After leaving the guild, I'm now walking on the bright and lively streets of Citrine City.
[ Katherine-san... Yugo-san... ]
I muttered their names as I look at the pouch that the lady secretary said was a gift from Katherine-san.
That Katherine-san... She truly thinks of me as an important friend, but I think she's going a little bit too far...
But still... Giving me this gift which is clearly bought with a large amount of money only makes me appreciate her more and more.
I'm sure this thing will have many important uses for me.
[ Now I'm feeling a little guilty that she's giving me so much when I still haven't even gave her anything... ] I muttered, laughing at myself.
Feeling this guilt inside me, I gripped the pouch in my hand harder.
[ I will definitely pay you back, Katherine-san...! ]
Even though the time I had with her and Yugo-san was quick, they already became an important friend to me.
***
While walking on the bright and lively streets just between the guild and Marinda-san's inn, I suddenly felt hungry.
I'm sure that climbing a cliff as high as any tower will surely make anyone tired and hungry.
I looked around to look for anything that I could eat and saw a small shop that's selling some kind of fried meat that is pierced on a stick.
The sweet smell of it instantly went through my nose, and I can't help but go towards its direction.
[ O-one please...! ] I said to the old man who is the shopkeeper.
[ Here. ] the old shopkeeper replied as he handed one stick over to me.
I took a bite and I was able to instantly taste the sweetness of the meat.
...
...
...Wha-What is this thing made of?
This is the most delicious food I ever ate in this world so far.
Sure that Marinda-san's cooking is the best, but this one is still better!
I thought, as I looked at the mouth-watering meat that I'm currently holding on my hand.
[ Umm... Jii-san! what kind of meat is this? ]
( note: "Ojii-san" or "Jii-san" can both mean grandpa or old man in Japanese. )
[ Oh? You like it, huh? ]
[ Un! ] I nodded enthusiastically.
[ Well, at a village near hear here, there's a monster called "Earth Boars." People say that it's hard to hunt them, but ones you taste their meat, I can say that all hard works will worth it. ]
[ Is that so...? ]
I never heard of that monster before but I surely like to hunt it sometime...
[ Umm... Can you please bundle a dozen! Your meat is the best! I can't help myself from craving it! ]
[ Oho~! Now that's what I like! That's 2 silver and 6 copper coins in total, but I will give it to you for only 2 silver coins and I will also throw another one! ]
[ Ohh!!! Now that's what I'm talking about, old man! I will surely pray for your life to last even longer so that you'll be able to sell this stuff to more people! ]
[ Is that so!? Then I will pray to the Goddesses that you get a wife or two soon too, so that the number of my costumer will increase! ]
[ You surely jest, old man! ]
[ You're surely kind, my dear customer! ]
[ [ Hahahaha!!! ] ]
As the two of us exchange our words of passion to our old and new discovery, we were able to dominate the noise on the street.
***
[ Ahh... This is it... ] I muttered to myself.
Walking on the bright streets of the city -
I started to eat my new favorite meat stick under the light of the streets and of the blue moon.
I felt a sense of fulfillment with every bite I take.
[ Haah... this is the best...! ] I muttered again to myself with passion.
As I walk to the beautiful streets of the city while eating my new found favorite meal, I decided to rest on a bench next to an alleyway and under a bright street lamp.
I sat as I watch the people walk past me.
Thinking about it, it's already been a week since I got revive into this world.
I'm already getting used to how this world works, I have also met and became acquainted with many people since then.
I was actually afraid at first that I might not be able to survive in this world, especially because I heard from the Goddesses themselves that they want me to fail and suffer. But I guess I'm actually lucky enough that it didn't actually happen.
I got the chance to live a second life in this world and I'm not planning on wasting it as I did to my previous.
These thoughts ran through my head as I continued to eat.
I then rested both my shoulders and arms to the bench. And after just a second -
[ *Growl* ] the sound of a hungry stomach resounded in the dark alleyway beside me.
Out of my curiosity, I stood up and walked towards it to see from whom that sound came from.
[ ...!? ]
I was shocked, as I was expecting to see some random old man, but instead, what I saw was a little kid sitting beside the wall with his head down and with both his tiny arms hugging his legs.
I took a closer look at the kid and saw that he has many marks of bruises and cuts in his petite and tiny body. I can't properly see his body as his white hair covers the entirety of his whole face, but I'm sure that his face... is not smiling.
I felt great sympathy towards him as I look at his pitiful figure.
Is this how this world works...?
I thought and asked myself...
That's right... From what I have heard... People like this will either die in the slums... or turned into a slave... if that's true, then undeniably, this world is cruel.
I don't know if the other countries in my previous world also work like this, but in my own country, I've never seen anyone in a state like... That's why I instantly felt pity the moment I look at this kid. This is the first time I saw anyone in a state like this.
If I didn't get the mysterious power I currently have... or if I haven't met Katherine-san... will I also turn out to be like this as soon as I entered the city...?
It's a mystery how can I understand this world's language, but I still don't know how to read or write the writings of this world. So I thought that it would be hard to get any decent job with my current situation so I decided to become an adventurer... but as soon as I entered and fought in the guild, I almost died instantly...
Ii it wasn't for my incredible luck... I won't even be able to enter the city.
[ Haah... thinking about all this stuff... maybe I should just get satisfied with my job as a weed hunter... ] I thought.
[ *Growl...* ]
As I stood up in front of the alleyway, the sound of a growling stomach echoed again.
Without having any hesitation in my next move, I walked towards the kid and knelt in front of him.
[ Here. ]
Without any other motives than to feed the hungry kid, I held the remaining bundle of my new favorite meal in front of him.
[ Eat. ] I said.
But the head of the kid that is down is still not being lifted.
[ Hey, look here kid, this is delicious, okay? I would like to eat all of this but I'm giving them to you. So accept it. ]
[ ... ]
[ Oh... ]
I didn't noticed it immediately but it turns out that he already held out his tiny hand, thinking about what I should do, I put one of the sticks on his hand.
...
...
...
I can't see it, but it looks like he already started eating it as his head started moving.
Feeling satisfied, I stroked his tiny head.
[ You like it? Here, have some more. ] I said as I took his other hand and put the remaining sticks on it.
I pat his head again and smiled.
And before I knew it, he lifted his head -
[ ... ]
Even though I can see only a little part of the kid's eyes because of the hair that is covering it...
I was stunned...
As it's...
I was stunned as it was the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen...
I was captivated by it...
And seeing it made me realize one thing -
That this kid I thought was a boy earlier, was actually a girl.
I felt a strong emotion of sadness inside me again, as I realized that this girl who's eyes has captivated me is sitting hungry in this alleyway.
[ Haah... ] I sigh.
I then stood up..
There's nothing I can do about it - I thought.
I then decided to finally walk outside the alleyway.
I looked at the kid one last time.
She's also looking at me while still eating the food I gave her.
I know that I should do something to help her other than to give her food to eat but... at my current situation, this is all I can do.
Deciding that, I continued to walk towards the bright and lively streets of the city and away from the dark alleyway...
The two places are completely different... The only thing they're common at is...
They're under the same bright moon.
***
I was hungry...
So hungry...
At first, I tried to beg people for food but they only beat me up... and when I tried to steal, I got beat up too...
Maybe it's my fate to die in this alleyway where those adventurers beat me up...
Maybe... This is my fate...
That's what I thought...
Until -
[ Here. ]
...
...
...
~ And that was...
The first time I met my kind master... and my...