"I'm so sorry for causing you trouble, you shouldn't have helped me in the first place!"
Milan kept on apologizing and shaking my hand.
"Its okay dude, you would have gotten seriously hurt." I said.
"By the way, your a Varian right? What made you study here?" I asked.
Milan was shocked for a second before reverting back.
"Well why my parents were the one that made me live here in the first place." He said.
"And why is that? Did anything happen to you in Varia?"
"Life wasn't really great back there, we had to live in a homeless shelter despite them having jobs. We migrated here to start a new better life and leave our old life behind."
"Did anything bad happen there? Like some kind of protest?"
"There was a protest I saw about government corruption. I think it was about politicians using all of the their and resources on themselves rather than the people.
Oh! And also wanting Nathland kicked out of their land too."
I guess my suspicions are confirmed. If the Nathland were operating inside their land, it could mean a possible resource exploitations I thought about earlier.
And it definitely benefit the rich too with Nathland paying them handsome amount of money in return to mine their minerals or other stuffs. But not the lower class.
Make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
"Well thanks for telling me! Make sure to return home safe and sound! Attacks on Varian migrants have been going wild these days." I said.
"Thank you, I don't know in anyway I could repay your kindness!" Said Milan.
I nodded and smiled before seeing Milan running and waving goodbye.
"Why'd you save him?" Wesley said.
"Why not? His a person too."
"Yes I can clearly see that and I have no grudge against them but I really didn't want to be involved in a fight."
"So you just gonna leave him to be beaten up." I replied.
"Yes, I care more about ourselves than others!"
"Hey guys! Can't we just stop fighting." Said Gideon.
Wesley just looked at me before he said.
"Sorry."
"I do hope he returns save." Tomas said.
"...yeah." I said quietly.
***
I ran through streets, passing by many people in the way.
Before I finally reached up to the bakery.
Ding!
When I opened the door, a bell rang out from the top of the door.
Notifying the seller of my coming.
"Lukas! Your back, here to buy another batch of bread?" Said the shopkeeper.
"Yeah, just like last time, I want 8 stick of bread."
I went inside the shop and smelled the air full of bakeries.
The freshly baked breads, the cakes aisled up and rows of cookies, bagels and other desserts were shown.
"Ah sorry kid but prices has went up recently."
"Went up? How much." I asked.
"Two times and it's likely to increase in the coming day." She said.
Two times...my worst fear has come. Inflation.
"Hmm...I'll buy 4 then." I said.
"You still want to buy them? It is best to save up some money rather than spending it all." She replied.
"Yes but didn't you say it was likely to go up? It is best to buy the early before it gets too expensive."
"Heh, I guess your right, your family does need them."
I smiled before I walked up to the checkout as I waited for her to pack the bread in a bag.
"Here it is." The shopkeeper gave me a paper bag.
I got my money from my pocket and placed it down on the counter.
Before I left, I counted the amount of bread in the bag and realized something.
"Ma'am, you gave me six stick of bread, I said four before."
"Yes but it made me sad to see you like this :‹"
"Don't worry about it, you should care more about yourself rather than others."
I grabbed the two extra bread and gave it back.
"You should always treat yourself." I then ran out the door.
The shopkeeper just smiled at my kindness and laughed right after.
I sprinted through the streets, quickly dodging and pacing myself around people.
Cars and horse carriages passing by the road.
Black steam coming out of buildings.
Before I felt a violent force being pushed against my shoulders.
That sent me flying to a a narrow alleyway.
I was slammed on the ground, dropping my bag of breads.
"Well well well, look who it is. The Varian savior." Someone said.
"I slowly got up and saw who pushed me.
When I saw the person, I just smirked.
"Hermann, nice to see you again, you got a nice makeup one with that purple cheek of yours." I chuckled.
He gritted his teeth.
Hermann had two people beside him.
Did this coward brough backup so he could beat me up? So pathetic.
I looked behind me, intending to run away just to see two more people blocking the way.
Fuck.
"Why'd you save him Lukas! He's a Varian, he cannot be truste-"
"How about you just shut up and finish this mess already! You want to beat me up right? Then do it now!" I yelled.
"You brat!" He screamed before he dashed towards me.
I reacted quickly, raising my fists up.
Ready to fight.
But suddenly, my vision went dark and blurry.
A sudden shock hit my head like a hammer.
I lost my balance like I went paralyzed.
And went down on the ground.
When I slowly realized what happened.
I saw that the people behind me knocked me out with a wooden board.
"You idiot!" Hermann drove his foot right up to my chest.
A sudden gush of air went out of my lungs.
And the pain was felt all through my body.
Hermann other friends joined in.
Kicking their feet against me.
I tried to cover myself using my arms and block their attacks.
But even then I felt their boots scraping my whole body.
I couldn't get up and neither could I think straight.
"Hey! What do you kids think you're doing!"
Suddenly, I heard a girls voice rang out from the end of the alleyway.
Hermann and his friends stop and look at person.
I soon followed to see who it was.
Only to see.
"Amelia?"