Pledge

The wares sold like hot cakes afterwards. The prices were neither too high nor too low, optimally set at the affordable and desirable range.

Leonardo knew the local economics quite well. What an average farmer, smith or fisherman made in a year. When they had money and when they tended to run low on reserves, and how to market his wares so they appeal to various individuals.

These small tricks, while not anything revolutionary on their own, could greatly boost any merchant's profits. Unfortunately, Leonardo had no intention of publishing a marketing strategy guidebook, so his findings could only be wasted on the mere sale of basic tools.

By noon, before the market even closed for the day, his cart had already been mostly emptied. It was only then that Bruno came back, somewhat bashfully hiding his bruises.

He didn't mention being beaten by Luca, and Leo didn't ask either. They just sat in silence and peddled the last of their goods.

"Alright, Bruno. We'll buy some of the leftover vegetables. Take the cart back by yourself. I'll probably be late."

Dragging the cart around the market, he negotiated the prices with passion, appealing to anything from their morality, to their pride as adults and so on. Whatever tricks he could employ to drive their prices down, he employed without caring for his image.

He was poor, so there was no point in feigning generosity.

They roamed the market for another good hour, most of it wasted on Leonardo bargaining for a few scraps worth of discount. Finally, he left the market with great satisfaction. The goods should last the monastery another month or so, and by then hopefully Chimente would return.

While Leonardo could sustain things by making shovels and such, it was honestly a little beneath his skill level. He'd much rather focus on honing his magic and martial arts. After wasting a day to peddle in the market, he could only pray subtly for his piccolo to sell for a small fortune.

As he parted ways with Bruno, he stumbled on another acquaintance.

With his fingers still slightly deformed and misshapen, Fino was holding on to his aunt's hand while roaming the market.

Briefly setting his gaze on the boy's recovering injuries, he then ogled his aunt with relish.

"Ahem!" she snapped as if ready to slap him, pulling Leonardo out of his fond but rude remembrance.

"Ah! Good day, madam. I see you are in good health… how fortunate… and how is Fino?"

Awkwardly coughing and pretending he was merely concerned for her well-being, he nonchalantly swept the awkwardness aside.

"Hmph. Fino, why don't you go play with that brat your age. Your aunt has things to attend to."

Without even bothering to feign politeness, she dumped the timid boy on Leo and scurried off.

"What does she mean by it? Play with me? Ptui. You play with sand, while I played doctor on her. No matter how I look at it, we're definitely not the same…"

Feigning a displeased grunt, he watched the woman skip out of his vision then turned to Fino, noting his utter confusion. His passionate rant wooshed completely over the boy's head.

"Forget about it," rolling his eyes at having to play babysitter, he waved at Fino to follow, "So, little thief, what's new?"

"No— nothing new," he stammered with his head held low.

"Is that so…"

Somewhat absentmindedly looking around, Leonardo spread his awareness and then briskly turned around, walking through a narrow alleyway. It was only after a dozen paces that he stopped in his tracks.

Rolling his eyes yet again, he looked over at the stammering Fino who looked like an abandoned puppy, not knowing whether to stay or follow.

"You coming or not!?"

As if expectant of this very question, Fino bolted off after Leo, "Coming!"

"You run pretty fast for someone who got caught."

Despite seemingly making fun of him, Leonardo was genuinely impressed. Fino seemed very dexterous given his body, perhaps innately predisposed to such activities. Alas, his extraordinary talents were destined to remain unexplored and undeveloped as he grows.

"You could be a great fighter, you know?"

"You're kidding," Fino held a pained expression as he held up his mangled hands.

Leonardo froze.

He looked over Fino for a long time without saying a word, even as various thoughts flickered behind his eyes. Ultimately, Fino was just a hungry eight year old. Something about his situation stuck a chord with him. It was an injustice, though he couldn't explain quite clearly where his displeasure stemmed from.

As far as he knew, it was all business as usual. It was normal for children to go hungry or starve, for parents to never return from their voyage, for street urchins to freeze in the night and disappear. So where… then? Where did this discordant feeling originate? Why did it make him feel so pained in his soul to bear witness to this?

After a long silence, as his eyes flashed again and his youthfulness gave way for the blurry gaze filled with vicissitudes of a life that didn't belong to him. Leonardo let out an uncharacteristically deep sigh.

Then, he proclaimed, "I will save you."

Followed by a subtler whisper that melded with the night breeze. A promise no one shared but Leo himself and the endless winds.

"I will save all of you."

'From this broken fate you all accept as normal.'

'From hunger, cold and needless pain — I will absolve you'

Even if he did not know just yet what drove him to do this, he would wholeheartedly assume responsibility for this promise. It was a mage's oath, a vow that could not be broken so easily.

At his sudden display of insanity, Fino remained silent. Though perhaps a little startled, the boy just stood silently and waited for the glitching episode to hopefully pass. He wasn't quite sure what Leonardo was rambling about, but it would be a lie to say it didn't leave a seed of hope. After all, he saved him once before already, no?

With his gaze still piercing and deep, Leonardo looked at him, "Fino. Do you trust me?"

Matching his resolute gaze, Fino gathered his courage and answered clearly, "Yes, I do."

"Good, then; Follow me."

"I will."

Unbeknownst to them, this small interaction would ripen into a pledge he followed until the rest of his life.