Chapter 10: The Famine and the Divide

A small-scale famine struck the kingdom, and the effects rippled through the orphanage. The meager funding that kept them afloat was cut further, leading to severe food shortages. The children, already accustomed to having little, grew cranky and resentful as their hunger intensified. Samuel, now three years old, found himself at the center of their growing animosity.

Ron, always the spirited leader, became the spokesperson for the children's grievances. He blamed Samuel for their predicament, seeing him as an extra mouth to feed that had only made their difficult situation worse. "It's because of him," Ron would whisper to the others. "If he wasn't here, we'd have more to eat." The resentment spread quickly, and Samuel became an outcast among his peers, a scapegoat for their collective suffering.

Despite his young age, Samuel—Itachi—understood the complex dynamics at play. His past experiences as a clan leader and a spy gave him insights into human behavior that were far beyond his years. He observed silently, realizing that being ostracized provided him with certain benefits. He wasn't expected to participate in chores or the strenuous activities the other children were tasked with. This allowed him more time to think and strategize, though it also made him lazier than he had ever been in his previous life.

During this time, Samuel began to pester the nuns to teach him how to read and write. The nuns, Samantha and Alberta, were surprised but delighted by his eagerness to learn. They saw it as a sign of his potential to escape the harsh realities of their world through education. To them, Samuel's thirst for knowledge suggested a future as a scholar, someone who could rise above the poverty and struggles of the orphanage.

What they didn't realize was that Samuel's knowledge of reading and writing from his past life as Itachi far surpassed what they could teach him. His skills were those of a seasoned strategist and spy, but he kept this to himself, practicing diligently to avoid arousing suspicion. He used a thin film of sand on a plate to practice his writing, a method that earned him praise from the adults for his ingenuity and determination.

However, this also drew more ire from the other children. They saw Samuel's dedication to learning as a further sign of his difference, something that set him apart and made him a target for their frustration. They couldn't understand his motivations and saw his achievements as a threat to their fragile sense of equality.

One evening, as the children were gathered around, their empty stomachs making them restless and irritable, Ron stood up to address them. "We need to stick together," he declared, his red eyes blazing with passion. "But how can we, when some of us think they're better than the rest? Learning to read and write won't fill our bellies. We need to focus on surviving, not showing off."

The children nodded in agreement, their faces set in determined lines. They resented Samuel's perceived arrogance, his apparent disregard for their collective struggle. Samuel, standing apart, listened quietly. He understood their anger but knew that his path was different. His determination to learn was not about showing off; it was about preparing for a future he could not yet fully grasp but knew was vital.

The famine continued to cast a long shadow over the orphanage. Food became scarcer, and the children's resentment towards Samuel only grew. Yet, amidst the hardship, he continued his secret practice of Spirit Magic and honed his skills in reading and writing. He was aware of the fragile balance he had to maintain: to excel without drawing too much attention, to grow stronger without becoming a threat.

The nuns, oblivious to the deeper tensions among the children, continued to support Samuel's education, believing they were nurturing a potential escape for him from the grim realities of their world. Little did they know that Samuel's true potential was far greater than they could ever imagine, shaped by experiences from a life they could not comprehend.

As the days turned into weeks, Samuel's resolve only hardened. He would not be swayed by the animosity of the other children or the bleakness of their situation. He was determined to survive and thrive, to turn his knowledge and skills into tools for a future that, while still uncertain, held the promise of something more than mere survival.

In the midst of famine and adversity, Samuel—Itachi—continued his quiet journey of self-discovery and preparation, knowing that the challenges he faced now were but the first steps in a much longer path ahead.