Chapter 15 : Captain of the Guards
Chapter 15: Captain of the Guards
Calimacos held a lamp as he stepped toward the end of the market.
The sun had set, and it was time for one person after another to return home and wrap up the day.
He stopped in front of the general store called the Curiosity Shop and flicked his hand lightly.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
The door opened smoothly, perhaps thanks to good maintenance.
A faint scent of old wood mixed with leather drifted in the air.
A middle-aged man with gray hair rose when he saw Calimacos.
“I’m Calimacos, serving as Captain of the Guards.”
“They call me Burt. Sit and talk.”
Burt limped over and sat at the table.
Calimacos’ eyes narrowed as he glanced at Burt’s wooden prosthetic leg.
‘Just as I heard, he was one-legged but sturdy.’
“I heard from Paul that you needed help, Mr. Burt.”
Calimacos cast a sidelong look at the sword hanging on Burt’s left side.
From scabbard to hilt, it was an elegant blade tinged with a dark hue.
‘A left-hander…’
Burt poured tea from the pot on the table into a cup.
The tea was lukewarm, but its fragrant aroma remained alive.
“I want you to sweep away the Red Dagger.”
At such a blunt manner of getting straight to the point, Calimacos wondered if he had heard wrong.
“If you mean the Red Dagger, I know them as an organization operating in the underworld. They skirt the line just enough, so we leave them be.”
“And how far is that line exactly.”
Burt placed his hand on the table and moved his fingers in sequence.
There was a silver coin on the back of his hand, and it slipped smoothly between his fingers, sliding left and right.
“I don’t know either. And even if I did, I have no obligation to tell you.”
Burt’s hand stopped.
The silver coin was caught between his middle and ring fingers.
“Aren’t you the Captain of the Guards. Just check the place I told you about. A very simple task.”
“Well. I’m quitting tomorrow.”
Burt’s indifferent eyes slowly shifted across the table.
Eyes that seemed to pierce through people met Calimacos’.
‘Not an ordinary shopkeeper.’
“Still, I’ll go since I’m technically still Captain of the Guards.”
“Good.”
“Is that all you needed?”
“You’ll find the Red Dagger boss when you get there. Going alone?”
Calimacos’ lips curved crookedly.
“I don’t think I’ll lose just because a bunch of third-rate punks gang up on me.”
“Then hurry.”
“What’s the rush, there’s plenty of time.”
“There are kids I’m looking after, and they haven’t come in.”
“Surprisingly sentimental for someone who looks the way you do. Kids going missing is a common thing. Why didn’t you warn them to come in early.”
Calimacos tossed back the tea in his cup in one go.
Ting.
Burt flicked the silver coin.
The coin fell on the table, spun, and came to a stop.
Heads.
“Bring them back safely and I’ll give you this sword.”
Burt placed the sword from his waist on the table.
“Mind if I take a look.”
“As you wish.”
Calimacos stood and slowly drew the sword.
The blade that emerged from the sheath was well-forged.
“A fine sword.”
He couldn’t hide his smile.
***
“Locking kids up in a place like this. Despicable, Vishak.”
“Coming from the old man who used to haul in newborns to run a slave mill.”
Timmy glared at Vishak, but Vishak snorted.
“There in the middle. Was it Robin. That brat had the Black Sword, old man.”
A clanking sound approached Robin.
“Robin.”
“…….”
“You. Are you the one who stole the Black Sword, the one who ransacked my room that day.”
“…….”
Timmy’s wrinkled hand gripped Robin’s chin.
When Robin opened his eyes, Timmy’s distorted face appeared.
“Yes. It was me.”
“Honest. Kids always make mistakes when they’re young. When they step onto the wrong path, it’s my role to guide them right. I want to hear your reason.”
“It’s unexpected to hear that kind of thing from you, Director.”
“I know you were an outsider at the orphanage. But if I had paid special attention only to you, wouldn’t the other kids have rebelled.”
Timmy flicked his snake-like tongue.
In the past, Robin would have obeyed Timmy without question.
Now he knew those words were sophistry.
‘You’re a disgusting man who used the children as expendable tools to satisfy your own greed.’
He wanted to spit out all the resentment he had swallowed before that snake-like man, but he held back.
There was too little information.
Even though his hands were freed, the situation was far too unfavorable for Robin.
“An adult is talking, you should answer.”
Timmy drew a dagger from his coat.
It was the Black Sword Robin had been carrying.
Perhaps now that it had met its true owner, the Black Sword spun brilliantly in Timmy’s hand.
“Begging alone doesn’t earn money. So I stole. I didn’t have money, but I got a cool dagger, so I was satisfied.”
“If only you’d done it a little sooner. A pity.”
“I’m sorry, Director. Please forgive me just this once.”
Robin was surprised at how smoothly the lies flowed out.
It was quite a convincing performance.
“Vishak, Robin is truly repenting. My heart is softening.”
“And what do you want me to do, old man. Like I care?”
“Since our misunderstanding is cleared, how about sparing him.”
“Heh, are you joking now? You really don’t know your place, old man—you're not in a position to give me orders.”
Large men began gathering one by one behind Vishak.
“Look at this kid. His eyes are still alive. It would be a waste to end him here.”
“So what. You trying to start a war?”
“I’ll give you the rest of the kids. I’ll take this one.”
Vishak’s ears perked up.
Dozens of orphans lay scattered around.
No matter how uneducated or scrawny they were, selling them as slaves would bring in decent coin.
He didn’t know whether the kid named Robin was worth that much, but it was not a bad deal.
