The slums.
In a crack within a crumbling wall, a young boy was curled up, shivering as the biting cold wind cut into his bones.
He couldn't help but tremble, hugging himself tighter to reduce the area exposed to the cold, hoping it would help him stay a little warmer.
That was what the slums were like. No important figures ever visited, and no benevolent souls passed by. All that existed here were the dregs of society.
Everyone here was someone who had been cast aside. But having strength was never wrong. Even in a place like this, those with strength could oppress those without it.
And those without strength could only continue to struggle bitterly, until their hands and feet turned cold, and even the right to live slipped away.
What kind of world was this, where simply staying alive had become such a luxurious indulgence? Yes, just living was already so difficult.
And to ask for enough to eat, or warm clothes to wear—that was asking too much, wasn't it?
But how could he allow himself to fall here? There was still a chance, still a sliver of hope.
If he could awaken magic, he could join a guild and take on simple requests to earn enough to live.
If only he could use magic. But magic was something that could not be obtained simply by wishing for it.
Some people could spend their entire lives without ever becoming mages, while others were born with the talent to be one.
The world was cruel like that. It had no mercy for anyone, and fate was decided long ago. Yet, he still wanted to struggle, because his life wasn't over yet.
At the very least, he was still alive right now, and that alone was proof of his resistance.
"Noel, Noel, wake up!" A small hand reached into the wall crack, patting Noel's back.
Noel didn't respond. He didn't dare let his thoughts continue. Another gust of cold wind blew by, and Oliver's teeth chattered violently.
"Don't tell me he froze to death…" Oliver said, worried.
Panic began to rise in Oliver's chest. He had prepared himself for this, but he didn't think the day would come so soon. Tears welled up in his eyes and rolled down uncontrollably.
Hadn't they promised each other? That they would survive together, awaken magic together, join a guild together, and make lots of money together.
Noel turned over. Suddenly, he felt his head dangling in the air. His eyes flew open, and the world spun violently as his body started to fall.
Fortunately, Noel reacted quickly, grabbing a crack in the wall with all his strength, though the price was a deep gash across his hand.
Blood seeped out, staining the already weathered wall.
"Noel, you're okay! You scared me to death! You're my only friend here, and if you froze to death, I'd probably die of loneliness too!" Oliver said, his voice filled with genuine relief and excitement.
His emotions were real. Noel could see the faint redness around Oliver's eyes and the traces of tears still on his cheeks.
Noel felt a quiet sense of gratitude. Even in a place like this, he still had a friend like Oliver. Maybe his life wasn't such a failure after all.
"Don't worry, I was just sleeping too deeply."
Then the pain hit him. He looked at his hands, now covered in cuts and blood, perhaps because of the cold.
The pain was dulled, his hands already stiff and numb, but even this muted pain was enough for Noel to endure.
But maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Perhaps, in his current state, he could get a little more money today.
Looking even more pitiful, with a bit of blood, might be enough to draw sympathy from passing young ladies. Tricks like this would never fool sharp merchants, but maybe it could fool those sheltered daughters of wealthy families.
Those merchants, with their cold eyes and calculating minds, could see through such small tricks instantly. They controlled the money in this world, and pity was never part of their transactions.
"Alright, let's get going! We need to get to town, or we'll go hungry again today. But honestly, you look even more pathetic than usual today. Maybe it'll earn us more sympathy from passersby. We might get a good haul today!" Oliver joked.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Noel's stomach growled loudly. It wasn't his stomach's fault. After all, they hadn't had any dinner the night before, and yesterday's begging had gone terribly.
For some reason, none of the rich young ladies had come out in the afternoon, and without their charity, they had gone to bed hungry.
But was it really fair to blame those kind young ladies for everything?
"Tell me, why is it that some people are born into rich families while we're stuck living in the slums?" Noel complained.
"And we have to go out begging every day, never knowing if we'll eat or not. This world is so unfair."
"Well, at least we're still alive, stumbling along like this. Compared to those who died young, we're doing better, aren't we?" Oliver said with a hint of gratitude.
That was true. At least they had the chance to walk this world, while others never even got to see it or died shortly after birth.
Simply being able to open their eyes and see the world, even for a moment, was something those others never had.
Being able to stay alive in this world was already a blessing.
"But you'd better not say things like that in town. If those rich folks hear you, we'll get a beating for sure," Oliver warned kindly.
He had noticed that Noel was acting a little strange today. Normally, Noel wouldn't say things like this.
"Thanks."
"Hey, we're friends, aren't we? Friends are supposed to help each other out. When you're in trouble, I help you out. How should I put it…" Oliver thought for a moment, "It's kind of like being family."
Family. Yes, just like family, helping and supporting each other. That word felt warm, and even the icy wind seemed a little less cold.
The two of them stumbled along the road. The slums were far from the town center—the poorest place, moving toward the richest place.
"But we need to be careful today. I heard there have been dark guild members causing trouble around town lately. Those guys are bad news," Oliver said with disgust.
If it weren't for those people, they might not have gone hungry yesterday. The rich young ladies had heard the rumors and stayed home, making those dark guild members the true culprits of their empty stomachs.
"How come I didn't hear about that?"
Noel was puzzled. He had never heard anything like that and had no idea where Oliver had gotten this information.
"Don't you ever bother to ask around? People like us, beggars, need to be well-informed. Information is our most important tool!" Oliver said proudly, his eyebrows dancing with satisfaction.
It was true. Information was always the most valuable resource, no matter the era. If you could control information, you could control the flow of money.
"I didn't know you were capable of that."
"Of course! Don't you know who I am?" Oliver puffed up with even more pride.