I died and was reborn into an Otome game!? (Hiatus)

Before Ball - Age 13

It was a bank holiday today; Prince Desmisdeus Zatara's birthday. Of course, his birthday would be a holiday. Jayne decided to take this opportunity to leave the castle's grounds for the first time since she was 10 years old and her parents abandoned at the castle. Her parents worked down in the capital Telepylus where the king and his Palace was.

It just so happened that the city Aeolia where Octavia lived was the closest city to the capital where child labour was legal. So, of course, they got young Jayne to work at the castle, where pay was the highest in the area and all the money that she earned to go to her parent's pockets. Child labour may be a thing here, but they do get paid at least, they're not monsters.

Fifteen was the global age where people could legally start doing work, but were still considered minors. So Jayne couldn't start to claim money that she earnt until she was 18 years old. So no matter how desperately she wanted to go out and buy some treats for herself, she physically can't. Well, she could steal, but in this world, thieves get their hands chopped off. So, it wasn't  a particularly desirable option

Instead, she was helping out Mr Morton clean out his cottage. Mr Morton was an old, kind man who had once saved Octavia's father's life when he was a boy. In repayment, Mr Morton was given a job and home fairly close to the castle. Many years later, he went out one day to the local infirmary for a check-up and found a small, sad little boy. His parents, dead from some unknown illness. Heartbroken at seeing the crying child. He took him in and gave him a new home.

Whilst cleaning, Jayne found a little bracelet on the mantlepiece, it was very simple, but very cute, for it had a little love heart carved out of wood attached to it. However, only half of the heart was present. She assumed it must be some sort of sentimental piece he had kept, and had wanted to ask him about it to make sure she didn't throw it away.

Or that would've been the question she would ask him directly, but Jayne knew the truth. When playing the game on Abraham's route, the player finds out that Mr Morton had died 6 months before the start of the game due to old age. When the player reaches a high enough intimacy level, Abraham reveals the story of the bracelet because he himself wears it. Even though Jayne already knew the story, she wanted to hear it from Mr Morton himself.

"Sir, what is this?" She held it up so he could see.

"Ahh." He sighed, sadly reminiscing. He slowly walked up to her, "This used to belong to someone very important to me." He gently took it from Jayne, "I've always kept it there." He pointed to the mantlepiece, "She always used to say the hearth was the warmest place of the home, how it brought life into the world. I always kept it there because I always believed she lives in the fire, always full of life and dancing." He smiled at the unlit fireplace.

"She?" Jayne asked, already knowing who he was referring to.

"My wife, Grace, she was always so lovely. When we were kids, I carved out a wooden heart and split it in two, so that we could each keep one half. It was her idea to make the bracelet and attach the two halves onto them. They were like our own versions of wedding rings."

Jayne looked down to his wrist and saw that he was still wearing his. Her heart panged just a tad, she never knew he still wore it. "That's... incredibly sweet."

He sadly chuckled, "Yeah..." He put it back on the mantlepiece.

"I'm sorry." She felt that it was necessary to apologize.

"Don't be." He patted her shoulder, "The love we shared was once in a lifetime, I'm glad I even got the chance to experience it, even it was short-lived."

Jayne could feel her eyes to water, but she didn't want to appear weak, 'he's a fictional character Jayne, come on.' She told herself. Before she could get even more emotional, Abraham soured the mood and burst in.

"Hey, I'm back!" He then noticed Jayne's presence, "Jay- Jayne?" Wh- what are you doing here?" A girl had never been in his house before.

"She's helping me tidy up the place, unlike you, you pippersquack!"

Jayne chuckled at his playful banter, whilst Abraham was profusely apologizing, "I- I'm sorry, Mr Morton. I'll do better next time."

Mr Morton just shook his head and walked off, leaving the two kids alone.

"Why are you here?" He sincerely asked, genuinely curious.

"I wanted to help Mr Morton."

"But, but it's a free day, you could've have done anything you wanted to."

"And I wanted to help out Mr Morton, just like how you decided to work for an extra day than to just do nothing. Because you wanted to earn a bit more money because you wanted to help out Mr Morton."

He bit his lip and looked to the side, not appreciating that Mr Morton had told her that he was working today. "That's because I owe him my gratitude."

Jayne sighed and walked up to him, "Silly boy," She ruffled his hair, "Firstly, you don't have to feel obliged to work on your day off just because he took you in, and secondly, just because I don't have an obligation to help him out doesn't mean I can't help him out. That's the beauty of free will, you should be able to help others because you want to, not because you're obliged to."

Once again her words were planted into Abraham's mind as he thought them over. "I guess that kinda makes sense." He mumbled.

Mr Morton reentered the room with a small pouch, "Why don't you kids go out to town and have a bit of fun before it gets dark."He tossed the pouch to Jayne."

"Oh, I possibly couldn't-"

"Nonsense," He waved his arms, dismissing her, "I know that you don't earn any money, so if I don't give you some to enjoy yourself, who will, now the both of you get out of here."

Jayne giggled and mumbled a thank you and walked off, Abraham looked at Mr Morton, who only nodded for him to follow her.

-

The two walked into town, a bunch of yellow ribbons decorated the streetlights in honour for the Prince's birthday. Jayne didn't know what she wanted to buy with the money, "Is there anything you would like?" She asked Abraham.

He looked up at her, still smaller than her, but only slightly, "I don't have a preference."

'Well, can you? Because I don't have one either.' She screamed in her head.

"What did he mean when he said you don't earn money?"

Jayne blinked rapidly at his question, "Ummm... well... You see, my parents live in the capital, and we're not well off, all of the money I earn goes to them. I don't get to keep a single coin until I'm 18."

He frowned, "But that's not fair."

She scoffed, "Life isn't fair. But we have to accept it."

"But why?"

Se gave a thin smile, "Because we can't change it. We don't hold that kind of power."

"Then who does?"

"The king, obviously, but why would he change the system that benefits him and the people surrounding him."

"For the greater good of the kingdom?"

Jayne bellowed, "Ha! As if they're compassionate enough to do that. Oh, Abraham, you have so much to learn, here." She tossed the pouch to him, "Take it, I don't want anything, the castle provides all the necessities I need, and I already have you."

"You.. have me?" His heart palpitated.

"Yeah, I don't need to buy anything, I already have a great friend like you to keep me entertained." She smiled at him.

Abraham couldn't fully understand why, but he was... disappointed? He too enjoyed her company, but a friend? The thought caused his heart to ache. Did he? Did he want to be more than friends? He never really dawned on it before, but she was so sweet and selfless, her happiness was contagious. Seeing her smile made him smile. He wanted to make her smile. He wanted her to smile because of him.

He looked down at the pouch and took out a single coin, "Here." He held it up for her, "Think of it as a gift, something to remember me by."

She tsked and took it, "Sure, if you say so." She ruffled his hair again. He liked it when she did that.