Warhammer, I'm a nanny, not your father!

Perturabo: "No wonder you're so stupid."

The boy's face flushed red, but the coldness of the dagger on his neck made him realize the truth.

His face turned pale, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead, leaving several winding marks on his dirty cheeks.

Instead of rushing to punish the boy, Wop squatted down and looked directly into his eyes that were trembling with fear.

Wop: "Why did he steal?"

"To survive."

Culliphany's eyes swept over the boy's tattered clothes and thin cheeks, and there was a hint of pity in her voice.

"Poor," Perturabo said, more bluntly than his sister.

They all understood that Wop's purpose in asking them questions was to make them think about why the boy became a criminal, rather than to criticize his crime.

They are not high-ranking rulers, and they can understand even if the boys make mistakes.

They can also empathize with ordinary people, which is a very rare quality.

There is only one disease in the world: poverty.

This kid is really stupid. He didn't choose the right time, place, or people.

But who could expect a starving boy to come up with any clever plans?

He was not a premeditated thief, but an orphan with nowhere else to go.

The heavy purse around Carlyphane's waist was the bait. Although she had never thought about fishing, she was already fishing just by walking in the dark alley.

Wop: "Does Rocks have any laws to protect orphans?"

Caliphini nodded slightly, her voice soft, "The Locke Code stipulates that if a father dies, underage orphans should be raised by a guardian designated by the father during his lifetime, or by a male relative within the family, until they reach adulthood."

The law is the bottom line, but it cannot control the calculations in human nature.

A wealthy citizen family might raise an orphan out of kindness, or perhaps to seize the orphan's parents' inheritance.

People at the bottom of society may not even have the thought of embezzling because they have no inheritance at all.

The uncles and aunts themselves ate black bread mixed with bran, sawdust and even sand and gravel. How could they have enough food to feed other people's children?

"How old are you?"

"Eight years old!" The boy raised his chin, and his eyes, which had seen the coldness of the world, stared straight at Wop.

He felt that the noble master must be kind-hearted, the boy who held the knife to his neck was also kind-hearted, and the beautiful sister was even kinder-hearted.

They are good people.

Wop yawned. "Caliphini, what is theft?"

Chapter 186 Perturabo: I already hold victory! (5K)

"According to the Locke Code, the punishment for theft varies according to the identity and circumstances of the crime."

"If a person is not caught red-handed, he must pay compensation equal to double the value of the stolen property. If the theft occurs at night, the owner has the right to kill him on the spot."

"He is caught red-handed. Slaves will be whipped and then thrown off a cliff to death, and their masters will pay compensation on their behalf. Freemen will receive forty lashes and be handed over to their masters for their fate. If they are unable to pay, they can be reduced to debt slavery until they are paid."

The boy did not struggle, but simply shouted, "I am a free man!"

Caliphini's eyes swept over the subdued boy, her eyelashes drooping. "But considering his young age and poverty, I can consider relieving him."

The law is dead, but people are alive.

The Locke Code did not include any provisions for the protection of minors, but if the thief was a child, he would usually be given a lighter sentence.

People are generally tolerant of minors, and even strict law enforcers do not take it too seriously.

Unless they are unlucky enough to run into someone who is rigid or mean and happen to be caught red-handed.

Caliphini is not a mean person, but she just can't bear to be cruel.

Besides, she did not suffer any real loss; at best the boy had only attempted theft.

Otherwise, even if the boy was not demoted to a slave, he would not be able to bear forty lashes.

Wop: "Abo, let him go."

Perturabo's hand trembled, and the boy shuddered, fearing the shake would sever an artery.

But Perturabo's hand remained steady as a rock, and the blade chilled the boy's neck without leaving even a red mark.

The boy slowly lowered his head and his Adam's apple rolled.

But he did not run away, he just stared at the ground, as if he wanted to see through the stone slab.

Caliphonie said softly, "Go away. I don't blame you."

The boy's body trembled violently. He bit his lower lip tightly, but still stood there as if rooted, his stomach growling.

"Leave? Where does he want to go?"

Wop grabbed the girl's wrist and turned away. "People must pay for their mistakes. Perturabo, keep an eye on him. From now on, he will be your slave."

Perturabo glanced down at the boy, his gaze as careless as a glance at a pebble on the side of the road.

The boy kept his head down, as if being pulled by invisible chains, and followed his master's footsteps silently.

"Brother Wop," Culliphany gently pulled Wop's sleeve, "Why can't you give him a chance?"

Wop raised his hand and pinched Culliphant's cheek. "Does he look like he needs a chance?"

Caliphony blinked.

She has a high IQ, but she still has that soft innocence in her heart, and is blinded by one thing.

Wop: "From freeman to slave, what did he lose?"

Culliphany's voice was soft. "He will no longer be a citizen. The law will no longer protect him."

"Did the law protect him?" asked Wop.

The girl's silence was more deafening than any answer.

"Look at his eyes. If he really wanted to escape, he would have run away long ago, but what will be waiting for him?"

"Either you starve to death in the gutter in three days, or you get caught stealing again. The outcome is the same."

"By becoming a slave, he lost his freedom, but also gained the shackles of survival. As long as the debt was not paid, the master had to keep him alive."

Caliphini couldn't help but look back at the skinny boy. "So, he let himself be caught by us on purpose?"

