Episode 1

[System Upgrade to Wealth]

[Rabu, March 1st, 20xx Country B]

A modest little cabin on the edge of a vast verdant meadow. The sun proudly emitted its ultraviolet rays, bathing the earth in a tender light.

A teenage boy hurried on his way to school along a narrow path. To his left and right lay fields of grass still damp with dew. The teen was Ferzo.

Within a few minutes, Ferzo emerged from the path onto a road bustling with traffic.

Daily, Ferzo walked to school. The modest earnings from herding goats paid for his education and daily needs, though sometimes they fell short.

Ferzo longed for a decent job post-graduation. The daily mockery and scorn for his current work rankled him, and though he wanted to retaliate, he held back, biding his time until graduation.

Arriving at school, Ferzo entered his classroom to be met with stares and snickers. He bowed his head, shielded from their taunts.

"Look who's here," called out Yun, a wealthy classmate, and perpetual tormentor, the son of an official.

"None other than the poverty-stricken goat herder," chimed in Iyan, Yun's friend, as they laughed together. Ferzo remained silent, choosing instead to read a book.

Unsatisfied with being ignored, Yun stood, snatched Ferzo's book, and ripped it.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Ferzo shouted as he immediately stood up, his eyes already beginning to glisten with tears. He clenched his hands tightly, wishing he could tear Yun's body to pieces right now, but he couldn't. Or he wanted to just run away and quit school, but considering his future fate, he wouldn't always be a goat herder, he also wanted to succeed like others someday.

"Look, he's crying," taunted Yun, laughing.

Yes, tears fell on Ferzo's desk. Overwhelmed by the pain, he rested his head on the desk, weeping silently.

"Huh! Crybaby," scoffed Yun, throwing the torn book onto Ferzo's head before returning to his seat. They carried on laughing carefree.

Ferzo glared at them angrily. After bullying someone, didn't they feel guilty? Couldn't they feel his suffering? Since both of Ferzo's parents had passed away due to illness, he, who was supposed to still need their presence, had to endure the harsh realities of life. How could a child his age live alone? Scrounging for food for daily needs and paying his own school fees? This was what he had to experience right now. Now, he also had to face school friends who bullied him every day.

The teacher walked in, noticing Ferzo's reddened eyes.

"Ferzo, what's wrong?" asked the teacher, peering over his glasses.

"It's nothing, sir. Just something in my eye," lied Ferzo, rubbing his eyes. Yun sneered from the second row, and Ferzo looked away, focusing on his lessons.

After class, the students poured out, jostling each other. Ferzo accidentally bumped into Yuli, the most beautiful girl in class and daughter of a wealthy businessman.

"Hey! Don't you have eyes! How dare you bump into me, you smell like goat dung! Don't get close to people! It's truly disgusting! I have to take a thorough bath when I get home, or else the smell of goat won't go away!" grumbled Yuli, annoyed. She is the most beautiful girl in the area, she is also the daughter of a rich man, her father is a successful businessman in her city.

"I didn't mean to," Ferzo murmured, his head bowed in apology.

"Your apology means nothing. Get on your knees, then maybe I'll forgive you," demanded Yuli, hands on her hips.

The surrounding students watched like an engrossing show, and with Yun approaching Yuli, it turned into a spectacle.

"What's going on?" asked Yun.

"He bumped into me, the nerve of this grubby goat-smelling boy coming near me," pouted Yuli in front of Yun.

Ferzo tried to escape, knowing tomorrow held worse for him, but Iyan and Mul grabbed him, dragging him in front of Yuli and Yun.

"Bow to Yuli!" Yun yelled, pushing Ferzo's head down hard until it touched the floor.

"Now!" Yun shouted again, Ferzo's eyes reddening with pain and humiliation as Yun forced him down, with Yuli placing her foot on his face. The deep insult stung.

No one reported to a teacher, too engrossed in the spectacle. Finally, Yun let go once Yuli was satisfied, leaving Ferzo in pain.

Tears falling, Ferzo stood, walking home, crying. How long until this suffering ended? With one and a half years of school left, he had to endure.

Upon reaching his dwelling, he found his employer and others gathered, furious.

"What is it?" Ferzo approached.

"Look at the pen, some goats are missing! Unattended, I've suffered a great loss; those were ready for sale. How will you compensate?" his employer accused.

Shocked, Ferzo ran to the pen to find five large goats gone. Grief-stricken, he realized he had no money for replacements.

"Sorry, sir," Ferzo said softly, head bowed.

"Sorry? Your sorry won't replace my goats! You've made an unforgivable error; take your pay and leave. I need a shepherd who'll care for my goats," his employer handed him a brown envelope with 500 thousand inside.

"Please give me another chance, I promise to do better," Ferzo begged.

"No! No chance! Leave now!" his employer shouted, tossing the envelope at Ferzo's feet. Trembling, Ferzo picked it up and packed his belongings, glancing back at the cabin filled with memories, reluctantly leaving.

"Where will I go?" Ferzo wandered the streets aimlessly like a vagabond, pausing on a bridge, surveying the sky.

"Who else suffers as I do? Who else cares? Isn't my misery enough? Orphaned, impoverished!" Ferzo cried out, tears streaming down his face.

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