December (2024) Bonus Chapter

“Take care, Slimebrains!” Astrid shouted, on the verge of tears.

“Take care, Fleabag!” Risha replied before entering the manor.

Astrid’s special day had quickly turned sour by Risha’s departure. She clutched the dagger—her early birthday present—and the farewell letter. Astrid had kept it to herself, but without Risha, she felt alone. Astrid did not get along particularly well with any of the orphans. She blamed her gloomy nature and a face that said ‘go away’. Even the little ones weren’t especially fond of her, but it wasn’t all her fault. Ginz was too meek to be likable, and Elincia was outright insufferable.

“You made a promise, Astrid. No more fighting.”

Astrid sprinted around the manor to catch Risha walking into the labyrinthic web of alleys. The worst part of all was that she couldn’t stop him. Elincia might have stopped him, of course, so Risha chose to wait for her to travel into the Farlands to depart. Elincia always got her way.

“No more fighting,” Astrid reminded herself, wondering if she would ever see Risha again. 

Astrid saw and heard many things during her escapades and knew this wasn’t any regular conscription. The royals planned something big, and even the veteran guardsmen planned to leave the City Guard to enlist in the army. That wasn’t a great sign. Astrid had experience swindling and getting swindled. She had learned to be suspicious if something seemed too good, and the pay to enlist in the royal army was very good for those above level thirty-five.

Risha wasn’t an idiot. He was one of Mister Lowell’s best students and knew how to read the signs. The royals were planning to fight deep into the Farlands.

“He’s more orc than man. He will fly through his first levels,” Astrid whispered, trying to sound self-reassuring. “In the meantime, I must learn to be less gloomy.”

Astrid entered the orphanage using the front door. Ilya was sleeping on the couch, sitting with arms crossed like a little old hag. It was already morning, but the orphanage was in complete silence. Ginz was in charge of the breakfast, so she left Ilya to sleep for a few more minutes. While sleeping, one couldn’t feel hunger after all. Astrid scooped a blanket and covered the girl. The mornings were still cold for non-beastfolk. 

Astrid returned to her bedroom, trying to process her new reality—alone, insecure, inadequate. She had heard Risha speaking with Mister Lowell. She didn’t mean to intrude but decided to remain still, hoping she could go unnoticed. It was painful to hear those words coming from Risha’s mouth. I wish I could’ve taken your place as the caretaker. Astrid felt the same. She hoped to keep Mister Lowell’s legacy alive with all her heart, but she didn’t have it in her. Risha had it, and even Elincia had it. Astrid couldn’t describe it. A way with the little ones. Charisma. Leadership. 

Astrid shook her head, trying to drive away the bad thoughts. In less than twenty-four hours, she would turn fifteen. Maybe, if she got a good Class, things would change. It happened a lot. Elincia and Ginz had gotten Advanced Classes from the very start. Their success was guaranteed in the long run. Astrid sighed. She only wanted something useful.

Astrid returned to her bedroom and summoned her Character Sheet.

Name: Astrid Lowell, Wolf Spirit Beastfolk (Night Vision, Keen Senses)

Class: None (Child).

Titles: Sullen. 

Passive: Acrobatics Lv.1, Stealth Lv.1.

Skills: None. 

Even her Character Sheet seemed to make fun of her.

She dispelled the prompt and shed her dirty clothes. Elincia usually told her not to change her clothes so often, but Astrid couldn’t help herself. Her nose complained if she kept the same shirt for more than a couple of days, regardless of the amount of soap she used. Astrid put on a simple shirt, work pants, and sandals. She tied a handkerchief over her head to hide her ears, put her knife in her belt, and threw an old travel cloak over her shoulders. Before leaving the room, she recovered Risha’s letter from her dirty pants and tucked it into her pocket, where it was safe.

In the reception room, Zaon was sitting by Ilya’s side on the old couch, their feet swinging above the floor. As soon as Zaon saw Astrid, he jumped down the couch and ran across the room to hug her. The boy was so sweet Astrid’s gloominess didn’t seem to affect him.

