《Airi in a Thousand Worlds》 The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (0) The beginning is often the same each time. A blob of light separates from the main body. This blob is a very small piece of her soul, used to give life and consciousness to the clones. The blob of light then descends to the mundane world. The light then enters a pre-made clone body, made out of a piece of the Goddess'' flesh and blood. This blob of light''s body was made out of the Goddess'' hair.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The clone then enters the selected world, of which it had been assigned to for certain missions. Its mission, in this particular world, is to determine the best candidate to become one of the world''s administering gods¡ªotherwise known as Domain Lord. The clone is born in the selected world. This time, the clone is born as a fairy. The fairy wakes up among a flower bed full of bright and colourful flowers. The air is fresh and the flowers emitted a fragrant smell. Today, too, begins another adventure for the Goddess'' Saint Fairy-type clone. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (1) The clone yawns and stretches her limbs as she wakes. Blinking her big, round eyes, she tries to move her body to confirm her configurations. Nodding in satisfaction, she tries to stand up on her weak baby foal-like legs. She fails. The surrounding spirits and animals stare from afar. They do not dare to come closer as they could feel that her background is too deep and celestial for their humble existence. They watched as she foolishly tries to stand once again. They chuckle as she gives up with a pout. The nameless clone returns to her flower bed, intending to rest until she recovers her full strength. There is still so much things to configure regarding the new body. Closing her eyes, she backs into her dream world. The nameless clone is sent to the world as a mediator for its balance. The world is an intermediary world that is used as a favourite spot for the gods and goddesses to send incomplete souls to recuperate.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Namely, a favoured place for reincarnators and transmigrators. However, this world is ridden with karmic sin garnered from a loophole that allowed impertinent demons to enter freely from Hell. Though the goddess'' subordinates have already made the action to close the loophole, a few lucky parasites still managed to escape through the loophole. This, in turn, was causing the world¡¯s ruling gods to suffer headaches from its inconvenience. To make matters worse, one of the gods has disappeared, thus making their territory the perfect spot for the demons to flourish. The clone is a clone that originates from the Karma Goddess, Airi of the Fallen. Although she has her own consciousness, the clone realises that she is a clone. Regardless, the clone treats herself as the same being as the Goddess. She is capable of using a portion of her True Self¡¯s powers. However, the power is limited as she must create a contract with one of the world¡¯s denizen in order to stay in the world for a prolonged amount of time. This is a restriction for all of her clones as she is counted as an Outsider despite having the permission from all Domain Lords (gods) of the world save for the missing one to stay in the world. If she does not find a master soon, she will be attacked by the Natural Laws of the World. The clone is still nameless. Therefore, she decides to call herself ¡®Fairy¡¯ which is her general race. Names are important as they signify identity. Fairy who is an Outsider shall be able to roam freely in this world once her master gives her a new name. For now, Fairy decides to sleep as she waits for a mortal to come. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (2) It has been three days since Fairy came into the world. Right now, Fairy is feeling troubled. As a fairy, Fairy only needed the magical energy floating in the air as sustenance, but... somehow, a pile of fruits appeared next to her on the second day. And now, that pile seemed to have grown bigger. Ah, so troublesome... Fairy could sense the anticipation from the nearby forest animals hiding behind the trees. Are they giving offerings? It seems that they have recognised Fairy as a deity... not that she minded. However, she was still troubled over the food offerings she has received. It would be bad to waste them... she thought. "Auuu..." Fairy let out a sigh. She picks up a fruit and bit into it. She could feel her baby teeth throb due to the rather hard texture of the fruit. The juice dripped down her chin.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Mmm!" She tried her best to show her happiness as she ate the fruit. She could hear the forest animals clamouring excitedly. A~ahh, so troublesome... Fairy stood up as she finished the fruit, showing that she has become enegised. She could only hope that they don''t give her more fruits later... "Auuuu..." Fairy sighed. Three days, and there was still no sign of human behaviour in the forest. Perhaps she had been too deep in the forest that nobody dared to come? Ah, so bored... Fairy, who was newly born three days ago, had nothing to do. Looking back to the flower bedshe was born from, which she has used as her bed for the short duration of her life, she pondered whether she should leave or stay for a while longer. There was a higher chance of meeting people if she walked around instead of doing nothing. However, she was a newborn fairy. Other than the necessary magical energy she consumed for sustenance, she had not build up her power yet. After all, the other spirits also need to eat. She acknowledged the fact that she was as weak as a fly. If she had met someone, there was a higher chance that they could kill her easily, accidentally or not. No, nonononono. Fairy must not be impatient! Fairy must grow first! Fairy looked up at the sky, her tiny fists clenched together. Her eyes burned with determination. Moments later. Ahh... Fairy is tired... Let''s grow first, okay? Zzzzz. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (3) Two weeks after birth. Fairy is stronger now! Fairy has the strength of a human child! Fairy can now walk around without feeling too tired! Oh... Fairy is actually still quite weak, but please do not mind it. Fairy wil cry. "Uuu..." Now that she has grown a bit. Fairy seemed to have come to a realisation. Fairy was naked! She has no clothes! How embarrassing... It''s good that there is no one around to see her nakedness. "Auu..." So lonely... Fairy has now grown. She looks like a 6~7 years old human child now. She has developed enough magic power to be able to converse with the forest denizens. They are quite noisy, and the plants and trees would chatter endlessly to the point that it would be hard for Fairy to sleep at night.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. That being said, Fairy had once tried to pull off the leaves and stems to weave some clothes for herself. However! The plants were crying in pain! It was scary! Fairy feels guilty, and now she is still wearing her birthday suit. "Uuuu..." Fairy''s dignity is lost. Two weeks, still no humans. Hey~ hurry and pick Fairy up~ Ah... it seems that she has accidentally called something other than humans. "Waaaa!" The beasts have surrounded Fairy! They seem hungry! BUT! Fairy is not delicious, you know~ Pa! Fairy tapped the snout of the leader-ish beast. Bang! The beast seemed to be kissing the ground now. Ehhhh~ How cute~ "Woof woof!" The beast who is probably the leader of the pack is wagging its tail adorably, barking(?) good-naturedly. Ah, Fairy seemed to have remembered her cheat. She''s a goddess! Wrong! Fairy is a clone of a goddess! Fairy is stronk! She is loved by the world! Te-he~ Fairy played wrestling with the cute rabid dog-like beasts. Some poor forest animals were caught by the beasts for their dinner. Fairy was offered some! Ehhh~ looking at the little animals who looked as if they were wronged, Fairy suddenly felt guilty... "Au!" Fairy is already full! Okay! So let them go~ Fairy is a kind girl~ The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (4) Argen Hollow Forest. It was rated as one of the most dangerous forests on the continent. However, the materials within the forest were precious. The magical beasts residing the forest were strong, vicious, and... high in demand. Some were sold as materials, some that was somehow caught alive were sold as mounts or pets. Those beasts were valuable, and many adventurers and hunters would come to harvest them. Not only beasts, things like medicinal plants and herbs that could be found in the forest can be harvested to earn some extra coins. A party of six humans had come into the forest seeking some fortune. They were dressed in slightly shabby clothing, each carrying a weapon of their preference. These rowdy humans looked around cautiously. Knowing the dangers hiding in the forest, they could not afford to be careless. After going through the seemingly endless sea of trees, sometimes fending off beasts, sometimes resting, they finally found a clearing. A gust of wind brought a nice fragrance towards them, and the sight that they saw astounded them. A wide clearing, colourful flowers grew in the middle of the clearing. A sea of blues, reds, pinks, yellows... The sight was very enchanting. The scenery in the clearing seemed very peaceful, but they could tell that they were surrounded by beasts hiding in the cover of trees, watching them with caution. However, they did not care about the beasts at all. They did not even notice the restlessness of the beasts around them, preparing to attack them, as if protecting something... No, they had not cared about the beasts at all. Because... in the middle of the flower bed laid a young girl. She wore no clothing, revealing her beautiful, white skin. The girl was sleeping soundly. The place was so peaceful, as if even the air was afraid to wake her up. Her eyes were closed, but they coud tell that she was beautiful. Her eyelashes fluttered gently against her cheeks. Her hair as white as snow, cascading down her body as she laid on her side, facing them. "Uh?" The girl trembled. Her eyes opened slowly. She pushed herself off the ground in her half-awake state, blinking the sleep away as she looked around in confusion. She licked her cherry-red lips, appearing to be thirsty. All this time, the party of six humans, men of varying ages, seemed captivated by the little beauty. They stood still, unable to move away from the enchanting sight.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The growls of a magical beast woke them up from their stupor. Quickly, they raised their weapons, scanning around for the threat. The beasts suddenly came out from their hiding place, surrounding the men. "Try to lure them away! We''ll fight them in twos!" One of the men shouted. He seemed to be the leader of this rowdy bunch of people. Quickly, in practiced ease, they split into groups of two, each taking up arms against one beast. The rest of the beasts stayed behind, ready to pounce at any time once they find an opening. "Bloodhounds! Aim for the eyes, don''t let them bite you!" The leader shouted out instructions rapidly. He was quick to identify the beasts due to the distinct characteristics of the Bloodhounds; their red eyes against fur of varying shades of grey, and because Bloodhounds would usually travel in groups. Furthermore, anyone who were bitten by these beasts would end up losing their reasons and turn insane. As the men were busy fighting, Fairy sat blankly on her spot. What? Huh? Weird~ Why are the doggies fighting the long-awaited humans~ Heeey~ Don''t scare them off~ Through Fairy''s rose-tinted eyesight, she could only see those adorable big doggies fighting humans. "Uuu..." Even though Fairy has been telling them that she was waiting for people to come! Geez! Unfortunately for the Bloodhounds, the humans turned out to be stronger than they thought. Although it took a while, the humans managed to fend off the majority of the beasts. With a loud ''boom!'', the humans successfully obliterated two thirds of the group, each one of them suffering injuries thst could not be said as light. The remaining Bloodhounds growled and turned to run away. They understood that they were no match for the humans, especially when their alpha had fallen under the hands of those humans. Fairy could detect a faint aura of magic from the humans. This meant that they had used a body-enhancing magic. Regarding the loud boom, one of them probably used a spell like fireball or something~ Though, she does not believe that they used a fire spell due to the location. If they had used a fire spell, then perhaps Fairy might have had to go to another world ahead of schedule after all. "Ugh, ouch!" One of the men groaned, holding his bleeding arm. The men quickly congregated together, forming a stance in which they had their backs to each other in a circle, surveying the surroundings with vigilance, their weapons rasied. "Damn it! We lost Jamie, and I''m not in a good condition either," the leader spat a mouthful of blood, "at least no one was bitten." "Ugh... my arm isn''t looking too good either..." "Are they gone now?" After waiting for a while, they finally relaxed their guards slightly. All this time, Fairy was... "Zzz..." Sleeping! When the men noticed that the girl had fallen back to sleep, they did not know how to feel. In the first place, how was she able to sleep so peacefully? She was also present during the fight but none of the beasts attacked her? Although it was surprising, the men were simple-minded creatures. After fighting for their lives, they were simply too tired to think. "Wow, how can she fall asleep at such a dangerous place..." One of them said, sucking his breath in amazement. "Who knows..." The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (5) Let''s recap the story. This time, we will see how Fairy saw the whole ordeal. Fu~uunn. Fuu~uuunn. Kyaaan, taking a nap in broad daylight is so nice~ Rustle, rustle. Eh? What''s tha~t. Rustle, rustle. The spirits seem to be very noisy. Saying something about intruders? E~h? "Uh?" Fairy is awake now! Uuuu... After hibernating for the whole day, somehow Fairy is hungry... Mm! As expected, the energy here is delicious as always. Ah, Fairy won''t steal other people''s food~Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Gururururu. Ah, Fairy is still hungry, but Fairy will hold it in! Un! Eh? Why are they staring at Fairy? Could it be... they want to bring Fairy home?! Waaa~i~ Finally~ Suddenly... Rawr! The people suddenly moved, "!@#$%^&*! @#$%^!" Eee~h. What''s thi~s. "@#$%^^%#$!" It seems that Fairy does not understand the language. Is the language setting not syncing? Oh well~ That being said. Ee~h, Weird~ Why are the doggies fighting the long-awaited humans~ Heeey~ Don''t scare them off~ What! They''re not listening! Bad doggies! "Uuu..." Even though Fairy has been telling them that she was waiting for people to come! Geez! Hm? They seem to be able to wield magic too? Boom! Wooow~ Could it be a fireball? No way~ then wouldn''t the forest burn down~? Ah, it''s not a fire spell~ probably air magic or earth magic~? Who knows~ Oh! The chances of survival is higher now! Let''s go back to sleep! Entering Rest Mode. "Zzz..." Language setting: syncing. Collecting data from surroundings. 1% completed... 4% completed... Compiling similar data from database. 5% completed... 17 hours left until syncing is complete. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (6) "What should we do with this girl?" A complicated expression floated on the faces of the five men. This was because, they had found a young girl. Inside one of the most dangerous forests in the continent. "...Was she abandoned?" One of them pondered. "...It''s possible. Some regions find white hair or red hair to be a bringer of misfortune after all," the leader replied, his hand supporting his chin. They were deciding what to do with the little girl. "Whatever you guys want to do, can''t you decide faster?! I''m dying here," the heavily injured adventurer said, grunting as he held his now-bandaged arm. Although they had performed emergency treatment, the wound still needed to be looked at by a healer. "...That''s going to be expensive," the one with the least injuries muttered and sighed. To find a healer to completely heal their wounds with magic was already too expensive, but they earned their keep with their bodies, and they needed to go back to the field once they turn in the materials that they had gathered. They won''t earn money just by sitting on their asses, after all. The injured fellow grimaced, "...Well, these things happen. At least I survived." He shot a furtive glance at the dead body of his comrade, barely in one piece after those beasts had mauled him down with their sharp nails and strong jaws. Silence. "For now, let''s just go back. We should take her along," the leader finally said. With a determined gaze, he nodded at his still-living-but-injured comrades. "But first, let''s take care of Jamie''s corpse. Let him rest." In pieces, he almost said. They diligently digged a hole for their deceased comrade, making sure to salvage whatever that had a price from the dead man to aid in paying for their treatment fees and a few trinkets and accesories he had carried as mementos for his family. It was not that they were particularly insensitive, but in their line of work, danger lurked at every corner. They had gone through it so many times, that they were simply numb from it. Although it was sad that they had lost a good comrade, such was the nature of their job. One must understand that there was a high possibility of dying, and they should be prepared. Once they had buried their comrade, they turned to look at the young girl. She was still sleeping so soundly. "Let''s wake her up." The leader crouched to Fairy''s side, nudging her a little roughly, "Hey, girl, wake up!" "Au?!" Fairy jolted awake. She blinked her eyes multiple times and looked around, seeming lost and confused. "Uuu..." Her eyebrows creased, her eyes turning watery. Moments later, she started to cry loudly.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "Uwaaa--!" Surprised, the men took a step back. "Hey! Why did you wake her up so roughly for?! Now she''s crying!" "Shut up!" "Hey, kid, stop crying!" "Shit!" The men panicked. They were rough men, molded by sweat and blood. Even if they had families, they were away for most of the time. How could they know how to deal with a crying little girl? "Uwaaa--!" "SHUT UP!" The leader roared. Blinking her eyes, Fairy stopped her wailing. The fresh tears fell off from the bottom of her eyes in big blobs. "Uuu..." Sniff, sniff. "..." "Hey, leader, should you really tell such an innocent, young girl to shut up like that?" One of them said, gazing reproachingly at his leader. Looking at that tearful, innocent face, he felt himself soften. He could not help but feel as if he should treat her gently. She seemed to be too fragile as she looked up at them with her teary face. "...Sorry," the leader grunted, looking away. "Well, we should give her something to wear first, at least." Another man said awkwardly. From the beginning, he had noticed her nakedness. If they do not give her something to wear soon, he might really do something unspeakeable, he thought. The man tried to convince himself that it was because of the lack of women in their field of work that he had felt the urge to do ''something'' to the girl. After all, it was already rare enough for him to see a woman while he was working, much lesssleepwith one. "..." Of course, it was not that they were unwilling to give her their scarce supply of clothing, but rather, they were wondering if their clothes were clean enough for the girl to wear. They had been in the forest for more than a week or two, and had only a spare change of clothes each. The spares and the clothes they were wearing were all dirty; unwashed and stained with blood. Not to mention that they did not know how to mend clothes and were quite poor, so their clothes were ridden with holes and roughly sewn patches. Finally, they had decided on their ''cleanest'' shirt, which was originally a light brown colour, but somehow darkened due to the many unidentified stains... The result. The shirt was simply too big for Fairy. The shirt went past her knees, and the sleeves were too long. The neckline kept slipping off her shoulders, revealing a bit of her skin and her collarbones. The stark contrast between her pristine, white skin against the dirty brown shirt was too startling, that the men had averted their gazes, feeling slightly embarrassed... Let''s rewind the time. Fairy, still sleeping. She was unaware of the situation as she was setting up the language setting. It is a slow process. Suddenly. Nudge, nudge. "@#$%^&^&#!" Pa! "Au?!" Kyaaah! Huh?! Syncing disrupted. 21% completed. Syncing cancelled. Reloading data.Due to disruption, data has been corrupted. Resetting. Entering Power Saving Mode. Syncing speed has been slowed down. ... Re-syncing: Language settings. 1% completed. 114 hours remaing until completion. ... "...Uuu..." Fairy... feels defeated... Why... Suddenly, because she was forcefully awakened, the syncing process had to start over from 1%. Not only that... it has also slowed down... Somehow, Fairy... feels so tired... ah... Uuu... Uuu... "Uwaaa--!" No way, all the progress was resetted~?! Eeeeh?! Noooo~ "Uwaaa--!" "!@#$%&!!" ?! Why did that guy suddenly yell? Waaah! Fairy was surprised! Uuu... hiccup. Fairy has stopped crying, but... Just thinking about the resetted progress, makes her want to cry again. "!@#$%$^*^%$#" "$^&%$@#" "@#%&%%@!$%^&" ? Somehow, they placed a stinky clothing on Fairy~? It''s big~ It''s stinky, but it''s big~ Fairy prefers big clothes. It was also Airi the Goddess'' preference. Large clothings are not restrictive. Hm, let''s first put Fairy''s arms into the sleeves. Un! It''s bi~g. Oh well, Fairy will forgive them, just this once. Un! The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (7) ¡°Hum~ hum, hum, hum~¡± Deep in the Argen Hollow Forest. A white-haired young girl could be seen skipping about happily, followed by five men. The only similarity that the girl had with the men was their dirty clothes. Leader¡ªgiven name, Satos. He is currently recalling the previous events that had transpired over the course of the previous two days. After leaving the clearing and walking for three hours straight, Leader Satos discovered a discrepancy. That was, after coming back from the clearing, their journey had been too quiet. Safe. He clearly remembered that, previously, when they were travelling through the forest, various beasts came to attack them at every corner. However, he had been in the business for far too long. Despite nothing happening, he still did not dare to leave his guard down. And neither did his other comrades. They took turns in keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings¡ªtwo on look-out and two carrying the injured. There was also another thing. Ever since leaving that clearing, they had been too lucky¡ªrandomly finding piles of fruits at resting points, beasts that they had accidentally met along the way would turn their backs and walk away, as if they did not notice them. And the most important thing was: the white-haired little girl never seemed to have the need to eat nor use the toilet. Even after two days of travelling through the forest without cleaning themselves, she still seemed to be as clean as ever. It was as if she¡­ wasn¡¯t human. Hahahaha. No way? Actually, there was little reason for Satos to not believe that Fairy was not human. After all, although humans were the dominant species in their world, other races do exist, though in the minorities. It was just that¡­ seeing another species in their particular continent was quite rare, especially with the ¡®human-superiority¡¯ countries surrounding the forest. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Sigh¡ª Leader Satos snapped out of his thought at the sound of his comrade¡¯s sigh. He turned to look at his comrade questioningly. This comrade¡ªwhom shall be named as Hunter A¡ªwas silently lamenting at the fact that the angelic young girl who was happily skipping in front of him was still barefooted. The path was bumpy and unnatural as they were inside a forest that was not usually frequented by people, so he was worried that she might hurt her dainty little feet, and so he had tried coaxing her into at least wrapping her feet with some cloth, but the girl had adamantly shook her head, showing her refusal. However. The more he observed her, the more he became perplexed. She was clearly not wearing any shoes, yet her feet was not dirty at all. Even the tiny pebbles and snaring roots did not seem to deter her movements. She walked as if she was strolling through a park. If one was to look closer, it would be obvious that Fairy¡¯s feet was actually not touching the ground. Although the distance was so minimal that one could not see it at first glance, it was still obvious that she was not actually touching the ground. It was as if she was walking with invisible shoes. And so, with tacit understanding among the party members, they resolved to not mention the girl¡¯s peculiarity. . . . Third day of travelling. Fairy, 86% completed. 37 hours remaining. Commencing restructuration of vocal cords. Entering passive mode. * The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (8) It was the third day of travelling. Satos felt that the party was coming closer to exiting the forest, judging from the remnants of human activity along the route that was somewhat new. Also, a dirt path has appeared which meant they were getting closer to the entrance of the forest. Perhaps, in half a day or so, they would be able to leave the forest. Actually, the reason why they were getting closer to the exit so easily was because the group had not met any harm or accidents along the way. The way back was comparable to a walk in the park compared to the time when they had entered the forest. Satos casted a side-long glance at the girl happily skipping in front of him. Suddenly¡ª ¡°?!¡± The girl suddenly collapsed. She fell directly, face-first to the ground. ¡°¡ªAre you alright?! Hey, wake up!¡± Hunter A quickly reached for the girl, shaking her unconscious body urgently. Even after a few moments of violent shaking, the girl still did not show any movements. She appeared as if she was in deep sleep. ¡°We¡¯re close to the exit! Let¡¯s hurry up!¡± Being the leader, Satos did not lose his cool. Immediately, he carried up the girl in his arms. ¡°Leader, go take her to a healer first! We¡¯ll follow behind.¡± Hunter B who was supporting their injured comrade responded. Satos nodded. Hunter A snapped out of his daze and ran after his leader half a beat later. A slight hint of discomfort flashed in his heart, but he quickly shook it off as there was more pressing matters at hand. He felt worry over the unconscious girl.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. They ran at full speed non-stop for almost an hour. Soon after, a large wall overtook the scenery of the horizon, signifying that they have almost arrived at the town¡¯s gate facing the forest. ¡°Make way!¡± Satos loudly shouted as they closed the gate. The gatekeepers jumped in fright but quickly moved out of the way, leaving them to freely pass through the gate. Without a pause in his steps, Satos deftly followed the directions in his head. He had become Argen Town¡¯s permanent resident many years ago and thus was familiar with the place. Although Argen Town was not as dangerous as the main frontiers, it was still considered to be a dangerous place as it bordered the Argen Hollow Forest. He frequently joined parties and expeditions in the forest, thus he was quite familiar with the healer¡¯s clinic. After almost running into the clinic¡¯s front door, he quickly hollered for a healer. A woman in a white robe lined with gold soon appeared. As the clinic was owned by the Church, the healers all wore the robes of the Church members. ¡°Healer, please take a look at this girl,¡± Satos said in between laborious breaths. The healer did not mind his hastiness, and immediately casted a spell to check the girl¡¯s condition. After confirming her wellbeing, she creased her eyebrows. It seems like nothing is wrong? ¡°She¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing wrong with the girl.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s impossible! Healer, she suddenly collapsed a while ago and is not waking up at all,¡± Hunter A¡¯s eyes widened. He saw the girl fall unconscious without any rhyme or reason with his own eyes, how could he not worry? He persistently inquired the healer to inspect her condition again. ¡°It seems like she¡¯s just asleep. Perhaps she will wake up soon,¡± the healer assured them. After being repeatedly coaxed that nothing was wrong with the girl, the two was finally chased out. The healer did not even bother to collect her check-up fees from them. The two walked desolately over to their designated inn. Satos still held the girl in his arms. Suddenly, he felt as if people were watching them. He glanced around, thinking that although they were dirty and unkempt after travelling through the forest for a long time, it was not like it was rare for dirty adventurers and hunters to roam the town. He almost forgot that the girl¡¯s features were not very common. Though her face was shielded by his arms, her long, white hair and dainty legs could still be seen. Unbeknownst to him, the gazes of the public was not the only thing he should be guarding against. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (9) Gooooood morning! Eh? What¡¯s this? What¡¯s this? Fairy is suddenly in an uncomfortable place. Gee~z! Even though Fairy has finally become a proper human(appearance)! ¡°Muuu¡­¡± Currently, Fairy has no idea where she was. ¡°Over my dead body!!!¡± Eh? What? ¡°Foolish man. Your life would not have been wasted had you given the girl to me quietly.¡± Huuuuuuu~h? ¡°Aaaaaaargh!¡± ¡°Take this!¡± Nn. Fairy is very uncomfortable. Heee~y why are you swinging Fairy around~ Currently, Satos the Party Leader is facing against three men simultaneously while protectively holding Fairy. A generic-looking villain with a totally villainous moustache stood proudly behind the three men who seemed to be his minions. Oh, it seems like Hunter A is lying in a pool of blood. RIP Hunter A. Fairy will tell those spirits to properly send you back to reincarnate into a named character next time~ Anyway. Although the two men made their way to their inn safely, how could they have known that an ambush was waiting for them. After arriving at the inn, they met up with Hunter B and C.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Surprise! It¡¯s a betrayal! Hunter B and C colluded with the town¡¯s lord, intending to sell Fairy for a high price. The healer¡¯s fees and trying to feed a family sure is expensive, huh~ Surprise! It¡¯s another betrayal! Hunter A was apparently too taken by Fairy, thus he actually sabotaged Satos as they were running away from pursuers, intending to take Fairy for himself. In the end, the pursuers caught up! Hunter A ended up dying after a three-way struggle for the girl, but was able to inflict critical damage on his former leader. While Fairy was unconscious, such a thing happened. Anyway! This is unimportant! Describing fight scenes is so tedious~ Eeeeh~ Back to the present. Fairy can speak nao! Ehehehehehe~ Wrong! Through sheer willpower and a burst of adrenaline, it seems like Satos was able to make a last minute dash after being cornered by the pursuers. Wa~ He actually shook them off, how amazing~ And now, Satos is currently driving an inconspicuous cart. Fairy was hidden underneath the goods used as a camouflage. Their destination is Bluer Port Town, in the south. After much deliberation, he had found a solution to his current predicament. Satos was a hunter. His job was to hunt for materials from Argen Hollow Forest. His base was in Argen Town, where the Adventurer¡¯s Guild built one of its branch. He lived to earn money. From the beginning, he had already decided. He was unsure what Fairy was, but there were definitely people who would desire such a unique¡­ thing. There were plenty of nobles across the kingdoms with those kinds of hobbies, after all. If it wasn¡¯t because of profit, he would not have protected her until now. Although he felt regretful, there was no way he could ever take care of her himself. Thus, his solution was to give her away, for the sake of profit. Such was the nature of man. The same could be said about his former teammates. They all desired the profit that they could get by selling the girl. She was like a pot of gold that suddenly dropped from the sky. Because they were not in a party together for a long time, they were able to betray each other so easily. Well~ It doesn¡¯t matter~ Fairy really couldn¡¯t care less about these matters~ For the sake of hiding under the radar, Satos took the longer route, stopping only once along the way when his injuries really could not be ignored anymore. After restocking his provisions and paying the healer¡¯s fees for a healing spell just enough to keep him alive, he continued his journey to Bluer Port Town. Meanwhile, Fairy was currently lazing around in boredom. In order to decrease the burden for the horses, he removed the camouflage goods, allowing Fairy to roll around under the cloth used to hide her. Because he did not want to take any chances, he frequently reminded Fairy to stay hidden, though he allowed her to peek on the sceneries every once in a while. The air was fresh, and the amount of spirits was sparse. Fairy was able to eat her fill. For the first time since she came to the world, she was able to sleep on a full stomach. Yaaaaaay~ The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (10) After a week of travelling, they finally arrived at their destination. Bluer Port Town was one of the kingdom¡¯s key destinations. It was the most important trading hub that the kingdom had. The town was livelier compared to Argen Town. Bluer Port Town had all sorts of goods and people bustling about. The salty air would leave one feeling refreshed, and the sight of the large merchant ships lined next to each other held a sense of grandeur. As if he was afraid that the girl would run away, Satos held her tightly in his arms. He had already planned his moves. After selling her to a slave merchant, he would use the money to finally get his injuries fully healed, and with the remaining money he could look into some nice residences to live in. Perhaps, he might even buy some booze for a celebratory drink. While calculating the profit in his head, he quickly walked towards the slave traders¡¯ tents, situated a few ways away from the main marketplace. He quickly narrowed down a few slave merchants that seemed like they could give him a good deal. In the end, he settled for a relatively well-known slave merchant who went by the name Dios, who gave him the highest offer among the slave traders he had visited. Leaving the merchant¡¯s tent, he leisurely walked away with the money in his pockets. He whistled a tune, drowning out the voices of guilt thundering his heart. Just like that, Fairy was sold for 2 gold coins. . . . ¡°Welcome, young master. What type of slave are you looking for?¡± Dios the merchant put up his business smile at the new customer. As an experienced merchant, he easily scanned the profile of his customer and treated them appropriately. The customer this time was a young man, perhaps in his early adulthood. He sported black hair and equally black eyes, which were very uncommon features of the people in the kingdom. However, he did not discriminate against this customer; he had seen people with similar features in the Isles, though this customer had pale, white skin as if untouched by the sun, which was quite the opposite of those people.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The young man wore unusual clothes. However, with his sharp eyes, Other than the dark-coloured cloak he wore, Dios could tell that the clothes the young man was wearing were of high quality despite being a little dirty. He carried a sword by his side and had a relatively heavy-looking coin pouch. The customer pondered for a short while, then shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m just looking around. If there¡¯s anything that I want, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Dios nodded amiably, hiding his slight disappointment. ¡°Then I¡¯ll show you around, young master.¡± He did not fail to notice the slight discomfort shown by the customer. Though the customer had a stoic face, he was clearly uncomfortable judging by his body movements. Dios surmised that it was probably his first time visiting such a place. It didn¡¯t matter, young men like him would often end up buying a female slave in the end, and all he had to do was show him the goods, Dios thought. With that in thought, he proceeded to introduce the young man to his array of goods. ¡°¡ªAnd this is our latest goods. This one was recently sold to us a few days ago. Although she is still young and her body has yet to develop, she is undoubtedly the most beautiful specimen that we have on sale. I even feel a bit reluctant to part with it, haha!¡± Dios smiled, his eyes narrowing at the disgust hidden in the young man¡¯s eyes. In front of them sat a young girl, about 9 or 10 years of age. Although all she wore was the rags given to all the slaves, it did not dampen her beauty; in fact, it gave others feelings of distress, as if the girl did not deserve to be sullied by the piece of cloth. The girl looked up at them from her position, looking highly innocent and pure with her glittering blue eyes gazing at them. Her white hair was long, extending all the way on the ground, making people want to dust off the dirt from her hair and hold it high, in fear of it being dirtied. The young man appeared to be in a daze. She was so young, so innocent; it was as if she was completely unaware of the situation she was in. Meeting the young man¡¯s gaze, Fairy smiled. Such a foolish and na?ve smile; who could be so vile to sell this girl off? As if he could not bear the pureness in her eyes, he broke off the eye contact, turning to the slave merchant. Countless thoughts rushed through his mind. But there was one thing that distinctively stood out in his head: He had to save her. He did not want her to be in this place any longer. Staying there¡­ who knew what kind of fate was in store for her. Definitely not a good fate, that¡¯s for sure, he thought. With a resolved gaze, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy her.¡± The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (11) Takahashi Ryouta. A normal second year high school student. He passed off his days reading all sorts of books and manga. A loner. The number of friends he had could be counted on one hand. To begin with, his introverted personality kept him away from properly getting along with his classmates. Nevertheless, he was content with passing his everyday life this way. One day, after school¡ª A large magic circle suddenly appeared inside the classroom, taking away three of his classmates, Saotome Ryuuji, Umebara Kyoko and Nanba Anna, and him as well. ¡°Heroes! Welcome to Valdavia Kingdom. We have summoned you, heroes from another world, in order to help us defeat the demon lord!¡± Suddenly, a booming voice saying something out of a fantasy game or novel could be heard. ¡°?! What¡¯s the meaning of this?! Defeat the demon lord? Are you fucking kidding me?!¡± ¡°Hey, if this is a hidden camera prank, stop it! It¡¯s not funny!¡± ¡°Where am I?! Where is this?!¡± His three classmates clamoured. They, too, was astounded by the current situation, similar to him. Though he felt the same way, his perpetual poker face helped to hide his shock. ¡°Heroes, please calm down. This is neither a joke nor a prank. I am Valdavia¡¯s king, Rufus Valdavia IV! With the power of the court magicians as well as my daughter, Princess Natalia, we have successfully summoned the Heroes by using an ancient summoning spell.¡± The king continued to ramble on how the world is being terrorized by the demons and how the demon lord needed to be stopped. Saotome Ryuuji nodded in sympathy. He understood their plight and had half a mind to help them. In any case, judging by the flow of things, it did not seem like it would be easy for them to return to their original world. It was also in his nature to help those in need. Paired with his good looks, he certainly matched the template of a Hero(Harem King). ¡°Now, heroes, please call out [Status]! According to the ancient text, as people from another world, you will be able to use this unique spell to check your statuses. Within the statuses, please tell us what your [Titles] are!¡± According to the king, only those who were summoned from another world had the ability to instantaneously view their statuses. The denizens of the world had to use a certain tool in order to check and record their statuses. However, the tool was only available to people of power; normal commoners did not have access to such an advanced tool. ¡°¡±¡±¡±Status!¡±¡±¡±¡± For the time being, Ryouta decided to go along with the nonsense. He was also curious on the famed [Status] that was a common theme in RPG games.
Name: Takahashi Ryouta
Race: Human
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Lvl: 1
HP: 50
MP: 10
STR: 12
SPD: 9
Skills: -
Titles: [Person from Another World] [???]
