I am Just an Average Tamer

"Oi! Brat, what are you even doing!" a middle-aged man shouted in anger, the air was heavy with the metallic scent of rusted tools, and the faint hum of activity from the market square.

"You useless scumbag, why the hell do you keep coming here and asking for work when you can't even do one damn job properly!" He crossed his arms, glaring at the young boy who had clearly been cleaning the equipment in his shop.

The boy flinched at the man's words, his shoulders curling inward.

He was looking no older than 8 or 10. Standing at 4'11" (190cm), he had a lean and wiry body due to malnourishment, wearing a threadbare tunic with multiple patches and worn-out trousers that ended just above his ankles.

After the man's yelling, the boy said while bowing his head, "I—I am sorry...sir. I...I'll do better next time..." his voice cracking.

The man snorted, "I will du blah blah! Just get out of here. Don't even think about coming back to my shop begging for another job." he bellowed at the young boy and turned around to leave.

"I—I have done my work, sir...please, I need my payment," the boy said while raising his head slightly.

The shop owner's expression soured even more, "What payment? Did you even clean my shop properly?" he said in a cold tone, turning his gaze to the boy, only to meet his wide, shimmering eyes sparkling with invisible stars.

The boy clutched his fists tightly to his chest, trying to form the cutest, most pleading expression the shop owner had ever seen.

"Stop pulling that ugly face and get out of here." The shopkeeper flung a few copper coins onto the ground. "There, now scram."

The boy leaned towards the ground to pick up the coins. "Thank you very much, sir," he said politely, forcing a wide smile on his dirty—dust-covered face as he turned and walked away.

"Lucky me." the boy muttered, "2 Copper coins from just one shop."

He tucked the cloth he'd been using to clean the equipment, around his waist like a makeshift belt and walked out of the area near the equipment shop, which was located near the Adventurers' Guild for adventurers and mercenaries to buy equipment.

Market square was full of all kinds of stalls, selling groceries, fruits, weapons, equipment's, etc.

"Well, that didn't work like I thought it would," he muttered under his breath, walking with his hands behind his head, without a care in the world.

"I did the same as that girl," he frowned, recalling how the other day he'd seen a little girl make an innocent, cute expression when her parents wouldn't let her buy her favorite sweet. It had melted their hearts, making them fulfill her wish.

But why didn't it work for him as it did for the girl? He wasn't that bad looking.

He had medium beige skin smudged with dirt, and amber eyes with a sharp, feline-like intensity. His shaggy black hair was unevenly cut, strands hanging loosely over his forehead, partially obscuring his eyes. A faint scar ran down the right side of his cheek.

There were two reasons. First, the shop owner wasn't his parent. Second, the shopkeeper didn't even see him as a human being due to his status.

A growl from his stomach reminded him of his need to eat.

Grrr! 

"Ah, time to eat," Kai muttered with a small, tired smile, tossing the two copper coins into the air and catching them with practiced ease.

As he wandered through the streets, he passed by a food vendor. The man, a grumpy, old fellow, barely looked up as he approached.

"Why are you here, prick," the vendor spat, his lip curling in disgust.

Kai rolled his eyes and said "Old man, I've told you many times that I have a name. It's Kai."

"What? Are you some bigshot?" The vendor's laugh came out as a bark. "Or did I bang your mama to deserve remembering your name?"

"I'm here to buy food," Kai replied, ignoring the insult. He raised his hand, showing him the 2 copper coins in his hands.

The vendor snatched his coins and scoffed, "Hmph! Take it and leave." He tossed a stale, half-crushed piece of bread at Kai.

"What the—?" Kai started, but the vendor cut him off.

"This is all you can afford with your money." the vendor said, pointing his finger at the bread he gave to Kai.

Kai added, "But I gave you 2 coins, yo—"

"Did you really forget how many times I had given you food without taking money from you?" the vendor bawled, interrupting him again. "Consider yourself lucky that I am being generous to you, even giving you anything."

"Argh!" Kai clenched his fists and gritted his teeth but didn't argue. "Thanks, a lot old man," he muttered, moving away from there while eating the bread within few bites.

Sigh!

With a deep sigh, he kept moving, his stomach still empty but for the crumbs.

He took some turns through the streets and reached a potion stall.

"Hello sir, do you have any work I can do for you? I'll help with anything, I just need something to do," Kai told the vendor, who was placing some potion bottles on shelves.

"Nah! Just go away," the vendor replied without even glancing at him.

But Kai left without being discouraged or disappointed, as if it were just another normal day for him.

He strolled through the market, asking the same question at every stall he passed. But the results were always the same: some ignored him completely, others simply turned him away with a firm "no," and a few even yelled at him for daring to come back.

Eventually, he gave up. His shoulders sagged as he walked out of the market square, heading to the outskirts of town. There, on the edge of a forest, he found a large rock and sat down, staring at the grass beneath him.

It was already late evening, and the stalls were all closed. Suddenly, he noticed a fruit vendor, munching on a bun and taking the leftovers with him. Kai stood up and dashed toward him without any hesitation.

"Please, sir, could you spare something to eat?" Kai pleaded, using the same cute expression, hoping it would work this time.

The vendor gritted his teeth, throwing the half-eaten bun toward Kai as he yelled, "Can't even let me eat in peace, scrawny beggar!"

Kai looked at the bun that was now lying on the ground after hitting his face. He paused for a moment before picking it up and rubbing it with his clothes to clean it.

