A city of losers.

There was a city known by such a nickname.

It was unclear when the city began to be called that.

It was uncertain who first referred to the city in such a way.

Truly, it was an awful nickname.

Calling the city by such a name essentially labeled all its residents as losers.

Naturally, the inhabitants were horrified by the nickname, but that was merely a facade.

Deep down, when they first heard the nickname “City of Losers,” they couldn’t help but think it was a fitting name for the place they lived in.

The person who first coined the nickname must have either lived in this city or passed away—someone who could only mock their own situation.

Indeed, they might have been someone born with an abysmally bad luck or one who blamed their misfortune for plunging themselves into the abyss of their own life.

These were people who had fallen behind in competition for various reasons.

Displaced, they lived in this forgotten city on the outskirts of the continent, considering themselves akin to such unfortunate souls.

It goes without saying that the atmosphere in such a city would not be pleasant.

With no room for kindness, the residents were too busy feeding off one another, chasing fleeting pleasures like gambling or alcohol, having given up on the future. That place was truly a cesspool.

And in that cesspool of humanity,

A girl lived.

“Hey, you filthy little beggar! Don’t stand there!”

“Get out of here, you orphan brat! How dare you step foot near my restaurant looking like that!”

The girl, disheveled and with a height that didn’t even reach the waist of an adult man, had no name.

If someone were to ask her for her name, she would have no choice but to respond with “homeless brat” or “orphan girl.”

Everyone in this place called her that.

After all, to her, it didn’t matter what she was referred to as.

From the moment she became conscious, she had been a beggar and an orphan, never having the chance to learn proper language, and thus, she didn’t understand why people called her those names.

Of course, even if she knew the meaning, she likely wouldn’t have cared.

What mattered to her was simply how to fill her empty stomach today.

“If I catch you, I’ll break your legs!”

Despite not fully comprehending words, she understood vaguely what it meant when a man with a club was yelling and chasing her from behind.

It meant that if she got caught, it wouldn’t end well for her.

The girl had learned that through experience.

This wasn’t the first time she rummaged through the trash of that man’s restaurant.

Last time, she got beaten up quite badly.

The only difference today was that the man looked angrier than last time, so if she got caught, it would likely be worse.

Huff, huff, huff.

That was why the girl ran desperately.

She dashed nimbly through the clutter and tangled alleyways, her small stature not hindering her swift movements.

That was a skill she had honed to survive in this city.

“Hah… Hah… Damn, that beggar runs fast… Hey, you brat! If I see you again, I won’t let it slide that time! Got it?!”

Ultimately, the man chasing her lost sight of her and, in frustration, turned away, shouting.

The girl, who had been catching her breath at the alley’s entrance, suddenly shivered.

It was because a dreadful smell of alcohol wafted in from somewhere.

“Burp… Oh, what’s that… a beggar?”

Indeed, she heard a voice accompanied by a burp from behind.

Normally, she would have bolted as soon as she caught the smell, but having just finished sprinting for her life, she reluctantly turned around.

There stood a drunken man with a flushed face making his way toward her.

By then, it was too late to run.

Though one might question why she would be afraid of a drunkard, the girl had seen him.

Last time, this drunkard had effortlessly beaten up another man who had tried to pick a fight with him.

This drunk was stronger and quicker than he appeared, and on top of that, he had a dangerous disposition that was worse than his looks.

The girl decided it was better to appease such a person rather than risk provoking his temper, so she remained still as the drunkard chuckled and reached out.

“Ugh… So, you’ve been stealing food again, huh? Perfect timing… It’s not like it’ll taste good, but I do have some booze now, and I’m out of snacks… Hand it over.”

As if it were his rightful claim, the drunken man demanded the food from the girl.

Though trembling in anger, the girl ultimately had no choice but to surrender what she was clutching tightly in her hand.

The drunkard took the dried jerky-like item she offered and grimaced, muttering.

“Ugh… You beggar must eat something that tastes awful… Hah, whatever… I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let it slide. Just bring something better next time…”

Muttering such words, the drunkard shoved the bottle into his mouth and staggered off.

And the moment the drunkard completely vanished from sight, the girl’s expression, which had previously been filled with rage, shifted back to a neutral state.

In the dark corner of the alley, a hiding spot that at a glance seemed like just a pile of garbage, the girl returned and pulled out the bundle she had hidden beneath her tattered clothes.

Inside the bundle were far more decent-looking food items than what she had just lost to the drunk.

To survive in this city, such tactics were not just basic; they were essential.

To be precise, surviving here was incredibly difficult.

In a place riddled with dangers, it was almost a miracle for a girl like her to still be alive.

For instance, there weren’t any other children her age living alone nearby.

Perhaps the girl didn’t know it, but a person, whether alive or dead, had some value.

And in this city, unless one had the ability and luck to defend themselves, it wouldn’t be surprising for anyone to be turned into mere currency.

Yet still, today, the girl was fortunate enough to have survived that treacherous place.

She had managed to scavenge food to fill her hungry stomach.

Though life was often harsh and devoid of joy, she would likely continue to fight for survival just as fiercely tomorrow.

Striving to survive was the most basic instinct of all living beings. It was also the only lesson the girl had learned in this world.

*

It rained.

Among the many things the girl loathed, rain ranked high on her list.

Unfortunately, her makeshift shelter made out of collected junk offered no protection from the rain.

Though she had no valuables that would be damaged by rain, the mere fact that rain came inside was already a problem.

When rain touched her body, it robbed her of her body heat, and without warmth, her body consumed energy to maintain its temperature.

In simpler terms, rain made her hungrier more quickly than usual.

Yes, that was the main reason the girl hated rain.

“…I’m hungry.”

With a rumble from her stomach, the girl hugged her empty belly, trying not to cry.

As explained, she had never had the opportunity to learn language.

However, there was one phrase she understood perfectly from listening: “I’m hungry.”

The reason she was so attuned to hunger was precisely because it was the thing she despised the most among the many things she hated.

The girl was pretty patient, though.

The very fact that she was managing to live in such conditions was proof of that.

However, the piercing, intense hunger that struck like a sharp spear inside her could not be endured, even for one as resilient as her.

It was far more agonizing than getting beaten by the restaurant owner.

To her, the phrase “I’m hungry” equated to “I’m in pain.”

“…I’m hungry.”

Thus, the girl had no choice but to tearfully venture out into the rain, which she hated, in search of food.

Though she detested getting wet, staying still would only make her hungrier, and eventually, she’d have to move to find food in an even hungrier state.

That was something she couldn’t afford.

Whoosh—

“…”

As she stepped outside her shelter, the rain that soaked her instantly made her resolve to hurry back with food.

Naturally, the girl headed towards the restaurant where the man from before worked.

The reason she chose that place was simple.

It was because the food there tasted terrible.

Thanks to that, there was usually enough leftover food in the restaurant’s trash.

For the girl, who prioritized filling her stomach over taste, it was truly an ideal spot.

Just look, isn’t that the same today?

With a smile, she dug through the trash, stuffing food into her bundle.

Of course, there was no time to relax.

Especially on a rainy day like today, she needed to act quickly.

Rain significantly dulled her senses, making it harder to perceive threats around her.

Because of that, she sometimes found herself in troublesome situations.

“Gotcha, you beggar. I told you I’d make you pay if I caught you again. Today, I really will kill you.”

Just like this.