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He furrowed his eyebrows. He thought that his status was quite poor, but considering that he was only Level 1, he dismissed it as normal. What he was more curious about, was why he had an unknown title. His thoughts was disrupted as his classmates voiced their answer to the king¡¯s previous question. ¡°I have a [Hero from Another World] title. Does this mean what I think it means?¡± ¡°My title is¡­ [Priestess from Another World]?¡± ¡°Mine is [Magic Knight from Another World]. Woah, that sounds kind of awesome.¡± The king nodded, satisfied with their answer. He turned his gaze to Ryouta, filled with expectations. ¡°¡­[Person from Another World].¡± He answered, keeping his face straight. He could tell that the king was disappointed as the king¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Heroes, I assume that you all must be fatigued from all the current events. Servants, prepare the rooms for our heroes, and fulfil their needs as best as possible.¡± The king decreed. ¡°The kingdom shall provide only the best for the heroes, so that you will be able to concentrate on training to fight the demons.¡± His announcement earned the encouragement and applause from his entourage, and the four was ushered out of the summoning room. ¡°Wait!¡± Ryouta called out. The king paused his steps, followed by everybody else. All eyes trained on Ryouta. He cleared his throat, preparing his resolve. ¡°From my title, it is clear that I¡¯m just a normal person. Therefore, I would like to return to my original world.¡± He did not mean to be rude to the king, but the situation seemed to be too absurd and high-paced, and he was afraid of getting swept into something that may be too dangerous. ¡°Impudence!¡± The princess frowned. According to his status, the black-haired boy was just some commoner. Even though he was summoned along with the other heroes, the princess had already pegged him as a person of no importance. Other officials and court magicians from the king¡¯s entourage also supported her, muttering on how disrespectful the boy was being in front of the king. King Rufus raised his hand, motioning his people to be silent. ¡°Apologies, but it is impossible to return you to your previous world. However, as you are a person from another world, we will still treat you cordially.¡± The king replied, not minding the boy¡¯s lack of manners. Even if the boy was a normal person, he did not dare to treat the boy badly, as it could be considered his fault for dragging the boy into their problems. In fact, he felt apologetic that an innocent bystander was forcefully involved in his plans. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t tell us about this!¡± Nanba Anna exploded. She had gone along with Ryuuji¡¯s idea of fighting against the demon lord just for fun, but it turned out that they actually had no choice but to stay. Umebara Kyoko also voiced her complaints. However, Saotome Ryuuji immediately consoled the two girls, convincing them to stay. ¡°Since we have no other choice, let¡¯s help the king, then after we defeat the demon lord, we can search for a way to go home, okay?¡± The two girls reluctantly agreed with his suggestion. If it wasn¡¯t for their current situation, Ryouta would have believed that Ryuuji had chuunibyou (8th Grade Syndrome). Seeing how easily the three classmates were taking it, Ryouta felt incredibly stifled and perplexed. ¡°Are you guys kidding me right now? Did all of you forget about the life you had back home? Your friends and family?¡± Ryuuji turned to look at Ryouta seriously. With a seething glare, he said, ¡°Of course we didn¡¯t! I also want to go back! But the king already said that it¡¯s impossible. Since we can¡¯t go back, then we should just help them! Are you really able to let these people suffer without doing anything?! Well, I can¡¯t! Unlike you, I was given an amazing power. I can¡¯t turn my back to those in need!¡± The air around them suddenly changed. Energy convulsed around them, as if affected by Ryuuji¡¯s mood. ¡°?!¡± As the energy swirled inside the room, Ryouta started to become dizzy. ¡°¡­! To be able to influence the air with his magic without doing anything, as expected of the Hero!¡± A court magician exclaimed. ¡°Amazing, just how high is his MP, to be able to do something like this?!¡± ¡°It should be in the hundreds!¡± At that moment, Ryouta felt it. Even though they were both the same level, their stats were different. Compared to Ryuuji who held the title [Hero], he was nothing. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (12) It was one week after the summoning. For the sake of survival, Ryouta decided to join the training of the heroes. However, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he put into the practices, he did not improve. Actually, this might not have been a very pressing matter, as it took time for growth in anybody else¡¯s case, but he was the only one out of the four who was not improving at all. Saotome Ryuuji, who was hailed as the Hero, improved at a very visible speed. After just three days of training, he could easily match the Royal Guard¡¯s captain, who was the strongest knight in the kingdom. Even Anna and Kyoko, who were not as proficient in the arts of the sword, was able to beat the average soldier, if not because of their superior strength. In the previous few days, the three gifted people seemed to stack up on skills left and right, leaving behind Ryouta who was moving at a snail¡¯s pace compared to them. For some reason, it was hard for him to learn the skills. Even his level was stuck at 1, no matter how much he trained. In just one week, Ryouta had been left alone, training in the beginner¡¯s field rather than with his classmates who have already started to learn more sophisticated magic spells and fighting styles. Although they were similarly people who were summoned from the same world, Ryouta was not close with the other three. Being in such a situation, one would expect them to become closer. That was truly the case in the beginning. However, once Ryouta began showing signs of lagging behind, they started to drift away, even thinking that he was a burden to them, who were becoming stronger and levelling up quickly every day.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. While his trainer, the Royal Guard¡¯s captain, and magic teacher, the Head Court Magician, had consoled him by saying that it took time for improvements, he still felt slightly impatient and frustrated. After all, he was the only one not making any progress. It was even less helpful with all the rumours circulating among the castle inhabitants. Even the servants had been whispering about how he was not in the same league as the rest, only becoming a useless thing that took advantage of the popularity of the heroes and the king¡¯s kindness. Though he usually did not mind listening to trash talk about himself, it still left a bad taste in his mouth when it happens. Just like that, the stressors kept piling up, until he could no longer handle it. In a place where his allies were close to zero, where he was only ridiculed and looked at with pity, he was not happy at all. In the end, after much research and planning, he decided to leave. He requested an audience with the king after two nights of deliberation. ¡°Very well. I cannot withhold your freedom. However, I would not feel good letting a guest leave empty-handed,¡± the king replied. As if prepared for his leave, the king presented him with a bag filled with gold coins, a map of the kingdom, and a beautiful gem-encrusted sword. Ryouta did not bother with formalities, simply taking the bag and the sword. Both of the things were heavier than he expected. He carefully stuffed the map into the bag. ¡°Thank you, King Rufus.¡± Ryouta awkwardly tried to copy the way the subjects saluted to the king, his hands full. Seeing his sloppy manners, the king did not comment, but his retainers frowned in distaste. ¡°In the end, this much is all I can do for you, o traveller from another world. I apologize.¡± The king bowed his head. Ryouta had originally thought that the king was selfish for summoning people randomly to save his kingdom¡¯s behind, but now, he felt that the king was not such a bad person. After all, for a person in such a high seat, it was quite difficult to lower one¡¯s head. With that, Takahashi Ryouta¡¯s journey in another world began. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (13) Takahashi Ryouta¡¯s first step of freedom was rather uneventful. After exiting the royal castle through its back door, his guide, a rather underpaid guard with a bored look, led him to the main street. Aside from a few glances, most of the passers-by practically ignored his appearance. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ryouta told the guard. Though the guard was rather stoic during their time together, as a Japanese boy raised to be well-mannered, he still thanked the man. The guard was somewhat bewildered. He had once directly crossed path with one of the summoned heroes, and that person barely even acknowledged his presence, though he had been assigned to protect them. He thought that this person would be similar, thus he barely paid attention to the boy. The guard awkwardly scratched his head, ¡°Uh, no problem.¡± Seeming as if he was hesitating, he placed his hand on Ryouta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Here, take this. It¡¯s not much, but it can be useful for you.¡± The guard took off his cloak, passing it to Ryouta. He did not know why he decided to give the boy some help; perhaps, he thought that it felt rather nice to be acknowledged by one of the people who had a status that could match the king¡¯s, or perhaps it was simply a small, thoughtless act of kindness. Ryouta stared at the cloak, thinking of multiple ways of how it could be useful for him. With the cloak, he wouldn¡¯t feel cold if he decided to camp outside, it could also be used to cover his appearance, and his modern clothes which appeared to be rather conspicuous can be hidden. With a tone of gratefulness, he once again thanked the guard, ¡°Really, thank you.¡± If his previous thanks were perfunctory, this time, it was really full of gratitude.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The guard silently nodded to him, then made his way back to the castle to report back to his post. Being left alone, Ryouta suddenly felt lost. He looked down at the cloak intently, covering his misty eyes. He was finally, all alone. There was no longer anyone else he could rely on, other than himself. ¡°Okay¡­!¡± He raised his head, staring up to the sky with a determined gaze. ¡°I can do this!¡± ¡®When it comes to other worlds, the first course of action is, obviously, the adventurer¡¯s guild,¡¯ Ryouta pondered as he walked along the main street. The sights were a novelty to him, who came from another world. Though the hustle and bustle could not be compared to a morning train ride, it could still be considered to be busy. He caught the sight of the many different writings on the signboards and banners all around him. They were clearly written in another language¡ªthe world¡¯s language¡ªwhich highlighted the fact that he was in another world. Though he had encountered many books in the royal castle that had the same text, it was still fascinating to him. Along the way, many styles of clothes could be seen¡ªsolid coloured frocks and tunics were the most common, followed by people wearing all sorts of armours. Every once in a while, a rather richly dressed person would walk by, sometimes followed by a retinue, sometimes with another person, but never alone. Although the people¡¯s lives were definitely a notch lower in quality as compared to his modern-day Earth, the people still seemed to have fulfilling lives. ¡®So this is really a different world¡­¡¯ he mused. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (14) Hello. Welcome back. Welcome baaaack~? Fairy is currently sitting on the floor. Ehhhn~ Why~~~? Fairy tilts her head. That person also tilts his head. Fairy tilts her head the other way. That person also tilts his head the other way! Eh? What¡¯s this, what¡¯s this? Imitating game~? Hmmm. By the waaaay, this thing is really annoying. This thiiing on Fairy¡¯s neck, that goes cling-clang, cling-clang.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Yep, that¡¯s right! It¡¯s a collar! An iron collar! With a chain! Boo, so annoying. Fairy feels like taking it off~ But that sketchy-looking merchant that bought Fairy from Satos said no~ What to do~ Eh, whatever~ ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The person in front of Fairy said. ¡°Name~?¡± Fairy has no mane~ Mane? Name~ Oopsies. He he. ¡°Could it be¡­ you don¡¯t have one?¡± Ehhhh, what to do? He suddenly look so sad. They said, ¡®smiling is the best medicine.¡¯ So, niyaaaaaaan~ Take that! Smile attack! Eh? Who said that again? Fairy forgot. Whatever~ ¡°Since she doesn¡¯t seem to have a name, why don¡¯t you do the honours and name her?¡± Mr. Sketchy Merchant said to the person in front of Fairy. Oh, Fairy almost forgot. It seemed like the person bought Fairy? Mn. So Fairy became his slave~ NICE! First objective: Done. Yaaaaaaay~ The person seems to consider Mr. Sketchy Merchant¡¯s suggestion. He stares at Fairy deeply. Probably trying to come up with a good name~ ¡°How about¡­¡± Hm? Hm? ¡°¡­Shiro?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.oh. Oh well. This name makes Fairy sound like a pet, but that¡¯s fine. Oh, well. ¡°Shwiiroooo~?¡± Fairy¡ªno, Shiro, is trying to act cute. Te-he. ¡°Nice to meet you, Shiro. I¡¯m¡­ Ryouta.¡± He smiled~ Smiling BeeeEAAAAAAM! Shiro will also shoot Ryouta a Smiling Beam. BEEEEAAAM! ¡°¡­Kuh!¡± Eh? It seemed like the Beam worked? Ryouta took physical damage! But how~? Ah! It turns out that Shiro¡¯s Smiling Beam is this lethal, wow! Ehehe~ The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (15) ¡°Lyo~uta?¡± ¡°Ryouta.¡± ¡°Wyo-uta.¡± ¡°Say it again; it¡¯s Ryou-ta. Ryou-ta.¡± ¡°Yooo~ta~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Oh, it seems like Ryou~ta gave up? Fa¡ªShiro can¡¯t roll her tongue properly yet~ Sorry~ ¡°¡­Forget it. Shiro, let¡¯s go buy you some clothes first. Then¡­ are you hungry?¡± Well~ Shiro isn¡¯t hungry. After all, this place is full of humans, so the spirits don¡¯t dare to come close. Shiro¡¯s food is so abundant nao~ Shiro tilts her head, ¡°Hungwy?¡± Seeing the confused expression on her face, Ryouta really felt lost and helpless. This girl, it was almost impossible to converse with her; it was as if she was a newborn baby! Well, technically, she is one though, if one were to count her age using human years, ha ha ha. ¡°¡­Forget it, let¡¯s just go.¡± In the end, Ryouta gave up trying to speak with this child-like alien, opting to simply take her hand and gently tugged her up. He led her outside of the slave merchant¡¯s tent, silently nodding his farewells to the merchant whom he bought Shiro from. After seeing off the big customer who paid almost 20 gold coins for a slave; ten times the price he bought the slave for, Dios the merchant happily counted the coins one by one for the n-th time with a hardly repressed smile on his face. ¡®Hope we meet again, big fish!¡¯ Dios laughed loudly, rejoicing at the massive profits he had just gained. A high-grade slave he groomed for many years only fetched the price of 1600 large silver coins¡ªthe equivalent of 16 gold coins at most, but without doing anything, he had suddenly received such a blessing. He really hoped he could meet such a customer again. He had a feeling, that they might see each other again in the future. . . . ¡°Waaaa!¡± Shiro twirled around in her new dress. Although the top part was rather form fitting, due to the lightness and softness of the fabric, she did not really mind the constriction. ¡°Shiro¡ªhey! Don¡¯t run around!¡± Ryouta felt a headache come his way. He wondered if this was what it was like to have a child¡ªconstantly having to look out for them in case they got hurt or something. No wonder his parents seldom took him out when he was growing up!This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Ryouta sighed. Currently, they were in a clothing store on the main street of Bluer Port Town. The place was relatively high-end, where most of the clothing was custom-made. He didn¡¯t want Shiro to go around in nothing but rags, as he wished she could live a somewhat normal life. He did, though, considered setting her free, but he had no idea how to remove the slave collar¡ªwhich seemed to be some sort of magic item¡ªand he was also worried that she wouldn¡¯t know how to survive on her own, so he made the decision to take her in. Since he had received so much funds from the king, and had no idea where and how to spend it, so this was truly perfect timing. He had commissioned the tailor for two sets of underwear, three dresses, a cloak, and a pair of shoes for Shiro. Altogether, they costed about two gold coins and three days to make. ¡°Shiro, please put on your shoes!¡± Shiro was twirling in the slightly open area in the store, prancing around in her new clothes. She seemed to like the newly-commissioned dress, but refused to put on the leather shoes that had been custom-made for her. ¡°No!¡± Her childish voice rung out defiantly. She ran quickly to hide behind the female store attendant, her cheeks puffing adorably. ¡°Shiro¡­¡± Ryouta sighed in defeat. Fine, if she didn¡¯t want to, then she didn¡¯t want to. He wouldn¡¯t force her to do it. ¡°Shiro, come here.¡± Abruptly, he pulled Shiro into his arms, resorting to carry her instead. Since she refused to wear her shoes, it wouldn¡¯t be good if she dirtied her dainty feet or stepped on something sharp, so just like the day he brought her back to his inn, he carried her in his arms. ¡°Boo¡ª¡° Shiro pouted, but since she was used to it now, she did not struggle. Rather, she felt victorious, as she did not need to put on those restrictive things. Shiro vaguely wondered, why do humans like wearing things that were so annoying and constricting? ¡°Pack these up and deliver it to Full Moon Inn.¡± Ryouta nodded to the female attendant, tossing a gold coin towards her. After receiving such a huge tip, the attendant smiled happily, ¡°thank you for your patronage, dear customer. Your items will be delivered immediately.¡± After settling Shiro¡¯s clothing matter, he decided to visit the auction house, as he still had a small bulk of gold coins to spare. These past few days, he had been spending money like water, and with the amount of stuff that he had bought, it would be better if he had some kind of dimensional bag to put everything in. Apparently, dimensional bags were somewhat rare, but it was not impossible to get one. It was just, because of its rarity, these things would usually cost quite a hefty price. However, with the money left over from the king¡¯s generosity, Ryouta was able to spend money like a lord. Thus, they immediately headed towards the auction house that was said to have a few bags for sale. ¡°Hey, sell that girl to me.¡± Suddenly, a voice rudely called out to Ryouta. Ryouta turned around, facing the person who had called him out. A luxuriously dressed man, accompanied by rough-looking men, was walking towards him. The man had taken a liking to the beautiful white-haired girl at first glance, and upon seeing the obvious slave collar on her neck, he had already decided he would possess her. The man thought that with his status and the amount of money he had, the owner of the slave would definitely sell her to him immediately. However¡­ Ryouta glowered at the rude man, ¡°she¡¯s not for sale.¡± He held Shiro protectively, making sure to conceal her from the man¡¯s view. The man frowned, ¡°speak, no matter the amount, I will have it prepared for you, in exchange for the girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not for sale.¡± After being rejected for the second time, the man felt annoyed. ¡°Do you know who I am?! How dare you reject my generous offer!¡± He harrumphed arrogantly, glaring at the impetuous boy, who was probably some bumpkin who had just reached adulthood. ¡®Even if you are a noble or a prince, I definitely won¡¯t sell her to you!¡± ¡°Hmph! Fine, I can just take her by force!¡± The man ordered the rough-looking men behind him to take away Shiro, ignoring the fact that his actions were unreasonable and left a bad impression to the passers-by. Though Ryouta was powerless in front of the people from the royal castle, it did not mean he was weak. Since he was trained by the captain of the royal guard himself, the sword on his side was definitely not a decoration. After all, he had been travelling by himself while carrying a bag full of money; so he was rather used to being the target for robbery. Sure enough, he quickly gained battle experience through fighting off bandits. Against these kinds of third-rate nobles and thugs, it was not impossible for him to defeat them! The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (16) Ryouta readies his sword, pointing the sharp end towards the enemies. Although he seemed prepared to take them on, the luxuriously dressed man and his posse did not seem to be worried at all; rather, they seemed confident that they could win the fight. They were confident in the fact that they outnumbered him, and they were even given a handicap. The strongest-looking man in the bunch snickered. Was the boy expecting to fight them with the girl in tow? It was certainly a recipe for losing, he thought. He couldn¡¯t help but look down on the boy who was overestimating his own strength. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a lesson, boy,¡± Lackey #1 says, grinning fiendishly. ¡°Hmph! Bring it on!¡± Lackey #1 made the first move. He took out his sword, swinging it down heavily towards Ryouta. The attack was not fast, but it was a strong one nonetheless. One could clearly tell that Lackey #1 had placed a lot of strength behind the attack. Seeing that it would be too heavy for him to parry, Ryouta immediately fell back, narrowly dodging the hit. He was grateful for the fact that Shiro was almost weightless; even while carrying her in his arms he was still able to move around freely. Ryouta raised his sword once again. But before he could do anything, Shiro who was in his arms start to move. Before he knew it, she was already making herself comfortable on his back, positioning herself piggyback-style. With this, it was even easier for him to swing his sword around. ¡°Hold on tight, Shiro!¡± ¡°Mn!¡± ¡°Hyaaaah!¡± With a shout, Ryouta begins to move. He held his sword with two hands, swinging it with practiced ease. Even after leaving the castle, he still kept up the daily training, following the routine imparted by the royal guard¡¯s captain who had been his sword-fighting instructor. Although the person did not teach him anything else other than a few sword techniques, he was still grateful for the man who still patiently taught the basics to him, who was constantly lagging behind. Lackey #1 parried the attack. After exchanging a few more moves, Lackey #1 finally realised that the kid in front of him had some skill. ¡°What are you waiting for, defeat him!¡± The luxuriously dressed man shouted, spittle flying everywhere. He had expected the boy to fall quickly under his lackey¡¯s attacks, but somehow the boy was still standing without a single scratch. ¡°Is that all you can do?¡± Ryouta says, taunting the man. Lackey #1 gritted his teeth. He had underestimated his opponent. It was a grave mistake. If his opponent had killing intent, he might even be dead by now.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Guys, attack together!¡± Finally, he threw away any semblance of a warrior¡¯s pride, calling out to his underlings to attack simultaneously. The other three rough-looking man immediately moved at their leader¡¯s signal. However, before they could even land an attack, a voice shouted from afar, ¡°Halt!¡± Immediately after the voice fell, a few knights in blue uniform came to surround the group. ¡°To create trouble in Bluer Port Town, you people sure have guts!¡± The voice roared angrily. A strict-looking man comes into view, adorned with the same blue uniform. ¡°You are¡ªMargrave Vista!¡± The luxuriously dressed man gaped. He hadn¡¯t expected that the margrave himself would appear. Margrave Vista was supposed to be a busy man who was in charge of the security of the town, so it was unexpected for them to encounter the man. ¡°Right on time, Margrave. Seize that abominable boy!¡± The luxuriously dressed man pointed angrily at Ryouta, ¡°he raised his hand against the nobility! He, a commoner, dares to raise his hands against me, a true noble of the kingdom!¡± Margrave Vista looked at the man, eyebrows furrowing. One look at his facial expression would tell you that the margrave was definitely thinking of something along the lines of, how annoying. ¡°I have been informed by my men that you were the one who attacked first. Men, take them to the dungeons!¡± ¡°Margrave! You can¡¯t do this! You are overstepping your boundaries!¡± The man shouted as he tries to fend off the strong grips of the blue-garbed guards. ¡°I am the son of Visount Tallus! You have no rights to detain me!¡± Margrave Vista sneered, ¡°So what? If you cause trouble in my territory, then you can only pay the price yourself. Even if you are the duke or even the prince, if you committed a crime, then you committed a crime.¡± With that, the commotion ended and the passers-by continued with whatever they were doing. ¡°Thank you for your help, mister.¡± Ryouta bowed, sincerely thanking the man. He found that a person that took care of the public order seriously like the man was a rare find, thus he truly thanked him from the bottom of his heart. ¡°No need to thank me. I simply did my job.¡± Margrave Vista sent a sidelong glance towards the boy carrying the girl on his back. He noticed that the boy was rather protective of the girl. ¡°Slaves in the kingdom are seen as commodities. If you want to give her a better and safer place to live, it¡¯s better to go to the Republic instead.¡± Ryouta raised his head to stare at the margrave in surprise. He did not expect that the man would give him an advice all of a sudden. ¡°The Republic¡­¡± He pondered about the familiar term. In the world, the Republic of Vine, also known simply as the Republic, was a place that was rumoured to have many species living together in harmony. Although the Kingdom viewed the place as an enemy due to the influence of the local religion, the Republic was a rather prosperous and bustling place filled with different races, according to the words of the travellers and merchants. He had also heard that slaves were illegal in the Republic. If he brought Shiro there, she could be liberated, he thought. He might even be able to find a skilled blacksmith or magician to help him with removing her collar, as well. ¡°Thank you for the advice. You have my gratitude, mister.¡± Ryouta once again bowed. The margrave¡¯s words allowed him to plan his future course of action more thoroughly. Margrave Vista had a ghost of smile playing on his lips. He felt rather positively towards the younger boy; most people his age¡ªthose who had recently just reached adulthood¡ªwere usually rather brash and hot-headed, often ignoring their mannerisms. Seeing the boy¡¯s politeness, he felt that if the boy was not a noble, then at least he was someone who was raised with proper manners. Without saying a single word of farewell, the margrave returned to his task of patrolling the town. Finally having been left alone, Ryouta continues to head towards the auction house, wondering how he would get to the Republic. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (17) Ryouta was deep in thought. Aside from procuring a dimensional bag, he had also went around digging for information. Money made people talk, so he did not hesitate to spend his cash like water. The weight in his pouch had diminished so much that he wondered if the money that he had been carrying prior to arriving in Bluer Port Town was simply his illusion. Did the king really give him that much money? The answer was, yes. Yes, the king did. However, having a goal in mind allowed him to fully focus in his preparations, making him forget that the money he had on hand was not limitless. Soon enough, all he had left was barely a quarter of what he started out with. Ryouta weighted the coin pouch with one hand, smiling wryly at its lightness. He sighed, regretting the fact that he did not bother to live frugally. A moment later, he placed the coin pouch within the newly purchased dimensional bag¡ªafter flashing his money at the attendant, he had been immediately brought towards a VIP room, and was allowed to select a few things that was being put up for sale before the auction began. Truly, money was such a frightening thing! The dimensional bag he chose was similar to a sling bag, and was made out of some kind of dark brown leather. The inside was rather spacious; it was about the size of a small cupboard. He was able to put many of their things in as well as the provisions he had bought for their impending journey. ¡°Shiro, let¡¯s start to live frugally starting from today, okay?¡± He patted the girl¡¯s head which only reached the height of his chest. ¡°Hoeh?¡± Shiro tilts her head, confused at the sudden head pat. ¡°Mn!¡± She smiled widely, showing her assent. Shiro was originally homeless, so she was used to living outdoors, so camping is easy-peasy! Shiro also doesn¡¯t need to eat solid food like most mortals, so they won¡¯t need to waste money in that area as well~This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Shiro puffed her chest, her face full of pride, as if saying, ¡®just leave it to me!¡¯ Ryouta smiled at her antics, patting her head again, thinking, ¡®good girl, good girl,¡¯ like a parent praising their child. ¡°That¡¯s right, Shiro, make sure to look out for a better map. The one I have right now only shows places within the kingdom, and not the whole place. Then, we¡¯ll have to look for a ship that can take us to our destination. I heard that it¡¯s hard to get to the Republic through land.¡± Ryouta continued to chatter as he piggybacked the girl. He knew full well that Shiro probably did not even have a clear idea of what they were doing; perhaps her childish mind was thinking that they were out roaming around the docks to play around or go for a walk. Which was probably true, considering how she was happily waving and flailing her limbs, giggling with mirth. Waaaa~! The air~ It¡¯s salty~ The sea spirits and the wind spirits were also happily playing with Shiro. The tiny spirits twirled and danced around the girl, making her laugh in amusement at the sight of the adorable little things ¡®dancing¡¯. She could not help it; the ¡®dancing¡¯, in her eyes, were simply bouncing! Clearly, their idea of dancing was different, but endearing nonetheless. Ehehe~ Ah, that¡¯s right! Shiro should ask the little spirits about the things Ryouta wanted. Hee~y, do you guys know about these things~? Ah! It seems like some of them do! Ryouta, Ryouta! Hurry and follow them~ Shiro stops her flailing. Instead, she pointed towards a direction, ¡°Yoo-ta, Yoo-ta! There! Go!¡± Ryouta, who was busy looking around for a place that sold maps, was suddenly startled by her calls. She repeatedly hit him with her tiny hands, ¡°Huwwy!¡± ¡°I got it, I got it, so stop hitting me,¡± he complained. Though he was puzzled by her actions, he still humoured her. Whenever Shiro would point to an area, he would jog over to it immediately. ¡°Shiro, where are we going?¡± ¡°Jwust a wittle bit, we¡¯re awmost thwere!¡± Shiro pointed excitedly towards an alleyway. Due to her excitement, she could not control her lisp. Ah, Shiro wants to grow up faster~ ¡°Shtop!¡± Shiro slapped Ryouta¡¯s shoulder for the n-th time, signalling that they have arrived. ¡°Shiro, wha¡­.t?¡± Ryouta stared at the sight in front of him, dumbfounded. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (18) A hidden dock. Certainly, Ryouta was not expecting to see something like this. A lone ship was parked at the dock. Though the ship itself was inconspicuous, the crudely-drawn skull-shaped symbol against a black background of the sail showed that the ship was not a simple one. Clearly, it was a pirate ship? Was what Ryouta thought. He found it rather ridiculous. Are pirates usually so blatantly obvious in showing who they were? He felt incredulous at the notion. It was as if the owner of the ship wanted to be noticed and get caught. Like, hey, come and catch me (lol)! Though he had never seen a pirate ship all his life, he didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be so¡­ reckless. After all, if one was a thief, would they really incriminate themselves like that? But of course, this was just his thoughts. Maybe the pirates were really that brave and reckless. ¡°Shiro¡­ are you sure we should be here?¡± Ryouta visibly gulped. He could see rough-looking burly men loading goods into the ship. ¡°Hey, you!¡± Suddenly a voice shouted from behind Ryouta. ¡°What are you doing here?! Who are you?!¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Ryouta¡¯s head immediately whipped towards the owner of the voice. A girl stood behind him, sword pointed towards him. ¡°Speak! Who are you?¡± The girl cautiously watched Ryouta¡¯s every move. ¡°Ship~¡± As if unconcerned with the weapon pointed at them, Shiro, from Ryouta¡¯s back, popped her head up and straightened her back, pointing towards the ship. The girl¡¯s eyes widened at Shiro¡¯s appearance. The hand that was holding the sword slackened as her eyes were wide in a daze. Pearly white skin, matched with snow-coloured hair and azure eyes; she had never seen such a beautiful girl! ¡°Hey, do you know anything about that ship and where it¡¯s headed?¡± Ryouta spoke. Thought he girl was distracted, he was still eyeing the sword cautiously. The girl¡¯s attention was snapped back towards the man in front of her. That was bad, the girl thought. It was an amateur¡¯s mistake to be distracted during a confrontation. ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question; who are you and what are you doing here!¡± Seeing the girl grasping her sword tighter, Ryouta took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m Ryouta, and this is Shiro. We¡¯re looking for a way to get to the Republic, and somehow stumbled to this place! We mean no harm, I promise.¡± The girl¡¯s gaze went back and forth from Ryouta to Shiro, seeking to see if what he said was the truth. Seeing the honest looks in both of their eyes, the girl lowered her sword, but did not drop her guard. They could be lying, she told herself. There had been cases where enemy spies had infiltrated their ranks in the same way previously, after all. ¡°Fine. Follow me.¡± The girl nodded, keeping her eyes on them. She walked towards the ship, motioning them to follow her. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything stupid,¡± she warned the boy. Ryouta and Shiro exchanged glances. Seeing the eager look on Shiro¡¯s face, Ryouta could only follow along. Hehehe, did Shiro do well~? Shiro smiled happily, from ear to ear, with the aura of someone asking for praise emanating from her. Praise me~ praise me~ The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (19) Ryouta looked around nervously. Burly men was surrounding them from all sides, all looking at him as if he was their enemy. ¡°Tch!¡± One man clicked his tongue. ¡°Fucking trash,¡± another muttered. He was very puzzled. Why were the men hostile towards him? Even the girl had been hostile towards him. Although he indeed was a somewhat suspicious person for sneaking around in the area, from the beginning to the end, he had not drawn his weapon, nor did he do or say anything rude. So why were they all acting so aggressively? The girl from before came forward, ¡°Little girl, come with me.¡± She ushered Shiro to follow her, her eyes softening into a sympathetic look. However, the moment her eyes landed on Ryouta, it became cold and harsh, as if she was looking at the criminal who had killed her pet. ¡°¡­?¡± Shiro, on the other hand, was also puzzled. Hm~? Why are all these people emanating killing intent~? Ehhh, Shiro isn¡¯t tasty, okay? Shiro isn¡¯t good for butchering, okay? ¡°Little girl, come.¡± Seeing that Shiro had no intention of following her, the girl began to pull her arm. Ryouta, who was holding onto Shiro, stumbled forward due to the pulling. Thankfully, he managed to stabilise himself. He heaved a sigh of relief, offhandedly staring at the dirty floor. He held in his disgust. The floor of the ship they were standing on had clearly not been washed for days. Dirt and grime covered the floor, and there was an unidentified visible stain near where they stood. He felt it was unsafe for Shiro¡¯s dainty feet to step on the floor; the girl refused to wear any shoes, so her feet would be dirtied the moment he let her off his back. Thinking of the possible bacteria and infection one could get from the floor, he inwardly shivered. There was no way in hell he was going to allow Shiro to put her foot down on the ground! Seeing Ryouta¡¯s action, the look in the girl¡¯s eyes became even more severe. She had actually misunderstood his action as being possessive of the white-haired girl. Actually, the reason why the people were so hostile towards him was due to the slave collar on Shiro¡¯s neck. It was ingrained in their minds that those who bought slaves were despicable people, and Ryouta was simply an unlucky fellow who happened to carry a slave around, so they had thought that he, too, was a despicable person.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Um, excuse me. Is this ship headed towards the Republic?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to ya?!¡± Another man answered roughly. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a ship to the Republic,¡± Ryouta explained briefly, looking around. He spotted another group of people at another area on the ship, eyeing the group, or more specifically, Ryouta, warily. Ryouta¡¯s eyes widened as he noticed the slave collars lying around near their feet. ¡°That¡­!¡± His eyes brightened in excitement. Could it be¡ª ¡°Hey, is there anyone on this ship that knows how to remove the collar?!¡± ¡°?!¡± Seeing the excited look on Ryouta¡¯ s face, the people around him was taken aback. ¡°Why? What do you want to do?¡± The girl asked defensively. ¡°Shiro¡¯s collar, it seems like there was no one in the Port Town that knew how to remove it. Although Shiro doesn¡¯t seem to mind it, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth knowing that Shiro is still considered as a slave as long as she has the collar.¡± The men exchanged glances, stunned. So they were misunderstanding things? The girl¡¯s expression became complicated. Her initial impression of the boy turned out to be wrong. The boy was actually looking for a way to free the girl. It was no wonder that the white-haired girl refused to part with him. ¡°Uh, unfortunately, the item we used to remove the slave collars has already outlived its use. It broke down just before you arrived.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Seeing the downturned gaze of Ryouta, the girl suddenly felt flustered. ¡°B-but, there¡¯s a person who knows how to remove the collar on our side!¡± ¡°You said you were headed for the Republic, right? We are also heading that way. Don¡¯t worry, the person that can remove the collar is also waiting for us at the Republic; you can come with us, if you want.¡± Losing their hostility towards the younger man, one of the man spoke, no trace of their earlier harshness in sight. Hearing their reassuring words, Ryouta regained his spirits. He turned his head to look at Shiro, ¡°did you hear that, Shiro? You can be free soon!¡± ¡°Nn? Nn!¡± Although Shiro did not care for the measly collar, seeing Ryouta happy also made her happy, so yaaaay~ Eh? Wait? Could it be that Ryouta reeeaaaaaally hates seeing the collar on Shiro? Hm~ Sorry Mr. Sketchy Merchant. It seems like Shiro should reeeaaaaally remove it so Ryouta can be happier~ Crack! ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°?! ?! ?!¡± Suddenly, a ¡®cracking¡¯ sound came from behind Ryouta¡¯s back. Shiro¡¯s cheeks were puffed as she narrowed her eyes in concentration. Her tiny palms were holding the collar on her neck, a visible, large crack in its middle. Somehow, the sturdy, magically enhanced slave collar, that was impossible to remove by just any Tom, Dick or Harry, was easily broken by the collar-wearer herself. Eh? Surprised, was the collective reaction of everyone on board. Everyone¡¯s stupefied gaze moved from Shiro to Ryouta, whose eyes were also wide with surprise. ¡°Ah¡­ Shiro?¡± Ryouta gulped, cold sweat breaking on his back. ¡°Nn?¡± ¡°Shiro, could it be that¡­ you could have done this earlier?¡± ¡°Nn? Yeah!¡± ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± And let me run around like a headless chicken searching for a way to remove it, he added silently in his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t ask~¡± From Shiro¡¯s point of view, she could hear the spirits around her echo her words, ¡°Didn¡¯t ask~ Didn¡¯t ask~¡± Hearing the cacophony of cute voices, Shiro giggled. Ryouta¡¯s face darkened. He heaved a defeated sigh after seeing the foolish smile on Shiro¡¯s face. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (20) ¡°We, the Skull Brigade, have been travelling around the whole continent, seeking out slaves who wish to liberate themselves.¡± Elena, the lone female on the ship, explained. ¡°My mother, who was a former slave herself, decided to start this group in order to help and save those who were illegally sold as slaves. We help to transport them to safer places, such as the Republic. Speaking of which, the Skull Brigade is listed as an A-class Adventurer¡¯s party in the Republic.¡± She continued to talk as she played with Shiro¡¯s soft, white hair. For some reason, the little girl ended up in her lap. ¡°Oh¡­¡± That explained the skull symbol on the sail. He felt rather relieved knowing that these people were not pirates. ¡°It won¡¯t take long to get to the Republic with the route that we¡¯re using. But¡­¡± Elena furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°There has been rumours of a terrifying sea monster spotted along this route. I¡¯m afraid we may need to fight when the time comes.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s so dangerous, why use this route?¡± Elena shook her head, ¡°thanks to the sea monster, not many ships use this route. The pirates won¡¯t dare to come close either. The ship captain thought that encountering the sea monster is far better than encountering pirates.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have a map that I can borrow?¡± ¡°A map? Sure.¡± The girl got up, placing Shiro on the bed she had been sitting on. She went towards the only chest in the room, rummaging for the desired item. ¡°Here.¡± After searching for a short while, she pulled out a piece of rolled-up parchment, handing it over to the boy. Ryouta unrolled the parchment and studied the map intently. Unlike the map that the king had given him, the map in front of him was better. New names and places were drawn on it. Judging from the scale, it might have been a map of the whole world. Elena pointed to a spot near the location marked with ¡®Valdavia Kingdom¡¯. ¡°This is where we are.¡± She dragged her finger towards another location. ¡°And this is the route we are using to get to the Republic.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°How long will it take to get there?¡± ¡°About two weeks, give or take.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey. Don¡¯t look at me like that! Two weeks is plenty fast! Most sea trips take months!¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Geez!¡± Ryouta went back to studying the map. Valdavia Kingdom, the place he was summoned from, was bordered by the sea on one side and a forest on another. Neighbouring Valdavia Kingdom was a few other smaller kingdoms, including a cluster of islands called the ¡®Isles¡¯ and ¡®Dragon Archipelago¡¯. The Republic of Vine was actually just next to the kingdom, separated only by a thick forest. The forest was said to be a very dangerous place, which was why it was inconvenient for people to travel to the Republic through it. Other than the Republic, a place called ¡®Light Empire¡¯ and ¡®Holy Land¡¯ was marked on the other side of the forest. Including the continent where all of those places were recorded, there was two other continents that were not as big. One of them was completely blacked out. It was located south of Valdavia Kingdom. ¡°¡­?¡± Ryouta pointed at the inked-out continent. ¡°Elena, what¡¯s this place?¡± Elena raised an eyebrow. ¡°What, you don¡¯t know about the Demon Continent? Have you been living under a rock?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Seeing the boy¡¯s lack of response, Elena realised she was being rude. ¡°The Demon Continent is a place where the demons live. It was said that a demon lord has taken over the continent, and in doing that had completely obliterated the previous civilisation living there. Remnants of the people who originated from the Demon Continent before it was annexed by the demon lord migrated to the Republic and has settled down there.¡± Elena shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Or something. It¡¯s been around thirty years since it happened, so I¡¯m not very clear on the facts. All I know is that that place is dangerous, and that rumours are going around about how the same demon lord is amassing an army to take over the world. I heard the Kingdom is currently fighting off most of the invaders; considering that they¡¯re right in front of the Demon Continent.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re not worried?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m worried. But, I¡¯ll leave the fighting to the frontliners. There are some really strong guys out there that can stop the demon lord, y¡¯know? Besides, demon attacks are the norm, so I¡¯m confident that if an army comes, we can at least take down one or two each.¡± Ryouta frowned, perplexed by the girl¡¯s lackadaisical attitude. It was as if the imminent threat was nothing to her. Ryouta thought back to King Rufus of the Kingdom. Although he had been fairly calm in their interactions, Ryouta who had been left to his own devices could see how frantic the king truly was from his actions behind the scenes. While the demon lord had been gathering his army, the Kingdom was not falling behind at all. With the addition of the Otherworldly Heroes, the Kingdom could be said to be quite prepared to take them on. With that in mind, Ryouta rolled up the map, returning it to its owner. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (21) Goooood mor¡­ night? Eh? What¡¯s happening? Eh? Huh? That¡¯s weird~ Shiro¡¯s biological clock is saying that it¡¯s daytime. So why is it so dark? ¡°Everyone, get into battle formation! Those that can¡¯t fight, go hide in the cabins! Go, go, go!¡± ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± Waaaaaa¡ªthe boat is rocking¡ªurk! This is bad, Shiro has motion sickness now. ¡°Shiro, come here!¡± As if he was a knight in shining armour, Ryouta came, swooping Shiro off her feet. Waaaa~ KAKKOII~ Back to the present. It has been approximately four days since Ryouta and Shiro joined the Skull Brigade¡¯s ship that was headed towards the Republic of Vine. As if it was foreshadowing, Elena had mentioned something about a terrifying sea monster that may or may not appear during their voyage. Speak of the devil and He shall appear! Four days into the trip, an enormous shadow began to follow the lone ship from underwater. A few hours later, as if the thing thought that the time was ripe, it appeared.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The ship rocked back and forth as the sea monster rose from underneath the ship, causing everything and everyone on board to tumble about. The huge monster was colossal compared to the ship. Although the ship could not be considered as a huge vessel, it was not actually very small¡ªit was enough to hold at least a few dozen people with room to spare. Such a ship was instantly dwarfed by the large monster, turning day into night for the passengers of the ship. ROAAAAAAR! Splash, the ship goes. As if trying to intimidate the people on the ship, the sea monster which resembled a large, purplish-greenish octopus sent one of its tentacles towards the ship but missing it narrowly. It made a large splash that further caused the ship to rock violently. Actually, it was not that the monster intentionally avoided directly destroying the ship, but rather, a certain presence on the ship caused it to hesitate. Shiro stared at the large octopus-looking fellow with narrowed eyes and a slight pout, as if saying, ¡®go away!¡¯ and ¡®you¡¯re a nuisance!¡¯ Her inner thoughts were clearly on display on her little face, and the monster had caught sight of it. Unconsciously, the monster trembled. It could roughly feel the wrath behind the little white-haired girl¡¯s gaze. The feeling was akin to committing blasphemy; even the sea seemed to be boiling along with her anger. The nearby spirits, no matter their elements, all gathered, repeatedly saying, ¡°go away~ go away~¡± One tiny spirit would not do any harm, but when so many of them gathered, then it was another story all together. The might of the spirits could even overturn mountains and cause havoc. ¡°Muu¡­¡± Seeing the rather petrified sea monster that didn¡¯t seem like it was going to go away, Shiro increased her pressure over it. Along with it, the spirits were even more energetic in their movements. Sensing the sudden danger, the monster immediately turned away, intending to run away as fast as it physically could. Of all the things it had encountered in all its life, that little girl was definitely something he should not go against; its instinct practically screamed for it to get away as fast and as far as possible. ¡°Gwaaah!¡± ¡°Shit! Hold on to whatever you can and don¡¯t let go no matter what!¡± ¡°Kyaaaa¡ªglubglubglub¡ª¡° Unfortunately, even if the monster did not dare to attack the ship, it was inevitable for the ship to be unable to get away scot-free. The large size of the monster caused its tentacles to accidentally slam against the ship, thus sending it flying. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (22) Ah, shit. That was the only thought that came to Shiro once she realised that the monster was kind of an idiot. A destructive idiot. The ship, while somehow still in one piece, was sent away by the idiot¡¯s many, many arms/legs. The idiot was a monster, as expected. Even the accidental hit turned out to be a force to be reckoned with. Many of the ship¡¯s passengers were thrown off board, and all they could do was try to stay afloat as they wait for the waves to calm down. ¡°Quick, get back to the ship before it comes back!¡± The captain of the ship quickly issued an order. While the terrifying sea monster may have let them off for some reason, it still did not negate the fact that danger still lurked around the corner. ¡°Who knows, maybe the monster was scared away by an even more terrifying monster,¡± the captain added. While the Skull Brigade members were busy helping one another get back on the ship, a certain someone, who did not know how to swim, was currently sinking to the bottom of the ocean. ¡°Yooo-ta!¡± Shiro, who was separated from him due to the idiot monster¡¯s random tentacle attack, ran around the ship, searching for the stupidly weak mortal boy. Ah, shit! Shiro felt like cursing one more time. Because she had taken off the slave collar, thus breaking their master-slave contract, she was unable to detect his presence at all. As expected, she should have just listened to Mr. Sketchy Merchant and not take the collar off. ¡®So problematic, ugh!¡¯ Shiro complained inwardly.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Meanwhile, Ryouta, who was simply floating in the ocean, started to emit a bright light. ¡°!¡± Shiro, who noticed it, immediately dived into the sea. There he is! Geez! As Shiro closed their distance, she noticed that the boy was unconscious. Her hand reached out towards him, briefly touching his face. Just one touch was enough for her to determine his condition. Clearly, he had too much seawater to drink, and the ocean¡¯s pressure was simply too strong for him to swim back up to the surface by himself. Seeing the crowding water and sea spirits, she called out to them, ¡°can you all do me a favour and bring this one up?¡± A cacophony of ¡®yes~¡¯ and ¡®okay~¡¯ rang into her mind. Although she could use her own powers to save him, it would jeopardise her position as an ¡®Outsider¡¯, and would cause the Laws of the World to act against her faster than she would like. Up until now, the only reason she was able to live peacefully was because she barely used one percent of her powers in the current world. The spirits conjured a tornado of water to carry Ryouta up to the surface. Shiro immediately came up behind him, making sure to squeeze every drop of seawater out of his lungs. ¡°!!!¡± Ryouta¡¯s temperature began to drop. Shiro knew things were not good. Fine, it seems like Shiro has no choice but to speed up his Awakening, else he¡¯ll die. All of Shiro¡¯s efforts would be wasted if this one dies. ¡°Muuu!¡± With puffed cheeks, Shiro resolutely tore her arm, creating a bloody gash. Immediately, she shoved the bleeding arm straight to Ryouta¡¯s mouth, making sure he drank every last drop of the precious liquid before the wound closes up. Suddenly, the bright light he emitted became even more blinding.
Congratulations, you have levelled up.
The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (23) Ryouta woke up feeling rather refreshed, for some odd reason. ¡°Huh?¡± He rubbed his eyes. He felt somewhat different, but could not pinpoint the cause of the feeling. ¡°Yo-ta!¡± Shiro, who had been resting by his side, jumped up at the sound of his voice. Her face carried an expression of relief and delight. ¡°Shiro¡­ how long was I out?¡± ¡°Nn¡­ two! Days!¡± Shiro held up her fingers as she finished counting. ¡°?! Two days?!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake?¡± The door opened, revealing Elena whose head was bandaged. She carried a bowl of soup in one hand, and a bottle of elixir in the other. ¡°What happened to your head?¡± ¡°Accidentally hit my head when that monster swatted the ship away. Anyways, you should be more worried about yourself. Feeling any better? You¡¯ve been unconscious for a while, now.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t feel bad. If anything, I feel really good right now. Like I¡¯m full of energy.¡± ¡°Huh. That¡¯s weird. But it¡¯s good news, so what the heck.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ryouta pointed towards the elixir.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°A health potion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Such a thing actually existed? ¡°Oh, you came from the kingdom, didn¡¯t you? These things aren¡¯t really sold over there because of the Church¡¯s influence. Something about the healers wouldn¡¯t be needed if the potion was mass-produced.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Here, some food. I¡¯ll leave you to rest, then.¡± Elena exited the room after giving Shiro a pat on the head. ¡°Shiro.¡± Seeing the girl¡¯s questioning look, he patted her head. ¡°Did I worry you?¡± He smiled. Shiro puffed her cheeks, pinching his hand and biting it, as if saying, ¡®take this, this is for making me worry!¡¯ Ryouta laughed at her antics, ¡°sorry, sorry.¡± After teasing Shiro for a while, Ryouta went back to resting. He stared at the ceiling of the small cabin, a multitude of thoughts flashing through his mind. For some reason, he could not shake off the feeling that something was different. He could tell that his body felt lighter, and his senses were clearer than they had ever been. He could even see the small cracks on the ceiling as if it was in HD. A thought flashed in his mind. Could it be¡­ that he levelled up?! He jumped out of bed in excitement. Finally, after so long, he had finally levelled up! ¡°Status!¡± Without the slightest hint of hesitation, he opened his status window.
Name: Takahashi Ryouta
Race: Human
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Lvl: 2 (100)
HP: 100 (2 500 000)
MP: 20 (90 000)
STR: 24 (420)
SPD: 11 (309)
Skills: [Basic Sword Skills] [Poison Resistance] [Heat Resistance] [Cold Resistance] [Body Strengthening] [Hide Presence] [Limit Break] [Holy Sword Barrage] [Meteor Strike] [Divine Lightning Magic]
Titles: [Person from Another World] [Legendary Hero] [??? Sucessor] [Shiro''s Master]
¡­huh? What the f¡ª The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (23.5) [Successor] In order to keep the balance, the ruling gods decided to choose a [Successor] to fill up the empty seat left by the missing Domain Lord who previously governed over the Demon Continent. After so much negotiation and compromise, they finally reached a verdict. A few conditions were placed; the [Successor] must have an overwhelmingly bright white soul and have been a denizen of their world in their previous lifetime. Of course, being a famed figure (hero) in their lifetime was a bonus condition. After stacking these conditions, they finally found a match. There was supposed to be only one candidate, but just as expected of white souls; they were able to attract similarly white, albeit smaller, souls and carry them over. Just like that, four people were received instead of the original one.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°How fun! How interesting!¡± The gods clamoured. They were indeed very excited to see who would end up becoming the winner. Even the damned ¡®Demon Lord¡¯ that they were trying to purge seemed to have a significant chance in winning. But alas, the candidate was one favoured by the [Judge], the Goddess of Karma herself, so it was obvious that the Demon Lord¡¯s struggle was futile. The gods laughed at the humans¡¯ foolishness. The god candidate obviously had the brightest soul of them all, but they chose to discard him and sided with the pitifully dim white souls instead. It was lucky that he had been able to meet with the [Judge] so quickly after being summoned. That was one less work for the spectating gods. ¡°Oh? Looks like She¡¯s made her move.¡± One of the spectators remarked. ¡°This light¡­ This feeling¡­ It¡¯s him.¡± A god gasped, their tone sounding rather moved. ¡°Your most blessed and most beloved mortal has returned, huh?¡± ¡°That [Legendary Hero], Cyril Burnigsteid¡­¡± ¡°So he¡¯s the one who will join our ranks, then¡­?¡± ¡°¡±¡±How amusing~¡±¡±¡± The gods cackled. Together, they gathered around the images flashing on the body of water, raptly watching the scenes with renewed vigor. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (24) ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Elena stared at the boy with a peculiar gaze. Ryouta, who had been in a daze for days finally snapped out of it, albeit only for a short while. ¡°N-no, nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m fine.¡± His mind went back to the mind-boggling excess of information that he had received a few days ago.
