I was born in the Underground.
Despite that, I've always been fond of animals my whole life.
Even when starving, I'd still go out of my way to give food to stray dogs.
So, when I noticed a bird that had fallen into a gutter, I couldn't help myself but pick it up.
Poor thing, it must've come down to this place by accident.
"Don't worry, I'll take you back up to the surface."
It looked like it was getting cold, so I decided to keep it wrapped in my arms.
I decided to sneak up the stairway to the surface in order to release it back into the wild.
But as I was making my way through…
"Hey you! What do you think you're doing?!"
Two guards caught me red-handed and started to chase after me.
I didn't think, I just ran.
And even despite the bird clutched to my chest and my legs weakened from the lack of sunlight, causing sluggish steps, I still ran.
Because if they catch me, I'm dead.
Eventually, I found a good alley to slip into, but there was a blonde kid in the way watching me.
"Sorry! But get outta my way!"
I tried to squeeze between him and the wall, but there wasn't enough of a gap, so I hit my shoulder.
"Owch!"
That really hurt!
When I looked up, the boy who partially caused it didn't even seem to care.
Well… that's to be expected, I guess.
That doesn't matter right now, however. I should get up quickly.
But when I tried, my ankle seared with pain.
It looks like I twisted my ankle on the way down.
I tried to get up again, but those men had already caught up.
"Huh? Who's that? …Isn't that the same little shit that's been making our job hell?!"
"You're right! It is him! Looks like it's our lucky day."
Huh? They know him? This is bad. I can't drag another person into this.
"Leave him alone! You're after me, right?"
The guards decided to laugh at my words and mock me.
"Is she stupid?!"
"I'll handle that little thief. You go after the girl, but don't kill her — I'll wanna make sure she pays extra with her body, hehehe."
Tears began to well up in my eyes. I began to panic.
I'm sure that kid from earlier must be, too.
But something surprising happened. When I looked at him, he was slowly stepping in front of me like he didn't have a care in the world.
Is he crazy?! Why is he not running?
"Why don't you run?! They work for a noble!"
Instead of responding to me, he taunted those men and got himself grabbed.
'I have to help!'
But something unexpected happened after the guard grabbed him.
The blonde-haired boy hit the guy who pinned him against the wall so fast and powerfully, I doubted my eyes.
Then he swiftly executed him with a stab once he was down.
'So cool!'
He was so fast! His body was like a blur, and he got behind the other guard and stabbed him.
I was frozen because I was so excited.
I wanna be like him…
***
Anyways, after I figured out his real name, I finally decided to check up on my ankle.
"Ugh… looks all swollen."
I said it quietly, but I noticed Lucian's eye flash towards me when I spoke to myself.
"Are you stupid? Why didn't you tell me your ankle was injured all this time?"
"It's not that big of a deal…"
He dragged me onto a chair and opened a cabinet, pulling out bandages and an ointment.
Then he began to apply the ointment and wrapped up my ankle with a bandage.
I didn't notice at first because of the intense situation earlier, but now that I look at it… His face looks even cooler up close…
'No! What am I thinking?! He saved me and I'm thinking this? Get a hold of yourself, Isabel!'
For some reason, I felt heat rising up my face, so I turned my head away.
***
Three Weeks Later
"Lucian, look! The bird's wings are fully healed up now!"
"You're right. I guess that means it's time to release it."
"Then you're gonna teach me how to fight just like you, right?"
"Ahem… just stay put for now. I'm gonna release the bird."
"…I wanna go with you."
I could hear her murmur to herself.
I was trying to ignore her, but she suddenly yelled.
"Wait! Let me go with you, please! I wanna see it fly away."
"You don't trust me?"
"No, no, no! It's just… I've always been close with animals, and I can't just sit here while you risk yourself to free it."
"Tch… suit yourself, then."
I don't think I'll be able to convince her otherwise, so I'll just let her go.
I was gonna knock out the guards anyways to gain a little XP.
"What's the plan?"
"It's simple. I'll just knock them out."
"Eh? Is it really that easy?"
"You saw me before, right?"
Eventually, we made it to a stairway toll checkpoint.
"Let's wait for these customers to pay the toll first. Then I'll line up like a normal person when it's empty."
Eventually, there were only the guards alone to themselves.
This was the 6th Staircase, so they were under the jurisdiction of the royal family, so their prices were a lot higher.
Meaning there's not a lot of traffic going to this place.
I left her in a hiding spot and went to the toll booth.
I went up to the toll booth and showed them some cash. When the men got close enough to try and take it, I activated my skill.
With two swift attacks, they went down, and I signaled to Isabel to come quickly.
She skipped to me without a care in the world.
"Lucian! You were so cool! The way you just punched that one and then the other!"
She began to imitate me, and I put my palm to my forehead in embarrassment.
"Keep it down! Do you want others to see us?"
"Oh yeah…"
When I scolded her, she looked down at the floor sullenly.
With the bird in her hand, we made our way up, and eventually, a gap peeked through the once never-ending rocks above us, and the blue, clear sky came into view.
