Chapter 1
The Nameless Child
I was a nameless child, abandoned in the slums of Shuber Street No. 6.
Even in the Edenbaroque Empire—said to be a blessed land, built with the blessing of God Eden Bessianus—there was darkness. That place was what people of the capital all called the slums.
The Shuber Slums. And the worst place in the slums was Shuber Street No. 6. I was abandoned here as a baby. Because all my memories start from here, I don’t know any other place. I didn’t even have a name.
Some older girls called me “baby”, others called me “kid”, and with so many nicknames, it was like my name changed every day. Since my hair is white, some people called me “Snowy”.
But I wasn’t the only one without a name, so it didn’t make me feel sad. This place was full of crime and beggars, and death wasn’t even surprising. The air always smelt smoky, mixed with alcohol, damp mould, and, of course, filth.
Naturally, I smelt the same.
Some people used us to get rid of mouldy bread. Others spat at us or used us to vent their anger. The gang left me with someone named Violeta. That’s when my life here began. I don’t know if one of the gang members was my parent or if someone sold me off to pay their debt.
There are many kids like me here. Even if I didn’t say or do anything, people saw me as a beggar or a stray cat. Still, I was happy. Because I had Violeta, who was like a sister and a mother to me, And Rano, my milk sibling and my friend. And I was even the proud alley boss of Shuber.
That’s not something just anyone can do—but I did it, even though it was hard. But then, a problem happened.
“Why do you have such a high fever?”
Violeta tilted her head and frowned. She was so beautiful, she could capture everyone’s hearts. Even though she worked as an assistant for high-class courtesans, she was even prettier than them. Especially in my eyes.
“It hurts…”
I groaned softly.
“You’re hurt? You didn’t eat something weird again, did you?”
I opened my eyes just a little and glared at her.
“I didn’t eat anything weird!”
Violeta was pretty, but that was the problem! She had a twisted, witch-like personality, was super suspicious, and had an amazing memory.
One time I ate a piece of bread that I dropped on the floor, and she still brings it up. Rano told me not to eat it because it was dirty, but it had only been on the ground for three seconds! I even brushed the dust off before eating it, but she still teases me, saying I eat weird stuff. But I know something too.
Last night, I saw Violeta drop a cookie and secretly eat it. Then she acted like nothing happened and even hummed a tune. But since I’m the alley boss, I pretended not to see it.
Anyway—Violeta said she was a teenager when she first met me.
Now she’s barely an adult, but back then, she was way too young to raise a baby. Still, she held me in her arms and raised me. Not just me—Rano too. There are a lot of women like Violeta here. Most of the kids they care for were born from courtesans or brought in by gang members. When a baby arrived, they would even beg for milk from others to raise them.
I don’t remember much since I was too little, But I’ve seen them raise younger babies that way, so I must’ve been the same. That’s why the kids here are all milk siblings.
Growing up in Shuber Street No. 6 means if you’re not needed, you could disappear anytime without a trace. If you’re smart, you might survive longer. But that also means you have to do dangerous work under the gangs’ control.
Carrying banned items or drugs, running secret errands hidden from adults, begging noblemen with soft hearts, or even doing things we should never do. All of it is to feed the gang leader, Scar, the ruler of this place.
Thankfully, kids like me live somewhat happily until the gangs come to take us for work.
Sure, we go hungry often, and people not from here look at us with disgust. Oh, and “Ground Folks” means the people who live in Shuber.
That’s how most kids live here.
I was the same.
“Are you really sick?”
Violeta touched my forehead again. She’d already checked more than twenty times. I was super dizzy, but I still answered because she asked.
“Yeah. Here, and here, and here.”
I pointed all over my body to show her. I had suddenly fallen sick with a fever. Even though I was often hungry, I was usually pretty strong.
I was fine yesterday morning, Even when the lady at the end of the alley gave me a leftover piece of bread, I was okay. I even took a nap and played with Rano in the evening. But early this morning, just as Violeta came home, the fever started.
Now I was in so much pain I groaned. My eyes were burning, and I couldn’t open or close them properly. It felt like they were on fire.
“Can’t you wait until morning?”
Violeta asked as she gently pushed my sweaty hair back. My hair was like spider silk, so it kept sticking to my face. She sighed and wiped the sweat from my forehead. I curled up and tried to gather strength to speak.
“If I eat ice cream…”
“What?”
“If I can just eat one bite of the cold ice cream from the bald man’s cart…”
Violeta raised an eyebrow.
“You’re faking it, aren’t you?”
She looked at me suspiciously.
Tch.
The alley boss of Shuber doesn’t lie! But she didn’t believe me—how unfair. I just wanted to eat the sour lemon ice cream from the bald man’s shop because I was sick. Ice cream is rare and expensive, But if you stare up at him long enough, he sometimes gives you a bite.
“I’m really sick…”
I pointed to my head and eyes.
“You really didn’t eat something weird?”
Violeta looked at Rano instead of me. I also turned to stare at Rano.
That look meant: say the wrong thing and I’ll poke your nostrils.
“Uh, a little—wait! No! Nothing at all!”
“Then why are you sick?”
“I just want ice cream…”
I looked up at Violeta with the saddest face I could make.
“Sick kids don’t get to eat freezing cold ice cream!”
“Aw…”
It was the perfect chance to eat rare ice cream. My mouth still felt hot every time I talked. It felt like I’d burn my own breath if I kept talking. I didn’t want Violeta to worry…
She’s already so busy.
If she doesn’t go out, there’s no one to bring us food. So I shouldn’t hold her back. Also, calling a doctor here is way too expensive.
The cost of visiting the clinic could feed Violeta, Rano, and me for a whole week. Maybe even a month if we ate carefully.
Last time I got sick, I just waited it out, and by the next day, I was better. Rano, who’s like my brother, didn’t sleep and stayed by my side, holding my hand.
“I’ll watch the baby. Violeta, you should sleep. You need rest for work.”
Rano is one year older than me, so he acts more mature sometimes. Not when we’re playing, but when I’m sick or hurt, he suddenly becomes like an adult. Usually, he’s just a silly dummy.
“It’s fine. I’ll go to work in the evening. But I’m not going out now. Not when the kids are sick and alone.”
Violeta brushed back her black hair. Her face looked so tired. Her double eyelids looked deeper than usual. She hadn’t slept at all since coming back from work. Violeta is always busy, taking only short naps. She says assisting courtesans is super tiring.
If she meets a mean one, she might even get slapped for no reason. Sometimes it’s worse—when a noble brought by a courtesan takes a liking to her.
Last time, she came back with her hair looking like it got struck by lightning. On days like that, she sits me and Rano down and curses at the courtesans. Then she drinks the snacks and purple wine she brought home and sleeps until the next day.
She especially liked the wine with two golden lines on the bottle. It looked so yummy, I once tried to drink it straight from the bottle and got spanked ten times.
Anyway…
I didn’t want Violeta to suffer again because of me, So I quickly opened my mouth.
“I’m okay now. You should sleep, Violeta… I feel a little better now.”
“Be quiet. Just hold this on your head.”
Violeta soaked the towel in cold water again, wrung it out, and put it back on my forehead.
“Ugh, it’s cold.”
The dizziness faded a little, and I could see their faces better.
“Keep it on. Until the fever goes down.”
“Hehe, okay. Actually… I’m glad you’re not going.”
I reached out to Violeta, and she grabbed my hand.
“You…”
“Yeah?”
I turned my head with effort, And saw Violeta’s face looking super serious. Her eyes were sharp and scary.
“When did this thing on your right hand appear?”
