Return of the Youngest Son with SSS-Rank Talent-Chapter 186: Can you give us something to eat?

After a brief tour of Zone 1, Kael knew exactly what he had to do. It was the most miserable place in the entire area, a forgotten corner where life had no value and death was an everyday occurrence. Every day, one, two, three... up to five people perished.

In that place, death had ceased to be a tragedy and had become routine.

The inhabitants were accustomed to it. Indifference to life and death was their shield, their way of surviving. But Kael immediately understood the real problem: they had no guide, no purpose, no symbol to cling to.

And that was precisely where he would enter the scene.

With the help of the girl Rosan, Kael began to prepare the ground. He didn't need speeches or miracles; just a simple, tangible act. Something that would sow curiosity rather than faith.

Over the next few days, they both settled in that spot and set up a food stall. It was modest, just a makeshift table and a large pot of steaming vegetable soup.

On the first day, no one approached. Not a single person.

It was to be expected. In Zone 1, anything free concealed a danger, and any kindness was viewed with suspicion. Men walked by without looking; women dragged their children along distrustfully.

Kael did not grow impatient. He simply watched, silently, with that unshakable calm that so baffled others.

Because he knew that in that place, faith was not imposed... it was cultivated.

But the delicious aroma of vegetable soup slowly began to spread through the streets.

It was then that the first to arrive were two hungry children, small, thin bodies and eyes dulled by malnutrition.

They were so light that the wind seemed capable of carrying them away.

"Can you give us something to eat?" asked the boy who appeared to be the oldest, holding his little sister's hand tightly. She could barely stand; her skin was pale, and her body was all bones.

It was a miracle that she was still breathing.

"Of course!" Rosan replied with a radiant smile.

That smile, so sincere, seemed to light up the whole place, breaking for a moment the heaviness that always covered that forgotten area.

Kael approached. He took two wooden bowls and served two generous portions of hot soup. Steam rose, spreading the gentle aroma of vegetables and spices.

Then, carefully, he handed the bowls to the two children.

At first, both hesitated. Their eyes darted between the steaming bowl and the faces of Kael and Rosan, fearful that it was all a trick. But hunger won out. Finally, they took the food.

The older boy held the spoon, trembling slightly, and brought it to his sister's lips.

She could barely open her mouth, but when the first sip of soup touched her tongue, her eyes half-opened and, for a moment, sparkled with life.

Kael watched the little scene without saying a word.

"Brother... more," the girl murmured. She barely managed to muster some strength; her voice was weak, but her innocent tone left no room for doubt: she wanted more.

The boy froze for a moment. Then tears began to roll down his cheeks, warm and trembling.

His sister... had spoken.

He couldn't believe it. His only family, the person he loved most in the world, wasn't going to die. At that moment, he didn't need anything else. That was enough to make him happy.

With hands still trembling with emotion, she continued to feed her. Each spoonful the girl took seemed to bring a little more color back to her face, a little more life to her dull eyes. It was as if each sip of that soup brought her back from the brink of death.

For the child, it was a miracle.

His gaze, full of wonder and gratitude, turned to Kael. Kael watched him silently, with a kind, calm smile, as if that simple scene reminded him of something distant, something he had wanted to protect for a long time.

For a moment, the boy stood motionless, unable to take his eyes off him.

"Eat before it gets cold," Kael said, pointing to the bowl of vegetable soup.

"Y-yes... yes," replied the boy, finally reacting. He divided the food carefully: half for his sister, half for himself.

They both ate in silence; the sound of spoons was the only thing that accompanied the calm that formed between the three of them.

Kael nodded silently and, with a slight smile, served him two more plates.

Steam rose from the cups like a warm thread in the air.

But despite that, the other people just watch from afar without the slightest intention of approaching them and their free food stand.

So the next few days were more of the same.

The two children returned, and this time they didn't hesitate to ask for food. The younger girl spoke a little more, as if each word came with less effort.

Kael watched them without saying much.

As the days passed, more people began to arrive. At first, there were only a few, but soon they multiplied. Most were children, all in the same state of deterioration: thin bodies and sunken eyes.

What Kael noticed was the commonality among them: none belonged to noble or merchant families.

They were all commoners.

This did not strike him as odd. In the Northern Frontier, origins were of great importance. Those born into nobility, even if they lost their noble title, could still enjoy certain benefits.

On the other hand, the commoners... did not have the same luck as the nobles.

So even in the great city of San Martín, which is the cradle of religion, it was no exception. A clearer example would be the four zones. If they were really equal, as they preach, those barriers should not exist, and everyone should walk the same streets, right?

But in reality, this is not the case, because there will always be weaknesses and strengths, regardless of the era and the world.

This inequality will always exist, whether you like it or not, because at the end of the day, that's life.

You just have to learn to adapt to this unfair world.

So the days continued to pass, and Kael and the girl Rosan, after their who-whos, went to that gloomy place full of misery to bring food, as well as some clothes in better condition, and the people who were initially exceptional also began to ask for food.

And the atmosphere in that place began to change slowly as the days passed, and summer was also coming to an end, and the cold began to arrive with the arrival of fall, with temperatures much lower than in summer.

A large flock of birds passed through the great city of San Martín as they migrated; the trees in the city changed color.

Everything was more alive, and it was noticeable in the streets with the arrival of nine caravans and new people.

The same was true in the area where Kael and the girl had been helping those most in need. Instead of laughter filling the air, most of the children were still malnourished.

They regained their sparkle and no longer looked like the living dead, just moving from one place to another.

Another change that occurred in this area was that the streets were cleaner and deaths were less frequent. If five people died before, now only one or two die at most.

The work Kael was doing in this area was truly effective. Wherever he went, people greeted him with smiles on their faces, whereas a few weeks earlier, they had looked at him with suspicion and hostility.

And the name Rasen began to spread slowly throughout Zone 1, slowly but steadily.

"Mr. Rasen, some children want to play with you. They're asking if it's okay." Rosan asked with a smile. She, too, had adapted to the change that had taken place there.

Kael strokes his head and says, "Tell them I'm tired, so you play in my place, okay?" Obviously, what he said was a lie. As someone in rank 7, would he get tired so easily?

He simply does not want to be disturbed at this moment; Kael just wants to be alone for a while, but with his current role, it is quite difficult for him. However, the influence he has been gaining over the past few weeks can only increase.

"Okay, I'll tell him he's tired." Rosan turned around and ran toward the children who were watching expectantly, but when they heard what she said, their faces turned sad; they quickly began to cheer up.

Kael sat quietly, letting the weight of exhaustion slip from his shoulders. He put on a straw hat, its brim casting a soft shadow over his face. In front of him, children played and laughed, running barefoot through the dust on the road, while some adults chatted, with simple smiles and familiar gestures.

The breeze blew gently. Kael took a deep breath, allowing himself to let his guard down for a moment. He calmly closed his eyes, letting that moment of stillness envelop him completely.