Interlude 3
◇◇◇
My life after running away from home can be summed up in one word: miserable.
Having been raised with excessive protection until then, I had no idea how to make a living in the first place.
For me, life was all about practicing magic.
As long as I trained diligently, I never had to worry about food or a place to sleep.
It was clear as day what would happen to a sheltered girl like me if I suddenly had my noble title stripped away and was thrown out into the outside world.
Working and living — even these basic things were completely foreign to me, making the mere act of surviving an extreme challenge.
◇◇◇
I did receive some minimal assistance when I ran away.
I checked the contents of my magic bag once again.
My own selection of belongings (daily necessities, books, magical tools, etc.).
A small amount of money I had saved up with no particular use in mind.
And a severance payment of several dozen gold coins given to me by my parents.
Considering they had so readily cast me out, one might say they treated me generously. Not that it changed my sad feelings in the slightest.
It may have been an act to ease their guilty conscience (if they had even a shred of one), or they may have been concerned that such a blatant exile of their daughter without any means would negatively impact the Honest family’s reputation.
In any case, I had no intention of using these gold coins.
I needed them to enroll in the Royal Arcana Academy.
Even though I had been expelled from my family, I absolutely refused to give up on magic.
However, my life had started going downhill since my debut, and at the age of twelve, two years later, my ignorant self didn’t even understand the bare minimum of what to prioritize and what to choose to discard.
So it was no surprise that anything could happen to me, unfamiliar with the ways of the world.
It’s a pathetic story, but I collapsed on the roadside soon after running away. Without using even a single gold coin from my magic bag.
This is exactly what they call a fool, as my later self would recall.
◇◇◇
When I woke up, I was in a bed.
「An unfamiliar ceiling.」
The go-to line to use when waking up in an unknown room.
It was a gag passed down from past Heroes, apparently called the 「Hero gag」.
「Oh, you’re awake,」
A voice said, belonging to a good-natured, portly woman.
「You collapsed on the road, miss. Do you remember?」
I sensed a cheerful tone in her voice.
「I remember.」
The resurfacing hunger. The unbearable thirst.
My destination was a town two stops away from the capital of the Arcana Kingdom where the main Honest residence was located.
Foolish me had set out on foot towards the town one stop away from the capital. It was a distance one would normally take a carriage for, but I had been stingy with money and walked all the way to the first town.
I should have rested there, but perhaps due to my desire to get as far away from the capital as possible, I didn’t even spend a night and continued on foot towards my intended destination.
Halfway through, I finally realized I had made a mistake, but it was too late.
Considering the distance, I couldn’t easily turn back.
Fighting the anxiety welling up inside, I somehow managed to arrive at my destination.
There, I lost consciousness from extreme fatigue and hunger.
This was the result of me being stingy and not even considering taking a carriage without thinking of the consequences.
◇◇◇
「I’m sure you have your own circumstances, miss. But I won’t pry. Everyone has their own complicated situations. Anyway, more importantly…」
She continued.
「This is bread porridge. Since you collapsed, eating a normal meal right away would shock your stomach.」
I couldn’t bring myself to reach out and accept her kindness.
No, I didn’t know how to properly reach out and accept kindness.
After silently observing me for a while, she said, 「If you can’t eat it yourself, I’ll force-feed you with a spoon,」 and handed me the bowl.
To this day, I can’t forget the taste of that porridge.
◇◇◇
From then on, I lived a life free from hunger, cold, and the fear of monsters.
「Two fried chicken and two orders of fries with two ales, please!」
I started working at the woman’s diner as a live-in employee.
「Ann! Take this to the elf over there! Be extra courteous to that person!」
The diner was bustling, especially at night when it got dizzyingly busy. Customers called for us three waitresses from all directions with one order after another. On top of that, we were constantly handed plates of food and drinks from the kitchen.
I continued serving while letting out a mental scream.
I continued working relentlessly until the peak of the busy period finally passed. At that moment, I suddenly realized that my own frantic movements resembled a spinning top mouse.
A strange giggle escaped my lips. 「Fuhe.」
Even after the work in the dining hall was done, there were still dishes to wash and cleaning to do.
By the end of the day, the floors and tables were splattered with grease and alcohol, and I would scrub them thoroughly. It took multiple passes to remove the stubborn grime.
By the time I finally finished cleaning, the clock had always passed one in the morning.
◇◇◇
I worked until I was exhausted every day.
That year, the couple’s son left home to train as a chef in the capital. I was allowed to use his room.
Considering I was a clueless young girl with no background or redeeming qualities, the living conditions, including the room, were exceptional. I was provided with delicious meals and even paid a salary.
There was only one problem.
I had very little time for myself.
So while doing my chores, I devoted every spare moment to studying and practicing magic.
Living true to myself was challenging for my young self.
◇◇◇
The hardship I faced wasn’t just the fatigue and lack of time.
It was also the complete lack of understanding from the couple.
Even when I ate with them, I was often questioned.
And that day was no different.
「Ann, studying magic won’t earn you a penny. In fact, have you ever needed to use magic even once in your current life?」
The lady said cheerfully as she dipped bread into her soup.
「That’s right. Instead of wasting time on magic, why don’t you learn to cook here?
Then you and our son can run this diner together, and we can retire in comfort!」
The man laughed heartily as he gulped down his ale.
「That might be a good idea.」
I managed to say with a forced smile.
Someone, please understand me.
Someone, someone, someone…
Not being understood by anyone───
Is the most painful thing.
◇◇◇
The turning point began with misfortune.
Their son, who was supposed to be away training, returned home.
After a brief greeting, he cried to his parents.
The two of them, preparing for the lunch service, stood stunned as their son begged them for money.
This incident led to me leaving their presence.
If you enjoy it and wish to see more, please consider giving it a 5-star rating for the series on NU. Click Here.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link