She was the master of this place even if everything was shattered in the nest. So, she still had work to do.
"Wake up!"
A hand forcibly lifted Vlad, who had been rolling on the ground.
"······M-Marcella."
"Snap out of it. Do you want to die here?"
The knight of the whores, Jorge, was the boss of the back alley where Rose’s smiles is located, but he didn’t own Rose’s smiles.
"Everyone who was guarding this place is now dead. One-armed Jack will be here soon."
Madame Marcella.
She was one of the flowers of Shoara city and the master of Rose’s smile.
"What about you, Marcella?"
"Worry about yourself, kid. You were Jorge’s dagger. Jack’s henchmen won’t leave you alone."
"But..."
The boy had just poured out all his emotions, so there was little anger and sadness left inside him.
"One-armed Jack might spare me. He said he likes me..."
Slap!
A sharp sound rang out, and the whores who had been shedding tears all looked in that direction.
They saw Marcella, who stood there with her hand raised, and Vlad, who was flustered while touching his cheek.
"Snap out of it, kid!"
"······."
Madame Marcella was not a fragile woman.
She was someone who had built a castle called the Rose’s Smiles in the rough back alleys with her own strength.
Some even went as far as to say that it wasn’t Jorge, the knight of the whores, who had chosen her, but rather Madame Marcella had chosen him.
"Take this."
Marcella handed over a dagger that had been lying on the ground, the same dagger Jorge had given Vlad and he had thrown to block Godin.
"Do you know what sets us back alley folks apart from those who live beyond the streets?"
"Marcella..."
Vlad looked down at the dagger and quietly listened to Marcella’s words.
After all, she had come to him before even finding Jorge’s decapitated body.
"Listen carefully. The difference between them and us is opportunity."
"Opportunity..."
"Those who live beyond the streets can rise again even after a single failure. Because they can afford it."
Marcella pointed her finger towards the pile of dead gang members.
"Look at them. What about us? We had failed just once."
Tears welled up in Marcella’s eyes as she yelled at Vlad.
"We die if we fail even once. That’s how we were born. So..."
Marcella tugged at Vlad’s collar and continued speaking.
"Don’t leave your one and only chance in someone else’s hands."
Marcella was shouting at Vlad amidst countless corpses.
Survive somehow through your own choices.
Marcella’s words to Vlad were advice worth a fortune.
It was a valuable lesson from a woman who had dedicated her entire life to gain her precious existence.
"I understand."
That advice, accompanied by Marcella’s tears, sank deep into the boy’s soul.
"If you want to live, leave Shoara. Right now."
And Marcella’s desperate cries and tears once again brought Vlad back to reality.
"Yes, you’re right, Madame."
"Alright..."
Marcella saw the light returning to the boy’s eyes.
"I’ll leave. Right now."
The boy struggled to stand up, but the red-haired girl supported him.
"Zemina."
"I’ll just give you support. Don’t hold me by my ankles."
"Just let me go."
"You’re still stumbling. I’ll help you move to a safe place, and then I’ll escape."
"······."
Vlad tried to forcibly detach himself from Zemina, who offered to assist in their risky escape, but the girl’s determination couldn’t be easily broken.
And everyone present knew that Zemina would never let go, no matter what.
"Please help him, Zemina. And make it to the monastery before dawn."
"Alright, Madame."
"You have to come back even if you want to go with him. If you move together, you’ll be caught soon, even after you escape outside the city."
"······I understand."
Zemina just nodded calmly in response to Marcella’s words urging her to say their goodbyes.
There was no more time.
One-armed Jack’s henchmen were already keeping an eye on Rose’s Smiles.
Even if they didn’t know the exact situation inside, it was just a matter of time before they figured it out.
Without Jorge, Rose’s Smiles was just a piece of meat without an owner.
One-armed Jack was always a hungry wolf.
"I’ll definitely come back."
"Vlad..."
Marcella gave a sad smile as she looked at the boy who promised to return.
"Do you know how many men have said that to me?"
"I’ll be different."
Listening to the boy’s promise to come back, Marcella remembered the time when Jorge had brought back a pitiful puppy.
She had taken care of the child who lost his color, fed him, and cleaned him up. That’s how she had brought back his golden colored hair.
But now, it was time to let him go.
"Hurry, go."
She wanted to keep them a little longer, but Marcella handed Vlad a pouch.
The jingling pouch didn’t contain much, but at least it was filled with Marcella’s worries.
"Take care, Madame."
"See you at the monastery!"
The blonde boy and the red-haired girl hurriedly began to descend into the basement.
Perhaps they could sneak out through the back door there.
"······Good."
Marcella, who had successfully sent off the last trace left by Jorge, wiped away her tears and looked around.
Her eyes were still filled with tears.
There were pitiful lives here. Women who couldn’t survive without a man to rely on.
"Everyone."
Now, Marcella had to bring things to a close.
It was her final duty as the one in charge.
"As of today, Rose’s Smiles will close its doors."
It was something only a whore who could stand tall without a man could do.
"I will give you severance pay. Those who want to stay can stay, and those who want to leave, please leave. And..."
Marcella’s gaze was fixed beyond the street.
"Young girls who are still virgins, come with me."
Everyone was sobbing. Now they would never have a madam who would protect them like Marcella. And the knight of the whores who wielded his sword for them.
They have to live a life that would now be shaken back and forth in someone else’s hands.
The nest was broken.
Now, no matter how young the birds were, it was time for them to fly on their own.
※※※※
"Everyone’s dead."
"······."
The organization members guarding the back door had all neatly cut in half by the skilled swordsman.