[Basic Sword Skills] Basic Sword Skills revised in the Valdavian Capital Style of swordsmanship.
[Poison Resistance] Increased resistance against all kinds of poison. Passive.
[Heat Resistance] Increased resistance against high temperatures. Passive.
[Cold Resistance] Increased resistance against low temperatures. Passive.
[Body Strengthening] Strengthens the body with the use of mana. Consumes 5 MP per second.
[Hide Presence] Completely hides one¡¯s presence. Suitable for reconnaissance or assassination. Consumes 40 MP per second.
[Limit Break] Unleashes the potential beyond the capabilities of the user. Consumes 50 000 MP and 50 000 HP.
[Holy Sword Barrage] Allows user to materialise a number of sword rays. Consumes 50 MP per sword.
[Meteor Strike] Conjures meteors towards a targeted area. One-time use only. Consumes 80 000 MP.
[Divine Lightning Magic] Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.Allows user to wield offensive lightning-type magic of the highest tier.
[Person from Another World] A person from another world. Passive. Bonus: + Language Perception + Magic Resistance
[Legendary Hero] Title given to the legendary hero, Cyril Burnigsteid. Hereditary for three lifetimes. Allows the next reincarnations to inherit some abilities and stats of the Hero. Passive. Bonus: + All Stats Restored + Ultimate Attacks Restored + Resistance Restored
[??? Successor] Candidate to succeed ???¡¯s position. Bonus: + Blessing of the Goddess @l&^%. [User¡¯s level is too low to view the information]
[Shiro¡¯s Master] Master of the [Saint Fairy] Shiro through a blood contract. Shiro''s Stats Name: Shiro Race: Saint Fairy Age: 1 month Gender: Female Lvl: 1 (99) HP: 9 999 MP: 9 999 STR: 10 SPD: 9 Skills: [Levitate] [Direct Link] [Barrier] [HP/MP Sharing] [HP/MP Conversion] [Intimidate] Titles: [Ryouta''s Servant] [One who is Loved by Nature] [Friend of Spirits] [Celestial] Bonus: + Direct Link + Absolute Order + Divine Protection
¡­was what he found out. Ryouta had no idea how he had such good luck. He¡¯d always thought that his three classmates who instantly became Heroes were already cheaters in life, but it turned out he was more cheat-like than them. He did not know how to feel. On one side, he felt truly elated that he had such an amazing cheat, but on the other side, he wondered if he deserved such a cheat. He was reminded of what Saotome Ryuuji had said in the beginning. ¡°--Are you really able to let these people suffer without doing anything?! Well, I can¡¯t! Unlike you, I was given an amazing power. I can¡¯t turn my back to those in need!¡± Now, he also held an amazing power. However, unlike Ryuuji, he did not have such a strong sense of justice. While he did pity the residents of the world for having to deal with the demon lord, he could not find it in himself to actively oppose the demon lord like what Ryuuji and the rest was doing. Of course, if there was someone in trouble in front of him, he would not hesitate to help, but saving the whole world¡­ yeah, nope. After all, he was just a normal person. He was afraid, and he did not think that he was a particularly important person. Hell, he did not even know how to use his newly discovered powers yet. He was in no position to recklessly jump into the large-scale fight for power that was currently happening. ¡°Yo-ta? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Suddenly, the tinkling voice of Shiro rang in his ears, clearing all his bad thoughts like a refreshing gust of wind. The girl, who was smiling foolishly as usual, stood in front of him with her head tilted to the side quizzically. Seeing the familiar sight, he set down his worries for the time being. ¡®Whatever,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I¡¯ll deal with everything one step at a time.¡¯ For now, he decided, Shiro¡¯s safety and freedom was the most important objective. ¡°Yooosh!¡± He shouted, pumping himself up. Though it startled the people close to him, it did not bother him as he was absorbed in his self-motivational pep-talk mood. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (25) Click. Clack. Click. Clack. Click. Clack. The demon lord¡¯s bony fingers tapped his throne lightly. Each sound that his fingers made when it hit the solid surface of the armrest caused his subordinates to break into cold sweat. ¡°Y-your majesty¡­¡± One brave subordinate came forward, ready to give his report. His tapping stopped abruptly. To his subordinates, it was a sign that he was willing to listen to their reports. ¡°V-Valdavia has finally released their Heroes into the field. With the cooperation of the nation¡¯s adventurer¡¯s guild, their progress have been too smooth. At this rate, we¡­ we¡­ might¡­¡± The subordinate gulped audibly. He did not dare to finish his words, fearful of the demon lord¡¯s wrath. ¡°Hm.¡± Just one sound was enough to send the subordinates into submission. The demon lord was simply too intimidating. The brave subordinate, who was also one of the oldest aide of the demon lord, could still remember when the previous demon lord had been murdered by the current one. Who knew from which hell the current demon lord crawled out from. Even back then, the demons were no match against this demon lord; he was simply too powerful. Abiding by the strong-eats-weak mentality, naturally, the current demon lord was given the highest position in the country of demons. While this change brought about the greatest glory the demons had ever experienced, it did not mean that they were completely happy. It could be said that they had no choice but to follow the current demon lord in his plans of taking over the world as they were too scared of him. Just one wrong move and you¡¯d lose your head. The demon lord held no compassion towards his subordinates, much less to the other species that roamed the lands.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Have them captured, not killed,¡± the demon lord ordered after a little bit of contemplation. ¡°I¡¯d like to see just what¡¯s so different about those humans that came from another world.¡± His voice dripped with darkness as he smirked sadistically. ¡°¡±¡±Yes!¡±¡±¡± Meanwhile, Ryouta who had just discovered his new strengths had just arrived at the Republic, blissfully unaware of the dangers that were brewing behind-the-scenes. ¡°Yo-ta, look!¡± Waa~ Shiro spun around as she dragged Ryouta along. Hundreds of people were rambling around the docks. People of all shapes, sizes, colour, and species, wearing all sorts of unique clothing. ¡°So this is the Republic¡­¡± Ryouta now truly felt that he had entered a fantasy world. While he was busy admiring the sights, the Skull Brigade was busy with work. The newly liberated slaves, upon reaching land, heaved breaths of relief. They were finally free. The Skull Brigade gathered them around, ready to take them to register their citizenship as well as find them a place to live. Finally, they were able to start their new lives. ¡°So this is where we part,¡± says Elena. The whole time, her eyes did not leave Shiro. She felt it was unfortunate that they were unable to spend any more time together; she quite liked the rather childish girl, and hoped to stay together for just a little bit longer. Alas, it was not meant to be. ¡°If there¡¯s a chance in the future, I¡¯d like to meet again,¡± Elena ended their farewells with these parting words. Ryouta felt sour having to part ways with people whom he had gotten to know for the past two weeks. However, he knew that they had a noble cause to fulfil and did not want to get in their way. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other again,¡± Ryouta says, as if trying to convince himself. ¡°Thanks for everything.¡± ¡°See, again~ Bye-bye~¡± Elena smiled. These two odd pairing sure grew on her. ¡°Mm. See you.¡± Elena understood that their paths might not cross again. To her, this was but a minor event that happened while she was working. That was why, she could easily let go of her attachments. Though it was cold of her, it was simply the way in their line of work. If she was unable to dismiss her feelings, then it will only hurt her in the end. After all, who knew whether they would still be alive to meet one another again. Just like that, Ryouta and Shiro began their journey in the Republic together. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (26) Two years later. Many things have changed in the past two years. Countries rose and fell, people died and children were born. The threat of the demon lord was bigger than ever. After Valdavia¡¯s party of heroes lost their Priestess as well as the Valdavian princess that accompanied them to the demons, the kingdom suffered higher casualty as they were unable to fend off the highly toxic miasma attacks of the demons. Now, most of their focus was to bring back the captive Hero and Princess from the hands of the demon lord. Meanwhile, Ryouta who finally decided to use his powers for the greater good raised his fame as a vigilante hero among the people, along with his sidekick, the Beautiful White-Haired Girl. ¡°Shiro, protect me!¡± ¡°I got it!¡± A man with black hair and eyes was currently parrying an attack from his opponent, a rather high-ranking demon who proclaimed to have been working directly under the demon lord. The white-haired girl rose into the air, arms wide open. A pair of translucent wings materialised on her back, spilling sparkling and glittering light with every flap of her wings. She latched herself behind the black-haired man, allowing a bright light to envelop them both. The bright light expanded, then solidified into a barrier. ¡°Rah!¡± The demon who resembled a purple-coloured human with twisted horns growing out of her forehead and snake-like lower half shrieked. Her attacks were unable to reach the white-black pair due to the sturdy barrier, causing her to feel annoyance. Having had enough of fighting the demon, the man summoned a total of seven swords made of light, sending them to pierce the demon from seven different angles. ¡°Gaah!¡± The demon was able to defend against two of the light swords, but the rest managed to reach her. ¡°Even if you defeat me, there are still many others who are much stronger than me! Just watch, this world shall burn under the wrath of our great demon lord! Know fear, human trash! HahahaHAHAHAhaHA¡ª¡° As the demon perished, she began spewing her last words. The man, paying no attention to the demon¡¯s desperate attempt at sowing fear, simply moved to pick up the loot from the fallen demon, as if he had heard the same drivel many-a-times before. ¡°Oh~ this whip sure looks dangerous, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It does~¡± ¡°I wonder how much it¡¯s sold for.¡± The man wondered rhetorically. Inside his head, he was already calculating the profits. ¡°A lot~¡± Shiro, who was still clinging on his back, happily answered his questions. She was not too knowledgeable on the value of things, so she simply employed her cuteness to make Ryouta feel like he wasn¡¯t simply talking to himself(lol).Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Two years of travelling has definitely changed the boy into a man. Ryouta, though still bearing some resemblance to the boy he once was two years ago, had grown into a man. His features were sharper, his height taller, and his muscles more defined. Meanwhile, other than growing a pair of wings, Shiro did not change much at all, much to her dismay. ¡°Hm, but, there¡¯s been so many of them lately, hasn¡¯t there?¡± As an A-ranked adventurer, he could clearly deduce the fact that more and more demons have been appearing on their side of the continent. He thought back to his old classmates, the Heroes. He had heard that their strength over the demons were beginning to wane as more and more powerful demons flooded the continent. While he felt slightly worried for them, he still did not think that that was his war to fight. For the time being, he was content with protecting the citizens of the Republic from the dangers of the demons. He believed that, with the strength of the Heroes as well as the warriors fighting at the frontlines, the demons would definitely go down sooner or later, with or without his help. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Shiro.¡± ¡°Mn!¡± Coming back to the guild, Ryouta was confronted with a tensed atmosphere. ¡°Miss Vell, is something the matter?¡± ¡°Ah, Ryouta. You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°We¡¯re back~¡± The dog-eared Miss Vell finally showed a smile at the sight of Shiro. For some reason, she felt that the cute girl will always be able to elicit smiles from other people no matter the situation. ¡°Have you heard?¡± Miss Vell assumed her serious expression once again. ¡°?¡± ¡°It seems like the Heroes have been defeated. The Kingdom has fallen, and the demon lord is coming to this side now.¡± ¡°¡ªFallen?! How could this be?!¡± Those cheat-like people were actually defeated?! It was simply inconceivable. ¡°Believe it.¡± Vell shook her head. ¡°Right now, all the S-ranked and A-ranked adventurers are being rallied to fight against the demon lord army. The states even offered a hefty reward. The leaders of each country has now agreed to form a treaty. Seems like they¡¯re gathering as much wealth as possible to pay the adventurers,¡± Miss Vell shrugged. ¡°So we have to fight?¡± Ryouta¡¯s brows creased. Miss Vell was similarly an A-ranked adventurer, and he could recognise so many familiar faces around him. Even those who were usually swimming in alcohol could be seen bearing taut faces. They seemed to be ready to join the fight at any time. ¡°Some are fleeing, but more are taking up their weapons to fight.¡± Miss Vell sent a furtive glance towards the entrance, ¡°I¡¯m fighting, too, but there should have been more of us here. The guild master is waiting for the hall to fill up before he starts speaking, but I don¡¯t think many will come anymore.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably prioritising running away rather than staying to fight. Most have families they want to personally keep safe, after all.¡± Miss Vell smiled wryly. ¡°But then again, I¡¯ve always been a lone wolf, so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Those people are idiots, I tell you. The demon lord army is coming here; where is there to run? Half the world¡¯s already gone to hell!¡± Another voice joined in. ¡°Hal!¡± The man whose name was called tipped his hat in greeting. His gait appeared slovenly, but neither of the A-ranked adventurers would underestimate the man¡¯s strength. This Hal was, after all, one of the few S-ranked adventurers that graced the entire continent. ¡°Speakinng of which, Ryou, the guild master wants to speak with you. He¡¯s planning on bumping you up to S-rank. Put you in more critical areas and all that.¡± ¡°S-rank?!¡± ¡°Hey, hey. Don¡¯t look so surprised. Your strength is already above S-rank, y¡¯know?¡± Hal smiled wryly. Even though Ryouta was much younger than him, he knew that he was also much stronger. It was only a pity that Ryouta had only joined the guild for a relatively short amount of time, so there was a limited chance for him to climb up to S-rank quickly. Luckily, with the arrival of the demon lord¡¯s army, the higher-ups agreed to raise him to S-rank on account of his monstrous strength that was rather disproportional to his current rank. Such a strong fellow would be wasted if they don¡¯t use him to the best of his abilities, they thought. ¡°Geez, deciding on their own¡­ well, not that I¡¯m not happy, though.¡± The legendary S-rank¡­ He had finally achieved such a position. If it was the previous Ryouta, he would not have even dreamt of such a thing. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Miss Vell who was startled by the news, patted Ryouta¡¯s shoulder, genuinely happy for him. ¡°¡¯Gratulations~¡± ¡°Thanks, Miss Vell, Shiro.¡± Ryouta smiled. ¡°Thanks for telling me, Hal. Shiro, let¡¯s go see the guild master.¡± ¡°No prob. See you in the battlefield, Ryou.¡± ¡°Mn!¡± The two exchanged arm-shakes, nodding with a determined gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Shiro.¡± ¡°Yeah~¡± The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (27) Before the meeting started, Ryouta met up with the guild master. Hal was indeed right; the guild master had awarded him with a black-coloured adventurer¡¯s plate, signifying his official enlistment as an S-ranked adventurer. When he came out of the guild master¡¯s office behind the guild master, many people could not help but gawk at him, stunned. As people from the same guild, naturally, they knew just how strong the rookie Ryouta was, and while his ascension to A-rank was expected, no one had expected him to gain the S-rank in such a short amount of time. It was basically a meteoric rise in his status and rank. But other than being slightly envious, they still congratulated the man, eyes burning with admiration. ¡°Everyone, attention!¡± Finally, the guild master starts the meeting. ¡°First off, let¡¯s welcome the youngest S-rank in the world, Ryouta,¡± the guild master clapped his hand. An applause followed quickly afterwards. After a few moments, the guild master raised his hand, signifying them to be quiet. ¡°Now, onto the most important thing¡­ you guys know why you¡¯re gathered here, right?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°As you all have heard, the demon lord army has come. We, as proud adventurers, have a duty to protect this land and the people. Fight, for the sake of our loved ones!¡± The guild master charismatically hyped the crowd. ¡°The S-rank and A-rank adventurers will be divided into groups that will be sent to places where the concentration of the demon lord army are the heaviest. Naturally, the S-ranks will join up with the front runners over at the Kingdom, where the demon lord is currently using as his headquarters. As for B-ranks, they¡¯ll be in charge of going against the weaker demons. C-ranks will handle the evacuation along with the D-ranks, and E-ranks and F-ranks will take charge of gathering supplies. All the potions, food, blanket; any necessities, just get them.¡± The guild master finished saying his piece within a few breaths. Clearly, he did not like to waste his words and bluntly and clearly gave his instructions. The members of the guild did not have any objections against the order, so they immediately went about with their assigned tasks. They equipped their weapons and stocked up on their supplies. The very next day, the first group of S-rank and A-rank adventurers departed towards the Kingdom, this time using the riskier land route than the long sea route. Ryouta nodded towards his party members, which included his friends Miss Vell and Hal, as well as the guild master who came out to join the fighting. ¡°Leave the monsters to me; I¡¯ll clear the way.¡± Since the S-rank boy offered to tank, the rest simply allowed him to do as he wanted. But, they also did not dare to rest their guards. They were passing through Central Forest, after all. It was deemed to be one of the most dangerous places on the continent. However, despite their readiness, their passage through the forest turned out to be pretty uneventful. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (28) ¡°What danger¡­? It¡¯s all hogwash, huh.¡± ¡°No, perhaps¡­ the King of the forest died or something? Or the demons already cleared out the place.¡± ¡°Still, be careful, guys.¡± It took them a mere five days to reach Valdavia through the forest. Unlike what they expected, no beasts came out to attack them. It was the opposite. Not only did they not attack, even those that had met them half-way immediately turned back from the party, as if the beasts themselves had no interest in going head-to-head against the group. ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s better than getting stampeded by a bunch of beasts, though. As weird as the situation is.¡± Ryouta glanced at the white-haired fairy next to him. Remembering some of the details from the girl¡¯s status, he had an inkling as to why this was happening. He had vague memories of similar things happening in the past, though not as exaggerated as it was currently. Back then, most of the places they passed through were rather tame as compared to the Central Forest, after all, so he did not pay much attention to the occurrence. ¡°Shiro¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The girl looked back at him, eyes sparkling innocently. It was the exact same expression that she had given him back when he interrogated her about the ¡®blood contract¡¯ thing that gave him the [Shiro¡¯s Master] title. He stared speechlessly at the girl who was acting clueless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry; the scene invoked a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu in him. ¡°Guys, we¡¯re finally here. Get ready to fight,¡± Miss Vell took out her weapons which have not seen blood since the past few days. ¡°Make sure not to get yourselves killed, yeah?¡± Hal smirked at her words, ¡°None of us are rookies here, hey. We won¡¯t die so easily.¡± ¡°You better mark your words, Hal!¡± Hal grunted in response. ¡°I¡¯ll head east and slaughter my way to the survivor camp.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the west entrance.¡± ¡°Ryouta, you come with me. We¡¯re going to burst through straight ahead and act as the reinforcements for the Hero Party!¡± The guild master took out his weapon, his eyes shining with killing intent. Ryouta who was a newbie had never seen the guild master who were usually emitting a harmless and amiable aura acting this way. Finally, Ryouta¡¯s most feared moment in life had come.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Now, the only choice he could make was to fight the demons and protect the continent. ¡°Since things have come down to this, then I have no choice¡­¡± Ryouta closed his eyes, hardening his resolve. ¡°Charge!¡± At the guild master¡¯s signal, the party dispersed into different directions, charging straight into the swarm of demons currently roaming around and terrorizing the citizens. ¡°Reinforcements have arrived!¡± ¡°Reinforcements have arrived!¡± ¡°Reinforcements have arrived!¡± Accompanied by a cacophony of battle cries, voices of relief and hope could be heard. Shiro trailed behind Ryouta who was currently hacking a demon into pieces with bloodshot eyes. The demon stood no chance against the Level 102 ex-Hero even though the guy was only wielding a simple, nondescript sword. Other demons who noticed his activities began to gather around him. Although all sorts of physical and magical attacks came his way, Ryouta did not look frazzled. ¡°Shiro!¡± With just one word, the girl materialised her wings and silently latched on his back, erecting a barrier in the process. With Shiro¡¯s protection, Ryouta was simply an indestructible god of war. The weak demons standing in his way was easily blown apart with his [Divine Lightning Magic] and countless sword rays. ¡°Hooh, a maggot that¡¯s slightly strong, huh? I¡¯ll tak¡ªbugaaah!¡± Sorry, what? Can¡¯t hear you over the level gap, LOL. Shiro shook her head in pity. Ah, a Level 50 mini-boss can¡¯t defeat a level-capped player~ After destroying a few more high and mighty demons, Ryouta finally encountered one of the Heroes. Seeing a demon ambushing the [Magic Knight] Hero, Ryouta quickly summoned multiple sword rays, turning the demon into a porcupine. A few of the sword rays strayed from its intended target. Luckily, though, Ryouta managed to control them at the last minute, and instead of accidentally engaging into friendly fire, he used them to attack the other demon that the Hero was currently facing against. ¡°!¡± The Magic Knight, Nanba Anna, was startled, but soon felt glad. She knew now that more reinforcements have come to help them. After two years of constant fighting, Nanba Anna changed from a youthful gal into a battle-hardened warrior. No trace of her previous mischievousness could be seen. If one looked closely, one could even see premature wrinkles forming on the 18-years-old¡¯s face. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Nanba Anna¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. This guy, she recognised him. Although she had vague memories of the classmate that turned out to be a normal person that got caught up in their summoning, Nanba Anna could still recognise the man due to his predominant Japanese features. ¡°Yo. It¡¯s been a while, Nanba.¡± Ryouta knew that it wasn¡¯t the time to dilly-day. After giving a brief greeting, he immediately went back to his massacring. Soon enough, the area, too, turned into a graveyard of punctured bodies, black blood and severed limbs. ¡°Let¡¯s save the greetings for later. You...¡± Anna¡¯s tongue tied. She couldn¡¯t remember his name. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you to our camp.¡± Ryouta threw a glance at Anna, noticing the large gash that was still bleeding on her leg, ¡°can you walk?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Noticing his gaze, Anna winced. Although she had been holding on for so long, her leg was really not in the best condition. ¡°We have a healer at the camp. She can fix me up in a flash. For now, can you¡­¡± She wanted to ask him to carry her, but found that it was embarrassing for her to ask that of him, especially since she didn¡¯t even remember his name. A complicated expression flashed in her eyes. ¡°Shiro.¡± Seeing her predicament, Ryouta sighed. It was not the time for him to keep an eye on an injured person. ¡°Take her to where humans are gathered most.¡± ¡°Got it~¡± Shiro flew over to the woman, grabbing her from under her armpits. ¡°¡ª?!¡± Shiro carried the woman upwards. ¡°Uuuuuu! Heeeeaaavy!¡± ¡°Bear with it, Shiro,¡± Ryouta chuckled. ¡°Now, go!¡± ¡°Yes~¡± ¡°Uwaaa¡ª?!¡± The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (29) Two hours after Shiro came crashing down at the only survivor¡¯s camp in Valdavia¡¯s capital, the [Magic Knight from Another World] in tow. ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°Wait, look closely¡ªhe¡¯s human!¡± A blood-drenched figure strolled into the camp with a few other injured fellows in tow. Ryouta sighed in relief after finally reaching the camp. In the end, he still had to save some people from the demons¡¯ clutches and carry them by himself. ¡°Shiro!¡± Immediately after dropping off the wounded soldiers, he made his way to the eye-catching white-haired girl who was simply standing still in the middle of the camp. Shiro beamed at Ryouta, as if she was happy to see him. Standing next to her was Nanba Anna. Since she had reached camp, her leg was almost immediately looked after. After two hours of basking under the healer¡¯s power, she was as good as new. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Takahashi. Is your leg fine, now?¡± ¡°Takahashi, thank you.¡± Nanba Anna looked conflicted as she paused. ¡°How¡­ how did you become so strong?¡± In the short amount of time that they had spent together, she did not have any recollection of the boy ever showing any signs of the current strength that he had now. She was really curious as how the ¡®normal¡¯ Ryouta who had no special or redeeming qualities in the beginning became so strong after two years. If he had been so strong, and stayed to fight from the beginning, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out so badly, she hatefully thought. But she knew she was simply misplacing the blame. After all, when Ryouta left the castle, no one ever thought of stopping him. Rather, they all forgot about his existence as they were too absorbed in their training. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he replied. To be honest, he did not have the patience to tell Nanba Anna about his experiences. It wasn¡¯t like they were close friends, after all, so he simply dismissed her question. Furthermore, they were in such an emergency situation; no one had the time to tell stories.Stolen novel; please report. Ryouta returned to the battlefield once again after resting for a bit. ¡°! Hal!¡± While in the middle of slaughtering the demons, Ryouta found his comrade from the same guild, Hal, struggling as he walked through the carnage that he left behind, one hand was holding his thin, needle-like sword while the other hand¡­ was nowhere in sight. One of his arm was completely severed, the blood flowing out of the wound continuously like a waterfall. ¡°Fancy seeing you here,¡± says Hal. He managed a half-smile, appearing as if nothing was off, but his pallid complexion and the sweat dripping from his forehead betrayed the amount of pain he was holding in. ¡°Hal, your arm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Hal laughed. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look so glum. See, this isn¡¯t even my dominant arm, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Did you take a potion?¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I, ran out of potions midway.¡± Hal laughed, his face paling. ¡°What a sucky thing to happen, huh?¡± ¡°Hal¡­!¡± Ryouta felt his heart tighten. The man in front of him was one of the strongest people he knew. That person lost an arm yet he could still joke around like he always did. He felt a sourness in his heart, feeling aggrieved for the man. ¡°There¡¯s a healer in the camp. Maybe she can help you.¡± ¡°Is there, now? Can you¡­ lead the¡­ way¡­?¡± Hal¡¯s voice slowed. He could no longer bear the pain and was starting to lose consciousness. ¡°This is¡­ bad¡­ haa¡­ it seems like¡­ I¡¯ll have to, rely¡­ on you¡­ take care of me, will you, Ryou¡­?¡± Hal collapsed. Thankfully, Ryouta¡¯s reflexes were good so he was able to catch the older man quickly. Ryouta brought the man back to the camp quickly and made the healer prioritise his injuries. Seeing the grievous injuries of the man, the healer did not complain about Ryouta¡¯s brashness and simply started to work. Shiro looked at the healer with amazement. The woman¡¯s face showed her tiredness. Being the only healer in the middle of war, naturally, she was the busiest person on the planet. There was no time for her to rest at all, and she was working hard to heal as many people as she could. Hm~ Providing meritorious service in the war, in the form of saving lives; the karmic luck will help you in the future. Shiro¡¯s eyes briefly flashed, changing to gold for a short moment before turning back into its usual blue colour. Her fingers twitched slightly. However, her surroundings were too busy, so no one noticed this strange occurrence. Shiro turned back from the hectic scene, then moved to catch up to Ryouta who was already moving back to the battlefield. Soon enough, the demons in the surrounding areas were completely annihilated, and many more survivors managed to come back to the camp with their lives still intact. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (30) Reminder: the climax is nearing. Prepare to disengage from field activities. Reminder: the climax is nearing. Prepare to disengage from field activities. Reminder: the climax is nearing. Prepare to disengage from field activities. ¡°A~ah. So noisy.¡± Shiro tilts her head upwards, rolling her eyes. A rare look of annoyance surfaced on her face. Reminder: the climax is nearing. Prepare to disengage from field activities. Reminder: the climax is nearing. Prepare to disengage from field activities. I get it, so shut up. Reminder: do not interfere with the climax. ¡°I got it already, geez!¡± ¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Finally. Geez~ I thought they¡¯d never end~ Hive minds sure are annoying sometimes, don¡¯t you think? What? The reminders wouldn¡¯t have come if I worked hard in the first place? Hey, hey, hey. Aren¡¯t I working hard enough? Do you know how hard it is to grow a Fairy-type body? They need so much energy but I can¡¯t even ¡®eat¡¯ in the usual way because Ryouta¡¯s such a righteous little bitch. He¡¯d probably cry if Shiro went back to our usual ways. Shiro¡¯s young so her maturity is low, too. Tsk. In the beginning, this world¡¯s so unstable because one of the Domain Lords decided to skip work, didn¡¯t they? Just because I¡¯m a goddess of Karma doesn¡¯t mean I need to personally take care of every single little thing. Sigh. Well, whatever. We¡¯re here, anyways. The final battle. The last boss.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Whatever you want to call it. ¡°¡­¡± Eh? You¡¯re wondering why Shiro isn¡¯t being so childish anymore? Well, that¡¯s because¡­ I¡¯m bored. Ryouta was so annoying to work with. Like, he thinks with his knee or something~ I really hate his type~ Doing whatever you want, saying no to this and that just because they¡¯re ¡®bad¡¯~ Doing whatever you want and doing whatever you want and doing whatever you want~ Ah, just kidding. It¡¯s just that Ryouta was such a boring normie. Didn¡¯t expect that kind of person to be the reincarnation of a great hero, y¡¯know? Feels like I made a mistake in my choice, so it¡¯s getting on my nerve. Haaa~h. Let¡¯s just get this over with. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, demon lordie?¡± ¡°Agree with what?! And who are you?! Don¡¯t call me ¡®demon lordie¡¯!¡± Ah, I got tsukkomi¡¯ed. Are you a normie too, demon lord? ¡°Haa~aa~aa~ah.¡± Shiro got off the huge throne she was sitting on, facing the little demon who thought of himself as the demon lord. ¡°Well, this is protocol, so I need to say this to you.¡± Shiro leisurely walked towards the guarded demon lord. The demon lord readies his weapon, ready to strike at the unknown entity. Though the girl looked simple and harmless, he could tell that she was not how she appeared. ¡°Child of the Bezeleh Clan, do you agree to partake in the fight as [Svhoh¡¯s Successor]?¡± ¡°?!¡± A shiver ran down the demon lord¡¯s spine. How did she know his identity?! ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. All you need to answer is yes or no.¡± Svhoh¡­? He recalled that the previous god that ruled the continent that he made into his base was someone with such a name. ¡°Answer me first; who are you?!¡± Shiro tilted her head, brows furrowing in annoyance. ¡°Tsk. Fine. Since you came from the Down Under, then you should be familiar with [Judgement].¡± The demon lord, hearing the term, almost dropped his weapon. Judgement?! Why was [Judgement] here?! His hearts began to beat harder as he felt the sense of danger oozing from the girl becoming thicker. ¡°You can call me Twelfth.¡± The girl¡¯s eye narrowed, smiling chillingly. The twelfth angel of judgement, goddess of karma, protector of balance¡­ so on and forth. Although he was unfamiliar with the members of [Judgement], the twelfth angel was one that not only him, but most of the residents in Hell knew. Although she was the weakest, no one would dare to cross her. This was because¡­ too many people owed her a favour!!! Just one word from her could awaken hundreds, even thousands of hidden experts and monstrous people to do her bidding. ¡°What is the Twelfth doing here, in the mortal realm?!¡± He almost screamed. As far as he knew, [Judgement] was not allowed to cross to the mortal plane. This was why he dared to cause so much trouble in this world. Shiro, who heard his question, curled her lips into a sneer. ¡°Just a small fry, and yet you want me to tell you about such a thing? Do I look easy to you? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Demon lord took a step back, a faint trace of fear crossing his face. His knees buckled from her threatening tone. It was lucky that none of his subordinates were in the throne room, else he¡¯d lose face. ¡°How you managed to survive before getting out of Hell with that puny strength of yours is beyond me, but that doesn¡¯t matter. Your appearance is a favourable thing. Now, do you agree or not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unexpectedly, the demon lord was given a chance to legally settle down in this world. ¡°I agree.¡± Shiro nodded in satisfaction, withdrawing all the pressure she was burdening the demon lord with. ¡°Good. Your opponent will be coming in a bit, so good luck~¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the girl finally went away, the demon lord finally relaxed. He heaved a sigh in relief. It was a good thing that such a colossal organization like [Judgement] wasn¡¯t planning on hounding him. While his strength was enough to obliterate cities in the mortal realms, in front of [Judgement] he was practically an ant. Even the weakest member could pulverise him in mere seconds. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (31) ¡°Shiro, where have you been?! I was worried for you!¡± The moment Shiro came back to the camp, Ryouta enveloped her into a hug while scolding her. ¡°I thought you¡­¡± Ryouta tightened his hug, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­¡± ¡°Ryouta?¡± Shiro pouted, teary-faced, as if she understood that she did something bad. After lecturing the white-haired girl for half a day, he finally felt all his anger and worry dissipate. Shiro had been by his side for so long, and he had begun to see the girl as a treasured family member. When she suddenly disappeared from the camp, he almost went crazy searching for her. ¡°Shiro, where did you go? You were gone for quite some time.¡± ¡°Bath!¡± Shiro tilted her head, as if thinking, ¡°then, nap~¡± ¡°¡­You fell asleep while taking a bath?¡± ¡°Un~¡± ¡°You defenceless girl!¡± Ryouta hit her head, reprising his lecture to the girl. It was lucky that she didn¡¯t encounter any danger, he thought. Ryouta seemed to forget that Shiro was, in actual fact, stronger than she looked. If anything happened, her [Barrier] was enough to protect her from the demons. Since he was too worried, the thought completely slipped his mind. ¡°Shiro, listen.¡± Ryouta placed his hands on her shoulders, his countenance changing into seriousness. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be entering the castle,¡± he paused, mulling over the words he was about to say. ¡°We¡­ I, might not come back, so you have to be prepared. Shiro, remember, if you can¡¯t win, then run! As long as you¡¯re still alive, then it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Ryouta¡­¡± ¡°Okay? Shiro?¡± ¡°Mn¡­¡± ¡°Yo, what¡¯s with the solemn atmosphere?¡± Hal said lightly, coming from behind them. His severed arm was already bandaged and he looked better than before. ¡°Hal, you should be resting right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, don¡¯t mind it~¡± ¡°Hal¡­¡± Ryouta¡¯s tone turned into reproach. ¡°Anyways, the guild master is having a meeting with the Heroes and the rest. We should go join them,¡± Hal said, pointing at the direction of a tent with his head. ¡°After all, we¡¯re S-ranks. Our input is valuable, too.¡± He smiled lopsidedly.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°¡ªthe war is tilting in our favour. Most of the demon lord army¡¯s strong fighters have already been defeated. We should take this chance to defeat him once and for all. I suggest that we charge the castle as soon as possible.¡± Another voice refuted, ¡°No. While we are indeed winning, it is only by a slight margin. The casualties we¡¯ve suffered is too much, and everybody is too injured and too exhausted to continue fighting.¡± ¡°But we are so close!¡± The earlier voice argued. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about casualties, then we should go to the castle and find Kyoko¡ªthe [Priestess], first! She can use [Mega Heal], which will be very beneficial to us!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s simply a reckless plan! In the first place, we don¡¯t even know if the Priestess is still alive or not. Sending men to the demon¡¯s lair without proper thoughts is simply ridiculous! Are you trying to create more casualties than we already have?!¡± The two voices continued to argue back and forth. Their voices were so loud that even the people in the vicinity of the tent could hear them. When Hal, Ryouta and Shiro entered the tent, they were met with the scene of their guild master butting heads with a man dressed in gold and white armour. Hal whistled. ¡°How rare~ I¡¯ve never met anyone who could make the guild master this angry before.¡± ¡°Who are you?! What are you doing here?!¡± The armour-wearing young man sharply questioned. ¡°Hal, an S-rank adventurer. You must be the [Hero], huh, Mr. Flashy Armour?¡± ¡°S-rank? You don¡¯t look like it. And don¡¯t call me Flashy Armour.¡± The [Hero]. Saotome Ryuuji, frowned at the man¡¯s frivolous tone. The guild master harrumphed. ¡°Hal, show some respect to our great Hero over here,¡± he said, his tone sarcastic. ¡°Come join us, Hal, Ryouta.¡± ¡°Ryouta¡­?¡± Saotome Ryuuji furrowed his eyebrows. The name sounded awfully familiar. Perhaps because it was a Japanese name, so he immediately recognised the name. Ryuuji¡¯s gaze fell towards the unsmiling Ryouta. In his mind, Ryouta¡¯s face fuzzily overlapped with the weak and coward classmate of his from two years ago. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re that guy. What are you doing here? This isn¡¯t a place that just anyone could waltz in.¡± He sent a pointed look at Ryouta. Ryouta ignored the other man, simply turning to face the other men in the room, ¡°Captain and the rest, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­! Ryouta?!¡± The captain of the royal guard was stunned. He did not expect to meet the boy here. Although he had many questions that he wanted to ask, he knew now was not the correct time and place for it. ¡°Shiro, come sit down here.¡± The guild master, noticing the white-haired young girl trailing behind the two men, ushered her to sit down on the chair that he had picked up from the ground. Previously, he had been sitting on it normally, but due to being angered by the young Hero Ryuuji, he had recklessly sent in flying. Thankfully, the chair was sturdy so it did not suffer much harm. ¡°Okay~¡± When the girl came out from behind Ryouta, Ryuuji was stunned silly. The little girl had white hair that extended down her back, and her big, blue eyes contained a feeling of naivety and pureness that was rarely seen. Her pink lips curved into a light smile, making others mesmerised. He had never seen such a beautiful girl. Even the princess of Valdavia, renowned as the number one beauty in the kingdom, could not match the little girl in terms of looks. A spark of interest bloomed in his heart, and a look of desire passed through his eyes. He felt the urgent need to possess the girl. If he could make the girl fall for him¡­ Ryuuji smiled, thinking that the little girl would probably not refuse him who was the person with the highest status in the place. He was convinced that she would easily fall for him, too, just like all the other girls around him. Although the other men were also entranced by her, none was as obsessed as Ryuuji. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (32) After the little episode, the discussions continued. Ryuuji threw a glance at the unassuming girl every once in a while. His coveting looks did not go unnoticed as he thought. Ryouta, who first noticed it moved to protectively block the girl from the lecherous bastard¡¯s view. Hal also moved to the other side, conveniently sitting on the desk, making Shiro completely disappear from Ryuuji¡¯s view. Ryuuji furrowed his brows in annoyance. Whatever, there was still other chances for him to get close to the girl. Ryuuji¡¯s attention no longer lingered towards the girl. ¡°I want this to end quickly. We should storm the castle now, while the demons are still recovering.¡± Ryuuji pressed on with his plan. ¡°No! Our men can¡¯t fight anymore; they¡¯re too tired! Don¡¯t make them throw away their lives meaninglessly!¡± The guild master¡¯s fists slammed the table in between them, breaking it into half. He was deeply against the Hero¡¯s idea. ¡°Then what do you propose we do? Hm? You don¡¯t have any ideas, do you?¡± ¡°Calm down, you two.¡± The guard captain sighed. These two had been fighting the whole time, causing the rest of the people to receive headaches. After the king was murdered and the princess was kidnapped, everybody turned to him¡ªthe royal guard¡¯s captain¡ªfor leadership. Thus, he became the person with the highest authority, next to the Hero. He had asked the stronger people available to form a war council, but with how things were going, nothing can be solved. ¡°The guild master is right.¡± Ryouta supported. ¡°Our warriors aren¡¯t machines. They¡¯ll break if they don¡¯t rest.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Hal waved his hand in an indolent manner, looking rather carefree, ¡°Yeah~ After all, not everyone is as strong as the Mr. Hero over here. Can¡¯t expect them to have as much stamina, too~¡± ¡°Then what about the demons? What if they start attacking again?¡± Ryouta frowned at his harsh tone. ¡°We aren¡¯t machines, and neither are the demons. It¡¯ll take time for them to reorganise, so we should prepare ourselves too, for the time being. Even if it¡¯s just for one day, we can let the fighters rest.¡± Ryouta turned to look at everyone in the room, ¡°Besides, I can keep an eye on the demons myself if it¡¯s just for one day. Shiro too,¡± he nodded at the guild master, ¡°although it¡¯s a bit of a stretch, she can make a barrier that¡¯s large enough to protect the city.¡± ¡°Is it true, Shiro?!¡± The guild master whipped his head towards the young girl swinging her legs on the chair. ¡°Mn!¡± If Ryouta says so~ her body language said. ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± The guild master¡¯s tensed shoulders relaxed slightly. ¡°Ryouta¡­¡± The guard captain did not mean to underestimate Ryouta and the little girl, but the words he spoke just seemed too unbelievable. He also could not understand why the guild master dared to leave such a heavy task on the shoulders of such a young man. Ryouta, noticing the captain¡¯s disbelief, merely smiled wryly. ¡°Even if I look like this, I¡¯m still a bona fide S-ranker, you know.¡± ¡°S-ranker?!¡± Not just the Royal Guard captain, but even Ryuuji and the rest of the advisers were surprised. How could such a young S-ranker exist?! ¡°Enough about me,¡± Ryouta waved off their staring. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to topic. I¡¯ll buy some time for our people to get some rest. Shiro, how long can you last with casting [Barrier] over the whole city?¡± ¡°Hm~ about seven minutes~?¡± Shiro¡¯s childish voice rang out after thinking for a little bit. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey. That¡¯s too short, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be helped~ Scale is big~¡± Shiro replied, giggling. The city was huge, and keeping up the large barrier with the same sturdiness of the barriers she usually used to shield Ryouta was too difficult. The current body of hers did not have endless mana, after all. ¡°Then, what if it¡¯s just the camp?¡± ¡°Easy~¡± Shiro tilted her head, calculating with her chubby fingers. If her mana recovery speed was taken into account, then she should last for about¡­ ¡°Fourteen hours!¡± ¡°! That¡¯s plenty enough! Good, Shiro!¡± Ryouta patted her head. I got praised. Yaaaaaay. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (33) Soldiers, adventurers, mercenaries, and everyone and anyone able to pick up a weapon congregated in the plaza that doubled as the centre point of the capital¡¯s survivor camp. The makeshift war council stood at the very front. ¡°Rejoice, my fellow brethren! We have pushed back the demons, for now!¡± Ryuuji said, doing his part as the Hero. He was upset that they didn¡¯t follow his plan, but he wasn¡¯t going to throw a bitch fit about it. He was still the Hero and Heroes are universally recognised as a symbol of power, and he had to fulfil his duty as the council¡¯s spokesperson. ¡°Rest while you still can. You will need all the energy that you can gather to fight the battles to come!¡± With the Hero¡¯s charisma, the fighters roared victoriously. ¡°OOOOOoooOoOOOOOOOOOHHH!¡± The sound reverberated loudly. Ryouta nodded at Shiro, signalling her to begin. She received his cue and flew upwards, stunning the crowd with her beautiful and sparkling wings. The white-haired girl who Ryuuji had thought to be a human turned out to be a demihuman?! He who had spent the majority of his time surrounded by the human-centred views of the Church and the Kingdom unconsciously began thinking of the girl as a lesser being. Shiro who had noticed that the flashy-armoured Hero was blackening but didn¡¯t care much about the consequences simply turned a blind eye towards the occurrence. She raised her arms wide, then slowly gestured her arms into a hug, bowing slightly. With her eyes half-closed, she began to emit the light of [Barrier]. With her in the centre, the light begins to expand, enveloping the whole plaza, then farther and farther, until it reached the edge of the area that marked the entrance and exit of the campsite. ¡°What is this warm feeling¡­?¡± ¡°Is this [Barrier]?!¡± ¡°Amazing, I¡¯ve never seen such a large-scale barrier being casted before in my entire life!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take turns to patrol the area. If you encounter a demon, try to see if you can defeat it without going over the boundaries of the [Barrier],¡± the royal guard¡¯s captain finally instructed. A collective sound of affirmation could be heard from the crowd. Finally, they were allowed to disperse.