Little Alina

As Ace cautiously entered the dark alley, snivels of a child were continuously coming from the end of the alley.

When Ace stepped inside the alleyway, it was pretty dark because there wasn't any light. Only the soft moonlight of the full moon was glistening, illuminating the darkness around.

He only saw a little silhouette at the end of the alleyway with the moon's faint light. When he heard the snivel voice coming from the little profile, he relaxed a little and slowly walked towards it.

By hearing the mellow voice, Ace guessed this child was probably a little girl.

The little girl also heard footsteps approaching her and was immediately forewarned.

She stopped weeping and looked at the owner of footsteps with tearful yet intelligent eyes. She thought someone was approaching her with sinister motives. Furthermore, she suppressed her anxiety and clenched her tiny fist.

The little girl was ready for a struggle!

Ace didn't see clearly, but he could vaguely see the little girl stop crying and clench her fist as if she would fight him if he approached her. He couldn't help but admire her courage.

'She should be around four or five years of age.' Ace guessed with the slightest hint of interest in his eyes.

Even with dim moonlight, the valley was still quite dark so that he couldn't see her appearance. Nevertheless, Ace walks a little closer and stops four meters away from the girl because he doesn't want to scare her further.

Ace softly said to the little girl in a soothing tone, "I don't have any bad intentions. I'm only here because I heard your cries. Where are your parents? Do you get separated from them?"

Ace inquired as gently as possible, but his voice was a little hoarse, as he hadn't spoken for a long time, and the little girl didn't answer him either.

'It seems she's afraid of me.' Ace smiled bitterly. He also didn't expect her to talk with a stranger in this kind of place.

If it were him in her shoes, he would've done the same, or he might've yelled out loud for help long ago. But, this little thing was still quite brave to stand silently there and let him speak first without crying in fear. 

"Look, it is quite late at night, and some bad guys might be near. If you don't want to get caught by them, go to your house. It's perilous to be here by all yourself." Ace earnestly warned her. He didn't want her to be kidnapped by those thugs around the area. 

Ace had been crossing this area for almost four years and knew just how dangerous it was. Once, he was caught by local thugs when he was passing here, and after finding out that he was dirt poor, they only beat him up and let him go. So he didn't dare to imagine what they would do to this little girl. 

Since he had already warned her, it was her choice to listen. Ace turned around and began walking towards the exit of the alley.

When the little girl heard his warning tone, somehow she could tell this person didn't have any evil intentions. So, she became less vigilant when she saw this person about to leave; panic appeared on her face, and she became afraid after thinking about something.

"W-wait." The little girl called in her childish, mellow voice 

When Ace heard her voice for the first time, he was a little stunned and wondered, 'How can someone's voice be so gentle!'

He had never even talked with anyone, much less a girl his age, so his thoughts were somewhat naive.

Ace turned around and glanced at her again. The little girl noticed his gaze and said faintly, "I don't know where my parents are and what they look like."

When Ace heard her lovely voice again, he was bewildered for a second and asked softly, "Then why are you in this kind of place and crying alone by yourself?"

Hearing Ace's question, the little girl suddenly remembered something, and tears flowed down her cheeks. When Ace hears her sobbing, he feels a little pain in his heart that has been cold for a long time.

"What happens?" He quickly asks her with uncertainty.

The girl said while crying weakly, "I'm Hungry!"

When Ace heard this, his lips spasmed, unknowingly, a smile crept out on his cold face. 'She's just a child in the end.' 

"I have food in my house; if you have nowhere to go, come with me." Ace didn't know why he said that, but seeing a small child in this situation, he couldn't help but think of his alone self. He just wanted to help her.

The little girl immediately stopped crying after hearing Ace's offer. She profoundly looked at the person in front of her. She couldn't see his face, but from his voice and stature, she could easily guess that he was also young and seemed sincere.

In the end, she was still an innocent little girl, so when she thought he was sincere with the offer, "Ok, let's go!" So she agreed.

It's not like she can't protect herself if things go awry.

Ace had a sigh of relief when she accepted to go with him because after exchanging some words with her, he didn't want to leave her alone in this place.

Ace didn't want to stay here for long, so he turned around and walked toward the alley's exit, and the little girl followed behind him.

When they came out, dim moonlight shone on the street, and both of their faces became apparent.

Ace was curious and couldn't help but turn around to look at the little girl's face. But when he saw her face, he was bewitched.

Her small face was oval with pale-white skin, a little nose, hollow cheeks, and a small mouth; her bright blue eyes shone like stars, and her long black falling hair perfectly complemented her pale white skin. She was like a cute little doll who somehow came to life!

Her otherworldly cuteness instantly captivated Ace, 'She is so cute.' This is the only thought that comes to his mind.

The little girl also looks back at Ace. The handsome face of the little boy was also pleasing to the eyes, especially his dark blue eyes, like a dark starry sky. He was a bit skinny but nothingness; he was handsome.

Ace and the little cutie beside him walk toward his house.

