The first two years of Bruno's new life were filled with wonder. He was blessed with loving parents who, unaware of his reincarnation, affectionately called him Boreas. It was understandable, considering the fantastical nature of his true existence.

Within a few weeks, he had gained full control over his newfound body. In a matter of months, he learned to speak, yet chose to remain silent, pretending to be an ordinary child. Eavesdropping on his parents' conversations, he discovered that his father, Jerome, worked as a sailor aboard the ship "Merry Mery," which traversed the coastline, ferrying goods between cities. His mother, Matilda, was a skilled seamstress, dedicating herself to mending clothes and ship sails.

Living in a port town, named Blackrock, Bruno became aware of the immense influence of pirates whose headquarters loomed on a nearby island. Stolen goods flowed through the city, and secret deals ensured the safety of ships and their crews from pirate attacks.

Bruno's eagerness to learn to read grew with each passing day, but he faced a significant hurdle—he lacked the means to learn the alphabet. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of a series of unfortunate events.

At a certain point, his mother fell ill, plagued by violent coughing fits. Isolated from the rest of the family, she soon succumbed to her ailment. Her death left a profound impact on Jerome, his grief driving him to drown his sorrows in heavy drinking. The single attic room they once called home became too expensive, forcing them to relocate to a meager shack in the slums near the docks. All of this transpired when Bruno was just three years old, already able to walk and talk.

For the following year, he found himself shuttled among various families in the neighborhood, as his father embarked on long voyages, rarely returning to town. This premature entry into adulthood necessitated his engagement in labor. At the tender age of four, he became placed under the care of Mrs. Griselda, a formidable woman who had lost her husband at sea and had no children of her own. Now, she tended to several children belonging to sailors without wives. Among them, Bruno was the youngest.

Mrs. Griselda had four other children under her watch, but Bruno paid little attention to them. They all toiled in the docks, their lives unremarkable. His new guardian arranged for him to work at a tavern called the "Salty Sturgeon." Despite his tender age, Bruno proved surprisingly adept, responsible for cleaning fish, peeling potatoes, scrubbing floors, and carrying lighter loads. Occasionally, he would even deliver messages. These tasks sustained him while his father was away, ensuring his survival amidst the challenges that life in Blackrock presented.

He exerted his utmost effort to learn how to read, but it proved to be a challenging endeavor. With the scarcity of written words in his surroundings, acquiring knowledge of the alphabet was an arduous task. Bruno found himself compelled to spend every moment of his free time at the docks, observing the comings and goings of ships, etching the strings of characters that adorned their names into his memory. He would then connect these written names with the spoken names he heard from sailors or anyone willing to provide him with information.

This process was lengthy and slow, but it eventually bore fruit. Bruno achieved his first significant milestone: he learned to read.

The second crucial aspect of his life revolved around gaining an understanding of the gods in this new world. His circumstances prompted him to question the power and influence of the goddess who had granted him reincarnation. He was promised perfect timing and a perfect environment, yet he felt that he received none of it. Unsure if it was a part of some greater plan, or simply the lack of power from the divine side, he began looking for answers. He swiftly discovered that only a handful of deities, widely worshipped throughout the lands, possessed the ability to manifest their powers. Though this knowledge did not sway Bruno from fulfilling his end of the deal, it also removed a worry of possible retribution.

After all, if the goddess didn’t deliver, why should he? Suspecting a prior warning before the possible punishment came, he felt quite comfortable with focusing first on his own goals.

With these foundations laid, Bruno could finally formulate a plan to improve his position in this world. Money, influence, and connections became his coveted objectives, prerequisites for initiating his desired course of action. However, instead of possessing these crucial elements, he remained trapped in the body of an eight-year-old boy, peeling potatoes in the street behind the tavern.

On a seemingly ordinary day, two unfamiliar children passed by him. Clad in ragged garments, it was evident they were homeless. A single glance allowed Bruno to discern that they did not belong to this part of town. Normally, he may not have paid them any mind, but earlier that day, he had overheard news about two children caught stealing at the city market. They had suffered a gruesome punishment, their hands nailed to the platform where criminals were typically hanged.

These two children who now walked past him were likely affiliated with the same gang and had been banished from the market area. This knowledge presented a gateway to the connections Bruno desperately sought.

Among the principles upheld within the thief crews formed by children, loyalty reigned supreme—an attribute he knew would prove invaluable in the future. Abandoning his work, he swiftly pursued the duo.

