[Disclaimer: This chapter contains mild violence against a child that some readers may find uncomfortable.]

"YOU D*MNED BRAT!"

I was thrown down onto the ground and struggled to stand back up. I held my side which ached agonizingly in pain. One of my ribs felt like it was painfully stabbing my insides.

My mother heard the commotion and left her room. She peered over the railing upstairs, "Madam. What happened?"

She turned up to glare at my mother, "This d*mned child of yours! He is making me lose business!"

My mother blinked in confusion, "What did he do?"

"He dared to look upon a high-profile client with that disgustingly blank face of his! He was so put off by it, that it immediately made him want to leave! If this child doesn't learn how to f*cking smile, I am kicking both of you out!"

My mother rushed down the stairs in a panic. She spoke quickly, "Don't worry, Madam. I will talk to him about it. He won't do it again."

The Madam crossed her arms, "He better not. Don't forget I was kind enough to employ you even though you already had a child. Don't make me regret it."

My mother nodded and bowed several times, "Of course not, Madam." She pulled me up, "Dante. Come to my room. We need to have a talk."

Being forced to my feet made my side sting painfully. My frown began to twitch from the pain, "Mother… It hurts to walk…"

She whispered urgently in my ear, "Just walk. Don't anger the Madam more."

I bit my lip as I was forced to walk up the stairs. When we were in the room, she gently motioned for me to come sit down on her bed. Her eyebrows pinched together as her lip trembled, "I-I am so sorry Dante…"

I watched as tears began to form in her eyes. I watched expressionlessly and reached out to wipe away her tears, "It's okay, Mother."

She sniffed, "Your mother really is a disgrace. I can't even protect you…"

I shook my head, "No! Mother works very hard to keep me safe. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you."

She gave me a forced smile, "You are really too good to your mother. But darling…" She placed her hand on my head, "You really need to start behaving… Madam is getting very angry…"

I stopped speaking and looked to my mother in silence. I slowly opened my mouth, "But Mother…"

She firmly grasped my shoulders, "The Madam just wants you to smile. Anyone would be uncomfortable around someone who never smiles or even shows any sign of emotion… So please… Please just start smiling for Madam's sake. We need to fit in here. We need to be normal."

I looked away, "But… I don't like smiling… It makes me feel uncomfortable."

There was a reason I never smiled in the past. Perhaps it was because I never really understood how. Maybe it meant that I just didn't have the same level of emotions as anyone else. Regardless, the truth is that I have never smiled before. Just forcing myself to speak sometimes makes me feel unpleasant. It didn't hurt me, but it just seemed so uncomfortable it made my head ache.

Her voice shook, "Dante… You must survive… Smiling… It's not that hard… Mother does it all the time even though she doesn't feel like it… So please… Just smile for Mother…"

"But…"

"JUST SMILE!"

Her scream made me flinch. I stared at my mother in surprise. She had never yelled at me before. Her voice was always so calm and gentle. I could feel her hands shaking while they grasped my shoulder painfully.

Even though my body hurt right now, I didn't dare speak out.

Her head turned down as I watched beads of water fell from her eyes and onto the ground. Her voice shook, "W-Why can't you just be normal…"

Normal?

Ah. That's right.

Everyone smiles in this world.

Whether they are happy or not. They still smile.

But for me, it is a bit painful to smile. It's not like I am unhappy or anything. But rather, I just don't feel anything in particular.

Getting into fights.... Being scolded....

I really don't care about these things.

I suppose I really am not a normal child.

I am not even afraid of death. If I were to die, I would think that is just what was meant to be. Clinging to life as everyone else does seems pointless to me.

However. This doesn't mean I am completely heartless. I can see my mother is breaking apart under stress. I can see how hard she struggles for me.

So… If I can't smile for myself… Then…

I will smile for her.

I gently grabbed her hands, "Mother…"

She sniffed quietly and turned her watery eyes to look at me. I forced a grin on my face, "I will smile."