"Wow… it's so beautiful."
When I turned to look at her, I noticed tears welling up in her eyes.
"…Thank you."
She released the bird from her hand, and it fluttered out of the gap and into the sky.
"It's free now, so let's go back."
"Can I stay here a bit longer?"
"—Sigh, well, I haven't seen the sky in quite a while either, so why not?"
After a while of staring up, we made it back home.
I decided to make myself a meal because I was hungry after walking up and down stairs for so long.
I spent some good cash earlier to buy some meat, so I'm gonna make a stew.
When I was walking to the kitchen, I felt a glare piercing through me.
"What are you doing? I thought you were gonna teach me how to fight?"
"I'm making us dinner. I'll teach you tomorrow."
"That's not fair! I was so excited to learn today."
I ignored her and began to cut up some vegetables and meat I saved up for a special occasion.
"Hey! Hey! Can I help?"
"You can help by sitting quietly and not disturbing me."
"Hmph! You're so mean!"
This house was quite expensive, so it has a brick oven which I have to manually light.
I added a splash of wine for flavor.
"I wish I had salt. I miss it so much."
"Salt? Isn't that super expensive? I heard mainly nobles eat it. How do you know what it tastes like?"
"I-I mean, I wish I knew what it tasted like."
I lit up the fire and hung up the metal pot to heat up.
"Wow! This tastes amazing!"
"It could've been better if I had more ingredients."
Isabel was eating the food ravenously, and eventually, she finished two bowls for herself.
"…I spent a lot on that meat, you know."
"—Burp!"
Her face suddenly flushed after such an unsightly display.
"…You didn't hear that, okay?!"
The next day
"You said you wanted to learn how to become strong like me, right?"
"Yes!"
"Well, hehe, listen closely! I'll tell you my secret to becoming strong. You are the first person I'm telling, so be grateful."
"Wow! Please tell me! I can't wait any longer!"
"It's a difficult and long journey, however. Are you sure you're really up to it?"
"Yes, I am! Just tell me already!"
"Okay… here I go… 100 push-ups! 100 squats! 100 sit-ups! And a 10-kilometer run every single day!"
"…What? Is that really it?"
"Don't question me! Start your training! I'm going outside now, so when I come back, you better be done. And run 100 laps around the house instead of ten kilometers."
"Well… if that's what made you so strong, I'll do it!"
I needed an excuse to waste her time while I go out to look for Levi's base.
Fortunately, they're quite notorious already for using the 3D Maneuver Gear, so they're quite easy to spot.
I've actually witnessed them flying over me quite a few times these past few years.
After traversing the Underground for so long, I've seen them enough times to get a rough idea of where their base would be located.
So, after a couple hours of searching, I found a house with a small staircase going up to it.
"This must be their base."
I went up the staircase and knocked on the door.
My plan is to join their gang by proving my usefulness to gain their trust.
And then, when the time is right, I'll bring Isabel and leave her in their care.
When I knocked, however, there was no response.
"Hmm? That's strange. I could've sworn this was it."
After waiting and not receiving any response, I tried to open the door.
To my surprise, it was actually unlocked, and I stepped inside.
However, suddenly, I found a blade pointed to my neck.
"A kid? What's your business here?"
The first person I noticed was Furlan, and obviously, the other was Levi, who was currently grabbing me.
Actually, this is the perfect chance. If I prove my strength to Levi, I have a good feeling Furlan will agree to let me join.
And so, I decided to punch Levi's thigh.
Nothing happened, of course.
"What the hell was that… such a puny hit, and you think we'll let a weakling like you join us?"
But that was actually just for me to satisfy the conditions for my Pilfer skill.
The moment I activated it, Levi's knife was grabbed out of his hand by me despite the overwhelming strength difference.
"How…"
Then I activated Enhanced Evasion and used Quickstep to create distance between us.
I needed enhanced vision so I could react to him while I rushed towards him, but I have a limited amount of time.
"You're strong for a little kid, I'll give you that much."
With enough distance created between us, I instantly rushed towards him with Quickstep again.
"How fast!"
I heard Furlan's exclamation in slow motion as I moved towards Levi.
Even with enhanced vision, Levi's speed is crazy.
He threw a punch towards me that looked almost like it was regular speed.
The moment his fist was about to collide with my face, I used Backstab to get behind him and aim the knife at his back.
"I've won."
Instead of conceding defeat, Levi quickly pulled back his punch and kicked the knife out of my hand and into the air.
He grabbed it and aimed it at my throat.
I tried to use Pilfer again to beat him, but I had insufficient XP.
"…I lost."
"Hey, you… Look at the mess you've made."
"…Woah, that's the first time I've ever seen anyone match Levi in a one-on-one battle."
"Levi… I think we should give him a chance. If he has any ulterior motives, he would've done something when he had the chance to stab you."
"Tch! Fine. But only if he cleans this mess."
Levi handed me a broom and stepped outside.
"So does that mean I'm in?"
Furlan nodded at me with a smile.