chapter 7 saving the damsel in distress (2)

I hate kids. Why are they so complicated. I mean, couldn't they all be like my sweet little angel Alice. She is a smart girl.

I just looked at the kid in front of me, quivering in fear as tears drooped from her eyes.

'Why is she afraid of me, I saved her didn't I?'

But then I saw my reflection on a small pool of water. It seems I was covered in blood. I looked pretty cool to be honest. Like one of those evil creatures coming for you.

….

Ah it makes sense now.

Well, how do I communicate with her? I can't really wash myself right now.

Alright, let's take the cruel way to make her understand that I'm trying to help her.

I took a couple of steps toward her which made her even more scared.

"please, I'll do anything. Just don't ki-."

I cut her off in a cold and emotionless tone.

"Shut up."

She immediately did shut up as she was scared of what I'd do to her if she didn't.

I took a couple of steps more to her until I was next to her. Next I just sat down.

"Listen to me. I'm not a bad guy. And I'm not going to hurt you. What I did to those guys was what I do to scum. Tell me, are you scum?

Her quivering became a little less as she shook just shook her, too afraid to talk.

A small smile formed on my face as I continued. "Good. You should never become scum like them. And since you're not, I won't do anything to you. You're safe."

Her quivering stopped.

'Well well well. What do you know, I'm great with kids'

Well that's what I thought. But this kid suddenly lunged at me and hugged me before her crocodile tears came.

"Thank you, thank you so much. I was so afraid. Thank you."

I'm never helping kids again. She got snot and everything on my shirt. Why would she even hug someone covered in blood.

'Endure, just endure.'

After a minute or so, she finally let me go. The first thing I did was take off and throw away my blood and snot filled shirt.

"Alright kid, stay safe."

I turned away and began walking away. I was done here so I decided I could just go away now.

But of course it couldn't be just like that.

I felt a small tug at my pants. My eye twitched as I knew who it was.

'What now? I saved yo ass, what more do you want.'

I turned around to look at the girl grabbing my leg. She still looked a little shocked from what just happened but had seemed to recovered a bit.

"Ehm, sir reaper. Could you please take me with you. I'm not from the slums and I'm lost so I'd appreciate it if you would be kind enough to take me with you."

I just looked at her. I felt a headache coming.

'What's with this sir reaper? And why does she talk like that? it seems too complicated.'

Taking her with me would really be annoying. But I can't leave her here. If I do that the same thing would just happen again.

I stook out my hand to her but she just stared at it with a confused expression. Is she really this dumb?

"Grab it, I'll take you with me."

A smile came to her face immediately as she took it. She wasn't so sure if the person in front of her was kind enough to take her with him.

'Still can't believe that one day I would become a babysitter. This really is a big world.'

And so, two figures left the alleyway. One was a little girl, the other was an annoyed boy.

Looking towards the other side of the street, I could see Alice with the guy I left her with.

I walked over towards them with this kid in my hand. I wanted to get this all over with so I wanted to get to the city to quickly drop her off.

The guy saw me coming so he decided his job was done and decided to dip. Not that I really cared. Alice meanwhile, looked curiously at the girl next to me.

"Yo princess, nothing happened while I was gone right?"

She shook her head and asked me something else. "Who is that?"

'I guess I should introduce them. How does that go? Ah, I have an idea."

I took both of their hands and made them shake hands.

"Alice, this is the girl I saved, and eh. What's your name again?"

I forgot I didn't ask her for her name.

The girl in response to my question, made a small bow as she tugged her dress and raised it a little.

"I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Rachel Silverheart of the Silverheart family."

Alice and I just stared at her as the same thought came to our minds.

'Why does she say it like that? Isn't it natural to assume she is from the Silverheart family if her last name is Silverheart. And what's with that weird bow? This girl is weird.'

"Alright introductions are done, let's go ahead."

And so I walked forward, covered in blood, without a shirt, and two little girls holding my hands.

'Wait wait wait. I don't look like a pedo do I? This day is going wrong already!'

After another ten minutes of walking, I saw a small building with a sign in front of it which said 'Ted's bakery'.

"Alice, you see the building in front of us? That is uncle Ted's place. I'll buy you some food there."

Since we were currently in the city, the people around didn't look as bad as before. But I did look very bad to them.

Many of them went somewhere else after seeing our arrival. Couldn't blame them though, I don't look like a, ehem, civilized person. (He means he looks like a child predator)

Walking to the entrance of the bakery, I opened the door and the first thing I heard was the bell that went along with it.

I immediately saw uncle Ted. The bakery was empty right now, which is normal since we came at a pretty late time, so he was cleaning the store a bit before closing.

Uncle Ted, hearing the bell of the door, also noticed us immediately. He walked towards us with the same big smike he always gives me.

"Alan, my boy. You came back already, covered in blood like always. Hohh? You have brought a couple of kids with you. Didn't know you like people."

Is it really that weird for me to bring someone else with me? I don't know man, I'm a social outcast.

I just pushed the two of them in front of me. While Alice looked eager to meet uncle Ted, Rachel seemed to be quite nervous. I guess she is the shy type.

"Uncle Ted meet these two. This one is my little sister Alice. You have met her when she was young."

Next I pushed Rachel.

"And this one is Rachel Silverheart of the Silverheart family. Though that's probably obvious if you hear the name."

