The East End of Backlund

The East End of Backlund

Hobart resisted the urge to reach out and pat her head. With that height and appearance, she was simply too well-suited for head-patting: "Miss Dilcha, your friend Miss Hall asked me here to help you get out of your current predicament."

Last night, Fors had already utilized her Apprentice abilities to enter the prison and inform her of the situation, requesting the help of Earl Hall's daughter and the young Viscount Glynt.

Xue said politely: "Please thank Miss Hall for me. May I ask how I should cooperate with you?"

The young girl was quite sensible!

Hobart smiled: "I need to know the entire course of the conflict."

"Alright." Xue recounted: "Mr. Bennett is an honest worker in the East End. More than a decade ago he was quite wealthy, but a failed business venture bankrupted his family.

"Yet even during his most difficult times, he still took good care of the pocket watch inherited from his father.

"Just half a month ago when Bennett finished his shift, he discovered that his pocket watch had been stolen.

"Fortunately, the thief had not gone far at the time. Bennett saw the thief's face and knew it was one of Veil's subordinates.

"Um, I don't know if the two of you are aware of the relationship between the thieves and bullies in the East End?"

Hobart said: "I roughly know. Some scoundrels force or instigate children in the East End to steal."

Xue nodded: "That's right. Therefore, my arbitration was that the seven- or eight-year-old thief was not at fault. Veil had to hand over the pocket watch and compensate Bennett 3 sules for lost wages.

"However, Veil refused to comply with my arbitration, so I had no choice but to opt for physical persuasion."

God damn physical persuasion! Hobart thought to himself: Isn't that just beating the other person into submission?! "I swear!" Xue said: "I only wanted to break one of his legs at the time. It was he who accidentally bumped into the table, and reportedly fractured his lumbar vertebrae."

She spread her hands: "That is the whole story."

Hobart nodded: "I understand."

Lisa, who had remained silent the entire time, asked weakly at this moment: "Is that bully named Veil that fragile? Or was he suffering from an illness?"

Otherwise, how could such a petite girl possibly defeat an adult male? Xue opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for how to explain.

"Madam Lisa, please allow me to introduce you. The outfit this young lady is wearing is a knight's practice uniform." Hobart blinked at Xue: "As far as I know, she has undergone rigorous knight training. Let alone one bully, I suspect two or three adult males would be no match for her."

Xue hurriedly nodded: "Yes, yes, yes!"

She guessed that Hobart should also be a Beyonder, or knew of the existence of Beyonders, which was why Miss Hall had asked him for help and informed him of the fact that she was a Beyonder.

Lisa was somewhat surprised, already pondering whether she should also send her daughter to receive knight training.

Hobart asked again: "Where can Mr. Veil be found?"

"I don't know where he lives, but at the Blue Knight Bar, he will definitely have subordinates there," Xue said.

Hobart stood up and said: "Alright, Miss Dilcha, please keep calm. I will resolve the issue as soon as possible."

"Thank you." Xue politely shook hands with Hobart.

Hobart had the illusion of shaking hands with a middle school student, and furthermore: Sorry, it's not that I want to look down on you, but this is the only way I can look you in the eye.

Leaving Minsk Prison, the carriage headed straight for the East End.

Inside the carriage, Hobart asked: "Madam Lisa, have you ever been to the East End?"

"I've been a few times." Lisa resumed her stern and unsmiling state: "I've been there to recruit female servants."

Hobart sighed: "I've heard accounts of the East End from others countless times, but this is my first time going there."

He asked: "What are your thoughts on the East End?"

"It feels... it feels as though they don't live in the same world as us."

Silence fell inside the carriage. After a few minutes, Hobart finally spoke: "What you said is very right."

By this time the carriage had already arrived in the East End. Today was Friday, a workday, yet on the streets one could still see vagrants with numb eyes and expressions.

There were also children so thin they were left with only oversized heads running through the streets, staring with shifty eyes at the carriage Hobart and the others were riding in.

Looking at those children, Hobart sighed: "They should be in school, living carefree lives instead of hanging around in bars haunted by scoundrels and engaging in petty thievery."

Then, whether he was explaining to Lisa or talking to himself, he continued: "I know I can't help them right now; I just feel that their lives shouldn't be this way. Heh, why not eat meat porridge? These words of mine really sound detestable."

Lisa did not quite understand Hobart's words, but she sensed that the young man beside her was somewhat abnormal.

Of course it was abnormal. When Hobart had previously read descriptions of the East End in books, he hadn't felt much of anything. He was born in a peaceful country, grew up in a peaceful country, and after transmigrating, lived in an upper-class family as well. It was difficult for him to feel empathy for the people of the East End.

Only by coming to the East End did he understand what numbness was, and what "as thin as matchsticks" meant.

After sighing with emotion for a moment, Hobart quickly adjusted his mood. Just as he said, there was nothing he could do right now, and showing sympathy at this moment was completely meaningless; instead, it would ruin his plans.

Arriving at the Blue Knight Bar, it was a completely different scene. It was bustling with activity, reeking of sweat and foot odor.

There were far too many people wishing to numb themselves with alcohol and escape this damned life.

Of course, this was also a small-scale black market where thieves disposed of stolen goods, and scoundrels struck illegal deals or forged partnerships.

At the bar counter, Hobart took out a 1-pound banknote: "Whoever can take me to see Veil, this 1 pound will be his."

The noisy bar suddenly fell quiet. One had to know that the weekly wage for most workers in the East End was around 15 sules or even 10 sules; 1 pound was a considerable fortune here.

A young man stepped forward with a smiling expression: "I'll tell you where Veil is."

Hobart said coldly: "You are going to take me."

"Alright, no problem, hand the money over to me quickly, Young Master." After getting the money, the other person smiled: "Now let me tell you, Veil is dead. Am I supposed to take you to hell? Hhahahaha."

The people in the bar joined in with laughter as well.

Hobart unhurriedly unbuttoned his coat, revealing the revolver at his waist: "My gun doesn't seem very satisfied with your answer."

He had anticipated that he might come to the East End today, so he had deliberately applied for a revolver. However, as for his marksmanship, how should he put it? Not firing was when this gun possessed its greatest power.

This revolver made the bar fall silent once more. The young man could no longer smile: "Fine, fine, Young Master, I'll take you there right now."

With the deterrence of the handgun, the young man dared not play any more tricks. Turning left and right, he finally stopped in front of a dilapidated door and knocked: "Boss Veil, are you still alive?"

A rough voice came from inside the door: "Which bastard is coming to rob my things again?"

Ever since he lost the ability to stand, no longer did anyone treat him as a boss.