The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes were the numerous stars flickering in the night sky.

It was my first time seeing a night sky this beautiful ever since I was born– then that impression vanished in just a moment.

I have no idea on where it is coming from but the heavy stench was strongly drifting on the air.

Though I tried to ignore the bad smell by bearing with it, but what struck me next was a great pain that ran through my whole body. I groaned in pain while tumbling on the ground but in doing so, the pain just increasingly worsened.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to put up with the pain.

Though it didn’t completely diminished, the pain has calmed a little bit. Regaining my composure and checking the state of my body, it seems the pain didn’t come from wounds but rather from something like bruises.

How did things ended up this way?

Though being drunk and picking up fights has come to mind, I have no memory of drinking at all. The only thing I clearly remember was going straight home and riding the bus from the nearest station… wait bus? Station? What are those? Wait… what am I even thinking about?

And by the way what in the world am I doing here? Most importantly…

Who am I?

These types of questions kept increasing in my head when I was interrupted by someone.

「Oi. Until when do you plan to ignore me?」???

Suddenly hearing that voice, my line of thought was cut off.

Thinking about who it was and inclining my head towards where the voice came from, in that moment I almost forgot the pain.

Blonde hair and green eyes, the voice came from a Caucasian boy with a face slightly dyed red… Caucasian? Again, another peculiar word which unconsciously came from my mind.

Though it may look like the person was clean and healthy, the boy was plump or rather has gained enough weight to become a chubby. As he was staring towards me with a cheeky expression, I also tried to know more about the kid by looking at him more clearly.

His outfit was a shirt with a lot of frills and a red neck tie. Above the white tights he was wearing was a navy blue pants, dressing just like the cliché and generic haughty nobles that comes straight from medieval era movies and novels. Wait… medieval era movies? Novels? Seriously, what are these things that kept coming to my mind?

I tried to think more about these unknown things that kept popping into my mind when a sudden pain from my head stops my attempt.

I tried to reduce the pain by not thinking and diverting my attention to other important things. My hard breaths can tell anyone how hard I am trying to bear the pain and wounds.

「Haa, you are?」Me

「You? What’s with that “You”? How insolent!!」Boy

Even his rebuttal was as expected. My mind was all the more turned into mayhem.

「Well its fine, our current situation isn’t a place to mind manners, so... where are we now?」Boy

The boy whom I’d normally never associate myself with said those uncomprehending words, but just as he said he is the only person I can talk to. And may be the person who knows what am I doing here or who am I so I cannot afford to drive him away.

「Hey! Answer me. Where is this place?」Boy

With the boy’s question, the thought “that’s what I wanted to know” comes to mind but–

「Ack…The outskirts…haaa… of the slum area…」Me

What came out of my mouth was a totally different phrase.

「Slums… Eehhh?! This is bad!! No good!」Boy

The face of the boy instantly turned pale, albeit it’s a bit dim, I understood as such. This response was just like when someone is lost, however what concerned me the most was where was this slum area.

The answer to that was — the northern outskirts of the capital of Grandfram Kingdom. It seems that my memories are slowly coming back to me.

I just noticed that my hands were so small and my arms were so skinny that you can already feel the bones. And it seems I am wearing only some piece of rag to cover my small body. I then remembered that I lived here on the slums and I am–

「Aaaack…」Me

Again, another wave of excruciating pain was hammered to my head.

Shocked at this turn of events, my mind immediately went into panic and confusion but was interrupted again by extreme pain from different parts of my body.

「Hey you… I can’t stay here! I want you to guide me out of here. Do you know the way?」Boy

「I can but... I can’t...」Me

This time the words that floated in my mind were what my mouth uttered. I can’t even think clearly to control what comes out of my mouth anymore.

It seems I knew some things which I don’t even know where I got them. Then another sudden wave of pain was felt by my mind and body. My head felt like it’s about to explode and my body were being ripped apart.

「What do you mean by you can but cannot!? Did you forget? I saved you! B-but if it’s a reward, I can give it to you!」Boy

With the way the boy was talking as if in a hurry, my train of thought was suspended. Huh… saved me? What does he mean by that? Anyway for starters, I must find a way to deal with this situation.

「No… I’m injured so… I can’t move.」Me

「Injured? I-I see... Wait a bit.」Boy

Though I thought he will call for help, that expectation was betrayed as the boy started to move from his position. With a serious expression he began to utter words.