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Those who did not believe the strength of the barrier went to test it, those that had been fighting without rest went to rest, and those that needed medical attention went to find it. Shiro who had to keep up the barrier at full power felt irritated at the idiots testing their strength on her barrier. The barrier was one such spell that required her to continuously feed it MP to use it. Damaging it would be too wasteful, as it would require even more MP to patch it up. But, she was in no position to say anything as she had to pull all her focus towards maintaining it. Ah~ it sucks having a limited amount of MP. She had to concentrate so much just to spend it thriftily. Tsk. While Shiro was inwardly cursing, Ryouta was patrolling the area restlessly. He was partnered up with Hal, and the two showed great teamwork despite it being the first time they worked together. For the first five hours, no demons came into sight. However, as the night went on, demons began to trickle out from the castle. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too soon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold them back, you go inform the rest!¡± Ryouta bravely stood at the front, brandishing a sword. Mana whirled around him like a miniature tornado as he condensed them. Any and all demons that even came close would be zapped by the combination of his lightning magic and almost endless supply of sword rays. Hal was just about to refute when he saw faint cloud dust from afar. Demons clouded the horizon. So many of them, stampeding their way straight towards the human¡¯s camp. His pupils shrank. He had never seen so many demons. Rather, he did not know that so many demons could have ever existed. ¡°Ryou, be careful! I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Hal made a mad dash backwards, almost stumbling as he ran to signal the warnings. Shiro, who had been mid-air, naturally noticed the demons way ahead of time. She had already weighted her choices. The demons¡¯ attack was the perfect chance for her to log out from this body. It wasn¡¯t like she needed it anymore. Since all the chess pieces are in place, all that was left for her to do was announce the winner. So, Shiro opened her eyes and straightened her back. She tilted her head, her wings fluttering elegantly. She sunk herself into the barrier just before the rampaging demons could reach her. Bang! Bang! Bang! The barrier shimmered with every hit it took. Some screaming could be heard within the campsite. Voices of despair and hopelessness intermingled with the sound of people unsheathing their weapons. Soon, every inch of the sky was dotted with aerial-type demons, and the barrier was covered, top-to-bottom, with demons. This was clearly a very dire situation. If one were to look up, they would see Shiro who looked as if she was struggling. Her brows was uncharacteristically scrunched as she became pallid. With the unified attack of the demons, the barrier began to shudder from the force, looking as if it would fade at any moment. Every drop of MP had been squeezed dry. Even the MP she stole from the people within the barrier using [MP Sharing] wasn¡¯t enough. After all, she can¡¯t steal too much, else they¡¯ll die. Crackcrackcrackcrack. Visible cracks began appearing on Shiro¡¯s body. She had truly overexerted herself. When MP runs out, HP took its place. Now, even her HP was almost gone. Extreme tension placed on host body has caused break down. Time of death: 10 seconds. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. ¡°Shiro?!?!¡± Two. ¡°Shiro!!!¡± ¡­ One. Disengaging¡­ Disengagement complete. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­You¡¯ve worked hard, Shiro. Mn~ Thanks~ The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (34) Ryouta watched as Shiro fell from the sky. At the same time, the barrier was finally destroyed. The moment she fell, he could feel as if he lost his connection to her; as if a part of his heart suddenly became hollow. Shiro¡¯s body, unlike most corpses that would end up making a splattered mess of blood and internal organs, shattered like glass as it hit the ground. However, he had no time to mourn for Shiro. With the barrier gone, the survivors were more than vulnerable to the demons¡¯ attack. He gritted his teeth with bloodshot eyes. Shiro was gone. And he had to keep fighting. If only he didn¡¯t suggest the idea, he thought as he impaled an enemy with his sword. If only he protected her by his side properly, he thought as he made porcupines out of the enemies. If only¡­ Tsk! He let his tears flow free as he continued to slash down the enemies. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­Why am I fighting? Shiro isn¡¯t here anymore. So what am I doing?Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. What have I been doing all this time? ¡­ Suddenly, Ryouta¡¯s movement slowed down. He no longer had the drive to fight. He was tired. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Snap out of it!¡± Hal¡¯s voice rang loudly beside his ears. He snapped his head upwards just as a shadow passed above his head. A demon¡¯s grotesque body landed just in front of him. ¡°Keep fighting!¡± Hal shouted. His one arm, though trembling, was still holding onto his sword tightly. Ryouta looked around the battlefield. Carnage was everywhere. No spot on the ground remained clean from the blood spilt by his fallen brothers and enemies alike. At the corner of his eyes, he could see Miss Vell carry a weapon as she relentlessly went against a demon thrice her size. When the demon smacked her sword away, she resorted to use her sharp nails instead. Why was she fighting so vehemently? Even after seeing that she could not win, she still pushed forward. Why? Suddenly, Vell was hit by the demon¡¯s sharper claws, a large wound forming on her left side. A shrill scream ensued, but from the voice, it did not seem to come from Vell. His eyes moved towards the original source. Behind Vell, a little girl was curled up with an older woman. She had been the one who screamed when Vell got hurt. The dog-eared woman had, all this time, tried to steer the demon away from the two survivors. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! Run! This wound doesn¡¯t hurt at all,¡± says Vell to the little girl. She had a smile on her face and no one could tell how much pain she was holding in. ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± sobbed the older woman. She pulled the little girl into her arms and ran as fast as her legs could carry. The demon made a move to go after them, but Vell barred its path. ¡°Your opponent is me!¡± She shouted, ready to throw her life away. Ah¡­ That¡¯s no good. Vell is in danger¡­ ¡°Ryouta! Don¡¯t just stand around!¡± Hal once again roared, seeing the frozen boy. Ryouta¡¯s body moved faster than his mind. Within seconds, the demon that had been terrorizing Vell was decapitated. That¡¯s right. That was why. ¡°Thanks, Ryouta. You came at a good time.¡± Vell nodded to Ryouta. She did not wait for him to say anything before she moved to pick up her fallen sword and went off to search for any other allies that was in a pinch. ¡°¡­¡± Ryouta finally came back to his senses. Wordlessly, he jumped deeper into the demon army, attempting to destroy them with his AoE attacks without worrying about friendly fire. After three days, finally, he stopped fighting. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (35) When Ryouta returned to camp, he finally noticed how terrible the situation was. Not even one tenth of the original number of people in the camp managed to stay alive. ¡°¡­Where¡¯s Vell?¡± Ryouta asked Hal, who was slouching against a large piece of debris with a grim look on his face. ¡°¡­She didn¡¯t survive.¡± Hal closed his eyes in pain, remembering the tough woman. ¡°What about Shiro? The barrier suddenly disappeared.¡± He knew some people were harbouring hate towards the little girl who suddenly stopped casting the spell. Ryouta felt as if something was stuck in his throat. ¡°Gone. The strain was too hard on her.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hal looked away, unable to look at the grieving boy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have told her to do it. I should¡¯ve known her limits.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t blame yourself. She agreed to do it voluntarily, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Ryouta glared at the man. ¡°I¡¯m [Shiro¡¯s Master]! Even if it seemed like a casual favour, anything that comes out of my mouth becomes absolute to her!¡± Hal¡¯s face changed. ¡°Even if she was originally a slave, you shouldn¡¯t act as if you own he¡ª¡° ¡°I have a title called [Shiro¡¯s Master]! Without my realisation, we made a blood contract! I didn¡¯t even know when it happened. Why¡­ Just where did I go wrong?!¡± Ryouta cut the man off, venting his feelings. ¡°All I wanted to do was protect her¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hal stood up with difficulty. He patted the boy¡¯s back silently. He knew this wasn¡¯t the time for comforting words. It was better for the boy to let everything out instead of bottling it in. Shiro, in spirit-form, was just watching this melodramatic moment.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Eh~ Why don¡¯t you two just chu~ chu~ while you¡¯re at it? Shiro¡¯s rotten heart will enjoy it thoroughly, uhehehehe~ Ah, hello! Shiro iz alaiv! Surprised~? Eh~ It¡¯s not like people die when they¡¯re dead~ ¡­Eh? That sounds kind of weird? Oh, anyways~ Most people who die become souls without a body, and they either return to the cycle of reincarnation or cultivate to become a spirit deity if their soul is strong enough~ Yep, that¡¯s how it is~ By the way, Shiro¡¯s True Self is a bona fide goddess, so even if Shiro dies, she¡¯ll just re-assimilate into the main body~ For the time being, though, Shiro still has some things to do, so she can¡¯t go back yet. Boo~ Let¡¯s pause the melodrama for a bit, shall we? Umph! ¡°Uwaa¡ªyou scared me!¡± What the¡­ ¡°You¡¯re a god; don¡¯t be such a scaredy cat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put us on the same level as you, Airi~ we¡¯re just humble little gods, you know~¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right~ we¡¯re super weak compared to you~¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Stop the bootlicking.¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes~~~¡±¡±¡± ¡°I came here to inform all of you that the final selection will be happening in a bit, so make sure to welcome the successor properly, okay~¡± ¡°Yep, we know!¡± ¡°Good work~¡± ¡°And don¡¯t push all of the tedious tasks to him¡­ since he¡¯s still new.¡± ¡°Aw¡­ we were found out~¡± ¡°¡±Aw~¡±¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right; here¡¯s the compensation~ Thanks for coming to our help. As you know, even with all of us combined, we couldn¡¯t hold back the loophole. Especially since that bitch ran away~¡± A small box appeared out of thin air, floating in front of the white-haired girl. ¡°Well, I was just doing my job, but thanks, anyway.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, why did you make a move personally? Our realm is not even that important or strong?¡± One of the two female spoke, confusion in her eyes. She had expected that when she submitted the request back then, [Sanctuary], the organisation that [Judgement] worked for, would send just another run-off-the-mill angel to help them clear the mess, but having such an important person come personally was not bad, either~ ¡°¡­¡± Shiro/Airi refused to answer. She wasn¡¯t going to say that she was bullied into accepting the task because her seniors all gave the excuse of being short-staffed, thus making her attend to it personally (using a clone). ¡°Ah, look!¡± Shiro pointed towards the water mirror that the gods have been using to watch the world. ¡°What? What? What is it?!¡± Ah it worked. Heh heh. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing that the gods didn¡¯t get angry at her for the trickbut was instead engrossed in the scenes displayed on the water mirror, she was also curious. ¡°Ah!¡± Oh, no wonder~ It seems like the story of the overpowered abandoned hero is nearing its end. Umph! The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (36) Ryouta stood in front of the castle with resolution. With him was the royal guard¡¯s captain, the guild master, the one-handed Hal, and the two Heroes, Nanba Anna and Saotome Ryuuji. They have finally arrived at the castle. ¡°We¡¯re finally here, huh? The final stage,¡± Anna chuckled dryly. The endgame was so close now¡ªjust beyond the threshold, inside the castle, the last boss awaits their arrival. ¡°Are you guys ready?¡± Hal said. ¡°Let¡¯s all come back alive, okay?¡± He laughed. The guild master sent a sideling glance towards him, ¡°don¡¯t jinx it,¡± he says, a small smile cracking on his face. ¡°Enough chit-chat. Let¡¯s just go.¡± Ryuuji said rather impatiently. The first thing he wanted to do was save the [Priestess from Another World], Umebara Kyoko. With the passing of their one and only healer in camp, so many of the wounded were unable to make it through. Not even the health potions could save them. Therefore, they sorely needed the Priestess who were capable of mass healing to come back. With his prompting, the party exchanged nods and finally took a step forward. Shiro suddenly materialised. She trailed behind them leisurely. Her carefree attitude was starkly different compared to the party¡¯s seriousness. But of course, other than the spectating gods, no one could see her. Not even the spirits that usually clamoured around her. ¡°Hm~ Hm~ Hm-hm-hm~¡± Shiro hummed lightly. ¡°Woah~¡± She reflexively evaded as a demon ambushed the party from behind. Although she had no physical body, her mind still moved instinctively to avoid it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Ah, this is bad. The side effects of having a mortal body is showing up again~¡± She stepped to the side, now watching the party from afar. She watched as they swept through the castle, indiscriminately killing any and all demons that came their way. With the powerhouses that is Ryouta and the Heroes, they did not have to worry about losing to those small fries at all. ¡°This is the dungeons.¡± Ryuuji gestured to a steel door. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the spies that risked their lives to enter this place that Kyoko and the Princess is being held in the dungeons. We need to save them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s bound to be demons guarding them¡­ proceed with caution.¡± ¡°YOuuuUUUUu DAmN HuMANsSSSSsS!¡± Bang! The door to the dungeons suddenly opened loudly. ¡°DO YoU THinK wE WoulDN¡¯t FiGURed oUT yOur stUPid PLAnSSsSS?!¡± The demon drawled, its voice gravelly. ¡°But tOo BaAAAaD!¡± The demon¡¯s mouth curved into a horrifying smile, ¡°YoU¡¯RE TooOOo LAtE~¡± The demon picked up a decapitated head from the ground, smugly shoving it towards the party. It was the Princess¡¯ head. Her expression was stuck mid-scream, eyes wide, as if she was in extreme fear at the time of her death. ¡°You¡ª!!!¡± Ryuuji erupted. The Princess had been one of the girls that had liked him. Although he did not fully reciprocate her feelings, they had had a few tryst before and he was quite fond of her. Thus, seeing the sickening scene sent him into a rage. ¡°I¡¯ll avenge you, Princess!¡± Ryuuji declared before he lunged towards the ugly demon. The demon proved to be a rather competent fighter. However, as expected of the Hero, he was able to beat the demon after exchanging a few moves. ¡°Princess¡­¡± Anna sobbed. She had known the princess since she first came to this world. They had been comrades as well as rivals in love. Although she was usually seen bickering with the princess, it did not mean that Anna would be happy if she died. Rather, despite their differences, Anna thought of the princess as a capable teammate and good friend. She picked up the head, wrapping it with the cloth ripped from her cape. Seeing that Ryuuji had finished his fight, the members spread out, inspecting each dungeon cell in search of the other missing girl¡ªUmebara Kyoko. ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± Hal remarked. ¡°Maybe they brought her to a different room.¡± ¡°Yeah, probably. Let¡¯s split up. I¡¯ll head this way,¡± the guild master pointed to one end of the hallway. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Anna says. She was more familiar with the place the guild master had pointed at¡ªthe room she had used when she was staying at the castle previously had been in the same direction. ¡°Then we¡¯ll head straight.¡± Ryuuji nodded towards the huge doors that led to the ballroom. The party split into two¡ªRyuuji, Hal and Ryouta continued forward, while the guild master, captain, and Anna branched off. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (37) Skriiiiiiik. Skriiiiiiiik. ¡°Wait, do you hear that?¡± Skriiiiiiik. Skriiiiik. Skriiiik. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I hear it.¡± The sound was similar to the sound of a sharp object scraping a hard surface. ¡°Be careful; this one might be one of the demon lord¡¯s strong generals. Or even the demon lord himself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ryuuji glared at Hal. He thought that the man was speaking way too much. The three entered the ballroom. ¡°!¡± The first thing the three men noticed was the naked woman sitting against the railings of the lavish, royal staircase. Her eyes were open, but lifeless. Although no chains held her back, the woman seemed to have lost the will to run away. ¡°Kyoko¡ª!¡± Ryuuji who was the only one who was intimately familiar with the girl immediately recognized her. He ran to her side, forgetting about the fact that the enemy might be lurking somewhere. ¡°Kyoko, are you alright?!¡± The Hero shook the Priestess gently. Without wasting time, he swept her into his arm, into a princess carry. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, now. You¡¯re safe!¡± Suddenly¡ª Boom! A demon fell from above their heads, its claws aiming for them.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Skriiik! Ryouta, who was the closest to the demon, hurriedly evaded. The claw scratched against the hard marble flooring, creating an aggravating sound much like nails scratching against a chalkboard. It was a trap, he thought. Umebara Kyoko had been used to lure them there, where a demon was ready to ambush them. ¡°Grrrr!¡± The demon growled, seeing that its attack did not reach its intended targets. It roared loudly, then pointed its arms towards the four targets. Seeing the frenzied demon start shooting out its razor-sharp claws, everybody ran off, searching for a place to hide. Ryouta began shooting his skills towards the giant demon. Although it worked in hurting the thing, it also caused it to become even more infuriated. ¡°RaaaaHHHH!!¡± Seeing as Ryuuji had his hands full with carrying the Priestess, only Ryouta and Hal could face off against the demon. The demon was perhaps the strongest one that any of them had ever faced against. Its skin was too tough that even Hal¡¯s sword could not penetrate through. The only way to defeat it was perhaps to bombard magic spells and skills towards it. At this point in the battle, the ballroom had ended up in ruins. The once luxurious place had turned into a place full of destruction that left the Hero Party nowhere to hide. The three could only last for so long. Sure enough, their stamina began to dwindle. The countless amount of battling that they had been doing up until that point had finally caught up to them. Hffff¡­ hffff¡­ hffff¡­ skrieeeeeek. Fortunately for them, the demon was also down to its last strands of life. If there was an HP bar being displayed, then there would probably be less than 10% health left for the monstrous demon. Suddenly¡ª The demon¡¯s eyes changed colour. The demon was quite fast for one so big. It carried a little bit of intelligence as it began to aim its talons at Ryuuji who was in full defensive mode. He was carrying Kyoko, so there was not much that he could do other than evade and run away. The demon had easily targeted them as the weakest opponents. In a last ditch effort, it aimed towards them, hoping to take out the weaker ones. This is bad, Ryuuji thought. There was no more place to hide. He didn¡¯t want to abandon Kyoko, who was, quite frankly, a burden at this point. Ryuuji gritted his teeth. He needed to think of a solution quickly. His eyes darted around as he continued to dodge the demon¡¯s attacks. And then¡ª The demon had finally found a weak point! It prepared its claw-shooting attack, aiming at Ryuuji. Ryuuji¡¯s pupils dilated. He knew that if he didn¡¯t do something, fast, then his life would be extinguished. His eyes fell upon the girl in his arms. Emotionless, despairing eyes stared into empty air. Even while he was jumping around and lugging the girl she had showed no reaction. Not fear and not even pain. That moment, he knew what to do. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (38) The girl was hopeless. There was no meaning even if he saved her. So he should just throw her away. In order to lighten his burden, he immediately hurled the girl away. Then, he pushed his feet forward, dashing away faster than he had been after throwing away the load he had been carrying. Coincidentally, the girl had crashed into Hal, immobilising him for a few seconds. However, those few seconds were enough for the demon to launch its claws and fatally wound its enemies. ¡°Hal!!!¡± Ryouta, upon seeing the scene, immediately amped up his powers, pushing his limits to its very end. Unfortunately¡­ he was too late. Hal had already been hit by the attack by the time his skills landed on the demon. With a final, defying shriek, the demon finally collapsed into a heap of charred mush. ¡°Hal!¡± Ryouta¡¯s voice broke as he came to the man¡¯s side. His blood flooded the ground with no signs of stopping. The claw which had dealt the decisive blow was deeply lodged inside his chest. It was as thick as an adult man¡¯s arm. Clearly, even if a highly capable healer was here, he would still not survive due to the sheer severity of the wound. ¡°When I die, I want to be reborn as a girl! A super cute and lovely girl that everybody loves! I¡¯ll be the cutest girl ever!¡± Hal coughed, shouting out his last wish. ¡°And the only fight I¡¯ll ever get into would be the fight for my attention! Gods, do you hear me?!¡± ¡°Hal¡­!¡± Ryouta choked. He kneeled by the dying man¡¯s side, face scrunched up in agony. ¡°Hal, don¡¯t speak anymore! Your wounds¡ª¡°Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Do you hear me?! Cough, cough¡ª¡° Blood flowed freely from his mouth, blocking his throat. He could sense that his life was reaching its end. Shiro who had been spectating since the very beginning stood in front of him, blank faced. Then, she smiled, ever-so-softly. Surprisingly, Hal who was on Death¡¯s door was actually able to see the girl. To the dying man, she seemed like an angel, ready to take him to heaven. Not that he believed that he could go to heaven, though. He wasn¡¯t that good of a person, after all. Before everything faded, Hal could hear a voice softly whispering beside him. ¡°Your wish, I¡¯ve heard it.¡± The last thing he ever saw was Shiro, golden-eyed, smiling at him with a nod. ¡°Hal! Haaaaal! No!¡± Memories floated in Ryouta¡¯s mind. He remembered the first time he had met Hal, the admiration and awe that he felt when he saw the man in action for the first time, the friendliness of the man towards his juniors in the guild, and the ever-present smile on his face. Even in death, the man was smiling. ¡°¡­RyuuUuUUujiiiIIIIIIiiiii!¡± Ryouta¡¯s loud roar reverberated through the whole building, signifying just how loud it was. His voice was amplified by magic, making it extremely loud. Enemies and allies alike were thrown off-guard by his roar. ¡°HOW! DARE! YOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!¡± Ryouta condensed his [Divine Lightning Magic] in his palm. Seeing the dangerous situation, Ryuuji immediately dashed towards the exit. But¡ª Bang! ¡°Guhah!¡± Ryouta reached him in mere moments, as if he had teleported. His lightning-covered fist slammed into the Hero¡¯s back, breaking his spine in multiple places. As expected of the Hero, even with such a fatal injury he was still alive. How high could his HP be, one would wonder. Ryouta¡¯s fit of anger did not end there. He grabbed the Hero by his head, searing the flesh and burning away his hair with his pulsating lightning. In one breath, Ryouta pummelled his head to the cold, hard ground. An audible crack could be heard with each hit. After suffering so many blunt hits to the head, Ryuuji¡¯s face distorted and his skull was practically caved in. He died just like that¡ªutterly helpless and unable to fight back. Even after the hateful bastard died, Ryouta was still not satisfied. His belly was full of anger and hatred that he did not even know he had the capacity for. Ryouta made his way to the throne room, where he subconsciously knew the demon lord would be waiting in. That bastard needs a good thrashing too, he thought. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (39) The demon lord sat upon his lavish throne. Standing in front of him was the human boy whom he assumed was the other successor candidate that the angel had mentioned. His opponent seemed to be unusually calm, but from the previous shouting and noisiness the demon lord knew that the boy was seething inside. ¡°Congratulations, human. You have reached your final destination. For this, I shall commend you.¡± The demon lord stood up, releasing his intimidating aura without holding back. ¡°Now, let us not waste our breaths and begin our duel.¡± The demon lord made his first move. Although he knew that the one to make the first move was often the one to lose first, he still did it anyway. The sooner he killed the boy, the sooner he ascends, he thought. ¡°¡­¡± Ryouta did not bother to say anything. He was simply too tired. But, even so, he was still in high alert. Though his body screamed for rest and was near collapse, he still pushed it further and further. He dodged the demon lord¡¯s attack by rolling to the side. Before he could catch a breath, the demon lord had already began ceaselessly attacking him. All he could do was avoid getting a direct hit. Sensing that he was really about to drop dead, Ryouta gritted his teeth. No, I don¡¯t want to go down yet! I still have to defeat the demon lord! I still need to avenge everyone! ¡°Not¡­ yet¡­!¡± Ryouta summoned up every little bit of strength he could muster. Even taking a single step forward was unbearably hard, but he continued to push himself. ¡°Gaagh!¡± One of the demon lord¡¯s punches landed on his body, then another, and another, and another¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ give up¡­ just yet¡­!¡± Surprisingly, the human boy was quite tenacious. Even after being dealt with dozens of his full-on attacks, he could still bear to pick himself up from the ground, bleeding and all.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Not yet! NOT YET! I¡­ My anger, is still not settled! ¡°¡ªLimit¡­ Break!¡± Ryouta uttered the name of the skill that he did not dare to use before due to its super expensive cost to use. Although there was a chance that it might not work considering that he was running low on both MP and HP, he still tried it anyway. After all, the worst case scenario would be his death. He was already close to dying so going so far above and beyond wouldn¡¯t make a difference. BZZZzzZzzzZZZZt! A buzzing sound could be heard as Ryouta felt a newfound energy coursing through his veins. ¡°OOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAaAaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!¡± A roar slipped out of his mouth as he could feel himself becoming stronger by the second.
The skill [Limit Break] has been activated. Your MP and HP is not enough to sustain it. Estimation of time [Limit Break] can be activated for: 15 seconds.
Fifteen seconds may not seem like a very long time, but with his extremely heightened senses and abilities, those fifteen seconds may be all he needed to defeat the demon lord. ¡°¡­!¡± Ah, as expected of a chosen candidate. The demon lord was surprised for a brief moment after seeing the boy¡¯s massive power up. He even felt that it was unfair that such a little kid received such strong backings and blessings while he was stuck fighting with tooth and nail. But then again, he was an intruder after all, so not having a backer was rather normal, so he wouldn¡¯t actually voice his complaints. The two exchanged blows after blows that easily decimated their vicinity. One was attacking from all angles possible, while the other had his feet planted on the ground, guarding himself well. The tremors caused by their fight could be felt all the way from the survivor¡¯s camp. The three other members of the Hero Party, noticing the fight, had quickly made their way outside. Though reluctant, they had no choice but to leave Ryouta to fight alone. They needed to save as many survivors as they could, after all. They hurriedly made their way back to camp, ready to help with the evacuation. Five seconds left¡­ Ryouta could feel the strain of using the skill descending upon his body. Four¡­ ¡°AAAAAAHHHHH!¡± Ryouta let out a furious roar, as if refusing to back down. Three¡­ Shiro¡­ lend me your strength¡­ Two¡­ ¡°[Meteor Strike]!¡± One. Within his final moments, Ryouta invoked his ultimate Ultimate Attack, [Meteor Strike]. It was a spell that could only be used once in a lifetime. He managed to cast the skill just in time before [Limit Break] ran out. As soon as he invoked the skill, the clouds above them became overcast. A large magic circle covered the sky, aimed directly towards the battle site. The demon lord readies his own Ultimate Attack, taking out the cursed weapon he had been saving for last. ¡°Sword of Pestilence!¡± The demon lord shouted, pointing the demonic sword towards the sky. A dangerous-looking miasma poured out from the sword and condensed itself into a murky green-coloured ray of light. The meteor fell. The sickly sword ray met against the meteor head on. Despite using all his efforts to push back the meteor, the demon lord was still falling behind little by little. Though the human boy had perished, he still had to deal with the damn rock. However¡ª The solid light ray emitting from the sword began to show signs of cracking, as if it was being crushed by the meteor. The demon lord let out one, final roar, employing all the techniques and skills that he knew to shield himself from the blasted piece of space rock. BOOOOM! The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (40) ¡°Congratulations,¡± Shiro says, clapping lightly. ¡°You¡¯ve won the fight.¡± The man stared blankly at the girl, as if he was not registering her words. What win? What was he winning? How did he win? ¡°Oh geez, don¡¯t look so bleary.¡± The girl¡¯s lips curled up as she shook her head. ¡°¡­?!¡± Finally, the man snapped out of his daze. He stared at the girl, almost unbelieving. ¡°Shiro?! How?! Wh¡ª I though you died!¡± The man tried to touch the girl, but as if they were in different planes of existence, his hand passed through her body. He stared desolately at his hand. ¡°¡­Am I dead?¡± He asked the girl after a long pause. ¡°Yes.¡± Shiro did not see the need to cover up the truth, so she simply told him outright. ¡°¡­I see.¡± The man said. He laughed emptily. ¡°So I died¡­¡± His head snapped back to the girl, ¡°What happened to the world after I died?! Did I defeat the demon lord?!¡± Shiro smiled wryly at Ryouta. ¡°I told you, you won. The world has regained its peace, but this is just the beginning.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Check your status.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ryouta did not understand why she wanted him to do so, but he complied anyway. He silently muttered the spell.
Name: Takahashi Ryouta
Race: God Race (Lesser God)
Age: 1
Gender: Male
Lvl: 1
HP: 9 999 999
MP:Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. 2 800 000
STR: 999
SPD: 999
Skills: [All Physical Resistance] [Magic Resistance] [Blessing] [Divine Punishment] [Holy Sword Barrage] [Divine Lightning Magic]
Titles: [Legendary Hero] [Svhoh¡¯s Successor] [Domain Lord]
[Svhoh¡¯s Successor] Candidate to succeed Svhoh¡¯s position. Bonus: + Blessing of the Goddess Airi. + World Favourability + Increased Success Chance of Ascension (80%)
[Domain Lord] Title given to an administrative god of a world. Anything that is under your domain is yours to control as you like. + [Blessing] Skill Acquired - able to give blessings to mortals of your choice. + [Divine Punishment] Skill Acquired - able to send a downpour of disasters upon the world.
¡°What is this¡­¡± Ryouta stared at his status, stunned. ¡°Congratulations on your ascension.¡± Shiro said. ¡°Now, I shall guide you to where you belong.¡± Shiro smiled, holding out her hand for him to take. He hesitantly placed his larger palm on her smaller ones. Surprisingly, this time he could feel her soft flesh on his palm. Suddenly, a portal appeared before them. ¡°Come,¡± she gently tugged his hand, urging him to follow her into it. Ryouta closed his eyes as he felt the unfamiliar feeling of passing through a portal. It felt as if he broke into a thin layer of gel that also gave him a slight sense of dizziness. ¡°Oh~ Welcome~¡± ¡°Welcome~¡± ¡°Wo~w~ So this is the [Successor]~¡± ¡°¡­Although he looks different, this feeling¡­ is definitely Cyril!¡± ¡°Hey~ don¡¯t tear up so suddenly; you¡¯ll scare him~¡± ¡°I wonder if he remembers his past life~?¡± ¡°Eh~ that¡¯s impossible~ He¡¯s probably whitewashed enough to not remember his past life, right?¡± Shiro shrugged at the person¡¯s question, ¡°there are some cases where people remembered their previous lives after reincarnating, but one can always check at the Library if one is curious.¡± ¡°Eh~ who¡¯d go to that boring place~¡± ¡°Oka~y, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re making Ryouta confused.¡± Shiro clapped her hands twice, gathering their attention. Four gods stood before her; two males and two females. Their faces carried smiles, highlighting their ethereally beautiful looks. ¡°Ryouta, from now on, you are one of the Domain Lords of this world. With you here, they can now evenly split the duties of maintaining the world with you. Learn well.¡± Shiro says, nodding towards the rest of the gods. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions, but do take it slow, okay? There¡¯s no need to rush. You have an eternity to find the answers.¡± Shiro smiled at the man. ¡°Go,¡± she said. ¡°Join them.¡± Ryouta took a few steps forward, then looked back towards Shiro. ¡°You¡¯re not coming with me?¡± Shiro laughed, ¡°Now why would I do that? My work here is done. I don¡¯t have any obligations to stay behind.¡± A complicated gaze passed through Ryouta¡¯s eyes. He felt that the Shiro in front of him was both familiar yet unfamiliar. The Shiro he remembered was spoiled, mischievous, and utterly clingy towards him. But the one in front of him¡­ Although she had the same face and the same smile, somehow¡­ he felt as if she was detached. As if she was a stranger. ¡°Don¡¯t look so glum, little one. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again, if given the chance.¡± Shiro blinked. Her eyes turned to gold as she met his complex gaze. ¡°We have paid the compensation, so that means we are not indebted to you, right, Airi?¡± One of the gods asked, eyes half-lidded. ¡°Mn. I won¡¯t be petty and ask for more things. I¡¯ll be going, now.¡± ¡°¡±See you~¡±¡± ¡°See you~¡± ¡°Shiro, wait!¡± Seeing the girl fly away, Ryouta couldn¡¯t help but call her. Shiro/Airi looked back at the boy, but did not stop nor go back. She simply sent a smile towards him, then flew into another portal, finally leaving the world for good. ¡°Cheer up, youngling. Airi¡¯s clones roam around everywhere. You¡¯ll see her again if you go to the God Realm~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just like that, the story of the overpowered abandoned hero ends. The Abandoned Hero is Overpowered! (40.5) The demon lord has been defeated. Through the combined efforts of the martyrs, the world was now in peace. Statues of the martyred heroes was raised in place of the castle that once housed the royalties of Valdavia. Now, the kingdom is no more. All that was left of the Kingdom was its paltry amount of refugees that had lived through all the terrors. Nanba Anna stood in front of the statues of the martyrs. The Hero, Ryuuji. The Saviour, Ryouta. The Guardian, Hal. The Saint, Kyoko. The four that defeated the demon lord. The great Heroes that sacrificed themselves for the greater good. Although the true events that happened were not clear, it was these four people who were left in the castle to defend the world from the demon lord. Bards and storytellers created many different forms of the story.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Some say that the Hero called forth his divine protection from the heavens to punish the demon lord. Some say that the Saint prayed for a miracle and the gods took pity on her and sent one down. Some say that the Saviour used his tremendous magic powers to suppress the demon lord, allowing the Hero to deliver the final strike. Some say that the Guardian and the Saviour sacrificed their lives to create an opening to defeat the demon lord. So many different kinds of versions appeared, and it was not known which one was the truth. Perhaps, none of them were. Perhaps all of them were. However, people will always believe what they want to believe, even if what they believe in was not the truth at all. Just like that, the truth of the story was left unanswered and buried along with those who died within the castle during the last fight. Nanba Anna, who was the last Hero remaining, stayed for a very long time to help with the restoration process. Afterwards, when everything was stable, she left on a journey around the world, never to be seen under the public¡¯s eyes ever again. The guild master returned to the Republic, taking charge of the restoration on the other side of the continent. Along with the help of the surviving members of other guilds, they united under one banner and worked together in the rebuilding efforts. The royal guard¡¯s captain retired, choosing to live in the countryside once everything calmed down. He married a nice girl and had a happy family. Although his name was recorded in history, not many would have realised that a farmer turned out to be such a great figure. As the years go by, kingdoms rose and fell, and new religions were formed under the name of the martyrs. Life goes on, and after 500 years, many still remembered that there had been a devastating war between the demons and the other races¡ªknown as the [Holy War], where many Heroes, led by the Four Martyrs, fought against the demons to save the world from peril. The. End. ? Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (1) The Rosenbell territory, Lindel Kingdom. In the fief lord¡¯s mansion, a baby¡¯s cry could be heard in the master bedroom. The second child of the Rosenbell family has safely arrived. ¡°?!¡± The tired-looking woman on the bed was panting slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡ªis there something wrong with my baby?¡± The woman looked worriedly at the midwife¡¯s complicated expression. The midwife paused for a moment, ¡°Congratulations, madam. It¡¯s a girl,¡± she said. The woman knew something was wrong with the midwife¡¯s expression, ¡°but?¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The midwife resolved her courage, ¡°but,¡± she started, ¡°I fear the young lady is a little¡­ different.¡± Without waiting for a reply, she turned the baby swaddled in blue cloth over to the madam. The waiting maids beside the madam gave a startled gasp¡ªthe recently born young lady, had a tuft of snowy white hair on her head! It was inconceivable; after all, the madam had lovely golden blond locks while the master had brown hair. ¡°Perhaps, her hair might darken over time,¡± the midwife said, hoping to reassure the madam. A complex expression passed by the madam¡¯s face, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, even if she had any sort of disability, I would still love her all the same,¡± the madam closed her eyes. When she opened them, a gentle and loving expression appeared as she held out her arms to receive her baby. ¡°Welcome to the world, Leila.¡± A happy smile surfaced on her face, and all the maids also revealed relieved expressions. That¡¯s right, so what if the young lady had white hair? Given how pretty the madam and how handsome the master is, the young lady will surely grow up to be beautiful to the point where her hair colour would not matter! Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (2) Rosenbell mansion, five years later. Leila has grown up into a young child. Seeing how her hair grew out as white as it was during her birth, the whole mansion has come to terms that the young lady will always be slightly different than the rest of them. However, there was little negativity shown by the people in the mansion regarding this matter. It was because, she was still a normal child. The white hair even highlighted her charms even more, making her look like a little doll. The young lady grew up to be an extremely adorable child, with eyes the colour of the blue sky, inherited from her father. The young lady was so lovable and cute, even if a new staff came in, they would still be unwilling to mistreat or dislike her. The family was also expecting another child along the way, perhaps two, judging by the size of the madam¡¯s belly. Every day, the young lady would drag her maids to visit her mother. With sparkling eyes she would stare at her mother¡¯s growing belly with the fascinated eyes of a curious child. ¡°Would you like to feel them, Leila?¡± Her mother asked, laughter in her eyes as she gazed lovingly at her cute daughter, soon-to-be elder sister. ¡°Can I? Can I?¡± Leila hopped excitedly next to her mother. She was often told by the adults to be extremely careful around her mother, and thus ever since her pregnancy was announced, she was extremely well-behaved and did not dare to move around carelessly around her mother. ¡°Here,¡± the madam took her little hand, directing them over to a spot on her belly. After a short while, Leila could feel something bumping her hand, causing her to flinch in shock. The madam laughed at her daughter¡¯s silliness, ¡°Did you feel that? Your younger sibling is kicking. It means they¡¯re healthy,¡± she spoke, a soft smile on her face.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Leila glowed, happily giggling as she hugged her mother¡¯s belly. Her mother laughed beside her, ¡°That¡¯s enough now; finish your snacks and go back to your lesson, alright?¡± She gently reminded her daughter. It has been a few months since Leila¡¯s home lessons started; as was required for every child in nobility. According to her teachers, she was a quick study, absorbing much of the content like a sponge. She even excelled in her manners and etiquette lessons, doing even better than other noble daughters the teacher had ever taught. ¡°Mn!¡± Leila nodded happily, nibbling on the biscuits prepared for their tea time. After finishing her biscuits and drinking her tea, she stood up from her seat as the maids dusted off the crumbs from her dress, preparing to leave for her lesson. She bade her goodbye to her mother and started walking to the door. The madam rose up from the seat, intending to send off her daughter at the door, however¡ª The madam hissed in pain. She felt a wetness on her lower body. The familiar feeling that she had experienced twice before allowed her to handle the situation calmly. ¡°Quick, call the midwife. I think I might be going into labour soon,¡± she instructed the maid. Her maids paled at the suddenness, but moved immediately to call the midwife and prepare the necessary items for childbirth. Leila looked at her mother worriedly; despite the calm look on the madam¡¯s face, the beads of sweat trickling down her pale face showed that she was in pain. ¡°Mother?¡± Leila called out worriedly. The madam smiled, ¡°don¡¯t worry, everything is fine. Mother needs you to stay outside for a bit, okay?¡± The child nodded hesitantly as she followed a maid ushering her outside of the room. A flurry of maids came into the room in succession, soon followed by a middle-aged woman. A maid stood guard at the door. A muffled scream could be heard from the room, and Leila had recognised it as her mother¡¯s voice. Leila tried to enter multiple times, but the maid at the door refused her entry. ¡°Be good, young lady. You must behave for the madam¡¯s sake,¡± she scolded gently. Soon, her father came in a hurry, followed by the head steward and her brother, as well as a few butlers. Seeing his daughter by the door with teary eyes, his gaze softened. He patted her head in reassurance. ¡°Frederick, take care of your sister,¡± he instructed the young boy beside him. The maid led the man inside, explaining the situation. ¡°Yes, father.¡± Frederick moved to his sister¡¯s side, enveloping her in a hug. The little girl could no longer hold back her tears, ¡°Motheeeer!¡± Frederick patted her head, ¡°Shhhh, Leila. Mother will be fine. Everything is alright,¡± he whispered, but it was evident that he was also scared. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (3) As the door was left opened, the children was able to see what was happening in the room. Aside from their mother¡¯s scream, they could also hear the conversations. ¡°The situation does not look good. This will be a difficult childbirth,¡± the midwife informed the lord. She casted her gaze back to the task at hand, quietly but firmly saying, ¡°We must prepare for the worst.¡± The man¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He took a deep breath and nodded gravely. A hint of sorrow was hidden in the depth of his eyes but soon disappeared as he focused on his wife. ¡°Nina¡ªyou must stay strong,¡± he grasped her hand tightly. After what felt like forever, the first baby cry was finally heard. A maid received the baby from the midwife and proceeded to clean the baby. After wrapping the baby in cloth, she announced, ¡°congratulations to the master and madam, it¡¯s another young lady!¡± ¡°Not yet! It isn¡¯t over yet! I see another baby¡¯s head,¡± The midwife warned, stopping the group from relaxing. The madam struggled as the maids cheered for her strength. After a short while, the second baby finally came out. Another maid took the baby, repeating the same process, she announced, ¡°congratulations master and madam, it¡¯s a young master!¡± ¡°Nina? Nina!¡± ¡°Not good! The blood is not stopping!¡± ¡°Where are the clean cloths!? Bring all of them here immediately!¡± The situation became hectic as the madam entered a critical state. Although the twins were born safely, it was obvious that the madam was not in a good condition. Looking at the amount of blood around the bed, the madam might not be able to survive the childbirth.Stolen story; please report. The two children peeked inside the room. Seeing her mother¡¯s near-death state, Leila could not help but to rush into the room, ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Hey, wait¡ªLeila!¡± Frederick tried to catch his sister, but could not catch up to her due to her small size. She immediately wove through the crowd of maids and reached her mother. She cried loudly, ¡°Mother! Mother! Uuu¡ª¡° Big blobs of tears fell down her face. Although she was still young, she knew that her mother was in a lot of pain. ¡°Mother, wake up¡ª¡° Seeing that her mother was not waking up, she cried even harder. ¡°Leila!¡± Her father was alarmed. He tried to pick her up but she clung onto her mother strongly. ¡°Mother¡ª¡° Suddenly, a bright light started to shine from the young girl¡¯s body. The bright light immediately enveloped the whole room, blinding its occupants. The lord shielded his eyes from the light, stumbling a few steps back. Leila¡¯s sobbing gradually stopped, and following that, the blinding light slowly faded. Once the resplendent light faded completely the figure of a child falling unconscious next to a peacefully sleeping woman was revealed. ¡°Leila? Nina?¡± Marcus Rosenbell, known as the Ice Viscount, famed for his calm and stoic nature, was now showing a rarely seen expression. Worry flashed in his gaze as he cautiously approached the pair on the bed. His wife had a tranquil expression, appearing as if she was in deep sleep. If not for the fact that her chest was moving up and down as she continued to breath, he would have suspected that she had passed away. Relief flooded his heart as he saw that neither his wife nor his daughter was injured. He instructed the maids to call the physician and to tidy up the hectic room. ¡°The madam¡¯s bleeding has stopped! There are also no injuries as far as my eyes could tell. Milord, this is a miracle!¡± The midwife exclaimed. The viscount paused. He carefully carried the unconscious little girl in his arms, deep in thought. That light originated from his daughter¡­ could it be that her innate attribute is ¡®light¡¯? The light attribute was very rare. Even the Meritolan Church, the primary religion of the kingdom only had a handful of members carrying the attribute, expending all their efforts in recruiting talented light magic users. ¡°Take Leila back to her bed. Have the physician check up on her,¡± he instructed the maids. He turned to his eldest son, ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± he says, appeasing the little boy¡¯s anxiousness. ¡°Understood, father!¡± feeling the large hand on his head, the eight-years-old Frederick could only nod his head, letting go of his doubt. On that day, any news regarding the person known as ¡®Leila Rosenbell¡¯ no longer appeared among the public. