As soon as I returned back home, the Madam was waiting at the front door. She frowned, "You brat! What took you so long?!"

"Long line." I lied effortlessly with a smile.

She groaned, "Then why didn't you go to another place? Ugh. No matter. We have a very important guest right now! You have to go serve him! QUICKLY!"

She pushed me towards the kitchen where I received the tray. I then quickly went upstairs to the room and knocked on the door. When I was let in, I saw an extremely drunk man surrounded by several women.

He is really a flashy man, isn't he?

I put the tray down, "I have brought your order, sir."

He stopped fondling the woman and glanced at me. His mask hid his lewd grin, "Oi. This kid is cute. Come here little boy."

The woman surrounding him looked at each other with nervous glances. I felt an irritating feeling in my chest. I desperately wanted to ignore him, but I knew the Madam would be furious if I did that. I got closer but made sure to stay out of his grasp.

He frowned, "I said come here!"

He grabbed my wrist and yanked me over. The smile was frozen on my face as I fell forward. His other hand grabbed my face and began to move it as if he were inspecting it for imperfections. His laughter was throaty, "Ai! His face is flawless! Even though he is so young, he is so beautiful. I must have him! Let me purchase this boy."

One of the women spoke in a panicked hurry, "N-No! We can't do that good sir… This boy isn't for sale…"

He laughed harder, "Excellent! Then that must mean he is pure. Now I definitely need to buy him. Just name your price."

My smile began to twitch in irritation.

I spoke loudly in a warning, "I am not for sale."

The man pushed one of the ladies, "Go and get your Madam to come sell him to me. And you boy, stop resisting so much! I don't want to damage the goods before I buy it."

My smile fell, "I said- I'M NOT FOR SALE!"

I grabbed his wrist and twisted it with all my strength. A bone chilling crack echoed off the wall. I dropped him and watched as he wailed in thrashed with a bone sticking through his skin. The woman screamed in horror from the cruel scene. I crossed my arms as I stared calmly at him.

It is his own fault for being such a creep.

The man screamed, "YOU BASTARD! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU! AHHH!"

His bodyguards rushed in as the woman began to scream and run out. They picked him up and rushed him out of the brothel in a panic. It was only a broken wrist, but the sight of his bone sticking out through his flesh could make anyone pale.

Everyone came out to watch as the young man was dragged out of the building to the doctor in a hurry. I stepped outside the room watching with an expressionless face. As they rushed out the front door, the Madam watched in confusion. "What is happening?"

A bodyguard stopped to glare at her, "That boy just broke our young Lord's wrist. Be warned, we WILL be back. And when we are, you better be prepared to offer proper compensation unless you want this place to be shut down."

The Madam turned pale as they carried out the wailing man. Then, her sharp eyes turned to glare at me.

Well that won't be good.

I was dragged to my mother's room by my ear. I was already covered in bruises and cuts from the beating Madam had just given me. She tossed me onto the hard wooden floor causing me to wince in pain.

My mother who had just finished with a client, hurried to put her robe on. She looked at the Madam and me in a panic, "What happened?"

The Madam spat hatefully, "This little brat just broke the arm of a very prestigious client."

I spoke, "Wrist. Not arm."

The Madam kicked me hard in the stomach causing me to double over. My mother panicked, "Madam! I am sure there is a reasonable explanation…"

The Madam cursed, "Who cares about reasonable explanation!? Do you even know who that man is?! He is a high-ranking noble who serves the King in court! All it takes is one word from him and we will be ruined!"

My mother panicked, "It's okay! Madam, when he comes back just let me talk to him. I can apologize to him."

She groaned, "Do you really think just your apology will be enough? Don't you understand?" The Madam suddenly pushed me forward, "Tell her why you broke his wrist."

I answered apathetically, "He wanted to buy me and I said no. He wouldn't give up so I broke his wrist."

My mother's eyes widened in horror. The Madam sighed, "Do you understand now? He is not just going to let this go with just some hush money and an apology. He wants to buy your boy. I know people like him. He will come back and demand the boy as his compensation."

My mother shook her head quickly, "No! We can't sell Dante to him! I won't allow it!"

The Madam spoke, "I don't want to sell him either! It is against the law to sell a boy this young. But what can we do? He has power and is a high ranked noble. We are just lowly courtesans. In their eyes, we are even lower than dirt."

My mother bit her lip, "Just let me think of a way. I am sure that I can get him to not pursue buying Dante."

The Madam turned away with a frown, "You better because my hands are tied in this case."

I watched the Madam leave without expression. I turned to my mother, "Mother… I am sorry…"

She shook her head, "It… It doesn't matter. We won't be staying here for long anyway. It is time we get moving."

However, that time would never come.

That man did return to the brothel and it went exactly how the Madam had predicted. However, one cannot deny my mother's charm. She paid an exorbitant fee for his medical expenses and even said that she would personally serve him for free every time he came. He naturally accepted.

I entered my mother's room one day after everyone had finished for the day. I was startled to see my mother covered in bruises. I ran over to her, "Mother!? What happened?!"

