7 Difference II

"BOOKS!!"

Ace's eyes widened as he saw what unfolded in front of him.

As Ace followed the nobleman to the corner of the street, he saw him turn the box and throw them into a pile of books and dirts already scattered there.

As Ace watched the nobleman disappear down the street, he couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness and frustration at the waste of knowledge. He had always loved books and had a passion for learning, but he had never imagined that something as simple as reading could be seen as a crime.

He thought of his father, who had always encouraged him to read was actually buying those books from the bookstore.

"So this is were Dad is getting my books from".

As Ace picked up a book to examine it, a group of noblewomen passed by and began hurling insults at him. They called him a dirty commoner and sneered at him for daring to touch a book in their presence.

Ace felt a knot form in his stomach as he tried to ignore their words and focus on the book in front of him. However, their taunts continued, and he could feel their gazes burning holes into his back.

Feeling frustrated and powerless, Ace clutched the book tightly as he stood at that spot. As he gazed at them as he followed them, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anger and resentment towards the nobility who looked down on him simply because of his social status.

"Noble"

"Tsk...."

"I wonder what the difference is between them and me"

As Ace made his way through the crowded streets of the capital while he followed those nobles with utter spite, he couldn't help but remember his father's words: "Don't run into any nobles." He had always thought it was just a warning to keep him safe in the unfamiliar city, but now he realized that it was also a warning about the social barriers that existed between the commoners and the nobility.

Ace felt a sense of frustration and injustice at the thought of being held back simply because of his birth. He knew that he had the potential to be great, but it seemed like the nobility would always look down on him no matter what he accomplished.

"Why is it okay for them….."

"But not for me?"

"Hey, kid", a masculine voice rang followed by a grab by Ace's shoulder.

Huhhhhhh

"What do you think you're doing, commoner? This isn't a place where kids like you should be roaming around alone", the guard sneered.

>> Behold this door is an area only nobles can access<<

"Where are you from? Where are your parents", the guard asked.

"Huh? Ah… He's close by".

Just as the first guard was about to release Ace, a second guard appeared and joined in the questioning. Ace felt his heart sink - he knew that he was in trouble now.

"What's going on here?" the second guard asked, eyeing Ace suspiciously.

"Just making sure this commoner isn't up to any mischief," the first guard replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

The second guard nodded, but didn't seem satisfied. "And where are you from, boy?" he asked Ace directly.

Ace swallowed hard. He knew that he couldn't lie to the guard, but he also knew that revealing too much information could be dangerous.

"He's probably an orphan".

"He might even be an errand boy for Bandits", one of the guard said shabbily.

A shocking reaction was only Ace could give.

"I will need you to come with me, kid....."

"Huh?"

"Where dis the kid go", one of the guard said with high alarm.

As Ace hurried away from the guards, his mind raced with thoughts of what could have happened if he had been caught. He couldn't believe he was trying to talk his way out of trouble.

However, his relief was short-lived as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw that the guards were chasing after him.

"Stop, you there!" one of the guards shouted. "You're coming with us!"

Without hesitation, Ace sprinted down the street as fast as he could, dodging through crowds of people and turning down alleyways. The guards were fast, but Ace was faster. He knew the streets of the capital like the back of his hand, and he used every trick he knew to evade the guards.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of running, Ace saw an opening. A small alleyway between two buildings that looked like it might lead to safety. Without a second thought, he darted down the alleyway and disappeared from sight.

Breathless and trembling, Ace leaned against the wall of the alleyway and tried to catch his breath. He had narrowly escaped capture, but he knew that he couldn't let his guard down.

"Are they gone…..?"

Pheww!!!!!

"I bet Dad's gonna scold me...."

After Ace had made his way from the guards, he felt a sharp pain on his foot. He looked down to find that one of his shoes had fallen off in his haste to escape. He quickly retraced his steps, dodging crowds of people and trying not to draw too much attention to himself. Finally, he reached the spot where he had lost his shoe and saw that it had fallen beside a wall.

Ace sighed and knelt down to pick up his shoe. He tried to wipe off the mud with his hands, but it only made the situation worse. The guard's accusations still rang in his ears, and he felt a sense of helplessness wash over him. He knew that as a commoner, he was always at a disadvantage in the kingdom.

And just as he reminisced about the latter event, he heard....

"What is Magic?".