「I shall bestow upon you my healing magic.」Boy

Listening carefully, those were the words that I heard. Then three small green circles with some sort of characters or symbols etched in it appeared. Two on his arms and a bigger one on his waist, making him glow faintly in this dim place.

「Curing wind, Heal!」Boy

A little bit later after the words of the boy, another green glowing circles in each small hands appeared and then my whole body was suddenly caressed by the wind.

Just a little bit of wind. Though it’s only a small amount, it’s indeed the wind. Understanding the meaning behind the actions of the boy, I was astonished.

「How is it?」Boy

The boy asked in high spirits. If it’s about whether the injury healed, then there’s no mistake.

I tried to move my body softly.

「Kuh...!」Me

My voice unintentionally leaked out. Though my mind had become calmer, the injury did not dissipate.

「I-I’m still learning! When I grow up I will be able to do better. Just be grateful that I even tried to heal you, okay?!」Boy

He must’ve figured it out from my response. The boy made excuses however there is no mistake, the boy tried to heal my injury which according to another wave of returned memories is something called “magic”. It is strange that I felt that I knew about this “magic” and at the same time don’t.

「Ah, I see… thank you. The pain has really lightened. If it’s just walking then I can do it.」Me

「I-Is that so? Then guide me.」Boy

Rather than for the boy’s sake, I also wanted to hurry up and get out of this obviously dangerous place, so when I can finally move my body albeit still riddled with pain, I’ll get out of here.

Though it’s indeed painful, it’s not as if I can’t move with it.

More or less, I understood the effect of the magic that the boy used.

「…This way.」Me

Again, my mind was filled with memories of this place on its own albeit I don’t know why, for now I’m grateful for it.

Given that the information was indeed correct, I still can’t help but doubt it.

Anyway, after being able to go to a safer place, I have to ascertain my situation either from the boy or someone with more understanding.

That’s right. Even though I still can’t remember most of the things, I know that this place is dangerous both to me and the boy.

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With the fear within me spontaneously breaking out, my walking pace became faster.

However those footsteps had to be stopped for some reason.

「Oh...he he… So you are still alive?」???

Said by the man who slowly appeared in front of us. Then suddenly another wave of memories hit me.

I remember him…I know this man. My injuries were… brought by this man’s violence and not just that…even though I still can’t grasp my memories completely, I know that this man had done even worse things to me.

I still don’t remember the concrete details but it’s just that… I have an intense hatred towards this man.

No, he is an existence where just simply hating him is not enough, that’s just who this person is to me.

「Well, that doesn’t matter. For now, it’s about the brat behind you.」Man

Sure enough, his curiosity was turned towards the boy behind me.

A boy who obviously came from a rich family from the way he was dressed. For the people who live in this place, a perfectly suitable prey. Even I to a certain extent after sending him off, have thoughts to take his valuables– No, that’s not really my priority but that’s what occupies on my mind.

「You’ll have to hand that brat over to me. This prey would just be a waste on you. You don’t even know on where to sell his valuables without getting mugged yourself, if you successfully took it from him.」Man

Of course I know what he is talking about. That is why that option is not my priority but to gain favor on this boy when he is returned to his rich parents. However, when it comes to this man, he will threaten his home in order to obtain a ransom. Indeed, it would be a waste on me.

Why did such thoughts even entered me, I don’t understand it myself. My memories now is becoming clearer but not to the extent of remembering everything. I just know that this is the way of life on this place.

「Fuuu…haaa… Ack!」Me

Suddenly I felt a strong wave of dizziness and pain on my side. It was so painful that the strength on my legs left me, which forced me to lie on the dirty alleyway.

「H-hey.」Boy

「Heh, so you can’t even stand. Still useless as ever. Hehe.」Man

He went towards us or specifically towards me and kicked my face and sides several times.

「Did-You-Know-How-Much-Trouble-You-Gave-Me?!」Man

With every word, he matched it with a kick in my face, stomp on my head, another kick on my sides, body, feet, and back as if to express his anger for something I did. I can’t even find the strength to groan or yell the pain every time he struck.

After several minutes of getting beaten, I lost my sense of pain. With my head on the dirty floor, I can even see the flow of blood from my bleeding nose. I also know that I already have broken ribs and bleeding lip. And from what I felt from my tongue, some of my teeth were missing.

