"Abandoned newborn…"
James Carter trudged forward among the starving refugees.
He understood the grim reality.
In this famine-ravaged era, abandoned babies were common. Parents, barely surviving, couldn't afford to care for infants.
The practical choice was to ignore the cries.
Everyone, including Miss Clara's family who had shared water, seemed to agree. It wasn't heartlessness—just survival.
Caring for a newborn meant sacrificing scarce resources, endangering your own family.
Heavy footsteps echoed like accusations against their consciences.
Suddenly, James stopped. He looked up at the scorching sun, wrestling with his thoughts.
Despite shocked stares, he broke from the group, running toward the cries.
"Even if this is a simulation, it feels too real to ignore…"
"In times like these, food is scarce. If I don't act, this child's doomed—"
James quickened his pace, pushing through tall weeds and stumbling over jagged rocks.
The underbrush reached his knees, each step a struggle against tough branches. Hot wind roared past, rustling the foliage.
Undeterred, James pressed on, like the heroes in the fantasy novels he loved.
At last, he reached a withered tree where a baby lay wrapped in cloth.
Sunlight filtered through barren branches, casting dappled light and shadow.
James knelt and gently lifted the newborn, shielding her from the sun.
"Found you," he whispered.
The baby girl's skin was soft and fair, faintly pink, like new rose petals. Her curious eyes met James's flushed, sweaty face.
Her tiny nose twitched as she curled into his arms, growing calm, sensing safety.
"She's okay," James murmured, relieved to see her sleeping peacefully.
Carefully, he carried her back to the group.
It wasn't easy, but James was resolute. He wouldn't abandon her. He'd help her survive this famine.
…
[Suffering forges heroes]
[While others wavered, you chose heroism. You saved the abandoned baby girl, treating her as your sister.]
[You traded your last scraps of food for milk, ensuring she didn't starve.]
[In return, you endured gnawing hunger, your body weakening daily.]
[Fortune favored you.]
[Before starvation claimed you, you and your sister reached a mortal town with a relief kitchen, receiving life-saving broth.]
[You survived. You survived with your sister.]
[You learned the town was Ironhaven, part of a mortal kingdom. Every five years, sorcerers came to test magical affinities and recruit apprentices.]
[But luck faltered. The last recruitment had just passed, meaning a five-year wait.]
[Determined, you stayed in Ironhaven, working to support yourself and your sister while preparing for the next arcane conclave.]
[You named your sister Lily Carter.]
…
Time raced by.
Perhaps due to the simulator, James often felt time skip forward, like fast-forwarding a game.
Still, he retained vivid memories of surviving in Ironhaven, bonding with Lily, and connecting with neighbors.
"By my count, one year until the arcane conclave," James mused.
In a modest wooden cottage with sparse furnishings, James marked time by carving a deep line on the wall with charcoal. Four marks now—year four.
Nearly eleven, James's mature mindset, shaped by his past life, made him far more dependable than his peers.
"Brother!"
A bright, cheerful voice rang out as a small figure leaped onto James's back, clinging tightly.
"Always so mischievous," James sighed, gently lifting the girl by her collar and setting her down.
"No fair, brother, you're so mean!" she huffed, smoothing her dress with care, as if it were priceless.
Satisfied, she beamed, her innocent face like a perfect porcelain doll.
Unable to resist, James ruffled her hair.
"Don't mess up Lily's hair!" she pouted.
"Why not?" James teased.
She counted on her fingers, serious. "The lady next door said touching a child's head stops their growth! You've done it so much—what if I stay short?"
James laughed. "And what'll little Lily do when she's tall?"
"Help brother make tons of money!" she declared instantly.
"Haha, is that so? I'll hold you to it."
Before she could fuss more, James revealed a large, round apple from behind his back.
"Wow, it's huge!" Lily squealed, eyes sparkling.
"Let's eat!" she cheered, hugging James's leg.
"Alright, alright," James said warmly. After asking her to step back, he took a knife and sliced the apple into even pieces.
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