C2 — Stealing is natural.
"Brother Yuu, we have to leave together!"
"I - " there was the sound of hesitation in his voice before pushing my head into his face, making it difficult to see what was around us. "Aya, never come back to this place - "
What the... why did he suddenly sound so fluent?
" - never seek revenge nor put your life at risk. This brother of yours have things to do here so you must go."
My head was a mess. The more I tried to think things through the information I know, the more mind became messed up. Is Brother Yuu not a street rat like the rest of us? But Brother Yuu had been by my side for as long as I could remember.
I reached out to wipe that trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. A look of surprise appeared in his eyes before he displayed that same smile he gives me whenever he visits.
"Ligaya, live well."
In an instant, a ginormous magic circle extended from Brother Yuu's feet. It glowed bright blue, just like his eyes. The light burned bright, turning the night as if it were morning.
The last thing I saw was a battalion of knights surrounding Brother Yuu, pointing their swords at his direction.
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The sound of nonstop chatter permeated the air. Numerous people talked at the same time, one louder than the other. On this fine day where the sun glared and the breeze was cool, in a dark alley, I crouched inside an abandoned crate big enough to fit my small frame.
I have no idea where I got transported to after being sent away. After all, I still hadn't gotten over the fact that Brother Yuu was left behind being surrounded by the eldest prince's subordinates.
Did Brother Yuu escape?
'I'm sure he did,' I reassured myself while hugging my knees close to my chest.
At that moment, Brother Yuu revealed that he was a space system mage — an incredibly rare mage that everyone highly regards. If the eldest prince's subordinates were smart enough, they wouldn't kill Brother Yuu.
I hope he's safe.
Sorry, Brother Yuu. If there's even the tiniest of chances that you're still alive, I will definitely go and search for you.
The crate shook all of a sudden, causing me to jump out of it before it toppled over to the side. What the hell —
"I thought Wyvern City doesn't have any street rats?" Two men with huge frames towered over me with a nasty look in their eyes. Sensing their hostility, I felt goosebumps crawling through my back.
The way they eyed me made my skin crawl in disgust. Just as I was about to flee, I felt the back of my clothes get pulled back. My feet left the ground as I found myself staring eye to eye with one of these men.
Fuck — they're huge.
I was more than two meters off the ground. Do they have the blood of the Giant Clan in their bodies?!
The man holding me hummed, eyeing me from head to toe. "Well, ya don't look all that bad — " disgust sent my body shivering. Don't tell me they're gonna sell me to a brothel?!
" — why don'cha play as the white mage's kid in my wife's lil' stage play?"
... wait, what—
.
.
I may have misunderstood those two men.
Apparently, the man who picked me up was searching for a kid who could act in a little stage play at an orphanage. They belonged to a travelling group of theater actors and actresses. The world was their stage and everyone was their audience.
Most of the time, they act for the kids at an orphanage, to lighten up the mood and play with the kids.
The man who kicked my crate was named Botan and the other man was Benjiro. It was Botan's wife — Sima — who was searching for a kid who could fill up a child's role. As an actress, Sima wanted things to be perfect and the White Mage's child, according to the playwright's description, was delicate yet fierce.
When Botan saw me, he told me that was the impression I gave him. Thus, he wanted me to participate in this little play.
Me? A street rat acting?
Isn't it more natural if I pickpocket someone?
"C'mon kid," Botan slammed a plate filled with juicy barbecued meat on the wooden table. He and his brother picked me up and treated me to a stall, trying to persuade this street rat into acting.
Well, it was more like he was trying to buy me over with this meat.
Juicy, steaming meat—
"It'll just be for a lil' while. 'Sides, it's just fer today. Ya can get some copper coins while yer at it."
— money!
Thrilled, I snatched one of the barbecued meat and took a huge bite out of it. "Fwine," my words came out muffled, making me sound even younger than I look like. "Bwuff aye het it weet."
"Whaddya said?"
"He said he gets to eat meat." Benjiro spoke up at the side. My attention turned towards him. At first glance, due to the height difference, I was pretty intimidated by them. Hell, I even mistook them for slave traders. But Botan was clumsy yet obnoxious while Benjiro was calm and friendly.
This pair of brothers was pretty interesting, to be honest.
I mean, who picks up a child at the side of the road and asks him to act for their wife's little play?
Botan, apparently.
The obnoxious brother suddenly laughed, reaching over the table and patted me on the back.
First of all, I wasn't weak.
I was malnourished and young.
So when Botan patted me, I almost threw up blood right after swallowing my food. Why is his hand so fucking heavy?! Plus! It's so big that it could cover my head and squeeze it to mush!
"Brother Bo, I think you're gonna kill him if you keep that up."
The strong force that almost made me throw up what little blood I have left in my tiny body disappeared at last. Was he trying to kill me?!
"... oops. My bad, kid. Yer not gonna refuse cause of that, are ya?"
... I'm only doing it for the money!
.
.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What the fuck am I doing?
Have I gone nuts?
I should have asked first what kind of role they wanted me to play. Although Botan said that all I have to do was follow the 'White Mage's' lead, he didn't tell me that this mage's kid was a fucking girl!
Who am I?
Where am I?
Is this that so-called Hell I heard from my superior in my last life?
Have I offended god or something?
Oh, wait, I fucking did.
Fuck.
It was one middle finger!
How petty is he?!
Since this would be a part of my dark past in the future, let me explain my current situation.
The play was called The Reminisces of a White Mage. It tells the story of the legendary white system mage whose power was second only to god. The white system was the closest thing to being holy and divine, the only thing capable of vanquishing the evil spirits.
