficient this way.
“Damn it, these bastards ran away!”
A skinny man kicked the creaking door open and burst in, venting his anger.
The burly man who followed glanced around the room before bowing his head deeply.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Knife. I didn’t expect them to flee…”
“This is all talk! How much debt did those bastards leave behind without paying? Are you going to pay it instead? Huh!”
“I apologize. Even so, I never expected parents to abandon their own child like this.”
“Damn it, at least take this one with you. If we make some money, they might come back looking for her.”
It was a clumsy act.
If Luna had any strength left to feel emotion, she would have surely sneered.
The burly man approached Luna, who was gasping for breath due to exhaustion.
“Do you want to see your mom?”
She didn’t. But she did.
With a slight nod, the burly man smiled.
“Then come with Uncle, don’t cry. I’ll let you see your mom.”
Intimidated by the adult’s presence, Luna narrowed her shoulders but slowly stood up.
Satisfied that he wouldn’t have to deal with a crying child, the burly man pulled on Luna’s thin arm.
Where the child would be sold to and what fate awaited her was of no concern to him.
All he could think about was the luxury he could afford with the hefty reward he’d receive after handing her over.
Smirking, he walked out of the house, only to find a bratty kid sitting cross-legged in front of it.
“…? Hey, get lost.”
Kids at that age usually ran off as soon as they saw a frown.
However, the black-haired boy sitting there frowned right back and pointed at Luna, asking,
“Are you going to sell her?”
*
Ray’s village was located on the outskirts of Phillip’s County.
Though called a county, it had long fallen into decline, leaving the land quite small.
With little money flowing through and no strategic importance, the area was of no interest to the central government.
Ray typically wandered around within Phillip’s County, but today, he ventured into a village under Gadi Viscountcy, nestled between Phillip’s County and Osiris Countdom.
“Clean streets, huh.”
Was it due to Gadi Viscount’s skill?
Gadi Viscountcy, despite being sandwiched between counties, was a region enjoying considerable economic prosperity.
However, with rumors circulating that the childless Gadi Viscount was stepping down and relinquishing his title, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.
Kicking pebbles as he walked, Ray noticed something.
When he was in Phillip’s County, no one dared to pick a fight with Ray first.
Even if the kid carried himself arrogantly with a rusty sword or stole a couple of fruits from a store, most people just smiled and let it slide.
But here, this wasn’t “Jimy’s territory.”
While walking through one of the Viscountcy’s less developed areas, troublemakers inevitably approached him.
“Hey, that sword looks nice?”
Even a cheap sword bought with pocket money can fetch some snack money if sold at the blacksmith’s.
Without hesitation, Ray flipped them the middle finger and took off.
The thugs chased after him, but Ray, with his light frame, could run much longer than others might expect.
After shaking them off, he wandered around the village for quite some time, searching for any street children.
He spotted a slender girl being roughly dragged out of a house.
Stopping briefly in front of the house to observe the situation, he frowned at the man and asked,
“Are you going to sell her?”
“Is this kid fearless or what?”
A punch flew toward Ray, but he easily dodged it and peeked into the house the girl had been dragged out of.
The cold and empty home clearly showed that its owners had already fled with their belongings.
Ray looked at the girl again, Luna.
Though it was amusing to talk about beauty regarding such a young child, her pale skin and distinct features made her someone anyone would call cute.
Children like her could fetch a good sum if sold to the right buyer.
However, child trafficking even for powerful gangs carried significant risks, so groundwork was often done beforehand.
For example, convincing poor parents to borrow a large sum of money and then forcing them to flee when they couldn’t repay.
In the process, they might hint that they won’t chase after their children if the parents leave them behind.
“Looks like they really abandoned her and ran.”
This happened often.
Even in 21st century South Korea, cases of parents abandoning their children were not uncommon, and in this world where basic education systems were lacking, immoral choices occurred even more frequently.
The gangsters who did the groundwork would supposedly protect the child until the debtor was found.
And then, inevitably, lose them. To others, they’d grumble about how the kid ran away.
Though the act was obvious, it was crucial to paint a pretty picture since it was an organizational matter, not individual, and preparations were necessary in case any problems arose.
“Well, anyway…”
Luna met Ray’s gaze.
The expressionless girl maintained silence even in this sudden situation, calmly staring at Ray with her tranquil eyes.
While some might find her lack of emotion eerie and others pitiful,
Ray simply marveled and lit up with admiration.
‘She’s not crying?’
Normally, children under ten cried at the slightest provocation or at the mere sight of a scratch.
Yet here she was, maintaining composure while being dragged away by strangers after her parents fled.
Clearly, she was an extraordinary child.
‘A rare one appeared!’
In Ray’s mind, Luna’s rating escalated from ‘Normal’ to ‘Rare.’
Some might lament Luna’s stoic demeanor as a sign of abuse, but Ray’s moral compass had long been shattered.
Having encountered only normal orphans until now, Ray couldn’t hide his excitement and spoke up.
“Kid, do you want to come with me?”
At the sight of the small child calling another small child “kid,” the burly man, Hans, furrowed his brow and interjected.
“Is this guy completely insane? Does he want to die that badly?”
“Hold on.”
Knife stopped Hans, who had no qualms about drawing his dagger against a child.
“What are you doing, Mr. Knife?”
“That’s him.”
The audacious look. The black hair. The oversized, rusted sword too heavy for a child to wield. Finally, the fearlessness of approaching an orphan and extending a hand.
“Phillip’s Orphan Collector, Ray.”
“Wait, this crazy kid is him?”
“Among the guys with slit eyes, is there another clueless punk like him around here?”
As they talked, Ray scratched the back of his neck.
When had that ridiculous nickname stuck to him? It made him sound like a dark wizard experimenting on orphans.
