46. Cant (1)
The air changed in an instant at Cant’s appearance.
Botti’s expression, which had been trying so hard to be calm, brightened noticeably, and so did the other beggars.
Emotions as well as facial expressions changed from nervousness, nervousness and fear to relief and joy, a sight that was very interesting for Oliver.
To cause such a change in emotion just by appearing…
Joseph and the pharmacist also had this influence, but in a different direction.
They only create tension in others, but cant on the contrary relax them and give them genuine relief.
It was different from the first time I saw it, but it’s like this… Indeed, it was interesting.
Oliver wondered.
What is it that the author is so popular with everyone? I was even more curious as it was the first time I had seen it.
Of course, if no one complained, that’s not the case.
Anyway, cant give relief and trust to a lot of people.
Maybe it has something to do with helping yourself for no reason?
Oliver felt an unbearable curiosity, like an itch.
“Now, what are you going to do? young friends. I wonder.”
Cant approached the fedora beggar and said,
It was a sense of intimidation that did not suit the limp legs, the shabby appearance, and the wrinkled face.
The fedora beggar, the old man petting the dog, and other beggars withdrew like never before.
They didn’t show it outwardly, but inside they looked at each other and slowly retreated back.
only one. Except for the fedora.
In his heart, hot emotions such as anger and triumph stirred.
“Are you a quarterstaff cant? Once upon a time, a famous solver? Really? Doesn’t it look like it?”
“It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not. young friends. After all, it’s just a beggar now. I mean it in that sense, but as a senior, I give you one piece of advice.”
“advice?”
“Yeah, advice. I think I used to give strength to my neck somewhere, but now forget about it. ‘Cause now I’m just a beggar Even if you use your fists well, you’re still a beggar.”
“Don’t treat me like an obsolete human like you. Judging by the lameness, it seems that I was forced to become a beggar, but I am not.”
“Oh, like a stupid friend. Whether voluntarily or unwillingly, beggars are beggars. Answer me more than that. What were you trying to do?”
“What were you going to do? Well···. Let’s see… ah! I tried to beat those fucking beggars over there with my fists and then hang them naked even in their panties. Just like this!”
The fedora beggar shouted and swung his fist.
In his hand was a knuckle that he did not know when he was wearing it, and if he did, he would have broken Cant’s face like a rotten watermelon.
If it was right, that is.
Before the fedora beggar’s fist reached, Cant pulled his neck back slightly, thrust out the quarter staff he was using as a cane, and slapped the attacking arm.
Then, surprisingly, the beggar’s surprise attack was stopped in vain.
The fedora beggar, who was blocked from attack, turned red and blue and ran again, and Cant slashed the quarterstaff as before and struck the fedora beggar’s neck as before.
Very fast and natural movement.
If the fedora beggar hadn’t grabbed his neck, he wouldn’t have known he had hit him.
“B-! Big…. Like this dog-”
The fedora beggar was speechless.
Because cant swung the quarterstaff and slapped him in the temple.
He fell like a puppet with a broken thread, followed by beggars from the same gang.
However, it was meaningless.
When the first two dumbins fell down in the same way, no one could approach them.
“Would you like to do more?”
“ね・・・・!”
tense tension. Then someone intervened.
“Stop this.”
The speaker is an old man surrounded by dogs. he said crouching down.
“·····. dog old man. When did you go under the mole?”
“You know what to do?”
“I thought it was a little surprising. You weren’t like this, were you?”
“Surprised? Character? her···. If you want to make a living, you have to do unexpected things. More than that, your workmanship is still there. Are you very ghostly?”
“It’s because the old man can’t see real ghosts. It’s me, at the level of barely protecting my body. Are you going to fight more than that?”
At that, the big, ugly dogs that the old man was petting growled. no····. He groaned while groaning. Something seems very unsettling.
“Well····. No, the mole was ordered to occupy this alley. I don’t mean to fight you. not spec. These guys aren’t even in a bad state.”
“Then, let’s go back.”
“Oh, thank you. Hey young friends. Boost it.”
At those words, the beggars, with mixed feelings of discontent and fear, supported the fainted fedora beggar and the fallen fellow beggar.
The old man quickly got up from his seat.
“Then let’s go… I don’t mean to argue, but you have to report this to the head.”
“If it’s the head, it must be a mole.”
“Well, that’s right……. Just in case I ask, why don’t you just join the gang like me? Then, your family will be able to stay healthy.”
Cant’s feelings lit up with concern for a moment. It’s only a moment, though.
“·····. To be honest, it’s tempting, but I can’t.”
“You fool. Well, I knew it would.”
“I know. Why did I receive such a will then…? eh.”
A conversation unknown to Oliver. However, I could see that cant share the same feelings as the old dog.
Given the context of the story, it seemed like he was talking about a priest before Cant became the head.
Oliver wondered again.
How can someone who is not already dead have such an influence?