"Thanks, I guess," Kai murmured to the vendor's retreating figure, but the man was already gone.

He began munching the bun, "The results were different from that girl, but this trick actually works" he said, chewing the bun, while walking on the street that was at the back of the Adventurers' Guild, which then connected with the market square.

From there, he took the narrow road that led him to the alley beside the market. He walked straight for a few minutes and reached some shacks and tattered houses.

He snuck into one that had two rooms and was barely livable. Inside, there was nothing but a broken chair, a table, and a few ragged blankets that he had found in the garbage thrown by the people of the town living peacefully and happily outside the slums.

Kai grabbed one of the blankets and spread it out on the ground. Then, he lay down on it, pulling the second blanket over himself for warmth.

He stared up at the ceiling, made of wooden logs and an old carpet—just sturdy enough to shield him from the elements to some extent. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he lay there, staring above.

Grrr! 

His stomach growled again, more forcefully this time.

"I'm still hungry," he whispered, clutching his stomach as tears spilled onto the blanket. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand before rolling onto his side.

"Why am I crying? At least I got something to eat today...better than sleeping on an empty stomach like before," he whispered to himself, trying to console his aching heart. Within a few minutes, he drifted into a deep sleep.

Morning light filtered through the cracks in his makeshift roof, warming his face. Kai's eyes fluttered open, his body protesting every movement as he pushed himself up from the cold ground. His stomach twisted with familiar hunger, a constant companion that had woken with him.

"Yawn" he yawned, stretching his arms as he slowly stood up from the cold, rough floor. His limbs ached, but it was a familiar feeling—one he had grown used to over the years.

He stumbled dizzily out of what he called home, one hand resting on his growling stomach, other brushing back the few strands of unruly hair. Taking the same route as always, he began walking toward the market.

"It's too noi—yawn," he said mid-yawn, covering his mouth with one hand as the noise grew louder with each step.

"Hah!" A smile tugged at his lips as he took in the sight of the bustling crowd filling the stalls and streets. The clinking of coins, the humming voices of merchants calling out their goods, and the chatter of customers buying and selling created a lively atmosphere—more vibrant than it had been on regular days.

The excitement was notable. The town was preparing for an upcoming Festival that was just a few days away. The streets were filled with people stocking up on supplies, while performers rehearsed in the town square, all eager for the grand celebration. Merchants had brought out their finest wares, hoping to attract customers before the event began.

"Well, at least today I don't have to sleep on an empty stomach," Kai murmured with a grin while walking through the busy streets of the market, blending seamlessly into the crowd like a pro.

Bump! 

"Oh! My bad!" Kai said, with a practiced apology, purposefully bumping into someone in the crowded street, kept walking with a wide smile, one hand in his pocket, jingling a few coins.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that!" he said, again purposefully bumping into someone. His hand brushed against the man's coin pouch, his fingers quick and deft. His eyes flicked from person to person, scanning for the next target.

"My bad!"

"Sorry!"

"Forgive me, please, hehe!"

With a practiced ease, he pickpocketed a few people as he strolled through the market, acting as if it were his natural talent, something he'd been doing for years. 

After walking for a few minutes, Kai took a few turns and stood behind a building, away from the bustling crowd.

"One... two... three..." The coins clinked softly in his palm as he counted. "Huh? Just 20 copper coins after snatching from this many people?" His shoulders slumped, fingers closing around the meager handful of copper.

Sigh!

With a deep sigh, he tucked the coins into his pocket and began to walk again, his mind swirling with plans. 'I need more—at least enough for a few meals... maybe a bed if I'm lucky.' His stomach growled again, but he ignored it. There was no time to waste.

Taking a different route from where he had come, Kai once again blended into the crowd with a single motive, collecting as many coins as he could. He knew the market wouldn't stay this lively forever.

Kai surveyed the market once more, the noise of vendors fading to background buzz as he searched for his next target. That's when he spotted him—a man who stood out like a jewel among rocks. Brown hair neatly combed, wearing expensive—looking clothes that gleamed in sunlight. But it wasn't just his appearance that drew Kai's eye—it was how he moved. Each step measured, confident, the way he barely glanced at price tags before making purchases. The man's coin purse hung heavy at his leather belt.

'The gleam of his clothes... That's the kind of guy who'd carry gold, right? Just maybe, today will be different,' Kai thought, a grin spreading across his face.

''Bigshot," he whispered, his eyes gleamed with excitement at the mere thought of pickpocketing gold coins from his upcoming prey.

His fingers tingled with anticipation as he began weaving through the crowd, closing the distance. One good snatch could mean real meals for days, maybe even...

He pushed the dream aside, focusing on his approach. The man had stopped at a stall, examining some wares.

'Perfect,' Kai moved in, his steps practiced, casual.

As he approached the man, Kai deliberately bumped into him. "Oh! Sor—" Before he could finish his sentence, the man swiftly grabbed his wrist, causing Kai to freeze in place.

The man's warm brown eyes turned cold, fixed on his prey. His next words sent a chill down Kai's spine. "Just what were you trying to do, petty little thief?" The man's voice was low, his grip tightening.

Kai's eyes widened, a cold sweat forming at the back of his neck. The words hit harder than any punch, as he hadn't expected to be caught. World seemed to slow as he stared at the man's grip, calculating his next move.

'What now?' Kai's mind raced, heart thudding in his chest.