She paused, "It's fine. It isn't a problem. I can hide it with makeup."

I frowned, "That isn't what I meant Mother… It was that man. Wasn't it?"

My mother hesitated but didn't say anything. She just continued to get ready for the night. I was overwhelmed by guilt. If only I hadn't broken that man's wrist then my mother wouldn't have to serve him every time he came. She wouldn't be forced to do this.

I nudged her, "Didn't you say we were leaving? Why can't we just go?"

"We can't." Her voice was so firm it startled me.

I forced myself to continue, "But why not?"

"That man will track us down. He won't let us get away that easily. Plus… The money I have saved up to break my contract is gone."

"Gone?"

Of course… The Madam refused to pay for his medical bills and forced my Mother to instead. All the money she had been painstakingly saving over these years were gone.

But I can't let my mother suffer like this!

"T-Then! My father!"

I watched my Mother flinch at these words, "What do you mean?"

"You said that my father was rich and powerful. Why can't we go to him for help?"

She turned away, "We can't."

"Why not?!"

"Because."

"Because why!? Mother!"

"BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW YOU EXIST!"

I flinched back from her sudden outburst. It's true that my Mother never told me who my father was, but I didn't think that he wouldn't know who I was either.

I looked down glumly, "B-But… Maybe he will help if he knows…"

She turned to me and held me firmly, "Dante. You must NEVER try to find out who your father is."

"But… Why?"

She gave me a weak smile. Then, her face seemed to freeze and her eyes grew dull. Her voice was monotonous, "We can't stay here. They will find us…"

"They?" I shook my head, "Mother. There is no they."

She looked at me with an exhausted expression, "Dante… There is something I have to tell you…"

Before she could finish, screams rang out from below. My mother and I turned to look. My mother pushed me back, "Stay here. I will go check and see what is going on."

I nodded and watched as she walked out. I could hear the sounds of screams and cries coming from downstairs. I went to the door to peek out, but suddenly my Mother rushed back in with a frightened expression.

I looked at her in confusion, "Mother? What's happening?"

"They are here! They are here! How could they come so quickly?!"

"Mother-"

She suddenly grabbed me and forced me into the small hidden compartment, "Dante! You must hide!"

"Why?!"

She shook me abruptly, "JUST LISTEN!"

I flinch and gave a nod.

She rushed to speak, "You must stay here and not say a word. Under no circumstances can you come out. Not until it is safe! Do you understand?!"

I nodded quickly.

She ran over to her desk and pulled out a single letter. She shoved it in my hands, "After it is safe, you must go run and find Queen Luna."

The sound of a sword scraping the floor in the hall was gradually getting closer.

"Queen Luna?"

"Once you find her, you must give her this letter. She will protect you after that." Her eyes turned downward with a somber expression, "She can watch over you in my place..."

I started to feel uneasy, "Mother! What is happening?"

She leaned forward and kissed my forehead, "Don't forget that Mother loves you."

She shut the compartment quickly and went towards the window. I flinched from the darkness. I could only see through a small sliver in the wall. However, it was so small I couldn't make out much.

I heard the door get kicked open.

Hearing my mother scream, I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. I tried desperately to hold my breath so they wouldn't hear.

…Is this what fear feels like?

Suddenly, a long sword stabbed through the wall barely inches away from my eyes. I watched in shock as I stared at the long blade. Then, I watched as it was slowly retracted. I was so shocked; I couldn't hear what was happening outside.

However, I could now see.

My eyes shrank back as I stared at the new hole in the wall. I could clearly see my mother collapsed on the ground. A crimson pool slowly spread out from underneath her body. My eyes slowly raised to see the sword dripping with blood…

… The person holding it had a large grin on his face. His eyes were wild as he stared at her corpse. His voice was one I would never forget.

"Burn it down. Don't let anyone escape."

He left the room without even checking to see if my mother was dead. I couldn't even move as I stared at her body. However, the smell of smoke grew stronger as it began to billow into the room. I coughed as I forced the hidden compartment open. I crawled over to my mother and shook her.

"MOTHER!"

Her eyes were growing dimmer, "Dante…"

"Mother we need to leave!"

She smiled weakly at me as her hand shook to reach out to touch me, "You must survive Dante… You must live on…"

I wanted to cry, but no tears came out. "Mother! We must go! The smoke is getting stronger!"

She paid me no attention, "Dante… Promise me that you won't hate your brother…"

"What?"

"It… It was all my fault… I didn't fight for him… Now… Now he has been hurt so deeply… I deserve his revenge… I deserve it for letting him go without a fight…"

I shook my head, "No! Mother!"

She gave me one last smile, "Forgive him… For my sake… Please…"

I shook as I held her hand, "I promise… I promise I won't ever hurt him… I won't seek revenge… But please don't leave me mother… I don't have anyone else!"

Her eyes began to flutter close, "Find Queen Luna… There you will see… You will find the love you never knew you could have… Find the one… who…. makes you… smile…"

Her voice gradually got weaker before it stopped. I looked at her eyes and noticed they were no longer moving. I shook her in a panic, "MOTHER!"