Uncle Ted's reaction at Alice was what I expected . He seemed to be quite happy meeting her finally again after all these years.

But his reaction to Rachel was something I didn't expect. His expression turned from shock to reverence, and finally to fear.

'Is there something special about this girl?'

"I'll close the store so take a seat anywhere you want and Alan, I want to have a talk with you." Uncle Ted said with a serious expression.

What was so special about Rachel. Mehh, I'll find out in a couple of minutes. I just took a table and sat Alice and Rachel down on the chairs next to it, while I went to uncle Ted to have a talk with him.

"So uncle Ted, what you wanna talk about? I have never really seen you so serious."

Uncle Ted still had the serious expression on his face which really made me wonder what's up.

"Alan, I need you to tell me honeslty, how did you meet that girl?"

So it was about Rachel. I wonder what's so special about her.

I then took the next couple of minutes to explain uncle Ted about how I saved her from those men and took her with me because she was lost.

"So that's how it is. Alan, you did a good thing saving that girl."

Hohh? This made me curious. What's so good about it.

"And why is that. As far as I can see she is just some rich kid that ran away from house and ended up in the slums."

Though my explanation seemed pretty logical to me, uncle Ted looked at me like I was some crazy guy.

"Just a rich girl? Alan how dense are you? Have you never heard of the Silverheart family?"

'Why do they al say 'the Silverheart family'. It's just a family isn't it?'

"Never heard of it. Are they special?"

"Yes Alan they are special. The head of the Silverheart family and also the father of Rachel Silverheart is one of the only eight SS rank heroes and also the rank 4 hero. So yes Alan, THEY ARE VERY SPECIAL!" Uncle Ted basically screamed that last part at me.

Well, I fucked up. It seems she really is of significance. Rank 4 hero? So he can basically just sneeze at me and I'm dead. I shouldn't have taken her with me.

Why? One might assume it would be good to save the the young lady of a big family right? In my case no. What would you do if you see your child with a blood covered half naked man. Nothing good I hope.

'I need to take a shower and get some clothes.'

"Uncle Ted, can I take a quick shower and borrow a shirt of yours."

He looked at me curiously as I had never requested something like this from him.

"Sure Alan. Go past the desk through the door and you'll find a shower at the end of the hall."

I then turned towards the girls and made sure they were hanging out fine. And it seemed they did. I guess kids of similair age get along very auickly as I saw them having a nice chat about who knows what.

"Hey girls, I'll be gone for a bit, just order anything from uncle Ted and he'll make it for you. And don't cause trouble for him!"

They answered me in which seemed to be a practiced core. "Okayy."

I saw uncle Ted walking over to me agan.

"Alan my boy, you know I love you but I can't just give you free food like that."

Ahh, he's worried about me not having money. Though he cares about us, he also has to take care of himself after all.

I had a slight smile on my face as I answered him." Don't worry uncle Ted, I made some big bucks so I can afford it."

"Alright Alan I'll believe you but I want to know how you got that money. It better not be dirty."

"Don't worry. It's not dirty. I got it from a deal I made, I'll give you the details after I'm done taking a shower."

I just left the room after those words. I wanted to clean myself up before someone thinks I kidnapped Rachel and kills me in the process.

'Let's see, he said at the end hall right? This hall has two directions though. Let's go left first."

I walked towards the left side of the hall and when I opened the door at the end it was just a closet for some junk.

'Couldn't he have been more specific when he said 'end of the hall'. Now I feel stupid.'

Going to the right side of the hall, I opened that door and this time it seemed like it was a shower.

I quickly undressed myself and went into the shower. I decided to treat myself with a bit of luxary and decided to take my first hot shower in about six years.

'Never thought it was this nice to have a shower. It's way nicer than a cold shower that's for sure.'

After about ten minutes I was done with the shower. When I stepped out of it, I saw a black hoodie with a towel on the table next to the sink.

'Seems like uncle Ted left it for me there.'

I took the towel to quickly dry myself up before puuting my clothes on. The hoodie seemed to be a bit oversized for me but it didn't really matter.

When I look in the mirror, I didn't see much. A skinny kid with oversized clothes, sunken face and only good feature going for him his piercing golden eyes.

I look at my hair in the mirror which nearly reached my shoulders. I didn't like long hair so I came to the conclusion that I should also go to a barber.

I went back into the bakery and the first thing I saw was Alice and Rachel munching on cake and they also seemed to have ordered some other things.

'Now that I think about it, I haven't eaten anything in four days. I should also grab a bite.'

I went towards uncle Ted who was sitting at the desk. I explained to him what happened with my father and how I awakenend.

I twisted the story a bit and told him that I made a deal with a powerful guild that I'd join them if they gave me some money.

"I'm sorry Alan. I know you've had a harsh life and your father's death doesn't make it much better."

I just shook my head in response. It's not like he could change anything about it so it wasn't his fault.

I approached the girls and sat on the free chair next to them.

"It's okay if I grab a bite as well right?"

They just both nodded as they didn't want to stop munching on their food.

'What kind of fat pig did I raise? And Rachel too. Just eat normally.'

But I soon lost my care and decided to eat as well. I took a piece of, I don't know what it is.

It was bread with some cheese on it and some red stuf. I took a bite off it.

'Delicous.'