Next morning there is a knock on the door.

I go open it and find Alfreda standing outside.

Alfreda is wearing her usual white dress but this time she is wearing a coat over it and a simple sun hat to keep out the sun.

"Good morning Alex."

She greets me cheerfully

"Morning."

I'm putting my shoes on when Eric comes out of the kitchen to the front door and sees Alfreda.

"Now would you look at that, my boy has gotten a girlfriend. You two going on a date?"

Eric says with a sarcastic tone and laughs.

His comment makes Alfreda chuckle but pisses me off for a second and without thinking i kick him on the shin, causing him to fall on the floor.

"AH FUC...!"

I close the door on his face, grab Alfreda's hand and leave for Luton.

Anna rushes to see what is happening.

"What is wrong dear!?"

"Nothing dear! I deserved that one... boy can't take a joke."

"Oh dear..."

After walking for moment i realize i'm still holding Alfreda's hand and i let go.

She looks at her hand slightly disappointed but doesn't say anything.

"Sorry you had to hear that."

"It's okay, your parents seem nice."

"Hmm, i guess so."

Thinking about Eric and Anna, i'm reminded of my parents in the old world.

In the old world i didn't interact with my parents very much after i started training, and after graduating, i spent all of my time in Coach's gym, the interactions between me and them becoming less frequent.

I didn't hate them, i was just so preoccupied with training that we became practically strangers.

Mom would often leave me dinner in the fridge which i would eat whenever i came back from the gym.

I came home just to eat and sleep so i think it was her way of trying to keep any kind of connection between us.

I liked her cooking.

My dad would sometimes text me encouraging words.

I never replied.

The last time i saw my parents was when they helped me move my stuff to my apartment.

It was just a couple of boxes which i could have handled myself but they insisted, like a final goodbye.

We arrive to Luton and we can already see the increase in activity.

Horses are pulling carriages loaded with crates which are filled with all kinds of stuff.

"Come on, Alex! Let's go!"

Alfreda gets giddy and suddenly grabs my hand, taking us to the busy streets.

We see lots of stalls selling all kinds of goods and the ones selling them definitely aren't local.

They might have traveled from neighboring kingdoms or other faraway lands.

I have earned some money doing odd jobs here and there during these past months so i can buy something if i want.

We stop by a stall where the owner has laid a rug on the ground with the items he's selling on top of it.

Alfreda in her excitement notices something across the street.

As she walks a few of steps into the busy street, she fails to notice an approaching wagon.

I quickly grab her hand and pull her to me.

"Stupid kids get out of the way!"

Shouts the driver.

"Be careful Alfreda."

"S-Sorry..."

Startled, she tears up a little and hugs me.

"Can you hold my hand while we walk?"

Although her clinginess annoys me, i oblige as i don't want to upset her any further.

"Fine."

I take her hand and we continue walking around without hurry.

"Did your parents give you any money Alfreda?"

"Yes, they gave me some."

She takes out a coin pouch and hands it to me.

I open it and my eyes widen, It's filled with gold coins, I count about 14 coins.

From the information i gained during yesterday's dinner Alfreda's mom stays at home while her father works.

Elvina said he was coming back from work and i saw him come from the direction of Luton, so i take it he works here.

From the brief exchange i had with him, i saw him carrying a satchel and he also didn't look particularly fit, so i assume he works as a clerk or something.

I remember Alfreda mentioning that elves stay youthful most of their lives which could mean that they're like 100 years old or something.

"Alfreda, how old are your parents?"

She is surprised by the sudden question about her parents.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

"Well, my papa is 216 and my mama is 257 years old."

SHOCK, older than i thought.

That might explain it.

His job might not pay much but over a long period of time, the wealth accumulates.

I quickly close the coin pouch and hand it back to Alfreda but she objects.

"Can you keep it safe for me, i don't want to lose it."

"yeah, sure."

I place the coin pouch in my pocket. Maybe i should buy a bag.

We walk some more when i smell something delicious and turn to Alfreda.

"You hungry?"

I ask Alfreda and she notices the scent too.

"Yeah, let's follow the scent."

We follow the scent to a bakery and step inside.

The scent of baked goods makes our mouths water and we approach the counter.

There are lots of different options on display.

"I'll have the meat pie. What do you want Alfreda?"

"I want the fruit pie."

