LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 10: I Want You to Be My Knight
Outside Siria Magic Academy, there was a broad avenue, considerably wider than the market street to the south.
Many shops lined both sides of the street, having gradually relocated from the southern market district after the academy's establishment.
These shops specialized in selling stationery, various daily necessities for students, and rumor had it that some even offered services to complete magic rune coursework.
Indeed, regardless of the era, students were always easy targets for business.
A single academy sustained an entire street of commerce.
In the afternoon, numerous students were strolling along the street, and Luo Wei blended in without drawing attention.
She wandered around the street for a while before entering a quiet bakery.
Unfortunately, she arrived at an inopportune moment, as the shop owner was repairing the bread cabinet.
The owner was using a blackened baguette as a makeshift hammer, banging nails into the cabinet door with loud clangs.
Seeing a customer enter, the owner tossed the baguette into a bread basket and said, "Welcome, customer. What would you like to buy?"
Luo Wei's gaze lingered on the baguette, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy about her teeth.
"Two loaves of white bread, please."
"Certainly!"
The owner wiped her nose and immediately grabbed two fist-sized white loaves, placing them on the wooden counter.
"Ten copper coins."
Luo Wei stared at the several black fingerprints on the bread in silence.
The hygiene standards of this era were truly concerning.
After paying, she took the bread and left the shop, frowning as she tore off the blackened parts.
Looking left and right but seeing no trash can, she placed the torn bread crumbs next to a small dog and stepped back.
Suddenly, an unexpected event occurred.
A black shadow darted out from a nearby alley, colliding with the small dog that had pounced on the bread crumbs. They fiercely fought over the scraps on the ground.
"Woof woof woof—"
"It's mine, it's mine!"
"Woof woof woof woof woof!"
Luo Wei now saw clearly that the black shadow was actually a dirty little boy.
The child and the dog fought over the food on the ground. The boy managed to grab the larger portion and ravenously licked the bread crumbs from his palm.
He firmly pinned the small dog to the ground, preventing it from getting up. The dog stretched out its tongue to lick the crumbs on the ground, whimpering pitifully.
Luo Wei's emotions became incredibly complex in an instant.
The dog was skin and bones, while the child was barely clothed. It was hard to tell which one was in a more miserable state.
"Stop licking," she walked over and took out a loaf of bread, "Here, take this."
The little boy shuddered, crouching on the ground with his light brown eyes fearfully looking up at her.
"It's for you to eat. Take it."
Luo Wei's heart softened as she handed the bread to him.
The boy swallowed hard, carefully accepting the bread. He glanced at her once more before suddenly using both hands to protect the bread and stuffing it all into his mouth at once, choking so hard his eyes rolled back.
Meanwhile, the small dog, now released, darted into the alley and let out several frantic barks from within.
Luo Wei wanted to say something but ended up just sighing.
What could she say?
Tell him to eat slower?
When someone is hungry enough to fight a dog for food, how could they possibly eat slowly?
Moreover, even if he ate slowly, he might not be able to protect his food.
She had already noticed several larger beggar children at the street corners and alleyways, eyeing this scene.
She still had one loaf of bread left, but Luo Wei no longer had any appetite.
She broke the bread in half, giving one half to the little boy and holding the other half as she walked towards the alley.
"Don't go!"
The little boy, not daring to grab her skirt with his dirty hands, shouted anxiously.
Seeing Luo Wei look back, he shook his head vigorously: "No, I don't want the bread."
The little boy shrank into a frightened ball, pointing his finger at the alley entrance.
"In there... there are bad people."
Luo Wei immediately looked towards the alley, her ears twitching as she heard a faint metallic clinking sound from within.
"Don't be afraid."
"That person has already left."
She patted the little boy's head and slowly walked to the alley entrance, peering inside.
In the alley, there was a pool of fresh blood.
The small dog lay in the blood, its soft fur soaked red, its belly no longer rising and falling.
Luo Wei quickly walked to the dog's side and crouched down to examine it.
There was a fatal wound on its neck.
A single slash to the throat.
She felt a chill run through her. This strike was likely meant for her.
What enemies had the original owner of this body made, for someone to want to take her life?
Unable to find an answer, Luo Wei reached out and lifted the small dog from the pool of blood.
"I'm sorry you got involved."
She walked out of the alley, where the little boy was still nervously waiting outside.
"I... I can help you bury it," he fidgeted anxiously with his fingers, "if you give me three... no, one copper coin."
"I'm not planning to bury it," Luo Wei stopped in front of him. "I'm going to burn it."
"Burn..." The boy's eyes widened in shock.
"Because if I bury it, you'll dig it up and eat it, won't you?"
The boy lowered his head, clenching his fists.
"Look up," Luo Wei bent down to meet his eyes, "You saved me today, and that might bring danger to you. Do you regret it?"
The little boy raised his head, his misty eyes seeming to be shrouded in melancholy.
"...No regrets." He shook his head, his voice hoarse.
Luo Wei observed his expression, understanding dawning in her heart.
This was a very clever child.
There were many beggars on the street who were taller and stronger than him, and they had all seen him receive a loaf of bread. If he were truly a pitiful child, he wouldn't have eaten it all at once, but would have saved at least half to offer to those children.
Logically, if he didn't do this, he would be beaten by those children.
Either he wasn't afraid of being beaten, or he was willing to endure it.
Whichever it was, it showed that he was a brave child.
"What's your name?" Luo Wei straightened up and asked.
The little boy nervously replied, "I don't have a name."
"Are you an orphan?"
"Yes."
"You're really clever." Luo Wei sighed, taking out the copper coins left from buying bread, a total of ninety, and gave them all to him.
"From today on, your name is Roman."
The little boy's eyes lit up with hope: "Are you going to take me as your servant?"
"No, I want to train you to be my knight," Luo Wei's delicate face revealed a captivating smile, "But before that, I need to give you some tests."
The little boy held his breath, but a fire ignited in his eyes.
"No matter what the test is, I will definitely pass it!"
"Don't speak too soon. My first test is for you to survive these three days. Only after three days will I come back here to find you."
"That's easy!"
"Easy? That person might come back to kill you," Luo Wei warned him, "because you ruined his plan."
"I'm not afraid," the little boy's eyes stared at her stubbornly, "Is there anything else?"
"Yes, I want to hire a powerful bodyguard. Can you find one for me?" Luo Wei said amusedly.
"You mean a mercenary?"
He thought for a moment, then looked up and said, "I know where to find mercenaries. I also know a very skilled swordsman named Troy. I can take you to find him right now."