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (4) A little boy was crying in the garden. ¡°What do we do? The little birdie isn¡¯t moving!¡± The little girl next to him kneeled down and carefully picked up the bird. She brought it close to her face. Ignoring the scent of blood wafting from the bird¡¯s wound, she stared at its chest, loosening her tensed shoulders as she noticed that it was still breathing, albeit only slightly. ¡°Stop crying, Julius,¡± she admonished the identical boy next to her, ¡°let¡¯s take it to older sister Leila!¡± ¡°Un!¡± The boy wiped away his tears, nodding. Further into the garden, a set of glossy, white table and chairs can be seen. A young lady was seated in one of the chairs, her hair matching the colour of the furniture. In one hand, she held an opened book, and in the other she held a teacup. A maid diligently waited upon her at the side, refilling her cup with still-steaming copper-red tea. Seeing the scenery, it was indeed very picturesque; simply the definition of a noble young lady leisurely enjoying tea in the garden.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Sister!¡± A young girl¡¯s voice broke the tranquillity of the picturesque scene. However, neither the young lady nor the maid felt annoyed at being disturbed. The young lady turned to look at the source of the voice, a light smile and gentle gaze ever-present. The two children rushed to her side, the girl holding an injured bird in her arms. Her beautiful clothes were sullied by the bird¡¯s blood and feathers, yet she paid it no mind. The young boy trailed behind the girl, his hand grasping the girl¡¯s skirt tightly. ¡°S-sister¡­! The little birdie was¡ªWaaah¡ª¡° Once again, the little boy cried. The older girl patted the boy¡¯s head, ¡°there, there, Julie. Here¡ªI¡¯ll make the little birdie feel better.¡± The older girl took the small bird into her palms, lightly cupping it. A gentle, yellowish light began to emit from her palms, but as if they were used to it, neither the children nor the maid felt surprised. Moments later, the light faded and the older girl opened her palms. The bird slowly shook its wing, and soon it raised its head. As if the injury it had received was an illusion the bird jumped around and finally flapped its wings once more, flying around joyfully. It chirped, circling around the girl, as if in thanks. Chuckling, the girl bade the bird farewell. The two children chorused after her, ¡°be safe!¡± and ¡°take care!¡± Leila smiled, patting both of them on the head. Truly, they were gentle children. ¡°Since both of you are here, would you like to accompany older sister for a while?¡± A smile bloomed widely on the two¡¯s face. They immediately flocked her side, taking a seat each on her side. ¡°¡°Ye~s!¡±¡± The three of them leisurely enjoyed tea time together, until it was time for dinner. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (5) It was a bright and sunny day, suitable for going out. The children of the Rosenbell household, save for the eldest, were prepared to go out and enjoy the beautiful day at the mountainside ways away from home. Such an occurrence were rare, as the twins were too young, and the eldest daughter was usually not in the condition to leave the house. For the sake of keeping the trip under wraps, the entourage was small, with only the three children, two maids, and a guard. Viscount Rosenbell had reluctantly agreed to the trip, due to the incessant pestering of his youngest children. After making them agree to a bunch of conditions that they half-heartedly agreed upon, he finally allowed them to go for the trip. For the three children, it would be the first time they venture outside of the mansion. Since it was such a great opportunity, they were extremely excited, to the point where even the viscount felt like dropping work to follow them. But alas, he was very busy, thus he could only let them have their fun without his surveillance. ¡°¡±Wooooow!¡±¡± The twins looked at the scenery with wonder. They rode a carriage that slowly ascended to the top of the mountain. The ride would take approximately four hours, so they took the time to admire the scenery in full detail. The reason why they had chosen this particular mountain was because although the path to the top was slightly steep, it was fit for a carriage to pass through, thus becoming a popular route. It was also a good place to harvest herbs. Along their path, the children, who had recently learnt about herbs from their tutor, could identify many herbs that they have studied before. Listening to the chatters of the young children, even the servants felt content and happy. ¡°Young master, young ladies, we¡¯re here,¡± announced the guard. His expression was light, basking in the good mood. ¡°Wooow!¡± The children exclaimed. The scenery was simply beautiful. Green, as far as the eyes can see. Since they were at a high place, the sea of trees was clearly visible. The blue sky greeted them from above, white clouds floating peacefully. ¡°How beautiful,¡± Leila remarked. ¡°Young master, young lady, would you like to gather some flowers and herbs to bring home?¡± One of the maids, Gemma, called out, holding a small wicker basket. The two frolicking children perked up at her voice. ¡°¡±Un!¡±¡± Happily, they took the basket and went off to search for the plants that they had never seen on the mansion grounds, hoping to show them to their tutor. ¡°Milady, would you like to rest for a bit?¡± The other maid, Christy, asked Leila. She held a blanket in her arms, ready to spread it on the ground. ¡°Sure~¡± While the twins animatedly picked some flowers and herbs as they liked, Leila was leisurely enjoying tea while overlooking the scenery. ¡°Ah!¡± Gemma exclaimed. The wind was picking up and she had almost dropped the plate of sweets she had been holding.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Gemma, be more careful!¡± Chastised Christy. The sweets had almost fell on top of their most cherished young mistress, causing her heart to skip a beat. ¡°Apologies, young lady,¡± Gemma quickly took out a napkin, gently wiping the hem of Leila¡¯s skirt that was stained with a little bit of the fallen crumbs. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Leila lightly giggled in response. ¡°Really, I¡¯m sorry, milady. The wind was just too strong just now¡­¡± Christy sighed, looking at the sorry figure. Since it was just a small accident, she did not think to put it against the younger maid. She immediately forgave Gemma with a small, ¡®loving¡¯ lecture on carefulness. While their attention was diverted from the two children, Julius and Friar had taken notice of a pure-white lone flower sitting atop the highest point of the mountain. ¡°So beautiful¡­¡± Julius muttered. The sight of the lone flower against the blue sky was simply breath-taking. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it remind you of older sister?¡± Friar eagerly remarked. The colour of the flower greatly resembled their elder sister¡¯s hair, and the blue of the sky resembled her eyes. ¡°Mn!¡± Julius nodded in agreement, his gaze star-stricken. ¡°I wonder if sister will be happy if I gift it to her¡­¡± Julius continued to mutter, thinking of how happy Leila would be if he presented the gorgeous flower to her. ¡®Waaa~ how beautiful! Julie, thank you!¡¯ says the Leila in his imagination. The bright smile on her imaginary face further burned his desire to pluck the flower. As if a light bulb was switched on in his mind, Julius passed the basket full of plants towards his twin sister. ¡°Here, hold this! I¡¯ll go pick that flower.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Friar eyed the spot where the flower sat uneasily. They were right on top of the mountain, and the flower rested at the edge of a steep cliff. Just one glance at the bottom of the cliff was enough to make even a grown man shiver. ¡°Be careful, okay?¡± Seeing the enthusiastic look of her twin, Friar was unable to stop the boy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Julius slowly tiptoed his way to the flower, his eyes bright as if they contained stars. Finally, the boy managed to reach the flower safely. Friar heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Don¡¯t look down, okay?¡± She reminded him loudly. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Julius frowned. Wouldn¡¯t one want to look down even more if one was told not to, he mused in his little head. Really, Friar doesn¡¯t know how to comfort people at all! Julius gently plucked the flower, making sure to uproot the whole plant. Their tutor had mentioned that keeping a flower along with its roots would ensure the flower a longer lifespan if they decided to keep it indoors. Finally managing to uproot the whole thing, Julius stood up triumphantly. ¡°Friar¡ªI got it¡ª¡° ¡°!!!¡± ¡°Julie, be careful!¡± ¡°Gyaaah¡ª¡° Suddenly, the wind picked up. Julius who stood at the tallest point of the place was hit by a large gust of wind, threatening to knock him down. He closed his eyes and screamed, fear running through his veins. A single misstep would cause him to fall down the cliff. ¡°S-sister!¡± He called out loudly. His eyes teared up as his legs trembled. ¡°Julie!¡± Noticing the dire situation, Leila immediately got up and ran. ¡°Julie!¡± ¡°Christy, go call Max!¡± Max had been the guard that had followed them. He had been guarding their carriage since their arrival to the mountain top, making sure that no one could disturb the noble siblings. He had been oblivious to the current predicament. ¡°Sister!¡± Julie began to cry, his tone choked with fear. ¡°Hang on, Julie!¡± Once again, the wind blew strongly. Julius was pushed back by the strong wind, unconsciously taking a step closer to the edge of the cliff. A small pebble from the cliff was chipped off under his heel then rolled down the cliff, as if reminding him of his impending doom. ¡°Hii¡ª¡° Julius shrieked. ¡°Julie, stay still, okay? There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Sister is here¡ª¡° Sensing his fear, Leila gently comforted him. ¡°Young ladies, young master!¡± Finally, the guard arrived. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, young master!¡± Max shouted. ¡°Try to take a step forward¡ªthat¡¯s right, slowly, slowly¡­¡± ¡°Uwaaa¡ª¡° Friar¡¯s leg gave out due to the tensed atmosphere. Fortunately, the maid Gemma managed to catch her by her side, making sure she was safe. ¡°!!!¡± ¡°Young master¡ª!¡± ¡°Julie¡ª!¡± A gust of wind, even stronger than the last, blew against the boy, finally pushing him off the cliff. Julius closed his eyes tightly, his body tensing, waiting for the brunt of the fall. In his tightly grasping hands was the white-coloured flower. ¡°Young lady!!!¡± ¡°Sister! No!!!¡± However, before he could resign himself to his fate, a gentle and soft feeling enveloped his body. He could feel his body being thrusted before he felt the hard and jagged ground. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m right here,¡± as if it was an illusion, Julius could hear a familiar sweet, tinkling voice. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (6) ¡°Sister¡ª!¡± ¡°Milady¡ª!¡± Forlorn voices could be heard, crying out to the falling body. Max the Guard, whose innate attribute was earth, immediately called forth his power. With veins popping, he instructed the earth to catch the boy, making his landing softer. Without missing a beat, the guard immediately head towards the edge of the cliff, summoning all his power to somehow save the young lady. ¡°Gaaah¡ª!!!¡± With a roar, he made the earth swim, attempting to catch the young lady before she fell to her doom. Unfortunately, he was a moment too late. By the time the earth was conjured into a flat, curving shape large enough to catch the girl, due to the speed and inertia of her fall, she simply rolled and bounced off from it. ¡°Shit!¡± Max¡¯s eyes reddened. He was too late, he thought. By the time he gained enough strength to conjure another horizontal earth wall, the girl had already disappeared among the sea of trees. ¡°We have to go back quickly! I must inform the master!¡± Max¡¯s voice was hoarse. From his haggard look, one could tell that he had done all he could. ¡°Hurry!¡± Quickly, the maids ushered the sobbing young lady and the barely conscious young master into the carriage. ¡°Hi-yah!¡± Along the way back, Max continually abused the horses that was pulling the carriage, trying to make it back as fast as he could. He held a faint hope that the young lady would still be alive when they find her later.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Emergency! There has been an emergency! Make way!¡± Seeing the mansion from afar, Max began to yell at the top of his lungs. A trip that would have taken four hours to complete, was reduced to half its original duration. One could easily tell how exhausted both the guard and the horses were. The gatekeeper immediately noticed the commotion. The voice was so loud that he did not even need to strain his ear. Hearing the familiar voice of his colleague, the gatekeeper did not hesitate to open the gates. He efficiently sent another person to inform the lord. Upon noticing the emergency, the whole mansion reacted quickly. The servants steered clear of the carriage¡¯s path, and those who were together with the master and madam prepared themselves for the worst. The husband and wife pairing immediately headed towards the entrance, waiting for the carriage to stop. Max who was in a hurry did not bother to pull the reins to stop the horses, but simply let go, making the other servants run around trying to catch them before they caused any harm. Max jumped up from the carriage, landing roughly in front of the anxious couple. ¡°There has been an emergency,¡± Max squeezed out. ¡°Young lady Leila was¡ªShe was¡ª¡° His reddened eyes became even redder. Thinking of the unfortunate accident, he could not help but blame himself for his carelessness. Before he could finish his sentence, the carriage door was thrown open. The two maids worked together to carry Julius, who had fallen unconscious during the ride. Meanwhile, Friar¡¯s soft wails could be heard from within the carriage. ¡°Sister¡ªSister¡ª¡° the young girl called out in-between sobs. The viscount¡¯s eyes grew cold. The madam by his side had already started trembling, ready to faint at any moment. ¡°Speak clearly; what happened?!¡± ¡°Young lady Leila, she, she, fell off the cliff!¡± Max, though he was so exhausted, immediately told the truth about the situation without cutting any corners. The master and madam¡¯s complexion paled. ¡°Quick, send a team to find her! She might still be alive.¡± The viscount placated his wife, sending her to rest first before making sure his children were attended to. After all the tasks at home was finally sorted out, he donned his armour, ready to lead an expedition in search of his missing daughter. . . . ¡°A human¡­? Urk¡ªso much blood!¡± ¡°Wait¡­ she¡¯s still breathing¡ª¡° GROOOOAaARRRRRRR! ¡°This is bad¡­ the monsters have caught the scent of her blood. They¡¯ll definitely tear us apart; we need to get out of here!¡± Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (7) A high profile group of armour-wearing, horse-riding people wove their way inside the forest without rest. Their destination was the place directly below the cliff where the eldest young lady of the Rosenbell House tragically fell from. As soon as they closed in on the location, the group of highly experienced knights detected the presence of many monsters crowding the place. ¡°Prepare for battle. Ready, charge!¡± In a uniformed fashion, the knights gathered into a formation, and with the order by the person of the highest status, Viscount Rosenbell himself, the knights charged into the horde of beastly monsters, slaughtering all of them without fear. ¡°Sweep the whole place; see if we can at least find her corpse.¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes!¡±¡±¡± However, as soon as they arrived, they already understood that there was no good news to tell. A large spot covered in blood, with bits and pieces of torn cloth could be seen surrounded by the monster corpses. Some of the corpses were rather mangled; their wounds were evidently caused by the claws of another beast. A knight examined the patch of blood thoroughly. ¡°Milord¡­ I fear that you must prepare for the worst.¡± He shook his head, picking up a few strands of blood-soaked hair. ¡°This is human blood. Milady has lost too much of her blood; she is unlikely to have survived the fall. It can be assumed that¡­ the monsters have already¡­¡± The knight did not have it in his heart to finish his sentence.Stolen story; please report. The viscount who stood in front of him emitted a cold aura that was beginning to grow sombre by each passing moment. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for your loss, milord.¡± The knight choked out. The knight had been in service at the Rosenbell household for many years and he knew how cherished Young Lady Leila was to the whole family as well as the servants. ¡°¡­¡± Viscount Rosenbell picked up one of the larger pieces of torn cloth. At the corner of the cloth he could faintly make out a beautifully embroidered blue lily. The design matched with the blue lily embroidered on the collar of Leila¡¯s dress. His grip tightened around the piece of cloth, his face darkening. ¡°¡­Cut open all of the bellies of the monsters.¡± The knights lowered their head, tacitly accepting his order without any complains. They knew that he intended to salvage what was left of his daughter¡¯s corpse¡ªassuming that she had been eaten by the monsters¡ªbut it was highly doubtful that the body was still in one piece. The knights began working quietly, not daring to disturb the viscount in his mourning. Hours later, the monsters in the area have all been dissected. However, they were unsuccessful in finding the young girl¡¯s body. All that was left of her was a few more pieces of cloth and the girl¡¯s most favourite necklace that she had been wearing that day, salvaged from a monster¡¯s stomach. From this, the knights deducted that by the time they arrived at the scene, the girl had already been digested by the monster. The knight responsible for giving the conclusive report to the viscount trembled. He did not want to become the bearer of bad news, but it was getting late and it was clear that the girl was a goner. There was no use in sugar-coating their words. ¡°Let us return.¡± The viscount spoke succinctly, but it was clear from his heavy tone that he was grieving over Leila¡¯s death. ¡°May she rest in blissful peace¡­¡± A knight whispered. The other knights quietly parroted his words, silently mourning the loss of the gentle and charming white-haired young lady. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (8) ¡°Uu-uugh¡­¡± Good morning¡­ Air¡ªLeila here¡­ So painful¡­ Haaa~ the things Leila does for raising flags~ sigh~ Leila feels so tired¡­ So painful¡­ Ah, of course it would be painful. Most humans would die if they fell off a cliff, after all. But, ah, Leila is not a normal human, haha~ Ouch¡­ Even laughing in Leila¡¯s mind is painful¡­ Hm¡­ Well¡­ Let¡¯s just rest for now~ Good night~ Zzzzzzz Scanning for injuries. Initiating emergency auto-repair. Auto-repair failed. Host body not equipped with auto-repair function. Warning: Please increase host¡¯s vitality to heal host body. Time remaining before death: One day, three hours, five minutes, and forty seconds. Thirty-nine, thirty-eight, thirty-seven¡­Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Eh~ So this isn¡¯t the time to be sleeping, hey?! Aw, dammit. Isn¡¯t this too soon~ Well, it doesn¡¯t matter though. Since Leila already planted the ¡®capture target with a tragic backstory¡¯ flag~ he he~ Well, good night! ¡°Shit, her pulse is weakening. Druuk, we have to get to the healer quick!¡± ¡°Ah? We¡¯ll aggravate her wounds if we go too fast? Tsk! But she will die if we¡¯re too slow!¡± ¡­huh? Leila didn¡¯t realise she was in the presence of other people. Hm, most of Leila¡¯s senses and perceptions are a train wreck, no wonder~ Well, it seems like this person wants to help Leila? Waaaa~ how noble~ ¡°Hnngh¡­¡± Leila slowly opened her eyes. Due to her grave injuries she found it rather hard to open them. Her blurry gaze met with her saviour¡¯s serious look. Oh¡­ A dog? Eh, wait, no. It¡¯s a beastman~ Waaaa~ how rare~ The beastman had a pair of kemonomimi on his head which was the same shade of grey as the rest of his hair. His hair was rather messy and dishevelled; quite possibly because of the hectic situation they were in. Meeting Leila¡¯s gaze, the beastman¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and his ears twitched in surprise. Ahaha~ so adorable, his ears twitched~ Leila¡¯s lips formed a smile as she stared at his ears. Looks soft¡­ want to touch¡­ mofumofu¡­ ¡°Uuu¡­¡± Seeing the rather defenceless and na?ve smile on Leila¡¯s face, the beastman felt his heart skip a beat. Such a pure smile¡­ Somehow, he felt glad that he decided to save the girl back then. The beastman gently tightened his hold on the girl. ¡°Hold on just for a bit longer; the healer can definitely help you.¡± ¡°Mn¡­¡± Whatever you say~ Seems like Leila still has more chances to build tragic past flags? Yaaaaa~y. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (9) The moment Lady Nina Rosenbell received the news of her daughter¡¯s death, she collapsed with a high fever. The fever had lasted over three days with no signs of breaking out. The lord hardened his heart as he made Leila¡¯s funeral arrangements. The funeral was to be a private one, with only close family and friends attending. ¡°Poor child¡­ she has not even made her debut yet¡­¡± Dahlia Bluebloom, the maternal grandmother of the Rosenbell children, grieved. The girl was so young; yet to reach of age. Though they lived far apart and rarely had the chance to meet, the older woman could still remember the girl¡¯s striking looks and gentle demeanour. She would have made a great bride, she thought. ¡°She was gone too soon,¡± Marquis Bluebloom said. Although he appeared unruffled, who knew what was going on inside his mind? Leila was, after all, his first granddaughter from his youngest, most cherished child. On the other hand, Frederick who was called back from school to attend the funeral stood silently at the corner, staring at the coffin that was laid in the middle of the room. Later, the coffin would be brought to the family¡¯s cemetery where his sister¡¯s empty coffin would be put to rest. Somewhere in his heart, he refused to belief that Leila was gone. ¡°Come, Frederick. It is time to bury the coffin.¡± While he was absorbed in his thoughts, Viscount Rosenbell tapped his shoulder, reminding him. His face was unreadable, his mouth pursed into a straight line. He looked impossibly cold, almost emotionless. Yet, the grief and tiredness behind his eyes did not go unnoticed by those who were close to him.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Viscount Rosenbell scanned his eyes around the hall. There was only a handful of people in the place, most of them close friends and relatives who had known the young girl personally. Leila did not know a lot of people, and most of these personages were the ones whom he had introduced her to. She was such a special girl, that Leila. With the gift of healing, she was like a rare treasure; one that he had sworn to protect. But¡­ She was gone now. The lord glanced at his wife, who was still clinging to her daughter¡¯s necklace, sobbing dryly. It was as if she had exhausted all of her tears and could no longer produce any. His second daughter, Friar, on the other hand, was still crying. Her stifled sobs resonated through the wide hall, making others feel sorrowful. There was no Julius in sight; the boy had locked himself in his room, refusing to come out. The little boy had blamed himself when the accident happened, wishing he could trade places with his dead sister. Such a young boy was scarred, and the viscount could not bear to put any blame on the innocent child. ¡°Milord?¡± The priest quietly called out to the dazed man. Viscount Rosenbell nodded in acknowledgement to the priest. He instructed the knights to carry the coffin to the family tomb. Along the way, servants lined up against the wall, together mourning for the loss. The servants had their head bowed, palms crossed on top of their hearts, silently saluting to the deceased. Although Leila Rosenbell was relatively unknown to the public, she was an irreplaceable and priceless treasure in the eyes of the Rosenbell mansion¡¯s residents. Thus, Leila Rosenbell¡¯s funeral ended, her name forever disappearing from the world. All that was left of her was the memories that she had left behind. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (10) After Leila¡¯s funeral ended, everyone returned to their rooms, ready to retire for the night. Frederick made his way to his bedroom almost robotically, as if he was running on auto-pilot. His feet dragged against the floor, feeling heavy with each step. Once he entered his bedroom, he finally snapped out of his stupor. He glanced around his room, looking around at the familiar yet unfamiliar place. It had been more than half a year since he last stepped foot in his room as he had been away to study at the capital, not knowing that it would be the last time he would see his darling little sister. He touched his chest, feeling the emptiness caused by Leila¡¯s death. Slowly, his grip became stronger and stronger, until his tunic had been ruffled, his nails almost tearing the cloth apart. His body trembled. Finally, he could no longer stave off the pain and collapsed, curling up on the floor. ¡°Leila, ah, Leila¡ª¡° He began wailing quietly. It was the first time he had to taste such despair in all of his eighteen years of life, so he could not help but break down. Though he had been keeping a brave front in front of his family, once he was alone there was no more need for pretence. ¡®Sweet, sweet Leila.¡¯ ¡®Why¡­?¡¯ ¡®Why did you go away so soon¡­?¡¯ ¡®Even though I promised to take you around the capital once I graduate¡­¡¯ ¡®How can you be dead?¡¯ Leila¡¯s sweet smile floated in front of his eyes. Leila had been the sibling he was closest to. Their ages were not too far apart, so they got along well. She had a weak body when she was younger, and naturally, as the elder brother he took great care of her. Even after she became well, he still continued to dote on her. While the twins looked up to her as a dependable older sister, to him, she was still that frail little girl that needed to be looked after. It could be said that the one who felt her loss the most was Frederick who had spoiled her since young. ¡°Leila¡­¡± This incident of the eldest son breaking down went unnoticed by everyone, as they were all wrapped in their own thoughts and sorrows. In another room, the youngest child of the Rosenbell House had locked himself in his room, seeking solace by curling up under his blanket. Big blobs of tears silently wetted his bed.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Sister¡­ Sister¡­¡± ¡®Hm? What¡¯s wrong, Julie? Did Fri bully you again?¡¯ ¡°Julie, would you like to hear a story?¡¯ ¡®Julie?! How did you get hurt?! Ah, there, there. Pain, pain, go away~¡¯ ¡®Julie~¡¯ ¡®Julie!¡¯ ¡®Julie¡ª¡® ¡°Sister¡­ hic, I-I¡¯m¡­ sorry¡­ hic¡ª¡° ¡°Julie,¡± Leila smiled softly at the crying little boy, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m right here.¡± Hearing Leila¡¯s voice lingering in his mind, a fresh batch of tears began to form on his face. ¡°I was wrong, I¡¯m sorry, please come back¡­ sister¡­ I need you¡­¡± ¡®If only I was more careful,¡¯ ¡®If only I was more powerful,¡¯ ¡®If only¡­ if only¡­ I was stronger¡­ then¡­ then¡­ older sister Leila would not have fallen. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have had to catch me.¡¯ ¡®If only I studied harder.¡¯ The boy choked. ¡®If only I was able to use my attributes better.¡¯ Within his melancholy laid guilt. As a child from a noble household, naturally, he had already found his innate attribute at a young age, and just a few months prior his tutoring lessons had started. However, he was never one for the academics, choosing to play around rather than study. If only he had paid attention to the lessons, he could have used his innate wind attribute to save himself, as well as prevent his sister¡¯s death. Due to that fact, he fully placed the blame of Leila¡¯s death on his own head, feeling utterly responsible. If only he wasn¡¯t so weak, he thought. But, the young boy failed to see that even if he studied hard, it was impossible for him to attain the strength that he wished for with just a few months of rigorous studying. Unless, of course, if he was a prodigy or a genius. . The next day. Due to the gloomy mood that had been hanging around the mansion for some time, no one felt like dining together for breakfast. The guests, save for the Bluebloom couple, all left the morning after the funeral, unwilling to disturb the grieving family. Marquis Bluebloom and his wife stayed behind at the mansion, concerned over their only daughter¡¯s wellbeing. For the time being, they had decided to stay until their daughter was healthier. Marcus Rosenbell sat in his study, his meal left untouched. He instructed his steward to call over his eldest son. Frederick who had heard the order immediately went over to his father¡¯s study, which was usually restricted on a normal day. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Frederick. Take a seat.¡± The viscount motioned for his son to sit down in front of him. The younger man complied silently. The two sat in complete silence for a long time. ¡°Frederick,¡± The viscount was the first to break the silence. After a slight pause, he spoke, ¡°We are blue-blooded nobles. We mustn¡¯t show any weakness.¡± He had long taken notice of his son¡¯s haggard appearance, looking as if he had not slept a wink. His tone hardened, ¡°to the noble society, Leila Rosenbell had never existed. She was never introduced or made her debut. Leila¡­ does not and will no longer exist among the nobility.¡± It took several, long moments for Frederick to understand what his father was saying. In the first few seconds, his anger almost erupted before he quickly held himself back. ¡®How can you be so heartless, father?¡¯ he wanted to ask. But, after thinking more thoroughly, he understood what his father wanted to convey. ¡®Leila is gone. Don¡¯t let her death become your weakness. High society is unkind and they do not care about someone they can no longer use. Don¡¯t let them see your weakness, else you¡¯ll be doomed to become a sacrificial pawn,¡¯ was what he was probably trying to say. After his son left, Viscount Rosenbell stared at the ceiling, sorting his thoughts. At least¡­ with Leila¡¯s passing, he no longer needed to put up such a high guard against the Meritolan Church, he comforted himself. He did not realise how empty he felt at the thought. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (11) ¡°Mimi, I need your help!¡± The grey-haired wolf beastman barged into the healer¡¯s clinic just as he arrived at his village. ¡°Woah, what happe¡ªis that a human?!¡± The female beastman shrieked. Her complexion paled at the sight of the bloodied girl in the man¡¯s arm. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for that,¡± the man urged the woman to get her medical supplies as he placed the girl on the only cot in the clinic. ¡°She¡¯s lost a lot of blood and is barely conscious as it is. Please, you¡¯re the only one who can save her!¡± ¡°Sieg, you know the consequences of helping a human, right?! Why are you going so far for this¡­ this¡­ person?!¡± Sieg, who seemed startled by her question, froze. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± He glanced at the girl, ¡°I just had a feeling that I needed to help her, so I did.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a little human girl, what harm can she do to us? She looked so helpless then that I just¡­ couldn¡¯t leave her there to die.¡± Mimi sighed at her childhood friend¡¯s words. She had not thought that he, who was usually so stoic, would actually do something like this. Their race had been suppressed by the humans for so long, yet he was this willing to save a human girl that he had just found somewhere. If the elders found out, not only him, but she would also be punished. ¡°Please, Mimi.¡± The man looked at her with a firm gaze, almost begging. Mimi, unable to withstand his gaze, finally conceded. ¡°Fine. If the elders ask, I¡¯ll say that you threatened me.¡± She pouted, her cheeks puffing. ¡°Seriously, why go through so much for this human? It¡¯s not like you fell in love with her or something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­No way?!¡± Sieg glared at the woman defensively, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You better not. You¡¯re not even of the same species, so don¡¯t go fooling around with a human, you hear?!¡± Mimi crossed her arm on her chest, taking an ¡®I¡¯m warning you!¡¯ stance. ¡°I know.¡± Sieg replied, glowering at the woman. ¡°Just, save her. Please.¡± Dismissing her childhood friend from her clinic, she quickly got to work. Just from visually appraising her battered body, Mimi could already tell that the girl was barely clinging on to life. Nevertheless, the girl was still a patient that had been entrusted to her; even if she was a human, her healer¡¯s pride would not allow a patient to die under her care. Day turned into night, and night turned into morning. It took a whole sleepless night for Mimi the Healer to pull Leila out of her critical condition. Finally, after having dealt with the more serious injuries, Mimi finally stopped to rest. Frankly, although the beastmen were lacking in terms of medical expertise due to the lack of people who could wield magic, Mimi was widely known as an amazing healer capable of fixing wounds and curing various illness. Other than reattaching limbs, she could basically heal anything with the combined use of her talent and various personally brewed medicinal concoction. This was why she was the first person Sieg came to. While Mimi was busy patching up the girl, Sieg was left alone outside the clinic, pacing back and forth. He did not know why he felt so concerned over the human girl. ¡°You¡¯re still here¡­?¡± Mimi opened the windows, intending to get some fresh air to ventilate her small clinic, but who knew that Sieg was still waiting at the same spot where she had left him the day prior. ¡°Well, your little human girl is stable now, so come in, if you want.¡± Sieg ignored the tired figure of his friend and directly entered the clinic. For some reason, he felt that he could only quell his restlessness once he laid his eyes on the girl and confirm her condition. Seeing that the girl had been properly bandaged up and in deep sleep, Sieg dropped his tensed shoulders, looking visibly relieved. ¡°She won¡¯t be waking up any time soon, so it¡¯s better if you rest.¡± Mimi advised. Sieg was one of their village¡¯s hunters, and he was supposed to go for a hunt later, she vaguely recalled. Tiredness will lead to carelessness, and she no longer had any energy to care for another patient, so she hoped that the idiot would go rest even for just a short while. ¡°Thank you, Mimi.¡± ¡°Thank yourself!¡± Mimi¡¯s lips curled. ¡°I¡¯ve never pegged you as the kind type. Did you eat something weird yesterday?¡± As expected of childhood friends. Even if they were worried about each other, or even when they are grateful to each other, they would never show it normally, instead choosing to hurl abuses to hide their embarrassment. Leila, who was sleeping but somewhat conscious: Eh~ Mimi is so cute~ Look at her tail swishing around~ so cuuuute~ Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (12) ¡°Uuu¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so loud! The patient will be scared!¡± ¡°You¡¯re being loud, too!¡± Hoeh? Goo¡­ ¡°¡­d morni¡­ ng~¡± ¡°Ah, good morning.¡± The two beastmen who were squabbling suddenly stopped, automatically replying to her greeting. ¡°How do you feel?¡± The female beastman acted as if she had not just been fighting with the other man, promptly asking about her condition in detail. ¡°¡­Hurt¡­s¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s as expected. From what I¡¯ve heard from Sieg over here who found you, it seems like you fell off the cliff.¡± Mimi sent a glance at the man, ¡°You¡¯re quite lucky, miss. Most people wouldn¡¯t have survived such a fall, but maybe it¡¯s because you were cushioned by the trees¡­¡± ¡°Uuu¡­¡± Leila made a move to sit up. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t! You¡¯ll aggravate your wounds! Just lie down for now.¡± Mimi hurriedly pushed the girl back down, making sure none of her injuries opened up. She had spent the whole night tending to her, so if the wounds were to open up, then her hard work would have been meaningless. ¡°¡­Sorry¡­ Thank you¡­¡± Leila looked as if she was having a difficult time speaking, yet she still did not rest until she thanked the two. She knew that the man had picked her up and the woman had patched her up. Thanks to them, she was out of the critical zone and as long as she recuperated properly, the wounds wouldn¡¯t kill her. ¡°Really¡­ I, thank you¡­¡± ¡°No need for thanks. As a healer, I can¡¯t let someone who is hurt be left just like that.¡± Mimi says, smiling. ¡°And it¡¯s normal to give help to someone in need. Isn¡¯t that right, Sieg?¡± Mimi nudged the man who was looking as if he was in a daze ever since the girl woke up. ¡°I¡­ see¡­ Still, I, owe you my life¡­¡± Leila smiled weakly, gratitude flashing in her eyes. ¡°That being said! Sieg, be a gentleman and get me a bucket of water. I¡¯m sure this miss would want to freshen up, right?¡± ¡°Oh! Uh, yeah. I¡¯ll¡­ go get some water, then. From the well.¡± Leila giggled at his awkwardness, finding amusement in such a big man acting so cutely. ¡°I¡¯ll be most grateful, mister.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± The man robotically got up, striding to the exit with his arms and legs of the same side swinging in sync. The two females exchanged glances, then giggled.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Mimi told the girl to rest up, then went around her hut in search of clothes that the girl could wear. The girl¡¯s clothes had been in tatters when she came in, and it had been further ripped apart so that the healer could examine and treat her wounds easily. In short, Leila¡¯s current clothes were practically rags, and it was rather unbecoming for a girl to be dressed like that, even if all she would be doing is lie in bed, body covered with a blanket. Mimi had originally thought that the human girl would be just like the other humans. Most humans would either be in fear or show hostility. While some would be morbidly interested in them, most would keep away from the beastmen, thinking of them as some sort of monsters. However, the girl was calm, and was rather amiable. Perhaps, she had been too tired to even be scared, but the way that she had calmly thanked them with a smile showed that she was neither hostile nor fearful of them at all. Mimi smiled wryly, looking down on herself for believing that all humans were the same kind of despicable. Perhaps she had finally met one of those truly kind humans that she had only ever heard of through the word of mouth. Finally, after rummaging her scarce wardrobe, she finally found a dress that looked small enough to fit the tiny girl. It was a dress that she had worn for the harvest festival when she was younger, and she could no longer fit in it though she had only worn it a few times. Luckily, she still kept it. If not, then the girl would not have had anything to wear as Mimi¡¯s current clothes would not have fitted the girl¡­ especially in the chest area. The two waited for Sieg to come back with the water before washing up. Because of her wounds, Leila was unable to do it on her own so Mimi had to help her. Unfortunately, it would be bad to have water on her wounds and judging how they covered up almost every inch of her skin, it did not take long for Leila to wash up. Even though not cleaning up her whole body made Leila feel icky, she did not complain as it could not be helped. Finally, Mimi helped Leila to put on the new clothes. The dress fitted Leila perfectly, save for the chest area. Clearly, Young Mimi was more developed compared to Leila¡­ somehow, Leila felt defeated. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the look on the girl¡¯s face, as if she had taken a great hit while her hands trembled against her chest, Mimi did not know whether to laugh or cry. Meanwhile, in the Rosenbell Mansion. The door to Julius Rosenbell¡¯s room finally opened after nine days of lull. The small, frail-looking boy came out of the room quietly, scaring the maid who had been tasked to wait upon the boy. The boy had visible tear stains on his face. Yet, as if he had cried all his emotions away, his expression was rather frigid for a young boy his age. At that moment, the maid thought that the young boy truly resembled his father, the Viscount. ¡°Young master?¡± The maid had a faintly hopeful expression on her face. The madam had been worried that her little boy might never come out of his room, so when the young master had voluntarily left his room, she couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. After all, the master and madam had put so much effort into getting the little one to get out of his room, yet there had been no response. In the end, the master had simply left the boy to his devices once he could no longer push back his duties. ¡°Young master, where would you be going? Are you famished, young master? Shall I have the kitchen prepare some food for you?¡± The boy made his way down the hall, ignoring the maid¡¯s pestering. He took a turn towards the end of the hallway, walking familiarly on the route towards the mansion¡¯s library. ¡°¡­¡± The boy soundlessly entered the room, scouring for magic tomes and books. He took one out, then placed it on the ground, zealously reading its content. ¡°¡­must¡­ I, have to¡­ stronger¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°Young master?¡± The maid felt a chill on her spine. The young master was clearly acting strangely. She did not hesitate to run over to the master¡¯s study, where she knew the master would be, to inform him of the young master¡¯s strange behaviour. Viscount Rosenbell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Just leave him be,¡± he said. ¡°But my lord¡ª¡° The viscount dismissed the maid with a wave of his hand, ¡°He¡¯s just reading some books; what harm could he do?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, my lord.¡± The maid returned to the young master¡¯s side, unable to shake off her feelings of uneasiness. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (13) A group of tall and burly beastmen stood in front of the clinic, leading a riot against the village healer. ¡°That human must go!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong here!¡± ¡°Why are you sheltering a human?! Have you forgotten what those wretched people did to us?!¡± Mimi¡¯s ears felt itchy. She had heard the same thing over and over again for the past few days. Because of the rejection of the villagers, Mimi had barricaded herself inside her clinic, refusing to come out even when they threatened to break her door down. The people leading the riot just happened to be the older generation of beastmen in the village, and in their time, the persecution against beastmen by the humans was the worst in history. Naturally, they could not stomach having one of their own sheltering a human. Traitor, they called them. Ignoring the rabble outside her hut, she brought over a jug of water, pouring some in a cup and passing it to the white-haired human girl. Leila accepted the cup gratefully, drinking with relish. She held the cup with both hands and drank in small but fast sips. Looking at the girl adorably drinking water, the label ¡®despicable and hateful¡¯ really could not be equated to her. Mimi shook her head. The girl was so harmless and cute, how could those old geezers even think about kicking her out? She sighed. The noise was getting on her nerves. Usually, her clinic would be quiet and tranquil; it was a place for people to recover, so many took care as to not make too much noise in fear of disturbing the patients, but these bunch of noisy people was just so tactless. Fortunately, the only patient she had in the clinic was Leila, and the girl was as tolerant as a saint. Usually, Sieg would be around to chase away the rabble, but he had gone to hunt in preparation for the winter. Though he wanted to guard over the clinic, he could not skimp out on his duties. Luckily, as the village¡¯s only healer, no one dared to trespass Mimi¡¯s clinic. It was clear on how much they depended on her services. They dared to bark but didn¡¯t dare to bite. Actually, if Sieg was around, these people were even more docile. Sieg, though awkward as he may be, had the reputation of being one of the village¡¯s best warrior and hunter. Finally, after rioting for so long yet receiving no response, the people began to grow tired and lose interest. Winter was fast approaching, so they didn''t actually have that much time to spare. However, before many of them dispersed, a group of people rushed towards them. It was the group of hunters that went out to hunt for winter provisions. They had just come back, bloodied and battered. ¡°Mimi! It¡¯s an emergency!¡± Sieg¡¯s voice rang out. He rushed from behind the group on his trusted partner, Druuk the wyrm. Together with him was another beastman who was in the most critical condition out of those who were injured. Mimi¡¯s hut was not that big; at most, it could only hold three patients at a time. One of the cots was already occupied by a certain human girl, so only two was available. With that in mind, the group of hunters laid the injured members on the front of her clinic. They lined them in a single line, supporting those who could be supported. The group had seven people altogether, and three of them were heavily injured. The rest of them were hurt, too, but their injuries were not life-threatening. Their treatments could wait. Mimi hastily exited her hut, with a bunch of medicine and bandages in hand.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Those rioters who were just about to leave stopped dead in their tracks, face changing into seriousness. Without missing a beat, some of them left, most probably to get clean cloths and water from the well. ¡°Have the water heated up, then soak some of the cloths with warm water,¡± Mimi instructed just as she appeared from inside the hut. Mimi examined the injuries with a solemn expression, her complexion getting darker and darker with every person observed. ¡°What happened?¡± While Mimi was busy stopping the blood of one of the hunters, one of the elders asked, staring straight at Sieg. ¡°We were attacked by a Grizzly. We managed to defeat it, but we were too close to a pack of monsters. They came at us the moment they smelled the blood.¡± Sieg explained, fists clenching. He blamed himself for not being more cautious. ¡°Ethan! Ethan!¡± A female beastman came running from afar. She was the wife of one of the injured hunters. Upon seeing the condition of her husband, she bursts into tears. ¡°Oh, Ethan! No!¡± ¡°Mimi, you must save him!¡± The woman sobbed. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Mimi nodded gravely. However, the beastman called Ethan just happened to be the one with the most sever wounds. He was practically on death¡¯s door. Leila, upon hearing the commotion, could not sit still either. She struggled to walk out of her bed, with the blanket draped over her body. Soon enough, her figure poked out from the clinic¡¯s door. Some of the previous rioters noticed her appearance, and stiffened. Some even had their mouths gaping open in shock. Although they had heard of the matter of Mimi and Sieg harbouring a human and protecting her in the clinic, these people had never actually seen her in person. The white-haired girl appeared like a glowing, frail beauty. She leaned against the door for a short while, appearing to be tired out. What human? She¡¯s clearly a fairy! Some of them dazedly thought. While the beastmen were stunned by her, they were not stunned for long. The situation was dire, and they could not afford to divert their attention to the girl. Soon enough, their eyes returned to the hunters. Leila ran to Mimi¡¯s side just as the she was thinking of Ethan¡¯s imminent death. Leila was currently very weak, so her ¡®running¡¯ was just about as fast as a slow jog. Mimi sighed in her heart. Ethan lost plenty of blood. One of his legs were gone and there was a visible wound on his shoulder, as though the flesh had been savagely bitten off by a monster. Although she did not want to give up, her abilities were not enough to save him. Still, she tried her best. Suddenly, a light began to glow from Leila who had unknowingly came beside her and was holding the dying man¡¯s hand in her palms. ¡°! Leila!¡± Sieg rushed to her side. He had just noticed her presence. Worry flashed in his eyes. The girl was still recovering, and he had no idea what she was doing outside the clinic. ¡°¡ª!¡± A hushed silence spread through the crowd. They could feel a warmth enveloping them as the light grew brighter. Leila¡¯s eyes were closed in concentration. Her eyebrows were scrunched, as if she had encountered something difficult. The light only lasted for a short moment. After a few minutes, it faded. ¡°W-what happened¡­?¡± ¡°What was that light?¡± ¡°¡ª! Look!