Galliant Island (5)

"I lost 5 gold coins. Returning what I got is the worst in the world. That woman should compensate for the loss."

Falkoa lifted Jiss's face. Jiss, whose jaw was pulled up until his waist almost broke, couldn't even breathe. A little more pressure, and his spine might have snapped.

"It hurts, doesn't it? It should. I'm incredibly strong."

"Stop... Please."

"Do you want me to relieve your pain? Chew this. Then it won't hurt at all."

Jiss turned his gaze even amid the difficulties. In Falkoa's hand, there was a root.

Born and raised on the island, he knew it. It was Loop, the stimulant of the natives. As a drug used for ritual awakenings, its addiction was incomparable to other drugs. Weren't there rumors that the Kerugo tribe became extinct due to excessive use of Loop?

"Please, I beg you. Anything but that..."

Jiss pleaded earnestly. He had assumed that once addicted to Loop, his life would end.

He would go through life in the gutter, and his sister, who was the only family member, would inevitably be driven to the streets in the end.

Falkoa, as if expecting his reaction, popped the Loop into his mouth that he had offered Jiss.

What about his addiction? If one couldn't live without Loop, then keep using it for a lifetime.

"You're the coward of the world. This is God's stimulant. Anyway, what are you going to do now? Will you bring her to me?"

"Huh? What do you mean by bring her? Who?"

"That red-haired girl. She seemed pretty. I bet I could sell her for a high price, hehehe. Of course, I'll have to sell her second-hand."

Jiss was taken aback. To think he planned to sell a noblewoman into someone else's human trafficking. However, if it was Falkoa's mental state that was addicted to Loop, it was more than plausible.

He's lost his mind. He's insane.

Falkoa was the acting head of the Freeman Organization. He was the highest-ranking person Jiss had encountered, but he was nothing more than a thug, a contact.

He never met the captain, Freeman, but one of his mandates was to prohibit human trafficking.

"I-If you do that, you'll be expelled from the organization. It goes against the Code of... Akh!"

A studded boot twisted Jiss's jaw. His mind was spinning, and he couldn't think of anything.

Falkoa grabbed Jiss by the head and lifted him. The moment he heard his cold voice, Jiss regained his focus.

"What? You want me to bring your little sister?"

"T-That..."

Jiss's body trembled. Anger and fear mixed, and emotions arose that couldn't be guessed by taste.

My sister was a precious existence that couldn't be traded for anything. She didn't want to show her such a dirty world.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Actually, I like your sister. Could you take this opportunity to introduce me to her?"

A rotten smell emanated from Falkoa's mouth as he chewed on Loop.

***

Shirone and the woman managed to escape from Gamose's bodyguards after running through the alleys for 30 minutes.

As expected from a trained individual, their speed was fast, but the psychological warfare using the locations to turn around was effective.

The two leaned against a wall, catching their breath for a moment. They had run so much that their mouths tasted like blood, and their legs were shaking.

The woman chuckled under her breath as she panted and glanced at Shirone.

"Heh, you have surprisingly good endurance, don't you? I thought you'd stop running because you look so delicate."

"If I give up, they'll catch me. I'm dying here. But you, uh... Are you okay?"

"I'm Marsha. Escaping from trouble is a second nature to me, so this is nothing. Let's take a break somewhere. I'm thirsty for a beer. I'll buy you one as thanks."

Shirone was puzzled. Marsha showed no signs of tension despite being pursued.

Moreover, wanting to drink beer means she has money, so why did she steal?

"Oh, I think I should go now."

"You can't wander at this moment. Let's wait in a place I know. Gamose is cruel but foolish; he'll forget soon. Just hold on for an hour; he'll get distracted and won't chase us anymore. And, most importantly, I'm scared. Can you stay with me for a while?"

Marsha rolled her tongue and narrowed her eyes. Though not enchanted by her pretty appearance, Shirone finally decided to follow her. Above all, if Gamose caught him now, things would spiral out of control.

"Alright. But I don't think I can stay long because my friends are waiting for me."

"Fine. Let's wait for Gamose's men to give up. Come closer."

Marsha led Shirone through winding alleys to a dimly lit bar. He wondered if anyone would come to this place for a drink, but it was surprisingly crowded.

"Hmm, this place hasn't changed at all over the years."

"Didn't you used to frequent this place? You mentioned earlier that it was a bar, right?..."

"Ah, I used to come here a lot. It's been three years since I was on Galliant Island. I have a friend who lives here."

"I see. I thought you were a local because you knew the way so well."

"Jeez, I'll never forget the path I've seen once. Escaping is part of my life."

When Marsha took Shirone and sat at the bar, a group of burly men turned to look at them. The combination of a beautiful woman and a boy was out of place.

"There are people looking at us."

"Don't worry. This is a bar frequented by troublesome types from the island. If there's an incident, this is the first place to get the news. That way, we know when Gamose gives up."

"But isn't that more dangerous? Gamose's subordinates could come here."

"Gamose rules the island, not the troublemaker. So, this place is... sort of a resistance. A community of destiny, you could say?"

Shirone didn't immediately believe it. In a place where so many people came and went, it was practically impossible to completely control information.

"This is something that can't be done alone with the system. A treaty or a rule would be possible. But why? What could they gain?"

As Shirone stared intently, Marsha smirked ironically.

"Oh my, you're tough. Okay, you're right. This bar is in collusion with Galliant's autonomous government. What happens here is overlooked, even by the authorities."

