"…sir, please grant me some money just for this once. With your generosity, my daughter will be able to study in a good school. She'll have a bright fut—"
Pa!
Another loud slap reverberated in the restaurant as the boss clutched his another cheek.
This time, his palm covering the cheek was touching a sticky, warm liquid.
"Boring!" Peter shook his head and raised his hand.
"P-Please!" The boss begged once again. "I'll repay you twice the amount!"
"Now we're talking." Peter nodded. "Let's see, you're giving me 30% profits and twice of that is…"
"60%"
Pa!
"It's 75% you fool!" Peter slapped him again and bellowed.
"…yes. Whatever you say." The boss didn't fight back. It was useless.
At least, it'd be 75% only for one month. At least their safety was guaranteed. At least, no one would sell him and his family as slaves.
"If you try to act smart again, your repayment will double. That's 200%." Peter grinned widely and slapped the boss on the head, causing him to crash onto the floor.
He turned around and walked out, his last words lingering in the air. "Of course, if it's too costly, you can always sell your daughter. She's young and will make a good thug."
"…." The boss laid on the ground for several minutes after the thug was gone and rose to his feet in the next moment.
He applied a cream on his cheeks and rushed to the kitchen.
"Aye! Shorry for the delay! Dwishes incoming!" His voice was still cheerful as if nothing happened.
It's just…his swollen cheeks caused some of his words to be muffled.
"…."
Varian looked at Edwina grabbing his hand and sighed. For some reason, he was tempted to go down and beat up that guy.
Earlier, he didn't care about the murder as it was a fight between two gangs and the involved were not innocents.
But now, he found it hard to ignore.
Edwina stopped him in the last moment. "If you interfere, you'll only make things worse."
Her words caused him to freeze in his tracks.
He could beat up Peter and help the boss and leave safely after the fight.
But what about the boss? He's been living here for years. His friends, family and relatives—everyone he knew were living in this city.
Varian could change his identities and not worry about being targeted by the gangs, not the boss.
After failing to find him, the gang would shift the anger to the boss.
Varian freed his hand from her grip and slumped into his chair with an exhausted sigh.
He hated this city.
But more than the city, he hated people who made it this way.
Shadow Order. Chaos Families.
"Don't think too much. They've adapted to this life." Edwina consoled him. Maybe she was consoling herself.
Even though she was used to living her, she too knew this was wrong.
"Adapt? What adapt?" Billy looked at them curiously. This was the only way of life he knew.
"Billy, aren't you enraged by seeing how your boss is treated?" Varian asked lightly.
Forget Billy, a little child. None of the customers, grown men and women, and some Awakeners who were even at peak level 1, didn't voice out their opinions against Peter.
"Um. I'm very very angry. I want to kill that son of a bitch." Billy answered honestly.
Despite his immature face, his hatred was evident. It's just…Varian was surprised by the language.
'Well, I can't expect him to not curse after growing up hearing them everyday.'
"Then what do you want to do?" Varian asked curiously.
Billy froze for a second and bit his lip. Then he raised his head and said with determined eyes.
"I-I will work hard and enroll into M-Miracle high school."
'Hm?' Varian turned to Edwina.
She gave Billy a surprised look and answered. "It's a school run by the same board members as Miracle Academy. It's THE leading high school of Valos."
"Oh, then work hard, Billy." Varian gave the boy an encouraging smile.
As the door to the private box was opened by Billy when he came in, other customers in the resturantant could clearly hear the conversation.
"Hahaha! This brat? Miracle high school?"
"Give me a break! If he can do it, then Valos will have no murders."
"Pfft. Hahaha."
"Exactly! It's best not to day dream. Do your waiter job properly, kiddo."
The restaurant was filled with laughter and taunts. Billy clenched his fists and lowered his head.
'When I was a kid and said I wanted to be a Sovereign, I was treated like this too. Fuck you, public opinion' Varian recalled those days and he felt a surge of anger.
"Shut up! Grow a pair and dare to dream. At least, this little fellow has more courage than you lot." Varian said lightly, but everyone felt the tremendous aura fluctuations from his body.
He only released aura of level 3, yet everyone in the restaurant instantly shut up.
The ones who commented earlier started to tremble and prostrated on the spot.
"S-Sir, please forgive me!"
"Don't kill me. I will give you all my treasures."
"I…I don't have any treasures. B-But don't kill me, I can sell my organs!"
"…."
Varian was once again taken aback. Even though strength played a vital role in one's standing in the federation, it wasn't this extreme.
On Earth, a level 3 couldn't kill people at will. If you did, you'd be be punished properly.
Only when you reach high levels do you really start stepping into the zone of beyond rules.
Even then, even awakeners of level 9 have some red lines they shouldn't cross or they'd be persecuted.
Only Sovereigns were treated as above the law.
But receiving the same treatment as a level 3, Varian didn't know how to feel. He withdrew his aura and said. "Get out."
"Yes! Yes!"
They all smiled and even cried before they scurried out of the restaurant.
Varian rubbed his temples and turned to Billy.
"Billy, don't worry about what they say. Try your best."
"Hm! Thank you, Big Brother!" Billy smiled brightly and said with confidence. "I will definitely graduate from the Miracle high school. I must."
"Oh? What are you gonna do afterwards?" Varian asked with a curious expression.
"I will go to bigger restaurants and collect higher protection fees!" Billy raised his head and declared with an aspiring face.
"Huh?" Varian though he misheard.
Clap!
Clap!
"Wonderful!"
"I wish my son was also like this."
"Yes, there are bigger restaurants in Valos. The guys who collect the fees there are fare more richer! I heard they even have a big mansion!"
"You really have a big dream, boy."
Varian was dumfounded hearing all the praises showered upon Billy. He could tell from their heartbeat fluctuations and their expressions that most of them weren't lying.
They genuinely felt it was an honorable dream.
What the actual fuck?!
"You don't want to dream something like abolishing the gangs or fighting the Order?" He asked in a desolate voice.
The restaurant suddenly fell silent.
For one, mentioning of the Order was usually rare. Second, the content itself.
Billy snorted and looked at Varian angrily. "Big Brother, even though I'm only a kid, don't treat me like a fool. Abolishing gangs? It's impossible."
"Hahah! The expert must be testing you, Billy."
"Yes, yes. You just passed his test."
"Even kids know it's not impossible. Maybe he was just messing with you."
The voices of the customers flooded in.
"Haaa~" Varian sighed deeply and looked at Edwina who just shrugged in response.
"Get used to it."
"…Right." Varian clutched his forehead and nodded.
Billy's response really hit home what life in Valos really stood for.
Varian felt gratitude for his childhood life on earth. Despite its shitty problems, it was way better than Valos.
"If you get into the Miracle high school, find me and I'll give you a big gift." Varian ruffled Billy's hair and his figure blurred.
Billy looked at the spot Varian previously stood in shock. "So fast." Then he turned to Edwina—she too disappeared. "Like always."
"Boss, the guests of box B-4 left." Billy shouted.
"Did they pay?"
"Fuck! I forgot to ask!" Billy almost peed his pants realizing the consequences.
He looked onto the table and sighed in relief. Thankfully, thankfully…
"With double tip!" Billy's cheerful voice sounded.
*** ***
Thank you for your support.. It means a lot to me.