Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 179
Two silver coins, yet they were for her to buy a pair of shoes and clothes for herself, and all she had to do was be a guide?
She stood frozen in place, unable to believe that such a good thing could exist in the world.
In the past, she had actually encountered men who did similar things—sometimes they would coax her with a silver coin to make her more obedient while serving them.
They would say that if she was willing to do those unpleasant things, the silver coin would be hers after everything was over.
The first couple of times, she had foolishly believed them.
During the process, not only was she tormented and covered in bruises, but she also forced herself to put on an ingratiating smile, swallowing her cries of pain with great difficulty.
She was terrified that the man would become displeased and use it as an excuse to break his promise.
Even so, those men would still heartlessly slip away while she was unconscious, leaving behind only the two or three copper coins they had initially agreed upon beside the rickety, dilapidated bed.
Clearly, in their eyes, she was only worth that much.
Haunted by these unpleasant memories, she shrank back slightly when faced with such a huge temptation now.
Yes, whenever a fragrant stuffed pie was placed before her, she would always stretch out her neck, tempted, only to end up beaten and bloodied, never getting to taste it in the end.
How could anyone be willing to spend money for nothing, just to let her buy clothes and shoes?
Oliver, unaware of her inner turmoil, saw her hesitating and not reaching out her hand, and couldn’t help but feel a little surprised.
As he had walked around, he knew that two silver coins, though not much, were more than enough to buy the most ordinary pair of shoes and a simple linen outfit.
Perhaps she really wasn’t willing?
Oliver gazed at her gently and said, “Is it inconvenient for you? If that’s the case, perhaps you could—”
Before he could finish the second half of his sentence, “recommend a friend,” she jolted as if waking from a dream and urgently said, “I’m willing, sir! How could I possibly not be willing!”
She clenched the silver coins in her hand, lifted her cumbersome skirt, and started running on the spot: “Please wait for me, I’ll be right back!”
That was definitely not a lie—she had never run so fast before.
Two silver coins—enough for her mother’s medicine for almost half a month!
As a commoner, this was the first time she had ever bought ready-made clothes. When she rushed into the shop, she urged the familiar shopkeeper while involuntarily recalling a distant memory from long ago.
When she was very young, her family had actually been somewhat well-off: her father traveled between cities doing small business, and he and her mother had always been very close. Because her mother was very frail, she was the only child in the family, but her father never resented her for being a girl and had always cherished her dearly.
When she grew a little older, like the other children on the street, she began her studies at the Divine Temple.
The happiest thing back then was waiting for her mother to pick her up from the Divine Temple in the afternoon. When she pushed open the door to her home, her father would turn around from his wooden chair, holding the little toy she had been dreaming of, and smile at her affectionately.
“One silver coin, thank you.”
Although she was buying the cheapest clothes in the shop, the owner of the ready-made clothing store did not look down on her because the sale was small. Instead, he cut the fabric…She wrapped the cleanest and neatest set of clothes and handed it to her.
Seeing the tears glistening on her face, the plump shopkeeper hesitated for a moment and asked gently, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
She murmured, roughly wiping away her tears, and smiled as she took the clothes. “Thank you.”
It was just that ever since her father went on his last business trip and was attacked by a vicious gang of bandits—vanishing without a trace along with the goods—and her mother fell gravely ill from overwhelming grief… she had never worn new clothes again.
Even the clothes she was wearing now were altered from her mother’s old garments.
Any slightly newer or better-quality clothes had long been sold off.
But she had no reason to cry.
From the day her father disappeared, she had sworn to herself that she would do everything in her power to care for her mother until the day she died.
She didn’t want to keep that handsome and kind gentleman waiting too long, and she was afraid that if she took too much time, he might grow impatient and hire someone else as a guide.
So she hurried straight to the shoe shop with the clothes. When the indifferent shopkeeper pulled out the cheapest cloth shoes from the bottom of the wooden cabinet, she didn’t hesitate to slip the new clothes over her old ones without even blinking.
After all, her original dress was very thin, and she was unusually skinny, so even with an extra layer, it wouldn’t look bulky or strange.
Having quickly finished all this, she ran back to the street where she lived.
When she saw the two tall, slender figures still waiting, she let out a long sigh of relief and gave a genuine smile. “Respected sir, thank you for your generosity. May I ask where you would like to go?”
Unbeknownst to her, she had nearly caught the attention of a deity with immense divine power, who could be quite particular in certain matters.
While waiting, Oliver had keenly noticed that the Cat God, who had been in high spirits earlier, seemed to be sulking.
Sensing the sudden drop in mood, Oliver raised an eyebrow and asked, “My dear Cat God, is there something wrong with her?”
“We don’t need a guide.”
The tall, handsome deity pursed his lips tightly and lowered his gaze. “Wherever Oliver wants to go, I know the way and can take you there.”
This was His first chance to be out alone with Oliver…
“I’m sorry, I promise it’s only for today.” Oliver couldn’t help but chuckle softly, yet he gently reassured Him, “I know my dear deity is all-knowing, all-powerful, and has made thorough preparations for me. But what I want to design is a new city with a layout better suited for the residents’ lives, so understanding the perspectives of people from all walks of life is also important.”
Besides, if he wasn’t mistaken, that woman was a poor streetwalker.
In his eyes, every resident who had suffered misfortune without timely help represented a fault that needed to be rectified.
And those who had governed this place before bore undeniable responsibility for it.
The implementation of new policies was urgently needed.
“If you’re willing,” he gazed into the Cat God’s eyes and said softly, “will you accompany me again tomorrow? Just the two of us.”
Though he had lost their alone time today, he had gained a promise for tomorrow.
