Chapter 2: I Want to Live (1)

Chapter 2: I Want to Live (1)

It was clear what it meant to see shabby alleys and the floor of the market at a lower eye level.

Commoners at best, orphans at worst.

But

Looking at the worn-out clothes with one sleeve missing, the dirty and foul-smelling body of a skinny child, anyone could tell that I was an orphan.

The unfamiliar dirtiness and stench were making my mind cloudy and unpleasant.

As an orphan whose struggle for survival revolved around eating, there was also a feeling of weakness and exhaustion.

These two combined as negative effects, and I was in a state as if I woke up after drinking too much.

Resentment was the first thing that seeped into my hazy mind.

I didnt know what their reason was, but if they let me enter the game as they pleased, shouldnt they have given me a character worth living with?

To be an orphan

It was astonishing.

But still I have high-ranking traits.

I quickly spun the happiness circuit.

Lets calm down. Honestly, an orphan with high-ranking traits was better than most noble households. It meant high-ranking traits were that good.

No, wait a minute.

Come to think of it, before losing consciousness, I clearly heard that Penalty Traits would be randomly assigned.

And there were three of them.

This is insane.

So, I got scammed, didnt I?

I thought the tutorial was over and I was getting a freebie, but it wasnt. Give and take. One High-ranking Trait for one Penalty Trait.

Damn it. Im being screwed over in a game and in reality too.

I couldnt call this reality, but now it was.

No wonder for some reason, I could select only one High-ranking Trait and press the create button.

I thought it was a system designed to make it difficult again if players got bored later.

So, I didnt bother thinking too much about it.

My heart rate increased.

This time, no curses came out of my mouth. That was how serious the Penalty Traits were.

Penalty Traits were truly diverse.

From something moderate to counteract the advantages of High-ranking Traits, to something extreme. There was nothing trivial. That was why they were Penalty Traits.

My mind quickly raced. I tried to recall the Penalty Traits I knew.

-Magic Ineptitude

-Insanity

-Cannibalism

-Extreme Ignorance

-Abnormal Sexual Desire

-Heresy

-Cursed Body

There was no point in continuously rerolling character creation. If you got one wrong Penalty Trait, it would be a real problem.N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n.

It was not just about growth being hindered; it was the things that were forced upon you.

With Cannibalism, Abnormal Sexual Desire, or Heresy, if the desires werent satisfied, the characters mental state deteriorated, and if it persisted, the character committed suicide.

If desires were satisfied but it went wrong, depending on the severity, they could become a public enemy of the continent.

Since the game became reality, those desires would likely apply to me as well.

I was someone who lived in modern times. I didnt want to engage in such actions. Being a cannibal would probably be something I couldnt handle.

Really If I got to choose a high-ranking trait, they should have let me choose a penalty trait too.

I complained inwardly, but it wouldnt change anything. If I was lucky, it might be something like Frailty, or Dullness, and if I was unlucky it might be something like Bad Health, or even Cannibalism

Id prefer something related to health so it could be offset by Ironman.

I just hope it was not something like Cannibalism or Abnormal Sexual Desires. I closed my eyes and prayed.

But first, how do I check my traits?

In the game, I could check my talents with a single click, but now I didnt know what to do. Wait, could I see it with my eyes?

Just as I was thinking I should call a status window, a translucent window appeared before me.

[Carlyn]

-13 years old

The window wasnt filled with much information. It only showed my name, age, and traits.

It was simpler than the game.

I didnt have any major complaints. The game didnt show detailed attributes either.

In addition to this, there were psychological states, family relationships, and family status.

It was one of the reasons why the game was difficult.

Even when fighting someone, there was no certainty about who would win.

That was why I called it a game relying on probability.

Anyway, although it was a little surprising to be 13 years old, it wasnt important right now.

I shifted my gaze to the trait section.

It was at that moment.

Ugh!

With a shout, someone suddenly grabbed me from behind.

Startled, I turned my head, and a muscular man with a scruffy beard was looking at me with a sinister smile.

You little thief bastard! Youre in trouble now.

The hand gripping my neck was unpleasantly tight.

If I were to describe my thoughts in words in my head, it would be nothing but startled that fit the situation.

