Grimm: Ch. 16 [Warning]

---Third POV---

Gerald stared at Grimm's figure, completely entranced, and failed to dodge in time.

A drunkard seized the opportunity, grabbing him. The strength of an adult was far beyond what a child could resist.

His wrist throbbed painfully under the grip. Though he wanted to fight back, the drunk had already clamped both of his hands in his sweaty palms.

"Heh heh heh, what's with all this mud? Let me see just how pretty you are. Heh heh heh..." The drunkard's greasy hands wiped the dirt off Gerald's face, then began tugging at his clothes, his expression like a beast about to devour its prey.

"Let go of me!!"

Having never experienced anything like this before, Gerald felt a deep fear and unease welling up. The sensation of his feet dangling off the ground was terrifying.

Unfortunately, his small legs couldn't even kick the man effectively.

The people around them merely glanced over before resuming their revelry. After all, the children in this place weren't just there to serve drinks but also to cater to special clients.

Such scenes were all too common here.

However, a few of the women working nearby sensed something amiss. The child's hair color was strikingly similar to that of the Madame's son.

Alarmed, they quickly slipped away to inform her.

It's over...

Gerald's eyes widened in fear, vividly taking in this unfamiliar and horrifying situation.

"What beautiful blue eyes and lips..."

Just as the drunkard's slimy mouth was about to touch Gerald's face, a dark shadow leaped across a table, landing with a solid kick to the back of the man's greasy head.

Thud!

The shadow sent the man sprawling to the ground with a heavy crash.

Freed from his grasp, Gerald immediately retaliated with a sharp kick of his own, knocking himself backward and putting some distance between them.

"Run!"

Grimm swiftly grabbed Gerald's hand.

Thankfully, Gerald moved quickly, and the two darted through the crowded brothel, weaving between the patrons and fleeing the chaos behind them.

"You little brats! Get them!" the drunkard shouted as he scrambled to his feet. Although the others at his table were usually disgusted by his behavior, the ruined meal and their sense of pride compelled them to join the chase.

"Damn kids! Meddling in my business!"

Best, who had been lurking in the shadows and observing the scene, cursed under his breath.

"Tch, serves you right... Odru," Oka commented casually, sipping his drink with an air of indifference.

Seeing that his task was complete, Best slipped away unnoticed, ready to report the events to Kadi.

---

A woman hurried to the front hall.

She had checked Gerald's room and confirmed he wasn't there. Deeply worried about her son, she arrived at the upper balcony overlooking the commotion just in time to see the group of rowdy men rushing out.

If he had managed to make it outside, his agility would likely help him evade them. But of all days, today was one when she had to maintain an unflappable demeanor.

"Well, isn't this a rare sight? Madame Karina herself stepping out? Are you taking customers tonight?"

"Hahaha, I'll pay ten gold coins for a kiss from the Madame!"

"Don't hog her! Money doesn't make you special…"

"Please calm down," Karina interjected with a charming smile. "I heard from one of my maids that someone upset our guests earlier. Tonight, drinks are on me! Please, enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"

The crowd roared in approval, distracted by the announcement. Karina's appearance always caused a stir, her beauty rare and mesmerizing.

Even the drunken Oka, his bleary eyes following the crowd's gaze, was stunned by her. His lips murmured in a daze, "Anna?"

Unfortunately, the intoxicated man lacked even the strength to stand. His vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was an image from years past—a young, naive version of himself gazing ardently at a beloved figure in a distant castle.

---

"Where the hell did those two brats run off to?"

"Damn it!! I'll catch them and make them feel my wrath!"

"Tch, maybe just let it go, Odru. Didn't the Madame say drinks are on the house?"

"Then she should apologize to me! Her little servant boy is just too disrespectful..." The group cursed under their breath but eventually wandered off.

Meanwhile, Grimm and Gerald, hiding in a nearby alley, finally let out sighs of relief.

"Phew... That was close. Good thing we made it."

Sweat glistened on Grimm's brow as he tried to calm his nerves.

He quickly began checking Gerald's clothes and body for injuries.

Gerald, still uneasy, felt a wave of irritation. How could he have let his guard down like this? It was always trouble whenever this guy was involved.

"What are you doing?!" Gerald swatted his overly familiar hands away in annoyance.

"Good, you're fine…" Grimm breathed a sigh of relief, and then, without warning, hugged Gerald tightly.

His ears flushed slightly red. This guy...

Still, as infuriating as he was, without him, things might've turned out much worse tonight.

Damn it, he thought bitterly. He had come here to teach Grimm a lesson, and now he'd ended up being the one saved.

Without rejecting the embrace, he hesitantly placed a hand on Grimm's back.

Such a broad and solid back. Was this guy really a kid like him? How was he so strong?

---

"Hey, where's the Madame?"

When Odru and his group returned, the Madame was nowhere to be found.

Frustrated, they slumped back into their seats. As mere Midor mercenaries, they didn't dare make too much trouble in a place frequented by people of all sorts of status.

However, a certain girl wasn't so lucky.

Sold to this place long ago, she had been spared the worst, mostly doing menial chores.

But the cruel whims of fate couldn't protect her forever. Tonight, she'd once again find herself at the mercy of patrons with twisted desires.

They would pin her to a table, treating her like a gambling token. Her body, only recently showing signs of health, would endure yet another round of torment.

---

When their gathering ended, and everyone had found a group of people they liked—be it prostitutes or those sharing similar interests—the brothel's purpose was officially fulfilled.

Private rooms were sold for 10 copper coins each, and the prostitutes' service fees were charged separately.

At this time, Grimm was already crouched on the roof near Odru's private room.

What a despicable guy.

He had actually chosen a child. It was just a tragic product of this era, utterly devoid of morality—a sorrow of the times.