She sighed in relief and pulled me into a hug, "That's my boy… That's my boy… From now on you must keep acting the way others expect you too. Even if it's not how you truly feel. That is the only way you can survive in this world."

I nodded in her embrace, "I understand, Mother."

I looked up at the ceiling with a smile.

A smile that made me lose the last bit of emotion I had prior to it.

...

A few days passed and I continued to smile for everyone in the building. The Madam was finally pleased with me, "It's about time you started acting normal." She paused and grabbed my face. She moved it around as I just stared into her eyes with a forced grin.

She nodded in admiration, "Now that I think about it, you really are quite the catch just like your mother. Perhaps I should start having you serve the customers here."

I continued to smile, "Serving the customers?"

She released my face from her grip, "Yes. Now when the men enter the rooms, I will send you in to deliver them wine and refreshments so that they will be properly taken care of. You start tonight. No arguments."

"I understand Madam."

It's just serving some drunk men. What is the harm in that?

That night, I started bringing refreshments to the room. I kneeled in front of the door and knocked. I heard a voice, "Enter."

I walked in and placed the food and drinks down on the table. I smiled at the man that was half dressed and the woman who was sitting on top of him flirtatiously. The man wore a mask just like all the others did when they came here.

I spoke making sure to keep up my cheerful attitude, "I have brought the refreshments you have ordered."

The man frowned and looked me up and down, "Since when have they sent children in to deliver this?"

The girl fawning over him spoke, "It's because he is so cute. Don't you think?"

The man clicked his tongue, "It is true. He is cute, but isn't he too young? Aren't you worried this may be bad for a child of this age to see?"

The girl giggled, "Do not worry about him. He has lived here his entire life. He is aware as to what happens in these rooms."

The man looked at me, "Do you enjoy watching this sort of thing?"

This kind of thing….

I really have no interest in it. Why do men pay so much money to do a thing like this? I really don't understand the appeal.

Should I say the truth or lie? What would a normal boy do?

I shrugged, "I don't find it particularly enjoyable or boring."

"How old are you, boy?"

"I am five."

He sighed and shook his head, "You are far too young to understand these things. I guess I was too concerned for no reason."

I answered calmly, "No, I understand. Men come here to relieve stress or to have fun. While the women do it to gain money. It is a business and it is a very lucrative one."

The man was speechless from my remark. I immediately regretted speaking. It was certainly not an answer a normal boy would give.

The girl spat at me, "You brat! Go already before you cost me money!"

I was shooed out of the room and shut the door. As I walked down the hall, someone stopped me. The woman had a hurried expression, "Dante! Go downstairs and get your mother! She and the Madam are fighting!!"

My eyes widened, "Fighting?"

Without wasting another second, I rushed downstairs to go see what was happening. As I approached, I could hear the shouts and screams coming from a room. Luckily the brothel was going to close soon so there wasn't many customers. However, knowing the Madam she would not take this lightly.

My mother screamed, "You promised me I would be safe!! That my child would be safe!! I gave my entire body to this place because of that promise!"

The Madam screamed back, "Blasted woman! You are both safe!"

My mother's face twisted, "Safe?! We aren't safe! They are coming to kill me and my son!"

I rushed into the room and tugged at my mother, "Mother! Calm down!"

My mother ignored me, "I have the money so let me be released from the contract! We have to leave before they get us!"

The Madam sighed, "You have money to break the contract, but what will happen after you break it? Where will you go? No one will take in a prostitute and their child. You two will be starving on the streets just like you were when I found you."

My mother shook her head, "We must leave! They are here! If we stay, everyone will be killed!"

My mother panted in a panic as the Madam turned to look at me, "Dante. Take your mother upstairs this instant. I am tired of her delusional racket today."

I nodded and began to pull on my mother's hand, "Come, Mother. Let's go upstairs."