Whats happening?

I tried to smile innocently.

Should I give it a try?

Before I could finish my thought, my hand tightly clenched the bundle of money. I dashed past the man.

Even I found it difficult to find the reason behind my actions. Could it be that it had become an instinct for me?

There wasnt much time to assess the situation. Perhaps I passed by while lost in thought.

Oh well. Lets think positively.

Naturally, whether it was a game or reality, having money was a good thing. Especially since I, as an orphan, wouldnt have any money to begin with.

I felt sorry for the man, but

For now, shouldnt I focus on surviving?

Perhaps because I had entered someone elses body, my thoughts didnt feel like my own.

I glanced back discreetly. It seemed like the man hadnt noticed, as he was only casually brushing off his arm. Behind him, the muscular man was still chasing after me.

The distance between us was gradually increasing.

This bastard! Stop!

The man, seemingly quick-witted, seemed to have sensed something and fumbled through his pockets. His face quickly turned into a grimace.

Oh no.

Get that guy!

The person chasing me increased to two. It wasnt my intention, but I had done something unnecessary. I felt a sense of impending doom and kicked my legs.

Since looking back would slow me down, I kept my gaze fixed ahead.

I could feel peoples gazes.

Fortunately, there werent any nosy people around. If this were Korea, brave citizens might have chased after me.

I turned the corner and entered another alleyway. The distinct musty smell of the back alley pierced my nostrils.

Shady characters lurked around, eyeing me.

There was one guy who sneakily tried to trip me.

A heartless fellow. I cursed inwardly and leaped over him. I wanted to strike him, but I didnt have the time.

Unlike the muscular guy, the quick-witted guy proved to be quite agile. I quickly left the alley and turned left.

Thats when it happened.

In the gap between people, a man stood firm.

Thump! A collision similar to before. A strange scent tickled my nose. Could it be cologne?

Sorry

Once again, my hand involuntarily plunged into the mans chest. This time, too, it was beyond my control.

Instead of a bundle of money, something paper-like was caught.

In an instant, a chill ran down my spine.

It felt like my vision momentarily turned black and white, like a game over screen.

Startled, I let go of my hand.

Woah!

Huh?

As I passed by, the man uttered a strange interrogative sound. Then, I tried to stomp on the ground, but it didnt touch the ground.

My line of sight was raised, and my leg struck empty air.

The person I had just collided with had lifted up my clothes. Damn it, I didnt have time to complain.

I immediately activated Winds. Like before, I aimed to create a gap between his fingers.

Wow

But unlike before, I continued to feel resistance. The grip of his fingers didnt loosen.

The winds only swirled around the mans hand. Instead, the mans exclamation stood out vividly.

My body rotated involuntarily.

A middle-aged man stared intently at my face. He was dressed in a peculiar manner, and his slightly refined face gave off an old-fashioned vibe.

Was he a nobleman?

It seemed like Id made a big mistake. The two men who were chasing me left the alleyway.

Excuse me, could you let me go?

.

What? I didnt do anything.

Instead of answering, the middle-aged nobleman tilted his head.

At the moment I thought it was all over, I noticed the noblemans gaze. It was something I shouldnt have seen as a middle-aged man, but

Id have to live first.

I swiftly extended my leg.

With just one step, the nobleman evaded my retaliatory kick. It was an absurdly simple dodge.

Thump! And then he landed a blow on my forehead.

Ouch!

It hurt so much that my vision flashed. The pain in my forehead made my head feel numb.

When I finally regained my senses, the two men who had been chasing me were standing right in front of me.

We got this bastard.

The big guy grinned menacingly at me, while the nobleman seemed to be eyeing me.

Lord, thank you. This brat stole my purse. May I take him with me?

Its over. I thought that, but the middle-aged nobleman shook his head.

That wont do.

Yes?

The middle-aged nobleman let go of me. Even so, I couldnt muster the courage to run away. The atmosphere was different.

The nobleman flicked his gloved hand.

I will take care of the compensation. I should be the one to take this child with me.

His deep, low voice exuded a sense of authority and left no room for negotiation.

I, as well as the two men who had been chasing me, looked at him with dumbfounded eyes.