Xena smeared soot on her face, making her face dark.
It was her mother's request, she had to look like this.
"Listen up Xina, your beauty is my greatest treasure, you are going to be a noble's concubine in the future, so make sure you protect yourself and never sell yourself early, got it?"
Xina's mother was a prostitute, and Xina didn't even know who her father was, from the time Xina could remember, she didn't have the slightest impression of her father.
All she knew was that her father was a Demon because she had a pair of small, pointed horns on her forehead, and Xina's mother was human.
Xena was a human demon hybrid.
Xina didn't have much affection for her mother, she knew that her mother simply treated her as a piece of cargo, her mother was counting on her to get rich, that's why she wouldn't beat herself up and make her do heavy work because it would leave scars on her body and she wouldn't be able to sell it for a good price.
"Soon, soon, it's twelve already, just two more years of raising this damned little beast ... two more years ..."
Xena had often heard her mother say such dreamy things.
She was actually somewhat indifferent, her coming to this world was a mistake, and she didn't care if she lived or died afterward, what would happen to her.
Even when the guests ruthlessly abused her mother, she didn't feel anything, just hid in the dark attic, listening to her mother's screams and looking at the tattered comic books.
The comic strip was the story of a handsome prince who fell in love with a poor girl, and in the end they lived happily ever after, overcoming all obstacles.
Xina didn't feel that this kind of thing would happen to her, the adults always cursed the dirty nobles, the nobles were tyrannical and cruel, if she really became a concubine of a noble later on, she would definitely live a miserable life, not like in the fairy tale.
Later on, if it's too much to bear, it's good to die.
Xena thought so.
"Boom--"
There was a sudden explosion next door, followed by the sound of bottles and cans falling to the ground.
"Enishi-san, what happened? Are you okay?"
Xena knocked on the door.
Ainihi was a strange person, having moved here a while ago.
Enihi always wore a wide hood to cover her face on weekdays, Xena knew why this was because she was pretty, it was to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Enihi had long, wavy, light blue hair and a slightly baby-faced, rather cute face.
And Enihi could see that Xena had a distinguished look, but always made a fool of herself, and the two beautiful girls, one big and one small, agreed to keep this a secret from each other.
She said she was the pride of the Elmira Magic Academy and a powerful mage, but Xina didn't believe it, how could a mage-sama live in such a dark and cramped cheap apartment like her.
And how could the mage lord go to the Mercenary Association's bar to work as a waitress chick?
Not only that, when Hina asked Enishi to show her some magic, she always stammered and refused.
Enishi opened the door to her room, and the gray-haired duo looked at each other.
Xena warned, "If you blow up the house, the landlord will charge you again."
"I don't want to, the thought of today's annoyance makes me angry, and the magic experiment accidentally went wrong." Enishi spat out her tongue in embarrassment.
Xena giggled, only when she was with her sister Enishi did she feel a rare hint of happiness.
"Come in, I brought you some snacks from the Mercenary Association."
"Thank you Sister Ainihi!"
Xina was pulled into her house by Enishi.
It was still as messy as ever, with various bottles and jars piled up everywhere, filled with colorful powders and some strange things that Xina couldn't name.
Xina was quite helpless about this, and she felt that it was necessary for sister Ainihi to recognize reality and stop playing the childish game of pretending to be a mage and playing house.
But every time, Ainihi always revealed a hint of an inscrutable smile, leaving her puzzled.
"Sister Enishi, you don't know how to organize yourself either." Xina searched for a place to land among the bottles and jars.
However, Xina saw Enishi staring at her with unblinking eyes.
"Hmm ... Hina, Hina ... why does this name feel a bit familiar?"
"What's wrong, sister Ainish?" Xina felt that there was something strange about the way Ainihi was looking at her.
Then, Ainihi noticed the small pointed horn on Xina's head.
"Xina! And it's a demon!" Enishi's face suddenly became excited, "Oh my god, fifty gold coins!"
"Sister Enihi, what are you talking about?"
And Enishi was lost in her own mind.
Was this a coincidence? There weren't many people who were twelve years old, of the Demon Race, and were named Sina.
Well ... and the fact that the other party was willing to pay fifty gold coins to find someone meant that the person to be found was important to him, could it be that the person who was looking for Xina, was her father?
