Solar Calendar
Day 25, Month 12, Year 1500New Night Village
"You can have them for just one black crystal! Isn't it amazing?" A boy, no older than 15, looked at a couple with bright eyes. They seemed to be in the prime of their youth, deeply in love! The couple looked at one of the boy's hands, where he held a glass bottle; inside, there was a white liquid...
The couple shared a small laugh between them. The man affirmed, "It's actually very cheap!" Satisfied, he took out three black crystals from his pocket. "Give me three of them," he said as he handed the three crystals to the boy. With a radiant smile, the boy happily accepted them. "Great choice, sir! Milk is the best option for a healthy body."
Handing over the three bottles, he added, "And if you're interested, I also have cheese! Only five black crystals!" Taking advantage of the opportunity, he proudly presented his best product at the moment, just like an experienced merchant.
"Hmmm." The woman beside him thought for a moment, pursing her lips. "Now that you mention it, I do need cheese." She looked at her husband. "The girl likes white soup..."
"Alright." The man, in good spirits, took out five black crystals and handed them to the boy. The boy, in turn, took a piece of cheese wrapped in cloth from his basket and gave it to the man.
With eight black crystal coins in his possession, the boy laughed heartily.
"Jejeje, it's always a pleasure to visit!" he said excitedly.
"You're very hardworking! But don't overdo it," the woman laughed and smiled at the boy.
"Alright." The boy nodded with a smile, bidding farewell to the couple. With the basket in his hands, his eyes scanned the surroundings.
In the streets of the village, one could see everything at midday. Most people were working, while the children played happily in the dirt, staining their small clothes. Anything that caught their attention was enough to make them smile.
"Oh!" One particular child widened his eyes. "It's Nox!"
Upon hearing the familiar name, the other children turned to look. When they saw their good friend, they ran toward him at full speed.
"Nox! Nox!" The children bustled around excitedly, looking at Nox with anticipation.
Nox let out a defeated sigh and took a bottle of milk from the basket. "Here, but remember to share it equally among all of you!" he said with a bit of seriousness.
A black-haired girl took the bottle in her small hands, her gaze trying to sound just as serious as Nox's. "Leave it to me!"
"Thank you so much, Nox!" The children smiled warmly at him and ran off with grins on their faces.
Nox watched them in silence. "I suppose I'll get scolded again…" he thought to himself.
Looking at the basket, he saw seven bottles of milk and the last piece of cheese he had. This batch should have brought in a total of 20 black crystals, but he would only return with 19.
With a self-critical smile, he shook his head and silently mused, "Well, there's work to do."
*****
"17...18...19…" Nox carefully counted the 19 coins in his possession and let out a sigh. Storing them in his pockets, he walked through the dark dirt streets of the village.
The place where he lived was poor—a village that survived through agriculture among themselves. They harvested and sold their goods for their own needs. It was a village far removed from what was known as the empire. Dirt streets and houses made of wood. Just by looking around, you could tell what kind of life the people of this village led.
Nox, for example, wore a hand-sewn shirt and low-quality leather pants. His basket was made of dried wheat. Looking at the empty basket, he thought, "Tomorrow, I have to collect the bottles again."
It was his job, after all. Glass bottles were a luxury he couldn't afford.
As he walked through the silent streets, he finally arrived at his destination.
Slowly opening the door:
"Welcome back, Nox. How did it go?"
The woman who greeted him wore a pure white outfit with some golden details. She emitted a warm aura around her. She was the nun of the small church established on the outskirts of the village, a bit secluded.
After all, this church also served as an orphanage, though there weren't many children... only five, including Nox. With no place to live, the church had taken them in. Nox, by the way, was the oldest at 15 years old, having just turned fifteen five days ago. The other children were around 6 or 7 years old.
Sounding a little tired, Nox replied, "A bit exhausting, but it wasn't too bad. I managed to sell everything I had!"
With a smile, he took out the 19 black crystal coins. The nun, named Jenny, received the coins and gave them a quick glance.
"One is missing, hehe."
"Well… that…" Nox scratched his head.
"I know what happened. How could I not? After all, you do this every day," Jenny sighed. "Go take a bath and come down to the dining hall."
Taking the basket, she walked into one of the church's hallways.
"I guess hearing the same thing over and over gets tiring..." Nox reflected on the fact that she hadn't scolded him.
The missing black crystal coin was a problem, so to speak. After all, the milk and cheese didn't belong to the church. They belonged to a rather stingy man. Normally, he had to take half of the money, and the other half went to the church.
The issue was that he always insisted on checking that all the coins were there, and if even one was missing, he made a huge fuss. He always did the same thing. It was quite annoying.
Frowning, Nox climbed the stairs leading to a small room, which he could call his own.
Upon entering, the glow of the night streamed through the small window. It was a simple room: a small bed, a tiny desk, and nothing more.
The clothes he usually wore were folded beside the bed, and the few things he owned were on the desk—just a single book. There was a bathroom, but he had to go outside and walk a bit to reach it.
Sitting on the bed, he let out a sigh. The night's glow made him lower his head.
At his feet, a shadow was cast.
The shadow belonged to a chicken. It was very small, no more than five centimeters.
Staring at it in silence, Nox glanced around. Many shadows were scattered everywhere, but unlike the chicken's shadow, they were weaker and more transparent.