Scale of Reality

Leona Estate: Part 1

Nate POV

My name is Nate Leona, I'm a retired mage who used to work for the magic council back at the capital.

Recently, my granddaughter, Mya, had gotten sick. I came out to this small village because they apparently had the medicine I needed for her small illness.

However, the moment I got here I was pickpocketed by some kid. At first I was going to beat the boy and take it back, but I decided to see what he was going to do with it.

I silently and stealthily trailed him from a long distance, using my mana to track the boy. To my surprise, he went and bought a watermelon and some candy.

Curious, I let him continue on with it and followed him back home. The house was in very poor condition, and it made it hard for me to believe anyone lived here.

The window's were cracked, the roof was falling off, and over all it was just a bad looking house.

"Does this boys parents not care?"

I looked through the window, able to see the boy. A group of other children were inside the home with him.

"Muji!"

"Muji..."

I assumed that was the boys name.

The other children all seemed a lot smaller than he, so I could also assume he was the oldest amongst them.

He gave the candy to the smaller child before he began to cut pieces of the watermelon he bought.

To my surprise, he ended up with the smallest piece despite being the biggest, and he didn't look upset at all.

There were too many missing details for me to understand the whole situation, and I let this boy get away with the money I was going to use for my daughter's medicine.

So I walked up to the door and knocked.

I could hear small footsteps come from inside the house, and many "Muji's" being said but no "Mom" or "Dad"s.

"Maybe Mommy came back!"

I heard someone run over to the door, but someone else did as well.

"Daiki go to the room. Now!!"

This Muji kid seemed upset.

After a bit, everything went quiet.

I knocked again and before I knew it, the door opened a bit. I could see the fear and shock on the boys face when he seen me at the door.

"Hey brat...I'm gonna need that 20 bronze back."

The boy looked up at me nervously.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Go away please."

He was afraid of me.

"I guess he is still a child."

I let out a sigh.

"Open the door."

The boy looked at me, his eyes showed a mix of emotions but the main one was hostility.

"N-No. Please go away."

I pushed the door opened as he rushed at me with a knife in hand. I was a bit surprised but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I easily smacked the knife out of his hand and kicked him, sending him crashing into the wall.

"M-Muji!"

"Don't come out!!"

The boy got up as he held his screams in. He held his wobbling arms up as tears were in his eyes.