All-around teacher at the magic academy

My name is Philip, an ordinary person like most others.

When I was six years old, my parents passed away in an accident. At that time, I didn't know what death was; I only knew that I had been abandoned.

I cried for a long time that day, not because of the fear of death, but because of the helplessness of being abandoned. I didn't know where to go, so I just shouted loudly in the street, hoping to get a response from them, but there was no response.

I noticed people on the street turning around to look at me every now and then. I didn't know what their gazes meant, but I just felt annoyed.

That day, I cried for a long time in the street until I was so exhausted that I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was very hungry. I didn't know where to eat. In the past, when I was hungry, my mother would cook for me.

I started scavenging for food in garbage dumps to survive, and at night I would find a corner to sleep in. Sometimes I would meet kind people who would give me some food, and just having something warm would make me happy for a long time.

As I grew older, I began to beg from passersby. I would lower my head and recount my experiences in a trembling voice, hoping to elicit a shred of sympathy. Sometimes, kind people would give me some food or spare change, temporarily solving my hunger problem. However, most of the time, all I received was indifference and ridicule.

To survive, I learned to read people's expressions and seek out those who might give me handouts. I wandered every corner of the city, witnessing the coldness and warmth of human nature. In this process, I met many people like myself. I started hanging out with them; they took me to steal things, and sometimes they would even go so far as to rob people outright.

The first time, I was a little scared, but as I did it more often, I got used to it.

Once, I saw a man who looked wealthy, and I decided to steal his money when he wasn't looking. Unfortunately, he caught me.

I was terrified when I was caught. I thought I was going to get beaten up, but the man didn't lay a hand on me. He just took back the money I had stolen.

Afterwards, he bought me bread and sat next to me watching me wolf it down. He asked me why I stole his things, and I said I was hungry and had no money to buy food.

He talked to me for a long time that day, asking me why I was like this. I didn't know why; I only knew that I was afraid of being hungry. I told him about my experience, and he told me to learn from him, promising that he would make sure he didn't go hungry every day.

I agreed to his request. If we can eat our fill every day, who would choose to steal or rob?

In the days that followed, he taught me things every day. At first, he taught me to read, and once I could recognize some, he began to teach me other things. Later, seeing my talent, he started teaching me magic. I never imagined that such magical things existed in this world. I studied very diligently because I enjoyed it.

He told me not to steal from others anymore. I told him that as long as I could have enough to eat, I wouldn't steal. He smiled but didn't say anything.

He taught me how to work and how to earn money. He told me not to tell anyone that I learned magic from him. When I asked him why, he said it was because he had enemies and was afraid of being implicated.

For the next three years, I was very happy and fulfilled. But this happy period didn't last long. He seemed to have some hidden illness. One day when I went to wake him up, I found him lying stiffly on the bed.

And so, I became a person again, but this time I didn't beg or steal money. Instead, I chose to find a job.

Until one day, I met a little girl who was also trying to steal my money, but I caught her. When I saw her, it was as if I saw my former self, that pitiful creature who was helpless and unwanted.

I decided to help her. I told her, "Come with me, I'll make sure you have enough to eat, and don't steal anymore." She nodded, looking confused, and I took her back to where I lived.

She's really well-behaved; she does whatever I ask her to do. Every time I come home from work, she's waiting for me. She can't cook, but she still tries to prepare things for me. I tell her it's not necessary, that she's too young to do it, but she doesn't want to, so I have to start teaching her how to turn on the stove and how to cook.

I taught her the same way the person who taught me. Once, I came home later than usual because of work, and she was waiting for me at the door.

When I came back, I saw that her eyes were very red, so she must have just been crying. When she saw me, she ran over and hugged me. She said, "Brother, I thought you weren't coming back."

That was the first time I heard her call me brother. I was very happy because I felt that I was no longer alone and that I had my own sister.

From then on, we addressed each other as brother and sister.

But fate always seemed to be working against me. One time, when I took her out to play, she suddenly fell to the ground. I didn't know why this happened. I was terrified, afraid that this little sister I had just gained would leave me again.

I quickly carried her to the nearby hospital, but the doctor was helpless and could only say she needed to stay in the hospital for observation for a few days. Then he prescribed a lot of medicine and told me to pay for it. I used all the money I had saved over the past two years, but it still wasn't enough. I asked if I could pay later, but the doctor said that I would have to go home.

With no other option, I started borrowing money from all over the place, but I didn't have any friends. In the end, I had no choice but to steal money from others again.

I specifically targeted wealthy people because I knew magic, so I rarely got caught. But eventually, I was arrested by law enforcement, who put me in jail and asked me why I stole other people's money.

I told him that I had a younger sister in the hospital who needed money for treatment, and I begged him to let me go, because my sister couldn't be left unattended.

The man asked me which hospital my sister was in, and I took him there to visit her. He told me not to steal anymore and suggested I join the law enforcement force, starting as a night watchman, saying the work wouldn't be too dangerous.

I was very grateful to him, and the salary he paid me was not low, but it was still not enough to make ends meet, so I started doing part-time jobs during the day and working night shifts at night.

During that period, I frequently changed jobs because I was always tired and they didn't want me.

I've worked as a newspaper vendor, a rickshaw puller, and even a shoeshine boy for wealthy people. Although my daytime jobs kept changing, my night shifts remained the same. I knew he was very good to me, so I would try my best to do more for him.

And so, my sister and I gradually settled down.

For the past twenty years, I've lived a busy and arduous life, enduring both scorn and pity. I felt abandoned by the world, yet it also gave me hope.

Since my younger sister was born, my life is no longer so helpless. At least I have a goal. I have experienced those days of poverty, so I don't want her to repeat the same mistakes.

Some people say I've lived a miserable life, and I don't disagree, but I think it's been worth it. At least I'm still alive, and there are people who love me.

My name is Philip, and I am Ilya's older brother.