¡± Someone pointed towards Ethan. His severed limb was there, as if it was never gone. The terrible wound on his shoulders had closed up, replaced by tender, new flesh. His breathing was no longer ragged. A few breaths later, his eyes fluttered open in confusion. ¡°Wh¡ª¡° The man looked around confusedly. The people crowding around him all had stunned looks. He turned to his side, meeting his gaze with his wife¡¯s. ¡°What¡­ what happened to me?¡± The last bit of memory he had was being bitten bya B-classed monster, the Sprawling Tree Spider, and entering a world of pain. Remembering that event, he shivered, unconsciously placing a hand on the area that had been bitten. ¡°?!¡± Surprisingly, he no longer felt any pain. He rubbed and poked the healed area with wide eyes, as if discovering a miracle. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Leila asked softly. Her ever-present smile greeted him. Her eyes were drooping as if she was about to fall asleep. ¡°¡­¡± The man opened and closed his mouth multiple times, speechlessly looking at the girl. ¡°Mn¡­ I take it that you¡¯re fine?¡± Leila chuckled, rubbing her eyes slightly. She turned her head towards the next injured person, and once again showcased her innate ability¡ªthe Light that heals. After finishing up with the third and final fatally injured hunter, Leila finally stopped. She stared at her hands that was beginning to grow blurry, then looked around the place. ¡°Oh my~ It seems like this is my limit. Miss Mimi, I¡¯ll¡­ leave the rest¡­ to y..ou¡­¡± Just as she finished her sentence, Leila collapsed. ¡°Leila?!¡± Thankfully, Sieg who had been by her side supporting her body the whole time managed to pull her into his arms just as she lost her consciousness. ¡°Leila!¡± Mimi hurriedly conducted a check up on the girl. Realising that she had just fainted from over-exhaustion, she instructed Sieg to carry the girl back to bed. ¡°¡­The rest of you, come. I¡¯ll tend to your injuries.¡± A complex expression flashed on Mimi¡¯s face. She had many questions that she wanted to ask the girl, but seeing that Leila was not in the condition to answer them, she could only put away her curiosity to the back of her mind and focus on the present. While there had only been three critical patients, there was still others that had less threatening injuries, after all. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (14) When Leila awoke once again, one day had passed. Leila inwardly scanned the condition of her body. Other than the fact that her lifespan had been shortened due to using her powers without any ¡®fuel¡¯ during a time when her body was still recovering, everything was fine. Haaa~ it seems like nothing¡¯s wrong, thank goodness. Leila looked around the hut. Surprisingly, she was all alone. Usually, either Mimi or Sieg would be by her side, either to accompany her or look after her. But today, something was different. The clinic was unusually quiet. It seems like Mimi was out. It was rare for the healer to leave her clinic, so Leila was mildly intrigued. Leila tested the waters by flexing her limbs. Seeing that she was not as weak as before, she finally climbed out of the bed, albeit slowly. The sunlight greeted her the moment she came out of the clinic. The moment she appeared, it was as if everything stilled. When the beastmen noticed her, they stopped in their tracks, staring unblinkingly. Some of them even had slightly worshipful gazes when looking at her. Eh? Huh? Leila looked around confusedly. From the corner of her eyes, Leila could see a little beastman child hesitantly but bravely walking towards her. The child held onto a white flower, much like the one Leila¡¯s younger brother, Julius, had wanted to gift her. The child held out the flower to her with trembling hands. ¡°Oh? Are you giving it to me?¡± As usual, Leila smiled sweetly. The child flinched at her smile, a blush crawling on her face. The little beastman nodded quickly to the point of making herself dizzy. ¡°My~ how pretty. Thank you~¡± Leila accepted the flower happily. Thankfully, she was human this time so she couldn¡¯t hear the sound of the plants. If she could, then she would probably hear the agonizing scream of the flower after being ruthlessly plucked. She inhaled the flower¡¯s scent, her eyes curving beautifully. Then, she passed the flower back to the little girl, ¡°Will you help me put it in my hair?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat. She accepted the flower dazedly as the white-haired girl kneeled to make it easier for the child to place the flower in her hair. ¡°¡­!¡± The girl hurriedly wiped her hands on her frock before shyly placing the flower in Leila¡¯s hair. After it was done, Leila smiled again at the girl, bidding her farewell with another thank you. However, Leila did not realise that her action had caused others to follow suit. Before she realised it, an influx of villagers, young and old, crowded her, gifts in hand. The villagers, as if afraid of tainting the white-haired girl, did not dare to touch her. They simply placed their gifts by Leila¡¯s feet. They clasped their hands as though they were praying, then left afterwards, some thanking her profusely and some asking for her blessings. ¡°¡­¡± Leila stared speechlessly at the pile of gifts, thinking that the scene seemed a little familiar. ¡­Eh? Could these be¡­ offerings? Airi who was a goddess was naturally very accustomed to receiving offerings, but this was the first time she had ever encountered such a thing in a human body. It was only a pity that her human-type clones tended to be on the weak side, so being able to use her powers just like in Leila¡¯s case was rare. This was why she was rather surprised. Leila felt like it would be rude to the villagers if she left the presents on the ground, so she picked them up and stuffed it in Mimi¡¯s hut instead. Unexpectedly, Leila did not have to toil too much, seeing as there were more than a few people willing to help her out.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Where are you headed, Miss Saint?¡± Sofia asked, eyes glittering with adoration and curiosity. Sofia was the wife of one of the injured hunters, Ethan, who had been fully healed thanks to the girl¡¯s powers. She had immediately headed towards the clinic once she heard that Leila had awoken. Then, after seeing the girl struggle with the offerings, she offered to help. Miss Saint¡­? Well, whatever~ Leila smiled at the female beastman, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Mimi. Do you know where she could have gone?¡± ¡°Mimi?¡± Sofia paused, thinking. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, she was summoned by the village chief, to discuss about some things.¡± ¡°Miss Saint, if you¡¯d like, I can show you the way to chief¡¯s house!¡± ¡°No, I can!¡± ¡°No, me¡ª¡° The helpers began fighting one another. Leila¡¯s sweat dropped. It was just about pointing her to the right direction; was there a need to quarrel? ¡°Leila, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Suddenly, Leila was swept into someone¡¯s embrace. Leila squealed in surprise, she turned to look at the person carrying her, eyes wide. Sieg returned her gaze with a slight smile, ¡°You¡¯re not in the condition to travel by yourself, so I¡¯ll be carrying you.¡± Leila nodded absentmindedly, a slight blush covering her cheeks. Eeeeh~ Sieg, how cool~ The quarrelling beastmen froze, glaring at the hunter. However, they did not say anything as they knew they couldn¡¯t win against the hunter even if they outnumbered him three-to-one. Sieg paid no heed to the gawking villagers, and made his way to the chief¡¯s house. ¡°This was good timing,¡± Sieg said, starting a casual conversation. ¡°The chief had been wanting to see you, Leila.¡± Leila, who was lying comfortably in his arms merely made noncommittal sounds in reply, but the man knew she was listening properly, so he did not feel annoyed. He continued to talk about minor things like the weather and the recent happenings in the village along the way. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he said, stopping in front of the house that was positioned in the centre of the village. He knocked on the wooden door, announcing their presence before entering. ¡°Sieg, Leila! You¡¯re here!¡± Mimi greeted. Sieg placed Leila on an empty spot near the female beastman. After she was settled and comfortable, Sieg finally took his seat as well. Leila glanced around the room. Along with Mimi, there were four other persons present. One person sat at the farthest end from the entrance, assuming a central position. It was easy to tell that he was most probably the village chief judging by his seating. A young boy sat by his side, and the other two faced Leila and the rest, sitting on their opposite side. Both of them seemed to be the oldest among the attendees. ¡°So this is the Saint?¡± The village chief asked, marvelling at the sight of the young girl. He rubbed his chin as if amazed and intrigued. Leila met his gaze with a smile, but she inched closer to Sieg, noticing the gleam in the chief¡¯s eyes. Although she was smiling, her eyes clearly said, ¡®uwaah~ go away, you pervert!¡¯ The chief faltered slightly, noticing her uncomfortable gait. ¡°Hey, hey hey. Don¡¯t misunderstand; I¡¯m not a pervert. I¡¯m not into little human girls, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Leila said nothing, but she appeared to relax, returning to her previous position. ¡°Ehem,¡± the chief coughed. ¡°I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet, have I? I am Greywolf Village¡¯s chief, Rolfe. This here is my son and future chief, Kian, and those two are the village¡¯s most important Elders, Elder Lutz and Elder Emil.¡± ¡°How do you do, I am Leila Rosenbell.¡± Due to her condition, she was unable to make the full formal greeting, so she simply bopped her head slightly. ¡°A noble, huh¡­¡± muttered one of the elders. The beastmen had a little bit of understanding about the human kingdoms¡¯ hierarchy. Judging by the fact that Leila had a last name, they could easily deduce that she was from a noble household, though they were unfamiliar with the names of the noble houses. ¡°No wonder she had such strong magic.¡± The other nodded. ¡°First thing first, I would like to extend my gratitude for saving the lives of my people.¡± The chief bowed his head deeply towards Leila, expressing his thanks. ¡°No, it should be me who should be thankful. If not for Mimi and Sieg, I would not have been alive until now. I am also thankful that the villagers have allowed me to intrude for so long, and treated me with kindness.¡± Leila replied, remembering that some of the villagers had given her some offerings just moments before she went to the chief¡¯s house. ¡°¡­¡± The girl clearly meant no harm behind her words, but for some reason, the other people felt as if they had been slapped. Especially the two elders, who had participated in the rally in front of the clinic in the previous days. The chief coughed awkwardly, ¡°I see. Then, please enjoy your stay while you recuperate.¡± Leila smiled genuinely at the chief, ¡°thank you.¡± While the chief was fairly unaffected by the girl¡¯s lethal Smiling Beam, his son, on the other hand, took a critical hit. Kian who had been watching silently since the meeting began suddenly blushed to the tip of his ears, and as red as a tomato. He fidgeted nervously, then looked away as if the decorations in the house were the most interesting thing he had ever seen. Haha, yet another one bites the dust~ as expected, Leila¡¯s smiles are dangerous, hehe. ¡°Speaking of which, Leila, your healing abilities sure are powerful.¡± Mimi added, staring at the girl in wonder. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you heal yourself with it?¡± Leila smiled wryly at the woman¡¯s question. The other also looked questioningly at her. Everybody knew that she had been very hurt when Sieg brought her into the village. ¡°That¡­ it¡¯s because I can¡¯t.¡± Leila looked down at her palms with a melancholic smile. ¡°Unfortunately, I am immune to my own powers.¡± ¡°Funny, isn¡¯t it? I have the power to heal people, yet if I get hurt or fall sick, I can¡¯t use it to heal myself. In the end, I¡¯m such a burden¡­¡± Leila added. She remembered her childhood. Her older brother, Frederick, had always needed to look after her since her body had been too weak and frail. Deep down, she felt rather irritated about her fragility. Though, it could not be helped since her powers were too much to bear for a young human¡¯s body. Mimi placed a reassuring hand on the white-haired girl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not a burden! You saved other people¡¯s lives thanks to your power. Don¡¯t worry; if you ever get sick, just leave it to me. I¡¯ll heal you!¡± Mimi announced, her eyes burning with passion. She felt bad for the poor girl. Mimi understood the girl¡¯s feelings. After all, she was the only healer in the village. It would be troublesome if the only healer in the village was unable to offer her services. Not only Greywolf Village, but also other villages in their vicinity relied on her abilities to receive medical help. She would also feel bad if she was incapacitated. That was why, Mimi felt that she needed to take care of the girl. Sieg also patted Leila¡¯s head, agreeing with Mimi. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (15) The meeting went on. ¡°Do you intend to return to your home once your injuries heal?¡± The atmosphere in the chief¡¯s house changed to seriousness. The chief had already considered this topic in his mind. Leila who was the strongest healer he had ever seen was truly a treasure he could not bear to part with. However, Leila was a human, and a noble at that. She did not belong among the beastmen. If news of her broke out, there might be people with bad intentions coming to target the village in order to steal her away, and he was not prepared to take on the risks, especially since it was so close to winter. But¡­ her gift was truly eye-catching. Some villagers had even started to show signs of worshipping and it would be bad if the girl was suddenly gone. He could not imagine the ruckus it would have caused. Those people might even leave the village to follow her. ¡°Hm¡­¡± Leila continued to stare at her palms, thinking. If she returned to the mansion, then all her hard work at planting the flag for Julius¡¯ tragic past would become undone. Not only that, she would have had to deal with those vain and selfish idiots who thought that they could use her. It was not like she was stupid, after all. Leila knew that her father had been doing all that he could to prevent Leila¡¯s powers from being discovered by the Church and the state. Although Leila would not mind it if it happened, but dealing with self-important humans were rather annoying. It would be troublesome if she decided to break character and slaughter the people just because she was annoyed by them, after all. ¡°Hm¡­ well, for now, I don¡¯t feel like going back~¡± Leila replied nonchalantly. Although she felt bad for Leila¡¯s family, it could not be helped since she did not want to complicate things. By now, the Rosenbells have probably conducted her funeral or something. She could not find any merit in returning. ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± The group suddenly felt like collapsing. The girl was too carefree, they thought.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°W-well, you still need to recuperate, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be good to rush things, lest your wounds may open up.¡± Mimi laughed awkwardly. In the beginning, they had thought that the girl would have wanted to go home as soon as possible, but it was clear that she had no intention of doing so. Rather, it looked as if she was on a vacation. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind staying here, since Mimi and Sieg are here as well, though~ I wonder if it¡¯s fine for me to stay in the village even after I heal, Mr. Chief?¡± Leila flashed an expectant smile at the chief. ¡°¡­As the village chief, honestly, I would be rather grateful to have someone with your talent becoming one of our residents. But¡­ even if I allow it, there might be some problems rising from other sides.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ so I can¡¯t?¡± Leila¡¯s brows furrowed as she pouted, looking like a sad puppy. She turned to look at the two Elders who were usually the spokesperson for the masses with begging eyes. ¡°¡­Rest reassured, Saint. I¡¯m sure the villagers will welcome you with open arms.¡± Elder Lutz said, caving in to her helpless look. ¡°Leila, are you sure you don¡¯t want to go home? Your family¡­¡± Sieg looked at her, worry flashing in his gaze. Although he was rather happy that she decided to stay in their village, he was afraid that she might come to regret her decision. After all, since she was a noble, she was probably more used to luxuries that was unavailable in the village. She also had a family from where she came from, and perhaps even a lover or a fianc¨¦. Leila, seeing his worried look, smiled in return. ¡°It¡¯s fine~ one less girl in high society would not affect things too much,¡± she said. ¡°Besides, I am the second of four children. Even without me, there are still other children my family can dote on. I am neither the heir nor the only daughter, so even if I¡¯m gone, they will be fine.¡± Though Leila was smiling brightly as she said her piece, everybody else in the room perceived her smile as a depressed smile, unanimously thinking that she was merely keeping up a brave front. ¡°Leila¡­¡± Mimi felt her heart squeezing due to the girl¡¯s words. ¡°Leila, don¡¯t worry. You can stay with me for as long as you like.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mimi!¡± Leila beamed. ¡°You can count on me as well, Leila. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask for my help,¡± said Sieg. He stared at Leila with a frank gaze, as if afraid to lose against Mimi. ¡°How sweet, Sieg~¡± Mimi teased, smirking lightly. After interacting with the two for some time, she had already noticed that Sieg did, in fact, had feelings for the white-haired girl. Although their races were different, Mimi had already resolved herself to support the two now that Leila had decided to stick around. Sieg glared at Mimi, frowning. After talking about things for a little while longer, the seven finally dispersed. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (16) Hello. Good afternoon. Fuuuuuuuu~aaaaaaaah! Leila has finally recovered! For the most part! After three months of bedrest, Leila is finally strong enough to walk around freely. Heavy exercise is still out of the question, though. ¡°Leila, do you want to eat lunch?¡± Mimi came into the hut carrying a basket of miscellaneous food. She also seemed to be in a good mood, judging by the hardly-repressed smile on her face. ¡°Mn!¡± Leila smiled at the other woman. ¡°You look happy today, Mimi. Did something good happen?¡± Hearing the question, Mimi¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Ah! I suppose so.¡± She bashfully glanced at the front door, ¡°actually, my husband and my son is coming home soon.¡± ¡­Ah? Husband? Son? Leila looked blankly at Mimi. ¡°Mimi, you were married?¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t tell you? Yeah, I am~¡± What¡­ ¡°Eh, th-this is the first time I heard about it.¡± Leila scrutinised the older woman. She looked like a fresh, young girl in the peak of her youth; at most, she could only be around 20 years old. It was understandable if she was married, but to also have a son? Why does Leila feel as if she has found a comrade¡­ ¡°Is it that surprising?¡± Mimi laughed at Leila¡¯s flabbergasted face. ¡°Nn¡­ Mimi looks young, after all.¡± ¡°Oh my~ flattery will get you nowhere~¡± Mimi squiggled in delight, hugging her body. ¡°By the way, how old did you think I was?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Leila contemplated. Since Mimi and Sieg were childhood friends, they should be around the same age. Sieg looked to be around his early-to-mid-twenties, so Mimi was probably the same. ¡°¡­Around Sieg¡¯s age?¡± ¡°And how old do you think he is?¡± ¡°Twenty¡­ three?¡± ¡°Bzzt! You¡¯re wrong. Sieg is actually twenty, but because of his facial hair, he looks older,¡± Mimi laughed, ¡°Oh, and I¡¯m seven years older than him, okay!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Waa~ how unexpected~ A loli ba¡ªgohuk! Shhh, don¡¯t say that to her face! Besides, aren¡¯t we technically one too? Ehehe. The two girls laughed together, then continued chatting as they ate lunch.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. . . . A girl stood by the window of her room, watching the people on the mansion¡¯s training ground with part distaste and part annoyance. ¡°Haa! Huaa! Yaaah!¡± The boy who was haphazardly throwing around spells after offensive spells towards the target practice dummies roared loudly. He acted as if he did not see the dummies at all; as if his goal was only to use them as an outlet to vent. The girl by the windows frowned, ¡°Hmph!¡± She turned away from the window, severely glaring at the servants who were quivering by her side. ¡°Go and tell that idiot to shut up, now!¡± She snarled. ¡°A-as you command, Young lady!¡± The servants flinched. One of them immediately rushed out to execute her order, while the other two remained by her side to try to placate the angered girl. ¡°Miss Friar, please have a seat and calm down¡­¡± The young steward who had just finished steeping the tea said, hoping to divert the young girl¡¯s attention. Friar frowned at the man¡¯s request, but still sat down anyway. She huffed, inelegantly crashing onto the couch. She grabbed a pastry from the table and took a bite as the steward poured her a cup of tea, but immediately spat it out. ¡°What is this?! Why is it too sweet?! I want it replaced, or else!¡± ¡°Y-y-yes, milady!¡± The other maid quickly took away the plate of pastry, running back to the kitchens as if her life depended on it. ¡°So useless!¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡± The steward sighed, but did not comment on the young lady¡¯s absurd behaviour. He understood why the lady was acting so unreasonably. Miss Friar had treasured her elder sister dearly, and she did not know how to deal with her loss. Because of that, she began to grow more antagonistic. The girl refused to open up to others, and the servants did not know how to placate her either. Thinking of the situation of the Rosenbell family, Joshua the young steward could not help but to sigh again. Though they appeared normal and dignified on the surface, so many things were going on underneath the fa?ade. ¡°Miss Friar, please have a drink.¡± In the end, Joshua could only silently cast a bitter and sympathetic look towards the fuming young girl. He hoped that the young miss would come to terms with the recent events quickly and find closure. It was not good to dwell on one¡¯s sorrow, after all. Though he reminded himself of the thought, he himself could not help from thinking of the eldest young lady as well. They had been of the same age, and he was originally tasked to shadow the head steward who would visit the white-haired young lady every day during the evening. Thinking back to the kind and gentle girl, he also felt a sourness in his heart. Suddenly, Friar threw away her cup, shattering it on the floor and staining the rug with spilt tea. ¡°Take it away! Don¡¯t ever serve that to me ever again!¡± She yelled, furiously wiping her mouth while sobbing. ¡°¡­! Yes, I¡¯m sorry, Miss Friar!¡± Joshua was immediately snapped out of his thoughts as he moved to clean up the mess. He rang a bell that he kept inside his jacket to call the maids, then instructed them to bring a pan and a broom as well as some rags. Afraid that the young lady would hurt herself, he immediately gathered the broken pieces of the porcelain with his gloved hands. ¡°Was the tea not to your liking, Miss?¡± He calmly asked the young girl. To his knowledge, the tea that she had drunk was the usual tea that she always had whenever the ladies were having tea. He remembered it distinctly since the head steward had mentioned that the flavour was especially favoured by the eldest young lady, and¡ªoh. No wonder Friar had thrown such a fit. Perhaps the taste brought about painfully happy memories that she had shared with her beloved sister. ¡°¡­Shall I serve some fresh milk instead, Miss Friar?¡± ¡°¡­make it warm.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Seeing that the girl was not in a good mood, Joshua did not tarry. ¡°Miss Friar sure is becoming more and more bratty, don¡¯t you think?¡± Along the hallway, he could hear the faint whispers of the cleaning maids. ¡°She¡¯s acting out since no one¡¯s in the mood to humour her.¡± ¡°I pity her personal servants; they all have to deal with such terrible abuse.¡± ¡°That miss sure is too much, even though she''s still so young. I fear for the future.¡± Joshua glared at the gossiping maids, ¡°get to work before I report you to the head steward,¡± he warned. Before he left, he did not forget to remind the maids that the master had no tolerance against insubordination. The maids scurried away, face pale with cold sweat running down their foreheads. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (17) Mimi was uncharacteristically sweeping the entrance of her clinic with a broom. Though all she managed to clean was the small patch near her feet. Leila had heard from Mimi herself that her husband was a merchant who was often away for months on end, and that her son had chosen to walk down the same path as his father, making her feel slightly resentful. But, seeing the eager look that Mimi could barely hide, it was clear that the woman missed her family very much. Because of that, Leila made the decision to move out from Mimi¡¯s clinic to let the woman be able to spend time freely with her family. This was because Mimi¡¯s living quarters were connected to the clinic, and Leila being there was like being the third wheel to the family. Actually, only one part of the hut was used as her clinic while the rest consisted of her house. ¡°Mimi~ it¡¯s so cold outside. Why don¡¯t you wait inside?¡± Leila called out from inside the clinic. She was bundled up like a ball yet was still shivering. The stove was lit, making the interior of the clinic warm. ¡°Mm. Later.¡± Mimi distractedly answered, her head peering up towards the straight path in front of the clinic. ¡°!¡± Mimi¡¯s ears perked up as her face lit up in excitement.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Loud footsteps could be heard from the road. However¡ª Mimi wilted in disappointment after realising that it was just Druuk and Sieg who were helping to clear out the snow in the village. ¡°Leila, are you ready?¡± Sieg¡¯s cheeks were flushed, either due to the cold, or perhaps due to his anticipation. Sieg had finished up with the snow-clearing so he came by to the clinic to pick up the human girl who would be living with him from now on. Or at least until Mimi¡¯s husband and son goes out to trade again next season. Although the village chief offered to build a new hut for the girl to stay in, Leila had refused him, saying that doing so would be a waste of time and resources. It was winter after all, so it was better for the beastmen to conserve their energy and wood to survive instead of using it on her. Other villagers were originally against the idea of having Leila stay with Sieg, but since they could not win against the girl¡¯s deadly smile, they had no choice but to let the girl have her way. Back when the villagers had been arguing about it, Leila had even prepared a multitude of excuses to back herself up. Haha, actually, Leila really just wanted to romance the hunter, is all (lol). Thus, it was decided that Leila would move into Sieg and Druuk¡¯s house during the winter. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re leaving already?¡± Mimi placed down her straw broom, looking highly reluctant to let the girl go. Ever since Leila had been cured, her work in the clinic had become easier, what with the added help of the healing machine that was Leila. ¡°Mn. See you later, Mimi~¡± Leila climbed onto Druuk with Sieg¡¯s help, bidding the other woman a temporary farewell. Even though she was moving houses, she was still going to visit the clinic every day, so she left in a rather carefree manner. And so, that was the start of Leila¡¯s and Sieg¡¯s happy newlywed life~ te-he~ Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (18) Hello there. Good morning. It is good to start everything with a greeting, says Airi. Mn, Leila also agrees. Oh, that¡¯s right. Although this seems rushed, Leila has begun cohabitating with Sieg. Hm? What¡¯s that? It¡¯s weird? It¡¯s too fast? No, no, no. Though it may seem as if things are escalating too quickly, in actual fact, it is not. Leila had spent months in Mimi¡¯s clinic. And in turn, Sieg had never failed to visit Leila every day, save for the days which he had to hunt overnight. Meeting each other so often, even if one did nothing, one can easily cultivate feelings for one another. And so, Sieg and Leila fell in love~ ehe~ But because both of us are ultimately side characters and extras in the world, our story don¡¯t really get much attention, you see~ ¡°Welcome back~¡± Leila who has easily acclimated herself into the role of the stay-at-home wife, happily greeted Sieg who was dragging a large four-legged animal that resembled a moose into the house. ¡°I¡¯m back, Leila.¡± Sieg bashfully answered her greeting with a slight blush. Although this had become a habit for both of them, he still felt a sense of nervousness but also sweetness, just like the first time. ¡°Today, I got lucky. We can have wild game for dinner.¡± ¡°Nn~ I¡¯ll prepare the ingredients for the stew, so go process the meat, okay~¡± Sieg nodded. He had already planned on how to divide the meat inside his head. He¡¯d save the best parts for them to eat, and divide the rest into shares for the other villagers as well as Druuk¡¯s share. ¡°Leila, wait!¡± Sieg abruptly stopped the girl. ¡°Hm?¡± Leila stood by the kitchen stove, looking at the man with a questioning, but smiling, look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Oh, did you not want to eat stew? Should we roast the meat instead?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Sieg looked as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately decided not to. ¡°¡­Nothing, never mind. Stew is fine.¡± ¡°?¡± Leila tilted her head quizzically. This had not been the first time he had acted the same way. Actually, this behaviour of his had been going on for almost a week. At least once a day, he would ask her to wait, looking as if he had something to tell her, yet in the end, he backed out, simply telling her not to worry. The two had dinner together as usual, with some small talk in between. The next day, Leila went over to Mimi¡¯s clinic. ¡°Fuah~ Spring is finally here~¡± Mimi stretched lazily. The temperature had risen and the snow had melted. Today marked the first day of spring. ¡°Mimi, did you notice that Sieg has been acting a little differently lately?¡± Leila spoke as she opened the window to ventilate the clinic. ¡°Hm? Sieg?¡± Mimi nonchalantly replied, then chuckled. ¡°Haha, spring~ has come~¡± She sang. ¡°Ah! Could it be¡­¡± Leila paled as she paused, for dramatic effects. Mimi¡¯s tail raised in anticipation, wondering if the girl had caught on. ¡°¡­that he wants to kick me out?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± No! For a moment, Mimi really felt like telling the truth. She was afraid that the girl might misunderstand that idiot Sieg¡¯s intentions. ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Mimi asked helplessly. ¡°Um¡­ well,¡± Leila began to think, ¡°Sieg is treating me well, but somehow he doesn¡¯t talk as much as he used to. And, he seems to be extremely jittery when I¡¯m around. Also, also, he seems to look conflicted every time I asked him what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he has something important he wants to tell you?¡± Yes~ of course he does~ but Leila is having too much fun playing dumb~ ¡°Eh~ it must be that he finds it difficult to tell me to pack up because Sieg is such a nice person,¡± Leila muttered dejectedly. Girl, can you not be so dense, thought Mimi. ¡°Well, give him some time, okay? I¡¯m sure the thing he wants to tell you is a good thing.¡± ¡°Nn~ if Mimi says so~¡± Meanwhile, Sieg who was patrolling the area with Druuk is currently mumbling to himself. ¡°Leila, w-will you, will you¡­¡± Sieg groaned. ¡°Druuk, I can¡¯t do this! Why can¡¯t I say it to her?!¡± Druuk huffed, as if in annoyance. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a coward!¡± Sieg replied. ¡°I had no idea this would be so hard, either!¡± ¡°Hey, Druuk, why don¡¯t you help me practice? You can be Leila, and I¡¯ll be me.¡± Here we go again, Druuk the intelligent wyrm rolled his eyes. Sieg had been doing the exact same thing for a while now, and though he was supportive in the beginning, it was becoming irritating for him. ¡°Leila, will you¡­ marry me?¡± He said seriously, staring at Druuk¡¯s snout. Druuk growled dismissively in response. ¡°No good¡­ I can¡¯t do it.¡± Sieg ruffled his already messy grey hair in frustration. ¡°No¡­ you can do it¡­ you can do it¡­ alright! Today, I¡¯ll do it.¡± After pumping himself up, he finally regained his vigour. He continued to hunt for the animals that had just came out from hibernation, bringing in a sumptuous feast for the village. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (19) Two people were sitting at the small dining table, facing each other. One held a laidback smile, while the other looked anxious. ¡°What is it, Sieg?¡± The girl smilingly asked. She was beginning to grow fond of the way his ears fidgeted nervously in contrast to his serious look. ¡°Leila¡­¡± the man started. Right now, he was not the cold-hearted village hunter but rather a love-sick village boy. ¡°Hm?¡± Leila tilted her head, controlling her ever-growing smile. She felt like bursting into laughter but immediately forced it down. She did not want to ruin the mood that Sieg had painstakingly created, after all. ¡°Leila¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Wil you marry m¡ª¡° Before he could finish asking, Leila quickly answered, grinning. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Leila laughed freely at the flabbergasted look on Sieg¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Really?¡± he asked, uncertain. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He asked again, more confidently. ¡°Yes.¡± Leila replied with more conviction. Sieg looked at her with a rare happy expression. A feeling of sweetness flooded his heart. But, before he could enjoy the feeling, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Wait. Leila, you answered too quickly. Could it be¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. I knew.¡± ¡°Ho¡ªwhen¡ªhow?!¡± Could it be that Mimi told her?! ¡°I figured it out after seeing Sieg practicing with Druuk a while back~¡± Leila laughed teasingly, with an expression that said, ¡®Sieg is so cute~¡¯ ¡°So you¡¯ve been¡­ playing dumb, all this time?¡± ¡°Nn! I didn¡¯t want to ruin Sieg¡¯s moment~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sieg looked at her helplessly, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Suddenly, he found out that Leila also had such a mischievous side to her. ¡°Then, it¡¯s decided~ I will be Sieg¡¯s wife, officially~¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯ll go tell the chief later.¡± He glanced at the bubbly girl, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re unfamiliar with the beastmens¡¯ marriage customs, so I¡¯ll ask some of the village women to help you prepare.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Nn~¡± That very evening, news broke out that one of the village hunters is marrying the Saint. Within two weeks, Leila had finally become Sieg¡¯s wife. Yaaa~y. Although they faced refusal from some of the villagers due to the fact that Leila was not only a human, but also the Saint that everybody in the village looked up to, the two still continued on with the marriage. Sieg received multiple death threats afterwards, but because the two were enjoying their sweet honeymoon phase, he barely paid attention to it. Now, fast forward to five years later. Sieg and Leila is enjoying their happy married life, together with two little buns, Loki and Riel~ Like a miracle, the twin children were born. Snow-white hair that resembled their mother, but beastman features that resembled their father. They were the only white wolves in the Greywolf Village. ¡°Loki~ Riel~ it¡¯s time to go~¡± Leila¡¯s melodious voice called out from behind the frolicking twin. They were having so much fun playing at the flower field that they felt disappointed when they have to leave. ¡°Mommy~ Can¡¯t we stay for a little while longer~?¡± Loki whined cutely. ¡°Mommy, please~?¡± Riel parroted. Seeing the highly adorable pairs of big and watery eyes, Leila could not help but hesitate. She struggled for a while before finally refusing their request. ¡°We can¡¯t. Your daddy will worry if we¡¯re gone for too long. Next time, okay~¡± Leila had promised Sieg to return as soon as she found all of the herbs that Mimi told her to gather, so she did not want to dally. As much as it pained her to see their saddened faces, she could not afford to spoil them since it was getting dark. Leila bent down to scoop her daughter into her arms. Though the two was sullen, they still complied obediently. Loki reached out for her hand voluntarily, holding hands as they made their way back to the village. ¡°Poof, poof~¡± Loki hummed as he bounced. Along with his words, his beastman features ¡®poof-ed¡¯ into human features, then back to beastman features. Looking at her son¡¯s antics, Leila smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll get hungry quickly if you keep doing that, Loki~¡± Loki looked up abruptly, ¡°Ah, I forgot.¡± His face turned into panic. They were still a few ways away from the village, and to a child such as himself, the distance was as if it would take forever to get back. He was afraid of growing hungry in the middle of the journey, seeing as they had already finished up the rations that Leila had brought with her earlier. Leila laughed at the boy¡¯s simple and na?ve countenance. ¡°Then, let¡¯s head home quickly, okay?¡± ¡°¡±Yes~¡±¡± The two children replied simultaneously. Loki then immediately dashed forward, changing into the form of a wolf. ¡°Ah, Loki, be careful!¡± Just as she yelled, the little boy was sent sprawling after accidentally tripping on a pebble. ¡°Ah!¡± the boy shouted, crashing into the ground head-first. ¡°Geez~ Loki, didn¡¯t I tell you to look when you run?¡± She scolded, setting down Riel to help Loki up. ¡°Mommy...¡± Loki¡¯s lips trembled as he looked at his mother with a wronged expression. He held out his arms and knees, slightly bleeding from the scratches after his fall. Leila placed her palm on the boy¡¯s cheek, but before she could evoke her healing abilities, Riel called out, ¡°Mommy, mommy, can I do it this time?¡± Her childish voice sounded eager as her eyes sparkled. ¡°Sure~¡± Leila acquiesced, instructing the little girl. ¡°Riel, put your hands on Loki, then think, ¡®pain, pain, go away~¡¯, got it?¡± ¡°Mn! I know!¡± Riel excitedly hugged her twin, closing her eyes and furrowing her brows in concentration. Soon, a bright light covered the two, and when it disappeared, Loki¡¯s scratches were nowhere in sight. Loki lept up excitedly, acting as if he had never gotten hurt. After the little incident, the trio continued their way home, with the twins happily skipping as they held hands. Leila watched the two with a soft expression, smiling contently. Ah~ so peaceful, so nice~ Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (20) The first thing that Loki and Riel did after reaching Greywolf Village was look for their father. Sieg who was already waiting for them in front of their house was petting Druuk. Once the twins saw him, they launched themselves into his arms, shrieking gleefully. Sieg easily caught the both of them, a happy smile on his face. ¡°¡±We¡¯re home~¡±¡± The two greeted cheerfully. ¡°Welcome home. Did you two have fun?¡± ¡°¡±Mn!¡±¡± Sieg brought the two inside, then kissed Leila who was standing by the door. ¡°Going to Mimi¡¯s? I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°You two,¡± He turned to the twins, ¡°be good. We¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± ¡°¡±Okay~¡±¡± After settling the twins inside the house, Leila and Sieg made their way to Mimi¡¯s house hand-in-hand. ¡°Give it to me; I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡± Sieg stole the basket full of herbs from Leila, helping to carry it for her. ¡°Ah! You didn¡¯t have to,¡± Leila pouted with a slight blush. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that heavy, anyways.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Sieg agreed with her words, but did not return the basket. Leila bashfully bumped into Sieg¡¯s side, but because she did not put much strength into it, Sieg barely stumbled. The physical distance between them became narrower as she leaned closer to Sieg, and the passers-by could even feel the flowery lovey-dovey aura that they were emitting. ¡°Peh!¡± Mimi spat as soon as she saw the couple nearing her clinic. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you two don¡¯t act so lovey-dovey in front of me.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Leila giggled in response after hearing Mimi¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mimi? I thought your husband is home?¡± Mimi¡¯s mood dampened further at the mention of her husband. ¡°He has hay fever, so I have to take care of him.¡± She silently added, ¡®I also wanted to be lovey-dovey like that stupid couple.¡¯ ¡°Pfft!¡± Sieg and Leila broke into soft chuckles, doing their best to keep it in in fear of offending the already moody woman. Mimi glowered at the two, ¡°So, are those the herbs? Thanks for helping me out, Leila.¡± She took the basket from Sieg, finally cracking a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. I had a chance to take the kids out for a walk, too, so I should be the one thanking you instead.¡± Leila smiled, ¡°they played well today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Mimi nodded. Though she did not know about how hybrid children worked, most beastmen children start to become very active around 3 or 4 years old, and it might be harmful to their health if the children does not release their pent up energy. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s about time for Loki to learn how to hunt, huh?¡± Mimi commented. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Sieg answered. ¡°Since it¡¯s his first time, I was thinking about taking it slow. Leila suggested to go on a picnic with the whole family, since she was afraid Riel might feel left out.¡± ¡°The first hunt, huh~ in the blink of an eye, your kids have gotten so big.¡± Mimi smiled wistfully. ¡°Your son too~ he was accepted into the Rantel Royal Academy, right~ how amazing~¡± Leila also smiled, thinking of Mimi¡¯s son who had switched to become a student at the exclusive academy in the capital of Rantel, the only beastman nation in the world. Mimi grinned proudly at Leila¡¯s words, giggling happily. Seeing that the woman¡¯s mood has finally been lifted, the couple left. Upon returning home, Leila and Sieg was greeted by a haphazard house. The two perpetrators were leaning against each other, back against the wall and a blanket laid messily on top of their heads, deep in sleep. Clearly, they had their fun. Leila and Sieg exchanged glances, smiling helplessly. Leila reached out for the fallen trinkets on the ground, giggling, ¡°I¡¯ll check the kitchen, so you handle the living room,¡± she instructed. Sieg could only nod, sighing in defeat. What happened to being good? It was a miscalculation on his part to simply leave the kids to their own devices. Of course, most of the fault probably lied in the older twin, Loki, that endless ball of energy. Finished with cleaning up after their children, Leila and Sieg tucked Loki and Riel into bed without waking them up. Then, with all the chores done, they spent the evening together quietly. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (20.5) It is now spring, the season of new beginnings. The Royal Magic Academy also begins its new term in spring. Teenagers from nobility, who were fifteen years of age, all enter the Royal Magic Academy as long as they carried even a whiff of magic abilities. Though in the minorities, some commoners who bore strong magic powers were also granted scholarships to attend the academy. The Rosenbells were no different. Starting from this spring onwards, the twin children of the Rosenbell Household will officially begin their higher education at the academy, just like their brother, parents, and grandparents before them. Julius and Friar Rosenbell had already moved into their dorm rooms over the course of the winter break, so they had been in the capital for over two months already. By the time the new school year started, they were already familiar with the layout of the academy. On the other hand, Frederick Rosenbell, their elder brother, being the heir, had already returned to their fief, preparing to take over their father¡¯s tasks. The orientation ceremony for the first year students of Royal Magic Academy was about to start, but the event committee members and teachers were running around in a rush. ¡°Have you seen him?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not here!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked his rooms; he wasn¡¯t there!¡± This was because the leading man, the freshmen representative and most talented first year student Julius Rosenbell was nowhere in sight. Everyone had been searching for him high and low, yet not even his shadow could be seen. ¡°He¡¯s still not found?!¡± ¡°Ah~! Just where could he have gone?!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The boy in question was standing in the middle of a small garden full of white flowers. Since the place was rather isolated and private, no one was able to spot him. Rather, they had not even thought about checking the place since they were too frazzled. Julius stood quietly, staring at the flowers, deep in thought. He could faintly feel a dull ache in his heart that caused him to frown. He lost his bearings for a brief moment, but that short moment was all it took for him to completely raze the garden to the ground. In the blink of an eye, the beautiful, small patch of white flowers were cut into half by a sharp blade of wind he sent out, making for a rather messy but beautiful sight. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?!¡± A feminine voice cried. Julius turned to look at the voice emotionlessly, seeming as if he had done nothing wrong. ¡°The poor flowers¡­ how could you do something like that!¡± The girl kneeled next to the fallen flowers, virtually in tears. She whipped her head to glare at the boy. Julius ignored the fuming girl after glancing at her dismissively, walking away from the crime scene. ¡°Hey! Wait right there!¡± The girl shouted. ¡°I said wait!¡± Julius continued to walk without sparing her another look. However, the girl did not seem to want to let him go quietly, instead reaching to pull his arm. ¡°Apologise!¡± The girl firmly said. ¡°¡­¡± Julius halted his steps, then slowly but intimidatingly turned his head around. The cold look on his face and the aura he emitted truly resembled the Viscount¡¯s. The girl¡¯s hold on his arm slightly faltered, but she still did not let go. ¡°Apologise?¡± Julius tilted his head, his voice dangerously low. ¡°To the flowers?¡± He smirked coldly, his tone incredulous. The girl trembled, feeling a slight feeling of fear emerging, ¡°Y-yes! The flowers were alive, and they had feelings too. Apologise to them, now!¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Julius sneered, slapping her hand away roughly. ¡°Hey! Wait!¡± The girl held her reddened hand with teary eyes. Seeing that the boy really had no intentions of looking back, she stomped her feet in anger and bit her lip. ¡°That crude boy¡­¡± She sniffed, holding in her tears. She looked towards the flowers, her gaze softening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll fix you up¡­¡± With her eyes closed and her palms held together in a prayer-like pose, a light emitted from the girl. When she opened them up again, the small garden returned to its condition before Julius decided to destroy it, looking as if nothing changed. ¡°There, there,¡± the girl mumbled, caressing the petals of the flowers extremely gently. ¡°All better now.¡± And so, that was how the first commoner student of Royal Magic Academy in five years, the florist girl Lily, met with one of her future suitors, the top scholar Julius Rosenbell. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (21) Today was finally the day of the hunt. Sieg stood firmly in front of the twins, looking like a drill instructor. He had never looked so serious in front of the children before, though it was how he normally acted before he got married. ¡°Listen, there¡¯s a lot of dangers in hunting,¡± Sieg began talking. ¡°We have to make sure that we don¡¯t get hurt. Safety is the top priority. If you end up encountering a monster or an animal that you cannot beat, don¡¯t hesitate to run.¡± Loki and Riel nodded obediently, eyes wide as they try to remember his words. ¡°Also, do not try to overhunt. Only get as much as you need, and don¡¯t try to show off.