Testing My Luck in the New World

“You know, I’m glad you came to this city.”

“It’s just water. I saw a well like five minutes back that way.”

“Haha. No. No. Not that. It’s nice to have a proper sword fight every once in a while.”

“You call what just happened a proper sword fight?”

I’d lost all our matches today and my bruises were proof enough that I lost some pretty badly. Learning was all well and good, but I was barely holding my own the whole time. And that’s after I got over the initial anxious considerations on what this bandit might do to me when we were alone.

I was able to fight undaunted and still got my ass kicked. Giulio, however, laughed and shook his head.

“No. Believe it or not, you’re the toughest opponent I’ve faced in a long time.”

“I really don’t think I’ve done much.”

“You don’t, but I do. You really are learning fast, I can feel it in how you move. My lessons are breaking through. Yes… But I can’t say the same for the other guards. I feel like I’m picking on children whenever we spar. I hate to say it, but they just aren’t great at swordplay.”

I stared at him, half in disbelief, half confusion.

“If you’re so disappointed with their swordplay, why did you join the guard in the first place? Was it because you wanted to teach them?”

Giulio smiled, but the meaning behind the gesture was impossible to read. He folded his arms beneath his long brown hair.

“I had hoped to teach them, you know. But sometimes people just aren’t suited for the blade. No, I joined because I like to help people. And… Haha, I suppose you heard a little of my past the other day, but I did serve in the army. Much to my regret… And, well, my father, my real father, always said it was important to help those in need whenever you could. It’s good for the soul, he’d say. Helps build your, er… how do you say?”

“Character?”

“Yes, thank you. It shows you that your life isn’t only for you, but for those around you, too. What you do for yourself, affects everyone around you, even if you don’t know it. Even if you don’t mean it to. If you buy the last loaf of bread at the end of the day, then there won’t be any left for the man who came after you, who had to work late. You didn’t mean anything by it, maybe you didn’t even know he existed, but he still goes hungry anyway.”

“Yea, but if the bread is so limited, shouldn’t you worry about yourself and your family first?”

“Definitely. I’m not saying you shouldn’t. Any man would do the same for those important to him. What I am saying is that your actions cause the other man to have to work on an empty stomach and his work suffers. Maybe he’s too weak and he fails to pick enough crops for the city, and then the next day, you’re the one that doesn’t eat. But if you’d shared your bread with him, then you are both only a little hungry.”

“So by making their lives better, you make your own better.”

“Exactly. I’m no knight in shining armor, I admit I do not protect this city simply because it needs protecting or because my wages keep my belly full. I do it because it makes me feel good. I may not know that man or who took his bread, but when I see him clutching his stomach out in the fields, I’ll stop and share my lunch and a laugh with him in hope it’ll make everyone happy in the end, including myself. I’m selfish in that way, I suppose.”

“That hardly sounds selfish.”

“No, it is. The truth is, I don’t think anybody can live well on their own. We all need each other, but a little bit of selfishness is a good thing. And it is absolutely selfish to do good with the intent they do good for you in return.”

“But isn’t that just how the world works? You help people, you get rewarded and,” I said, then paused.

Theft is the penultimate result of a soul inflamed by selfishness or greed without consideration for your victims. Unless you were forced into it one way or another, obviously, but then you still chose to take to feed your own needs.

And yet, this thief, this bandit, was saying that him helping people is somehow just as selfish?

I looked at him, waiting patiently for me to continue without so much as squinting as the sun shone down on him.

“I mean, it’s better than harming them to get your way, right? Just because you have an ulterior motive, doesn’t mean doing right by them is greedy if they’re still benefitting from your actions.”

“Maybe so…”

Slowly, he pulled his eyes off me and lifted them back to the clouds drifting overhead. His brow furrowed as he fell into what looked like a deep contemplation before he spoke again.

“I wonder if that’s why my father didn’t argue when they came to conscript him like most others did – they needed his help. Our homeland needed him. Without him, maybe we wouldn’t have a homeland anymore. Funny, isn’t it? His selfish desire to keep what was his led him to battle, but he never got to see that selfishness through. Meanwhile, dear mother’s selfishness led her astray from his efforts. Though I suppose it was hard on her, too…”

“Come on, Gino. You can’t seriously think any good deed you do is inherently greedy just because it benefits you. I may not know him, but I’m sure your father didn’t go to war for something ridiculous like keeping his property. He did it for you. To protect you. If protecting someone you love from the blades of an invading army is greedy, then call me a greedy bastard too, because I’d do the same thing.”

