Then the slave traders didn't want to attract people—
And much worse, holy knights.
So they told me to stop crying and even gave me sweets.
One of them said, "Why are you alone, kid? Are you from here?"
I stopped crying and sobbing, and told them,
"I saw you guys taking kids in your carriage."
Then they all were like,
"So yeah, why are you crying?"
I said,
"I wanna go too! I wanna have fun!"
Then they all laughed and smirked about it.
They even carried me like they actually cared.
Then I said,
"Thanks! And gimme sweets—I want one!"
One of them said,
"Give him."
There were three of them.
And when I entered their carriage,
I saw a hot kid my age—
She was very hot.
She must've been a noble.
So I said,
"Yooo..."
and got to talk to her.
I said,
"Wow, we're the only kids the same age. The others are a bit older, right?"
She said,
"Yeah."
Then I asked,
"So why are you here?"
She replied,
"They took me because I'm..."
Then I covered her mouth and said,
"Shh... shh... shh!!
Not like that. Just say you're here for fun—
Like a stupid person."
She looked confused and said,
"What do you mean?"
I said,
"Act stupid."
She said,
"Okay...
I'm here for fun."
Then I said,
"Really? What a coincidence—I'm here for fun as well!"
Then when we got into the forest,
I called out to the animals.
They're pretty good fellas.
They actually gathered around to stop the carriage I was in and attack us—
So I could get out.
Good thing there was an Earth Bear.
It was huge and stood in the middle of the road.
One of them attacked it with a fireball—
But nothing worked.
Then they said,
"Let's change direction."
He turned around.
What a boomer!!
But then—
Another one came.
An even bigger one.
And just when they attacked again—
He forced the horses into the forest.
All the birds covered the carriage
so we couldn't see anything.
Then a snake came out of nowhere—
It yanked the coachman
in the blink of an eye.
And without the coachman,
we were in trouble.
The carriage hit a tree,
and the other two got out—
but the snake yanked them as well.
After that,
everyone inside was too scared to move.
Then I opened the door and said,
"Aren't you coming?"
She said,
"Okay... you sure it's safe?"
I replied,
"It's absolutely safe."
Then she took my hand—
and I got out with her.
I held her hand and walked with her.
I was thinking,
"Is it really proper for me to take a noble's daughter by the hand and walk with her?"
...
Nah.
She's just a girlie—
Not a noble lady.
Who cares?
Actually,
I just brushed it off so I wouldn't blush.
I was talking about this and that—
a lot.
She was just straight-up terrified of the forest.
Then we got out of the forest.
I said,
"Where's your home? Let me take you back."
She said,
"My home's up there."
I said,
"What?"
She pointed—
"Up there."
She was pointing at the castle.
I said,
"You must be joking."
Then I asked,
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but... you mean the castle?"
She said,
"Yes.
I'm Princess Eliza."
Then I said,
"I smell gold here.
That's why you smell like money!
Wooo... I hit my goals early at this age.
Well, let's go!"
I started asking her about nobles—
She was kinda happy about it
when she told me.
Of course she was.
A legend once said:
'Money doesn't buy happiness, it buys crazy-ass happiness.'
Then she smiled and said,
"You're actually funny and easy to talk to."
Then I walked her—
Just when we got near the palace,
a holy knight attacked me.
I moved back fast
and used a magic barrier to cover her.
Stupid 10-year-old me,
not knowing what's going on.
I actually thought
she was being ambushed
by her own family.
Too much fantasy in my head.
She actually knew.
It's like...
When I brought her home safely, it looked like I was just using her as a way to get into the palace or something.
But that's not the case.
It never was—
And it never will be.
But still...
I did want money.
And honestly?
I deserve it.
Then she gave me her precious necklace.
She said,
"When you meet me next time, just show me this necklace—
And we'll talk."
I said,
"Okay, see ya.
By the way—
I'm Jace Vale."
Then I ran off.
But one of them caught me while I was running.
He was just a farmer nearby.
He said,
"Why are you running?"
I explained the situation.
Even the farmers tried to take me to the kingdom,
just so they could show off and act like heroes.
One of them even used an exaggerated old-man voice and said,
"I found this worthless thug lurking around—
Dragged him here!
Your Majesty! This is unforgivable!"
"If we keep letting him live,"
he said,
"he'll eventually eat the entire farmland!
Unforgivable!
How dare he run in my sweet carrot land!"
Damn old man...
He even pulled the
"Damn man, he was in my hands!"
—slammed his legs for dramatic effect.
Wow.
It's the power of money.
So I walked away, going low-key,
trying not to attract attention.
I saw a flower.
It looked cool, so I tried to cut it.
It shocked my heart—
like actually shocked me—
to the point where if I touched it again,
I might die.
So I thought:
"Why don't I cut it using my artifact hand?"
I did.
Cut it.
And put it in my hair.
Then I continued walking, trying to find a place to rest.
Then an old man came.
He dropped the stuff he was holding and asked,
"Where did you get that flower?"
I said,
"I just cut it off. Why you ask?"
With an excited face, I added,
"Is it expensive?"
He said,
"No."
Then I said,
"Then I'm not interested."
But then he said,
"I'll pay, kid."
I said,
"Sure."
He said,
"Let's go."
So I walked with him.
We entered his house in the forest.
He said,
"Give me the flower."
Then he smashed it,
absorbed it,
created a potion—
and said,
"Now it can be sold."
I asked,
"How much percent will I get?"
He smiled and said,
"Wow, good to know you're this sharp at your age.
You'll get around 45%."
I said,
"Sure. All I did was cut it anyway."
Then I walked off,
cut more of the flowers using my fingers like an artifact blade,
and came back.
He said,
"Help me with this. Help me with that."
Then he asked,
"Do you have anywhere to go?"
I gave him an honest answer:
"Nope."
Then he said,
"How about you live with me?
Take care of the flowers,
get paid,
eat for free."
I accepted.
And I began to live there.
Unlike the other scum out there,
this old man wa
s actually really nice.
Well... whatever.
I'm gonna get money and enjoy my life.
But...
Things don't stay peaceful.
I expected that much.