Chapter 5: Wherever There Is Light, There Will Be Shadows

After my conversation with the person who saved me, it turned out that her name was Selene. Although she didn't tell me what exactly she worked on, she informed me that she was involved in a place where Chromas could use their abilities. Anyway, I wasn't interested in that.

Since I discovered how music felt to me, I realized that I can take things in stride. It's kind of strange, but every time I play the flute, I relax tremendously. However, I don't want that to become my job. As I once read, hobbies remain hobbies until they become work.

So after turning down the job offer, I decided it was time to move on to my new adventure. Even though the world is in ruins and we are at war with these creatures, and even though I feel I am an embarrassment to my family, Robin is still alive. I will make my own way.

At that moment, Selene walked me to the door of her house.

"Remember, if you need help, use this," she said as she pointed to an object with a strange symbol on it.

Although I didn't know how to use it, she assured me that I would know when I felt the need. Although I wasn't sure, there was nothing to indicate that it was dangerous. Selene was kind enough to even give me some money.

I felt a little strange, as no one is that kind to someone they just met, but she simply said, "Between Chromas we help each other." Strange as it was, I was determined to write my own story, and that new chapter was beginning now, with the door open.

As I left Selene's house, I turned around to say goodbye one last time, but when I looked back?

There was nothing and no one. I was in the same place where I had been hit. Strange as it was, it wasn't the first strange thing I had witnessed today. While remaining alert to my surroundings, I started walking towards the market. I was hungry and wanted something to eat.

Finding the market was simple enough. I just had to follow the sound of voices that grew louder as I got closer. Men selling meat, women selling cloth, children trying to sell anything. Everyone was trying to make money with what they had. When I got to the stall that had the best smell, I decided to buy whatever they had. In the end, they only asked me for four copper coins for two skewers of meat.

I had never used money before and had no idea how much it was worth, but I knew that no matter the value, those meat skewers were delicious. They were completely different from the stale bread and dirty water he had at the mansion.

As I walked through the market, making sure I was safe and that no one was stealing from me, I wandered a bit away from the center of the market. It was then that I saw a place that filled me with disgust.

"Slap, slap!" I could hear the whipping, whipping, whipping, whipping, whipping, whipping, whipping, whipping!

ababan lashes, accompanied by cries of suffering, heartbreaking screams that even made my heart cringe when I heard them. But it was not just one scream, there were several. Men, women, even children. All were suffering equally. But what bothered me the most was that many people were there watching others of their own kind being mistreated. People enjoyed watching children being beaten without any consideration.

Some even threw money to ask to be beaten with specific weapons, while others asked to be beaten on other parts of the body. People were amused watching these people suffer, but that was not the worst of it.

"Aaaahg," a girl who couldn't have been more than ten years old stood there, with her clothes torn and whip marks all over her body. She seemed to be the center of the show. Kicks, blows, whips, all kinds of aggressions that little girl suffered.

No, I could not stand it. I couldn't watch a girl suffer like that, I couldn't listen to her heart-rending screams. I could not see how a girl suffered for the simple pleasure of people.

I wanted to run to free her, but then....

"Stop, don't go on if you don't want to die," a tall man with iron armor covering his whole body stopped me.

"Marquis Radcliffe, along with his battalion, has come to have some fun. If you do not wish to face the fury of a marquis, stay away. The marquis does not wish to be disturbed," said the gentleman with impressive seriousness, which infuriated me.

"And what kind of marquis enjoys watching those he should be protecting die?" I asked, rather angrily.

"The one who can kill you if you don't stay away."

When I heard that, I saw that among those who were having most fun there was an extremely obese person, dressed in excessively clean and luxurious clothes. That person was even participating in the beating of the girl.

I could not stand this. I wanted to stop it, but then I received a blow, a blow much harder than the ones I had received from the bullies the day before. One blow was enough to send him flying.