Lux casually tossed the newly earned blue silver coin into the air, caught it, and then clutched it tightly in her palm.

She could even make the coin spin on her fingertips, nimbly leaping and twirling between her fingers as if it had a life of its own, like a tiny blue silver coin performing a graceful dance.

This was a girl with short hair, but she was dressed very much like a man; long sleeves and a cloak almost completely concealed any distinguishing feminine features, making her look almost indistinguishable from the young men around.

"Sam, good morning!" a voice called out.

It was a yellow-haired kid whose hair was as messy as a bird's nest, looking no older than fifteen, filthy from head to toe, his face still smeared with dirt, as if he had just crawled out of the ground.

"Morning, Reed," Lux replied, pocketing the coin.

Sam was her alias, or rather, her name when posing as a 'man'.

"I really envy you, Sam, always having so many ways to make money. Unlike me, I can't even be a decent pickpocket; I can only beg or do other dirty work." Reed's voice was faint, tinged with a certain resentment and numbness towards life.

"People in the city are getting smarter lately, they rarely keep money in their pockets. Stealing alone won't cut it; I have to do other things too…" Lux paused. "Speaking of which, why are you wearing the triangular emblem of the Holy Light Cult around your neck?"

She had noticed the triangular necklace around Reed's neck.

"Oh, this…" Reed touched the necklace, looking a bit uneasy. "The missionaries from outside the city gave it to me. Sam, to tell you the truth, even though our city believes in the God of Wealth… well… the God of Wealth and Fortune seems to only favor adventurers and merchants. Look at me, I'm neither brave nor smart. But the God of Light is different. They say the God of Light is equal, is just, and even someone worthless like me can receive His blessings. Besides, other faiths are allowed here too, right? So, so it should be… alright, shouldn't it…" Reed seemed nervous and uneasy, stammering yet babbling on as if a floodgate had opened.

"Wait," Lux frowned. "I remember those priests only entered the city a couple of days ago, right? You joined their faith so quickly?"

"This is the god's guidance for a lost lamb like me… Besides, you know, my father, he's racked up a load of gambling debts again. I need help, I need guidance. Those priests took pity on me, even lent me some money, and performed a Holy Light spell on my sick mother… I feel like my mom really has gotten a bit better." Reed lowered his head, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible sob.

"I really… can't do anything. Now I can only wait for my mom… wait until she gets better, then leave that man. I hate my father so much, but… but…" His voice grew softer. "I just want to save some money, become a shoemaker's apprentice, earn a living by sewing boots in the future, maybe even have my own shop…" The last few words were almost an incoherent mumble.

"Reed, hold out your hand," Lux said, taking out two silver coins and dropping them into Reed's outstretched palm.

"Pay me back when you're alive and working as a bootmaker," Lux said with a wave, turning to leave.

"This… I can't take this!" Reed hurriedly refused. "I know, Sam, you never bother with people who don't pay back their debts… But I really don't know when I'll be able to repay you… Please, take it back."

"Then consider it a gift. You can pay me back with boots you make in the future; I'll make a killing then." A decent pair of leather boots was worth at least a dozen blue silver coins; even poorly made ones could sell for four or five. This indeed sounded like a good deal—provided, of course, that Reed could actually become a bootmaker.

"Alright. Thank you, Sam. I'll pray for you; you're a good person." Reed accepted the coins, perhaps a faint glimmer of hope still lingering in his heart, believing he could one day become a bootmaker.

"I'm no good person," Lux blurted out, then quickly corrected herself, "But I'll accept your blessings." She almost wanted to say: Save your blessings, you unlucky sod, just take your mom and run, get far away from that deadbeat gambler father of yours! But the words, on the tip of her tongue, were ultimately swallowed back.