We pay the baker and he gives us our pies.

"There you go little ones, fresh from the oven."

We take the steaming pies and go outside and find an empty bench to sit on and eat.

People pass by, the weather is great and we are eating delicious pie.

Out of the corner of my eye i notice Alfreda is staring at my pie.

I pick a piece of my pie with my fork and hold it in front of her.

"you want a taste?"

"Can i!?"

"yeah, take the for-"

"Chomp!"

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Alfreda ate the piece of pie off the fork while i was still holding it.

I'm a little stunned because i thought she would take the fork first.

"Yummy! So good! Here, have a bite of my pie."

She holds her fork in front of my face, expecting me to eat off her fork like she did.

Hesitantly, but quickly i eat the piece of fruit pie.

"Chomp!"

Her fruit pie is delicious but i get annoyed at the people passing by who are giggling after seeing us feed each other.

"Aw, how cute."

Says a woman to her friend as they walk past us.

Alfreda is oblivious, just enjoying her pie.

"Sigh."

I'm reminded by my previous life again.

I remember doing this kind of stuff with Alice.

When we were dating she would drag me into dates and when we were eating desserts, we would sometimes feed each other.

I really didn't see the point of it but it made her happy so i continued doing it for her.

I wonder how she's doing. Hopefully my death didn't affect her too much. Well, not that it matters anymore.

Assuming that time would continue as normal in the old world after i was born here it would be five years after my death.

She must be over it by now, hopefully.

With our bellies full, we resume walking around.

"Is there anything specific you want to buy Alfreda?"

"Hmm, i don't know... maybe something long lasting like an accessory."

"Do you mean a necklace or something like ear rings?"

"Yeah, something like that."

A young man overhears our conversation and greets us from his stall.

"Greetings children! I heard the young lady was looking for some pretty accessories?"

We turn towards the man.

He definitely isn't around here, he's skin is darker and he's wearing robes with many rings and bracelets on his hands and speaks with an accent.

"My name is Sazam, from the desert kingdom of Shamara. I have traveled all around the world in search of beautiful trinkets to sell."

Sazam presents us with his collection of items.

There are rings, bracelets, necklaces, exotic knives and other miscellaneous items.

The items are interesting but nothing really catches my eye.

Nothing really seems to interest Alfreda either until she notices something and points at it.

"What is that?"

"Oh this?"

Sazam brings the item closer.

It's a silver butterfly hair clip with amethyst gems on it's wings and i can see that they match with Alfreda's eyes.

"you have a good eye little elf girl! I picked this beautiful butterfly during my travels, 25 gold coins and it's yours."

Alfreda looks down in disappointment after hearing the price.

"I don't have that much..."

"Well that is unfortunate, maybe these cheaper options would suit your budget?"

She quickly looks at the other options but none of them compare to the silver butterfly.

"No thank you."

We walk away from the stall without buying anything.

"If you change your mind you know where to find me!"

Alfreda looks rather sad for not being able to afford the butterfly.

Even if we combined our money together it would not be enough.

I look around to see anything to lighten the mood.

There is a group of children laughing at something.

We take a closer look and it's a puppet show.

We sit down to watch.

The man holding the puppets is narrating a simple story so i lose interest quickly but Alfreda seems to enjoy it as she looks to be in a better mood already.

My mind wanders back to the silver butterfly.

Alfreda seemed to want it so much that she didn't want to buy any cheaper options.

We would need a little over 10 gold coins to afford it.

Is there anywhere here where i can earn that much?

The puppet show had just started so there is plenty of time.

"I'm going to wander around a bit."

"Okay. I'll be here."

Wandering the streets, i try to find something interesting.

I tried asking some shopkeepers for some work to earn some quick money but they told me to go enjoy the event, also there is not much a 5 year old can do.

Why am i even bothering, i'm only being her friend until she finds new ones so why am i even putting in this much effort?

Do i actually care how she feels?

"Sigh, damn it."

"Hey, Eric's son!"

A familiar voice?

I turn around and see Gondo drinking with 3 other dwarves at a table.

I walk over to them and i can see that their table is full of beer mugs and i can see they're drunk.

"Hey, Gondo."

"What was your name again kid?"

"Alex."

Gondo takes a big gulp of his ale.

"Well Alex, i see you came to check out the event here."

