Riven hesitated for a moment when choosing a place to eat. Out of the two taverns that stood along the main road, he leaned toward the one that looked a little lively, even if only a few tables were occupied, rather than the other that sat empty and dreary.

He didn’t know exactly why. Perhaps instinct guided him to pick the one with at least a handful of customers, as if the presence of others was proof that the food was edible, not cheap poison that would ruin their stomachs.

“This one,” he said briefly, patting Melly’s shoulder before stepping inside.

The smell of roasted meat mixed with wood smoke and human sweat instantly rushed to greet them. The floor was dusty, the benches were coarse unpolished wood, and some tables still bore the stains of dried ale that had never been properly wiped clean. But to Riven’s eyes, all of that was simply part of the place’s character. He chose a table in the corner, far from the door, where his gaze could track whoever entered and left.

Soon after, a tired-looking waitress approached. Riven ordered two simple meals—rough bread and vegetable soup. Yet when the food arrived, Melly innocently asked for a second serving, and then a third. Riven merely raised an eyebrow at her appetite.

They ate heartily. The clatter of spoons and bowls and the sound of chewing blended with the low murmur of other customers’ conversations. From time to time Riven glanced at his sister as she devoured her third portion without the slightest hint of guilt. He only sighed deeply.

Once they were full, they stepped out again, leaving behind the tavern’s warmth for the darker streets of the city.

Riven walked with a lighter stride, his hand absently tapping the hilt of the ice-white blade now wrapped in a clean cloth. He had another destination in mind for the night, though he hadn’t told Melly where they were going.

“Your stomach is bottomless, isn’t it, Mel?” Riven teased, his voice half-annoyed, half-mocking. “Three portions inside that tiny body of yours? Don’t tell me you’re hiding some kind of greedy monster in your belly.”

Melly chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. A faint blush warmed her cheeks, but she didn’t deny it. “Hehe… I was hungry, brother.”

Riven only clicked his tongue, but the corner of his lips curved faintly.

They passed into a narrower street, half-dark because the hanging oil lamps were few and far between. From ahead came laughter tinged with seduction, the sharp clack of heels against stone, and whispered invitations. The scene soon revealed itself—rows of scantily dressed women standing by the roadside, eyes glinting as they beckoned to every man who walked by.

Some reached out to grab arms, some pressed themselves against customers in eager kisses, others pulled men straight into shadowed doors that led to cramped rooms. Cheap perfume and alcohol thickened the air.

A blonde woman in a thin dress leaned toward Riven, her voice husky with feigned affection.

“Darling… the night’s still young. Let me warm your body my way.”

Another smirked, slapping her own hips.

“Over here, handsome. You look like you need a hug. Special price, just for you.”

“Two silvers, and all your sorrows will vanish.”

“Come in, I can teach you things you’ve never dreamed of.”

Riven snorted softly, eyes fixed forward. His gaze was rigid, cold, like a wall of steel untouched by such tawdry temptations. He even quickened his pace, widening the distance.

At his side, Melly clung closer to his arm, her expression betraying her discomfort. Riven could feel her holding her breath every time one of the women stepped near.

Riven was no stranger to sights like these. Almost every city—especially the larger ones—had their squalid quarters filled with such unfortunate women, victims of war, famine, or simply life’s cruel hand.

But suddenly, a woman with long black hair, perhaps in her thirties, stepped directly toward Riven with a sultry smile. Her face was striking, her figure full beneath a gown cut too tightly. With a low voice she whispered, “You’re so handsome… let me show you paradise tonight,” as she reached for his hand.

Riven stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing with icy sharpness. Before he could pull away, the woman lowered her gaze and, in a provocative motion, tugged down the neckline of her gown. Her full, round breasts spilled into view, their peaks plainly visible in the torchlight.

Riven’s face hardened. He shoved her hand aside with a rough gesture, turned his head away, and strode on coldly. Inwardly, he cursed. Raised in a conservative land, to him beauty sold cheaply was worth less than nothing.

But then hurried footsteps followed. “Wait! Please… I beg you…” The woman’s voice cracked with desperation. Her seductive mask fell away, replaced by raw despair. “I… I need money. I have two children to feed. Please… be my customer for just one night… I beg you.”

Riven paused for a moment. The words stabbed his ears but not his heart. He stared forward, expression unchanging, before telling himself silently, Even I have to risk my life just to earn coin. How could I hand it over so easily to someone else?

He walked on, leaving her collapsing to her knees on the cobblestones, her shoulders trembling. But Melly stopped. She slipped her hand from Riven’s grip and turned back toward the woman.

“Here… take this.” Her voice was soft. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a few silver coins. Her small hand placed them gently into the woman’s palm. “For your children.”

The woman froze, then her eyes widened with gratitude. She clutched Melly’s hand tightly, her lips trembling. “Thank you… thank you… may the gods bless you…” she repeated again and again before rising, tears streaming down her face.

Melly smiled faintly and returned to Riven’s side. He watched her quietly for a long moment, then a tender smile touched his lips. Inwardly, he admitted that while he himself was calculating, always putting their survival first, at least in this bleak world he had a little angel whose heart remained pure.

“Do you think I’m foolish, brother?” Melly asked softly as they walked on. “You’re not angry that I gave her my money?”

Riven gazed at her, his eyes full of warmth. Slowly, he shook his head.

“I don’t know, Mel. Just do what feels right to you. That’s what I do too. But there’s a line you must never cross. Don’t let your kindness hurt you in the end. Remember… you can’t help everyone, and not everyone deserves help. Do you understand?”

Melly lowered her head briefly, then nodded. “I understand. If I didn’t have my own savings, I wouldn’t have helped her. But… if I can, I want to.”

Riven reached over and gently brushed her black hair, a faint smile softening his cold face.

“That’s more than enough, Mel.”

They pressed on, leaving behind the bleak road filled with temptations and silent weeping. At last, their steps halted before a shabby weapon shop. Its wooden paint peeling, its signboard hanging crooked, and its door groaning with every gust of night wind.

They stepped inside.

“Damn this night! Two of our men were slaughtered like animals! If I ever find that bastard, I’ll cut him down myself. Damn it! If only we’d cornered him right away, this never would’ve happened!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep