There aren't many things in life that could distress Kallous.
And some are worth mentioning.
He dislikes loud noises, as they make him feel very uncomfortable. He'd rather stay in a quiet and calm environment, with nothing on his mind other than the sound of Allyn's humming when she's happy. That is one of the few things that he is grateful for, as her voice always manages to keep him away from diving too deeply into his own thoughts.
He also disdains stormy weathers. The feeling of being caught up in the middle of a storm brings back unpleasant memories. Getting soaked from head to toe isn't something he would ever want to experience in this life.
Although they are quite shameless, clouds can be the nicest of beds. He vividly remembers the day Allyn handed him his very first cloud bed, telling him that it was a present that had already been prepared by the system.
For the first time in his life, he was able to sleep comfortably.
Sadly he can't use that bed now since he is in the orphanage. However, as it was precious to him, he kept it safe inside the system storage for him to use whenever the situation calls for it.
He had also long forgotten why he doesn't like to physically touch anything unless he has his gloves on, and he never tried to remember. It doesn't affect his life much anyway.
Now, this is all just nonsense, unimportant information. What does any of all that have to do with the current situation?
Nothing much really, just the simple fact that Kal found a new thing to add to this list.
The butterfly effect, to be exact.
Some might not know, but the butterfly effect is but a popular concept that suggests minor changes can have major, far reaching consequences.
Consequences that Kallous hopes to never deal with in the future.
Simply thinking about it makes his head hurt.
The silence between them was deafening as they headed back to the orphanage. Allyn, who had been staring at Kal's oddly calm expression, couldn't take it any longer and spoke,
✿ 'You shouldn't worry about it much, it's not like you knew.'
Kal took a brief pause before he kept on walking as he reached the backside of the orphanage, his expression unchanging.
He noticed Allyn's worry and sighed before he changed the topic.
─'that quest, take the rewards and accept them in my stead. Add the ticket to the rest of the collection and use the Glitch on the mission so I can get on with it. I need a snack, since I am not allowed to have pudding, give me anything that is as sweet and tasty as it is. And no, cookies won't do. I don't feel like eating them right now.'
✿ He's more talkative than usual, I guess saving the protagonist' mother did a number on him. At least he won't abandon food. Allyn nested on his head, messed with his hair for a couple of minutes to cheer him up then disappeared to do her tasks.
As he walked inside the room, noting that the twins weren't back yet, Kal went to his bed and collapsed on his back, letting out a long sigh.
Soon, he let himself relax, so what if he saved the protagonist's mother? She was originally going to die after she gave birth to her child anyway. As far as he remembers, the birth of the protagonist was considered to be a miracle in the eyes of the world.
Not only was he able to survive inside of his mother's body as she was in a coma and slowly dying, he was able to unlock both of his blessings at birth.
A clear sign that the constellations favoured him.
While the world had become chaotic after the appearance of the other races and their lands along with them, the protagonist's father, the Duke of Whishipper, had to grieve for the death of his wife while also caring for his newly born child and soothing his people alongside maintaining peace and order for everyone.
So there is still a chance of her death later on, but even if she survives, it won't be that bad. It's not like this simple change of fate will drastically change the future and somehow turn his sweet, caring, adventure loving protagonist into some evil, ruthless villain.
Plus, having his mother by his side should keep the protagonist in line and lead a better life...Hopefully.
The sound of the system notification brought him back to reality as a mission appeared before him.
'Looks like Allyn was done with her tasks but... did she forget my snack?'
Unable to wait any longer, he opened the system store and chose a random snack then carefully checked the mission.
➢ YOU HAVE UNLOCKED A HIDDEN QUEST.
[GRAY AS ONE'S SOUL]
Life and death is nothing to whoever holds the fate of others.
Changing one's fate is risky but worth to those who deserve it.
To you who is challenging such fate,
Live!
Survive and show the world that you are worth the sacrifice!
➢ Time left: 33 days
Hmm?
To say Kal was confused was an understatement. In normal occasions, even if the system were to ever give out quests or tasks to do, it always specifies what should be done exactly. Especially with main missions such as this one.
Even though it's a chain quest related to a mission, it should still specify and give more details.
This was the first time Kal had ever received a quest for him to just.. live. And it did not sit right with him.
Also, what sacrifice? all of this seemed sketchy.
Especially the number of days that just so happens to correspond to the days of which the portals will appear.
It felt ominous.
However, Kal wasn't worried. Even if anything were to happen, he knows that he could deal with it.
After all, he wasn't alone anymore.
Kal couldn't help but choke on his snack when he saw his own reflection on the mirror beside him.