"Yes i came with a friend. What are you drinking anyway?"

"Dwarven ale! Very strong stuff. Not even your father can drink a whole mug. This mug in particular is filled with Dragon's Breath, brewed by my friend here."

Gondo looks at me with a challenging look.

"Want a taste?"

With a grin, he holds the mug in front of me, while his friends lean on the table to get a closer look.

Their eyes widen with anticipation as I take the mug from him.

I gaze into the liquid, it looks like ordinary ale, but smells quite strong.

As I bring the mug to my lips, the dwarves lean in even closer, their grins widening even more as they are certain something hysterically funny is about to happen.

The ale hits my tongue and my eyes widen in shock.

I drop the mug and begin trashing on the ground while holding my throat.

"AAAH! IT BURNS! MY THROAT!"

The dwarves burst into a loud and uncontrollable laughter, slamming the table with their mugs and spilling ale everywhere.

"BAHAHAHA! You've got guts kid! Here, have some water!"

Gondo pours water into a mug and i grab it from him.

After a few mugs the burning feeling finally goes away.

"Cough, cough! How the hell can you drink that!?"

"It takes a true dwarf's body to be able to handle strong ale, Alex! Us dwarves have been drinking this stuff since we came out of the womb!"

Gondo answered loudly as he laughed along with the other Dwarves.

After some more laughing he finally calms down.

"Okay kid you can go now, don't want to keep your friend waiting."

I realize i spent too much time here and need to keep looking for money.

"Yeah i need to get going. See you later Gondo."

Gondo and his friends bid me farewell and i continue my search.

I have gone through more shops looking for some quick work but i guess i'm out of luck, time to give up then.

The traffic has increased from the direction i came from and i have to weave through the crowd.

A fat man abruptly blocks my path and walks past me.

He is wearing rather fancy clothing so he might be a noble or some other high ranking individual.

He's laughing loudly while holding a mug of ale.

He's wearing a fancy cape and for a split second, i notice what appears to be a coin pouch tied to his belt.

I see him stumbling to a empty alleyway and turn around a corner.

I decide to follow him.

Sneaking along the alleyway wall i arrive at the corner.

I peak from the corner and see the street is empty except for the fat noble who is currently taking a piss.

He must be pretty drunk because he is wobbling a lot despite standing still.

The fat noble finishes and starts walking back to the alleyway.

He empties his mug which seems to get him over the edge and he leans on a wall for support.

I hear a yawn and he takes a seat by the wall and passes out.

When i hear him snoring i emerge from the corner and slowly approach him.

Yep, passed out. I move his cape slightly and see the coin pouch, looks quite hefty.

I lean down and carefully undo the string holding the pouch, making sure to move slowly and quietly as not to wake him up.

The string comes undone and i hold it firmly as i bring it closer to myself.

I take a step back and the coins clink slightly, causing the fat noble to move and i freeze.

I slowly turn my head to look at him.

Fortunately he didn't wake up and continues snoring.

I turn back and quickly retreat back to the alleyway and once there i sigh in relief.

Stealing from someone who is passed out isn't really that impressive but it got my heart beating a little.

Counting the coins in the pouch, the total amounts to about 15 gold coins.

Jackpot!

Adding this with Alfreda's money we can now afford the butterfly.

Heading straight to Sazam's stall, i think about what i have just done, i committed a crime.

I never had the need to steal in the old world but in this world i honestly don't feel bad about it.

More like it was the fat noble's own fault for being careless and going overboard with drinking.

Of course it sucks to be robbed but i need it more than him.

I don't claim to be a good guy, and I have no intention of becoming one, if it benefits me, I'll use whatever means necessary to come out on top.

Being right or wrong doesn't concern me as long as it leads to greater strength.

Sazam finishes his business with his current customer and i set the coin pouches on the counter.

"I want to buy the butterfly my friend wanted."

"Ah, i see you've changed your mind!"

He looks at the coin pouches and then looks at me suspiciously

"I thought you couldn't afford it?"

Of course i'm not going to tell him i stole the money.

"My friend couldn't. She seemed to want it a lot, so i decided to be nice and help her out."

"That is a fine gesture indeed!"

Sazam takes our money and gives back my change.

"Let me put this in a nice box for you so you can surprise her."

He puts the butterfly in a simple box and ties a string around it.

