A small tug suddenly pulled at the edge of Levi's sleeve.
Levi glanced downward.
A little girl stood there quietly, staring up at him with wide eyes. She couldn't have been older than seven. In her hands was a slightly crushed piece of bread wrapped in cloth.
"…For you," she mumbled shyly.
Levi blinked once.
Around them, the workers had slowly gone quiet.
"You should eat it yourself,"
Levi said calmly.
The girl quickly shook her head.
"Mama said… heroes need food too."
Silence.
Gaius immediately turned away, coughing into his hand to hide his laughter.
Levi stared at the bread for a moment longer
before sighing softly and accepting it.
"…Thank you."
A heavy feeling settled in his chest, a feeling heavier than when he stood in the battlefield.
Levi looked at the slightly crushed bread in silence before taking a bite. It was cold. Plain.
Yet somehow... it tasted better than the feasts in Ashbourne.
Gaius stared at him for a moment before laughing into his hands
"you really ate it"
Levi glanced at him
"was i not supposed to? It still is food Gauis."
the workers exchanged looks, a noble eating a food given by a kid who looked no better.
It was a sight Ravenholt hasn't seen.
As the bread sat heavier in his stomach, he understood something, the people werent expecting perfection, or something back immediately... They were just hoping they are not abandoned again.
By noon parts of Ravenholt, started moving again. Small stalls reopened along the market roads, though not as filled as they used to.
Levi walked through the streets.
The atmosphere felt different, not hopeful, grateful, grateful that they were even given a chance to open, grateful that they were welcomed rather oppressed.
Merchants watching every coin closely,
Children lingered near food stalls longer than they should be.
Even the smell of fresh bread was faint compared to the smell in Ashford
Levi stopped infront of one his gaze narrowed slightly "Prices?" asking the merchant
the merchant answered "Doubled after the war, My Lord" he sighed "People buy less, cause they cant afford the prices now, we merchants sell less cause of it... Everyone is suffering"
Levi felt silent. He realized a kingdom cant be rebuilt by speeches, only the mind of the people can be rebuilt from that. A kingdom is rebuilt, coin by coin, meal by meal, brick by brick.
As he was about to speak a child ran by and stole a piece of bread.
the merchant's eyes widen shocked "HEY!"
Levi smirks and puts 4 silver coin on the counter "the two silver coins, use it to buy stuff to make those bread, and give it out, the other two is yours to keep" he turned around chased after the kid.
The child ran in a nearby alley.
Levi stood over the alley entrance leaning on a wall. "hey kid" but his eyes widened at the sight.
the kid who stole the bread, tearing bread to pieces and giving it to his frail younger sister, who reached it with shaking hands at the bread.
Levi he reaches out, but his brain felt heavy, like numerous migraines all at once, and as he looked up once more at the two children...
Their faces was distorted, the eyes pitch black and bleeding, they point at him "YOU DID THIS, MONSTER, MONSTER, MONSTER!!!!"
Levi holds his head his right hand covering his already shut eyes, smth inside him wanted to claw his eyes out, the regret, the guilt of war plagued his mind, that he wants to pay the price with his sight, as his right hand tried to, he resisted "s-stop" his left hand pushing the right hand away.
hands reach out behind him, covering his face and body, as if the bodies of the enemies he murdered came back to haunt him.
Levi kept resisting, he knew none of this was real, he knew he had to do what had to be done. "G-GET AWAY FROM ME" he yelled out pushing the hands away from him, but he was overwhelmed, he closed his eyes accepting it, but as he reopened his eyes, everything was back to normal, the two kids looked at him, afraid.
only a second passed but that moment felt like hours.
The boy who stole the bread yelled out at him "punish me, but not my sister" shielding her sister
Levi patted the kid's head "calm down, I'm not here to harm you" he knelt down going on the same level as the two kid "i already payed for that bread so dont worry, why dont you two come with me" he reached out to the two kids smiling
The boy looking down, afraid to look at Levi "B-but i stole those bread" he swallowed hard, guilty at his actions.
Levi chuckled lightly "you did what you had to do, now come with me, I'll get you all clean and clothed, how about that, trust me on this, you can call other children that's in your situation too."
The kid turned around and looked at his sister,
"s-sister do you want t-"
the frail younger sister muttered "y-yes"
Levi smiled and he carried the frail child and he looked at the older brother "call other children and what not, I'll get some food to help your sister, I'll be at the castle gates"
the Kid eye glowed "O-okay count on me!" he ran out the alleyway
Levi headed back to the castle gates.
And when he arrived Gaius glanced at him and looks away, then he looks back as he realized he's carrying a child "L-levi, i mean Lord"
Levi looked at him "You're not married and have no children correct?"
Gaius answered quickly "y-yeah what about it-"
Levi cuts him off by handing the child over "go get this girl some food, also something else beside bread, like soup, and maybe also bread, and after she eats, call knight Valerie to wash the kid, just say I ordered her to do so"
Gaius on instinct held the girl, then he panics and almost got the kid to fall, but luckily he catches.
Levi picks his ear with his pinky ignoring the screaming Gaius, he waves him off.
Gaius accepts his faith and went to the kitchen to go get the kid some food.