WHY WAS HIS HAIR MESSED UP?! He looked like he haven't had a shower in years. Wait.. is that mud sticking out?...
...
'I should have a nice long chat with starlight.' He thought to himself as he went to the bathroom to take a shower.
Locking the door behind him of course.
Can't trust anyone here.
✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺
Spire street, near the town' center.
The Twins just finished their rendezvous and schedule for the morning and were planning to head back before breakfast. As they walked, they stopped by many shops, courtesy of Ian, and bought snacks and candy of all shapes and sizes.
You could say that they utilised the money they borrowed from the kind gentlemen and ladies to use as what it was meant for.
After they were done, Ivan took his brother's hand and stepped into the shadows, taking them directly to their room. As soon as they stepped out, Ian quickly left his brother's side and ran to Kal's bed. Only to find that the bed was empty.
Ian tilted his head in confusion and started to look all around the room for Kallous, leaving no place unchecked. Even the cups were not safe from him.
Ivan silently shook his head, mused by how his twin got attached to the little kid.
Not long after, the bathroom door opened and Kal came out, a towel wrapped around him , making him look like a mini burrito. "Ah, you are back." He looked at them curiously, his blue hair still dripping water as he made his way towards them.
Both Ian and Ivan turned around and faced him, Ian acting like he was caught red-handed while his twin was as expressionless as always.
"K-Kallous, I- ..we were just.." Ian started, his face as red as a rose.
✿ 'Kal, why are you always bullying the kid?' Allyn appeared beside him, resting on his shoulder.
─'I did not bully him! Do I look like I bully kids for a living?' Kal argued, losing interest in whatever the twins were up to.
Allyn had long since started video recording this little reactions that Kal always makes whenever she teases him. She needs to update herself soon or else she won't be able to take any more of these videos without deleting some of her own treasures for the sake of saving some space.
Ian backed away as Kal went to his bed, he looked at Kal as if he was a lost puppy.
─'I think this kid lost some brain cells.' Kal commented as he looked straight at the twins as he thought of a silly idea.
"It's cowd" Kal pitifully spoke, as he pointed at the open window. He had long got used to his tongue playing tricks on him from time to time.
Ian noticed how his new friend was shivering due to the low temperature of the room, and the open window was only making it worse. So he hurriedly attempted to close it, only to find himself trip and fall, hitting his head in the process.
Kal wasn't expecting this to actually work and since it did, he took this opportunity to prepare himself for breakfast later. Clothes these days are difficult to wear when you have such a tiny body. Luckily, Allyn is by his side, assisting him.
Ivan silently walked to his clumsy twin and checked his injury. He had long expected him to lose brain cells when he is near this new friend of his.
"I'm alright." Ian assured his brother, trying to act high and mighty.
Ivan's eyes softened as he saw his brother's foolish smile. He got up and closed the windows, at least if he does it himself, his twin won't end up hurting himself.
Remembering the gift he planned to gift his friend, Ian eyed his brother's bag then looked straight at Ivan in anticipation.
"The cookies." Ian excitedly whisper shouted.
"Ah." Ivan quietly handed it to him as he smiled, this airhead will be the death of him.
Ian took the tightly wrapped present and headed to Kal, only to see that he wasn't there anymore.
"..."
Speechless, he fell dramatically on his knees. Feeling as if he was just abandoned by the world.
"If you don't get ready soon, you might not be able to sit next to him today. You know how popular he is with the kids." Ivan had long known that Kal left the room, but he didn't expect that his brother would be this shocked. He is such a drama queen.
Light flashed in Ian's eyes, he snapped out of his trance and like a bullet, he dashed to his side of the room, opened his closet and took out his uniform then changed to it.
Ivan leaned by the door and silently waited for his brother as he watched him prepare.
The sound of the bell rang inside the castle like building, signalling to the orphans who heard it that it was time for breakfast.
"See you there." Ian walked out of the room in a steady pace as he heard his brother following up to him with a betrayed expression on his face.
"DON'T LEAVE ME!" the boy made sure to take the cookie gift box before racing to his older brother who abandoned him.
Twins, finally reunited – unlike in a certain game – after separation that lasted for only a second, together made their way up towards the dining hall to join our main character who was silently suffering amongst the crowd of kids of all genders and race.
✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺
'Life is easy they said.. what a joke.'
Every day is a battle of some sort. for instance, just getting out of bed in the morning is a battle. It's a constant war between facing reality or the gravity of comfy beds.
Sometimes, battles tend to go much crazier in unexpected ways. Like this situation for example.
Inside the upper levels of the orphanage, Kallous sat neatly on a chair near the Hogwarts-like style dining table, where a plate of what appeared to be a highly tasty French style breakfast dishes lay before him, the scent of the various meals filling the entire hall.
