Chapter 1
“Hey, you little punk!”
Just as Ivan turned away after snatching a fist-sized piece of bread from a stall, his collar was roughly yanked back.
“You thieving brat! How many times has it been already? You think I’m easy, huh?”
“N-No, sir. I was going to pay for it.”
Cursing inwardly, Ivan quickly put the bread back down.
He had clearly seen the owner go inside, so where did this bear-like man come from?
“My mom told me to go ahead and look around first. I was just choosing.”
Putting on the most innocent expression he could manage, Ivan hurriedly made an excuse.
“Hah? You think I’m an idiot, you little beggar?”
Thud.
Before he could even process his bad luck, he was already slammed to the ground. With a single motion, the man sent Ivan’s vision crashing downward.
“You think I didn’t see your shifty eyes trying to steal?”
The man grabbed Ivan by the head and shook him violently. Ivan realized he’d truly gotten caught in a bad situation.
“Because of brats like you, my business is suffering!”
“It hurts!”
“I’ll make sure you never show your face around here again!”
The man hooked Ivan’s leg and tripped him. Then it repeated.
Dragging him up by the head, throwing him down again. Over and over.
Damn it.
As punches rained down on him, Ivan’s vision spun. He glanced around at the people surrounding him.
And then he spotted her.
Among the indifferent faces, there was one woman frowning as if troubled.
The moment he saw her, Ivan knew.
She was the type who helped pitiful people just to show off her nobility.
As soon as he slipped out of the man’s grip and fell, Ivan rushed toward her with all his strength and clung to her waist.
“Mom!”
He wrapped his arms tightly around her stiff body, which seemed tense and unfamiliar with violence.
“Mom!”
“What? You’re this brat’s mother? Is that right?”
Ivan looked up at her, tugging urgently at her clothes, silently begging her to play along.
The woman frowned slightly in confusion.
“Mom…”
But soon, as if she made up her mind, she wrapped her arms around Ivan’s head and nodded.
“If you’re just trying to cover for a thief, don’t bother. He’s trash who doesn’t know how to repent.”
The shop owner glared at her as he spoke.
“He was lurking around, eyeing the bread, trying to steal. And then he had the nerve to lie and trick an adult.”
“Mom, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Please… don’t pretend you don’t know me. I really won’t do it again.”
The man grabbed Ivan by the collar again and yanked him forward.
“That’s enough of your lies. I’ll make sure you never mess with adults again—”
“Stop. I said he’s my child.”
The woman finally spoke.
Her voice trembled slightly, but relief washed over Ivan instantly. She pulled him closer into her arms.
A clear sign not to touch him anymore.
“Tch. Then pay up. For all the bread he’s stolen.”
“I’ve never stolen from here before! This is the first time!”
“Oh yeah?”
As the man raised his hand again as if to strike, the woman tightly covered Ivan’s head.
“Stop. I said I’ll compensate you. Why are you hitting him again?”
“Then hurry up. Ninety lorcs.”
Her worn skirt and wrinkled shirt made it obvious—she didn’t look like someone who had that kind of money.
“Hey! I was taking a 1-loaf bread! You pig! Why are you ripping people off for your bad business?!”
Afraid she might abandon him after hearing such a large amount, Ivan tightened his grip around her waist and shouted.
The bear-like man reached out again to grab Ivan.
“Sir, stop.”
The woman’s lips hardened.
She gently pulled Ivan closer, took out a coin pouch from inside her clothes, and handed over a 100-lork coin.
“No, I told you this is my first time!”
Seeing the man’s greedy grin, Ivan urgently tugged at her skirt.
Why would she hand over such a large sum so easily?
“Is it really your first time?”
“Yes! I don’t even live here—how could I have stolen from here before?!”
Her eyes trembled slightly.
“…Then why did you try to steal just now? You could’ve just told your mother.”
Ivan almost scoffed.
He thought she’d demand the remaining 99 lork back from the man.
Instead, she was trying to educate him before anything else.
As if stealing could be solved just by asking.
If it were that simple, who would steal?
“You shouldn’t take what belongs to others.”
Idiot.
“I understand. I won’t do it again.”
Wiping his tears roughly, Ivan nodded obediently, pretending to comply.
“Look, you’re bleeding.”
“I’m fine.”
Her cool hand gently brushed his face again and again.
Just then—
“Here’s your change.”
With a scoff, the shop owner tossed the coins into the air. They scattered across the ground.
“Excuse me!”
The woman’s face flushed red as she looked at the rolling coins. Then she immediately stormed into the shop after the man.
Without even glancing at the 10 lorikeets on the ground.
Despite her shabby appearance, she must be quite wealthy.
Even without seeing clearly, her coin pouch had looked fairly full.
Ivan considered picking up the money and running but then changed his mind.
If he appealed to her sympathy, she’d surely give him more.
Yes… it’s better to wait for her than run off with just 10 lork.
Ivan wiped his tears again and began picking up the scattered coins.
If he returned them politely, thanking her, she’d probably lecture him not to do it again—and give him a bit more money.
He looked himself over.
In the week since arriving in the capital, he hadn’t changed clothes once. His outfit was worn, his hair messy.
Under his short sleeves, his thin wrists—starved and bony—were visible.
“Hm.”
He was about to touch his wound again, disappointed the bleeding had already stopped—
When a shadow fell over him.
“What’s your name?”
The man stood there awkwardly, rubbing his apron with his large hands, avoiding eye contact.
When their eyes met again, the man forced a smile.
What is this now?
Ivan wanted to tell him to stop playing games and just hand over money—but adults didn’t like aggressive children.
“…Ivan.”
He answered obediently, glancing at the woman behind the man.
“Right… I thought you were the one who’d been stealing from here all this time. No, I mean… I’m sorry for hitting you.”
“…What?”
Ivan turned his head fully toward him.
The same man who had been beating and cursing him just moments ago…
Was apologizing.
Not to the woman.
But to him.
To a seven-year-old with nothing.
Ivan slowly looked back at the woman.
“I’m truly sorry…”
“…”
“Ah, wait. Take these. Eat them. And next time you come, I’ll give you whatever you like for free.”
The man, still glancing at the woman, apologized again and packed several breads into a bag, handing it over.
Now holding a bag full of bread, Ivan looked up at the woman again.
She must have done something inside the shop.
What did she do to make that man apologize?
Her lips were tightly closed, her eyes steady.
After staring at the man for a moment, she let out a small sigh and looked away.
“Well then, take care.”
As if that were a signal, the man quickly retreated into the shop like he was being chased.
The onlookers also began to disperse.
“…”
When their eyes met, the woman extended her pale hand toward Ivan.
“…Here.”
After staring at her hand for a moment, Ivan handed over the coins he had picked up.
She silently placed them into her pocket, then extended her hand again.
“Let’s go home now, Ivan.”
