Chapter 4
Jamie's POV
The moment Lucien walked out of the room, the lingering heat of my embarrassment turned into a frantic scramble for clothes. The sight of his lustful gaze was still burning in my mind.
I quickly pulled on a clean set of clothes, dumping the filthy, dungeon-smelling tunic and pants into a basket filled with other dirty laundry. The clothes were made of a strange, soft leather, a dark material that had deliberate openings at the waist and shoulders, but compared to the other clothes I'd seen, which were practically transparent, they looked much more decent.
My body, however, was still screaming for rest. The day's activities—the bizarre teleportation, the terrifying auction, the awkward confrontation—had drained every ounce of energy from me. I lay down on the coarse furs that lined the sleeping mat, my eyes already heavy with fatigue. But just as I was on the verge of slipping into a much-needed sleep, I heard the light pitter-patter of little footsteps.
I opened my eyes and looked over to see a small boy standing at the entrance to the room. It wasn't Fiona, the girl who called me a "black witch," nor was it Carlos, the boy who got frightened easily, but another one.
The holographic image that only I could see immediately appeared above his head, revealing his name and a stat that gave me a glimmer of hope: Daniel, Love Interest and Affection 22. It was the highest I had seen so far.
Looking at him, I could see he was slightly hungry, his small stomach rumbling faintly, but his curiosity seemed to outweigh his fear. The previous Jamie must have been a monster to have left them so traumatized, so my sudden display of warmth was probably a completely new experience for them.
The holographic system beside me, as if sensing my need, flickered to life. I scrolled through the strange new categories of food I now had access to, navigating my way to the snacks tab. My eyes immediately landed on a free bag of chips. I pressed the "Redeem" button, watching the bag of chips instantly materialize beside me with a soft whumph. I carefully picked it up and held it out to him.
"Take and eat," I mumbled, my voice still thick with sleepiness.
He froze, his eyes widening as he stared at the chips. He slowly approached, but just as he reached for the bag, he hesitated, his small body tensing.
"Adrien says anything from you will kill me," Daniel mumbled, his voice full of a child's simple, unwavering belief.
I frowned. Adrien, once more. Who was this Adrien that seemed to hold such a great place in their hearts? I remembered Carlos mentioning his name earlier.
"And you believed him?" I questioned, my voice softening as I saw him nod innocently.
I sighed, a long, tired breath. I had to prove it was safe. I tore open the bag, the crinkling sound an oddly nostalgic noise. I grabbed a chip and ate it, the salty, crunchy taste a heavenly assault on my senses. I ate another, then a third, and a fourth. The taste was so foreign, so familiar, so delicious that I had to physically force myself to stop before I ate the entire bag.
"Now, Daniel," I said, my voice gentle and reassuring, "am I dying?" I asked, watching him shake his head. A genuine smile touched my lips. I've always loved innocent children. I was an only child, so having someone who looked up to me, even in this bizarre situation, felt strange but not unwelcome.
"Then take and eat," I motioned, my hand still holding out the bag.
He took it, his eyes wide, and slowly moved away as if afraid that if he stayed for too long, I would change my mind and beat him. The previous Jamie had clearly left them with a deep-seated fear of him. I sighed, looking at the holographic bar that showed his love interest and affection still at a timid 22. I still had a long way to go to gain their trust.
My craving for the chips was an itch I couldn't scratch, but I was so exhausted that I quickly gave in to sleep, my consciousness drifting away. I didn't have to pretend for long; I ended up snoring from the depth of my slumber. It had truly been an hectic day.
Author's POV
Daniel's eyes widened, the small bag of chips clutched in his hands. He looked at it, then back at the "black witch," who was now snoring quietly on the furs. He couldn't believe he had given him food.
The words of his siblings, especially Adrien, replayed in his head, but his hunger, a deep, gnawing pit in his stomach, won out. He ate one chip, and his eyes immediately lit up. A sweet, salty, and completely unearthly taste filled his mouth, a flavor he had never experienced before. He ate another, savoring it, the crunch and the flavor a magical combination. He couldn't keep this to himself. He had to share it.
His small feet pounded on the ground as he rushed back to where his siblings sat together, their faces long and their stomachs rumbling. They had been starving since morning because their father had to sell all the meat in the house to get enough money to bail out that black witch from the auction.
Daniel walking closer with food made them curious and suspicious.
"Daniel, what are you eating?" Adrien asked, his voice sharp with suspicion as he saw the bag in his brother's hands.
"Come on, try it!" Daniel persuaded, a joyful gleam in his eyes.
Adrien looked at him skeptically, he wanted to refuse. But Daniel's happy, innocent face and the delicious aroma coming from the bag were too tempting to ignore. Adrien couldn't turn down the food. He cautiously took a single chip and bit into it. The moment that juicy, salty, and savory flavor filled his mouth, his eyes widened in shock. He quickly took a handful, his skepticism completely forgotten.
"Try it," he said, this time Adrien persuading the others.
Benjamin, who was used to pranking his siblings with bitter berries and other disgusting treats, looked at his brothers mischievously. He thought they were pretending, trying to lure him into a trap. He took a handful and bit into it, expecting a bitter taste. But the flavor that hit him was so rich and so good that it blinded his mischievous mind and cleared away every scheming idea.
"Can I try?" Ella's quiet voice rang out. Ella had been the most withdrawn since morning, her hunger making her too timid to speak. But she knew that if she didn't speak up, her brothers would finish the food off. She slowly took a bite, and her eyes widened in longing. Adrien, seeing her desperate look, gave her a generous handful.
Carlos, seeing his siblings enjoying the food, walked over and dipped his hand into the bag. The moment the food entered his mouth, he broke down crying, the sweet, comforting taste a painful reminder of his hunger. He stuffed more into his mouth, his emotional reaction a testament to how good the food was.
Fiona sat back, staring at the chips and her siblings eating. She chose not to eat but her hungry gaze sold her away.
She didn't know where the food came from, and she wasn't going to risk eating what she believed maybe poison. Her thoughts ended abruptly as something entered her mouth.
Its rich taste filled her senses, and she looked over to see Benjamin, his face smug, smirking at his stubborn little sister. Fiona, after stuffing her mouth with it. Fiona will broke as she rushed forward, her hands outstretched for the bag. Gone was that cautiousness.
It wasn't long before they were all done eating, everyone complimenting the strange taste and how sweet and delicious it was.
"Daniel, which tree did you pluck it from? Tell us so we can go cut the whole tree down!" Fiona demanded, her eyes wide with a newfound greed.
Daniel looked at them, feeling a sudden pang of guilt and fear. He couldn't lie to them.
"It's no tree, Fiona," he muttered, his voice quiet. "It was the black witch who gave it to me."
A stunned silence fell over the group, followed by a chorus of shocked whispers.
"What?"