"Hey, you!" he called out.

The larger child turned, placing a hand on the shoulder of the smaller one. The girl possessed short, dark hair and a face smudged with dirt. She had been prepared to flee alongside the shorter boy, who also glanced over his shoulder.

"I have food," Bruno announced, and that alone enticed them to stay.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice brimming with caution.

"Nothing. I simply want to offer you something to eat. Stay here, I'll be right back," he assured them before darting back into the alley from whence he had come.

He discreetly entered the tavern through the back entrance. The bustling kitchen welcomed him, alive with activity. The allure of affordable meals drew sailors on their journeys along the coastline, seeking respite and sustenance. Not to mention the city dwellers engaged in lucrative trades, affording them the luxury of dining outside their own homes.

Several women occupied a long table, engrossed in their respective tasks. Some kneaded dough for bread, while others expertly chopped vegetables or sliced meat. A large cooking pot simmered atop a brick stove, emanating fragrant steam as a hearty soup brewed within. Bruno, feigning a search for something, swiftly pilfered a handful of carrots and tomatoes before discreetly departing. Not a single soul spared him a glance.

He was a diligent worker, earning every coin that Miss Sloan, the tavern's owner, bestowed upon him. However, the majority of those earnings ultimately found their way into Mrs. Griselda's pocket. Despite this, Bruno never voiced his grievances, always proactive in completing tasks before anyone even had a chance to request them. The women, aware of his unwavering work ethic, often disregarded his presence, knowing he was far from lazy.

Exiting the tavern, he hastened out of the alley where the girl awaited him, though the younger child had vanished—a wise move. If he were to return with adults to apprehend them, only she would be ensnared. Bruno surmised that the younger kid was likely lurking nearby, concealed from view.

"Here," he offered, extending the stolen goods to her.

Without uttering a word, she accepted the provisions. Bruno harbored no immediate expectations, so he turned to make his way back. However, she halted him with a question.

"Hey! What's your name?" she inquired.

"Bruno. Remember it, for it may prove useful in the future," he replied, hearing a brief chuckle as he resumed his abandoned tasks.

From that point forward, Viki would occasionally appear, seeking food. Initially, she had nothing to offer in return, but over time, she began to bring him valuable information. Their relationship evolved gradually over the span of four years.

As the months passed, Bruno gleaned fragments of Viki's past. She was the daughter of a deceased prostitute, claimed by the ravages of venereal disease. Left orphaned and vulnerable, she found herself on the unforgiving streets with her young brother, Tom, whom she fiercely shielded from harm. Fortunately, a band of fellow destitute children took them under their wing, surviving by pilfering sustenance from the city market. Though meager, a stale piece of bread kept them alive—until some of their numbers were caught.

Within the docks, Viki stumbled upon a new crew of slightly older individuals who assumed responsibility for her well-being.

The bond between the two flourished, reaching new heights, particularly on the day Viki sprinted toward him, pursued by a group of men following her failed thieving endeavor. She skidded to a halt before him, her countenance etched with sheer panic. Abandoning his current task, Bruno swiftly clasped her hand, guiding her through a labyrinth of empty beer kegs awaiting collection by the brewers later in the week.

Returning to his stool, Bruno interrupted his work, anticipating the imminent arrival of two men. They materialized within moments, their breathless voices betraying their urgency.

"Did you see a kid running?!" one of them inquired.

"A girl, did you see her?!" the other chimed in.

Wordlessly, Bruno pointed further into the alley, his silence speaking volumes. The men dashed off in the indicated direction, their figures soon vanishing into the distance.

This incident became a precursor to several others. Occasionally, Bruno would aid Viki in evading her pursuers, ensuring she remained hidden from those who sought her capture. He stood sentinel during her crew's nighttime escapades, providing an extra layer of vigilance as they sought to pilfer more valuable goods—albeit nothing of grandiose proportions. Food, alcohol, fabric, and other necessities for survival were their targets, often sourced from inadequately guarded port warehouses.

His role primarily involved lurking in the shadows, poised to sound a warning whistle if an unexpected presence loomed while Viki and her cohorts delved deeper into their thieving pursuits. Consequently, Bruno rarely crossed paths with the other members of the thieving troupe.

Such was the passage of time until Bruno celebrated his twelfth birthday when everything underwent a profound transformation.