Honkai Impact 3rd: Don't Die For Me Book 2 Purgatory

Chapter 28 Investigations and Suspicions

"They demand more money and they're so quick to lose it."

"How incompetent. Hehe."

"Spill it, why do your pockets rattle so?"

"I found loose change sitting around."

The conversations between the citizens of Koleston all encompassed the same act. The Wings Troupe's impact was felt immediately throughout the city. Who were they? Were they wrong? Stealing from the rich to give to the poor, since when had such a thing occurred and so publicly so?

While they could vaguely recall a time when loose change made its way into their pockets, the source of the charity was unknown. When Kallen and Otto worked in tandem to rob the rich for the first time, they hid their actions. The prideful church also avoided mentioning such instances.

Frederick Kaslana listened intently to the whispers of content citizens. He was supposed to be chaperoning the kids, under his care. This was an exercise the academy had put together to give them a sense of money. In reality, it was just a meet-up between the enrolled children and their parents. As for the orphans, they already had a sense of money, having lived on the streets for so long.

"Isn't it wrong to steal?"

"Of course," Frederick said stoically. He wasn't much shorter than Otto, only a few centimeters shorter. His height, his prestige as a Kaslana, and his drill instructor job forced him to take on a proud and silent image.

Heads turned away as Frederick spoke his truth, a few glum, a few in shame. Their cross-armed instructor was quite intimidating, it was a trait the boys strived for and the girls secretly crushed on. But in this context, it drew neither positive emotion.

"It's not to say that one can't make mistakes. Children lift your heads. You've done what you did to survive and suffered much from it. The world was cruel to you but it no longer has to be. Just don't steal in the future."

"But why are the adults applauding it? Aren't they supposed to be just? Why don't you applaud it?"

"Adults applaud it because the action has given them benefits. Unfortunately, not everyone is a good person."

"So you don't applaud it because it doesn't give you benefits?"

"No, I'm opposed to this because it encourages theft and crime. What happens if we let this Troupe continue to steal money away? People will copy them. Imitate their ideals and soon everyone would be living in a world where they steal from each other."

"Isn't that extreme?"

Frederick nodded impassively. He didn't need to say anything else. They were orphans, and without anyone to protect them, they experienced such extremes.

'So he's a hero of justice. So cool!' They all thought. Frederick could feel their eyes on him. It compelled him to act stronger. He became as imposing as Marcus but much more reserved.

'Kids. When you have their admiration you can't help but want to act cooler. Will I be the same with my children?'

A collective gasp came from the children. Their attention was captured by an ethereal beauty that walked majestically toward Fred. Adrienne looked good in the white-gold accents of the Valkyrie uniform, though the colors didn't match her lovely red eyes.

"Freddie," Adrienne said with her thick Paris accent.

"Adrienne."

He gave her a little nod, face impassive but the tips of his ears burned. Adrienne looked at this entourage briefly, equally expressionless.