"Haa~" sighed Phthisis, a young boy who had just turned the bitter age of 13, living in the slums of PLAGA 2, a forgotten city in the central lands. He had finally been able to successfully save up money for the last week without being robbed and decided it was best to celebrate under a desolate bridge where no one would steal his food.
"Ohhh! Man, cupcakes really are the best!" said Phthisis, happily eating away at his normal, no-flavor, no-frosting, and not-even-buttered cupcake. And yet, he was happy, for this was the result of the hard work he had put in over the last week—chopping wood, hunting animals, and eating scraps had all led up to this, a happy birthday.
A sudden rustling in the nearby brush made Phthisis freeze, his cupcake halfway to his mouth. He looked around to check if anyone was there to steal his food, but what he saw put a smile on his face.
He thought to himself, "I'm 'bout to make a fortune," for what he saw was a Fairy—a noble race from the Eastern Lands. Uncanny to find one here in the Central Lands, but Phthisis didn't really care about that right now. All he could think about was money and luxury he would get from exploiting her innocence.
Now—he could try and kill her and sell her Z-gene core: an orb filled with Fairy DNA liquid that can enhance a nature-attribute Z-power and further their Thazang Revolution Circle by ten to twenty percent. The circle enhances all of a person's attributes the closer it is to completion—and once a circle completes a revolution, all of that person's attributes increase by 100×.
There can be a total of five different Thazang Circles, and once all of them are complete, the person—if they have mastered the Thazang system—can combine those five circles into one. At that point, all their attributes increase by 1,000%, their abilities evolve, and they gain access to their own Mindscape: a dimension within their mind where they can create and do anything, with infinite possibilities. They can also train within it while performing normal tasks in the physical realm. This self-created realm is called the Mah Ram.
Because of this, a Fairy Z-gene core can be sold for more than 700 million zene (approximately 2.6 billion dollars in real-world currency).
And knowing all this—why didn't Phthisis kill her or even think of killing her? Well, it's simple: he knew he was no match for a noble race like the Fairies, who—by adolescence alone—are already stronger than a human army ranger, an adult Elf, a young Dwarf, and an adult Beastman. So, Phthisis's plan was simple. First, he helps her. Then, he tells her he wants nothing in return. She feels guilty for not repaying the favor, falls into his debt forever—and he uses her as a walking cash bag for life.
"Are you lost, ma'am?" asked Phthisis as he looked at the Fairy with respectful eyes.
"Yes, sir," the Fairy, sincerity in her voice.
"Oh, please! Don't call me 'sir,' ma'am. I, a lowly human being, don't deserve such formality from a noble Fairy," said Phthisis respectfully.
The Fairy's wings fluttered faintly as she looked around, a slight frown forming on her delicate face. Her stomach gave a quiet growl.
Phthisis raised an eyebrow. "You hungry?" he asked gently.
She hesitated, embarrassed, then gave a small nod. "I haven't eaten since yesterday. I... got separated from my escort."
Phthisis glanced down at his cupcake—the dry, flavorless one he had saved all week for. He had taken a few bites from the rough edge, but the center was still soft. Still sweet. The best part.
He broke it in half, offering the untouched center to her. "Here. It's not much, but this part's the good bit."
The Fairy looked stunned. "You're giving this to me?"
"Of course," Phthisis said with a grin. "Noble or not, hungry's hungry."
She accepted it carefully, like it was made of crystal. "Thank you... What's your name?"
"Phthisis."
She smiled, the tension in her wings easing. "I'm Iris, of the Faerie Clan."
As Iris finished the last bite of the cupcake, some color returned to her cheeks.
Phthisis stood and brushed off his worn pants. "If you'd like, I can help you get back home. No charge."
Iris blinked. "It's okay... I can pay you. I have some zene with me—"
He quickly held up a hand and shook his head. "No, really. It's fine. My mother always told me to be kind to others and expect nothing in return.
There was a short pause. He smiled, looking down for a second. "I made that promise to her."
What he didn't say—what he never would—was that he had never even met his mother. Not once.
Iris stared at him for a moment, then lowered her gaze, her wings folding in closer. "Alright... if you're sure," she said softly, reluctantly.
"Positive," Phthisis said with a gentle grin. Hook, line, and sinker, he thought
T–B–C