The dead lose their influence with death.
Like Joseph, Anthony, Dominique…. I was getting more and more curious. Really.
After the old dog left with his men, Botti said.
“under····. You came at a really good time. How did you get here?”
“I was just walking around and heard that there are people breaking bread here. I came just in case It was still… Is everyone better than that?”
“Are you okay? Of course! How long have I been living on this floor! Bread is also safe here.”
Botti said, holding up a bag of bread.
Cant also said, with a bare bag around his waist. Inside the bag were ugly onions, potatoes, carrots and canned corn beef.
“Good. I can prey today.”
***
As soon as they returned, the party started preparing the meal. No, it’s exactly what Cant prepared.
He started a fire with broken furniture, then crouched down on the floor and started slicing the ugly vegetables.
Whether it was to cook them easily or to share them evenly, I cut them into small pieces, and then I put corned beef in a hot pot and greased it with oil.
After applying some oil, the cant is cooked with potatoes, followed by vegetables such as carrots and onions.
Inside the abandoned building, which was a beggar’s den, a faint smell of food spread with warmth.
When the vegetables were cooked to some extent, the cant drained the water, then crushed the hard biscuits with a knife and poured them over. And then drop corned beef.
“cant···.”
King Fist, who stood guard from outside, approached Cant, who was cooking.
“Ah, welcome. Now that it’s almost done, let’s eat.”
“Oh, yes…. I have more to tell you.”
“what?”
“that····. Red nose and harmonica, inspiration and grandson are back.”
“·····. Good job. We can all eat together.”
“You know this isn’t good news, right?”
Kingfist spoke dissatisfied, and Cant didn’t say anything.
Silence possible because we know each other to some extent about this floor.
However, knowing that silence would not be resolved, King Fist opened his mouth first.
“It seems like it’s a beggar crackdown period again. The income is getting smaller and smaller.”
“You can do more. Occasionally, a lot of work came in. He asked me to look for some trash at the three-way intersection in front of me.”
“It’s a penny compared to the effort put in by a worn-out factory owner, a grumpy restaurant owner, or a gangster. It’s not regular, so it’s more money. At this rate, we will only have to eat and live.”
“Good luck. It’s about not starving.”
“cant····!”
The king’s fist roared.
The voice was so loud that everyone in the den heard it, but everyone turned away from it, pretending not to hear it in a serious mood.
King Fist regained his sanity and whispered again.
“It can’t be like this. I can’t…. If the crackdown is severe, it will also reduce your income. Tightening the belt is not the end. We need to be more active.”
“Be active…. Haven’t you decided to stop talking about it?”
“·····. Don’t think of it as going down, think of it as cooperating. The mole wants cant, and your cooperation will guarantee you money and safety. This is what makes the stable life of our team possible.”
Cant saw the fist while he was cooking. His eyes were soft, yet powerful.
The power to shame those who want to make the wrong choice.
“Yes, you are right. Right····. If you go under a mole, your life will definitely be easier and more stable than it is now.”
“No, I don’t mean to go down-”
“-It would be easier to work with a mole, down, up or down, but you know what moles do? I’m sorry, I’m not a hero and I don’t intend to stop him, but I don’t want to cooperate either. my····. At least conscience.”
“Isn’t it just a rumor?”
“Rumors don’t just come out. In particular, maiming children and using them as parasites or trafficking them.”
“·····. Even if the rumors are true, what does it matter? If the rumors are true, we should cooperate even more. We’re still here, and if we don’t do anything, we’ll end up eating him too.”
Eaten Mandala… It seemed that the world of the beggars had a conflict like a warlock.
So everyone seemed to be wary of the mole.
Cant thought for a moment, then opened his mouth again.
“If we go under the mole, we can stay in a decent inn with a roof, and get a decent amount of money every week… However, I’m not good at it. not really.”
“cant····.”
“It’s kind of boring to live like that. I really hate it… If it’s really frustrating, I won’t stop you from leaving. But that’s it. don’t drag me in We are talking seriously.”
“···. Yes, I understand. sorry.”
Perhaps he thought that persuasion was no longer useful, King Fist meekly answered.
He seemed to be convinced on the outside, but on the inside, misunderstanding and dissatisfaction were boiling.
He didn’t understand cant at all, and Oliver did the same.
Most people are attracted to more money, comfort, and safety. At least that’s what Oliver had seen.
However, Cant quickly resisted this temptation.
The important thing here was that he wasn’t uninterested in those things.
He was obviously swayed by temptation. Money, comfort, safety.
Rather, he understood the sweetness. Still, he overcame it with his own will.
Oliver wanted to know.
Why do you just give up on things that are more attractive to you?
Maybe it was the driving force that drew positive emotions to others?
I really wanted to know.
Oliver pondered over the conversation he had heard through the minions, and then opened his mouth.
“·······. First of all, do I need to know what a mole is?”