![Errand Boy [Slow-Burn, Youth Adventure, Drama, Found Family]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.royalroadcdn.com%2Fpublic%2Fcovers-large%2F125260-errand-boy-slow-burn-youth-adventure-drama.jpg%3Ftime%3D1767486674&w=640&q=75)
by joefl70
Among streets ruled by hunger and fear, hope comes from the most unexpected hands: a child’s. Thirteen-year-old Alex is torn from his quiet village by his uncle—Dominick, a feared mob enforcer known as the Undertaker. To protect his parents, Alex is thrown into Portenzo City: a ruthless place where corruption, violence, and power rule. As he stumbles through the underworld, the boy meets other kids like him: Dante, his partner in crime; Noor, a violinist with secrets; and the Wolves, a street gang who fight for each other because no one else will. How long before survival demands he lets his innocence go? This is a slow-burn, psychological coming-of-age story about identity, loyalty, and survival—where fists, wit, and found family mean the difference between life and death. ✨ What to Expect: ✅ Story is finished—Just needs polishing on the initial drafts🧒 Young kids as the heart of the story💔 Themes of tragedy, poverty, child labor, and life in crime-ridden, corrupt cities🤝 Found family, deep bonds, bromance, brotherhood, and sweet children romance⏳ Slow-burn, character-driven storytelling with mystery and plot twists and flashbacks to explore each character's past🥊 Martial arts, gritty fights, and street gang clashes💼 Politics and strategic games ❌ What NOT to Expect:❌ A power‑fantasy❌ Over-the-top nonstop action❌ Purely Mafia-focused plot❌ Magic or supernatural elements❌ An edgy or morally detached protagonist Inspirations: World Masterpiece Theater Chapters word count: 2k-4k Discord link: https://discord.gg/jYudUp6hYF If you are reading this on any website other than Royal Road, you are reading a pirated version. Please come to RoyalRoad. It's 100% free, doesn't require an account. © 2025 joefl70. All rights reserved.
| # | Title | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Author Notes | 0 |
| 1 | Characters | 0 |
| 2 | Chapter 1 - Allow Me To Decide | 0 |
| 3 | Chapter 2 - Visit | 0 |
| 4 | Chapter 3 - Happy Birthday | 0 |
| 5 |
| Chapter 4 - Poison |
| 0 |
| 6 | Chapter 5 - Partner in Crime | 0 |
| 7 | Chapter 6 - Where Honesty Means Nothing | 0 |
| 8 | Chapter 7 - The Violin Girl | 0 |
| 9 | Chapter 8 - All Your Fault | 0 |
| 10 | Chapter 9 - First Mission | 0 |
| 11 | Chapter 10 - Planting Seeds | 0 |
| 12 | Chapter 11 - Woman in the Center | 0 |
| 13 | Chapter 12 - Just Physics | 0 |
| 14 | Chapter 13 - Wolves Stir | 0 |
| 15 | Chapter 14 - The Storm and The Beast | 0 |
| 16 | Chapter 15 - One Strike Held | 0 |
| 17 | Chapter 16 - Bad Move | 0 |
| 18 | Chapter 17 - Undertaker | 0 |
| 19 | Chapter 18 - Gentle Defiance | 0 |
| 20 | Chapter 19 - Pride | 0 |
| 21 | Chapter 20 - Different | 0 |
| 22 | Chapter 21 - Dominick's Shadow | 0 |
| 23 | Chapter 22 - Protective Fear | 0 |
| 24 | Chapter 23 - Echoes of Kindness | 0 |
| 25 | Chapter 24 - Not For Your Easy Pleasure | 0 |
| 26 | Chapter 25 - Between Fear and Grace | 0 |
| 27 | Chapter 26 - Divided We Fall | 0 |
| 28 | Chapter 27 - Composed | 0 |
| 29 | Chapter 28 - Of Brains and Fists | 0 |
| 30 | Chapter 29 - Alpha Wolf in the Plaza | 0 |
| 31 | Chapter 30 - Ice and Fire | 0 |
| 32 | Chapter 31 - The Judge and the Healer | 0 |
| 33 | Chapter 32 - Not A Hero | 0 |
| 34 | Chapter 33 - Anchor | 0 |
| 35 | Chapter 34 - Crushed Dreams | 0 |
| 36 | Chapter 35 - Ambition, Care, and Nothing | 0 |
| 37 | Chapter 36 - First Steps | 0 |
| 38 | Chapter 37 - Choices and Prices | 0 |
| 39 | Chapter 38 - Brothers | 0 |
| 40 | Chapter 39 - In the Stillness, Something New | 0 |
| 41 | Chapter 40 - The Crate’s Secret | 0 |
| 42 | Chapter 41 - 1000 Yards | 0 |
| 43 | Chapter 42 - Nobles and Commoners | 0 |
| 44 | Chapter 43 - Algraves | 0 |
| 45 | Chapter 44 - The Children We Couldn’t Be | 0 |
| 46 | Chapter 45 - Only You | 0 |
| 47 | Chapter 46 - And You | 0 |
| 48 | Chapter 47 - A Lesson In Motion | 0 |
| 49 | Chapter 48 - Spar | 0 |
| 50 | Chapter 49 - The Hidden Face | 0 |
| 51 | Chapter 50 - Something Warm | 0 |
| 52 | Chapter 51 - Family Gathering | 0 |
| 53 | Chapter 52 - Dons | 0 |
| 54 | Chapter 53 - The Measure of a Boy | 0 |
| 55 | Chapter 54 - Spectacle | 0 |
| 56 | Chapter 55 - Train | 0 |
| 57 | Chapter 56 - Just A Child | 0 |
| 58 | Chapter 57 - Hide, Search, Hunt | 0 |
| 59 | Chapter 58 - Mind Over Caliber | 0 |
| 60 | Chapter 59 - Half of Innocence | 0 |
| 61 | Chapter 60 - Hypocrisy | 0 |
| 62 | Chapter 61 - The Three Above, The Three Below | 0 |
| 63 | Chapter 62 - For Dina | 0 |
| 64 | Chapter 63 - Stupidity | 0 |
| 65 | Chapter 64 - The Unfinished Song | 0 |
| 66 | Chapter 65 - Futures Not To Be Ruined | 0 |
| 67 | Chapter 66 - It Has Began | 0 |
| 68 | Chapter 67 - Theatrics | 0 |
| 69 | Chapter 68 - Slashed Constable | 0 |
| 70 | Chapter 69 - Echoes of Terror | 0 |
| 71 | Chapter 70 - You-Know-Who | 0 |
| 72 | Chapter 71 - We Share | 0 |
| 73 | Chapter 72 - Sit | 0 |
| 74 | Chapter 73 - The Leader They Needed | 0 |
| 75 | Notice and Schedule update : 1 Chapter per Week | 0 |
| 76 | Chapter 74 - When the Knocker Comes | 0 |
| 77 | Chapter 75 - Mother Instincts | 0 |
| 78 | Chapter 76 - The Weight of Staying | 0 |
| 79 | Chapter 77 - Too Clean To Admire | 0 |
| 80 | Chapter 78 - At His Back | 0 |
| 81 | Chapter 79 - Age Of Children | 0 |
| 82 | Chapter 80 - Education | 0 |
| 84 | Chapter 81 - Inner Voices | 0 |
| 85 | Chapter 82 - The Shape of Authority | 0 |
| 86 | Announcement: Break | 0 |