Veil walked through the streets with a gloomy expression, grinding his teeth every time he put weight on his right leg.

  I think I’ll go tomorrow… I really don’t feel like dealing with all that noise at the guild. I just want to rest, he thought with a sigh.

  He turned into a narrow alley on his way back to the inn, slipped the exam slip into his satchel, and stretched his arms. Everything around him felt calm—no chatter, no signs of activity, not a single sound.

  That was when he stumbled, pitching forward and instinctively throwing his hands out to break the fall. He turned back, rubbing his scraped palms, then looked at what had made him trip.

  A child lay on the ground, groaning softly from the impact.

  Veil straightened at once and rushed to help him.

  “I’m sorry—that’s my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you alright, kid?” he asked, a hint of panic in his voice.

  The child lifted his head and slowly nodded. He was wearing torn clothes, his long hair completely tangled. Veil heard hurried footsteps behind him, the kind made by someone running. He turned to see a woman approaching, her clothes in just as poor a state.

  “I’m so sorry—please tell me my son didn’t bother you. I’m terribly sorry, I should’ve been more careful,” she said, apologizing over and over.

  “N-no, please don’t apologize. It’s my fault—I wasn’t paying attention and I ran into your child,” Veil replied. “I should’ve been the careful one.”

  He stood up while helping the boy to his feet, then stepped back as the mother gently scolded him for straying too far from her. Veil took a step to leave, but the woman suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

  “Wait… you’re not going to ask us for money, are you? Or something else? I don’t want any trouble. If you want something, I’ll give it to you now. There’s no need to go fetch other people,” she said, panic creeping into her voice.

  “What are you talking about? I’m not asking you for anything. This was my fault, ma’am. If anything, I should be the one doing something—not you,” Veil replied, genuinely confused.

  The woman let go of his sleeve, her expression shaken, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “I… I don’t have any money, but we can work something out another way if you want. Please don’t hurt us… I can take you to my place, if you’d like,” she continued, her voice trembling.

  At those words, irritation flared inside Veil. His fists clenched, his jaw tightening.

  “Come with me. And don’t argue. I don’t want to hear anything else, understood?” Veil said sharply.

  He stepped aside and gestured for them to go first. The woman and the child hesitated for a moment before standing and following him. Veil led the way, eventually arriving at the inn.

  “I see… so you want to do this here. I understand, but I’d rather my son not be present, please,” the woman said quietly.

  Veil pushed the door open roughly, closing his eyes and choosing to pretend he hadn’t heard a word she’d said.

  “Come in and sit down. And please stop saying nonsense,” he replied coldly.

  They entered and took a seat at a table, the server quickly bringing over a menu.

  “Order whatever you like. This is my way of apologizing. I don’t know who you think I am, but I have no intention of taking advantage of you,” Veil added, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

  The child didn’t hesitate and grabbed the menu, his eyes lighting up with a small spark of excitement as he took in everything that was offered. Veil, on the other hand, remained tense, his gaze fixed on the young mother.

  “But explain something to me,” Veil said. “Why did you offer that to me? I told you it was my fault. And even if it hadn’t been, nothing justifies what you were suggesting.”

  “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you,” she replied. “It’s just… let’s say it’s become almost a habit. I don’t have much money, and I don’t own much either. So it’s the only way I’ve found… for people to accept things.”

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  “The only way to what? No matter the reason, nothing justifies giving up your body. Imagine if someone actually took you seriously—what would happen then?” Veil said under his breath.

  The server returned to the table and set down water and wooden cups before leaving again. The woman looked at Veil, but her gaze was unfocused, lost somewhere far away.

  “Because that’s what happens with other people… sometimes my mere presence bothers them. To avoid unnecessary conflict, that’s what some of them ask of me, and… I agree, because I don’t want my child to be mistreated by people like that,” she explained, her voice trembling.

  “Why didn’t you report those people to the guards? They’re supposed to be there to protect you,” Veil asked, surprised.

  “The guards? They’re not as good as you seem to think. They make those kinds of demands too. I’m just trying to survive, to raise my child however I can… what else am I supposed to do?” she replied quietly.

  The server came back once more to take their order, and a silence settled over the table. A few minutes later, he returned with their dishes and set them down. The young boy immediately started eating, flashing his mother a wide smile.

  “Don’t forget to say thank you. Without the gentleman, you wouldn’t have any of this,” she said, smiling back at him.

  “Fank you, mifter. It’s rilly good,” he mumbled between mouthfuls.

