I woke up, feeling sore all over and my head spinning. Glancing around, I realized I was in a gloomy alley. The walls were gray and made of old bricks, the ground was damp, and I could see rats scurrying away.

A groan escaped me, and I couldn't remember how I ended up in this place. But it didn't take much brainpower to figure it out.

It had been about two years since my mom passed away. She used to work as a waitress at a bar and, one night, she met a guy while working. They spent the night together, but he left the next day. After some time, my mom found out she was pregnant. I was born nine months later, and she named me Allen. She did her best to take care of me, working hard so I could have a decent life. But when I was around 5 years old, she got sick and eventually passed away. I was too young to work, so I resorted to stealing food to survive.

The problem with stealing food was that I often got caught and beaten up, and that probably happened this time as well, at least that would explain why my body hurt, and I was stuck in this alley.

For the past two years, this had been my life. But something strange happened this time – a dream. I hadn't dreamt since the day my mom died, but this time I did. I couldn't remember all the details, but I recall talking to a mysterious man. His name was...

“Grimm...”

I don't really remember much after that, only that a green light appeared, and then knowledge started to fill my head. But that knowledge wasn't normal, almost like it wasn't from this world.

However, almost all the knowledge from the dream was useless in my situation. After all, it doesn't matter how much I know; I'm still a 7-year-old orphan. It's not like people would take me seriously if, for example, I told them that there is an easier way of loading the ship than carrying the cargo by hand. No one would believe me, and with some luck, they'd send me away with a punch in my face. But there was one thing I could use, something called illusionism, also known as magic. In this world, magic exists and consists of trading a mysterious energy called mana for an effect. Well, at least that's what I know about it. But this illusionism is different. There are a lot of ways of doing it and different tricks, but they all seem to consist of diverting people's attention from the trick's object and then simulating the idea of making something appear or happen from nothing. Well, in this world, those tricks wouldn't look cool; people would think it's just a spell. But it can be used for combat, and above all, for stealing. If I were to pickpocket with my current knowledge, I would never be caught.

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But for some reason, I don't want to do that. If it was yesterday, I would do it without any doubt, but now, I didn't want to. Why is that? Well, whatever the reason, the truth is that I still have the same problem: I have no money or house, and I need both to survive.

While I was thinking about what to do, my stomach started making noises, and I also started to realize that I stink.

Well, I could go to the forest behind the slums; there's a lake there. I could wash myself and maybe catch some fish or something.

But there's a reason why I don't go to the forest: Monsters. One of the problems in this world is the existence of these beings. There are a lot of different types, but most resemble animals. They're strong and fast, and the biggest problem is that they're made of mana. So, people without mana or something like a mithril weapon can't defeat one. Well, a weak one could be if you're strong enough, but I don't have any of those things, at least for now, which would make my encounter with one a fatal experience. But if I don't go too far and stay quiet, it shouldn't be much trouble.

Then it's decided; I should go to the forest first.

I got up and started moving to the forest.

In the golden room

In the golden room, Grimm was watching the mirror with a grin.

“It seems the spell was a success, and he doesn't really remember much of our conversation, which is just perfect.”

The man swiped the mirror image to the right, and then an image of Earth appeared.

“Now! I brought someone who wanted to come, so the conditions have been met.”

His grin became malicious.

“Then, shall I bring someone who doesn't want to.”