Then he lowered himself and grabbed my hair forcing me to look at him.

「Haah… ha… I did enjoy that. Hehehe. Don’t worry, I will make you enjoy that later again. So don’t you fucking die on me yet, okay? I will let you taste my real punishment later.」Man

My body seems to be very light for him that he easily threw me in the nearest garbage dump.

「Now your turn piggy.」Man

「Insolent! Just who do you think am I?」Boy

「Hell if I know! In this place, as long as you have lots of coin, it doesn’t matter who you are!」Man

「I am Vincent of House Gwyndolyn and the rightful heir to House Windhill! One of the three Main Houses of this kingdom!」Boy

「What!?」Man

Although words have power to avoid being harm, it may bring trouble if told to a wrong person. Especially to a resident of the slums where one of its unwritten laws was “Take the coin from the owner then punch his teeth and make him pay to stop” But it must also had limits.

House of Windhill for me or to be exact according to the small fragments of memories within me, were a famous noble family that everyone knows about. It was one of the three most powerful aristocratic families that were considered as the pillars of this kingdom and those who dare to scowl at the three families has no place in this country.

Though thinking as such would be normal, this man on the other hand was different. With a broad grin in his face, he walked towards the boy. Though I already knew as such, this man is just hopelessly stupid.

「If it’s for a lord’s kid, no matter what kind of demand, it won’t be a problem. I can mess around with it for all my life.」Man

「D-Don’t think of doing something stupid!」Boy

「I’m not stupid!」Man

The stupidity of this man doesn’t matter. The problem is securing my own safety. If there’s any, how would the surrounding people see this situation?

They would probably believe that I fooled this kid to deliver him to this man.

Supposing that was the case, I can already see the ending of my life. Though it’s a life of anything goes, dying without doing even a single good thing gets on my nerves– no that’s not it. I don’t want to die like this.

That thought reverberated within my whole body. As for who I currently really am, somehow it doesn’t matter anymore.

「If you behave properly, you won’t experience any pain. As long as they pay the price, you can reunite with your family safe and sound, alive and whole of course hehehe.」Man

「I-is that true?」Boy

It seems as though the boy is also an idiot.

Now that you saw the face of the kidnappers, there’s no way that you’ll make it out alive.

Also, if the boy ever comes back to his family, the aristocratic house will use its full strength to deliver retribution.

And if his parents found out that I was also the reason why the boy was caught, I will also be misunderstood that I am one of those kidnappers. And even worse, after this man gets the kid, there is a high chance that I will be killed by the man to reduce witnesses of those who knew the face of the kidnapper.  I don’t think that this man will share his profits with someone like me. Or worse… but I had enough of becoming his plaything.

There’s no mistake, if the kid gets caught, I will be killed either way.

I can’t escape with these injuries also.

The only chance where I can get out of this mess is to take the kid with me and deliver him personally to his parents. A kid from a slum safely delivering their child is far more acceptable and preferable than a man ransoming the kid.

There’s no other choice. I have to resolve myself.

「That’s right, so just obediently come over here and I will take you home immediately.」Man

「…as I thought, I refuse. Lead us instead to my house immediately and if you do that, I will bestow upon you a sufficient reward.」Boy

「That’s why I said that as long as I get the money, I will send you home right?」Man

「A-After all…」Boy

This man planned to finish it with a gentle face so that the boy’s eagerness will be soothed. He knows that if he ended up scaring the boy and runs away, he would more likely lose him again. And there will be a chance where someone else will get the prize he wanted for himself. As such he wanted to avoid such scenario.

But thanks to that, his senses were dulled by his greed, lust and stupidity. He forgot about me.

Should I do it? No, I have to do it!

Fueled by the intense hatred towards this man and the will to survive, my body began to move accordingly. Even completely ignoring the pain that struck me with every step I took.

Slowly without being noticed, I sneaked and approached the back of the man. I took out the knife that I was hiding. This was the only weapon I managed to steal from him when he grabbed me by hair earlier. I also noticed that this is actually my own knife which he took from me when I was captured.  I still don’t remember most of the things but it seems that I have innate experience of being a thief.

This time, I definitely must not fail.