“Is that so?” he said, almost pondering aloud. “Then what would you do if your good deed got in the way of another’s happiness?”

“What do you mean?”

“He went to war, mio amico. It doesn’t take much to imagine he managed to take a few people down with him before he was slain. My pride refuses to think otherwise. But then he sacrificed the lives of others to protect his family.”

“That’s… That’s hardly the same thing. Like you said, this is war we're talking about. I’m no wisened general, or anything, but it seems clear to me now that in a situation like that, you either steal someone else’s happiness, or you lay down your sword and forfeit your own.”

“So you’d do it? You’d fight?”

I thought back to what happened when we fought Tillmann and my answer was immediate.

“I would. If that was my only option, then that’s that. I hesitated once and it almost cost me everything I held dear. I refuse to make that mistake again.”

“I see. That’s… convincing.”

He watched the clouds for a few seconds longer with a serious look about him, before his eyes widened, as if he just noticed something and he sat up. Scratching at the back of his head, he grinned foolishly again, but this time a bit of red colored his cheeks.

“My apologies. Seems I went off of the conversation a little.”

“No. It’s fine.”

It is fine. It’s just getting harder to see this man as the stone-cold killer his info box claims he is. I don’t have the ears to say he’s lying, but he’s at least making the same expressions he usually does when speaking truthfully. And when I cast Thought Steal, his mind was full of nothing but embarrassing self-reprimands for souring the mood with his past.

How could a man that wants to do good do something that even the world itself decided was evil?

And why is he telling me all this? Me, a guy he only just met a few days ago? Sure, Mana and I fell for each other near instantly upon meeting, but our very beings weren’t at odds. The world has deemed it just for me to strike this man down right here, right now, and he knows that. But he chooses friendship over violence?

“Why join the guard, though? Whatever your reasons, I’m sure there’s plenty of ways you could’ve helped the people without forcing yourself to fight.”

He took a minute to think over his answer and I activated Thought Steal again, half thinking and half hoping that he might only be doing it to impede any investigations into their crimes. But the answer he gave was the only one on his mind.

“Elara suggested it. I told her all this before as well and she told me the best way a man like myself could put his skill to good use is in the guard. And I must say, she’s probably right. I may swing a sword well enough, but a hammer? Or a sickle? I certainly couldn’t be a blacksmith. And farming seems so incredibly dull to me.”

“You could’ve been a sword instructor.”

“True, but then I’d still be training the other guards, so why not join? Besides, I’m happy with what I’ve been able to do here, with that armor.”

Smiling to himself, his mind turned in quick flashes to the various ways in which he’s done good here from cutting down packs of wolves that attacked farmers to helping to settle trade disputes between merchants before they draw their swords. And to smaller things, like helping his old buddy Peter get to church.

I closed my eyes. I had to cut my spell.

“You know, without Elara I would’ve been lost. I thank God every day that I ran into her caravan that day.”

“Yea. She’s… She’s pretty special, I bet.”

“Absolutely, she is! She’s… God, if only I could find the words to describe the person she is outside of that bar. And then there’s what she’s like when we’re alone… Ha. Well, I suppose I’d rather keep that to myself, if you know what I mean. And I know you do.”

“Haha, yea. Definitely. But what is she really like? Try to describe her.”

“Hmm?” he hummed, raising a brow. “You’re full of questions today, aren’t you?”

“Sorry if it’s a bother. I only know the bartender half of her, so I’m curious what it is about her that has you so interested.”

It certainly can’t be her modesty.

“Oh, no, mio amico. I am not merely interested in her, I am absolutely mad about her! Not only did she help me find purpose in this life, she’s supported me every step of the way with hot, delicious meals, fine drinks and all the passion a man could hope for. And despite all that, she still finds time to run her business. Elara is truly an amazing woman.”

In the face of his sudden onslaught of cherry words, I failed to check his mind, but I did have to admit that her managing her bar, her backroom deals and the bandits on top of it all was a pretty astounding feat, even if Mina was being forced to help. I could only imagine the headache - there was a reason why she tries to hide the bags under her eyes with makeup.

He continued.

“I tell you, that’s also what I find fascinating about you. I can tell you feel the exact same way about your women.”

I forced a smile, but only just. The mere idea that Elara could be compared to any of my girls almost sounded like an insult – especially after what she just tried to do to me. I can’t imagine any of them doing what she did, while still claiming to be mine.

“… Hey, Gino, what made you want to train and talk with me like this?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, but for some reason, asking why he wanted to be my friend was even more embarrassing than asking Yua to try something new in bed.

