Chapter 4

Lily's bright pink hair cascaded around her shoulders as she lay on her bed, enveloped in a soft, warm glow. Her pajamas, adorned with tiny stars and moons, hugged her slender body, highlighting her delicate frame. The small book in her hands seemed to be her prized possession, its worn cover and yellowed pages hinting at countless readings. She had stumbled upon it in the orphanage's library, and it had become her escape from the harsh realities of her daily life.

As she turned the pages, her eyes widened with wonder, drinking in the stories of brave adventurers and their incredible feats. Her gaze stopped on a page, and she bit her lip, mesmerized by the illustration of the Fire Fist, an adventurer who had saved a village from monstrous creatures. The symbol on the page seemed to leap out at her, and she whispered, "Ignar," her voice barely audible.

She read on, her imagination running wild as she devoured the tales of Ragnar, an adventurer with thousands of unique abilities that made him a formidable leader at the Academy of Magic. Again, her eyes paused on the symbol, and she whispered, "Terrak."

Page after page, she turned, her fascination growing with each new story. Finally, she closed the book, her heart racing with excitement. With a quiet sigh, she lifted her pajama top, revealing the symbol on her belly. Her eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the mark. 

"Why isn't my symbol in the book?" she murmured.

"Lily, what are you doing?" Ana's voice broke the silence. The girl with curly brown hair walked towards her, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

Lily hastily covered herself, her cheeks flushing. "Just... reading," she stammered.

Ana plopped down beside her, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Again with that book, huh? You really think you can be an adventurer like those guys?"

Lily's hand drifted to her belly, her fingers tracing the contours of the symbol. Ana's words stung, but she tried to brush them off.

The door swung open, and a girl with a radiant smile and a dress that seemed to belong in a fancy ballroom rather than an orphanage walked in. The room fell silent as the girls gathered around her, their eyes wide with curiosity.

"So, how did it go?" Ana asked, still sitting beside Lily.

Grace primped her hair, a self-satisfied grin spreading across her face. "I got adopted, and I'm leaving tomorrow," she announced, her voice dripping with pride.

The room erupted into a chorus of congratulations, but Lily's eyes remained fixed on Grace. She noticed the way the other girl's dress accentuated her curvy figure, particularly the way it hugged her chest.

Grace's smile grew even wider. "And by whom?" one of the girls asked, her voice tinged with envy.

"A nobleman," Grace replied, her voice full of excitement. "He said I was as lovely as the goddess Submissia."

Lily's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the goddess. She felt a pang of insecurity as she gazed down at her own body. Grace's gaze locked onto Lily, and she raised an eyebrow. "You know, Lily, you're so... petite." Her voice was sugary sweet, but her words cut deep.

Lily's eyes dropped, her hands fidgeting with her pajama top. The room seemed to grow smaller, and she felt like she was shrinking.

Lily's gaze remained fixed on the door even after Grace had left, her mind still reeling from the mention of Submissia. Ana's gentle nudge brought her back to reality.

"Hey, you okay?" Ana asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

Lily nodded, still a bit dazed. "Yeah... I just... I don't know much about Submissia," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ana's expression turned thoughtful. "Well, I know she's the goddess of creation or something. She birthed all the creatures in the universe, including humans."

Lily's eyes widened further. "Oh, wow... that's amazing." Her cheeks flushed as she asked, "Do you think... she had big breasts?"

Ana's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Ha! Of course, she probably had the biggest ones, being the first female and all."

Lily's face burned with embarrassment, but Ana's carefree laughter put her at ease.

Just then, a noise came from the adjacent room, followed by muffled laughter. Ana's curiosity was piqued, and she grabbed Lily's hand. "Come on, let's go see what's going on."

Lily hesitated, but Ana's enthusiasm was infectious. They crept towards the door, their ears pressed against the wood, trying to make out the conversation. Lily's heart skipped a beat as she recognized Jake's voice, followed by the snickers of the other boys.

"I'm telling you, guys, it's ridiculous. A girl like Lily having magic? It's a joke," Jake said, his voice carrying through the thin walls.

One of the boys chuckled. "Yeah, Jake, you're always talking about becoming a warrior, but you've never even won a practice match."

Jake bristled. "Hey, that's not fair. I've come close a few times."

The boy snorted. "Close? You mean like that time you couldn't even get a kiss from Lily?"

Jake's face reddened. "Shut up, I was just... taking my time."

One of the boys jumped in. "Oh yeah, taking your time? You mean like how you tried to kiss Lily and then got embarrassed when Jenny showed up?"

Jake's anger flared. "I was just trying to prove a point! And Lily's not even worth it. She's just... easy, you know?"

One of the boys spoke up, "Jenny's got some amazing curves, though. I mean, have you seen her chest?"

Another boy chimed in, "Yeah, Lily's got nothing going on up top. She's basically flat."

Jake sneered, "Yeah, Jenny's a real woman. Lily's just... cute, I guess."

One of the boys laughed, "Cute? She's not even that. I doubt any guy would want to make her his wife. She'll probably end up in a brothel. I have heard old noblemen like girls like her" he giggled.

Jake shifted uncomfortably, but then joined in, "Yeah, maybe that's where she belongs."

Ana tugged on Lily's hand, "Come on, Lil, let's get out of here."

Lily nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. Ana pulled her back into their room, closing the door softly behind them.

Lily collapsed onto her bed, tears streaming down her face. After a few minutes, her tears slowed, and she drifted off to sleep, her face still wet with tears.