Ace suddenly asked, "What is your name?"

The little girl answers after some consideration, "Alina!"

'Alina, huh, good name.' Ace thought.

After some hesitation, the little girl asked, "What's yours?"

"Ace!" He answered without even thinking.

After some time, they reach Ace's house. It was a standard-size house and the only thing his parents left behind. He opened the door, and the inside was immaculate. He has been living alone here for three years now.

A little boy like him, who survived alone until now, was proof of his unyielding and ingenious nature.

"Come in," Ace said to Alina while entering the house.

Alina followed him inside after a brief hesitation.

Ace then quickly began to make some unique dishes for himself and little Alina for dinner. He learned to cook from his grandma when she was alive, and now he is an excellent cook. He also has saved some 'silver coins' with all these years of work, and since he lives alone, Ace spends little on himself. So he could afford to feed her one or two good meals.

(AN: Money System in Lands of Cites or Low-Level Lands: 1 Ruby Coin = 100 Gold Coins, 1 GC = 100 Silver Coins, 1 SC = 100 Bronze Coins)

When little Alina saw those warm dishes on the table, she drooled a little. Her stomach growls, and she can't hold herself back any longer. She ate crazily with little care for Ace, who was watching her from the side.

He couldn't help but smile. 'She seems like a hungry little ghost.' 

After dinner, Ace was about to go to wash the empty plates when he saw little Alina looking at him with a strange gaze as if he were her father or something. He finds it quite amusing and cute. Before, little Alina looked at him like he was a wolf who'd eat her alive. But now she looks more cheerful and friendly than before.

With a cheerful smile, she said, "Thank You, Big Brother Ace!" Her cute smile almost melts his heart.

Ace felt warm in his little heart when she called him Big Brother. How long has it been since he feels like this?

Looking at the innocent little girl, his eyes feel hot. When he touched them, they were moist. Maybe it was because of all those years of loneliness, or he finally found someone to talk to. But he was just happy for the first time in many years.

He quickly cleaned his moist eyes and said warmly, "You're welcome. You can stay here as well if you like."

Little Alina became extremely happy after hearing this because she had nowhere to go. And this Big Brother seems quite a nice person. Most importantly, he can cook delicious food.

"How do you get into the city if you don't have parents or any other relatives?" Ace finally asked this question that was bugging him.

'How come a little girl came to the city with no harm, and those guards at the city gates didn't even stop her if she was alone?' Ace was very confused about this matter. 

When she heard the question, She seemed to remember something painful. Her eyes got teary as she spoke in a sad tone, "I-I was living with my old grandpa in the forest, but yesterday, when I was playing in the woods, old grandpa came to me and said he had something to do, so we have to leave the forest, and he took me in this place called a city.

"After we came here, he dropped me in that alley where we met earlier. Before leaving, Grandpa promised me that he'd come back after taking care of his important business, and I must wait for him there obediently." As she recalled what had happened, she began to cry again.

Ace was intelligent and could make some guesses about what had happened after. 'So that's how little Alina was left alone. It looks like her Old Grandpa has abandoned her, or he encountered some trouble.'

After weeping for some time, little Alina fell asleep. She was exhausted after the whole ordeal.

Afterward, he and Alina would go to the same dark alley for an entire week and wait for her old grandpa, but he never returned.

Alina became sad and dejected, but she slowly accepted that her grandpa might have abandoned her or that he was going to do something important somewhere else.

---

That's how a little sister came into Ace's lonely life, which was very appreciated as he was very fond of her.

After some time, little Alina opened up to Ace, and she began to consider him as a real Big Brother.

Ace always cared for her, told her random stories, and played with her. Ace became happy again as he spent more time with Alina.

Finally, in his bitter life, spring came again with Alina, and the scars from the past began to heal.

A year passed in happiness and joy. But it didn't last long, as little Alina got sick by the start of winter.

First, it wasn't serious. With some medicine, she could get healthy again. But after a week, her illness came back again, and with revenge this time.

Ace became terrified of this as his childhood trauma began to act, and he panicked because his parents and grandparents left him one by one, and now his little sister also fell ill. How could he take it easily? 

'If something happens to her...' He didn't dare to imagine something like this, so he did everything he could to cure her strange illness.

However, even after four months, that illness only became even worse. It was pretty strange; sometimes, it would act and show signs of fading. But nothing worked after some time, no matter what kind of medicine he fed her.

Many doctors checked Alina's condition, and they all said, 'It was just a cold, and she will become better after taking some medicine.'

But Ace had a terrible feeling about this and thought it was not the case of a simple cold and that something was wrong with her. After mulling over it for a long time, Ace finally made a difficult decision.

Since typical medicine was not working, Ace put his hope on the Alchemy Pills made by Almighty 'Alchemists' who were proficient in the way of Wondrous Medicines. But he needed the money since alchemy medicines are extremely expensive.

So, decisively, he sold his parents' house for ten gold coins and bought Alchemy Pills!