“If you’re always so busy with the guard, wouldn’t you rather spend your free time relaxing? Maybe with Elara?”

His smile dimmed a little, but he nodded, seemingly more to himself than as an answer.

“I don’t know. Maybe… I can’t say why, but I feel like we’re a lot alike. So, I suppose it’s easier to talk to you.”

He laid back down, returning his eyes to the clouds. I think that, in that moment, neither of us wanted to look at the other.

“When I saw you, and your women, and how much you love each other, I could feel it, you know? That cat Yua barely reacted when that drunkard flirted with her, little Mana is always climbing all over you, and then there’s Elane.” He laughed. “Elara told me she got right up in her face only after she got a tad too close to you.”

“Haha, yea. I suppose she got… a little too close. But are you saying that Elara isn’t like that? I mean, even if it’s not in public…”

“No, no, no. That’s not what I’m saying. My Elara does have her affectionate moments, but, I don’t know… Maybe it’s just harder for her to show them. Her mind is always on her work, and she can’t focus only on me. Otherwise, her patrons will get fed up and leave.”

I looked at him as he laid there, smiling as his gaze fixated on one of the clouds as it slowly rolled across the sky. He looked peaceful. It hurt to see, knowing what I know.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. Have you been around her when she’s working?”

“Of course. You’ve seen me with her, yes?”

“But how often?”

“I don’t know, as often as I can? We usually work at the same time, so unless someone at the tavern calls for the guards, it’s up to whether I get off before her.”

“Right, um… You know she flirts with her customers, right? When you’re not there.”

I don’t know why I felt I needed to bring this up, but I wasn’t at all prepared for him to casually shrug off the question.

“Of course. All barmaids do. They play the part of a steamy temptress who’s eager to listen to her customer’s daily woes. Her attention draws them in, tricks them into buying more drinks. They drink those drinks and with every gulp, the barmaid looks even more beautiful than she was before she set the glass in front of them. That then encourages them to buy even more, just to continue basking in her beauty. That’s all it is, no harm done.”

“And did she tell you that? Or are you speaking from experience?”

“What are you implying, mio amico?”

“Nothing, it’s just, apparently she’s well known for flirting a little too hard to get what she wants.”

“Yes, like I said, it’s normal.”

“No, she’s really pushing it. You know, leaning over the bar so her customers can look into her cleavage. Tugging her collar for the same reason when pretending to fan herself. Hiking up her dress to show off her legs. That sort of thing.”

Goddess… Why am I even bringing this up?

“Come on. She’s just being playful, haha. Like I said, it’s all part of the game.”

“It’s not playful. I know playful. Playful is your wife teasing a peek at her boobs before letting you chase her into the bedroom. Playful for a barmaid is challenging a customer to see if she can down a drink faster than him. Elara’s practically inviting them to…”

“Okay. That’s enough, mio amico,” he stood and quickly brushed off his pants. “Break’s over, let’s drop this and get back to training.”

Giulio picked up his training sword, brushed his still-wet hair out of his face and started taking practice swings.

My instincts were screaming at me to stop, telling me that if I let her continue betraying him, it could only foment discord among the bandits. It’d make them easier to fight if their leader and best fighter were both distracted with their own squabbles, but I couldn’t let this go on. Man-to-man, the mere thought of my girls doing what she was doing to him demanded I say something.

“Gino, look man, I’m sorry, but you’ve been good to me. Someone you barely know. And you even saved Mana’s life. I hate to say this, I really do, but I owe you enough to say I saw someone smack Elara’s ass earlier and she barely shook a finger at him.”

“I said that’s enough,” he turned, face reddening by the second, until his eyes flew open and he started towards me. “Hold it right there!”

“No way. I have to say this.”

“Stop!”

“When he smacked her, he really got up in there! I’m telling you, if she wasn’t wearing clothes, his fingers would have…”

“I said stop!”

He stopped before me, glaring now, and raised his sword high overhead. It came crashing down before I could so much as reach for my own to block. A second later, a sickening crunch ripped through my ears. A man screamed out in agony and I fell backwards off the side of the bench.

Heart pounding, I scrambled for my sword, but Giulio was no longer paying any attention to me. Behind the bench knelt another man who looked like he’d only just pulled himself out of a month-long hibernation in a back-alley dumpster. His scraggly hair streamed his face in matted black clumps and his loose, shredded clothes looked like they’d never been touched by soap since the day they were stitched together.

There, extending from his tattered sleeve was his right forearm was the mangled remains of his forearm. Giulio’s strike had left it broken and bent at a disgustingly strange angle. Internal bleeding was causing the skin to darken, save for the tip of the protrusion, where the white of bone almost pierced his flesh.

