The Crack In Heaven [A LitRPG Progression Fantasy] Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Defeated by Rats

Read chapter 35 of The Crack In Heaven [A LitRPG Progression Fantasy] by Adamus_Auguste on NovelPedia.

Chapter 35: Defeated by Rats The door creaked shut behind him. Before he could move, a familiar voice sliced through the gloom. "Oh, Kael!" Lana rushed from behind her counter, her round stomach stretching a brown apron taut. She froze before she could hug him, her lips quivering. "Sorry, I took you for a boy I knew. Sad story. His mom died. A smart woman, heh, just unlucky, like us all born in this dumpster. But Kraghor watches over us. Look at me, I'm talking without letting you answer. What'll it be?" She returned behind her counter, and Kael adjusted the round frame of his dark glasses with an ironic, but warm smile. "I'm sure he'd be happy to know someone still thinks about his mother." His eyes darted to the counter, where loaves of brown bread lined in metallic baskets peered from under flour-smeared towels. "Heard you're one of the best bakers. I'll take a loaf for now. Another tomorrow if I like it." Lana threw her blond ponytail over her shoulder, head held high as she put a broad loaf into a small burlap bag. "Whoever said that knows his bread. One copper crown. Another for a canteen of water. The bag's on me this time, but it'll be a copper crown from tomorrow onward, so you'd better keep it." Kael set two copper crowns on the counter. Only after he removed his hand, and Lana confirmed their sheen, did she hand him the bag. "Nice doing business with you, young man. See you tomorrow." "See you tomorrow." Kael waved his way out. That woman would never change, would she? Always talking as if each regular was a member of her own family in dire need of more gossip than bread. He could learn a thing or two from her, at least about not letting paranoia paralyse him when the script remained uncertain. The streets became less dim, and his bag breathed of cheap flour. Garrick's men might discover Tonio in their search for Joss Ren. Might—a possibility. If he took facts alone, was he truly hunted? Except for Garrick, Silma, Brannick, and the two thugs who accompanied him down the mines, members of the Black Cask didn't know him. The Ragged Crown was gone. Even if they discovered he had killed Ash and Tovin, Joss Ren would prioritise his own survival. Same for the Sump Dogs, who were likely next on Garrick's list. He walked down the neighborhood, his arms crossed, a hand around his chin. Winter had fully submitted to spring, revealing the grime that had traded the whiteness of snow for a sad gray. In slightly warmer air but still thick with industrial dust, he focused on Tonio. Relic 78 was all that protected Tonio. The rat-man understood it by now. I can plan around it. One hour out per day. Keep the other hour. If the Black Cask knocks, they'll find a hairy beggar with a fearsome reputation. Yes, that'll work for now. With lighter steps, he jogged back to the third beggar street, the bag tucked against his stomach. The battle for Jones' home still raged beside the tannery. Brook's group finally overcame Melk's, only for a new group to wrestle ownership from the exhausted winners. Noting this group's cunningness, he pushed the cloth in the doorway of his shelter. "It's me." He slid his round glasses from his face. Els exhaled, while Tonio lowered his nails, his glare softening. "Bread?" Kael swung the burlap bag at Els. "Of course." She brought it close to her nose. A single whiff made her lips curl. "I can recognise Lana's bread among a thousand. How is she doing?" "The same as always. I thought she'd never stop when she almost recognised me. It was nice to see that chubby aunt again." "Right—" Tonio snatched the bag, cutting Els off. He poked the grey loaf with a thick thumb and shook the canteen of water. With a nod as if Kael had passed his test, he flung the bag back to Els, then took relic 78 from Kael's pocket. "Tonio trust Kael. Kael trust Tonio." He slid the glasses on his face with one hand, dragging Kael by the back of his collar with the other. "Catch rat." "Now? Wait! I need to tell you something," Kael gasped as