Yes, that would make everything make sense, Xina also said that she didn't know who her father was.
Enishi, you're a real genius!
But ...
It was still as messy as ever, with various bottles and jars piled up everywhere, filled with colorful powders and some strange things that Xina couldn't name.
Xina was quite helpless about this, and she felt that it was necessary for sister Ainihi to recognize reality and stop playing the childish game of pretending to be a mage and playing house.
But every time, Ainihi always revealed a hint of an inscrutable smile, leaving her puzzled.
"Sister Enishi, you don't know how to organize yourself either." Xina searched for a place to land among the bottles and jars.
However, Xina saw Enishi staring at her with unblinking eyes.
"Hmm ... Hina, Hina ... why does this name feel a bit familiar?"
"What's wrong, sister Ainish?" Xina felt that there was something strange about the way Ainihi was looking at her.
Then, Ainihi noticed the small pointed horn on Xina's head.
"Xina! And it's a demon!" Enishi's face suddenly became excited, "Oh my god, fifty gold coins!"
"Sister Enihi, what are you talking about?"
And Enishi was lost in her own mind.
Was this a coincidence? There weren't many people who were twelve years old, of the Demon Race, and were named Sina.
Well ... and the fact that the other party was willing to pay fifty gold coins to find someone meant that the person to be found was important to him, could it be that the person who was looking for Xina, was her father?
Yes, that would make everything make sense, Xina also said that she didn't know who her father was.
Enishi, you're a real genius!
But ...
Wake up! Enishi, are you going to sell your cute little Xena for a mere fifty gold coins?
You're the most talented student of the Elmira Magic Academy! How could you succumb to the temptation of money!
Although she was now so poor that she even had to work at the bar ... and fifty gold coins would allow her to pay off the debts she owed straight away.
Enishi took a deep breath, then, opened her mouth and asked, ''Xina, do you want to see your father?
Yes, it depended on Xina's wishes, if she didn't want to, she herself would never hand Xina over.
Xina visibly froze.
Papa, what a strange word for her.
In the charitable educational institution of the church in Xantha City, other children would have their dads pick them up after class, while she herself had to go home alone.
And when she asked her mother about her father, she would always show a look of disgust, "Oh, that guy, he's just a brute who doesn't want to take precautions."
Xina couldn't understand what her mother meant by what she said, but it felt like her dad shouldn't be a good person.
"I ... don't know." Xena shook her head tornly.
Ai Nixi was a little heartbroken as she held the skinny little Xina in her arms, "Do you want to go and meet him?"
Being able to take out fifty gold coins meant that Hina's father should be doing quite well. If he was allowed to recognize Xina, how could it make Xina's current life a little better.
Enishi looked at the staff lying quietly in the corner of the room.
And even if Xina's father was planning to plot against her, there was a way to protect her from herself.
Xina nodded slightly, "Okay, I'll listen to Sister Enishi."
Wake up! Enishi, are you going to sell your cute little Xena for a mere fifty gold coins?
You're the most talented student of the Elmira Magic Academy! How could you succumb to the temptation of money!
Although she was now so poor that she even had to work at the bar ... and fifty gold coins would allow her to pay off the debts she owed straight away.
Enishi took a deep breath, then, opened her mouth and asked, ''Xina, do you want to see your father?
Yes, it depended on Xina's wishes, if she didn't want to, she herself would never hand Xina over.
Xina visibly froze.
Papa, what a strange word for her.
In the charitable educational institution of the church in Xantha City, other children would have their dads pick them up after class, while she herself had to go home alone.
And when she asked her mother about her father, she would always show a look of disgust, "Oh, that guy, he's just a brute who doesn't want to take precautions."
Xina couldn't understand what her mother meant by what she said, but it felt like her dad shouldn't be a good person.
"I ... don't know." Xena shook her head tornly.
Ai Nixi was a little heartbroken as she held the skinny little Xina in her arms, "Do you want to go and meet him?"
Being able to take out fifty gold coins meant that Hina's father should be doing quite well. If he was allowed to recognize Xina, how could it make Xina's current life a little better.
Enishi looked at the staff lying quietly in the corner of the room.
And even if Xina's father was planning to plot against her, there was a way to protect her from herself.
Xina nodded slightly, "Okay, I'll listen to Sister Enishi."