Laniakea opened his eyes, wondering what that dream meant. He stood up and made his way to the dining hall, where the rest of the orphanage children were already eating breakfast.
"Oh! Lan, you're finally awake. Why don't you join us? We made mashed potatoes," Sister said.
Laniakea blinked. "Mashed potatoes for breakfast?"
The Sister threw him a sharp glare, signaling for him to stay quiet and eat. He didn't resist and sat down next to Jessica. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the note the Knight had left him.
Jessica leaned over. "What does that say?"
Laniakea looked at her and replied, "I don't know, I haven't had a chance to look at it yet."
As he read the note, a joyful expression spread across his face. It read: "Hey, I left the short sword at the place where you passed out. You deserve it. Also, go to the tavern on XX Street; they should offer you a job in the kitchen. Just say 'The Lion' recommended you."
"Jessica, I got a job recommendation! That means I can earn my own money. If I'm lucky, I might even get hired by a noble and live comfortably," he said excitedly.
Jessica looked at him skeptically. "But how did you get a job recommendation? You're only a year older than me."
"Hey, this is something we should celebrate," he replied with a slightly annoyed expression. He quickly finished his breakfast, told the Sister he was heading out, and made his way toward XX Street.
After running for about twenty minutes, he arrived at the tavern. "Excuse me, could I see the owner?" he asked.
"Why? What business does a small boy have with him?" the clerk asked.
"Can you tell him that I've been recommended by 'The Lion'? He should understand."
The clerk went to the second floor to find the owner. A few moments later, the owner called Laniakea into his office. "Why don't you tell me how you got a recommendation from The Lion? It certainly isn't easy to earn one."
Laniakea answered, "I met him yesterday and asked him to teach me some sword techniques. He left this note telling me you'd give me a job in the kitchen."
The tavern owner looked skeptical and asked to see the note. After inspecting it, he confirmed it was truly from the Knight. "So, you'll start in the kitchen tomorrow. For now, go home. We'll talk about pay and the rest later, but you'll have to call me 'Boss' from now on."
Laniakea headed home, pulling out the notebook from his other pocket. He ducked around corners to ensure no one noticed him reading. Suddenly, two strangers approached him.
"Hey, you're pretty handsome, and it looks like you can read, too," one said. "We've been following you for a while. Why don't you just come quietly? We won't hurt you too much. There's no use fighting two grown men anyway."
Laniakea panicked. "Shit! These people are probably slave traders, he thought. I have to find a weapon somehow to fight them off. But where can I find a weapon in an alley like this?"
As the men reached out to grab him, Laniakea's body went into overload. His Aura exploded outward. The two men recoiled, shocked by the sheer pressure. "Quickly, catch him!" one yelled. "With this much Aura, he'll be worth a fortune!"
Laniakea focused, enhancing his eyes with Aura to track their muscle movements. Noticing they lacked Aura of their own, he calmed his breathing and focused on the fight. He channeled his energy into his fists and legs, mimicking the Knight's movements. Dashing forward, he buried a punch into the first stranger's gut and snatched the man's dagger.
The second man had no time to react. Laniakea lunged with the stolen blade, stabbing him in the chest. Exhausted from the sudden drain on his Aura, Laniakea gripped the dagger and sprinted toward the safety of the forest.