“Good morning Astrid,” he said, smiling like always.

“Good morning, Zaon,” Astrid replied, and all her troubles disappeared.

Zaon was almost twice as tall as Ilya. Elven kids were slender, but they reached puberty later than other races. If Astrid had to guess, Zaon had the heart of a Herbalist or a Healer. No matter the cold or the hunger, Zaon was always a ray of light. Ilya, on the other hand, had already decided on what Class she wanted to get and nobody would dare contradict her. Hunter. 

“Are you going out?” Zaon asked.

“Yes,” Astrid replied.

“Did you get breakfast already?”

“I did,” Astrid lied.

The pantry was dangerously close to empty, so Astrid didn’t want to take food away from the little ones. Since tomorrow, with her new Class, she could carry her own weight. 

Zaon seemed to detect something was wrong. Despite being only five years old, the two children were extremely perceptive. Zaon pulled a small piece of bread from his pocket and split it in half.

“If you get hungry later,” he said, handing it to Astrid.

The girl didn’t have the heart or stomach to refuse it. She was hungry.

“Thank you, Zaon,” Astrid muttered, embarrassed. “I’ll be back by dinner.”

Astrid opened the door and left the orphanage.

Farcrest looked the same as always, but she felt something was different, almost like it was the last time she walked those streets before leaving for a long time. In a sense, she was. Tomorrow, she would have a Class, and everything would be different. For an instant, Astrid allowed herself to dream. She wasn’t going to become an Alchemist like Mister Lowell. She felt it deep inside, but maybe she would have a nice martial Class that would allow her to get enough money to keep the orphanage afloat.

Astrid walked to the market and got lost among the people. Once she hid her ears and tail, her appearance was unremarkable. She stuck behind a massive half-orc, probably a distant relative of Risha, and stole an apple from a stall. The vendor didn’t notice. 

Lately, begging on the corners had become harder and harder. She was reaching that age when people stopped looking at her with pity. Sure, she might bring the little ones to beg for her, but Elincia was too proud to allow that. Astrid thought that could be one of the reasons Mister Lowell liked Elincia more than her. 

Astrid took a bite. She wasn’t particularly fond of sweet foods like Elincia, but the apple tasted great. Astrid considered bringing one back for Zaon and Ilya, but she knew Elincia would ask questions.

Instead, she looked for her next victim. Lv.1 [Stealth] was enough to steal from low-level Merchants and those lacking detection skills. Astrid had rules. She only stole from well-dressed vendors, only stole food, and never stole more than she needed. She also had a different set of rules. Rules that helped her to stay away from the prison cells: never walk in front of the same stall twice, never exchange glances with the merchants, and never steal anything more expensive than a few iron chips. The last rule was vital. Following it would mean the difference between getting a beating or worse.

As long as Astrid wasn’t a burden for the orphanage’s pantry, she would take the risk.

The day flew by. 

After stealing the apple, Astrid settled in her favorite corner to beg. There were also rules for begging. The most important rule was to keep an eye on other beggars. The first ever beating she had been subjected to wasn’t from soldiers or Guardsmen but other orphaned kids and their ‘caretakers’. They had caught her on her way back to the orphanage after a day of begging. They beat her to a pulp and stole her money, cloak, and sandals. Since then, Astrid had learned all about the bands’ territories and how to avoid them. 

The second rule was who to beg from. Begging the Guardsmen was out of the question: at best, they’d ignore her; at worst, they’d smack her out of the main streets. Begging was technically outlawed, but the guards wouldn’t throw her in a cell for doing so. Merchants were a mixed bag, but the chance of them calling the guards was low as long as Astrid remained away from their stalls. Combatants and mercenaries were also a mixed bag for an entirely different reason. They weren’t as violent as Guardsmen or tattletale as Merchants, but lately, they had mistaken Astrid for a prostitute. The safest bet was always the farmers and laborers, but they also had less money to spend on beggars.

