Chapter 71: Warm-up
Lucen and his group continued walking until they reached an area where there were no longer mana lamps. The sky is blocked by the taller buildings in the upper sections, and the stench is as putrid as it looks.
The further they descended into the lower districts of Caelhart, the more the air changed.
Gone were the polished stones and gleaming lanterns of the upper city. The cobbled streets here were cracked and uneven, slick with grime that never quite dried. The scent of incense and perfume was replaced by the stench of smoke, sewage, and too many bodies crammed into too little space.
Even the light itself felt different, filtered, grimier, as if the sun hesitated to touch this part of the city. Tall, crooked buildings leaned over the narrow roads, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch like claws.
Shabby signs creaked on rusted chains, their paint faded and chipped. A butcher’s stall spilled red water into a gutter. A toothless vendor barked at a beggar child who had gotten too close to his dried meat.
Sir Thalos stopped. His gaze locked on the vendor, sharp as steel. The vendor flinched, then quickly looked away, shrinking beneath the knight’s towering presence. Thalos approached, his steps slow, deliberate.
"W-what do ya want?" the vendor muttered, voice wavering.
"How much for the piece of dry meat?" Thalos asked, voice calm but firm.
"Two... Two copper coins each."
Without a word, Sir Thalos flipped a silver coin through the air. It hit the stall with a sharp clink.
He grabbed five pieces of dried meat and turned toward the beggar child huddled in the corner. Kneeling slightly, he held the food out with both hands.
"Do not give up, child. As long as you survive, your chance to change your fate will come."