"Ugh······!"
"Are you okay, Vlad?"
Zemina asked, looking worried as she saw the staggering Vlad.
It was a dire situation, but Vlad’s stamina had already reached the limits. He had spent over five days outside in the cold and had experienced shocking situations. On top of that, he had fought with the knight and suffered minor injuries.
"..... Let’s go."
However, even though his energy was drained, the determination in his eyes was still strong.
The boy swore that he would definitely kill the knight named Godin.
"I can’t end things here."
"Right! Let’s move!"
Zemina supported Vlad, and they hastily began to make their way out of the alley.
They had to escape the eyes of One-armed Jack and head outside the city beyond the familiar area they knew.
The boy and the girl clung to each other to survive just as they had done so far, and doing their best to survive.
But the world had a way of not always going as planned.
"We’ve found them!"
"There, it’s Jorge’s kid!"
One-armed Jack’s hungry gaze found them much faster than expected.
Vlad and Zemina moved as carefully as possible, taking advantage of their knowledge of the back alleys, but the same was true for One-Armed Jack’s henchmen.
They started to move like greedy hyenas searching for the young lion who had strayed from the pack.
He kept moving forward with support, but his movements were relentless and desperate.
The doom was approaching the young lion.
"Vlad!"
"Go back, Zemina."
"No!"
"You promised! Go to the monastery! Or even to Harven!"
"I don’t want to!"
Vlad bit his lip seeing Zemina stubbornly shaking her head and shedding tears.
"Shit! Why do you never listen to me!"
He had known it would be like this.
"You stupid girl! You just promised to help me halfway!"
"Ugh...uh..."
Vlad let out a deep sigh watching Zemina cry.
"How long do you think I can keep protecting you?"
Two vulnerable young lives leaned against the wall. They came this far by supporting and protecting each other, but the grimy back alley was not willing to let them go easily.
"Damn it."
The weight that the girl had to carry for today was too heavy. And it makes it impossible for Vlad to give up even if he wants to.
"..."
That’s why he had to escape.
But how?
Vlad’s steps naturally led him to a familiar place as he was pounding this thought.
They had to get inside somewhere, anywhere, for now.
That was the only way to avoid One-armed Jack’s henchmen who were scattered in the back alley.
"Old man! Open the door!"
Vlad’s halted steps brought them to the front of a blacksmith’s shop.
The place where he had always stood for a while and looked at the sword.
"What do we do... It seems he is not here."
No matter how much they knocked, the old blacksmith gave no response.
Zemina’s large eyes filled with fear as she looked at the silent and worn door.
Vlad foresaw the impending future seeing that fear in her eyes.
One-armed Jack was that kind of person who preyed on the wounded and used those who had fallen as stepping stones.
"I can’t let that happen."
He couldn’t allow Zemina to become like that.
"Move aside!"
Light returned to Vlad’s blue eyes.
"Uh, okay!"
Vlad pushed Zemina aside, and drew his dagger. He desperately twisted the lock of the forge.
The craftsman had built it strong and sturdy, but if you didn’t consider the consequences, brute strength was the only way at this moment.
"Open up!"
The dagger containing the boy’s desperation was screeching as it twisted the lock on the door.
Creak...
And it responded to his urgency.
Gradually, as One-armed Jack’s henchmen approached, Vlad finally managed to bring down the lock that had barely opened with the handle of his dagger.
Clang!
A gap appeared.
A small opening through which they could enter the dark forge.
"Go!"
Zemina, who is small in stature, entered first through the gap.
"Whew."
Vlad entered after her.
He quickly pulled the fragments of the fallen lock inside, and they were able to enter the previously locked forge.
"Huff, huff..."
"Are you okay?"
"Quiet."
Vlad’s stamina was drained, but his senses remained sharp as ever.
"They can hear us."
Just like when he had sneaked Gordin inside, Vlad focused on the sounds to determine the movements of Jack’s henchmen.
The echoing footsteps were running around in the back alley.
"... We can’t get out."
He heard sounds surrounding them.
"Ha!"
"...."
And it was getting close enough that even Zemina could hear it.
Zemina was trembling and used both hands to cover her mouth tightly.
"Where did these kids go?"
"They definitely came this way."
Vlad held his dagger. He took a deep breath and leaned against the door.
The distance between them and the henchmen was only as thin as a single wooden plank.
"They’re fast for kids. Maybe they slipped into another alley?"
"Hurry up and find them! Billy said he’d give a separate reward if we find the blonde guy."
"Trying to get revenge for his broken tooth, is he?"
While Zemina trembled, Vlad’s gaze was heavy and serious.
He had to kill them if those guys noticed them.
Otherwise, both of them will die.
Though the dagger Jorge had left behind was modest and slightly bent, it should be enough to deal with these guys.
Vad focused because even Zemina’s future was hanging on his shoulders.
"Let’s go. We have to catch them before they’re taken by someone else."
"Ugh... Where did those jerks disappear to?"
Vlad listened carefully to the footsteps of the men who were getting farther away. So, he didn’t notice the movement occurring quietly within the forge.
"Who’s there?"
Someone was moving quietly within the old forge.
"..."
The men had not gone too far yet.
Vlad was feeling frustrated and tried to move quickly.
"Don’t move, old man."
Zemina, who supported Vlad, was standing there.
"I am really going to stab you."
She was threatening the old blacksmith while holding a piece of metal rolling around in the forge.
"..... Why are you here?"
The winter moonlight seeped in through the gap in the old forge. Only then was the old blacksmith able to see.
Zemina’s teary eyes glistened in the moonlight, making her look pitiful.