Chapter 4: Mother’s Relics

The market had become crowded.

Mel Carlo began scanning for fat sheep.

There were chances to make a move, but stealing from those at the bottom wasn’t worth it; they worked all day just to eat.

Besides, how much money could the poor possibly have?

His eyes scrutinized every passerby in the market, finally settling on a well-dressed little girl with a female guardian in armor at her side.

With a doll-like appearance, golden curls bobbed as she peered at the shop, as if she wanted to buy everything.

The Lady Guardian next to her had clean, short brown hair.

“I want this! Buy it!”

The doll held a purse in one hand, the other pointing at pastries on the shop counter.

“Wrap this up,”

The Lady Guardian said to the shopkeeper, then turned to the doll she was holding.

“Miss, is there anything else you want?”

“Not for now.”

The doll shook her head, wanting to keep browsing.

But what they didn’t know was that Mel Carlo had already begun to approach.

His clothes were tattered, and he was barefoot, making it difficult to reduce his presence; appearing at all could easily draw suspicion.

So, he had to keep calm, walking past like nothing was wrong, because there was only one chance to strike.

How many years had it been since he’d stolen like this? Returning to old habits made his heart race.

“Hoo…”

He struck in an instant.

The Lady Guardian seemed to sense something, but by the time she turned in alarm, Mel Carlo had vanished into the crowd.

She quickly pulled the Miss into her arms, scanning their surroundings with vigilance, while Mel Carlo, after entering an alley, began to sprint.

After a theft, leaving the scene as quickly as possible was the only way to feel safe.

“Miss, are you alright?”

The Lady Guardian held the doll in her arms, asking with concern.

The doll shook her head again, but as she raised her hand, she realized the purse was gone.

“It’s gone, my purse is gone…that was left to me by Mother…”

The doll began to cry.

That purse was precious to her, the only relic her Mother had left.

At this moment, the Lady Guardian became even more certain that her instincts weren’t wrong—someone had approached and stolen the Miss’s purse.

She quickly calmed herself, gently comforting the doll.

“Miss, don’t be sad. We’ll go find the purse.”

“Okay.”

The doll sniffled, stopping her tears.

Activating Skill [Detection].

In an instant, everything around her became clear, locking onto traces of someone fleeing rapidly.

The Lady Guardian hugged the Miss and gave chase.

Meanwhile, Mel Carlo, running swiftly through the alley, also stopped.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to keep running, but his body couldn’t handle it anymore.

This body hadn’t eaten in a long time; his stomach ached, and his limbs were weak.

He had fully adapted to this small, fragile body—all its negative states included.

One hand clutched his stomach, the other weakly pressed against the steps.

After running so far, he should be safe now, right?

But before he could fully relax, a roar erupted in front of him.

The Lady Guardian stood before him, shielding the doll.

“Filthy rat! Hand over the Miss’s purse!”

Mel Carlo calmly looked up, a hint of surprise in his heart, but it quickly faded.

After all, this might be a world similar to a game, so a Lady Guardian with tracking Skills wasn’t impossible.

But he wouldn’t admit to anything, nor hand over the purse.

A thief should always consider the risk of getting caught, and even if you returned the item, it didn’t guarantee you’d avoid a beating.

“What are you talking about? What purse?”

Mel Carlo put on a puzzled face, his acting honed over countless attempts—no hint of guilt on his surface.

“Don’t play dumb with me. Do you want me to cut off your dirty hand before you hand it over?”

The Lady Guardian’s expression grew furious.

She never imagined someone would dare steal from the Miss right under her nose.

“But I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Before Mel Carlo could say more, the Lady Guardian set the doll down.

“Miss, wait here. I’ll get the purse back.”

A strong arm pinned Mel Carlo to the ground, and she began searching for the purse.

The Lady Guardian had tracked all the way here without seeing any other trace—the purse had to be on this brat, there was no way he’d hidden it elsewhere.

Once she found it, she’d cut off a hand, teach him who not to mess with.

But after a rough search, there was no sign of a purse.

Mel Carlo’s ragged clothes were turned inside out—this shabby linen outfit couldn’t possibly hide anything.

Could she really have made a mistake? But there was only one set of fleeing tracks.

If he hadn’t stolen it, why did he run?

Of course, Mel Carlo had stolen it—he’d just placed the purse into the System Space, so the Lady Guardian couldn’t find a thing.

“Did you hide the purse somewhere? I know it was you! Hand it over, or I’ll cut off your hand!”

The Lady Guardian drew her sword, her voice sharp as she scolded Mel Carlo.

Normally, a child would confess after a little intimidation.

That’s what she intended, at least until this brat was cleared of suspicion.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Please let me go!”

Mel Carlo lay on the ground, but his mouth kept moving.

He couldn’t admit it.

The money in the purse would keep him comfortable for a while, enough to pay off the gangs or prepare to escape this city.

The Lady Guardian slowly raised her blade.

Even lying on the ground, Mel Carlo could feel the cold edge.

She wasn’t really going to chop him, was she? That could kill him.

Mel Carlo kept up his act.

In a situation like this, giving in meant ruin.

Finally, the blade came down—onto the ground beside him.

The Lady Guardian slowly stood, a sliver of doubt creeping into her mind.

Maybe she really had made a mistake.

“I’m sorry, Miss.”

“Don’t…that’s…wu…huhuhu…”

The doll’s words choked, then turned into sobs.

Mel Carlo slowly got up from the ground.

Crying wouldn’t make him return the item.

The Lady Guardian had just threatened to cut off a thief’s hand.

The sobbing tugged at his heart, but once he chose this path, he couldn’t waver.

Good or bad, losing resolve would only make things worse.

A purse, huh? For a rich Miss, she could just get a new one.

It wasn’t like she’d starve.

Watching the two figures walk away, Mel Carlo turned without a second thought.

He wouldn’t go soft over a single tear.