As the surroundings grew more familiar, he realized by nightfall that this was the same brothel where he had previously stalked Shiva.

"Heh, I'm in a foul mood today! Let me pamper you properly."

Odru, who had just negotiated a price with the Madam, burst into the room, seemingly unable to wait to indulge.

Inside, a child was thrown to the ground.

Judging by the sounds, it seemed to be a little girl. Resigned to her fate, she trembled with fear but dared not scream, only letting out muffled sobs.

The small, stone-walled room wasn't sealed.

A tattered curtain covered barely half the doorway, and the dim light inside, mixed with moonlight, allowed Grimm to see glimpses of the scene.

But now wasn't the time.

Many people had yet to enter their private rooms, and acting now would easily draw attention.

As the surroundings grew quieter, noises began emanating from nearby rooms, signaling the peak of lustful indulgence.

This was the perfect time for murder, as no one would notice unusual sounds in the middle of their passion.

The little girl inside seemed to have lost all strength. Her cries and wails had faded, leaving the room silent.

Grimm silently climbed down from the low roof without making a sound.

Peering cautiously, he saw Odru hadn't finished. He held the little girl in the inner side of the bed, doing something Grimm couldn't discern clearly because of the bed frame blocking his view.

Fortunately, this also meant Odru couldn't see him either.

Disgusting scum!

He swiftly crept inside.

"Hm?" Odru barely noticed something amiss and began to turn, but it was too late.

Shunk!

The dagger in Grimm's right hand plunged hard into Odru's neck. Blood gushed out instantly. His other hand clamped over the fat pig's mouth, silencing any final sounds.

"Mm! Mmgh…"

Odru struggled violently, his life slipping away as blood poured out and his breathing faltered.

With a final burst of strength, he pushed Grimm back, trying to rise from the bed. Yet, clutching his neck, he couldn't make a sound. His eyes filled with terror and disbelief that he was dying at the hands of a child wielding a dagger.

His wide eyes froze as he collapsed heavily onto the floor beside the bed.

Grimm, still shaken, had never carried out such a real assassination before. His senses felt unnaturally heightened. He listened intently to the sounds outside—it was the same as before.

No one had noticed anything unusual.

Grimm exhaled in relief.

[Odru has been slain.]
[740 experience points gained.]

What the hell?!

The sudden system notification startled him so much that he jumped. As he frantically sought cover, he belatedly wiped cold sweat from his forehead.

[Current EXP: 77,923/77,233.]
[Leveled up to 20.]

[System upgrade and maintenance commencing.]
[Estimated duration: 48 hours.]
[Please ensure personal safety during this period.]
[System storage will be frozen during maintenance.]
[Initiate upgrade? Yes/No.]

Of course not. He might need the system's storage in the current situation.

[System will automatically upgrade in 12 hours.]

Damn it all. He couldn't help but curse.

Wiping the blood off his dagger, Grimm noticed the little girl on the bed. Checking her breath, he realized she was no longer alive—her body was already growing cold.

"What a beast." Grimm spat on the corpse lying on the ground.

At this point, it seemed there was no need to even think about covering up the evidence. Looking at the dagger in his hand, he decided it was too merciful for that scumbag.

Comparing the blade of the dagger to the 100 throwing knives in his spatial inventory, he picked one that matched something a child might carry. Grimm stabbed Odru's wound again, smearing some of the blood onto the knife before placing it into the little girl's hand.

He adjusted their positions to make it look convincing.

Only then did he recognize the girl—it was the one who had come with them.

Her lifeless eyes stared blankly, wide open. She must have felt utterly helpless in her final moments. And how many others in this era had experienced similar tragedies?

It was truly miserable.

"Rest in peace. Your vengeance has been served."

He placed a hand over the girl's eyes and closed them. With her eyes shut, she seemed much more peaceful.

In a world like this, perhaps death was a kind of release.

After tidying everything and ensuring there were no loose ends, he slipped out of the brothel, heading toward the military camp.

Bang!

Just as Grimm was about to sneak into the camp, a blow from a hidden figure knocked him unconscious.

---Grimm's POV---

Splash!

Cough, cough...

I woke to the shock of cold water splashed on me.

I was in a damp, and shabby earthen hut.

The air reeked of mold, and the stone walls around me suggested I was underground.

My hands were bound with hemp rope, suspended from an iron chain attached to the ceiling. The dried bloodstains on the floor and the metallic scent in the air told me this was likely a private dungeon used for interrogations.

"You're awake?" A calm yet icy male voice spoke from a wooden table not far away.

I lifted my head briefly to glance at the man, then lowered it again, staring silently at the ground. I didn't need to think to know that my actions tonight had angered Kadi.

He must have been informed as soon as I took Gera out.

What I didn't know was whether the assassination mission had succeeded, as I hadn't stayed to confirm it.

He rose, taking a whip from one of his subordinates, and lashed me mercilessly.

I gritted my teeth and remained silent, even as the blows ripped my skin.

Each strike left stinging welts on my flesh, but I had long trained myself to endure pain.

After dozens of lashes, his anger seemed to subside slightly. But staying quiet only pissed him off more. He drove his fist into my stomach.

"Ugh..."

"You know why I'm punishing you?"

I trembled involuntarily from the pain. "Because I acted on my own initiative."

"So you know I don't tolerate subordinates who disobey my orders."

He grabbed my head, and forced me to meet his gaze.

"But you know what, Kadi? I don't regret it."

Hearing this, he punched me again, but this time to my gut.

"Urgh... cough..."

Kadi wiped his hands with a cloth, his expression one of disdain. He turned and left, muttering under his breath about what a maddening brat I was.

"You'll stay here and think things through. I have no use for a subordinate who doesn't understand obedience."