Leon stepped into the city of Tintagel, his small strides indicating he was on a mission. However, he was quickly stopped by Harley, a burly gate guard with a thick beard.
"Hey, kid... where are your parents?" Harley looked around the toddler who had suddenly approached him, searching for an adult figure. His voice was friendly but full of questions. "Why are you here all alone?"
Leon snorted, jutting out his chubby chin defiantly. "I'm alone. I'm busy right now. Can you let me in already?" His voice was still childish, but it held the irritation of a Grand Master who had no time for pleasantries.
Harley chuckled, amused. "You've got quite a mouth for a kid your size. But I can't let you in, little one. It's too dangerous."
"What's dangerous?" Leon puffed out his chest, crossing his tiny arms. "Hurry up, I'm busy!" His annoyed expression, to Harley's eyes, looked adorable, like an angry puppy. Several passersby also chuckled at the toddler's antics.
"There are many bad people in the city who might kidnap you," Harley said, maintaining his kind smile. "What if you get kidnapped and sold?"
Leon's eyes burned with anger. "I'm not afraid of kidnappers! If they try to kidnap me, I'll beat them senseless!" He clenched his tiny fists. The aura he exuded, for some reason, looked... adorable to the observers, like a threatening rabbit.
"Oh, oh, I know you're strong," Harley chuckled, ruffling Leon's soft hair. "But I still can't let you in. And what exactly are you so busy with, kid?"
Leon sighed dramatically, as if dealing with the slowest disciple in the world. "Well... can't you see? These pants, they need changing! I don't want to wash pants soaked in my own pee!" His face had now contorted into one of disgust, as if an invisible foul odor wafted from his trousers.
Harley's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh... so you came to buy pants? But... are you living alone? Do you have to wash your own pants?"
"Yes!" Leon declared with a dramatic and very convincing expression. "I'm an orphan! My parents abandoned me! How will you take responsibility if my skin gets irritated by these pants, huh!? I need to change my pants now!"
Harley was immediately moved. His eyes welled up, imagining the plight of the toddler before him. "O-oh... is that so? You poor thing, kid." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "W-what's your name... what's your name, kid?"
"Leon," Leon replied, his crotch already terribly uncomfortable. "That's enough, stop blabbering! I'm going to look for pants!"
"Leon, huh. You can call me Harley," he said with a small sniffle. "Wait here for a bit, I'll guide you!" Harley hurried into the guard post, seeking permission. But by the time he came back out, Leon had vanished from in front of the gate, like smoke carried by the wind.
An "Unusual" Transaction at Tintagel Market
Leon, with the nimble steps of a toddler, was already amidst the bustling market of Tintagel. The savory smell of grilled meat stimulated his senses, and he stopped before a busy street vendor.
"Madam, how much is this grilled meat?" Leon asked, looking up at the corpulent female vendor who was busy with customers.
"One silver coin, young man. Are you buying..." The vendor blinked, looking down. "Huh? I hear a voice, but no one's here?"
"I'm here! Look down!" Leon was starting to get annoyed, his eyes wide. Ever since he became a baby, his life had been full of ridiculous and humiliating misunderstandings.
"Oh, I'm sorry, kid! I didn't see you!" The vendor quickly bent down, looking apologetic. "How many do you want to buy?"
Leon pulled out a gleaming gold coin from Elio's pocket, which somehow fit in his toddler pants. "How many can I buy with... this coin?"
The vendor's eyes widened, filled with surprise, at the sight of the gold coin shining in the small baby's hand. "Er... that's enough for a hundred servings, young man! Do you really want to buy all of them!?"
"No," Leon replied casually, as if money meant nothing. "I only need two. Just two."
"Alright! Here's your grilled meat, and here's your change." The vendor handed back a pile of silver coins and a few copper coins that almost covered Leon's tiny hand. "Be careful with your money, young man!"
"Don't worry about it," Leon said nonchalantly, stuffing the coins back into Elio's pocket. He walked away, taking a bite of his first grilled meat in this world, savoring its savory taste.
"Hmm... that kid seems to have a lot of money," Leon mused to himself, thinking of Elio. "There are about seven gold coins in this pocket. I'll extort more from him next time I see him, hahaha!" An evil grin spread across his tiny face, a promise of mischief that would never fade.
Encounter with the Thugs
"Hey, kid, looking for something?" A rough voice accosted Leon from behind a stall. It was Rook, a skinny man with shifty eyes, one of the thugs known for extorting money in the market.
"I'm looking for a fabric store," Leon replied, chewing on his grilled meat. He frowned slightly. "Hmm... this isn't very good. Needs more seasoning."
"Oh, I know a good fabric store! Come on, follow me," Rook said with a wide smile. He'd found an unsuspecting mark.
Leon, without the slightest suspicion—or rather, with the indifference of feeling invincible—followed Rook. They entered a narrow, dark, smelly, and damp alley beside the market, moving away from the clamor. At the end of the alley stood a large man with a scar across his cheek, Abott. He was the feared thug boss of the market.
"Boss! Look what I brought!" Rook exclaimed proudly, pointing at Leon.
Abott sized up Leon. "Hmm... good job, Rook. This kid is plump. He should sell for a decent price."
"That's not all, Boss! This kid also has a lot of money!" Rook said, his eyes gleaming greedily.
Abott's eyes widened, filled with surprise and delight. "Really? Show me!" He lumbered forward, a smile on his face.
"Hey, kid! Hand over the money!" Rook quickly tried to snatch the coin pouch from Leon's hand.
However, Leon had already anticipated him. He casually threw the "not-so-tasty" grilled meat towards Rook. The meat flew like a bullet, hitting Rook squarely on the nose with incredible speed, making him stagger and cry out in pain. The next moment, Leon darted forward like lightning. He streaked past Abott's face, who was still too surprised to react, then burst through the fragile wall behind him, leaving a hole just large enough for his toddler body.
"Who were you trying to sell, huh!?" Leon's voice echoed from beyond the broken wall. His voice was now more mature, more intimidating.
Abott and Rook, seeing the force of the thrown grilled meat and the impossible speed, immediately broke out in cold sweat. Their faces turned pale as fear crept in.
"Hehehe... s-sorry... I won't do it again..." Before Rook could finish his sentence, Leon reappeared from the hole in the wall, his eyes glowing. In an instant, Leon clobbered both of them. Small punches, lightning-fast kicks, all struck precisely, and the two thugs were knocked over within seconds, battered and moaning in pain.
"Ow... ow... ow... stop it!" Rook and Abott cried simultaneously, clutching their bruised and aching bodies.
"I'll be taking this," Leon said, casually and without hesitation, taking all the money from their pockets. "Next time you see me, show some respect! Otherwise, I'll beat you senseless again!" With a pouch full of coins, Leon walked back into the market, leaving the two thugs helpless in the smelly alley.
"Oh... it hurts... What do we do!? Our money's gone! How are we going to pay Baron Senen!?" Rook whimpered, looking frantically at Abott.
"It's your fault, you idiot! Ugh... it hurts! Where did that monster toddler come from!?" Abott groaned in pain, clutching the lump on his head. They knew. The unexpected lesson from Grand Master Leon would be etched in their minds forever. He was a nightmare in a toddler's body.