Evil spirits were the product of that entity and when it ruled the world, it released a mass of evil spirits that wrecked havoc in all continents. At the time, several white system mages appeared. Compared to water and life system mages, white system mages have superior healing capabilities.
It was in the realm of almost being godly. As long as there was one breath left, they could steal someone back from death.
The Reminisces of a White Mage told the story of a reluctant woman who wished nothing more than to be ordinary. As a white mage, she was bound to her duty to eradicate the evil spirits with the other white mages. However, this duty was lifelong.
She would be roaming the world for the rest of her life. Even if she didn't want to, she had to.
Of course, she was happy to be of service but when she found out that she was blessed with the white system, she already had a daughter.
This white mage didn't want her only child to be in peril nor did she want to abandon her. In the end, even though it was dangerous, she took her daughter with her.
The rest of the story was about her adventures and in the ending, she would have her monologue. The white mage regretted taking her daughter. If it weren't for that, if only she abandoned her back then; then, her daughter would still be alive, searching for her own future.
And I was supposed to play that fucking kid?
Granted, I didn't have any lines. Sima told me that all I have to do... was act cute.
Fuck.
My dignity as a researcher is about to become nonexistent.
By the end of the play, when the sky was already dark, I found a corner where I could grow mushrooms in my utter horror.
"... yer that traumatized with yer role?" Botan's voice came from behind.
Turning my head around, I found him crouched down with a glint of amusement in his eyes. Even the way his lips were pursed showed how hard he was trying to hold back his laughter.
I gave him the middle finger.
"That some kind ov language between ya'll kids?"
... forget it. He doesn't even know the beauty of giving someone the middle finger.
"Ay, whatever. Here's yer money — " he tossed a rather plump pouch at me, the sound of clinking coins caused me to beam. But when I tried to catch it, my entire body came down with it, causing me to eat dirt.
"... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Not only was it Botan, but even everyone who saw me laughed.
I hope their lungs explode.
Although I feel ashamed, I got back up on my feet and picked up the pouch. However, even if I used all my strength, it barely budged from the ground.
... I need to get fucking stronger dammit.
"I want meat!" For the first time in my two trash lives, I whined like a child. My voice probably sounded so shrill that some of the guys in Botan's caravan might be thinking of how to smack me to death.
"Yeesh got it. It's part ov the deal 'tween us an'way."
.
.
"Eat more, little Aya! Your arms are so thin like a dried up branch on the ground. Why don't you take a bath right after as well? I'm sure we have some clothes that could fit you. Would you like to take a cold bath or a warm bath? I'll get someone to prepare it for you!"
This was Sima — Botan's wife.
And Sima could chew someone's ear off with how talkative she was.
But I like her; she fussed over me like mother did.
Sometimes, I have to ask myself; the fuck am I acting like a child for? But then, realization would slap me like a bitch. I've never had a normal childhood before.
I've always been expected to be the ace researcher of our lab. Our superior cultivated me to find the cure of the virus that had been plaguing the world for more than two decades.
Was there even a time I was able to act like my age in my previous life? I don't really remember.
That was why I loved mother in this life. All the things I couldn't experience before, I was able to experience it now because of her. Although I lived a life of poverty this time, it was better than being locked up in the lab for all of my life.
"A warm bath!" I said right after spitting out that disgusting broccoli that made its way in my mouth. "And can I not eat this thing?" I couldn't even bring myself to verbally call this monstrosity by name.
Sima laughed. It wasn't a laugh that was as elegant as mother's but there was a distinctive homey feel to it. I like her laughter. "With you being this skinny, you can't afford to not eat it, little Aya. You need all the nutrients to grow up, you know?"
"But it doesn't taste good."
"Just finish the rest of it, alright? Then, you can eat all the meat you want."
"... okay!"
Shit, I was duped.
All I heard was 'eat all the meat'...
.
.
I ended up joining their caravan and becoming Sima's nominal son.
.
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— Dragon City —
In the palace of Dragon City, a youth sat on the throne. He had an oppressive aura around him that made it difficult for an ordinary person to even stand straight in front of him. Even the knight at his side — who was considered as his closest aide — broke out in cold sweat.
Across the throne room was a mountain pile of corpses of the former servants in the palace. At the very top of the pile was the former king of Dragon City, his limbs mangled and face beyond recognition. Beneath his corpse was the dead bodies of the princes and princesses of the royal family.
The youth's eyes were focused on that disfigured face before his attention diverted towards the only official alive. The official knelt in the sea of blood before him, sweating buckets out of fright.
"M... My King, what-what is your order?"
"..." The youth remained silent, lips thin in annoyance. "That rubbish over there — " he pointed to the former king's corpse. " — I've heard that he wanted to kill this prince because of your instigation?"
The official almost cried in terror. "M-Mistake! This official had always been neutral to — "
"Silence."
He closed his mouth shut.
"This prince had already ceased from aiming for the throne. This prince even left this repulsive place because it's troublesome to live here... and yet, you decided to make trouble for this prince?" The knight beside the youth drew out his sword at the gesture the prince made.
"Tell this prince; was it you who sent those people to the slums? To what? Curry favor from that worthless king father of mine?" He received no answer, making him click his tongue.
"Kill him."
"Yes, master!"
The sound of blade cutting through the air bounced off the walls of the throne room. A sound of something falling into that sea of blood below echoed. The youth cast an indifferent glance at the severed head whose eyes stared at him with grievance.
The knight sheathed his sword before taking his place behind the youth, standing still as if he were afraid of earning his master's ire.
After a moment of silence, the youth spoke up.
"We move tomorrow; no one leaves Dragon City alive."
That next day, Dragon City ceased from existing.
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