Following Alex to a small room with Ken attending to their mother, to see a woman in her late 20s, with long brown hair, and pale from exhaustion. She was awake now, and looking at me with tired and confused eyes as this tall and lean built man before her, well dressed and covered in blood splatters.

Her motherly instincts kicked in, and despite her exhaustion, she quickly threw both of the boys behind her to protect them from what she sees as a threat to her children.

So this is what a mother’s love looks like? Seeing this display of love from her softened the ferocity of my anger towards the bandits and I let Ken explain the situation to them, and how I am here to help take care of her.

“S-Sir, I am deeply sorry! I have been a bad host to your gracious self, let me-” She moved to get out of bed and I stopped her from doing so.

“The only thing you need to do right now, is focus on taking care of yourself and resting. You will be no help to anyone if you work yourself to death now,” and at first she wanted to argue, then saw the sad and worried looks in her kids eyes, and then nodded as the boys laid her down and gave her more of the medicinal water.

“Please allow me to make use of your kitchen, and I will bring you all a tasty meal!” Not waiting for her refusal, I left to the kitchen and started preparing the ingredients.

It was never a meal I had the opportunity to make, but I’ve watched street carts from afar so many times that I understood the basics. Using a little bit of the clean water, I scrubbed the one large pot and metal ladle they had to a reasonably clean state, as I started a small fire and allowed the fatty parts of the meat to render nice and crispy on the pot.

Salt and pepper were the best of the seasonings I could acquire along the way, as I was unsure of the other ingredients used in this world. Ken got curious at the delicious smell coming from the kitchen, and joined me as I cooked the meal.

Guiding him through the process of rendering the meat, and using the flavor on the pot from it to flavor the vegetables into a nice broth, and then finally allowing it all to come together into a heart stew. Ken was curious, and eager to learn even though this was a meal that was uncommon in the Slums to say the least.

Setting up the table as best as I could, using new wooden utensils and bowls purchased on the way, I went to assist the boys to moving their mother gently to the table, making sure to ask for permission to touch her back as I used my strength to let the boys think it was mainly them doing so.

Watching the two boys acting like hungry vultures eating their food like it was going to disappear if they didn’t, with their mother telling them to mind their manners, I let out a loud laugh that caught them off guard.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Looking at the two boys, “You two make sure to cherish your mother dearly, okay? All the wealth in the world can not compare to the value of your mother’s love for you. Living as a street rat is hard, but at least you have the warmth of her love to warm you when it gets cold, right?”

“Yes, sir!” The two boys said, and I gave them both a second helping of the stew. Looking at their mother, I see that she was staring at me deeply and with a hint of fear, and I realized she was getting the wrong idea about me.

“You owe me nothing, like I told them earlier, this was simply performing a deed that I wished was done for me when I was in need as well,” and she was still skeptical.

“Owing a favor is sometimes more dangerous in the Slums…” she quietly said, and she was right. It was much better to be in debt to someone then owe an undefined favor, as you generally know the price of the former at least.

“Then let’s say that a deity in the sky will pay me in good fortune in your stead?” I look to the sky in a dramatic gesture, making the playful attitude obvious to everyone, but making sure the System hears as well.

[1 Lumina Point has been granted for your generous behavior to the less fortunate]

Thank you for your abundant generosity, System…

[1 Lumina Point has been deducted for actions unbefitting of a Hero]

One of these days, I will strangle you, System.

[Pardon?]

N-Nothing, System. Just been a long day.

[Continue to perform good deeds, and the rewards will reveal themselves in time.]

The family before me laughed at my “joke”. The mother seemed to be more at ease, and believed I did not plan to use this help of mine against them.

After the meal was finished, the boys went to lay down and I spoke with their mother to ask some questions. “I roughly know of the Black Wolf Gang here, but can you tell me about any of the others as well, miss?”

“Please call me Anna, sir. The Black Wolf Gang is a new one, made up of slavers and thugs. They have a Soul Initiate as their leader, and bribe the local guards to ignore their activities in the Slums. Whenever one gang is ‘wiped out’ a new one takes its place. It’s all one cycle that we can not escape..”

I did not ask about the boys’ father, as Alex already informed me about them. This family does not deserve to suffer more than they already are as it is. How can I help?

System, can you offer some guidance?

[An organization this disorganized will likely fall apart or be severely crippled if the one in charge is removed. Find the Head of the Snake, and remove it.]

Understood.

I took a few silver coins out of my pouch, and handed them to her who immediately tried to refuse, but I insisted. “This is a payment for information, Miss Anna. I wish to remove the problem at its root, and I need any information to where I could potentially find the location of the Soul Initiate leader”.

“Even still, this is way too much money! The expenses you incurred for us are already more than we can afford, I can’t accept this!” She said in a panic.

The few silver pieces I gave her were not even pocket change to the Duskbane family, but a year’s worth of decent living in the Slums, based upon the prices of goods I saw earlier in the market with the boys.

“Consider it as a prepayment for becoming an informant of the Duskbane family then, if anyone gives you any trouble, tell them my name, Kain Duskbane,” and she panicked even more and immediately bowed when she heard my name.

“Please forgive my insolence, I was not aware you were a member of the noble Duskbane family!”

Motioning for her to rise, I looked into her eyes and said, “Do not bow to me. I am not like what you think of my family or other nobles. Fixing this issue is something important to me, and you are doing me a favor by helping me with this. Please do not make me beg”.

[Hostility detected outside the building, prepare to engage!]

Moving to put Anna behind me, the door exploded into fragments towards us.