He worked with several partners that night. Among them was the most beautiful girl in The Scarlet Veil—Vivian. He’d met her while trying to expand his network. She had been here for six years now, originally from another city, though Luca heard she had been captured by Phantasm.

Luca played from six in the evening until three in the morning before receiving his payment. Compared to the other musicians, his wages were the lowest. Perhaps it was because he was still new, or maybe simply because he was young.

“Luca, this is your payment for tonight,” Derek said.

“Thank you, boss.”

“You may all leave.”

“Vivian, stay. I need a word with you.” Derek continued with a malicious grin.

He said it plainly, but his expression betrayed another desire entirely. It was clear what he expected, he wanted her. From the corner of his eye, Luca noticed Ted’s expression darken.

There was likely something between them, but it wasn’t his concern. Not when he was still doing his best to survive.

He walked out of the brothel just as the moonlight crept across the street. The air was cold. The sky, as always, glowed an eerie shade of red.

But what unsettled him most wasn’t the sky, it was that moon.

Still couldn’t get used to it. Perhaps it was because he remembered the white moon from his past life.

This crimson one felt… wrong. And now that he noticed it, he realized something else.

There were no stars.

Not a single one twinkled in the sky.

Aside from the moons and the sun, are we truly alone in this universe?

What kind of world has he come to?

The thought struck him deeply.

Or is this sky itself a false illusion, wrapped around this world?

He no longer knows what to believe. This place has already bent his logic more times than he can remember.

He stood there, unable to move, as doubt crept through his thoughts.

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside, and kept walking. The distance from the Red District to the Slums was far, especially for someone like him. Though the districts were side by side, the walk from their centers was nearly three kilometers.

For most people, that would be a thirty to forty-minute walk. For Luca, with his broken leg, it took over an hour. And each time, it left his leg aching for a while. It seems his broken right leg might take more time to recover.

By the time he returned, it was close to four a.m. His sister was already asleep, and Rin was snoring loudly nearby. He lay down beside Evelyn, placed his cane by his side, and slipped into sleep almost immediately. His mind was too weary for further thought.

He woke at nine, as usual, and washed up quietly. When he came back, Evelyn was already chatting with Rin, smiling warmly.

He approached them.

“Good morning, Sister,” Luca said with a rare, soft smile.

“Morning, Lu,” Evelyn returned the smile, her voice gentle as ever.

Rin raised an eyebrow, she acted like something was off.

“Huh, I’m feeling jealous. How about flashing me a smile like that, Luca?” Rin teased, winking at him.

“Good morning, Rin,” he replied, his face calm and unreadable.

“Ehh~ you’re so cold!” she pouted dramatically, only to freeze as a chilling voice cut in.

“Trying to seduce my brother?” Evelyn’s voice turned sharp. She raised a hand, fingers poised to pinch.

“No! I’m sorry~” Rin cried with a pitiful face and acted as if she’d already been pinched.

Evelyn ignored her antics and turned back to Luca.

“What’s your plan today, Lu?”

“I’ll continue teaching you both arithmetic.”

“Alright. That seems fine.” Evelyn said with a gentle nod.

“Teach me as well, Luca~” Rin added playfully, only to yelp when Evelyn promptly pinched her arm.

“Ow-ow-ow! Wait- Evy! Nooo,” Rin squealed.

Rin fought to get away, but his sister wrapped her in an unyielding embrace, determined not to let her go.

In the end, Rin pleaded for mercy again, and only then did Evelyn let her go. Rin continued to pout right up until it was time for their lesson.

Their progress in arithmetic was steady. Evelyn had begun to understand the logic behind counting and could now reach a hundred. Rin, despite her careless and teasing nature, learned faster. She had a sharp mind and was already working on subtracting and dividing two-digit numbers.

They studied until noon, after which Luca stood and said he would buy food. Evelyn offered to help, but he gently refused.

“You can help next time,” he said. “I need to speak with the merchant today.”

Afterwards, it took him several minutes to make his way to Gerard’s stall, where the old man greeted him with a smile.

“Good day, Sir”

“Hey, kid. Bread, like usual?”

“Yes,” Luca replied calmly. “But I also need one more thing—a knife.”

“... A knife? How much do you have?”

“Fifteen copper.”

“Alright, I’ve got one. Second-hand, small, a bit rusty—but the edge is sharp. Wait a sec.”

Gerard returned with a small knife and five pieces of bread.

Luca handed over twenty copper, enough for both the bread and the knife.

The knife was about 20 centimeters long, 2 centimeters wide, and fairly thick. It was old, but still sharp. He tested it in his hand a few times before hiding it beneath his clothes.

He didn’t plan to use it yet, but it was better to be prepared.

Before leaving, he asked, “Do you know how much a flat or shared room costs?”

“In the city? Minimum one gold a month. But in the slums, it’s cheaper. Maybe half, or less. Are you planning to rent?”

“Not yet. But maybe soon. Do you provide rooms?”

“Not personally, but I know someone who does. Ask me later, and I’ll introduce you.”

With a slight bow of his head, Luca said, “Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Take care, kid.” Gerard nodded.

***

When he returned to the bridge, only Evelyn was there.

“Where is Rin?”

“She went to beg at the south city gate,” Evelyn replied softly.

Luca fell silent for a moment, then murmured, “... I see.”

He planned to support Rin until he could find proper tasks for her, but she seemed uneasy about getting help without giving anything in return.

He couldn’t forget the sight of Evelyn begging for food at the south city gate, only to be cruelly shouted at and called useless. Even now, the memory made his heart ache.

So he just couldn’t allow her to keep living that way, not after all she’d done to care for his sister during her illness.

The thought lingered in his mind while he quietly prepared a simple porridge and shared it with his sister. Evelyn continued her studies afterwards, even learning how to add two-digit numbers.

Rin returned before four, empty-handed. Luca had already prepared her share of the food and approached her, holding out a cup.

“Rin. This is yours,” he said calmly.

“Huh?... I—I can’t accept it,” she murmured, troubled.

“I understand you don’t want to, but I’ll need your help with something later,” Luca said gently.

Rin stared at him for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

“... Really?” she said quietly.

“Indeed. And when that time comes, even if you say no, I’ll have you working twice as hard to pay me back.”

He wore a serious look, determined to persuade her.

“… Okay. Just tell me what to do when it happens. I’ll do my best,” she replied, nodding.

She accepted the food, and together, they shared a meal in peaceful silence.