His arm was also sticking through the back of the bench, right where I had been sitting.

He fell back, sobbing an incoherent series of complaints as snot trailed down his upper lip and as he cradled the mangled limb.

“What the hell was that?”

“Sorry if I spooked you, mio amico. But this man was trying to pick your pocket. I told him to stop, but…”

Giulio sighed and shook his head. On reflex, I slapped my thigh to make sure my coin purse was still there, then looked back at the man and checked his info box. The only name listed there was Jorin, a name that wasn’t on the bandit roster, but he was indeed a level 1 Thief. Apparently, the Snatch ability famous to the class wasn’t earned from the get-go.

Still, while the park did sport a few bushes, trees and a fine stone wall to add to the scenery, the bench was mostly surrounded by a field of grass – there is nothing to hide behind.

“How did he sneak up on me?”

“On us,” Giulio corrected, sheathing his training sword. “And we were distracted.”

“Right, well… Shame Yua wasn’t here. She would have heard him coming.”

“All the same, I’d rather she weren’t here. We wouldn’t have been able to speak freely… But for now, I’m going to have to end our training here. I’ll have to take this man in.”

“Wait, Gino, I…”

“Just leave it,” he said flatly. “We’re both tired and if you’re anything like me, we’re both hungry after all that work. Neither of us meant what we said, right?”

I said nothing. He wanted the conversation to be over, but he wasn’t willing to listen in the first place. And after that, I wasn’t sure I could broach that subject again without it turning into a real fight.

“You bastard!” Jorin shouted, spittle flying as he remembered how to speak. “You broke my damn arm!”

“You shouldn’t have tried to steal from the friend of a guard, idiota.”

Giulio grabbed the man by his good arm and hoisted him to his feet. The man howled in pain all the way up as his now unsupported, broken arm flopped over. He whimpered and glared at the both of us.

“Arrgh! Friend? He’s the one wearing the armor!”

“Hmm? Ah, right. Alex, I’ll need that back.”

“Right, sorry.”

I’d almost forgotten I’d borrowed it, and once I started peeling it off, I felt a wave of relief. It wasn’t particularly heavy to begin with, and my stamina had already mostly regenerated, but freeing myself from all the sweat that’d been trapped beneath it and feeling the cool breeze was absolutely invigorating.

Instead of putting it on himself, Giulio tossed the pieces over his shoulder and took a firmer grip of the thief’s good arm. Jorin grit his teeth, every slight shifting of his body causing his bones to grind against each other.

“What’s going to happen to him?” I asked, though I was sure I already knew.

“Depends. Normally, I take the victim’s desire for justice into account, but technically he didn’t actually steal from you yet. So, it depends on what the Scrying Orb has to say about his past.”

“I see…”

To this simple truth, Jorin’s face went pale. He knew the risks as well as us, but he still tried anyway. I couldn’t help but see us both as hypocrites as I read Giulio’s mind.

Giulio was a bandit, and yet he was taking his role as guard seriously. He was already planning out how to properly handle this thief, while I was made a liar the fourth time over for hating slavery, and doing nothing to save this man from his fate.

“Come quietly,” Giulio said, yanking the man forward. “Be good, and maybe I’ll stop by the church and let you have your arm healed.”

“You bastard…”

I watched them go a while, still doubting, still waiting for them to laugh and shake hands for successfully duping me the moment they thought I wasn’t looking - surely he was just another one of the bandits I failed to notice - but then Jorin reeled back and punched Giulio hard in the jaw.

He scrambled out of Giulio’s grasp, yelling all throughout the pain as his arm flopped about. He tried to make a break for it, but Giulio had recovered by the time he’d made it halfway to the park’s exit. Giulio drew his sword again, cracked his neck, took aim and just when I thought I was about to see a new sword skill… but then he chucked it like a tomahawk.

The wooden blade whizzed through the air and smashed into the back of Jorin’s head so hard, even I flinched. The thief dropped on the spot and went still. He’d only made it less than thirty feet before his recapture.

Giulio sighed, rubbed his cheek and collected his sword again before grabbing Jorin by the collar. He lifted the man, who responded limply by not moving a muscle. By chance, Giulio looked back and our eyes met. He gave a half wave and dragged the man away. It felt it important to note that he did not head in the direction of the church, but he left straight towards the guard house.

I turned my back on them without waiting for them to leave my sight. I replayed our conversation in my head and closed my eyes.

“I don’t like any of this…”