Chapter 1: I Hate My Life

"Hun...gry..... sooo.... hung...ry...."

"I.... need.... food..."

This is all I can say right now while holding my stomach which doesn't feel like a stomach anymore, I can see my ribs and my hands are skinny, so are my feet.

What is this?

I kept thinking why am I alive.

Why do I keep trying to survive, I want to die..., but I can't.... I'm scared of death.

I am alone in this alley with rats and dead birds accompanying me.

I saw in the streets many wagons and carriages pass by, not batting an eye on me, I see many high-class nobles, Elves, Dark Elves, Dwarves, Beast People, and Demons.

Ever since the Alliance was formed 40 years ago, we have peace and war never erupts anymore but humans got divided by 2, those who favor non-human races and those who don't. The majority of humans pick the latter, as they thought they are much more advance than the other races, hints of war starts to show recently as many non-human races got enslaved by the humans that don't like non-human races, this tends to shake the bond between the humans that favor the non-human races, as such to differentiate between the two, all humans that enter a city occupied by The Alliance should wear a Mana Gem imbued with magic to show the emotion of the wearer, those who hate non-human races would turn the gem red and those who like non-human races would turn it green, I, however, doesn't have that gem, and people would think that I hate the non-human races.

They would spit on me, sometimes give me money, or just hit me for no reason at all, I don't resent them though, I know the circumstances of why they hate unidentified humans, I could be a spy or something, but what kind of spy starves himself, I guess spies do that to gather information, I might be suitable to be a spy then.

It has been 12 years since I was born, 3 years ago I ran from that orphanage because they wanted to sell me to some slave traffickers, I'm lonely for three years, even this is the capital of The Alliance, they never care about people like me huh.

well whatever, it's not like I expect anything from other people though but I am so hungry, I felt like I could eat a whole cow right now

I then got up then exited the alley, I saw many stores and stands as usual, and I said the same thing again like last time

"Please, dear sir, ma'am spare a change for this poor child"

I kept repeating those words until I grow tired of them, but what can I do? I can't get a job, I can't read or even write, so at least I need to survive but this is the only thing I could think of. I know there is no honor in this but we all need to feed ourselves right?

So as I was walking while begging for food or money, I came across a Tailor Shop, It's name is simple, it's just "Tailors" that's it, but the clothes they're showing in front of the store are marvelous, anyone could judge that they are fine clothes, well noble clothes though, that's why only nobles entered, It's rather high class. I kept staring at the store and one clothes got my interest, It's a plain white shirt with motives near the chest part, and black pants with a belt, maybe one day I would wear that kind of thing, But who am I kidding, not in a million years I would wear that, not if my condition is like this.

I paused for a moment and tried to look at myself, then approached the store and put my hand in front of the clothes that I want, though separated by glass. I then look at myself again then said

"Why am I like this?.... Why can't I be born like a noble?... A normal citizen with a house and a family... probably something to eat... that would be plenty for me... I've seen young boys get mad at their parents... but they don't know the feeling of longing for what they have... they don't know what it feels like... the feeling of wanting a family, a place to come home, or even a nice warm meal, why am I like this....."

I then dropped myself to the ground and weeps like a little girl that lost her doll, I really am sick of this, all of it every single one of it, why can't I be normal, why can't the ungrateful children feel what I feel??

I continuously weep in front of the store until he came

"Boy? what are you doing here? You're scaring away my customers"

I heard a voice, it sounds like a man, but there is a worry in his voice, so I stopped weeping and look at where the voice came from, It was a man with a noble suit and his slicked back black hair, he is fairly tall and wears white gloves, then he said again

"Are you okay?, would you like something?"

he said it again with a gentle voice this time, much gentler than before

"Come on now boy, stop crying, that's not how a boy acts, you will become men in the future, come now young one"

Hearing that compassion made me cry, as I rarely get treated like this, I saw the nearby passerby and they all look at me with disdain in their eyes, as if I'm worse than dirt

" Come now, we are a terrible sight right now, come, tell me... what is your name? and age? you look familiar to someone I know"

I answered him

"My name is Jack Grimm, I'm 12 years old, I don't know my father or my mother, I'm ran away from the Orchid Orphanage, because they were trying to sell me to traffickers"

As I said that, the man stops and then he kneels, I can hear a little sob coming from him, then he says

"I'm so sorry about what happened to you, I should've never trusted that wicked woman, I should've come to pick you up sooner, I am so sorry..."

He continues to so, but something is bothering me... what did he meant by pick me up sooner? as I am trying to ask him question about it, he holds my hand and said

"Boy... I know you father, He died 12 years ago, he told me to take care of his son, but I was late, your mother already died and they put you in a terrible orphanage, I am so sorry..."

he cries and then he continues

"Come on now, Your father saved my life, it's time for me to pay him back"

He took my hand, and when I was trying to stand up, I blacked out due to starvation

"Oh, dear he must be tired"

He then carried me in his arms to who knows where.