The third rule was the most simple of all. One would never beg and steal at the same time. Beggars were already suspicious enough to add another layer of surveillance. One would expect a beggar to steal, but not a regular girl walking into the market for eggs.

After midday, Astrid retreated from her begging spot and climbed to the roof of a workshop on the main street. No taller buildings were around, so she could relax without fearing retribution. Astrid pulled out Zaon’s piece of bread and a small carrot an old woman had given her while she begged near the poor market. The carrot was still covered in dirt, but nothing a bit of rubbing couldn’t solve.

Down on the main street, the merchants started to close their stores and dismantle their stalls.

Carrot in mouth, Astrid pulled her hidden pouch and counted her earnings: one bronze coin and a dozen iron chips. It had been the best haul in weeks, but it wasn’t a surprise. One of the incentives of the royal army to recruit mid and high-level warriors was to give hefty upfront bonuses. More money flowed through Farcrest’s veins than ever before.

Astrid chewed her carrot, thinking about how to explain the extra bronze coin in the orphanage’s reserves. They were so short of money that a bronze coin would stand out like a sore thumb. So far, Risha has helped her launder the money during the weekly trip to the market, but he wasn’t going to be around anymore.

Astrid cracked an egg against the hardened wooden shingles and dropped the contents inside her mouth. Regardless of what the other orphans said, raw eggs tasted great. 

“Tomorrow, I will have to beg no more,” Astrid whispered to herself. “Maybe I’d get a class good enough to enroll in the Sentinels… well, as soon as I met the level requirement.”

Astrid closed her eyes and relaxed under the spring sun. The faster she leveled up, the quicker things would improve at the orphanage, and without money problems, Risha could return to Farcrest as soon as he completed his contract.

Immersed in blissful thinking, Astrid fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes, darkness had closed upon Farcrest. The city was silent, which meant it was late at night. Not even the most desperate merchants had their stalls open. Astrid looked across the street. Half of the taverns were already closed. It was closer to midnight.

Astrid jumped to her feet and cursed. She was supposed to look after the kids in the afternoon so Ginz could work. Elincia was going to kill her. It wasn’t the first time Astrid skipped her chores. The last time, she followed the leaders of the orphan bands to know their schedules. Gang wars were profitable. Scavenging the aftermath like a vulture gave her two silver coins.

That night, a skirmish between rival bands was brewing.

Cloaked figures moved through the alleys into the Northern District. 

Astrid bit her nails. Being a vulture was a lucrative venture. Even if she only scavenged a single silver coin, it would be the equivalent of a week of begging. A silver coin could buy her a few days into the Farlands to get her first levels.

Astrid made up her mind. The risk was worth the reward, and she was already late. 

The cloaked figures moved north, which meant Urchins were fighting against Clothers. Nobody had tipped the Guard. Blood would flow.

Astrid shadowed the cloaked figures, jumping over the rooftops. Her level in [Acrobatics] allowed her to leap distances up to six and a half meters, while her level in [Stealth] allowed her to jump without making much noise. Any Sentinel, Scout, or Hunter above level ten would not have a problem detecting her, but luckily for Astrid, petty crime didn’t attract the most leveled individuals. 

Astrid hid behind a chimney as the Urchin band jumped on a few solitary Clothers. Seven against two. The combat was over in less than a minute. The Urchins won and pushed deep into the Clothers' territory.

Astrid dropped from the rooftop on an adjacent alley and approached the battleground. She had to be swift and act before a patrol appeared. The Clothers were dead–they were as young as she was. Astrid emptied their pouches and found a few iron chips, lockpicking tools, rope, a small mirror, and a brass button. Considering the contents, they didn’t have a Class yet. Astrid took the iron chips and left everything else behind. If she was caught by Guardsmen, she had better not have lockpicks on her.