"There you go, i'm sure this will make your friend very happy. Thank you for your business young man!"

With business concluded, i place the box under my shirt because it doesn't fit in my pocket and i don't have a bag to put it in.

I then head back to the puppet show.

I arrive just in time as the show is over and Alfreda notices me.

"Alex you're back."

"Yeah, are you ready to head home?"

"Yes! The puppets were so cute and the story was fun!"

"Good thing you enjoyed it then."

The setting sun paints the sky warm orange, giving a quiet and calm mood as we walk back home.

Alfreda yawns and rubs her eye.

Despite the exhausting day she is still smiling and is barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Thank you for coming with me Alex. Today was so fun."

"Sure. Hmm, maybe i'll go to Luton more often in the future."

I think it might be good to leave the house once in a while anyway.

If i'm going to live in this village for many more years might as well explore it more.

"Oh, take me with you!"

She asks excitedly, already looking forward to the next visit.

"Fine."

"And thank you again for saving me from that wagon."

"Sigh, Just be careful from now on. I'm not interested in babysitting you every time we hangout."

She looks down at the ground, acknowledging that she has to learn to look after herself.

"Okay..."

She raises her gaze and sees i'm a few steps ahead of her.

"Ah, wait for me!"

She catches up to me.

"Why didn't you wait for me?"

"Oh, i didn't notice."

"Hmph, meanie."

We finally arrive at her house and stop at the gate.

"Thank you again Alex. Oh, can i have my money back now?"

"Actually i used that money for something, here."

I take the box out from under my shirt and hand it to her.

She inspects it curiously.

"What is it?"

"Just open it."

She unties the string and takes off the lid.

Her breath catches in her throat and her eyes open wide when she sees the silver butterfly hair clip, resting on top of a simple cushion.

"Wha- this is- why-?"

Speechless, she tries to speak but only manages to mutter.

After a moment of silence she manages to calm herself and asks in confusion.

"How did you get this Alex?"

"I bought it obviously."

Even more confused now.

"But i didn't have enough money for it?"

"Hmm, while i was wandering around i met Gondo, my father's friend who owed me some money."

"...So you used your own money for this?"

"Yep."

A lie.

"Really? Thank you."

She sobs a little.

I'm dumbfounded how sensitive this girl is.

"Ugh, just put it on already before you stain it with your tears."

She quickly nods and wipes her tears away.

She takes the butterfly out and hands me the empty box.

She briefly gazes at it, the amethyst gems reflecting the sunlight in her eyes.

Carefully, she attaches the butterfly on the right side of her hair and slowly let's go, making sure it won't fall off.

It looks rather big on her head.

"Wow!"

With an open mouth she marvels at the butterfly and how it's amethyst gems become brighter in the sunlight.

Are my eyes deceiving me but are the gems actually... glowing?

She also notices when suddenly the gems glow brightly and let out a gentle magical hymn.

Then a purple butterfly emerges from the gems, looking like what the hair clip would look like if it were alive.

We watch speechlessly as it circles around Alfreda, leaving a trail of magic behind.

After circling a few times it lands on the hair clip and with a shiny glow it disappears back inside the gems.

"It has magic in it! It was so beautiful, right?"

What the fuck...

"...Yeah, sure."

She smiles and approaches me, stretching out her arms for a hug.

"Thank y...!?"

I stop her in her tracks by putting my hand in front of her face and she bumps into it.

"Wha...!?"

She takes a few steps back and sees what i did.

She begins pouting in annoyance and slaps my hand away.

"You never like it when i hug you!"

"Then why do you keep doing it!?"

"Because i want to!"

Too tired to deal with this, i start walking back home.

"Well, i'm getting tired so bye!"

"Hmph, whatever!"

She turns around and stomps off to her house.

After a surprisingly exhausting day i collapse on my bed and bury my face in my pillow, too tired to take my clothes off for sleeping.

Lot's of stuff happened today, huh?

I kicked Eric, saved Alfreda from a carriage, ate pie with her, watched a puppet show, stole money, bought her a hair clip and gifted it to her.

Yep, lot's of stuff.

I turn to my side, the candle on my desk blinding my tired eyes.

"Grunt!"

I force myself to get up and do a quick late night workout, after which i undress and put out the candle.

And once again, i collapse on my bed and finally pass out.