Chapter 61: The Children’s Destination
The caravan carrying the excited children was ready to depart.
The children held immense trust in Abyss and the Black Hats, who had rescued them from the clutches of the greedy Eugene. They had witnessed Titus, the gang leader, slicing his own wrist to provide blood for the powerful lady who had brewed the antidote that saved their friends from a seemingly fatal illness. Some of them even idolized Rebecca, wanting to become her apprentices. But she had gently declined, explaining that her life as a traveler wouldn’t be suitable for them.
These children, taken from orphanages by Eugene through various means, had already experienced abandonment twice in their short lives. The Black Hats’ intervention was a beacon of hope in their bleak existence. Except for a few rebellious teenagers who preferred to stay in Lavoisier City and join the gang, all the children eagerly boarded the caravan bound for a “castle filled with happiness and knowledge.”
Abyss hadn’t forced anyone to leave. He had simply instructed Titus to offer them a better path, a chance at a brighter future. The choice was ultimately theirs.
The Goat Eyes Gang had crumbled after yesterday’s battle. Most of their members had lost their will to fight after Eugene’s capture. And their final, desperate attempt at retaliation had failed miserably. Their two Shadow Armaments, one lost and the other stolen by a traitor within their ranks, their pursuit thwarted by a blindingly fast dwarf who had broken the bones of every pursuer, the remaining gang members had surrendered, relinquishing their remaining territories.
Eugene, his eye gouged out by Titus, had been handed over to the City Guard. Titus had shown the terrified official something that had silenced him, ensuring Eugene’s imprisonment, with triple the usual security.
Most gang members were simply opportunistic thugs. Loyalty wasn’t a priority. Any gang would do, as long as it provided a steady income. And it seemed the Black Hats offered a decent life. Their business might not be as profitable as the Goat Eyes Gang’s, and their rules were stricter, but their leader was more generous, ensuring his men received a fair share of the profits.
“Mr. Abyss, shall we depart now?” Titus asked, smiling. He was in high spirits because the children he had helped save were now healthy and energetic, filling him with a sense of accomplishment.
As a gangster, he had taken lives and inflicted pain, but he rarely had the opportunity to save anyone, despite his sense of justice.
Abyss nodded. “Yes, if everything is ready, we can leave.”
His two undead servants, Fallon and Elton, disguised as teenage boys, sat in one of the caravan’s wagons, waving at him. They had proven their worth on numerous occasions. Abyss had initially intended to give them a break, but these two master con artists had volunteered to act as the children’s secret protectors.
Fallon and Elton had been skilled mages in life. They could easily handle any bandits they encountered on the road. And if they faced a more formidable enemy, they could instantly alert Abyss, who could provide support from afar.
Abyss nodded discreetly at his loyal servants, then bid farewell to the children, watching as the caravan departed.
Once the caravan was out of sight, he contacted another undead servant through his necromantic link.
“Caw! Caw! It’s Master Abyss! Lark misses you!”
A boisterous voice echoed in his mind.
Abyss smiled. This servant wasn’t human, but a raven, formerly belonging to his master, granted intelligence through high-level necromancy, serving as a messenger and a spy. After his master’s death, Lark, the raven, had naturally become his servant. But Abyss hadn’t kept him by his side. He had left him with his old mage friend, serving as both an assistant and a communication relay.
“Lark, how are you doing? Is Mr. Fulmar in good health?”
“Caw! Caw! Lark is doing great! Mr. Fulmar reads every day, and Lark brings him tea and water! Mr. Fulmar is doing well!”
The undead raven was diligent, intelligent, and a childhood companion of Abyss.
“Good. Share your senses with me. I need to speak with Mr. Fulmar.”
“Caw! Caw! No problem, Master Abyss!” the raven replied, his senses instantly flooding Abyss’s mind. A near 360-degree view of his surroundings filled his vision.
Through Lark’s shared senses, Abyss saw him perched on a stone windowsill, overlooking a large mahogany desk. An elderly man, his hair and beard white, his face wrinkled but his eyes still sharp, sat at the desk, wearing a monocle, drawing something on a sheet of paper.
“Caw! Caw! Mr. Fulmar! Master Abyss wants to talk to you!”
The old man looked up, his gaze meeting Lark’s.
“Oh? Abyss? Aren’t you on an adventure? Do you need my help?”
“Greetings, Mr. Fulmar,” Abyss’s voice came through the raven’s beak. “I don’t need your help. I have a gift for you.”
“Hmm? Since when did you learn to be so cryptic, young man?” Mr. Fulmar chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “Tell me what it is. Don’t tease an old man.”
“I’m sending four hundred children to your castle. They’re orphans, in need of a home. Would you be willing to take them as your students?”
“What? Four hundred children?” Mr. Fulmar’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Say that again?”
“Four hundred children! Most of them are under ten years old, but there are a few older ones.”
“Where did you find these children? You haven’t done anything illegal, have you?” Mr. Fulmar asked, adjusting his monocle.
“Of course not. I rescued them, along with a gang in Lavoisier City, from another gang who was exploiting them as laborers. They worked long hours for meager wages, barely enough to survive,” Abyss explained. “I believe they deserve a good education, and you’ve been complaining about the lack of suitable apprentices. So I’ve arranged for a reliable caravan, escorted by two of my servants, to transport them to your castle.”
“Good!” Mr. Fulmar exclaimed, slamming his hand on the desk, his aged frailty momentarily forgotten. “You have no idea how much you’ve contributed to the future of this continent!”
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