Arcane Innovator

I crouched in the shadows at the corner of a small plaza behind a few shabby-looking crates, my eyes fixed on two scrawny children begging for food nearby.

I could see the dejection in their eyes as they desperately pleaded. It was indeed a sorrowful sight. Yet, despite the apparent futility of their plight, they kept at it. As if they were grasping for hope in a cruel and indifferent world.

There was no way to run a background check on a pair of homeless orphans, so I could only approach them directly and see how things went from there.

Thus, while staying hidden, I quietly retreated, tracing back my steps to the main road where I purchased a delicious-looking meat skewer from a nearby stall before quickly returning to the plaza and casually walking in the orphan's direction.

I tried not to look at them but rather to keep my eyes fixed on the road before me to not appear suspicious while theatrically gnawing at the skewer, hoping that the boy would approach me on his own.

And sure, he did. I could see his sight focused on me from the corner of my eye while he helplessly gulped. I had to make a conscious effort to suppress the victorious grin creeping up my face as he pleaded. "Sir, please, a little bit of food..."

I put on a benevolent-looking smile and stretched out my hand toward him. He instantly cowered while shutting his eyes, preparing to receive a hit. But the strike never came. He cautiously opened his eyes only to see a crispy, fat-dripping meat skewer right in front of him.

He widened his eyes in utter bewilderment before quickly raising his eyes to look at me, afraid it was some sort of guise. But it wasn't. I nodded with encouragement and handed him the rest of the skewer.

He smiled brightly for the first time and bowed to me respectfully. "Thank you so much, sir! The gods will repay your generosity."

He paused, and despite his grumbling stomach, he turned and gave the skewer first to the small girl standing right behind him.

I observed her silently. She looked around 6 or 7 years old, but it was hard to tell since she was malnourished. Her complexion also looked extremely pale, with cold sweat glistening on her forehead. She was undoubtedly suffering from some sort of illness.

"Is that your sister?" I asked the boy, and he nodded. "Greta always had poor health, but I'm sure some food will make her better." He said with hopeful eyes.

However, from one look at her, I knew instantly that no amount of food would cure something like this. Luckily, I had something much better.

I searched my pocket before taking out one of my elixirs and offering it to the girl. "Drink this. It will help you."

The boy looked suspiciously at the small vial in my hands and said. "What is it?"

"It's a medicine that will cure her illness," I said reassuringly.

He blinked a few times. "But I heard medicines are really expensive. Why would you give us something so precious?"

I perfectly understood his skepticism as it was indeed quite weird for a stranger to just hand him something so precious. Thus, I donned what I hoped looked like a zealous expression and enthusiastically proclaimed.

"The Lord of Light teaches us that we should always strive to help those in need. As all your good deeds during one's life will be repaid a thousandfold when you ascend to Caelis."

I remember this from when the local priest used to give sermons back in the village, so I hoped it might somewhat dissolve his worries.

He once again blinked a few times and looked at me like I was crazy. Such gospels apparently didn't stop others from completely ignoring them until now, which meant he didn't look particularly convinced.

So I simply uncorked the vial and offered it to the girl. She moved her eyes between the vial and her brother, seemingly unsure what to do.

The boy looked at me for a short while, hesitant, but then he simply smiled at her and gave her a slight nod. After that, the girl finally accepted the potion and took a small sip.

But as soon as she tasted it, her dull eyes brightened, and she enthusiastically gulped the whole thing down in the blink of an eye.

She then looked at me with big eyes and asked, "Sir, What is it? It was so yummy!"

It was apparent the elixir immediately began working its magic. Her pale complexion receded somewhat, replaced by a much more healthy shade of red. But it was evident that only a single potion wouldn't cut it.

I couldn't help but chuckle, seeing her make such an expression. "It's a new type of elixir. It's not on the market yet, so you had the amazing opportunity to be among the very first people to try it."

She looked at the empty vial with an almost religious fervor. I smiled and turned my head toward the boy. "What is your name?"

"It's Hans, sir," He answered absentmindedly, still looking quite startled by everything that was happening.

I nodded at his response, and after a moment to gather my thoughts, I gave him my offer. "You know Hans, Your sister will get better after this, but only this much won't be nearly enough to cure her fully, and as you said, she is sickly. Staying here isn't good for her..."

After I gave him the cruel truth, he lowered his head with a gloomy expression. "But we have nowhere to go..."

I smiled at him and continued. "Fortunately for you, I'm just now seeking a new errand boy, and I kind of like your enthusiasm. So what would you say if I employed you, and then you and your sister could stay at my place sleeping in a warm bed and where you'd have a roof over your heads? I will, of course, continue taking care of Greta, and I'm sure she will be perfectly healthy in no time."

He widened his eyes. "Really? You would take us?"

"Of course! Now come with me. I'm sure you are still quite hungry..."

Not giving them any time to change their minds, I quickly grabbed Greta's tiny hand and began walking in the direction of home.

Hans simply stood there bewildered for a short moment before he, too, jogged after us.

We arrived at the mansion shortly after, and as soon as they laid their eyes on the opulent building, they froze in their tracks and looked at me with wide eyes. "Is it really okay for us to stay at a place like this?"

"Well, of course! It is my house, after all, so you don't have to worry about a thing."

I could see that their reverence toward me, which was already relatively high, increased a notch further. They realized I must be someone really important to live in such a house.

'Well, that's not entirely true, but it's better if they look up to me. Gaining their trust that way will be much easier.' I smiled pleasantly as we entered through the side entrance.

I first took them to the kitchen when I asked the cook to prepare them a late lunch before ordering my maids to prepare a bath to wash away the stench of the slums from them.

The siblings walked around like they were in some sort of dream. Not quite believing what was happening to them.

I looked at their scrawny figures as they ate. 'Hmm, they seem to be severely malnourished. I guess I will first have to fatten them up a little before they can be of any use.' I thought.

For now, I decided to limit their food intake so their stomachs could get used to a regular diet so that they wouldn't get sick from overeating.

As they were bathing, I also sent one of my errand boys to fetch some appropriate clothes from the nearby clothing store, and shortly before it was time for dinner, both Hans and Greta looked nothing like when I first found them.

At dinner, I introduced them to Helga, who instantly began drooling over Greta and how "cute" she apparently looked. Seeing this, I showed a subtle smile and promptly placed the startled-looking girl into the care of my sister as she seemed to immediately take a liking to her.

After the dinner, I waited until Helga took Greta upstairs to show her around before taking Hans to the side, and I looked at him with a stern face. "Although I love seeing both you and your sister getting clean and healthy, keeping you with us won't be a cheap affair. Especially given the cost of the medicines your sister requires..."

Hans looked at me with his big eyes and gulped nervously. "I'm so sorry, sir, but we have nothing to repay your generosity..." He said as he lowered his head.

"Well, then you will have to simply work for it, and I will subtract the expenses from your payment. What do you say?"

"Of course, sir! I will do anything you ask of me! Just please heal my sister." Hans exclaimed.

'Perfect,' I thought pleasantly, as this was even easier than I thought. His love for his sister seems even greater than I initially thought.

I smiled at him reassuringly. "Oh, I think I might have a perfect job for you. But you must swear to me you won't tell a living soul about it; otherwise, I would have to throw both of you back onto the street."

He immediately dropped to his knees. "Anything Sir. I swear I won't say anything!"

"Good. Now come with me..." I said as I led him to the basement.