Next to him sat a ginger- haired child who had zero to no table manners and was placing greasy food that he held using his fingers directly onto Kal's plate, which made Kal feel disgusted in the process but had to keep a perfect smile on his face for the sake of keeping up with his act.
But because he didn't show any dissatisfaction with the kid's actions, many other children followed suit and started to fill his plate with different types of food directly from their plates, from their hands, onto his own plate.
This caused the now- disgusted Kal to lose his appetite.
Don't misunderstand, Kal loves food. This life made him realize how tasty different types of food can be. He will never discriminate against any type of food.
Food is food.
But even that has a line that shouldn't be crossed.
Not to mention the loud chewing noises that they were making, it took everything in Kal to hold back and sit there like the good, innocent child that he is instead of sending them to the afterlife.
As if someone heard his wish, the hall fell silent.
Kal glanced up as he felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Ian with a grin on his face, eyes looking down at him.
"We were looking all over for you Kallous, here let me take this awful food from your plate and hand you mine. You must be starving."
As Ian proceeded to do as he said, he sat on the now vacant chair next to him as Ivan took the chair that was next to his brother's.
Kal could only silently watch as both Ian filled his plate with a more pleasant meal while his brother, Ivan, took a random plate and filled it with his and his twin's share of the meal.
Now presented with a more satisfying, none sticky meal, Kal started to dig in not noticing the pleased expression of the younger twin.
Allyn, who was using her privilege as an OP system, watched this scene in with glimmer in her eyes as she recorded ever second of it without missing a moment.
Although the combination of the three sitting together as they had their breakfast was odd in the eyes of the orphans, they couldn't ignore the peaceful atmosphere around them which was fairly pleasant to most.
Sadly, some weren't happy about it.
"Hey, what are these two monsters doing sitting next to our younger brother like that?" Side character number one asked his fellow side characters.
"Yeah! Shouldn't we do something about this? What if that pink haired freak decided to eat Kallous like he did with the others?" An abnormally heavy child commented.
"Shhh don't be so loud, what if they hear you? You don't want to be their next target right?" A mini white lotus side character hushed the kid next to her as she advised him.
"But what if they bully our Kallous? He's so innocent he won't even know what hit him" side character number four said as he looked over at Kallous only to be glared at by the 'pink hair monster'.
"Why are you guys worried? They won't be able to hurt him here since we will protect him!" skinny side character assured the other kids, hoping for them to stop the conversation before the freaks notice them.
"yeah! No one harms our youngest on our watch!" the side characters silently agreed.
"Tsk, these kids are annoying." Taking a bite into his toast, Ian silently glared at the orphans sitting across the table.
Ivan could only silently pat Ian's head as he placed more buttered toast on his plate.
Kal, on the other hand, was busy chatting with his dear system and checking out his new status upgrade.
[ STATUS ]
✧ ( Kallous ) [ Lv.7 ] [ Points: 0 ]
Race: -
[ SB: Hidden ]
[ Title: - ]
[ Rank ]
F+
[ STRENGTH: 11(+2) ]
Uncommon.
[ STAMINA: 11 (+1) ]
Uncommon.
[ INTELLIGENCE: 28 (+1) ]
Uncommon.
[ ENDURANCE: 11 (+1) ]
Uncommon.
[ LUCK: 42 ]
Rare.
Now that all of his stats, with the exception of the luck stat, reached the uncommon rank; giving each a singular status point with strength as an exception, since it took two status points for it to reach the same level as the others. Kal was pretty satisfied with his not so weak stats for a child.
Unless he started comparing himself with the soon to be born protagonist, which he will never do since his stats can put anyone to shame, Kal feels like these numbers were good enough and pleasant in his eyes.
As long as he keeps up with his current growth, he will be able to live a relaxing and chill life without worrying about dying at any point of time.
The hall was soon filled with the chatter and laughter of the kids as they all enjoyed their meals and talked about their plans for the weekend. The room turned livelier and livelier, but soon it all instantly stopped as the main door were unlocked.
The attendants quickly but silently hushed the kids while making sure they were all presentable. The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching as all of them sat there in silence, waiting,
All eyes were fastened on the door as it was being opened. Some were nervous, some were excited but most of them were eyeing the door in anticipation.
Only Kal and the twins didn't care as they kept on eating as if nothing happened.
Soon, Cian came out of the door and into the hall. He gave the kids a quick wave and smiled at them. Following him, Lucy walked with the butler by her side, she looked quite eye catching in red.
Lucy gave the kids a picture perfect smile and greeted them,
"Good morning, sweethearts. Are you ready for today's event?"
Kal did not like where this was going.