"Nothing in this world is as understanding as you understand it." Aurel Avenlor
"Toothbrush? Check. Socks? Check. All the clothes? Check. Hmm, toothpaste? Also check. Nothing remains."
Aurel looked around and saw nothing else to pack before closing the zip of his luggage. His whole luggage consisted of nothing more than two plain T-shirts, three pairs of jeans, a hoodie, socks, and his toiletries.
"I had dozens more things than this in my past life. Not even a smartphone. That's something a normal kid should have. Should I feel pitiful for Aurel for having so little?"
Whatever. Better than nothing. At least he lived a good life with good food, shelter, warm clothes, and all that.
Thinking about it, the memory of Father East surfaced again, along with what he had said.
"Let responsibility draw circles in the corner. Just be a human being and live until you die."
He was the type of person everyone would want as a dad, I think?
Whatever. I should plan what I'm going to do at the academy.
"Should I laze around, or just be lazy all year around? Or maybe just slack off?"
**Grrrrrrr**
"Oh? I forgot it's dinner time. My sense of time is still a mess, and my control over this body is still slightly sluggish. Life is really tough for a child like me."
Let's go have dinner first, then decide how to laze around tomorrow.
The whole room was a shared dormitory for eight kids, including me. The other seven were all between eight and ten years old. Looking at how I didn't get an invitation from any of them showed that Aurel was truly an all-out introvert who didn't even communicate with his dormmates.
Father East also said I looked less rotten than usual, so even a rotten personality like mine had to bow down to Aurel's rottenness.
With that thought, he walked around looking for the canteen.
"Tch, where is the canteen?"
He walked slowly through the corridor, looking at the walls and the photos and drawings posted on them. Slightly impressed, he had to admit that this place was really a paradise for kids. All of these creative things had been made by the children in the orphanage.
He continued walking, looking at the artwork and trying to memorize it, until he arrived near the entrance used by visitors.
"I got lost again."
He shook his head and turned around to look for the canteen when his eyes fell on a large map hanging on the wall.
He walked over and studied the detailed map. He soon found the word Canteen written inside a large yellow square. It was located to the left of the classrooms used by the younger children, those between five and eight years old.
He scratched his chin and took note of all the routes and important locations so it would be easier not to get lost again tomorrow.
As he walked towards the canteen, he continued glancing at the artwork posted on the walls by the children.
He quickly reached the canteen and saw that a quarter of it was already filled. Most of them were on their last few bites. They noticed him as well, but quickly returned to their meals without showing much surprise.
Aurel didn't pay them any attention and walked to the right, where all the utensils were placed. Plates, bowls, forks, and spoons were stacked neatly together.
He first picked up a plate, placed a steel bowl on it, and grabbed a spoon. Ignoring the forks, he also took a handful of tissues.(That was out of reflex.)
Now he was in a dilemma whether to put the tissues back or keep them for himself. He had taken way too many out of habit.
[Ding! Ding! Ding!]
[Congratulations, you got another life choice to choose.]
[Report: Out of your petty habit of grabbing extra tissues, you are now in a very awkward situation.]
"Me, awkward? Really? Why don't I know that?"
[Report: Tch tch, what a shameless kid. Not even a little remorse or guilt for taking extra tissues.]
[Report: The Life Choice System really didn't misjudge you.]
"Am I getting mocked or insulted?"
[Please choose one of the following choices.]
(A): I am a model citizen. I can't waste tissue paper. Put the remaining tissues back and take only what is needed.
Reward: Good Person Card
(B): What does it even matter? Continue your wastage, as wasted as you are.
Reward: Newly released Mikke brand shoes
(C): I've already grabbed them. They are mine now. Secretly stuff the tissues into your pocket in front of everyone present.
Reward: Unlimited Tissue Pack
[Report: Please choose shamelessly.]
Aurel blankly looked at the tissues in his hand and at the canteen aunt waiting to serve him food.
Then, right in front of her, with the same blank and expressionless face, he stuffed all the tissues into his pocket without changing his expression.
The canteen aunt looked at him with a blank expression and slightly opened her mouth as if to say something. But after looking at Aurel's face, which looked as though nothing had happened, she awkwardly closed it again.
For a full minute, they stared at each other with straight faces without blinking.Then Aurel stepped forward and placed his plate on the counter.
The canteen aunt glanced at the plate, then at the ladle in her hand, and finally at his blank face.Her expression was unreadable. Her brain had completely lagged.
She forgot what she was doing and subconsciously served him his meal without looking at him again.
Aurel thanked the canteen aunt with the same blank expression and picked up his plate before moving to the next counter.