MHKBO 04

Chapter 04

And when I met him again, he had changed beyond recognition.

If not for his clear sapphire-blue eyes and slightly violet-tinted black hair, I might not have realized it was him. But my shock didn’t last long, and I quickly explained my situation.

“I was kicked out of my home. No one accepts me as family.”

Anyone else might have shown pity, but his reaction was different.

He, too, had been abandoned. He understood what it meant to be an unwanted child.

“Do you want to come with me, Thea?”

He asked.

I wasn’t sure if following him would mean I’d have to beg for food or not.

Honestly, I hadn’t come here because I trusted him completely.

I had come because I had no one else to rely on.

And I was afraid of being alone.

“Yes.”

At my answer, he simply said, “Good. Then let’s buy you some dry clothes first,” and gently took my hand.

I lowered my head and bit my lip tightly.

The night market was surprisingly crowded.

Lights hanging from every stall made it hard to tell whether it was day or night.

He held my hand firmly as I looked around in wonder.

“Hold on tight. Don’t get lost.”

“Okay.”

I tightened my grip.

Food stalls lined the streets—skewers, roasted sparrows, mini barbecue, fresh juice, beer.

I swallowed quietly.

It all smelled so good.

After walking further, we reached stalls selling clothes. Most of them were revealing dresses or lingerie, making it almost impossible to find anything suitable for a child.

But not impossible.

After a long search, we stopped at a small shop in the corner. Tiny clothes hung neatly on display.

“How about this?”

He picked up a white dress embroidered with yellow flowers.

It felt like he knew my taste without me saying anything.

No, that’s impossible. It must be coincidence.

But I couldn’t answer right away. I had no money.

“…Actually, I don’t have money.”

“Ah.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting disappointment.

But instead, a soft laugh came from above.

“Liar. Check your pocket, Thea.”

“Huh?”

Then I remembered the five silver coins I had picked up earlier.

But that wasn’t mine.

I looked up at him.

I have to return it.

“I’ll give it back.”

I opened my hand and offered the coins.

But he looked confused.

“What are you talking about? That’s yours now.”

“But—”

“You picked it up.”

Before I could argue, he simply decided it for me.

But I still hesitated.

“If you really don’t want it, fine.”

He smiled faintly and took the coin back.

Then he handed it to the shopkeeper instead. Within seconds, the dress was packed and returned to me in a paper bag.

“Uh… huh?”

Before I realized it, the bag was in my hands.

He was kind to me in a way that felt unbelievable.

What had I even done to deserve this?

Only a few months ago, I had given him soup and bread when he was collapsed and injured.

That wasn’t anything special.

So why was he treating me like this?

I couldn’t refuse his kindness.

“Is it good?”

At his gentle question, I nodded quickly.

The roasted sparrow skewer in my hand was delicious.

But even as I ate, a strange uneasiness remained.

Why is he being so nice to me?

My family abandoned me… so why?

Maybe he wants something from me.

Maybe he’ll make me beg.

At that thought, I asked him directly.

“What do I have to do?”

“Huh?”

He looked confused.

I continued nervously, my words spilling out faster.

“…Let me stay with you. I won’t be a burden. I can work. If you want me to beg, I’ll beg. I don’t mind food or anything. I’m only eight, but I’m strong—strong enough.”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“So please… take me with you.”

Don’t abandon me.

Please.

I had expected rejection.

People like me were never needed.

“Alright. Come with me.”

So when he agreed so easily, I couldn’t say anything.

I was too overwhelmed.

“R-really?”

“Yeah.”

He sighed lightly at my trembling face and gently placed a hand on my head.

“Don’t be scared, Thea.”

“Okay.”

I felt tears well up but tried to hold them back.

He didn’t abandon me.

Hours later, I learned his name.

Seuts.

“What? Didn’t you say you had no name?”

I asked.

He scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“You gave it to me.”

Sevitz. The Sun.

I later learned that it was a title reserved only for the Emperor of the Empire.

Because of that, ordinary people were forbidden from using it.

But he remembered my words and chose a name derived from it—Seuts.

I softly repeated it.

“Seuts…”

It felt unfamiliar on my tongue, but not unpleasant.

Dawn broke.

The sky shifted from black to deep blue.

In the morning light, his face looked even more radiant.

My heart beat slightly faster.

He led me through narrow alleyways. Sometimes we passed unconscious people lying on the ground, and he gently covered my eyes.

“It’s better not to see, Thea.”

Eventually, we arrived at a small gray-brick building.

If I had come alone, I would never have found it.

Is this where I’ll live?

Before I could ask, he explained.

“Don’t judge it from the outside. Be careful going down the stairs.”

Stairs? It’s only one floor—

I thought that, until I stepped inside.

The interior was completely different. The first floor was a disguised empty space.

A useless façade.

Beyond the main door was another wooden door.

It looked fragile, but it was reinforced with magic stronger than steel.

If you entered without the correct code—or failed three times—you would be erased by a destruction spell.

A chill ran down my spine.

There was only one reason for such security.

This place was dangerous.

But I had already come in.

I forced a smile.

We descended into darkness. The stairs went deep underground.

But knowing he was beside me made me feel less afraid.

“Wow…”

I whispered in awe when we arrived.

A maze-like stone corridor stretched endlessly, lit by small torches.

Seuts chuckled softly.

“Cool?”

“Yeah… I’ve never seen anything like this.”

My imagination filled with monsters hiding in the dark.

A shiver ran down my back.

“Your name?”

The man looked rough, in his mid-thirties.

Max, I later learned.

“Tearina. I don’t have a family name.”

He stared at me for a long moment, displeased.

Then he turned to Seuts.

“Seuts. Why bring a kid who doesn’t know anything? Is she Dark?”

At that word—Dark—I understood.

This place was a hideout for Dark-type ability users.

Abilities in this world, called “abilities,” governed almost everything.

More than ninety percent of people had them.

They were divided into Light and Dark types.

Light abilities were harmless or minor—talking to birds, changing hair color, improving the taste of bread.

Dark abilities were different.

They could become weapons—or heroes.

Because of that, they were strictly controlled by the Empire.

If a Dark user hid their ability and was caught, they were sent to a secret facility called “the Prison.”

There, they were fitted with “shackles”—not physical restraints, but something closer to mental domination.

So Dark users usually hid their abilities.

And formed secret groups…

I swallowed nervously and spoke carefully.

“I don’t have any ability. But…”