Seline Lovechire.
It was a new morning. And a new survival.
It's somehow cliché sounding but it is true that living to see another day was means that for another day, you will have to find a way to survive. It was always like that for people belonging in the Vellein social class, the lowest social class in the whole empire. The term that was called to us was just beautify but it still means that compared to those who have money and the means to survive in this world, we are just peasants that needs to work hard or even beg for their scraps in order to survive.
"Dearest Goddess, Valentine, may I survive this day once again and sleep peacefully the next day." I uttered. It was a simple short prayer for the Goddess that blessed and worshipped at the empire. The merciful goddess, Valentine.
I open the closed window near my bed, compared to the typical "bird chirping and fresh breeze that welcomes me" scenario, what welcome me was the buzzling street. The dust that flew as the noble's carriages passed by, the constant talks in the market and the laughter of the innocent child who was unfortunate enough to be born as a vellein.
"Good morning, Seline!" a soft voice greeted me. I looked and saw Helena, the kind grandmother staying on the inn beside mine. She has her usual get up, an apron wrapped around her stomach and a white bandana on her white hair. She wore the same brown color dress that she owned. Despite the harsh life as a vellein, she never lost the sweet smile on her face. "Have you had your breakfast yet, dear"
"Good morning, Helena. Not planning on selling your goods today?" I asked, completely ignoring her question. Eating my remaining almost hard bread for my breakfast means that I will have no lunch to eat while serving at the bar below the inn where I'm staying.
"Klena," her granddaughter who happens to be my friend. "will be the one selling today. She wants to be the first person the get the newspaper."
"Klena? Newspaper?" I said. It was too late to take it back as it completely left my mouth. Klena was never found of reading. She would rather play and drink or share some gossip amongst other ladies in the stalls.
Helena laughed, unbothered and not offended by what I have said. "Yes, dear. She told me there would be an announcement about the Adamson Academy today."
My mood turned sour as I hear that name. It was no new news that people from velleins hate the nobles and the nobles in the Adamson Academy. Even though they have smiles and greets politely when the Adamson students walked in our street every festival, it was only as a façade. Who would dare act impolite to the nobles afterall when you are just a peasant like us. And the growing hatred they felt increased when a symbol of the peasants, the cathedral who was forgotten and not even well kept, collapsed last week. They can't voice their own disappointment of letting it collapse when the large cathedral of Valestine Church, the symbol of the nobles, stood proudly at the center of the plaza despite being much older than the so-called Peasant's cathedral.
However, unlike other velleins who despise the nobles that study there for no reason, I have my own acceptable reason. My little brother, together with my dad, was mercilessly killed by a noble after they refused to serve them alcohol during the festival. Despite being a peasant, my father has his own morals and principles. And one of them is never serving alcohol to anyone who has not celebrated his coming of age ceremony. But nobles doesn't even care about that.
I can still feel the horror I felt when the noble unsheathe his sword and beheaded my father and killed my little brother who cried. The noise of the other velleins screaming and crying. Fucking nobles.
"I'm sorry." Helena apologized after she noticed my silence. Everyone in our street knew what happened to me and my family because of nobles so despite their hatred on them, they never spoke a thing nor uttered the word noble in front of me. It was out of respect they had for my father who has a fairly good reputation in our street and to my sorrow and grief for my deceased family.
"You don't have to be sorry, Helena." I forced a smile on my face. She was about to say something, maybe her usual "You have to move on now, Seline. Hating them will do you no good nor will Arthuro and Arthur (my father and little brother) will like it if you kept hatred in your heart." rant. I know she's telling me this for my own good as hatred is such a scary emotion a human can have.
I just can't move on and act like nothing happen when I lost my only family in just a blink of an eye. And even on a happy occasion like the festival.
***
Despite my heart wrenching flashbacks that morning, I continued my day with a smile on my face. It was a such a sweet smile, they say, but it doesn't change the fact that it was fake. Especially when nobles entered the pub where I work at in order to see some requests from the guild.
It was a tiring day. I served the customers for the whole morning and only has the liberty to eat the now hard bread I set aside for my lunch. I finished my working shift at the pub and will just probably sell my goods in the street for the afternoon.
"Seline! Seline!" Klena's shout can be heard despite the buzzling and busy street. She rushed forward to my stall, ignoring the sign that stated that the owner is having her lunch, and smile at me. She ignored my glares and instead showed me the newspaper she got.
"The Adamson Academy finally opened its doors for us!!"