My mother's face contorted as if she was confused by where she was. She gave a weak nod and allowed me to bring her to her room. I quickly served her tea as she sat at the table with an expressionless face. Her eyes were focused on nothing.

It looked as if my mother wasn't really there.

I gave her a cup, "Here is some tea, Mother. It is your favorite."

Her voice was monotonous, "They are here… They are here…"

My face was stiff as I watched her. I always hated when my mother became like this. She looked as if she was possessed by a ghost. From time to time this sort of thing would happen.

I reached out to hold her hand, "Nobody is here, Mother."

Her voice was eerie as she spoke in a different tone, "They ride from a land of serpents. The ground beneath their feet will be covered in corpses. Flames will devour those who remain. The one who leads cannot be stopped. Revenge must be fulfilled. The Gods word is absolute."

This again?

I let go of her hands and grabbed a blanket. I put it over her, "Mother… Please calm down. No one is coming here for revenge."

Her hands grabbed mine. I winced from the immense strength from her grip. Her lifeless dull eyes turned to look into mine, "They are here… They are here… We must run…"

I forced a smile, "No one is here, Mother. Please stop."

Her grip tightened. I let out a painful gasp as I felt my bones begin to be crushed under her strength. I couldn't stop myself from letting out a painful wail as one of my fingers were broken. My mother snapped out of her stupor once she heard my wail. The light gradually returned to her dark bottomless eyes.

She held her forehead, "Dante… Dante…"

I bit my lip as I held my hand which throbbed in pain. I forced a smile, "I am here, Mother."

She looked confused as she looked around, "Help Mother to bed… I… I don't feel well…"

I nodded and did as she asked. As she slept, I snuck out and went downstairs. I went to the Madam and smiled, "She is asleep now."

The Madam nodded and looked at my hand. She frowned, "Is it broken?"

"It might be."

The Madam fished in her pocket and pulled out a coin purse, "Go to the Doctor. I can't allow you to get disfigured and ruin my business."

I took the coin purse and bowed, "Thank you Madam."

She waved me off and I left the building. I walked through the alley systems and went to the nearest doctor. He snapped my finger back into place. I forced myself not to let out a painful cry. "There. Now wear this cast for a few days and it should heal properly."

I nodded and handed him the money for payment, "Thank you…"

I left the building and started walking throughout the red-light district. My mother had always warned me to be careful here. Too many traffickers liked targeting children. I heard sobbing from a child and immediately thought they were being taken.

I rushed in the direction and saw a small blonde hair boy with blue eyes sobbing in an alley. Other people were whispering as they looked at him. He looked far too stunning and nicely dressed to be in a place like this. I frowned at him.

Stupid boy. Doesn't he know that doing this is turning him into a target for the traffickers?

I stepped towards him and looked at him with a frown, "Why are you crying?"

He wiped away his tears, "I-I-I'm looost!"

Anyone with eyes can see that.

I replied hiding my true thoughts, "How did you get lost?"

He sobbed, "I-I was chasing m-my ball. A-And I-I couldn't f-find my way b-back…"

"Do you know where you were last?"

"T-The academy…"

I held out my hand, "I will bring you back."

He wiped his snot and grabbed my hand, "O-Okay…"

Good thing I was the one who found this boy. Something tells me he would follow any stranger that offers to take him back. I guided the naïve child back to the academy where many knights were standing. He broke away from my grip and rushed inside, "MOTHER!"

A beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair that looked nearly white rushed towards his voice. She shouted in relief, "WILLIAM! I was so worried! Don't EVER do that to me again!"

Ah, I see. He was a child of nobility. No wonder he was so stupid.

I turned around and went back home before anyone could catch me. As I walked back, I hesitated. I completely forgot to act like a normal boy. I wonder if that boy thought I was creepy too? Well, it doesn't matter. I doubt I will ever see him again.

He is a noble and I am the lowest kind of commoner. Our paths will never intersect.