I am Just an Average Tamer

"You are finally here, my piggy bank." Jim said with a grin as he grabbed Kai by the neck.

"I hadn't thought a squirm like you would have this much money," he said, his grip tightened.

"That means you weren't giving me all your money every time I asked nicely. I bet you've been stashing some away." Jim glanced at Kai's shack and then back at him.

A chill ran down through Kai's spine, 'What if he really checked in my Shack?' His mind swirled with the thoughts of-what will happen if Jim found of the little girl.

His expression grimed, 'I can't let him find about her, I need her hidden until it's time.'

"I-I gave you all, what... cough... I had yesterday... cough... I don't have anything now," Kai choked out, struggling against Jim's suffocating grip.

"Haha, there's no way a squirm like you have more hidden somewhere," Jim sneered as he finally released Kai, his expression darkened. "I'm just here to punish you for your disobedience."

Cough! Cough!

Kai gasped for air, collapsing to his knees as Jim finally let go of him, but before he could recover—

Thud!

Jim's fist connected with Kai's face, sending him sprawling to the ground with a low thud.

Before Kai could get up and recover from the punch, a sharp kick followed to his face.

Kai winced in pain as Jim bent over, grabbing him by the collar, he looked at him with a sly grin.

"Don't think you can get away with this. Now you're going to give me double what you always used to give."

"B—" Kai began, but Jim cut him off.

"I'm not falling for your bullshit. You just had fifteen coppers yesterday," he looked straight into Kai's eyes, making him shudder under his gaze.

"Hey, Jim, hurry up! They're going to leave!" one of the twins shouted.

Jim let go of Kai's collar, letting him collapse to the ground like a discarded doll.

"Consider this mercy," he said, turning to run off with his minions.

"I'm gonna kill you, I swear," Kai murmured groaning as he struggled to get up.

"Argh," he grunted as pain surged through his body.

He pulled himself up and entered the shack. Reaching the table, he leaned against it and took out a cloak and a piece of bread from his tunic, then sat down heavily.

Placing the cloak on the table, Kai tore the bread into two pieces. Using the table for support, he stood and walked toward the little girl, who was still sitting in the corner.

The girl flinched slightly when she saw Kai approaching. He bent over and offered her one of the bread pieces.

"Here," he said softly.

"W-Wh...w-what...h-happened?" she barely whispered in a shaking voice as she slowly turned toward his face, her bright green eyes trembling as she took in the miserable sight of Kai's face.

"Huh?" Kai glanced at her, blinking in surprise.

'Did she just speak?' he thought, his dull expression turned into a sly smirk. 'Looks like it's time she finally talked to me.'

The girl grabbed the bread, this time without any hesitation; it seemed she had started trusting him now. She began munching it as Kai sat beside her.

'Those bastards... just wait. I'll make all of you pay... hehehe! I had thought of all ways to torture all of you.' He let out a soft yet menacing chuckle as he ate, already plotting his revenge against those who had picked on him for being weak and poor.

When they finished eating, the girl turned her face toward Kai and opened her mouth again.

"W-What happened... to you?" Her lips were still trembling, maybe from the weather—or maybe fear that still lingered in her.

Kai glanced at her, their eyes meeting briefly before she quickly looked away, still not comfortable locking eyes with him.

"Ah, it's nothing. Happens all the time," Kai replied with a wide grin, scratching the back of his head.

Despite his battered face he was happy that the girl—whom he supposed to be a witch—finally talked to him and he could execute his revenge soon.

"Umm," she gave him an understanding nod and turned her face away again. A heavy silence fell as they both just sat there.

'Should I ask her? No, what if she killed me?' Kai shook away the ideas, his mind racing with thoughts on how to start the conversation with the girl.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath. 'No, she won't kill me... I hope so,' he sighed inwardly.

"Do you have a name?" Kai asked, breaking the silence. "By any chance?"

The girl narrowed her eyes slightly at the ridiculous question and glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

Not wanting to badmouth her savior, she gave a hesitant nod and turned her gaze forward, clutching her knees.

"L-Lira..." she whispered, her voice shaking. "Lira Elsworth."

"Oh! Lira Elsworth," Kai repeated, nodding.

'So, witches do have names,' he mused, but before he could ask another question, Lira tilted her face toward him.

"W-What's your name?" she asked, her gaze fixed on the floor.

"Hmm?" Kai snapped out of the barrage of questions he was cooking in his mind.

"Oh, I'm Kai, just simple Kai," he said with a genuine smile, looking at her.

Sensing his gaze, Lira quickly looked away again.

"I-I just want to go home," she said softly as her eyes turned teary and she clutched her knees tightly, burying her face in them.

Kai's eyes softened as he watched her pitiful, fragile form.

"Okay, where is your home?" he asked gently, trying to console her.

Lira shook her head. "I don't know."

"Huh?" Kai tilted his head in confusion.

'What? She doesn't even know where her home is?' he thought, screaming internally.

'Everyone knows about their home, even I know where my home is. I live in...'

'...'

His eyes widened in disbelief.

'Where the hell do I live?'