¡± Sieg dished out several more warnings and advices, making sure the twins understand that they were not just going on a simple picnic. That being said, he was only going to bring them to hunt for rabbits or squirrels in the vicinity of the village, though. Haha~ Leila who was standing by the side could not help but smile and chuckle. Sieg was acting like it was a matter of life and death. While it may be true on most cases, they were not venturing far into the forest, and the area that they had chosen was rather tame in terms of the danger level, with only a few small animals coming and going every now and then. Ignoring his wife¡¯s reaction, Sieg pulled out a small dagger and passed it to Loki. ¡°When I was your age, my father gave me this before my first hunt, and today, I shall pass it down to you, my son.¡± Loki accepted the dagger with sparkling eyes. ¡°Really?! Waa~¡± He held onto it like a treasure, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°When we get back, I¡¯ll teach you how to sharpen it.¡± Sieg added. The dagger was quite old, so it was not as sharp as it used to be. Since he had not used it for a long time, the tip was rather blunt. Loki nodded eagerly. At this point, nothing entered his ears as he was too excited about receiving his first weapon. Later, he can also help his father out, he thought. He had long admired his strong father who would occasionally bring back game that was more than twice his size home. Now, there was a chance for the little boy to follow his father¡¯s footsteps and become just as strong and amazing. After preparing for a few more moments, the family finally sets out for Loki¡¯s first hunt. The two males in the family led the team, with Sieg occasionally pausing to point at useful plants and giving survival tips to the boy, who absorbed the knowledge like a sponge. Leila treaded leisurely behind them, Riel in her arms. Unlike the two who were out to hunt, the young-woman-and-girl pairing acted as if they were on a stroll, admiring the scenery and smelling flowers along the way. While he was busy teaching his son the ropes, he made sure not to divert from the safe path. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the border of the safe zone of the forest that surrounded the village. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Sieg informed. The place was not too far from the village, and the only prey that came here were small critters, so it was quite safe. But, to make sure that the boy would not lower his guards, Sieg kept up his serious act. ¡°Be careful and don¡¯t stray too far from us,¡± He carefully reminded the energetic boy.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Yes!¡± Sieg patted his son¡¯s head, and half a beat later, the boy had already zoomed away, searching every bush and tree for prey. Rather than hunting, Loki looked more like he was playing hide-and-seek. Sieg and Leila chuckled at his antics. Riel start to fuss in Leila¡¯s arm, begging to be let down. ¡°Mommy, I want to go too!¡± As if she could not bear leaving her twin for a moment longer, she quickly jumped out of her arms, tottering to Loki and following him around curiously. If he ran, she ran, and if he stopped, she stopped. The sight was so cute; Leila could not help but smile. Sieg took off the package he had been saddling on his back, spreading it on the ground. The cloth used to pack the things were used as the picnic blanket, and an assortment of snacks and cutleries were placed down on it. Sieg picked up a piece of bread from the pile, munching on it as he kept a diligent eye on their kids. After he finished replenishing his energy, he went over to the twins¡¯ side, instructing them on how to build a simple trap. Leila picked up an apple-like fruit and a knife, ready to start peeling its skin while Sieg taught the children the tricks of hunting. No sooner than later, the three came back to Leila¡¯s side just as she finished cutting up a fruit, with a bird and two rabbits in tow. Loki had a huge smile on his face, holding a rabbit by its ears in his hands. Seeing that Leila was looking at him, the little boy held up the rabbit victoriously, as if asking for praise. ¡°Mommy, look! I caught this myself,¡± he said, eyes curving into crescents. ¡°Wooow! How amazing~¡± Leila readily replied, clapping her hands in amazement. ¡°Loki is all grown up now~¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± the little boy rubbed the tip of his nose, smiling proudly. ¡°Wait a second; I¡¯ll build us a fire.¡± Sieg placed down the game on the ground, glancing around for sticks of wood to burn. Leila placed her hand on his arm just as he was getting up. ¡°I¡¯ll look for the wood with Riel, why don¡¯t you teach Loki how to skin the rabbits?¡± She smiled. She did not want to deal with the bloody parts so she volunteered to find wood instead. ¡°Nn. Sure.¡± After thinking for a bit, Sieg nodded. ¡°Be careful,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Yes~¡± With his permission, Leila ventured near the woods, looking for small sticks and branches while holding Riel¡¯s hand. ¡°Mommy, is this good enough?¡± Riel released her hand from Leila¡¯s, picking up a fallen tree branch that was as long as her height. She held it up shakily, legs trembling from the weight. Leila smiled at the girl, evaluating the piece of woods. Judging that it was dry enough, she took it from the girl. Later, she would have to ask Sieg to cut it up into smaller pieces. Since her daughter had picked it out, she did not want to leave it behind. ¡°Riel, look for the cute little baby sticks, okay?¡± She sweetly asked her daughter. Riel was young and did not have much strength, so she simply asked the little girl to pick up the thinner and smaller pieces instead. ¡°Okay~¡± Riel compliantly followed her mother¡¯s words, only looking for the smaller sticks. Within a few minutes, the two came back to the picnic site, a bundle of sticks and branches in hand. ¡°Loki, why do you look so pale? Are you sick?¡± ¡°Uu... urgh¡­¡± Coming back from gathering wood, Leila and Riel was greeted by the sight of Loki who looked as if he was close to throwing up. ¡°A man shouldn¡¯t be frazzled just from the sight of blood,¡± Sieg scolded. Because Leila deeply loved the children, they grew up sheltered. It was the first time Loki had ever seen so much blood and gore as his father taught him how to process the rabbits and the bird. ¡°N-nothing¡­ Ah! Riel, what happened to your hands?!¡± Seeing the scratches and splinters on his twin¡¯s hands, Loki momentarily forgot about his queasiness. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Riel looked down at her hands, only now noticing the wounds. ¡°I had so much fun with mommy, that I didn¡¯t notice them~¡± She laughed happily, looking highly pure and innocent. ¡°That¡¯s no good, Riel!¡± Loki held her hands anxiously. ¡°You have to heal them quickly, or you¡¯ll get an eef-fec-shun! Aunt Mimi said so,¡± he said. Riel tilted her head, ¡°Wat¡¯s an ¡®eef-fec-shun¡¯?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯s something bad.¡± ¡°Oh, then I should heal it.¡± ¡°Nn!¡± Leila smiled at the two kids. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do that together?¡± She suggested. ¡°¡±Un!¡±¡± The two nodded in unison, then simultaneously cheered, ¡°Pain, pain, go away~¡± The two of them threw their hands into the air, giggling. A bright light covered the two small figures, and soon Riel¡¯s wounds healed and Loki¡¯s complexion became rosy again. Unbeknownst to the happy family, a sneaky pair of eyes had witnessed the whole thing, flashing greedily. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (22) Roger the Bounty Hunter did not expect to have struck gold when he had somehow gotten lost deep in the woods. He had first noticed the girl¡¯s miraculous power when he had stumbled upon them near a dirt path. Of course, he had been in hiding at that time, and no one had noticed his presence. He watched as the little girl healed the little boy to perfect health. While people with healing abilities were rare, it was not as if they could not be found. However, the little girl had been a beastman who was said to be unable to use strong magic. To him, the girl who was able to use the rarest light attribute magic was simply a treasure, or perhaps a miracle. His greed could not help but salivate at the thought of selling the girl to the highest bidder. Which would pay a higher price, the Church or a private buyer, he thought. Although he was uncertain just how strong the girl¡¯s powers were, it did not change his mind. He needed to obtain the girl, by hook or by crook. Who knows, the girl might be a window of opportunity for him to get a big break. Since then, he had followed the girl quietly, watching from afar as he bided his time. ¡°?! Who¡¯s there?!¡± Sieg who had detected the malicious intent of the bounty hunter snapped his head in caution. He whipped out his weapon and produced a whistle from a pouch, calling out to Druuk who had been loitering in the village. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Roger cursed as he backed away. The strong-looking beastman had noticed him, and through experience, he knew that he should not confront the man without knowing his strength. Immediately, the bounty hunter fled the scene, leaving Sieg¡¯s area of detection. Druuk who had rushed to the family¡¯s side was instructed to take Leila and the twins away, bringing them to safety. Sieg stayed behind, scouting for any danger. He made a mental note to remind the village chief to increase the security. After seeing that nothing was out of the ordinary, Sieg finally relaxed his guard. He gathered the objects that they had left on the ground, feeling sorry for his family since their picnic trip had been cut short. But there was nothing he could do; their safety was top priority, after all. He sighed, promising to himself that he would make amends for the picnic again another day. With that in mind, he returned to the village, placating his worried family. After putting the twins to sleep, the couple headed towards the chief¡¯s house. Druuk was left to guard the children, making sure that any and all intruders would be ripped to pieces before they could even dare to touch a single strand of the twins¡¯ hair. ¡°What was that just now¡­?¡± Leila asked Sieg, her eyebrows drawn together. Sieg took her hands into his, raising it so he could kiss the back of her hands lovingly. ¡°It was nothing. Lately, there¡¯s been a lot of unknown people walking around in the forest, so Leila, you should be careful too when you go out.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°Oh? Saint, father-in-law, what brings you here?¡± The two was greeted by the chief¡¯s son, Kian. The young man smiled at them in a welcoming manner.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. A vein almost popped on Sieg¡¯s forehead at the sound of the boy¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t call me father-in-law!¡± Kian seemed to have grown used to the exchange, simply pretending he did not hear him. Ever since Leila had gotten married and had children, Kian seemed to have weaned out of his first love, instead diverting his affections to Leila¡¯s daughter, Riel, who was like a younger version of Leila. Of course, as her father, Sieg was not very fond of the young man¡¯s interest towards his daughter who was still much too young. ¡°We¡¯re here to report about some suspicious activities in the forest,¡± Leila said, also ignoring Sieg¡¯s annoyance. ¡°Come on in, father is resting inside.¡± Kian nodded, leading the way. ¡°Leila, Sieg! How rare of you two to come visit me!¡± The chief greeted boisterously. The couple nodded towards him in greeting. Since they were worried about leaving their children alone for too long, they planned to make the trip short, so they did not bother to sit down. ¡°I detected a suspicious person around the village¡¯s border. While that person has ran away, I¡¯m sure they will come back soon. It¡¯s best if we tighten the security in the village.¡± ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll arrange for a patrol unit and tell the villagers to watch out for anything suspicious.¡± The chief had also noticed that there had been some outsiders roaming around the forest and other villages around Greywolf Village, so he had the same train of thought as Sieg. After receiving the chief¡¯s words, the couple finally left with slightly better moods. One week later, within a decrepit building somewhere. ¡°Are you sure this will be easy?¡± A rugged man with a scar on his face asked Roger the Bounty Hunter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; with these babies, those beastmen can¡¯t defeat us.¡± Roger grinned confidently. In his hands were two consumable magic items known as Magic Bombs. He had spent his entire fortune trying to procure them from the black market. The Magic Bomb was far more lethal than an ordinary bomb. Due to its rarity and danger, not many was sold, but he was able to get his hands on not just one, but two of them. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡° The scar-faced man¡¯s complexion paled, but then he broke into a smile. ¡°No wonder you were so insistent.¡± ¡°Haha, you know me.¡± ¡°A beastman child that could use healing magic, you say¡­¡± Another person¡¯s voice sounded. The person raised their head from the piece of parchment which contained the details of their plans, ¡°sounds interesting.¡± Half of the person¡¯s face was hidden by the hood of their cloak, but the other half showed their mouth which was curled into a morbid smile. ¡°Just the five of us is enough since we have those Magic Bombs with us, huh.¡± Another voice added. ¡°This job better be good. You know I¡¯m on the wanted list in Rantel, right? If they found out I destroyed another beastman village, they might send their general after me, haha.¡± ¡°Who told you to be so genocidal,¡± replied another voice with an eye-roll. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I saw a pretty good looking woman back there. From the looks of it, she seems to be human. I assure you that she''s quite a looker, too. Definitely worth your time,¡± Roger commented. ¡°A human? In a beastman village?¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard the target call her ¡®mommy¡¯. Can you believe it, a human mothering a beastman?¡± Roger cackled. ¡°Oh? Maybe that¡¯s why the beastman kid you mentioned can use magic; it¡¯s a mutt.¡± The cloaked person said, their head tilted in deep thought. ¡°Could be, but who cares?¡± Roger shrugged. ¡°This is easy money, I tell you.¡± Someone in the group sighed. ¡°This is why people have a bad conception on bounty hunters.¡± ¡°Hey, anything goes as long as it pays, alright?¡± Roger frowned. In the bounty hunters¡¯ circle, it was rare to find someone with even a little bit of morals. They were basically criminals who hunted other criminals. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, you can leave. Door¡¯s that way.¡± The bounty hunter with a slight sense of morality pursed her mouth, staying silent. She needed the money and Roger had offered to pay her a hefty sum. She couldn¡¯t not take the job, even if it meant sacrificing innocent people. Well, at the very least, the target was a beastman, so she could feel less guilty about it, she thought. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Roger smirked. He knew the woman could not resist the temptation of money. Neither could he, and the rest of the people gathered within the abandoned building. ¡°We¡¯ll set off tomorrow morning. I marked the directions when I left last time, so it shouldn¡¯t take too long to get there. Disperse.¡± ¡°¡±¡°Got it.¡±¡±¡± Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (23) That morning when Leila woke up, she had a very strange, jittery feeling. As if something bad was about to happen. This feeling¡­ No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s that, isn¡¯t it? A death flag. Ahahahahaha~ Oh well. Lucky~ Since the whole family shared one huge bed together, it was easy for her to check up on her children. The twins were sleeping peacefully, one curled up in a foetal position and the other sprawled out as if the whole bed belonged to him. Being the diligent housewife that she was, Leila was often the first to wake up, and today was no different. The moment she got out of bed, as usual, Sieg stirred awake. ¡°It¡¯s morning?¡± He asked sleepily. ¡°Nn.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get some water from the well.¡± Sieg pulled on a shirt, then stretched his body before picking up the large wooden buckets used to hold water for the family¡¯s daily use. Since there was now four people in the family, he would need to make two trips every day to get sufficient water for everyone¡¯s use. ¡°Nn. Then, I¡¯ll make some breakfast.¡± Leila placed a chaste kiss on Sieg¡¯s cheek before heading to the kitchen, ready to begin her daily chores. When the sun rose up and the birds begin to chirp noisily outside the window, the twins finally woke up. Leila pushed the windows open, allowing the whole house to breathe in the crisp morning air. The whole family dined together, basking in the atmosphere of the quiet and peaceful morning.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Meanwhile, on another part of the forest, five cloaked people were walking through the forest. One of them led the way, occasionally patting the trunk of a tree as they advanced deeper into the forest. ¡°How much farther are we?¡± ¡°Patience. I left a few markers around here, but some of them were foils just in case I was being tracked. I need to look at them closely.¡± Some of the others frowned. Although they were used to travelling long hours, they had been stuck in the forest for more than five hours. They had set out very early in the morning, expecting to reach the targeted destination before dawn, and yet here they were, stumbling around searching for Roger¡¯s tracks. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the same place we passed through two hours ago?¡± The only female in the group, Lina, huffed as her brows drew together. ¡°It¡¯s not! See, the bird over there is a different kind from the one before.¡± Roger replied defensively, pointing at a high branch of a towering tree where a bird was perched on. ¡°¡­¡± Forget it, it¡¯s their fault for trusting the idiot with no sense of direction to lead the way. ¡°We¡¯re close; trust me.¡± He insisted. After insisting that they were close for another dozen times, the words were finally fulfilled. The five took cover among the many trees and foliage, concealing their presence. From afar, they could see the small but harmonious Greywolf Village. Every once in a while, a beastman would come out, looking around the area, then left after seeing that no threats could be found. The beastmen seemed to patrolling the area as they were all armed with a weapon each. ¡°Patrol, huh? Looks like you left a pretty big mark when you left.¡± The scar-faced bounty hunter remarked sarcastically. Even among the bounty hunters, Roger did not have a good reputation. This was mostly because Roger was more like a sneaky thief that liked to take advantage of opportunities. ¡°Shut up.¡± Roger glared at the man. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. We¡¯ll have to lure out the target.¡± One of the cloaked figures said. Roger nodded in response. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll just observe the situation. That human woman I was talking about seems to periodically go out to pick herbs, so we¡¯ll just have to strike when the time comes.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± The rest did not have any complains. Staking out was part of the job, so they were used to it. Perhaps, the only complaint they have was about the unconventional sleeping area. Because they were in hiding, they could only grit their teeth and find some sturdy branch to sleep on, since wild animals and monsters tend to roam around on the ground, especially at night. Thus, just as expected, the five stalked Leila and her family for three days straight, deliberately waiting for their chance. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (24) It has been a few days since Leila felt a death flag being planted on herself. Because nothing happened in the past few days, the security was slightly more relaxed. Despite that, Sieg still barred her from going out for herb-picking. She had usually used the time to take the kids out for a walk, but because of the restriction, Loki and Riel could only relieve their boredom inside the village. There was no other children their age in the village, and the older ones could not play with them as they had their own work to be done. Thus, all they could do was walk around aimlessly in the limited space, trying to find something to amuse themselves. It was now mid-morning. The village¡¯s hunters were gathered at the edge of the village, ready to set out on another expedition. Food was running low and they needed to hunt for more since the Spring Festival was nearing. The Spring Festival was a holiday that celebrated the arrival of spring, and it consisted of a banquet, flower-picking, and dancing around a bonfire. The hunters would need to bring back some meat for the banquet, so it was impossible for Sieg to stay at the village during such an important time, though he preferred to stay at home to protect his family. But alas, duty calls. ¡°Be good.¡± Sieg looked pointedly at his two children. ¡°And Loki, you have to protect your mother and sister while I¡¯m gone. Got it?¡± ¡°Mn!¡± Loki nodded eagerly, puffing his chest forward proudly as if saying, ¡®Leave it to me!¡¯ ¡°Good.¡± Seeing the boy, Sieg nodded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. Take care,¡± he moved to kiss Leila, much to the disgust of his children. Loki shouted, ¡®cooties, cooties!¡¯ in the background, but the two who were wrapped in their lovey-dovey moment ignored him. ¡°Be careful,¡± Leila gave him one last peck on the cheeks before letting him go. ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± With a final hand wave, she sent off Sieg and the hunters with the rest of the villagers. Hidden deep within the trenches, five pair of eyes observed the departing figures with a peculiar gleam. They waited for a little while longer, confirming that the hunters were a fair distance away before finally deciding to make their move. Originally, they thought to wait for Leila to bring the children away from the village first, but then changed their plans when they noticed that all the stronger villagers were going out to hunt. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Roger says, signalling the other four to come out. If they were lucky, they would be able to nab the little girl without the notice of the other villagers. They stalked the white-haired trio until they arrived home. Druuk who was left behind in the village for protection instantly detected the arrival of the five assailants. ¡°The wyrm is here!¡± A cloaked figure says, alarming his companions. Roger nodded in response, taking out one of his reserved Magic Bombs. Boooom! The Magic Bomb instantly made a large crater as it obliterated a few of the houses in Druuk¡¯s direction. Screams of agony filled the air as some of the villagers were caught up in the blast. Druuk had not expected a bomb come its way, so he was barely able to dodge it. Druuk howled in agony, alarming the villagers. They came out in droves. Some brandished various items that could be used as weapons, but most were ushered to run away. The village chief took action, instructing all the able-bodied people to take care of the women, children and elderly, bringing them to a safe place. With the hunters gone, they had no one who was able to fight off the intruders. He could only hope they return quickly. Noticing the commotion, Leila immediately looked outside the window after warning her children to hide. ¡°Keep quiet, and wait until I come back, okay?¡± Leila stuffed her twins inside the bedroom cupboard. Their small sizes fit snuggly in the cupboard. They looked at her anxiously. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Riel¡¯s teary eyes met her gaze. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Loki asked, as if continuing her sentence. Leila did not answer their question. Instead, she smiled. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± She moved to close the cupboard, hiding the twins from view. ¡°¡°Mommy!¡±¡± The twin¡¯s muffled voice could be heard from within the cupboard. Leila searched around the kitchen for her cooking knife, ready to use it as a weapon. Judging by Druuk¡¯s howl, it seemed that their enemies were strong. She fearlessly exited her house, brandishing a knife with both hands. Once Leila was outside, she could finally see the situation properly. Druuk stood in front of the house, guarding against five unknown people garbed in dark cloaks. Druuk looked as if he could collapse at any moment, but he still stood strong. Leila came behind the blue-coloured beast, resting her hand on one of its limbs and activating her ability. In an instant, he was all healed up and ready to rampage. ¡°Tsk! You should have aimed properly and killed it in one shot!¡± The scar-faced fellow says towards Roger. Roger glared at the man, ¡°How was I supposed to know that the woman had such strong magic?!¡± ¡°Whatever, we have the numbers; we can definitely take it down,¡± says another. Three people charged at Druuk. While Druuk was fighting them, one figure began chanting a spell while the other darted around the beast to try to get to Leila. Druuk, noticing it, immediately lashed out with his tail, growling once again. The cloaked figure was immediately sent flying.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Some of the remaining villagers noticed the scene, and went to gather around the fallen figure. ¡°Protect the Saint!¡± Someone shouted. The villagers quickly barraged the cloaked stranger with blows after blows, beating them half to death. The villages met up with Leila who was anxiously watching Druuk fend off the attacks of the enemies. ¡°Saint, come with us.¡± Leila shook her head. ¡°Loki and Riel are inside the cupboard. Take them with you and get away," she said in a firm tone. ¡°But what about you, Saint?¡± ¡°Go without me. I¡¯ll try to support Druuk until the hunters come back.¡± ¡°But Saint¡­!¡± ¡°Go!¡± Leila was uncharacteristically using a strong tone, making the villages quiver. They could not help but do as she asked. ¡°Saint, stay safe.¡± The villagers clasped their hands, praying. Then one of the villagers went into the house, ready to get the children out. However, the two children refused to come out. ¡°No! Mommy told us to stay here until she gets back!¡± ¡°Loki, this is not the time to be stubborn!¡± Said a villager anxiously. ¡°The Saint has instructed us to keep you two safe, so please, come with us!¡± ¡°But Mommy¡ª!¡± Before the two could refute the villagers, the stronger ones directly dragged the kids out of the cupboard, slinging them over their shoulders. ¡°Saint, we¡¯ve got the kids!¡± Leila nodded towards the villagers. ¡°You have my thanks.¡± ¡°!¡± One of the fighting bounty hunters noticed the interaction. ¡°Hey, they¡¯re trying to get away!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go stop them! Can you guys handle this one without me?¡± A female voice sounded. ¡°We can, one way or another. Just go!¡± Linajumped out from the battle, darting towards the villagers. ¡°Not so fast!¡± Suddenly, a brick came hurtling towards the cloaked woman. From afar, Mimi could be seen running with another brick in her hand. The woman managed to avoid the brick but the brief distraction caused her to become defenceless for a split second. The other villagers took the chance to hurl anything they could get their hands on towards her as they ran off, the two children in their arms. The female bounty hunter, even if she was not dead, she had definitely been knocked out cold. ¡°Leila, are you okay?!¡± Mimi yelled towards the younger woman. ¡°Mimi, take care of Loki and Riel for me!¡± Leila shot back towards the woman, her face voided of her usual playful and calm smile. ¡°But¡ª¡° Before she could reply, a sudden loud noise assaulted their ears. The person who had been chanting a magic spell had finished the incantation, and a large ball of fire was thrown towards Druuk. The two enemies that had been fighting Druuk simultaneously fell back, avoiding the attack, but Druuk received it head on. The wyrm could not withstand the magic attack, and immediately faltered. This gave the rest of the attackers a window of opportunity. They unleashed heavy and lethal attacks towards the fallen beast. ¡°Go, now!¡± Leila ordered Mimi. Mimi sent a conflicted look towards her, but ultimately decided to back off. She did not forget to throw the brick she was holding towards the magician who had casted the terrible spell, followed with a trickle of curses. Mimi¡¯s vengeful voice uttering profane words aimed towards the attackers could be heard as she ran farther and farther away from the hectic fight. ¡°Druuk!¡± With Mimi gone, Leila rushed forward, aiming to heal the wyrm. However, as if expecting her move, one of them abruptly jumped towards her, slashing with their dagger. She managed to avoid getting a serious wound, but the attack managed to nick her arm. Blood trickled down her arm and caused a patch of red to appear on her sleeve. Thanks to the hit, Leila''s knife clattered uselessly a few ways away after she accidentally dropped it. Druuk, who had smelled her blood, roared. He attempted to get up, but the enemies did not show mercy. The remaining attacker and magician continued to wear him down until nothing but a single strand of breath remained. After giving off one last pitiful and sorrowful howl, Druuk was finally killed. ¡°Druuk!¡± Leila attempted to get to his side once more, but was obstructed by Roger who had been pursuing her. Suddenly¡ª ¡°Druuk! Leila!¡± Sieg rushed towards the scene, a face full of worry and anger on his face. The hunters were back. After combing through the woods for prey, they suddenly heard a loud, booming sound coming from the direction of the village. Worried about the villagers, the hunters made the decision to turn back. They were separated into two groups¡ªone group joined the village chief, while the second group was in charge of searching for other survivors. Sieg was in the second group. However, instead of going through the houses one by one, he had immediately headed towards his house. Although it was selfish of him to ignore the others, his family was his priority. But, when he came back to the house, he found that Druuk had defended his family to his last breath, and Leila was injured. Without hesitation, he drew the dagger on his back, swiftly taking down the magician with practiced ease. He was a hunter, after all, and hunting humans was more or less the same as hunting other animals. He would not show mercy to these people who had wanted to hurt his family. With a decisive blow to the magician¡¯s neck, he brought down the number of enemies to two. He chased after the closest enemy in his sight. The enemy had a visible scar on the exposed part of his face, and he had been the one to deal the killing blow on Druuk. This fact caused Sieg¡¯s attacks to be more vicious, as if he wanted to take revenge. Unable to stave off the berserking beastman, the scar-faced hunter lost in a pool of his own blood. ¡°Sieg!¡± Leila cried. Roger, the last remaining bounty hunter, had finally caught Leila. But just as he grabbed her arm, Sieg threw his dagger towards the man. ¡°Argh!¡± Roger who was hit squarely on his shoulder could not help but let out a scream of pain. However, there was no time for him to mind the wound. He gritted his teeth and pulled it out, letting it bleed. Instead of discarding the dagger, he instead used it on Leila. ¡°Stay back, or I¡¯ll hu¡ª¡° Roger held the white-haired woman in captive with his remaining good arm, but before he could finish, Leila savagely bit his arm and stomped on his foot. ¡°Ah!¡± He unconsciously loosened his grip on the girl due to the pain, but the gap it created was enough for her to slip out of his hold. Leila dashed away with all the strength she could muster. Soon, she was only a few feet away from Sieg. She threw her arms open, as if intending to fall into his embrace with a hug. ¡°You bi¡ª!¡± Roger pulled out his last Magic Bomb, aiming it straight towards Leila who was running away. However, he did not have enough strength to throw it, and the Magic Bomb missed its target. But¡­ BOOOOOM! The Magic Bomb had detonated close to Leila, sending her flying. Chunks of flesh were blown away. Almost half of her body was gone. Although he missed his target, the Magic Bomb proved to be quite lethal as even its force was enough to fatally injure his target. Sieg watched the wretched scene with wide, unbelieving eyes. Some of Leila¡¯s blood splattered on him, marring his face and torso. His legs felt weak but he still walked over to the fallen girl. ¡°Leila¡­?¡± His voice was barely a whisper, his hands shakily reaching towards her. ¡°Leila.¡± ¡°Leila, this isn¡¯t funny. Wake up. Wake up!¡± Sieg started to shake her, but received no response from the lifeless body. No, he refused to believe it. ¡°LeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeilaLeila¡ª¡° Sieg muttered crazily. It was as if his mind had broken. He palmed her tiny, bloodless face. Leila could not be dead. ¡°Leila¡ª!¡± Sieg let out a pained shout. Roger¡¯s piercing laughter rang loudly in his ears. ¡°Ah¡ªAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Serves you right, you dumb bitch!¡± Sieg froze. He gently kissed Leila between her eyebrows, setting her on the ground silently. He stood up, raising his eyes to meet Roger¡¯s. His gentle eyes turned chilly in less than a heartbeat, a strangely calm expression forming on his face as he stared at the man who murdered his wife. ¡°You.¡± Sieg¡¯s voice dripped with bloodthirst. ¡°How dare you.¡± The urge to rip the man apart rose inside him, growing stronger and stronger by the second. ¡°I¡¯ll destroy you.¡± As if something had been switched on within him, Sieg¡¯s veins popped, his nails and teeth grew sharper and longer, resembling that of an actual wolf. His back protruded and patches of fur formed on his skin. His eyes were bloodshot. It reddened to the point where the white was completely replaced by a striking red hue. He let out an animalistic growl, and with that, he completely snapped. In the blink of an eye, Sieg pounced on the bounty hunter, tearing him apart limb by limb. The man¡¯s horrified and painful screams was like music to his ears that further motivated the crazed beastman. The louder Roger screamed, the deeper his claws sank into his flesh, the rougher his hits. After Roger had been reduced into nothing but a puddle of mush and blood, Sieg finally calmed down, streams of bloody tears flowing down his face as he let out one last howl. Sieg¡¯s beastly features retracted, returning him to normal. He returned to Leila¡¯s side, looking every bit empty as he felt inside. He held her remains in his arm, looking down at her half-corpse dazedly. Two hours later, when the villagers finally found them, he finally collapsed. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (25) Leila watched the scene with a complex gaze. She had seen Sieg go crazy when she died. She was used to this kind of gruesome way of death, but seeing how affected Sieg was, she could not help but feel¡­ strange. She almost felt sorry for him to have to go through the ¡®death of loved one¡¯ flag. Leila tilted her head, evaluating her feelings. Perhaps, it was because she had children with the man, which was why she felt that way. Un, that¡¯s probably it~ Anyways, now that Leila is dead, she¡¯s free to roam around now~ Maybe it was about time to go back and check up on Leila¡¯s family, yeah? Wheee~ As if she was one with the wind, Leila soared through the sky. Although the clouds could not affect her who was nothing but a spiritual body, she still closed her eyes when she passed through them. Finally, she arrived at her destination. It was surprisingly close. She wondered why no one had found her even though Greywolf Village was quite close to the Rosenbell mansion. Leila dropped down to the ground just as she reached the gate, floating gently. Looking at the serious-looking guardsman at the gate, she smiled, feeling nostalgic. She took a step forward into the mansion grounds. As expected, her first step home was uneventful, if anything. Lightning did not flash, clouds did not gather, and no animal nor human was stirred by her presence. All was calm, as always. Leila looked around the well-kept brick path and the gardens. Once upon a time, she would look through from the windows of the salon room, feeling restricted. Frederick would often go out, perhaps to train his swordsmanship or magic, and she could only stare from inside the house jealously. Back then, all little Leila wanted was to play in the labyrinth-like front gardens. Leila smiled as she took small but purposeful steps towards the front entrance. She wanted to enjoy the peaceful scenery for as long she could. Finally, when the sun began to go down, she finally reached the entrance. Although the trip would usually take less than ten minutes, thanks to her dallying it had taken her hours on end. It was dinnertime. She watched as a flurry of servants went back and forth in the house, some hurrying to eat their dinner and some carrying plates and food towards the dining room, ready to serve the household masters.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Thank you, lord, for the plentiful feast. Let us dine,¡± says an aged Viscount Rosenbell who sat at the head of the table. His hands were clasped together in a praying motion, but his voice was neither too pious nor enthusiastic. ¡°Thank you, lord.¡± The rest parroted his words. After the brief prayer, the occupants of the dining table helped themselves to the food. After a long day of work, all they wanted to do was eat then go to bed. On each side of the Viscount sat Madam Rosenbell and Frederick. Other than the three, a few others, young men judging by their looks, sat together with them. Leila could not recognise the unfamiliar faces. Leila watched as the group ate in silence. How boring, she thought. They did not even make any small talk, and only ate. While it was understandable for Leila¡¯s father, Marcus, whose words were as precious as gold, her mother the Madam was usually quite talkative. She used to love gossiping, but now the woman seemed to have changed. Nina Rosenbell only kept to herself, looking down on her food as she ate. Though she was still as beautiful as Leila had remembered, the sophisticated and composed beauty had turned into a frail type of beauty. She appeared sickly with her thin and pale frame. Every once in a while, the woman would hold up a handkerchief to her mouth, hiding her coughing. Finally, the silence was broken when the viscount placed down his utensils, ¡°Nina, why don¡¯t you retire first? I¡¯ll have the servants prepare some chamomile tea and coughing medicine. Go rest.¡± Although his face was as stoic as ever and his voice cold, Nina who had been with him for a long time could detect the concern in his gaze. ¡°Mm. Then I will. Please excuse me,¡± she nodded, then excused herself. She smiled gently towards her husband before heading back to their shared bedroom. She did not have much of an appetite, so she barely even touched her food. Marcus, noticing that, also instructed the servants to bring some easily digestible food for the lady. ¡°Father, may I be excused as well?¡± Frederick who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke up. He pushed away his empty plate, signalling that he was done with his dinner. Viscount Rosenbell had no intention of holding back the boy, so he acquiesced. The other three that shared the table also got up, excusing themselves as well, as if they could not handle the tension inside the dining room. Interested in knowing their identities, Leila kept close to them. Just as they were a few steps away from the dining room, the three took a huge breath of relief. ¡°That was so scary!¡± One of them said. ¡°As expected of the Ice Viscount; just being close to him made me break out in cold sweat.¡± ¡°I wonder how you managed to live with him for the past, what, twenty-three years?¡± asked one of them towards Frederick. Frederick turned back, looking at the last person with a cocked eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. Haven¡¯t you lived with the King himself for twenty-three years? If I¡¯m not mistaken, the king can be more intense than my father.¡± The man shot a bitter look towards Frederick, ¡°I was lucky since royal father is quite the family man. In front of us, he does not exhibit his kingly aura.¡± ¡°Hmm, how unexpected,¡± remarked another. The four walked together and chatted about miscellaneous things as they headed towards their rooms. After they separated, Leila chose to follow Frederick. From their earlier conversation, she had gleamed quite a few facts. The four was clearly very close friends, seeing as they had no qualms about hiding secrets and talked freely among each other. First and foremost, their identities turned out to be very special. One was the royal army¡¯s general¡¯s son, the other was a Duke¡¯s son, and the last one was the crown prince himself. Frederick, upon reaching his room, did not do anything other than retire to bed. Leila felt like a creep as she watched him sleep. Frederick¡¯s look had changed, albeit slightly. He no longer had any of his boyish feature, having completely matured into an adult. His eyes were sharper and colder, resembling their father¡¯s. He was taller, and although his body was hidden beneath his clothes, she had seen his lean muscles when he was changing into his night clothes. L-Leila is not a pervert, okay?! She just happened to see it, okay?! Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (26) The next day, Leila found the four friends lounging in the back gardens. ¡°The weather is great today,¡± Nicholas Renault, the Duke¡¯s son, says. He inhaled deeply, allowing the scent of the flowers to enter his nostrils. ¡°So peaceful. I¡¯ll miss this when we go back to the capital,¡± the crown prince sighed. He turned to look at Frederick who was distractedly staring at the window. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to go back with us, Fred?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll stay here. It¡¯s my duty as the heir, after all.¡± Frederick sent him a half-smile. His friends had decided to come to play during the winter break, and now that spring has arrived, the crown prince needed to return to the capital, along with his retainers. Leila, upon seeing that her room had been left untouched, happily floated towards the seat by the window, where she used to sit and read books. Since Leila was not physically there, she could only imitate her usual sitting position, hovering above the chair as if she was sitting. She rested her arms on the windowsill, watching the pretty flowers in the garden sway with the wind as she listened in on their conversation. ¡°Why did you have to be the first son?¡± The crown prince asked rhetorically. ¡°I would¡¯ve loved to bring you back with me. Hey, say what, if you agree to come with me, I¡¯ll make you the prime minister when I ascend the throne.¡± Frederick chuckled, ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Hey~ saying that will make your real future prime minister cry. The kid has been working really hard in the academy just to catch up with us, you know?¡± Nicholas laughed. He was reminded of the Prime Minister¡¯s son who is currently in his second year at the Royal Magic Academy.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Speaking of which, when will you all be leaving?¡± ¡°What, can¡¯t wait to get rid of us freeloaders?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Frederick deadpanned. Leila who was watching the scene laughed. She had no idea that Frederick was capable of making friends and laugh that way. Ah~ she really missed a lot, huh~ As if he had heard her laugh, Frederick¡¯s head snapped towards her usual seat, his gaze complicated. He stared deeply at the glass window, looking as if he could see her reflection. The sound of tinkling bells and the fragrance of the garden flowers brought out a sense of nostalgia inside him. He vaguely thought about the auditory hallucination that he had heard earlier, sounding so much like Leila¡¯s bell-like laughter. ¡°Fred?¡± The crown prince and the rest noticed his strangeness. Whenever they decided to come out to the back gardens, he had always acted like that. Distracted, and somewhat melancholic. ¡°Okay, this is making me concerned. What¡¯s wrong with you, Fred? I¡¯ve never seen you look and act this way before,¡± says Nicholas. The crown Prince Finn and General¡¯s son August nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Frederick dismissed their concerned looks with a wave of his hand. Prince Finn and the rest did not press him for answers, and instead chose to change the subjects. However, their gazes could not help but linger towards the mysterious room that faced the gardens. The room was locked and they were not allowed to enter it, but it made them extremely curious. Just what was the Rosenbell House hiding? Prince Finn made up his mind. Although it was selfish of him to do so, for the sake of confirming that the Rosenbells were not hiding anything dangerous, he must uncover the secret before he leaves. He sent an imperceptible nod towards August and Nicholas when Frederick was not looking, solidifying his plans in his mind. Just kidding~ Actually, he just wanted to satisfy his curious boyish heart~ Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (27) The nostalgia he felt in the gardens in the morning caused the box of memories that he had always kept hidden in the back of his mind to resurface. One by one, he recounted all the happy memories he shared with Leila. The more he remembered, the more intense his feeling of loneliness became. He got out of bed, intending to go to Leila¡¯s sealed off room. Exiting his room with a lit candle in hand, he cautiously made his way to her room, making sure that no one noticed him and that his friends were asleep. However, unbeknownst to him, his three friends were up and awake, ready to tail him. ¡°I think this is a bad idea,¡± August says, frowning. ¡°He¡¯s going to find out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Although it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I can just use my title as an excuse,¡± Prince Finn replied. ¡°If everything goes down the drain, I¡¯m placing all my blame on you, Prince.¡± Nicholas said, a grin on his face. ¡°Now shut up. I don¡¯t want him to find us out so soon.¡± The prince and the rest casted a few concealment spells. They made their footsteps lighter than feathers, making sure not to make a single sound. The three trailed him from afar, watching as he turned into a corner and down the stairs. He made his way to Leila¡¯s room with familiarity. Frederick stood in front of her door for a long while before finally deciding to enter. He had not entered her room for a very long time. Previously, while she was still alive and he had yet to start attending the academy, he would come here often to accompany her. They would drink tea and eat snacks, and he would read her storybooks. On the days when he had sword practice or magic practice in the backyard, she would watch him through the windows.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He took out the key to her room, solemnly turning the knob. He felt as if she would be there, waiting for him with freshly brewed tea in hand, just as she usually did. The room was dark. While it was kept clean by the maids, there were some extra things that did not originally belong in the room being stored there. When Leila passed away, the viscount had ordered anything and everything related to her removed or stored away, and most of those things were kept in Leila¡¯s room. Out of sight, out of mind, he thought. Over time, they forgot about Leila, moving on with their lives. Though she remained in a section of their hearts, no one in the house ever mentioned her ever again. A large, rectangular-shaped object took up a large space against the wall on one side. It was covered with a white sheet, hiding whatever underneath it from view. Frederick slowly and carefully pulled away the sheet, his heart beating irregularly. It was a family portrait. It had been drawn 8 years ago, when he was just about to leave for the academy. His eyes immediately darted towards the startlingly eye-catching white hair that belonged to Leila. The painter did a good job in painting her features perfectly, causing a dull, familiar pain to envelop his chest. His hand trembled as he reached to touch her image. ¡°Leila¡­¡± He lowered his head, a sad smile on his face. He looked as if he was about to cry. ¡°I miss you.¡± Leila watched from the side, tilting her head. She had not expected Frederick to show such a reaction due to her death. Since her target had been Julius back then, she did not know that her death might have greatly affected Frederick as well. Aside from Leila, there was also three other onlookers who were quietly watching the scene. