Grant slowly sipped a steaming cup of chamomile at his favorite nearby bistro.
The sounds of the town coming to life in the early morning soothed his weary bones.
It wasn't the best bistro he'd ever been too, but it was his first and had met many friends and fond memories in it.
The tables and chairs all matched and were what some would call 'trendy' for the time. The lighting was natural and flowed in by the ingenious means of some architect. It gave the whole store an aura of pleasantness that could not be denied.
He gazed outside the window and saw the people walking, riding, and even driving the occasional carriage as they went about their lives.
Taking another sip from his cup Grant thought.
'Ah, this is the life. Some things never change.'
He could still remember the first time he came to this bistro.
He was still a kid back then but he had big dreams, not like he had any choice in the matter.
The manor's staff were in town picking up a new shipment of resources for training. He had insisted on going with them again to see the sights.
It had become a routine of sorts.
Child goes with them to store.
Maid takes child into a playground so she can watch said child.
Child has fun.
A handsome man comes to play an accordion skillfully nearby.
Maid falls asleep.
Maid wakes up later and both go home.
He had chosen that particular day to run off and see something other than the playground.
He had snuck past the other kids, but caught the accordion man's eye.
Grant felt a moment of fear when he had been found out.
The man simply raised one finger to his lips and winked before continuing to play.
He had ran through the streets, rushing past any and all bystanders in his way. His squishy limbs burned with more physical activity than he had when training.
He had just made his latest parkour tumble and rolled into the legs of an unsuspecting girl.
The girl was a few years older than him and had cherry-red hair and freckles that dotted her cheeks.
The girl had led Grant to this little bistro in an obscured corner of the city and had lunch with him.
The girl seemed to be trembling and clutched the torn hem of her skirt.
Young Grant took a closer look at the girl and noticed that her clothing looked worn and stained. Her hands were calloused and rough. She struggled to hold a conversation with a toddler.
It still took him five minutes to realize what was happening and thought in his tiny Grant voice.
'Aw, F**k.'
Grant chuckled at the memory.
After Grant realized what was happening, he lead the conversation into a direction where he can trick the girl into breaking down.
What really happened was this.
"What do you know!"
She snapped with a furious expression.
"You're just a spoiled brat who's been living the high life ever since he was born! You'll never have to work a day in your life! You'll have more gold notes than you can count! You will be able to crush anyone who's ever done you wrong because that's what you were born to do!"
She grabbed young Grant by the collar and pulled him over to her face.
"You don't have any right to tell me how to live my life."
She tossed him back into his chair in anger. The force knocked over the chair and young Grant fell to the ground with a terrific splat.
'Ow'
Slowly getting up, grant turned to look at the relieved face of the girl.
*sigh
Young Grant proceeded to right the chair to its former position and climb up. Once he was seated again, he looked at the girl and asked.
"Did you like what you just did right now?"
Grant cut her off before she can reply.
"Good because that's what my life costs."
The girl was baffled for a second before Grant continued.
"The lives of my family, the luxuries, the resources, the people are built on one thing. Death."
He gave as hard of a stare as he could to the girl as a toddler.
"I live like this because my ancestors paid for it in blood. With their lives, with the lives of their friends, with the lives of every single person they killed."
"For every lunatic or evil that they destroy, a hundred lives are given in trade. Good, bad, people like you."
He gestured with his stubby hand.
"You can complain about your family dying from poverty, I can complain about dying from mine from an assassination. How can I enjoy my childhood knowing that no matter how strong I become or how wealthy I am, I'll always be alone."
The girl tried to protest but Grant cut her off.
"You're trying to ransom me! And I already heard your sob story! Shut up and sit down! You are going to listen to mine or so help me! I will start screaming bloody murder!"
He yelled at the top of his voice.
The girl nodded in fear of the small mutant child that sat in front of her.
"I'm not saying that it excuses m- er your suffering, I'm saying that it matters."
He said taking a bite from his meal.
"What does it mean for a person to weigh one life against another? Does anyone actually 'deserve' anything?"
He remembered that he rambled on for a good while before the girl responded. Then he responded, then they were... talking.
Talking about life, about family, about everything.
They just vented on each other for a good couple of hours before she finally passed out drunk.
Young Grant couldn't drink alcohol so he was fine.
He went ahead and paid for the meal, and left something in the girl's pocket for her family to get by as well.
Not long after he left, the girl's friend came by and took her home assuming that she met some guy she liked and wanted him to see after work.
Young Grant walked back to the still sleeping maid and just took in the music of the accordion before they had to go home.
He remembered how he saw her a number of times after that and became friends. She even introduced him to the shady guy that was her friend and shared a laugh.
Turned out that the guy was a journalist that was skilled in extorting or blackmailing wealthy individuals and regularly gave to the community.
A few years later and the two of them got married and lived a very happy life in the city before passing away during an attack.
He made sure that their children were given away to good homes and one of them even stayed with the accordion man and the maid after they got married.
*sigh
'I miss them. I miss them all.'
Grant thought despondently.
*hum
His crystal glowed with a magical hum that meant someone was calling.
"Yes, father."
...
"I know father, I'm just having breakfast."
...
"I thought I could pick up some herbs or essence to reinvigorate my room's energy while I was here."
...
"No, father. Of course not."
...
"Yes, I'll bring you some wyvern's bane while I'm here."
...
"Yes, of course, father."
...
"Understood."
...
"I know."
...
"Do you really think I'm that incompetent?"
...
"I should have expected that."
...
"Goodbye, father."
With another sigh, he gulped down the rest of his tea and left a tip on the table.
After some small talk with the cashier and paying, he left the bistro.
He had a lot to do, after all.