how it started...
In a village on the edge of a dark forest, there stood an old, dilapidated house. Inside, a father and his young son lived. The boy, around eight years old, had lost his mother to the monstrous creatures that roamed the ghostly forest when he was just four, leaving only faint memories of her. These creatures rarely left the forest, but once in a while, they did—and his mother was tragically caught in one of these rare moments.
Sadly, the boy’s father couldn’t cope with the loss and spiraled into madness, drowning himself in drink and treating his son more like a servant than a child. With work scarce in the impoverished village, the father stopped contributing and instead forced his son to earn money for his drink. With no choice, the boy began venturing into the forest at eight years old, cutting down trees and carrying heavy logs to sell around the village.
Some may wonder why he didn’t simply run away, but his father’s relentless bullying kept him bound. His father had torn down his self-worth, filling his mind with cruel lies that he would be nothing without him, that he wouldn’t survive alone, that his life had no meaning outside of his father’s protection. The boy, not knowing otherwise, believed every word, convinced his father’s harsh treatment was somehow for his own good.
Life continued this way until one day, a strange man appeared in the village. Cloaked in a black robe and hooded, his face was hidden, but his presence alone hinted at wealth. He approached the boy’s father with an unusual offer: he wanted to buy his son. At first, the father refused, but when the man named his price, he quickly agreed. The little boy, terrified and confused, begged his father for forgiveness, sobbing, “I’m sorry… sorry… SORRY!” But his father merely stared at the money, showing no concern for his son’s desperation.
In that silent, tense moment, only the boy’s panicked breathing filled the room. He looked at his father, but his father only looked at the money. Hope abandoned him.
Seeing this, the traveler gently reassured the boy, promising that he would be safe and, more than that, happier. With nothing left to lose, the boy followed him. He cast one last glance at his father, but his father didn’t spare him so much as a glance in return. The boy turned away, a single tear slipping down his cheek.
“What’s your name?” the traveler asked softly.
“…Kawaki,” the boy whispered.
“Well, Kawaki, shall we go?”
Kawaki nodded quietly. The traveler returned a reassuring smile, took his hand, and together, they ventured deep into the forest.