The brass button was the identifier of the Clothers. She had learned that after her first scavenging party, when she tried to sell the button to a merchant. The man looked at her with horror before calling the guards. Astrid had been lucky that day. The guard was a veteran covered in scars, and after a few questions, he realized Astrid didn’t have connections to the Clothers.

The sound of steps alerted Astrid.

“Here’s one!” a man yelled from the other side of the street.

Astrid didn’t hear him until it was too late, which meant he was a ‘caretaker’. Caretakers were the most dangerous type of orphan, old enough to have a Class but with insufficient levels to get a more profitable job than petty thieving. Astrid dropped everything and ran, but not even [Acrobatics] was enough to leave a Class user behind. 

Astrid turned into the alleys as fast as her legs allowed her and hid between an old crate and a water barrel. 

The sound of steps echoed against the walls.

“They are closeby!” the Caretaker yelled.

Then, the midnight bells rang.

Astrid jumped to her feet, prepared to use the twelve strokes to cover her retreat, but something surged from her chest. A pair of phantom hands grabbed her brain and kneaded it. The world spun reinless around her.

Conditions fulfilled.

You have obtained a new skill.

Zealot unique skill [System’s Channeler] acquired.

Conditions fulfilled.

You have obtained a new skill.

Zealot unique skill [System’s Sight] acquired.

Astrid squealed and fell on her back, tipping the water barrel.

Zealot’s Questlog updated.

New Quest added: Reach the Church of the System Headquarters for induction.

A penalty will be issued if the quest isn’t completed.

“I got you, rat,” the Caretaker appeared in the alley, following the sound of the overturned barrel.

“I’m not a Clother,” Astrid stuttered, but she knew words would be useless.

The Caretaker pulled a long, curved knife. 

Zealot’s Questlog updated.

New Subquest added: Deal with the Caretaker. 

A penalty will be issued if the subquest isn’t completed.

You have obtained a new temporary passive skill.

[Dagger Mastery] Lv.2 acquired.

You have obtained a new temporary skill.

[Quickstep] acquired.

You have obtained a new temporary skill.

[Backstab] acquired.

Astrid blinked in confusion. The world around her lost color, and the buildings became phantasmagorical white. She could see Urchins and Clothers scouting for enemies through the solid bricks. Their white bodies were perfectly outlined against the walls. In the center of the alley, the Caretaker was highlighted in a red hue. It was impossible not to see him.

The Caretaker spun his curved dagger and lunged.

Astrid’s body moved on its own. [Quickstep] activated and pushed her to the side, causing the Caretaker to stumble. Then, her dagger gleamed with dark mana. She tried to let the dagger go, but her body didn’t obey. With a swift step forward, Astrid stabbed the Caretaker in the lower back. The feeling of metal cutting meat sent a shiver through her body.

Subquest completed: Deal with the Caretaker.

Calculating rewards.

[Dagger Mastery] has been permanently added to your Personal Sheet.

Level up!

Level up!

Astrid whimpered. She didn't know what was happening. She was supposed to appear before the System and select her Class. Nobody told her anything about killing people. Her hands were covered in blood. She needed to return to the orphanage. Elincia would know what to do.

Astrid tried to turn, but her body didn’t move. She felt like an army of ants crawled over her brain. She clenched her teeth, trying to take the step, but her body didn’t obey. The sensation became painful.

On the verge of a panic attack, Astrid summoned her Character Sheet.

Name: Astrid Lowell, Wolf Spirit Beastfolk (Night Vision, Keen Senses)

Class: Zealot Lv.3.

Titles: Sullen. 

Passive: Acrobatics Lv.1, Dagger Mastery Lv.2, Stealth Lv.1, Zealot’s Questlog.

Skills: System’s Channeler, System’s Sight.

Status: Terror Lv.9.

“No…”

The ant army nibbled her brain. No matter how deep she buried her claws into her scalp, she couldn’t get rid of the sensation. Deep inside, she knew only one way to deal with it. She was a puppet of the System.

Steeling her resolve, she turned around and ran towards the royal capital.