91 So-called Filial Piety

The explosion destroyed everything in the area, the shockwave of the explosion tore the earth and even reached the Merchant Town of Kalur as the Town Mayor himself ran sped towards the direction of the commotion.

The perpetrator of this disturbance was long gone. Inside a certain restaurant meant for nobles, Dan along with Jacob and Sandra ate their meals. The two children didn't look as disheveled and bedraggled as before. Instead, they wore luxurious clothing and their demeanor looked the same as the children of nobles.

However, if one looked closer, one could see the excitement inside the children's eyes as they inspected their clothes. Just the fabric alone could feed them for several weeks without worrying about money, yet Dan could easily fork it without feeling any pain.

Dan gave a small smile as he stared at the furiously eating children. Fortunately, he rented a private box or else once those people from the outside saw the eating manners of these children, they would definitely become suspicious.

"Ermm, Master, can I take this home? I bet father and mother will like it," Jacob asked while scratching his cheeks in embarrassment, Sandra glanced at her food before darting her gaze at Dan. Her expression indicated her intentions.

Dan gave a light chuckle, "Of course we're bringing with us the leftovers, I spent two gold coins for these meals, you know? Just remembering it alone makes my heart ache in pain..."

The two children chuckled. The heavy mood from the events that happened earlier, especially Kasun's betrayal slightly dissipated. But Dan could see the deep-seated sorrow within their eyes.

Dan's current appearance looked different from before. Now, he looked like a middle-aged man with a blonde-hair and a stoic stature. Paired with his clothing laden with gold and silk, his body looked like a shining beacon in the dark. This attracted the attention of thieves, especially when they entered the Extreme area of the Northen Region.

The people of the slums stuck their heads out of their dilapidated window when they saw the approaching figures. Shock visible on their faces when they realized that a noble was visiting their area.

"Hey, come here and look! It seems like a noble is visiting us!"

"Stop joking with me! Why would a noble lower himself and visit this shithole?"

"I'm not lying, really!"

"Hey, isn't that Jacob and Sandra?"

"Yeah, that really is them, but why are they walking behind that noble?"

"Could it be that,"

"Yeah, definitely, other than that reason, there is no way that those kids could attract a noble..."

The people around them didn't even lower their voices as they discussed, Sandra's expression turned crimson in embarrassment while Jacob's visage looked bitter.

Soon, the three arrived near a dilapidated house. Knocking on the door, a feminine voice filled with the vicissitudes of life echoed behind the door.

"Who's there?" Wariness could be felt from the tone of the speaker. Sandra went forward and said, "Mother it is me, I brought some food with me so can you please open the door?"

"So it's just you, why didn't you make a sound when you're knocking," The feminine voice turned indifferent as Dan knitted his eyebrows, as a mother, one would always have a gentle and warm tone when talking to their child, but in this case, Dan felt nothing at all.

'Could it be that there's some kind of a reason behind it?' He glanced at Sandra as the door creaked and opened. Revealing the figure of a woman that looked to be in her thirties. Her expression locked in a frown but when she saw Sandra's clothes and noticed Dan's existence, her expression flickered as a smile blossomed on his face.

"Oh, Sandra, you didn't tell me that we would have such a venerable guest. Come inside, I hope that sir wouldn't be offended about my house's condition." The woman's tone turned gentle like a spring breeze but Dan's frown intensified even further.

His gaze momentarily landed at Sandra who looked somber as he replied, "Thank you for having me here..."

"Sir can just call me Vanessa," She smiled and Dan nodded his head, "Sorry about coming in here in such a short notice,"

"No, that's fine, you don't need to bother about it that much..." She gesticulated as Dan entered the room along with Jacob.

"My husband's still working in the factory, and he won't be coming until night," Vanessa said and her gaze momentarily landed on Sandra, her eyes flashed in a critical light before saying, "I wonder what is Sir's business towards this humble me?"

"Business? Ah! It's just a simple matter," Dan's lips leaked a small smile, his eyes shone in a light of lecherousness as he scanned Sandra's body, "I'll be buying her, how does three gold coins, sound?" He laid three, sparkling gold coins atop the wooden table as Vanessa's figure shook.

Her eyes focused on the gold coins and quickly determined that it was real. 'I didn't expect that this noble would be so generous, actually buying someone with gold coins, and even three at that...' She inwardly thought. Usually, when nobles buy people from the slum, they would be at fifty silver coins at most. It was the first time that she saw someone offering gold coins for mere trashes that couldn't even cultivate like Sandra.

Sandra and Jacob remained still and didn't say a word. But the faint trembling of their bodies indicated the upheaval that they were currently experiencing. They still remembered the time where they had a beautiful elder sister as a playmate. However, when their elder sister turned twelve, she suddenly disappeared without any explanations.

Facing this scenario, they now understand the reason for her disappearance. And this sudden epiphany made a cold shiver run through their bodies. Human trafficking was frowned upon in this world, but that doesn't mean that they didn't exist.

Dan's eyes flashed in a light of cunningness, 'It seems like she really thinks that I am buying these children for those things...' He maintained his calm disposition as Vanessa lifted her hand and tested the waters. Pushing the gold coins back at Dan, she said, "I don't think that I can do that, mister. Sandra has been a crucial part of my life and I don't want her to disappear..."

Her tone sounded miserable and tragic and it carried a charm which enticed people to pity upon her circumstances. Dan gave a small smile, 'if that's what you wanna do, then let's do it this way...' He gave a deep sigh and said, "I see, I understand your sentiments, Madam, but I really want them with me," Dan stretched his right hand towards Sandra's back and the latter took the cue.

Sandra's expression turned fidgety and crimson, Jacob's lips lifted a slight smile as he stared at Vanessa, the latter noticed his actions and she inwardly sneered, 'He acts like a gentleman but he's just a lecherous bastard, fucking nobles, if you want to take that girl with you, I'll have you pay a huge price...'

Dan lifted a free finger from his left hand and said, "How about I borrow her for today? I will be quick and as a member of the nobility, you can't expect me to renege in such a simple promise, right?" The lecherous smile on his lips intensified as Sandra's figure intensely trembled.

"I see...I understand..." Vanessa's expression revealed her inner struggle. Clenching her fists together, her eyes turned teary as she said, "I still can't let her go with you mister, but I can have you borrow her for a day..." She then turned to Sandra and said, "Child, I'm sorry, but mother has to do this...You do know about how we're struggling just to feed ourselves every day, right?"

Tears spilled down her cheeks and if Dan didn't know anything, he would definitely be swayed by her Oscar-worthy acting. Lightly coughing, he interrupted, "Twenty Silver Coins for a day, how's that sound?" Dan placed twenty silver coins above the table and Vanessa's figure shook for a moment, 'Twenty Silver Coins? Though that's good enough, why is he holding back from spending? Well, that's also fine since his pride as a noble won't let him renege on his promise anyways...'

Vanessa accepted the deal and as a precaution, she asked for Dan's noble surname so that she could have an insurance if Dan reneged on his promise of returning Sandra.

"My noble surname? Ah, I see what you mean, it's fine since I will definitely be returning her after I'm done with the deed," He viciously chuckled before turning around with Sandra and leaving these words, "My noble surname is Ligma."

He turned around and disappeared towards the direction of Jacob's household. However, the same thing occurred, Jacob's family was even greedier than Sandra's and Dan was forced to fork out Fifty Silver Coins just to borrow him for a day.

When all said was done, Dan rented an Inn and took their dinner together inside their rented room. Unveiling the leftovers that they set aside for their families earlier, tears streamed down their cheeks as the two finally acted like children for once and wailed to their heart's content.