The shrewd deity thought for just a moment before nodding in agreement.
Today’s disturbance was only for a brief period, but tomorrow would be an entire day.
After making this comparison, His gaze toward the woman who was running and breathing heavily returned to its calm and undisturbed state.
Oliver smiled and nodded at her: “First, take me to the most popular market in this area.”
She was taken aback, feeling somewhat incredulous, and couldn’t help but confirm in a low voice: “You mean… the market that those of us living here would go to?”
Oliver said gently: “Yes. Is there any inconvenience?”
She quickly shook her head, then showed a troubled expression: “But that kind of place is really dirty and smelly. You definitely wouldn’t like it, and it’s unlikely to have the goods you want.”
This was the first time she had seen such a clean, neatly dressed gentleman with such noble and elegant speech.
Even judging by his attire, he should just be a merchant with some modest wealth…
But relying on her intuition, she still believed their identities couldn’t be that ordinary.
“Don’t worry.” Oliver smiled faintly, without further explanation, only saying: “Please take us there. By the way, may I ask your name?”
Since her father left, this was the first time she had been treated like a proper young lady, especially by two such dazzling gentlemen.
Hearing “please” and “may I ask,” she couldn’t help but feel extremely flustered. It took her a moment to collect herself before she bowed and replied: “Sir, I am… I am… Ticher.[mfn]媞切儿(Shì qiè er)- sounds like ‘teacher’, unsure if that’s what she’s meant to be[/mfn]”
When she spoke her name, she felt dazed for a moment.
It had been so long, so very long since anyone had asked for her name. This included those men who would curse her as “still putting on airs at this point, pretentious bitch” when they were in a bad mood, or hold her and call her “pretty little thing” or “woman” when they were in a good mood – none of them ever cared about her name.
“Ticher.”
Hearing that voice, pleasant as a nightingale’s, elegantly repeat her name, then say with a hint of laughter: “A beautiful name, very suitable for you.”
“…Thank you, sir.”
She blinked desperately, not wanting those sticky tears that would disappoint people to fall from her eyes.
However, the moment she heard the other person call her name, she seemed to clearly hear – something in her chest that had been extinguished for a long time suddenly sprouted a spark again.
Oliver quickly realized that she absolutely hadn’t exaggerated.
If it weren’t for the Cat God’s divine power enveloping him, ensuring that the filth wouldn’t truly stain him and blocking most of the stench… he might really have been embarrassed once, lacking the courage to step into that so-called market flowing with sewage.
Especially since it was summer. Even in narrow corners where almost no natural light could penetrate, the stifling heat and stench were incredibly impactful, just like putting a rotten fish that had been decaying for over a month into a steamer.
The stone bricks on the ground were no longer visible. Stepping on it felt soft and spongy, mostly consisting of animal scraps, fur, and fish guts that butchers and fishmongers had casually thrown on the ground while processing the day’s goods.
Now they were layered like soil: the freshest on top, reeking of blood, every bare foot stepping on them would splash…The murky red-black wastewater; the semi-decomposed state below, stinking enough to attract swarms of insects and flies; yet the people fully adapted to life here paid no mind to any of it, walking casually before the grimy stalls as they inquired about prices.
This was a place even city tax collectors disdained to visit, a lawless zone completely beyond the control of guilds and merchant associations—Oliver only needed one glance at the fish laid out on moldy wooden planks to recognize it had definitely been sitting for days, perhaps even dead fish picked up by the riverbank. The pork appeared swollen and pale, most likely from sick or dead pigs disposed of by pig merchants and “recycled” by them.
Yet even such foul meat that most people wouldn’t glance at twice was considered a luxury they had to ponder over repeatedly.
These were the lowest of the freemen, the most depraved and shadowy corner of the town district, clearly destined to become a perfect breeding ground for future plagues.
Even in the report he had ordered his subordinates to compile through firsthand data collection, such conditions went entirely unmentioned.
Though they still clung to the belief that they were freemen superior to slaves, using this as motivation to struggle through the muck…
In the eyes of other freemen, they were like the stinking goods on the stalls—unsightly moss on the city walls, ubiquitous yet stubborn filth that couldn’t be eradicated.
They were the invisible people of this city, utterly overlooked.
“My God,” he murmured. “This is why I had to come see for myself.”
Ticher stood nervously to the side, discreetly observing the expressions of these two nobles.
She couldn’t comprehend why they would come to such a filthy place beneath their status… nor could she quite believe they showed no disgust.
The taller, handsome youth had maintained an aloof expression from the start, his gaze lingering only on his companion.
She had accidentally met his eyes just once.
That single instance made her shudder.
Not because his gaze was cruel or evil, nor because it held the icy hatred she’d seen in others, but…
In those people’s eyes, she was at least a “disgusting person.”
Yet in those golden eyes devoid of warmth—calm and indifferent—she felt with chilling certainty that she was merely an object, no different from the filthy mud beneath her feet.
Fortunately, he paid her no mind, focusing intently on his companion.
His companion, the gentleman with beautiful wavy brown hair, stood in stark contrast to him—like light versus darkness, two polar opposites.
His radiantly handsome face always carried a gentle smile that made her heartbeat race wildly.
Even toward inconsequential trash like her, he remained respectful and kind.
Yes.
She lowered her gaze.
Respect.
Everything so familiar to her these years—just yesterday she had come here to buy a less-putrid fish, doing her best to make fish soup for her mother to taste.
But now, merely watching these two gentlemen standing quietly here filled her with unprecedented shame, and also…
She hesitated, then carefully shifted her gaze to the gentle and kind gentleman once more.
…For some unknown reason, she always felt as if this gentleman seemed to emanate a faint trace of sorrow around him.