“Fine. Just take that brat and get lost quietly. All the bloodshed so far—we’ll bury it here. Got it?”
“I agree. Robin, get up.”
Timmy’s Black Sword cut the rope that had been binding Robin’s feet.
‘He’s not cutting my arms. He doesn’t trust me.’
Robin staggered as he rose.
Jeremy had freed his arms, but Robin pretended to still be tied.
‘Right now he’s covered in blood and filth so it’s hidden, but he’s actually quite pretty. If I sold him as a boy prostitute, he’d fetch far more than a slave.’
Timmy’s eyes glistened with desire.
Those eyes were so blatant that even Robin could see it.
“Kids, you all heard, right? The old man’s leaving. Make way.”
““Yes!””
The burly men stepped aside to make a path for Timmy.
Robin looked back toward where Jeremy was.
‘Just wait a little. I’ll come save you.’
Jeremy seemed to read the meaning in Robin’s gaze and gave a faint smile.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of someone knocking on the door, the thugs went silent.
They hadn’t exited the basement yet, so the voices were faint, but Robin could hear the guard at the door and the person outside talking.
“Let’s take a short break.”
Timmy tossed his dagger into the air and caught it repeatedly as he stopped.
Before long, the voices ceased.
Da-da-da-da!
Hurried footsteps echoed, and a man wearing a face-covering mask came running in a panic.
“Boss, big trouble! The Guard is coming!”
“What? At this hour? What the hell….”
“There’s no time. You must flee immediately.”
“Damn it. Old man, what are you going to do!”
Vishak turned his head toward Timmy, but Timmy only shrugged.
“Those kids are yours. Their handling is your responsibility.”
“You irresponsible old geezer!”
“That was the deal. You agreed to it as well.”
Vishak wanted to cut Timmy down where he stood, but he cooled his head.
If the Guard saw this scene, it would not end well.
No matter how many bribes he had given the Lord, this was something that couldn’t simply be overlooked.
Finding kids who were slaves from the start and kidnapping commoner children to make them slaves were fundamentally different crimes.
A clear criminal act could not escape punishment.
“Take the brats and escape through the back door! As many as you can!”
““Yes!””
“You and you! Follow that masked guy and stall for time.”
Vishak’s subordinates moved.
“We’re going too, Robin.”
Unlike Vishak’s men who were moving as if their feet were on fire, Timmy remained leisurely.
Robin couldn’t easily move, his mind stuck on Jeremy.
“What are you doing not coming.”
“I’m sorry.”
When Timmy barked at him, Robin turned his head forward.
Once they exited the basement, fresh air filled Robin’s lungs deeply.
‘The air is different.’
The building Robin had been trapped in turned out to be a church capable of housing a large number of people.
Robin had never been inside a church before, but he realized it from the structure.
The burly men carrying children slung over their shoulders exited through a side door of the church, while near the entrance, Vishak’s subordinates stood in a circle.
Bang bang bang.
A harsh pounding shook the church doors.
“This is the Guard! Is no one inside? We received a report and came!”
People outside tried forcing the doors open, but the thugs blocked it, making it hard to budge.
“No time. Hurry!”
Vishak pushed his subordinates, but with so many children, it seemed impossible to get them all out.
“There are people inside! Open the door!”
The Guard shook the door even harder, as though ready to break through by force.
Before Robin could reach the side door, a burly man climbed up from the basement gripping Jeremy by the scruff of his neck.
“Boss, this one’s weak as a twig. Should we just leave him?”
“We’re busy, do as you want!”
Just before Jeremy was thrown back into the basement, Vishak’s eyes flashed.
“Wait. That kid! The brat who made a fool of me. I’ll personally torment him, so set him aside.”
“Understood.”
The burly man laid Jeremy next to Vishak.
Vishak pressed Jeremy’s head under his boot and rubbed it against the ground.
“Ugh….”
“Kid. If you give me the Artifact now, I’ll let you live.”
“I said I don’t have it….”
Thud.
Vishak kicked Jeremy in the abdomen.
Jeremy trembled as he coughed up blood.
“Jeremy!”
The last thread holding together Robin’s rationality snapped.
Vishak sneered, amused.
At the same time, a chilling sound came from the entrance.
Slice-scrape.
The three thugs blocking the door had their heads launched into the air.
Red columns of blood shot up like waterfalls as the severed heads rolled across the floor.
“What….”
Slice.
Before he could even finish his words, another of Vishak’s subordinates was beheaded.
The one who swung the sword in the blink of an eye was the masked subordinate.
The one who had warned Vishak that the Guard was coming.
“What kind of crap are you pulling!”
Vishak shouted at the masked man.
The masked man flicked the blood off his sword, then ripped off his mask.
An eyepatch on his left eye and a long scar beneath it were revealed.
“What are you! You weren’t Billy?”
“Captain of the Guards.”
Calimacos flung open the bar securing the door.
Five armed soldiers entered the church.
“Captain, aren’t you opening it too late?”
“Those punks were taking care of the kids for us. I tried to stall as long as I could, but it didn’t work.”
Calimacos’ gaze shifted to Jeremy collapsed at Vishak’s feet.
‘He’s in bad shape. That kid running at him like an idiot must be Robin.’
Calimacos’ figure vanished.
He appeared in front of Vishak, who had been about to kick the charging Robin, and thrust out his fist.
Clang.
“Ghk…!”
“Oh, you blocked that?”
A dagger and a fist collided, yet it sounded like metal striking metal.
Dismay spread across Vishak’s expression.
Calimacos grinned and glanced between Robin and Jeremy.
“Kids, get out. The adults need to have a conversation.”