After entering the room, Hugo’s attention first fell on the calendar on the wall.
The year is1129 and the month is May.
So, with the help of subtraction that he learnt in his past life.
He was born on 1125.
Knowing that is a huge help as he can determine that if he is immediately born as Hugo, then his past life started at 1120.
However, he can’t say it for sure that there isn’t a gap between his death and being born again.
It could be that it took him a whole year to be reborn as Hugo.
This is a possibility that he can’t rule out.
If the first possibility is true then he can say that the war on Liblong kingdom hasn’t spread out yet.
Or this region is much far away from that war.
That is why, there are no news about what is happening there.
A war is a big deal.
Even though, he doesn’t know how much of a big deal it even is because he is a kid.
But he can still make guesses.
But if the second possibility is true where he has reborn after few years or so.
That would mean that this region is much far away.
Or the news doesn’t travel as fast.
Whatever the case, he needs more info on the world news.
Knowing what happened at the end of the war will help him determine many things.
‘I only know that this region is called South of main continent.
Wish I knew where did Livlong exists.
Then I could’ve been able to understand more.
So many lessons in my last life but no geography.
Such a shame.’
For now, he pays attention to the three teenage girls in the room.
The one who opened the door and has dark circles under her eyes.
Her name is Mel.
She is the quiet one and is also the youngest in the group, among the three girls.
The other girl who is the oldest among them, name is Olla.
But still is a teenager.
She is tall and has a positive look in the world.
Also, she is the leader of this group because she is the oldest here.
He has heard people talking behind her back that she enjoys being a prostitute and will return to it later.
From the outside, it looks like she is unaware of these conversations.
But she knows about them and isn’t bothered.
He never dared to ask anything about her.
Or tell her.
The last girl is as young as Mel, her name is Cie.
She looks traumatized cause of her experiences.
However, Big sis Olla is taking care of her and Mel is around watching.
She just watches and that is good enough.
Big sis Olla was actually the one who told him to listen to every conversation and then she will give him candy.
However, Hugo doesn’t really care of candy.
Even though he likes it as a child.
He can still resist that temptation for some info.
He greets everyone with a little head bow.
He looks composed and doesn’t look overly confident or arrogant.
In mannerism of being a gentleman, he has learnt that he should show respect and make it obvious.
It is even recommended to be yourself and not pretend.
But just make your flaws your strengths.
For example, he isn’t perfect at his mannerisms and his head bow obviously looked silly and childish.
However, Olla and Cie find him cute and likeable.
It is hard to read her.
Olla looks at the cute boy and speaks.
“Did you find anything interesting today?”
Hugo starts talking about how there doesn’t seem to be many helpers here anymore.
Some even left, probably cause of the rumors.
However, there are people who can’t afford to live, like his mother.
They need pay to live and so there are still enough to handle this resident and help all the saved girls from illegal brothels.
He pretends to wonders a little and then said like he remembered something.
“Oh…Also, Madam Tallia didn’t today either.”
Olla, after listening this Olla says.
“She didn’t come today either. This is the third day. huh. This is very suspicious. If the door to her office is ever open info me, okay cutie?”
Olla then takes out a sugar candy out of her breasts.
“Here your reward. I know you want it…”
Hugo just smiles and speaks.
“I just want to learn…”
Olla looks at the sugar candy with a little naughtiness in her eyes and makes a little teasing comment.
“I will give it a lick if you want…”
“.”, Hugo just stares at her with a polite smile.
He thinks in his mind.
‘How would that make any difference?
You are just making it gross.”
Olla just shook her eyes and says, “your loss”.
Then she gives the sugar candy to Cie.
With that candy in hand, stars seem to appear in her eyes as she takes little bite and enjoys the taste.
He looks at Cie and little regrets his decision.
Then he looks at Mel bring out a little makeshift book.
This is made by Olla.
At first, Hugo was surprised to see that she can do something other than teasing.
It could be said that ‘you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
But he never read a book so he isn’t sure why shouldn’t he judge it.
Judging is the only thing he do.
Of course, he wouldn’t dare to say it out loud his thoughts.
Olla says as she tells him to come closer.
“Come here, cutie. Your classes are gonna start.”
Instead of any other reward, he asked if he can learn.
He didn’t expect much at first.
But Olla turned out to be an amazing teacher.
She has taught him a lot and he has grasp how to read and speak the basics of this language.
Only writing is left.
This language is completely different from Flames of heart.
But it is much simpler and has less complicated words for every particular thing.
The name of the language is Coosma.
He hopes to get the basic understanding of writing too.
Who knows when this place could shut down.
So, he is going to count every second.
Hugo sits beside Olla and looks at the makeshift book.
He is excited to learn more.
However, then out of nowhere he life up onto the lap of Olla by her.
He wasn’t able to resist as she is much stronger than a four years old kid.
“You are so smart but so cute. Trust big sis, this is the best way to learn.”
Hugo suppresses his awkwardness and listens to her.
She also is interested in learning but isn’t as motivated as Hugo.
Mel sometimes peeks at the book and listen to Olla too.
He can only find this place comforting and safe.
Perhaps, to recover from his past life.
He needs to find an anchor in this life.
***
Another day, his mother wakes up early on and carries him with her to his morning job.
This disturbs his sleep.
The sun isn’t even out yet and it feels like day has already started for his mother.
Of course, the house is empty as his father hasn’t returned home.
So, he isn’t sure if he even got any sleep.
The situation of his job has gotten quite worse.
The people at the top refuse to complete any demands of people.
Instead, they’ve made new rules that are even stricter than before.
This only put more fuel in the fire.
People are angry and there does not seem to be any end in sight.
His father has told his mother that he might just leave this place for good.
So, he can try working somewhere else.
As a middle-class person who is barely holding on at the thinnest line where they can fall into poverty anytime.
Changing job truly doesn’t sound like that good of a plan.
Who knows when will he get a stable job.
Or if he even got any.
If he compares this situation to him having his sleep disturbed.
He doesn’t complain much and just suck it up.
He can sleep later.
This is the advantage of being a child.
Soon, he returns back to that man’s house.
His name is Mical Michal.
He looks at the closed door and confirms that he is asleep.
He would also like to sleep.
But now he doesn’t want to do that anymore.
So, why not just look around and see if he can find anything.
As he is limited to where he can go.
He just stayed in these parameters and observes places that he can’t go inside.
‘I am not allowed to go.
But I can take a peek, you know.’ He reassures his psyche with that sentence and then starts looking.
He finds out that the rooms are completely dark.
Not just dark because sun isn’t out yet.
Someone has deliberately made it so that no light can enter these rooms.
There aren’t any sounds or anything abnormal here.
Only unusual thing is that deliberate darkness.
However, Hugo continues staring seems to make him sense something.
Many times, when he stares at people to observe or pry into other people’s businesses.
If they’re not busy with something else.
They can sense that someone is looking at them.
Then they look back him.
It isn’t anything unusual.
It is actually quite a normal thing to sense someone being watched for no reason.
It is like a sixth sense of people.
A type of premonition.
And when he stares into the darkness.
He feels like he is being stared back by something that is hidden in the dark.