"I… who am I?"

That was the first thought that came to the 8-year-old child as he stood up from the dirty hole that he was in. He tried to open his eyes but found that his eyelids were heavy. Something was keeping it heavy and sealed shut, so he raised his arms with great difficulty before rubbing it away. Opening his eyes, he was beholden to the strange situation he found himself in. He was completely naked, not even a shred of cloth to cover his pure and chaste body. His white skin was encrusted with a sickly brown mixture of dirt, dung, and food scraps.

"No… that's not the question I should be asking. That question is… where am I?"

His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of a door. The squeaking of the hinges of an oft-used door resounded in the small alleyway. The youth's vision turned towards the source of the sound. The scene of a young male, about 15 years of age, carrying a large round basket full of trash, towards his location. After a series of grunting and much difficulty, the young male made it in front of the dung-encrusted child, the basket blocking the 8-year-old child from the young male's vision. Trying to open his mouth to speak, the child was unable as the filth had encrusted his mouth shut as well. As he furiously rubbed the filth off of his mouth, the youth had already made it to his location. Finally done, the child opened his mouth to speak… but was met with a mouthful of the trash instead.

Satisfied with his work, the young male dusted off his hands and put his basket to the side, and turned around. Before he turned around fully, he caught a certain figure at the corner of his vision.

"Huh?"

He confusedly looked at the filthy 8-year-old and rubbed his eyes before murmuring to himself.

"Must just be my imagination…"

Coughing, the 8-year-old child started to speak.

"Excuse m-?"

Before he could finish, the 8-year-old child was rudely interrupted. Screaming, the young male dropped his basket and fell to the dusty ground outside of the filth pit. Without hearing another word from, what seemed to him was, a monster, he ran back inside with a fright. The child stared at the closed door, extremely confused before the thought occurred to him.

"Ah… I look pretty scary right now, don't I?

Having said so, he scrounged up as much strength as he could and pulled himself out of the filthy pit onto the dusty ground. Feeling tired, he lay there for a long while to recuperate his strength. He awaited the return of the young male from before, but it didn't look like he was going to return too soon. So, he instead tried to wipe off as much filth as he could. After about half an hour of work, he was starting to look a bit more presentable… although he still smelled and was more or less still covered in filth. At least, he still didn't look like a sludge monster and was more human-looking now. Looking at his handiwork, he nodded to himself before he dragged himself to the door. Before he could open it, the door opened quickly, slamming into his face, knocking him onto the dusty ground once more.

"Urk-!"

"Wha-?"

The 8-year-old child could hear a voice resound in the alleyway. His swimming vision finally stabilized and he recognized the young male from before that had dumped the trash on him. This time, the young male had come back empty-handed but had a companion at his back. This companion was clothed in leather, metal boots and gauntlets, a sword at his hip, and held a metal helm tightly at his side. Smelling the nauseous fumes that came from the child, both the armored man and the young male quickly covered their noses. Picking up a bucket from nearby that had collected rainwater, the young male dumped its contents on the filthy child that pitifully laid on the dusty ground. Taking initiative, the child started to scrub himself down with his hands and nails, getting rid of as much filth as he could. Although he still stank like hell, the child was finally to able look slightly presentable.

"Hm… we'll have to wash him up before we take him back to the Watch's headquarters. We'll have to borrow the Inn's backroom, and wash him up there."

A gruff voice came from the armored man as he talked to the young male. Having said his part, he walked back into the Inn. Looking at the 8-year-old child, the young male looked at the child unwillingly before quickly resigning himself to his fate. Sighing, he gestured at the child.

"Alright… get up. We got to get you washed up. Follow me."

Struggling, the child slowly stood up. Although a bit wobbly on his feet, he was still able to walk on his own. The young male had a grateful look to him, as he didn't have to touch the filthy child, and walked inside the Inn hinting for the child to follow. Grasping the door handle as support, he entered the dimly lit backroom. Scanning the room, the child inspected his new surroundings. Inside was a large space, there were many sturdy-looking wooden shelves lined with various labeled wooden boxes, bags, and jars. The building was completely silent, with only the occasional creaking. Not wanting to cause trouble, he closed the door behind him and decided to sit down on the floor to recuperate his strength. A few moments later, another door opened. The young male entered with a wooden tub partially filled with water, a wooden cup, and a brush in his arms. Gesturing to the child to enter, the young male placed the tub on the floor. Standing up once more, the child trotted over before tripping over the edge and falling into the tub with a splash. After the child sat up, the young male immediately went to work, scrubbing off all the filth from the child's body, leaving no place unturned.

"I… don't think I can get married anymore."

That was the thought that came to the child as he put on the clothes given to him. It was just some sackcloth with many holes, but it was better than nothing.