"If he really could have succeeded, he would have escaped long ago. Even if he failed, he could have taken advantage of the situation and chosen a safer way to survive."

“But, if you meet someone cruel, wouldn’t he be?”

Wop's voice was filled with helplessness. "Why do you think he singled you out? How could a kind-hearted noblewoman like you, who seems unworldly, have the heart to kill him? What he should be worried about is that you'd be too soft-hearted and let him go."

Carlyphini's cheeks flushed slightly. She almost let the man go because of her soft heart.

However, before the blush faded, her eyes dimmed.

She would rather die than become a slave to others, but some people are willing to bow down to survive.

Caliphini looked back at the top of the mountain. The magnificent temples and palaces of Rocks City sparkled in the sun, but in the dark alleys huddled countless poor people like the boy who were struggling to survive.

There were banquets and revelry in the palace every night, but ragged children were begging for food in the mud.

Locus was the most prosperous city-state in Olympia, but whose prosperity was it?

"Crack!"

Perturabo's gaze swept across the two intimate people in front of him like a sharp blade, and Lifanny almost stuck her whole body to Wop!

Why are you guys so close?

His knuckles tightened silently, and the scabbard decorated with gold and gems made a slight friction sound in his palm.

Although he heard every word of Wop and Culliphant's whispers, he still felt an indescribable irritation in his heart.

Of course, he knew that he could not hold Wop as intimately as his sister. Just imagining that scene made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

But this clear realization not only failed to ease his irritability, but made the nameless anger burn even more fiercely - why could Culliphant be closer than him and Wop?

He turned his face away fiercely. This was not jealousy, absolutely not. He just simply hated the feeling of being excluded!

We agreed to go out with three people, why was he the only one left behind?

Perturabo's gaze swept over the boy, who froze in place, his thin shoulders hunching unconsciously.

Perturabo's face remained expressionless as he stepped forward. The sound of his shoes hitting the ground almost made the boy's breathing stop.

However, he did not stop in front of the boy, but walked straight to the bread stall on the side of the road.

He raised his hand, a gold coin between his knuckles, shining brightly in the sunlight.

"A piece of bread."

The stall owner's eyes widened, and he waved his hands hurriedly, "This piece of Rokan is too big. I can't break it open..."

His fingers trembled slightly as he quickly took a loaf of freshly baked wheat bread from the grill.

"No, no money, it's a gift to you!" he stammered, holding the bread in both hands and handing it over.

Perturabo's eyes remained stern. With a flick of his finger, the gold coin landed steadily on the wooden counter, making a crisp sound.

"No need to change, just bring a few more loaves of bread." His voice was full of command that left no room for negotiation.

It doesn’t matter if he can’t make the change. It’s not his money that he spent anyway. It was given to him by his rich sister when he went out.

Perturabo tossed the bread to the boy, who scrambled to catch it.

The stall owner's hand trembled as he stuffed the gold coins into his pocket, his movements so fast that they left an afterimage. He nodded excitedly, "Yes, yes! I'll wrap it up for you right away!"

He hurriedly grabbed all the wheat bread on the stall, wrapped it hastily in clean linen, and handed it over respectfully.

"Use it slowly."

Perturabo took the package with one hand and turned to leave.

"I, I..." The boy stammered, holding the bread in his hands at a loss.

"If you don't eat it, throw it away."

Perturabo said this coldly and quickened his pace to catch up with Wop and Caliphine in front of him. Their intimate conversation had become indistinct due to the distance.

The boy stumbled to keep up with Perturabo, his hands trembling as he clutched the golden piece of bread.

The hot steam, carrying the rich aroma of cheese, hit his face, making his stomach rumble.

He took a cautious bite, the soft bread melted between his teeth, and the salty aroma of cheese and the sweetness of wheat instantly filled his mouth.

He was so happy that he almost cried out loud. This was definitely the most luxurious delicacy he had ever tasted in his life!

Perturabo saw his expression, but it remained calm.

In Rocks, the dietary differences between the upper and lower classes are also an insurmountable gap.

The poor were only fit to eat black bread mixed with bran and sawdust, which was barely enough to fill their stomachs.

Commoners ate barley bread, which was not refined, but at least it was pure grain.

The rich enjoyed fermented and baked wheat bread, which was soft and sweet and could be added with cheese.

As for the nobles, white bread was a luxury for them.

It is made from fine, white refined wheat flour, with sesame and poppy/cornseed added for flavor, sandwiched with melted cheese, drizzled with honey, and garnished with dried fruits and fennel. Every bite is a delicacy that ordinary people can hardly afford.

The price of a loaf of white bread is enough barley bread for an ordinary family to eat for a month.

White bread is an unattainable luxury for the lower class, but it is the most common daily item on the royal table.

Caliphony lowered her head dejectedly, her voice so soft it almost faded into the air, "Did I...do something wrong?"

The girl's slender shoulders shook unconsciously.

Wop: "The first kid I taught was Coz, and he was from Nostramo."

Caliphonie raised her head, and Perturabo, who was following from a distance, also pricked up his ears and unconsciously quickened his pace.

"In Nostramo, the lower classes are worse off than the slaves of Locks. The slaves at least have black bread to eat, but they can only eat garbage," Wop paused, "cannibalism."

Caliphonie covered her mouth with her slender fingers. No matter how miserable Rocks was, no one would eat humans.