  The atmosphere softened a little, and Veil couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s cheerful expression.

  How does it come to this? How can people let something like this happen? If someone doesn’t fit in, do they just turn them into a toy? Is that really how everything works? Veil thought.

  “Eat. It’ll do you some good,” Veil said more gently. “I can’t do much, but if you ever need help, don’t hesitate to come see me. If it’s within my means, I’ll see what I can do.”

  He then turned his attention to his own plate. The meal continued with lighter conversation. Even though the situation gnawed at him, talking about it wouldn’t change anything—and he didn’t want her dwelling on it either. Life was hard enough for her as it was… if, just this once, he could help take her mind off it, that was better than nothing.

  Once the meal was over, Veil stood up and went to pay. He headed for the counter when an idea suddenly came to him.

  “Hello, I’m here to pay for the meal,” Veil said to the innkeeper.

  He placed the coins on the counter, then pressed his lips together, hesitating.

  “Excuse me… are you, by any chance, looking for staff?” he finally asked.

  “Staff? Yes, actually. I could use someone for cleaning. But you’re an adventurer, aren’t you? Thinking of changing careers?” the innkeeper replied with a smile.

  “No, it’s for that woman over there,” Veil said. “I can’t do much to help her, but maybe you can. If she worked for you, you might be able to house her and her son as well. It would keep her from staying in that situation.”

  He went on to explain, recounting what the woman had confided in him. The innkeeper hesitated for a moment, folding her arms as she discreetly observed the mother and child seated at the table.

  “I can do that, yes. But it won’t be prestigious work, you know. We provide lodging and meals for the staff, but the pay is low because of that,” the innkeeper said.

  “Honestly, can it really be worse than all this? I’ll talk to her about it, and if she agrees, she’ll come see you,” Veil added.

  He returned to the table, sat back down, and lightly tapped his fingers against the wood.

  “Would you… be interested in working here? The innkeeper is looking for someone to do cleaning. It’s not ideal, I know, but it would keep you from having to do things like that, and it would let you take care of your son. She could house you and feed you, in exchange for a lower salary,” Veil finally explained.

  The woman stared at him, eyes wide, clearly not understanding the proposal.

  “Why would she accept us? Do I really look that pitiful for you to suggest something like this?” she asked.

  “Pitiful? I just had an idea so you wouldn’t have to live like this anymore. Nothing’s forcing you to accept. If it doesn’t suit you, you can walk out that door and keep doing what you’ve been doing,” Veil snapped.

  He stood up and glanced at the young boy before starting toward his room. The woman grabbed his wrist as he passed, nearly making him stumble.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that… my husband used to help people too. But one day, he helped some bandits, and since we didn’t have much…” she explained, her throat tight.

  “I can’t change your lives—I get what you’re saying. I’m just trying to help in the only way I know how. I’m not forcing anyone. I’m just trying to do the right thing, even if I don’t fully understand everything,” Veil replied curtly. “If you want to get out of this situation, you know what to do. I’m going to leave you now—I’m exhausted and I want to rest.”

  He let out a long sigh before looking once more at the young boy, who had clung to his mother. She avoided Veil’s gaze.

  “Thank you… I don’t know if it’s the best solution, but what do I have to lose by trying? It can’t be worse than things are now,” she finally said.

  “Will we get to eat like this again, Mom? It was better than the ugly vegetables we have at home,” the boy asked.

  She gave him a slightly forced smile, resting a hand on his head and gently stroking his hair.

  “We’ll see. I need to go talk to the lady over there first,” she replied softly.

  “On that note, I’ll leave you. I really need some rest. Take care of yourselves—and if you accept, I’m sure we’ll see each other again,” Veil said, yawning.

  He waved to them, and the woman and her son waved back. Then he headed for the stairs leading up to his room. The sun was still bathing the city in light, but he undressed and slipped under the covers.

  Honestly… he could’ve gone a bit easier on me. It feels like my insides are in shreds after that hit, Veil thought as he closed his eyes.

  Despite the pain, he shifted for a while, searching for a comfortable position.

  “Seriously… next time, explain things to me before you leave. It’s a nightmare dealing with all this. I couldn’t just have a quiet life, could I? And you—damn voice—when are you going to explain your plans to me? What are you waiting for to tell me what you wanted to say, huh?” he whispered softly.

  Then darkness took him, his mind drifting toward gentler thoughts, eager to forget this day… and so many other things.