Unfortunate

Chapter 7 - Encounter

Closing the book he had already finished, something caught his eye when he momentarily looked out of the window. 'The slums,' he noted. He observed little children entering that area, prompting his curiosity. "Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back," he muttered before rising from his seat.

As he was about to step outside, he turned his gaze towards Billos. "Don't let anyone go to the third-floor," he instructed before leaving without looking back.

Upon entering the slums, he was met with a sea of onlookers, their gazes filled with wariness as they regarded Cain. "Why is he here?" a hushed voice questioned. "Is that really young master Cain?" another voice chimed in.

Ignoring the whispers and stares, he continued walking in the direction his feet led him. Suddenly, a voice addressed him, "You there, young boy, who are you?" Despite being taken aback by the eerie tone, he turned to face the speaker, an old lady seated in a corner with something laid out in front of her. "Are you not familiar with who I am?"

"Of course, I recognize the 2nd young master. But, who are you on the inside?"

"I don't understand what you mean," Cain responded, intrigued by the conversation. How did this lady possess such knowledge? "Feigning ignorance, young master Cain. I see," the old lady remarked, causing Cain to narrow his eyes at her. "However, let me warn you about something – I can't see anything in your future, young master Cain. It's like I'm looking at a void."

Cain continued to listen attentively to the old lady's words. He felt no fear; having already died twice, the prospect of a third death was not surprising. He inquired, "So I will die in the future?"

The old lady held his gaze and replied, "Yes, there is a probability of your demise in the future." Amused, Cain found humor in being warned about his own death. He shifted his attention to the items the lady was selling. "I'll take this, and here, a payment for the warning," he declared, picking up the scroll and placing two gold coins in her hand. While possessing such wealth in the slums could be perilous, he harbored no concern for the old lady. She had carved out her survival niche in this dark corner of the slums.

Resuming his stroll, he allowed his feet to guide him once more. Along his path, he encountered a dead tree with a peculiar hole at its base. As he leaned in to investigate, he felt a sudden tug on his pants leg. Glancing down, the puppy vying for his attention. 'A husky?' he thought, lifting the lightweight puppy. 'I'll need to feed you,' he pondered, then rose to continue his walk.

"Arf-arf!" The puppy wagged its tail, seemingly greeting Cain. He stared blankly at the puppy, which abruptly shifted its demeanor, growling at an approaching voice.

"What's a brat like you doing here?" a slurred voice interjected, causing Cain to shield the puppy protectively and scan for an escape route. 'Dealing with a drunk isn't on my agenda right now,' he decided.

"Kid, are you ignoring me? Huh? Answer me!" The drunkard's irritation escalated, prompting the puppy to wriggle free from Cain's grasp and bark at the man.

The drunkard's annoyance peaked, leading him to hurl his bottle in the direction of the noise. Yet, his aim proved a touch too high, and the bottle struck Cain instead. With the road's slippery surface, Cain lost his footing, thinking, 'Ugh, I'll need a long bath after this.'

Fortunately, the drunk's throw lacked force, causing minimal harm beyond Cain's fall and the bottle shattering. Panicking, the puppy scampered over to Cain. "It's alright," Cain reassured the canine.

"Arf-arf!" The puppy's barks conveyed its discontent – its human was injured, and this was not acceptable!

Checking his body for wounds, Cain noticed a cut on his hand. "Ah, it appears I got cut when I fell." Blood seeped from the wound, intensifying the puppy's distress.