"As expected. But why would the government do such a thing?"

"Money. Money laundering, creating funds for bribes, lobbying money circulation, etc. That's what 'Island Gate' is about. Should we say it's a system created by the characteristics of a closed island? They agreed to distribute funds from the shadows in exchange for ensuring the safety of criminals. A win-win. Isn't that how the world works? Heh!"

Marsha clicked her tongue. Her narrowed eyes looked somewhat melancholic.

"It's funny when you think about it, isn't it? There's a lot of talk about punishing criminals, but in the end, it's the criminals who fill their stomachs. They break down large amounts of money that they can't swallow, making them easier to digest. They're like the microbes of society. Without microbes, life dies."

Shirone couldn't respond. The social system that went against human nature was too complicated and colorful for a young boy to judge.

"I've been too serious. Did you say your name is Shirone? Why did you come to the island?"

"I came to have fun with my friends. We want to swim and see the ruins."

"Ruins of Kerugo? I've been there before. Ah, I was young back then, but now I'm already 27. I might age like a spinster. How old are you?"

"I'm 18 years old."

T/N: I don't recall him being that age in the manhwa, I'll have to reread it.

"Oh, you're younger than I thought? You look very young."

"Noona looks younger for her age too. Oh, can I call you 'noona'?"

"Sure. It all starts with 'Noona'. Once we're lovers, you can call me whatever you want, hohoho!"

Shirone lifted the corner of his mouth as if it were ridiculous. For an 18-year-old boy, a 27-year-old woman was an adult who couldn't be overlooked.

Aside from that, Marsha was a much more intellectual and rational woman than he expected.

Their conversation was pleasant, and with his guard down, Shirone shared his experiences in the port.

Marsha nodded as if having a hunch and said, "Ah, you got caught by a street vendor. They're quite unpleasant. Still, 5 gold coins were a bit too much..."

"Yes. In the end, I had a disagreement with my companion, and she's not in a good mood. They must be waiting for me now. They'll probably scold me when I return."

Marsha checked the time and asked the bartender, "What happened with Gamose's commotion?"

While the bartender cleaned the cup as if he were deaf, Marsha placed a silver coin.

Then the bartender's mouth opened as if it had never happened.

"According to the news that arrived 10 minutes ago, it seems to have spread all over the main street. Probably around 40 people are blocking the entire intersection."

"Ugh, still? That person is so persistent."

"Originally, Gamose's alarm goes off immediately. The lid must have been lifted today."

Marsha looked back at Shirone and gave him a playful smile. Shirone had nothing to say since she was the one who blew the lid off Gamose's head.

Marsha then returned to the original topic.

"Anyway, it's good to deal with street vendors in moderation and avoid them. They're kids belonging to an organization. Once you start getting tangled up, it becomes difficult to handle."

"I see. Actually, I hadn't even thought about that."

"Heh, do you need to? You're here to have fun, right? But there's always a hidden danger within tourists' enjoyment. The island is small and closed. To share limited resources, you have to compete more fiercely than inland."

Shirone etched the fact into his mind. He planned to stay on the island for ten days, so he was likely to encounter many vendors.

Thanks to Marsha's advice, it was less likely for him to cause a serious accident, unlike today, when he didn't know anything.

From what he observed during the conversation, Marsha seemed like a very good person. She was kind, witty, and also had the discretion not to hastily judge others' words.

Why would such a person steal? Judging by her willingness to tip the bartender, it seemed she wasn't short of money either.

"Um, I'm not sure if I should ask this, but I'm very curious."

Marsha leaned back in her chair and glanced at the ceiling.

"Hmm, I got worried when you asked. But Shirone, a woman's three sizes are not something you hear, but something you imagine."

"No! It's not that! Why did you steal the ceramic?"

"Eh?"

"You don't seem like someone who would be a petty thief. And you lied about not having money. Why did you steal the ceramic, which isn't even a useful item..."

"Hmm."

Marsha rested her chin on her hand and began to think.

"I don't know. Maybe I just felt like stealing it?"

"Really? Is that possible?"

"It's possible. It's called Kleptomania. Of course, I wasn't like that from the beginning. I was an orphan. My parents abandoned me when I was four. A man from the mercenary group picked me up and raised me, he became my foster father."

Shirone's heart trembled at the unexpected words. Marsha, like him, was abandoned by her own parents.

"But it was far from a comfortable life. The Mercenary Corps is a place full of strange people. When I was 11, one of the wild mercenaries tried to lay hands on me. Fortunately, my foster father found him first and beat him up."

"Of course. His daughter almost got hurt. Anyone would do that."

"Heh, would they really?"

"Yes?"

Marsha looked toward the bar with a sad look. Somehow, her eyes seemed to be moist.

"I received a piece of bread and a glass of water every day. My foster father didn't give me anything more than that. Clothes, sweets, and toys. In the end, he raised me like cattle. That's when I started stealing from others. One day, I got caught stealing apples, but he paid the fine without resisting. However, when I got home, he changed and started hitting me, didn't say a word, and didn't stop until I passed out."

"That's too much. If he could pay the fine, wouldn't it be better to buy it in the first place? And why didn't you ask for one?"

"Because that's what my foster father wanted: submission to him. The only resistance I could put up was to steal something every day. Of course, the days I got caught, I was beaten to death. It was a terrible daily life. So, one day, I gave up everything. And I told this to my uncle."

Marsha rested her chin in her hand, recalling the past.

"You can kill me if you want."