HEXA MERCHANT OF DEMISE

A lone boy could be seen running frantically in his attempt to escape the chasing mob of goblins.

The darkness of the dungeon heavily obstructed his vision; a few jagged rocks here and there made him trip over a few times as the distance between him and the group of goblins drew closer.

"This is ridiculous! Why is this happening all of a sudden... Damn it!"

He was indeed having a bad day—

In fact, one could say that he's having the worst life possible.

Accidentally entering a damnable, cursed cavern after escaping another perilous situation, the number of misfortunes that happened one after the other could not be counted by one hand, in his entire life, it had always been like this…

The boy could not help but sigh in disappointment. Somehow, everything that happens in his life, good or bad, would always turn into something that is for the "worse".

It isn't his first time being in an utterly bad situation. If he were to rate these "tragedies" that have happened in his lifetime, this just might even be his fourth "worst" one so far.

It says a bit more considering the fact that he was still 14 years old—

Living a tragic state of life at such an age, any person would bend over to anyone and anything just to be granted a chance for a new one; a much, much better one, at any and all cost.

---

A slave for the noble family, the Bernian's;

Jacob had been working on this household for over six years now. This was something that others might not consider as something "fortunate" to befall unto them, but for him at least—

He considered this as some sort of blessing, he isn't mistreated in any way possible, which was odd enough for him, but the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Bernian's daughter, Lisa, had been a friend of his; had been one of the things that made him happier about being a worker for this family.

Having the same age as she was, they became close friends; even though they were technically still within the boundaries of a slave-and-a-master relationship, which Jacob had been keeping in mind all this while.

But truly, this was indeed the much "better" part of his life.

The life of being a slave for this family could easily outshine the previous disastrous eight years of his existence.

---

Back when he was 8 years of age—

Jacob was left on his own devices when both his parents suddenly disappeared...

He had little to no memory of what had happened back then — as to what made his father and mother leave without bringing him along.

Ironically, he had a clear recollection of what happened 'after' he was abandoned;

And it seems like nothing good had happened ever since that day.

Not long after being left all alone, a tragedy befell on the village he was living in.

A neighboring city had suddenly attacked and plundered his home village, leaving nothing but scraps for what was left of the citizens within it.

More than half of the population were either killed or kidnapped— only to be sold as slaves.

It might have been some stroke of "luck" that Jacob had survived said tragedy, but it entailed an even greater consequence just by the fact that he was still somehow alive…

"See? This boy was spared because he's the son of those damnable spies!"

A villager, to whom the chief listened to, exclaimed in sheer ignorance.

It had been news, or more accurately, rumors; that the sudden disappearance of the couple within Rolfe's household, meant that they were involved with the sudden attack.

Jacob's parents were then blamed for the tragedy that had happened, accused of being spies for the city that attacked the village and had thrown them into a pitiful state.

He could barely understand the situation back then, but now that he thinks about it, the man might have been right all along.

Up until now, he did not know for sure as to why he was suddenly abandoned.

He was still too young at that time, barely able to even survive alone without supervision. It had been too much of a mercy if he was executed for something he had never committed.

The chief, that somehow survived the attack, chose to exile Jacob in an attempt to both show his "mercy" and "decisiveness" to do things, all at the same time.

One could say that being an outcast at such a young age would easily equate to him dying.

Jacob had easily proved them wrong.

At his young age, he survived by going towards the city that had attacked his "home" village, in a desperate attempt to search for his parents. In his young mind, it was the best thing to do at that time.

It was not an easy journey...

It might have been a fluke, or he could have just exhausted all of his "luck"—

But an 8-year-old boy had managed to reach somewhere without anyone's assistance.

---

Creia — Capital City of the Grand Empire.

Entering the city wasn't Jacob's objective at first.

But being a child and all, he was unsure as to what to do next; He followed a few familiar faces that he saw back in the village.

A seemingly lone child who's walking on the streets of a city unsupervised would easily mean "business".

He was captured and then sold together with the others as slaves, which includes those that were also held captives from the conquests of the Grand Empire. It seems that their village isn't the only one that had been attacked recently.

It was within that time that he had fatefully fallen into the hands of the Bernian Family; It was indeed a blessing amidst the wave of misfortune.

At his young age of eight, he was then taught the ways of being a slave to a noble family;

Although he was indeed somewhat new to being a worker, he had immediately grasped the basics of it, grabbing the attention of both the head of the family and his co-workers alike.

The hardworking 8-year-old wasn't only capable of doing things on the level of doing chores— he was also strong enough to do hard labor!

He may not have been the sharpest in terms of book-wise intelligence, which is a given fact considering that he may not have been educated at his age, but he could easily understand and do the instructions and orders issues ordered for him without fail.

He was both strong and smart.

This was the reason why the head of the Bernian family had always favored him; Even giving him the basic education at times when he was done with work.

This was the reason why Jacob had then been close with Lisa— the only daughter of the Bernian family.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernian was never against this friendship though. In fact, for them, it was for the better.

They were old enough to not hold any prejudice against people of the lower class, and it was already below them to think that greater riches would even matter at their age.

Their sons were now as successful as far as they could have dreamed them to be, it was now the right time to settle down and let their youngest one, their daughter, to have the part where they would not hold or drag her down against what would make her happy.

---

For six years, Jacob had faithfully served the Bernian Family.

But it was within one fateful day, that would change everything— the thing that would change Jacob's future, for the better, or for the worse?

…

"Isn't this good news for you two?"

Mrs. Bernian exclaimed with happiness after she announced that both Jacob and Lisa were to be sent to the Academia City of the Grand Empire.

"Truly it is, Madame. But, this… Providing me with a shelter and education for over six years, I have truly been grateful— But granting me this, would it not be too much? I am just a mere worker, after all..."

Jacob earnestly replied; For him, it would have been extravagant to be given a higher form of education especially when he's just a slave.

"Oh? Hmmm… you still call yourself a "worker"? For us, we have already considered you as part of this family, regardless of the circumstance, it would be better for you to have this opportunity be granted to you."

Mr. Bernian replied with a genuine smile on his face.

"Besides, it would make us feel better knowing that our daughter would be in your safe hands."