Secretly hoping for a nickname like “Young Saint of Phillip’s County,” Ray revealed his dissatisfaction without considering his own actions.
“Why don’t you use better words…”
“Seems like you’ve gotten too cocky because everyone around you indulges you. Coming to our territory like this…”
“First, put the dagger away. Anyway, since you’re under Jimy’s watch, killing me unnecessarily could cause trouble.”
“Understood.”
“And kid, go play in your own territory. This isn’t Jimy’s turf. If you mess around here like you do there, you’ll return home missing limbs. Especially if you interfere with organizational matters, it’ll be truly unpleasant.”
“No, uncle, organizational matters depend on the organization, right?”
Ray smirked despite the menacing aura of the knife and countered.
“The trafficking of minors is outside the rules, isn’t it? Isn’t that right?”
Among the implicit agreements between gangs, the trafficking of underage children was not included.
Meaning, while it could be done without issue, if caught, one could face violent conflicts or anonymous reports without any grounds for complaint.
“You know what that means, opening your mouth like that…?”
“Would you like to go somewhere where they give you delicious food?”
“?!”
Everyone’s attention turned to Luna.
Amid the gangsters, Luna remained calm and reiterated her decision clearly.
“I want to go somewhere where they give me lots of delicious food.”
“Hah!”
Laughter escaped despite the absurdity.
Shaking his head, Knife smiled and ruffled Luna’s hair.
“Don’t worry, kid. If you follow me, you’ll be treated to food you’ve never seen before all day.”
If luck holds and she’s sold to a kind noble, she could indulge in gourmet delights. As long as she does her “job” properly, she might even receive gifts of fine clothes and jewelry.
Luna blinked and looked at Ray.
Interpreting her gaze as a request for a presentation, Ray searched his pockets for a laser pointer before regaining his senses.
“Hold on. That uncle’s words aren’t entirely wrong, but, what’s your name?”
“…Luna.”
“Right, Miss Luna. There’s a saying: high returns come with high risks. If you follow those men and end up being sold to a kind noble, you might live comfortably, but how many such nobles are there? Moreover, how many decent individuals would willingly buy a young girl in secret? On the other hand, this side offers—”
“…Lower risk?”
Ray clapped his hands together.
“Exactly! Don’t end up being sold to perverted nobles or merchants and witness things you shouldn’t. Come to our loving and compassionate Jimmy’s Orphanage instead…”
“Damn.”
Hans couldn’t bear it anymore and drew his dagger.
“Brother, how much longer must I entertain this kid’s nonsense?”
“Hmph. Listen, kid. ‘Matters outside the rules’ mean that if you have complaints, you settle them with force. Understand?”
It was the final warning.
Mess around appropriately and then leave.
Intent on teaching him a lesson if he kept pushing, Hans tensed as the atmosphere grew hostile.
Sensing the shift, Luna subtly distanced herself from Ray and moved closer to Knife and Hans.
Two sturdy adult males versus a frail kid.
Who would win in a physical confrontation was obvious to anyone asked.
Impressed by Luna’s wise choice, Ray burst out laughing.
‘This is a big catch.’
Remaining calm amidst extreme situations.
Logical thinking leading to choosing the most advantageous option.
Swift and bold execution of decisions made.
Her extraordinary nature was far beyond what one would expect from someone Ray’s age.
‘This one needs to be taken.’
Luna’s rating in Ray’s mind escalated from ‘Rare’ to ‘Unique.’
A Unique orphan was a talent worth securing at any cost, regardless of the risks involved.
There was no way she could end up as a plaything for perverts.
Ray’s smug smile deepened.
“Alright. Let’s settle this with force.”
Bang!
Unable to contain his excitement, Hans charged forward, kicking fiercely at the ground.
Hans’ enormous foot filled Ray’s vision, prompting him to click his tongue.
‘Feels like fighting a giant since there’s almost a two-fold height difference.’
Using his left foot as a pivot, Ray spun his body once to dodge the attack and struck Hans’ thigh with his elbow.
“Aaaagh!”
Struck in a sensitive spot, Hans screamed but swung his dagger awkwardly.
Dodging the dagger, Ray stepped back to regain balance just as an iron-reinforced club swung down from above.
The attack had a wide range.
Ray gave up on dodging and raised his sword still in its scabbard.
Clang!!
An adult wielding the iron club with full force.
There was no way a frail kid’s arms could withstand such power.
Yet, the scabbard Ray raised perfectly neutralized the impact.
‘Mana sure is useful.’
Even a tiny amount of mana infused into muscles grants superhuman strength.
Though Ray couldn’t use it recklessly due to limited mana reserves, it temporarily allowed him to match adults in strength.
Knife was perplexed that his club swing had been blocked but pressed down on Ray nonetheless.
“Arrogant brat!!”
Seizing the opportunity, Hans lunged at Ray’s side with his dagger.
Just as a hole was about to form in his side, Ray swung his sword.
Crack!
A splitting sound echoed from the cheap wooden scabbard.
Subsequently, the rusted blade emerged from the broken scabbard and pierced into the club.
Creak!!
The iron core inside the club bent under the impact, causing Knife to drop it.
The crescent-shaped blade sliced deep into Hans’ forearm.
“AAAAAAHHH!!”
The jagged edge of the rusted sword tore through the flesh harshly.
Surveying the bleeding Hans and the retreating Knife, Ray shrugged.
“Do you know why Jimmy likes me so much?”
It was a lie. Jimmy actually thought Ray was utterly detestable—in a bad way.
“It’s because I’m just that good.”
Another lie, but the image of a kid holding a blood-dripping sword and grinning wildly was enough to make Knife and Hans’ knees tremble.
