half eaten apple

The sun shone brightly on the uneven stones, where weeds stubbornly grew between the cracks. Aarya, drenched in sweat, was once again following his daily exercise routine. After completing his final set of pushups, he sat back and opened his status screen.

[Level 3 (5/20 exp)

Name: Aarya Ditew 

Species: Human male

Strength: 4

Agility: 4

Dexterity: 4

Intelligence: 7

Mana: 9

Skills :- Internet (EX), Orgasm for money(L)

SP(status point):- 10

OP(orgasm point):- 406 ]

"Damn it! Just one point in strength after a whole week of training? Screw this," Aarya grumbled internally, frustration clear on his face.

He glared at the untouched pool of status points. 'Should I just use them?' He pondered for a moment, but quickly shook his head. Aarya wanted to get all his physical status to 10 on his own and only wanted to use the status point after he decided what kind of path he was going to go on. 

'Mother hasn't talked to me in three days. She's been avoiding me since that night,' Aarya thought, a hint of frustration creeping in. 'Mr. Chulond will be here in two or three days, and we haven't earned any more Orgasm Points. I should talk to her.'

But his stomach growled, pulling him back to the present. 'First, let's change clothes and eat something. I'm starving,' he decided, the effects of his intense workout leaving him ravenous.

….

Inse stood by the carriage, ready to board, when she noticed Aarya walking toward her. Her heart sank as she quickened her pace. 'Hurry, Inse, hurry. I can't handle another embarrassing conversation right now,' she thought, panic bubbling within her.

But her efforts were futile—Aarya had already caught up.

"Where are you going, Mother? Can I come with you?" Aarya asked, his tone casual but curious.

For a brief moment, Inse considered pretending not to hear him, but she sighed inwardly. 'I've been ignoring him for three days already.'

Forcing a smile, she turned to him and said, "Sure, why not?" She couldn't resist his resting puppy-dog face, no matter how much she wanted to.

They both settled inside the carriage as it jolted forward, the horses pulling them along the uneven road. An air of awkwardness hung thick between them, neither quite knowing what to say.

Aarya, unable to bear the silence, decided to break it. "Where are we going, Mother?" he asked, glancing at her.

"To the Pig Fry Inn," Inse replied, her tone measured. "Since you'll be heading to the city soon, I've decided to hire a guard for your protection."

"Oh, thank you, Mother," Aarya said sincerely.

After this brief exchange, the silence returned, just as heavy as before. Aarya initially wanted to bring up the topic of when they would earn the remaining money, but the tension between them made it feel too awkward to discuss. Unsure of what else to say, he shifted his gaze to the window, watching the scenery pass by as the carriage bumped along the road.

Aarya observed the world outside the carriage window, his gaze lingering on the people passing by. Most wore old, tattered clothes, their faces marked by exhaustion and despair. Dirt and grime seemed to cling to everyone, and malnourishment was evident in their thin frames.

The children, who should have been carefree and playful, instead had sharp, calculating eyes. They lingered near the edges of the street, watching passersby with the focus of little predators, waiting for a moment of carelessness from anyone who seemed even slightly well-off.

The carriage came to a stop. "Wait here," Inse said as she stepped out.

Sitting inside, Aarya noticed a little boy rummaging through the inn's trash. The boy pulled out some bones with bits of meat clinging to them and other wet, unidentifiable scraps. None of it looked remotely edible, especially for a child who already appeared malnourished.

He shouldn't eat that, Aarya thought to himself. Without hesitation, he got out of the carriage and followed the boy.

The boy stopped in a corner where another small figure waited—a younger sibling, judging by their slight frame. Aarya couldn't discern if it was a boy or a girl.

"Eat this," the boy said softly, handing over a piece of rotten vegetable. The younger child didn't respond. "Vegetables are good for you," the boy added, trying to encourage them.

"That one isn't," Aarya interrupted.

Startled, the boy reacted like a wild animal, instantly stepping protectively in front of his sibling.

"I mean, you shouldn't eat that. Here, eat this instead," Aarya said, holding out an apple in an attempt to ease the boy's wariness.

The boy didn't trust the stranger's kindness and glared at him, his posture tense. But seeing that Aarya posed no immediate threat, he hesitantly snatched the apple from Aarya's hand and handed it to his sibling.

He handed it to the younger child. The little one, a girl by the looks of it, had long, matted hair, and her face was mostly hidden beneath dirt. She eagerly took a bite of the apple, and then another. It seemed like she wouldn't stop, but after a few moments, she paused and offered the half-eaten apple to her brother. 

Aarya felt a pang in his chest. "Don't worry, you can eat that one," he said gently, pulling out a couple more apples and two loaves of bread. He handed them over to the boy, who stared at the food in disbelief.

The boy hesitated only a moment before grabbing the offering. Aarya watched as he quickly handed the food to his sibling, the faintest hint of a smile breaking through his guarded expression.

Aarya crouched down. The boy immediately reacted, his body stiffening as he eyed Aarya warily. 'He's like a cat,' Aarya thought.

"Is it sweet?" Aarya asked, turning his attention to the little girl.

The girl nodded, her mouth full.

"What are your names?" Aarya asked gently, hoping to get a response.

The boy didn't bother to answer and focused on eating, but the little girl swallowed the chewed apple before speaking in a small voice like her, "I'm Vi, and big bro is Yan."