The boy was caught immediately by the man but was still struggling so he had a hard time in controlling the boy. He seized both hands of the boy with harsh grip that the boy cried in pain. Thanks to that, the man was in a squat position where the defenseless back of his head was fully exposed. I raised my hand over to strike the nape of that man with my knife.

But the boy stopped struggling with his eyes looking directly at me. He really is an idiot. Alerted by the gaze of the boy, the man turned his sight behind him and instantly noticed me.

「You bastard! What are you trying to do!?」Man

「uwaaa!!」Boy

「Yeaargh!!!」Me

While I shouted due to the fear within me breaking out, my hand swung downwards towards the face of the man.

「Gu… guah!!!」Man

What remained on my hand was a very unpleasant fleshy sensation but I have no time to ponder on such thoughts.

After pulling out the knife that got struck in the man’s mouth, I immediately swung it downwards again.

The knife has struck towards the right eye of the man. But not yet, I knew because the man was still shrieking. It seems it was not deep enough to render him dead.

「Ack!! Aeeei!!」Man

「Diee!! Dieeee!! Dieeeeeeeeeeee!!!」Me

I struck the knife on his face continuously. I don’t know why but every time I struck there is a part of me that felt grossly enjoying it. I don’t even know where I got the strength to strike him several times with my measly small arms and body.

I was blinded with rage and enjoyment, knowing that I was able to kill the man who made me suffer in life. I was only stopped when the knife had slipped from my hands due to the intense amount of blood and flesh on its handle.

No words came out of the man’s mouth. I seriously doubt that anyone can recognize him by looking at the state of his face. I just realized that he managed to scratch my arms and chest with his nails in his desperate attempt to defend himself.

It seems they are right that a strike in the head will always do the job.

「Haa... Haa… Ha…」Me

My breathing is painful, my heart is thumping so hard that it brings pain to my chest.

「Y-You..」Boy

「…Run away.」Me

「R-Run away you say...b-but」Boy

「Follow me, let’s hurry up and escape!!」Me

「R-right!」Boy

I grabbed the knife from the disfigured bloody head which resulted for the corpse to fall limply on the ground. Then I eagerly ran towards the path that I remembered to be the quickest way to the main street. Though with how fast we are running, it wouldn’t be a wonder if I accidentally dropped the knife or cut myself but my stiffening and shivering hands couldn’t let go of it.

「O-oi… hahh… wait! Slowdown… hah…a little bit.」Boy

The boy shouted behind my back. Because I can’t leave him alone, I slowed down my pace as he had requested.

For me the boy will be an important source of money. After demanding a reward, I must obtain sufficient money somehow.

It’s a fund that I must obtain to get away from the capital. And if possible start a new life somewhere. Then we had to stop and slow down our speed to save stamina. I led the way, checking every corner before crossing while he followed me from behind.

「Did he die?」Boy

「I...dont know.」Me

「…」Boy

I tried to ignore him and focus on the task of escaping from the slums. But it seems that it was his first time in seeing something like that. Although that is a normal sight here in the slums, it is actually my first time to take someone’s life.

「You have… killed someone…」Boy

「If I didn’t, I will be killed.」Me

That is one of the unwritten rules in this kind of place.

「I-is that so...」Boy

After my reply, the boy turned silent. Though I don’t really want to kill a person, it’s better to do so than being killed.

I killed a person.

Maybe because of his words, that very thought finally weighed down on me. Suddenly, my hands began to tremble. The knife that I couldn’t let go before… easily slipped out of my hand. The shaking has spread towards my whole body. Making me stop from walking and stood in silence.

「Oi! W-what’s the matter?」Boy

I can’t even make myself answer his question anymore. I tried opening my mouth but nothing comes out. As if my mouth and voice had failed me.

「Hey? Are you alright? We have to hurry and escape.」Boy

I know that much. I killed that man but I also remembered that he have comrades. If I don’t get out of the slums in time, I would be killed.

However no matter what I do or what I try, I can’t move. Then slowly, my consciousness is turning hazy to the point I can’t even hear the voice of the boy clearly.

「….! Hur….! Where….!?」Boy

I can’t understand him anymore and neither have the strength to think about it. To be honest, I am getting tired of everything that happened to me. It seems that the actions I took were already asking their heavy tolls on my body.

Thinking that this may be what they call Reaper’s Visit and may save me from the pain and suffering I experienced, I surrendered myself and let my consciousness slowly swallowed by darkness.