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think we should be here¡­¡± whispered Nicholas. ¡°I wonder who ¡®Leila¡¯ is¡­¡± From the angle that the three were peaking from, they could not see the portrait, but they were able to catch what he was saying. His eyes glowed as his interest sparked even more. ¡°Prince¡­¡± August¡¯s voice dripped with warning. Any more and they would probably incur the wrath of the slack-faced scion. ¡°Fine, fine. I know.¡± The prince also knew that doing this might jeopardise their friendship, so despite his curiosity, he decided to drop the matter. Frederick can tell them when he decides to open up to them, he thought. Boo~ how boring~ Just like that, the matter was wrapped up without Frederick ever finding out about the snoopers. Years later, when he found out about this matter, Frederick ignored Finn and the rest for a month before finally telling them his story. Two days later, the crown prince finally went back to the capital. Leila who had never been there decided to tag along, hoping to see how Julie and Friar turned out. Flags Are Built Through the Efforts of the Cannon Fodder (28) The capital of Lindel kingdom. It was home to the Royal Magic Academy that was renown even among other nations. Leila stayed there for a full year before she received a message from the Eleventh member of [Judgement], Yggril. ¡°How long are you going to play around?¡± The message says. ¡°Get back to work.¡± Leila looked as if she was about to cry. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®playing around¡¯? I was working, okay~?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not work if it¡¯s a personal request. In the first place, stop accepting useless tasks like these.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not useless!¡± Leila pouted. ¡°Lin-Lin was having a burnout, okay? She was so stressed out. I should at least do something for her as a friend, okay?¡± ¡°Whatever. Get back here, as soon as you can, tsk.¡± Leila glowered at the bird-shaped messenger puppet. ¡°Cranky old man,¡± she muttered under her breath. Whatever~ she was finished anyways. She had seen how smoothly everything had turned out. Julie who was mentally scarred by her death was slowly healed by Lily, the protagonist of the world. Friar turned into a bad seed, and she ended up in banishment since she was found out to be using under-handed means to get rid of Lily, but afterwards her life turned for the better. She reflected on her actions and had begun a merry life travelling the world. Just like that, Leila¡¯s stay in the world ended. Later, she found out from Lin-Lin, the Domain Lord of the world, that her twins ended up becoming a legend in the beast realm, having a life full of ups and downs. But that was another story.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Currently, Leila was waiting with a furious gaze in the world between worlds. She tapped her foot impatiently, her arms crossed on her chest. Suddenly, a light flashed near her. She launched herself towards the light, tackling the person that appeared from within the light. ¡°You! Youyouyouyouyouyouyou~!¡± She pulled the person¡¯s cheeks, stretching it painfully. ¡°Ow! Wha¡ª¡° ¡°How could you~?!¡± Leila looked adorably angry, making the person swallow his words. ¡°Leila¡­¡± The person choked, his eyes reddening. ¡°Have you been waiting for me¡­?¡± Slap¡ª Leila unabashedly slapped the idiot¡¯s face. ¡°You! How dare you neglect our children! My poor Loki and Riel!¡± Leila continued to slap him. She had stayed in the world for a while, and every once in a while she would go back to check up on her children while monitoring Lily¡¯s and Julie¡¯s progress. But this idiot! He actually dared! Loki and Riel spent the next few years fending for themselves thanks to the new village drunkard of a father, Sieg. In the end, the idiot finally dropped dead from excessive alcohol consumption. Afterwards, with no one to take care of them, Loki and Riel, with the funding from everyone in the village, headed towards Rantel, the beastman nation, in search of a better life. Luckily, they were blessed with great physique and vitality thanks to Leila¡¯s blood that ran through their veins, and even greater luck considering that all of the souls that gets to reincarnate into Leila¡¯s offspring¡¯s bodies were usually people with good souls and large amount of karmic luck. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Realising that Leila had witnessed everything, he dropped his head in shame. ¡°Muu~!¡± Leila puffed her cheeks. ¡°Considering that you are the father of my children, I might as well do you one last favour as thanks. Hmph!¡± Ha~ in the end, Leila still had some lingering affections towards the idiot. ¡°Favour?¡± ¡°Hmph! either reincarnate or go to the Mortal Palace and enjoy your afterlife! Choose!¡± ¡°Leila¡­ which one should I choose to be with you?¡± Leila raised an eyebrow, ¡°a weakling like you wants to be with me?¡± Once she returned to [Sanctuary], feelings like ¡®love¡¯ or ¡®affection¡¯ would not affect her. Even if he came back with her, she would not be able to love him the same way Leila had. After all, the mortal [Leila] was already dead. Sieg lowered his head further, ¡°Leila¡­ I can¡¯t live without you.¡± ¡°Eh~ then, you just don¡¯t have to be [Sieg] anymore, right? Then, all the feelings you have for Leila will be gone. Easy~¡± Leila¡¯s blue eyes turned into gold. ¡°Leila?¡± Sieg¡¯s eyes widened, as Leila¡¯s affectionate gaze turned into indifference. ¡°Have fun in your next life~¡± She was smiling, yet there was none of its usual warmth in her smile. ¡°Leila!¡± Sieg called out just as the golden-eyed girl pushed him back, sending him falling into a newly-opened portal behind him. ¡°We~ll then. Time to go home~¡± The white-haired girl waved her hand, and another portal opened up before her. She passed through it, a light smile on her face. T h e e n d. Mystery and Enigma (1) As man¡¯s research for genetic improvements broke through new heights, humans with mutated genes that allowed them to wield powers beyond that of the understanding of science began to appear. That world was as such. In the beginning, those who had awakened their powers were not many, and they were rather rare. Most that had awakened would choose to hide themselves; terrified of what would happen if they were found. In order to make the world a better place for these people to live, Enigma wanted to intervene. However¡­ He did not have the ability to complete his goal. But he knew of a person who could help him. The goddess, Airi. They were old friends, him and her. People that originated from the same Sin tended to flock together, and he was no different. Though when he started serving his sentence she was already nearly finished. But she was kind enough to give him tips to survive the arduous and tragic lifetimes. That was why he thought that she could help him. ¡°Why do you desire to save this world?¡± She had asked him. ¡°Because it is my homeland,¡± he simply replied. ¡°I still remember the glittering azure sea near my hometown. Those green plains and beautiful forestations preserved by the authorities. They were small, yes, but truly beautiful. And the endless, towering buildings that lit up at night. Ah, so nostalgic,¡± he told her.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Tell me, dear junior. You are such a simple person, so why are you here?¡± She tilted her head in a puzzled manner. She did not understand how he became a criminal. ¡°I was once a man of science,¡± he smiled, as if reminiscing. ¡°And men of science tend to go above and beyond in order to prove their theories.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Even without him explaining she could already imagine what went awry. Human experiments, biochemical weapon, or perhaps trying to create something he was incapable of controlling. There were many ways in which one could go wrong. ¡°You are now a free man, yet you want to return¡­ to where it all began?¡± He chuckled at her incredulous expression, ¡°ah, I am not like you, Airi. I am not strong enough to sever my karmic bonds and ascend to new heights. I do not desire power. I do not want eternal life. I simply¡­ want to live a fulfilling life.¡± ¡°But you now know that once you die, you will reincarnate and live again.¡± ¡°Yes, but now that I have finished serving my time, I will reincarnate and not remember my past lives anymore. It will be as if I became a completely different person. Free from the sins I have commited in my first lifetime.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She shook her head, sighing. Talking to him was like talking to a wall. ¡°Never mind, then. Do as you want. Whether you want to re-enter the cycle or transcend is none of my business.¡± ¡°So will you help me?¡± ¡°I suppose I could. Consider it as a farewell gift, from yours truly.¡± ¡°Hm. Thank you.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°Thankfully, the world you came from is not a neutral one, and the Domain Lords are the hands-off type as well. The restrictions will certainly be looser.¡± The man smiled deeply at the girl¡¯s words and shook his head, chuckling to himself. ¡°This lifetime will be your last one as ¡®Enigma¡¯. I will make sure to make it a fulfilling one, just for you.¡± Enigma smiled before closing his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, Airi. Thank you, for everything.¡± His figure began to blur. Soon, his body faded and all that was left of him was a small, white orb that shone intensely. If one looked closely, the faint outlines of a foetus could be seen. The girl picked up the orb, holding it close to her chest as if she was holding onto a precious treasure. She then departed, jumping straight into a portal that had opened in front of her feet. Mystery and Enigma (2) Airi opens her eyes. Her portal had opened up at a quiet alleyway neighboured by abandoned buildings on both sides. Her arrival was a quiet one, so not a single person noticed it. Before coming here, she had already met up with the Domain Lord of the area. It seemed like that person did not mind her presence, and even encouraged her to create as much ruckus as she wanted, since he wanted to see something interesting. His words received approval from the other Domain Lords, who had complained of why she did not meet with them as well. Since the gods were lenient and the Laws were lax, she was free to move about as long as she did not break any of her [Restrictions]. That is, no killing any mortals, human or not. Airi looked at the orb that was safely tucked in the chest area of her clothes. For the time being, she needed to find somewhere to cultivate a body for Enigma¡¯s little soul embryo. ¡°Hello,¡± she says to the empty air. ¡°May I ask some questions?¡± There was always bound to be spirits lingering in every world. These spirits could not be seen by the naked eye, and sometimes would even slip out of the notice of those with more than one sight. However, just because one cannot see them, does not mean they are not around. These spirits tend to be the most knowledgeable about the world around them, and thus would probably possess the answers that she sought. A faint shape could be discerned in the place where she had greeted, blinking into existence in one moment and fading away in the next. Each time it materialised its shape changes.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡®A high being such as yourself has come to this dreary and dingy place. What do you need to know, o great celestial?¡¯ A voice whispered. Airi smiled. Still so young and na?ve, the spirit readily answered her calling. If she had been one who had ill intentions, this spirit would have been devoured ages ago. ¡°I must find a place to develop a physical body for this young one. Do you know a place?¡± ¡®Ah¡­ a soul without a body¡­? How is it not a dead spirit¡­?¡¯ ¡°Perhaps you can find the answer once you¡¯ve ascended, little one.¡± Airi smiled at the spirit¡¯s curiosity. ¡®Little one¡­? Perhaps in your eyes I am truly young and ignorant, for I am nothing but a formless spirit¡­¡¯ The voice muttered. In the world, it considered itself to be one of the most ancient entity, as it had been drifting around for many, many years; even before buildings were erected on this land, when it had been nothing but a field of grass. But it knew that in front of the holy presence it really was nothing but a little child. ¡®Yes¡­ a place where a body can be built¡­ if it is a human body you seek, then there is that place.¡¯ The spirit formed a deformed hand-like shape, then let it point towards a certain building. The building was like any other in the city; made of glass and steel, appearing nondescript save for the sign that differentiate it from its neighbours. PANDORA CORP., the huge, digital signboard wrote. ¡°Hm? Pandora Corp? What is so special about them?¡± ¡®I have heard in passing that they have the ability to cultivate humans with nothing but the tools in their laboratories.¡¯ The voice retracted its hand-like tentacle into its formless body. ¡®But of course, rumours tend to be exaggerated. Still, I believe that the truth is not too far from the rumours.¡¯ ¡°I see. Thank you, little one.¡± Airi produced a light within her palm and sent it towards the formless entity, as a gift for its cooperation. ¡®¡­! I will eternally be grateful to you, o great one¡­¡¯ Receiving the present, the spirit faded away completely, returning to wherever it came from. Before Airi head towards her newfound destination, she suppressed her powers so that it would not stand out, directly cutting it down to three large levels below her actual cultivation. Then, she completely dispersed her presence. Finished with her preparations, Airi directly jumped into the air, gliding atop buildings leisurely towards her target. Mystery and Enigma (3) The son of Pandora Corp.¡¯s CEO was hastily searching through his father¡¯s desk for the keys to his Golden Jaguar aerocar when something crashed through the windows. His father¡¯s office was on the topmost floor of the building and had laser-proof windows, so it was supposed to be extremely sturdy. But, the windows were easily broken by the intruder. The first thing he had thought of was that a terrorist had attacked. Or perhaps it was one of those activists that rejected the company¡¯s modus operandi. The sixteen-years-old boy¡¯s eyes widened as he took notice of the pure white figure standing in the middle of the room, unhurt. The figure turned around, glancing at the mess she had made. With a wave of her hand, the windows which had originally been broken were put back together, as if nothing had happened. The girl, who was now in full view, looked awfully youthful to be a terrorist. Or even an activist, for that matter. She was dressed head to toe in white, and the only thing that was of colour was her pair of golden eyes and petal-like pink lips. Her snowy white hair framed her face perfectly, making her look ethereal. The boy gaped. He had never seen someone so beautiful. Not even those A-list movie actresses and singers were as gorgeous as the girl before him. Appearing so white and so pure, as if nothing in the world could taint her with their dirty touch. He was instantly captivated. ¡°Oh?¡± A sweet, tinkling voice sounded. ¡°How quaint. There is someone here, hm?¡± The girl directly made eye contact with the frozen boy, smiling faintly. The boy opened and closed his mouth like a fish. He wanted to speak but nothing came to mind, so he simply stood there, gaping at the ethereal girl. ¡°Who are you?¡± The boy finally said. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°Well, now, isn¡¯t that a mystery you¡¯d like to solve.¡± The girl was still smiling, a tinge of amusement in her eyes. ¡°Have your parents not told you that it is proper manners to introduce yourself first before asking for another¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m Joseph. Joseph Pandora.¡± ¡°Well then, Joseph. Mind if I ask you a favour?¡± ¡°W-what is it?¡± ¡°Do you know the way to the laboratories?¡± ¡°The labs? Yes, I do. But what do you want to do¡­?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± the girl said, giggling. ¡°I just want to borrow it for a bit.¡± Joseph who became entranced by the girl¡¯s short laugh nodded absentmindedly, tacitly agreeing to show her the way. He was also curious as to what she wanted to do, anyways.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Besides, it was after work hours, so not many people was around. He, as the scion of the company, also knew the dangers of bringing an unknown person into the highly confidential lab areas, so he simply planned on bringing her to one of the empty labs that have yet to be cleared out. There was a lab room on the 50th floor. An experiment was being conducted there for a few years but it did not yield any optimistic results, so his father had ordered the discontinuation of the experiment. Now, the place was closed, but could still be used due to the expensive materials and equipment that was left in the room. Just throwing them away would be a waste, so no one had bothered to do anything about it. Joseph was one of the few non-workers with the highest authority in the company, so no one questioned what he was doing. As it was late at night, not many people wandered in the hallways, so they were able to reach the lab quickly. Joseph pressed his palm against the automated-lock scanner next to the door, successfully accessing the room. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Joseph whispered with a trace of breathlessness. As the heir of the company, he had never needed to be so secretive inside the company building, but he thought that being sneaky every once in a while was not bad at all; it was rather exhilarating. Joseph pressed the ¡®on¡¯ switch, making all the equipment inside whir to life. ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± Joseph asked, gazing starry-eyed at the white-haired girl. She answered his question with another question, ¡°do you know how to use these things?¡± She scanned the room. As expected of a huge corporation; the lab room was like every scientist¡¯s wet dream. All sorts of high-end scientific equipment was loaded into the room. ¡°I can try,¡± the boy shrugged. He had seen some of them at school and in his father¡¯s personal lab, so he could probably operate them if he tried. ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± the girl shook her head. ¡°I need a specialist. Do you know anyone who is familiar with these machines?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are, wait!¡± Joseph panicked. He did not want the girl to leave. He still did not know the girl¡¯s name and contact info, so he did not want to part with her yet. Joseph began to think deeply. Some of the currently-active experiments required 24/7 observation, so there should be some staff who were currently working the night shift. He tapped his bracelet, which doubled as a communication device. Quickly, he dialled the company¡¯s helpline. Click¡ª ¡°Mr. Joseph, how can I be of your assistance?¡± ¡°Uh, yes. I would like to know who¡¯s on night duty. Limit the search to the lab technicians.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the person on the other line began typing, then stopped. After a few seconds, a list of names had been prepared. ¡°Shall I send it to your bracelet?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± The list was successfully uploaded into his bracelet. ¡°Is that all, Mr. Joseph?¡± ¡°That is all.¡± ¡°Please do call again if you need anything. Good evening, Mr. Joseph.¡± ¡°Good evening.¡± The boy held out his bracelet, then a hologram image of the name list appeared. ¡°Hm¡­¡± He scanned the name list, searching for a familiar name. ¡°Ah!¡± Finally, the name of a rather competent technician appeared. A bright orange dot was next to the name, signifying that the person was on break. ¡°Um, this person, you see, is someone I know. He¡¯ll definitely come if I ask.¡± Airi nodded, waiting. Immediately, Joseph directly made a call to the man. ¡°Young master? Why are you calling me at such a late time?¡± The other voice asked. ¡°Fergus, I need your help.¡± ¡°Help? Is young master in trouble?!¡± ¡°Not exactly¡­¡± He glanced at the girl who was currently looking around the room. He saw the girl crash into the CEO¡¯s room and erase any traces of trespassing, as if it was magic. He firmly believed that while it seemed like a dream, she was certainly capable of doing more than that. Suddenly, the girl in question began to float, inspecting the machines that she could not reach while on ground. ¡°¡­!¡± His heart almost dropped, and he even forgot to answer Fergus¡¯ incessant questions. ¡°Fergus, I want you to come to Lab No. 503 right now. As soon as possible!¡± Then, he hung up. ¡°Wh¡ª¡° Fergus, who was on the other line, began to panic at the boy¡¯s urgency. He wondered if something terrible happened, such as someone from a rival company taking the young master hostage¡­ He shivered. He did not dare to imagine the possibility of that happening. The CEO would raise hell if he knew that his only son was hurt. The CEO of Pandora Corp., Jude Pandora, was an impossibly intimidating man, after all. Scared shitless, Fergus who had been eating his overdue dinner abandoned it immediately, rushing towards the appointed location as if he was being chased by rabid dogs. Mystery and Enigma (4) ¡°You-young master¡­?¡± When Fergus arrived at Lab No. 503, he was met with the sight of a bright-eyed Joseph and a strange but beautiful girl with white hair and gold eyes. ¡°You¡¯re finally here.¡± Joseph ushered him inside before looking around sneakily, as if he was on some secret mission. ¡°What¡¯s going on, young master¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. I need your help to get these things up and running.¡± He pointed towards the sophisticated machineries behind them. ¡°W-why do you need to¡ª?¡± Fergus stammered, cold sweat forming on his forehead. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! I just need you to do it.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡ª¡° against the rules, Fergus wanted to say, but was silenced by the younger man¡¯s glare. He looked so much like his father that Fergus couldn¡¯t help but comply. ¡°I-I need to know what you want to do first, so I can use the most optimum ones.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, then,¡± the girl said, shaking her head. She took out an orb of light from her chest, which instantly glowed brightly inside the room, blinding the two men. ¡°Oh, oops. Too bright, it seems.¡± She concentrated her gaze towards the orb, paying no mind to the light. The light began to retract itself into the orb, as if obeying her orders. Soon, the room dimmed to its original brightness, and no trace of the previous bright light could be seen aside from the glowing orb that was now the size of the girl¡¯s palm. ¡°There we go,¡± the girl nodded in satisfaction. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± Fergus asked, amazed. Then, after a pause, he abruptly looked towards the girl, ¡°What are you?¡± Airi narrowed her eyes. What is with these mortals rudely asking for one¡¯s species? Cryptically, she replied, ¡°I¡¯m human.¡± Or at least, I used to be. Ha ha~ Fergus froze, his mind working quickly. Moments later, he looked as if a lightbulb was turned on in his head. ¡°Could it be, you¡¯re one of those superhumans?!¡± He exclaimed excitedly. He had heard rumours of people who suddenly manifested super powers, and had even seen videos of them online, but he¡¯d dismissed them as fake. Now, seeing the incredible act in person, he couldn¡¯t help but believe it.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Sure, whatever you want to call it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name? What kind of power do you have? How old are you? When did you first get your powers? Do you think I can get them too¡ª¡° Fergus, after losing his initial nerves, began to fire questions one after another, eyes sparkling like a boy meeting his idol. ¡°That¡ª¡° Airi smiled, ¡°¡ªis a secret.¡± She laughed at the human¡¯s dumbfounded expression. As if she was going to tell them her name! As a god, if one¡¯s true name was called, then the deity would immediately know it. Every time their name was ever uttered, they could sense it. Although it was useful during an emergency, it was particularly annoying when it was not. Even when their names were being thought of, they could sense it¡ªno matter how far they were from the caller. Even if someone called their names in a normal conversation, they would know. That was why, most deities like her preferred to use titles rather than their true names. ¡°How mysterious,¡± the man noted. A mysterious person hiding her superpower-type? He could feel his adrenaline pumping as his excitement and interest grew. ¡°This thing,¡± Airi held the orb, showing it to the two men, ¡°is something like an embryo. However, in order for it to grow, it needs sustenance. Do you have any nutrient solutions that is usually used to cultivate or heal the body?¡± The lab technician nodded thoughtfully, ¡°That glass tank can be filled with something like what you described. It¡¯s where we keep the experimental subjects in so they can stabilise their conditions.¡± ¡°Good. Does your company participate in genetic research? Something like cloning or modifying the genes¡­¡± The two men snapped their heads to look at her with surprise. ¡°How do you know that?! That¡¯s a company secret!¡± Currently, experiments that involved cloning was banned by the state, and excessive and unethical genetic modifications were also not allowed. However, being such a massive company, naturally, Pandora had many secret experiments currently being conducted under the tables. Airi shrugged, ¡°just a guess. But it seems like I¡¯ve hit the mark. Do you think you can make a baby and put it in there?¡± She inwardly laughed at the honesty the duo had shown. Even if she guessed it right, they should¡¯ve acted ignorant, at least. Haha~ ¡°What, you mean like a test-tube baby¡­?¡± Fergus asked uneasily. ¡°Yes.¡± These days, technology has advanced to the point where babies that were fertilised outside of the womb can also continue its growth outside through the use of synthetic conditions similar to the womb, thus eliminating the need of a surrogate mother, and making it 100% lab-produced. However, these kinds of test-tube babies tend to be riddled full of problems, like health issues or defects, and only about 9% of babies who were born through a lab was successful. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but¡­¡± ¡°A~h. You don¡¯t have any DNA samples on hand?¡± ¡°¡­Not in this lab, no.¡± ¡°Then, you can take mine,¡± the girl shrugged. ¡°The orb can only absorb the nutrients if it had a physical body, much like most creatures¡­ much like humans.¡± ¡°Even if we use your eggs, there¡¯s still no sperm samp¡ª¡° ¡°We can use mine!¡± Joseph immediately interrupted his words, his demeanour overly-eager. Airi raised an eyebrow, thinking, it wasn¡¯t as if you get to sleep with me, though? Actually, she did not mind procreating with a human, but it was just that¡­ she found it uncomfortable to directly give birth to a child knowing that the child was the reincarnation of her friend. ¡°Then it is set. Get to work~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fergus felt a shiver in his spine. He wondered, just what had he gotten himself into? Mystery and Enigma (5) A scene akin to something out of a sci-fi film was currently happening. After successfully fertilizing the egg, it was then transferred to a machine that resembled those old-fashioned stoves, where the egg would be ¡®cooked¡¯ until it becomes a foetus, which it would then be transferred into a tank filled with the nutrient liquid. Once the baby completed its 9-months growth cycle, it would then be ¡®born¡¯. Airi made the orb float in the air as her two accomplices watched in awe. As if it was invisible, the orb passed through the thick walls of the glass tank, directly entering it. The orb then began glowing as it merged with the baby inside the tank. Just like magic. Suddenly, the usually immobile baby began to move its limbs, just as a normal baby would while still inside their mother¡¯s womb. ¡°!!!¡± Fergus was startled. For months, the baby showed no signs of brain activity even after its brain was formed, almost as if it was brain dead, but now, it was fully active.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Airi smiled. She was currently witnessing Enigma¡¯s rebirth. ¡°Mystery, I think the baby is ready to come out,¡± says Fergus, his clammy hands flying across the monitor in haste. Airi, whose nickname became ¡®Mystery¡¯¡ªdue to her rather mysterious and elusive identity¡ªnodded furtively, her eyes staring at the baby unblinkingly. Even if it was in an artificial setting, the birth of a life was still a birth; it was still beautiful and precious, as well as unforgettable. The greenish liquid inside the tank began to drain. The baby, suspended by all kinds of tubes and wires, began to fuss. If the glass hadn¡¯t been so thick, one could probably hear the baby¡¯s cries. Slowly, the front opening of the glass tank opened, revealing the suspended baby to the outside air. Mystery reached into the tank, her hand twitching slightly as the tubes and wirings detached itself gently from the baby. Without the support of the liquid or the wires, the baby would have fallen to the ground, but luckily Mystery quickly caught the baby into her arms. Mystery began checking whether there was anything wrong with the baby using her divine sense. Seeing as there were no problems, she softly patted the baby¡¯s back, coaxing him to sleep. The baby, as if feeling relaxed in her arms, quickly fell asleep. Mystery lowered her eyes, a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Welcome back to the world, Enigma.¡± Mystery and Enigma (6) ¡°Is this the baby?¡± Joseph poked the newborn lightly. Unlike any other babies he had ever seen, the baby was not wrinkly or ugly. Rather, he was cute and plump, not looking as if he had only been born the previous day. ¡°Mystery, what did you name him?¡± ¡°Enigma.¡± ¡°Enigma? That¡¯s a cool name.¡± Joseph nodded, feeling that the name was really good. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Somehow,¡± The boy placed a hand on his chin, as if thinking, ¡°Mystery and Enigma, huh. It kinda matches, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The boy laughed. ¡°The meaning, I mean.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± Mystery laughed, noticing the similar meanings of the names. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise.¡± ¡°Hm? What are you two laughing about?¡± Fergus who had just finished his work entered the room. ¡°Nothing.¡± The two exchanged glances, giggling. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t tell me, then.¡± Fergus looked at them strangely. ¡°Young master, are you really covering our activities here? I think people are getting suspicious¡­¡± ¡°Are you looking down on my skills? I specially asked Father to gift the whole floor to me, so everything that happens here, only the three of us know.¡± Joseph smirked smugly, flaunting his abuse of authority. ¡®Won¡¯t they get more suspicious because of that?!¡¯ he thought. Fergus remembered a certain gossip regarding his relationship to the young master that he had overheard some of the female staffs said behind his back. Something about them having a ¡®bent¡¯ relationship or another¡­ He shivered just from the thought.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°By the way, have you named the baby yet?¡± Mystery smiled after hearing the same question. ¡°Enigma.¡± ¡°Enigma Pandora, huh? It¡¯s a nice name. Rhymes, even.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± At the sound of Enigma¡¯s name paired with his surname, Joseph was startled. ¡°Why add my surname?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? The sperm came from you, young master, so technically, Enigma is your son, is he not?¡± Fergus tilted his head quizzically. The teen-aged boy¡¯s face reddened. He had totally forgotten the part where he had donated his sperm¡­ he glanced at the white-haired girl, his face redder than a tomato. The thought that Enigma was the child of him and Mystery made him completely flustered. Mystery laughed at their antics, ¡°don¡¯t tease him too much, Fer. The poor boy!¡± ¡°Sorry, young master,¡± Fergus unapologetically apologised. His face carried a slight smirk, clearly showing that he intentionally reiterated the fact just to poke fun at the boy. ¡°Fergus, you¡ª!¡± The three laughed. Suddenly, a ringtone could be heard from Joseph¡¯s bracelet. ¡°Oh shit!¡± Joseph cursed. His father had made a video call to him, and he needed to answer quickly. However, Mystery and Enigma¡¯s existence was kept a secret from the man who owned the company, and he did not know what his father might do if he ever found out. Joseph ran outside of the lab room before accepting the call. ¡°Father,¡± Joseph greeted with a stiff smile. ¡°Joseph. I¡¯m currently on the 50th floor.¡± Mr. Pandora succinctly said. He did not inform his son about his visit until the lift stop at the 50th floor so that his son wouldn¡¯t have any time to stash away the project that he had been concealing from his father. Joseph paled. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ Father, what brings you here?¡± He faked a laugh, his nervousness in plain sight. ¡°I¡¯d like to see just what it is that you¡¯re being so elusive and secretive about. Son, I¡¯ve let you play around for long enough. The 50th floor can¡¯t be reserved just for you forever. I have a business to run and this pastime of yours is not very lucrative for me,¡± Mr. Pandora coldly said, his eyes gleaming intimidatingly. Even through the impersonal communication device, Joseph could still feel his father¡¯s threatening aura. ¡°Father¡­!¡± Joseph did not have the time to do anything, as he could already see his father walking towards him from afar. Mystery and Enigma (7) ¡°Open the door.¡± ¡°Wait, Father¡ª¡° Ignoring the boy desperately barricading the door, Mr. Pandora¡¯s secretary placed her hand on the lock scanner, easily gaining access to the room. ¡°No!¡± Joseph tried to block their way, but two men quickly came to his side and tightly held onto him. Mr. Pandora entered the room. Spotting Fergus, his eyes narrowed. ¡°You must be that technician that¡¯s been skipping work. I¡¯ll have your salary deducted for three months.¡± Fergus, who was already breaking with cold sweat, paled. His legs felt like jelly, but he still pushed on with a stiff smile. ¡°Mr. Pandora, sir! What brings you here?¡± ¡°I should be asking you that. If you don¡¯t answer me truthfully, I¡¯ll have you fired immediately,¡± Mr. Pandora sneered. ¡°N-no, sir, that¡¯s¡ª!¡± ¡°So? What¡¯s been keeping you here with my son?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ that¡­¡± Fergus stammered, his eyes darting around nervously. ¡°With all due respect, sir, we wanted to keep it a secr¡ªHiiii!¡± Seeing the murderous look given by the menacing older Pandora, Fergus squeaked. ¡°¡ªS-s-s-secret, but since you¡¯re here already, there¡¯s no choice but to reveal the big surprise, ha ha,¡± Fergus laughed nervously. ¡°Big surprise?¡± Mr. Pandora raised an eyebrow. His arms crossed on his chest, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Y-y-yes.¡± Fergus rubbed his sweaty hands on the white lab coat he was wearing, sending a furtive glance towards a certain corner. Being the seasoned military man that he was, naturally, Mr. Pandora noticed it. His face darkened. ¡°I-if you would come this way, sir,¡± Fergus led the man away from the corner, gesturing to one of the many intricate machineries that the lab held. ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Pandora said nothing as he complied, wanting to see just what these two were up to. ¡°Your son, uh, young master Joseph, he, uh, found a unique DNA sample a while back,¡± Fergus took out one of the test tubes from the machine, showing it to the man. ¡°He was lucky to have managed to grab some, as this sample was really, uh, really, unique.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Oh?¡± Fergus rummaged the drawers beside him for a while, shakily reaching for a set of documents. ¡°This, is the, uh, report. For the sample.¡± Mr. Pandora scanned through the report, his eyes glittering brightly with every page turned. He handed back the report to Fergus once he finished. ¡°Have you been able to de-sequence it?¡± ¡°N-no, not yet. The sequencing is far too complex and nothing like what I¡¯ve ever seen before, so it¡¯s been taking me a while to figure it out.¡± ¡°Good, good!¡± Mr. Pandora began smiling. He was ecstatic! His son had somehow gotten his hands on a very unique sample. If they were able to figure out its sequencing, they could use the data to open up many doors and opportunities that they were unable to explore in previous researches! This could very well lead to a breakthrough in many of their research, and even allow them to delve into fields that was previously too far and out of reach for them, so Mr. Pandora was currently very, very happy. All these years of pampering his son was really not wasted, ah! ¡°Father, wait!¡± Joseph finally broke past his father¡¯s bodyguards. He haphazardly entered the room, only to be met with his smiling father and the sweating technician. ¡°F-father, I can explain¡­¡± Joseph paled as he trembled. Mr. Pandora took big steps towards his son. Joseph immediately shut his eyes tightly, preparing himself for the beating to come. However¡ª ¡°Hahaha! Good son, why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± Mr. Pandora patted his son¡¯s shoulder in elation. ¡°T-Tell you wh¡ª¡° ¡°AAAAH!¡± Fergus shouted before the boy managed to finish his sentence. ¡°AHAHAHA, young master! I¡¯m so sorry, I let it slip about the sample that you found!¡± ¡°Sample¡ª?¡± Joseph looked at Fergus confusedly, but seeing his cue, he immediately caught on. As a scion of a big company that specialised in biotechnology, naturally, he was not that stupid. Besides, Fergus had previously expressed his interest in Mystery¡¯s leftover DNA samples, so he could quickly connect the dots. ¡°Oh, yes! That. That sample. Yes.¡± Joseph laughed, feeling a tinge of relief, ¡°Oh, Fergus, you! How can you spoil the surprise to Father so soon?! I was thinking of presenting the research results to Father once it¡¯s completed! Oh, you~¡± Hearing Joseph¡¯s words, Mr. Pandora did not bother to think about their suspicious actions and smiled widely. It was the first time in a very long time since he felt this happy. ¡°Good son! I¡¯ll have more funds and people allocated to your team! Starting from today, this floor is yours. Do whatever you want.¡± He patted his son¡¯s shoulder once again. ¡°As for you, Fergus, was it? I¡¯ll have you promoted to head researcher. Don¡¯t disappoint me!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Fergus and Joseph immediately nodded their heads, hoping that the older man would finally go away. Finally, after the man left, the two finally heaved a breath of relief. ¡°That was close¡­ sorry, Fergus. I made you reveal your research to Father.¡± Fergus, whose legs finally gave out, shook his head, ¡°No, no. I was only able to get Mystery¡¯s DNA because you introduced her to me. I couldn¡¯t even have dreamt of doing this had you not given me the opportunity. I should be the one thanking you, young master.¡± The two exchanged a brief laugh. ¡°By the way, how did you know what to do? The door was soundproof, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh, actually¡­¡± Fergus begun explaining about what transpired after Joseph received the call. Mystery and Enigma (8) After the boy left in a panic, the two were left perturbed. ¡°Ah, I knew this day would come¡­¡± Fergus mourned, already thinking about how he was going to lose his job. ¡°Hehe,¡± the girl simply replied. Fergus looked at her, looking as if he was about to cry. ¡°Hey! If I¡¯m compromised, you are, too!¡± The girl stuck her tongue out to him, ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡± She picked up Enigma, holding him close to her chest. Even with her true powers suppressed, listening in on Joseph¡¯s conversation was easy enough. Thanks to the struggle that Joseph is putting in, he bought some time for them. Even if it was just a few minutes, for her, it was more than enough. ¡°Fer, don¡¯t panic! I¡¯ll hide with Enigma, then you¡­¡± she paused, staring at the desk that Fergus usually used. ¡°Hey, remember that paper you were working on about my genes in your pastime?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Use that to cover up about Enigma. Say what you have to say, just make sure that nothing explicit about me and Enigma makes it out.¡± ¡°! I got it!¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Mystery smiled, just as she always did, towards the nervous-wreck-of-a-man, making Fergus feel slightly more comforted. ¡°Good luck~¡± Her soft voice tinkled as she disappeared behind some bulky equipment. Before he could ruminate on what he should do, the door opened, and the scary Mr. Pandora entered. ¡°So it was Mystery¡¯s idea¡­¡± Joseph sighed, glad that the girl made it out safely. The girl had superpowers after all, so she could easily run away if she wanted. But if she was found out¡­ his father would probably make her into a lab rat. Joseph trembled. He needed to do everything that he can to avoid that from happening. ¡°Oh yeah. Mystery, you can come out now!¡± The two waited for a long while, but there was still no sign of the girl. ¡°Mystery?¡± The two looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of the young girl. ¡°Mystery?!¡± Alarm bells were ringing in Joseph¡¯s mind. It couldn¡¯t be that she got caught?! ¡°Mystery, where are you?!¡± The boy ran around the lab, searching every nook and cranny for the girl. ¡°It¡¯s not just Mystery, Enigma¡¯s also gone.¡± Fergus informed gravely. ¡°Is it because my father¡¯s appearance scared her away?¡± Joseph paced back and forth worriedly. In the past ten months that they have been together, Mystery had never left the floor after he had wrested its control. At least, not that he knew of. The floor was equipped with its own kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping quarters specialised for those working long hours, so Mystery did not need to go outside at all. The wi-fi connection was top-notch, so she wouldn¡¯t even get bored. ¡°Young master, look!¡± Fergus pointed towards the vents. Without their notice, the vent cover had already been taken off and placed aside. ¡°Did she escape from there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. Mystery is small enough to fit into it, I think.¡± Joseph¡¯s face displayed a distressed expression, clearly worried about the white-haired mysterious girl. ¡°We need to find her, quickly!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± On that day, Mystery completely disappeared from their lives, never to be found again for a very long time. Mystery and Enigma (9) ¡°Mysty, can you tell me a bedtime story?¡± ¡°Hm? Eni, you don¡¯t think you¡¯re too old for bedtime stories anymore?¡± The girl teased the little boy, who pouted with annoyance. ¡°I only said it as a joke! Geez!¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± the girl chuckled in response. ¡°Then, which story do you want to hear?¡± ¡°Hm~ a new one!¡± Enigma smiled brightly at the girl, his eyes twinkling brightly with hope. ¡°A new one, huh¡­¡± The girl closed her bright golden eyes, thinking deeply with furrowed brows. Enigma was more mature and smarter compared to other kids in his physical age range, so she was free to tell him anything as long as it was not too graphic. ¡°Ah!¡± After shelving through her mental library, she finally decided on one. Well, actually, she was just going to make it up on the spot as she goes, ahahahaha~ ¡°Once upon a time¡­¡± ¡°Mysty, why does all your story begin with ¡®once upon a time¡¯?¡± ¡°Because it happened once upon a time. Eni, do you want to hear it or not?¡± ¡°I do!¡± ¡°Then shhh.¡± The boy covered his mouth with his hands, showing that he won¡¯t speak anymore. Seeing his actions, Mystery nodded in satisfaction before continuing with her story. ¡°Once upon a time, there was a girl.¡± ¡°Is the girl you, Mysty?¡± Mystery shot Enigma another look, ¡°Eni¡­¡± ¡°Oops!¡± The boy quickly shut his mouth once again, blinking innocently at the older girl. Mystery smiled helplessly. ¡°The girl had a very happy childhood. But, because the medical technology was not very good back then, the lifespan of the people were very short.¡± ¡°How short?¡± ¡°60 years. Now, Eni, what did I say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m shorry~¡± ¡°The girl was forced to marry when she was very young. However, she was not unhappy. She loved her new family very much.¡± ¡°How old was she when she got married? How old was her partner?¡± Mystery sighed exasperatedly, ¡°This story will not go anywhere if you keep butting in.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eni clamped his mouth shut with his fingers. He looked very comical with the puckered lips. ¡°One day, the girl¡¯s family was met with misfortune. The girl blamed herself for the bad things that her family had encountered.¡± Mystery paused, pointedly looking at Enigma in case he wanted to butt in again. ¡°¡­¡± Enigma batted his large, similarly golden eyes back at her, as if saying, ¡®I¡¯m a good boy, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ ¡°¡­And because of that, she accepted her punishment and lived through nine lifetimes of misfortune to atone for her sins.¡± ¡°Huh? But was it really her fault, though?¡± Enigma tilted his head questioningly, ¡°Is that the end?¡± ¡°Eni, you sure catch on quickly, huh.¡± Mystery rested her head against Enigma¡¯s, patting the boy gently. ¡°Well, perhaps the girl was really at fault, but perhaps she was not. Who knows¡­ and I¡¯m not finished yet. I didn¡¯t teach you to interrupt when adults were speaking, did I?¡± ¡°No~¡± Enigma laughed sheepishly. ¡°Then don¡¯t~¡± Mystery pounced on the younger boy, attacking him with tickles. ¡°Ah~ Mysty, the story! Continue the story~!¡± Enigma giggled, panting in between. ¡°Yes, yes~¡± Mystery stopped tickling him, resuming her story. ¡°The girl, now free from her sins, met a boy.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°And they fall in love?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mystery rolled her eyes. ¡°The boy also thought that he was as guilty as the girl, so the girl sets out to help him resolve his sin.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then, she brought him to another world where he could finally rest in peace.¡± ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°No. The story is far from over, how could he be dead?¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± ¡°Now listen, Eni. The boy was a very special boy. He had a very amazing gift.¡± ¡°Like you and me?¡± ¡°Sure. See, the boy is the most special boy that had ever lived. He was very strong and very kind. He helped everyone in the world. Thus, his sins were atoned and he could finally find peace.¡± ¡°How did he help them?¡± ¡°He saved them, of course. He made eee~veryone as special as he was.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Enigma tilted his head again, confused. ¡°How can he make others become special?¡± ¡°Because he had the gift of sharing~¡± Mystery laughed, dishing out the anticlimactic ending. ¡°He shared his kindness with everyone, so everyone became as kind and as special as he was.¡± ¡°What? In the end it¡¯s just one of those fables,¡± Enigma huffed. ¡°But what about the girl? What happened to her?¡± ¡°Hm? The girl? Oh, she went back to where she came from, of course. She helped the boy spread his kindness, and when everyone was saved, she went home.¡± ¡°But why did she help the boy? She didn¡¯t even get anything in return.¡± ¡°Silly~ it¡¯s because they¡¯re friends. You don¡¯t help a friend expecting something in return, do you?¡± Enigma tilted his head the other way, frowning. ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t have any friends.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true. I¡¯ve never seen you play with any of the other kids in the district, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay! All I need is you, Mysty.¡± Enigma flashed a sweet smile to Mystery, hugging her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not lonely because you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Oh my, how sweet~¡± Mystery squealed, hugging him back. ¡°Now go to sleep, Mr. I-don¡¯t-need-any-friends.¡± ¡°Yes~¡± With a goodnight kiss on the cheeks, Mystery tucked Enigma to bed. Perhaps because he had been asking too much questions and tired himself out, he was quick to fall asleep. Within moments, his breathing evened out and Mystery was finally alone. Mystery did not need to use her divine sense to see if he was really asleep. She stared at him for a few moments, then sighed. Ah~ the things I do for friendship, she thought. After ensuring that the house was safe and the security system was active, Mystery quietly left the penthouse she shared with the little boy. Mystery waved her hand lightly, producing a dark-coloured cloak with a hood. Putting it on, she concealed her presence and aura. In this way, neither people nor the cameras could detect her. She headed directly to the nearest pawn shop with practiced ease. Fang¡¯s Pawn Shop was open for 24 hours straight and it was located in a slightly obscured area. It was the perfect place for underhanded dealings to happen, and many people who wanted quick money without being asked any questions about the items they were pawning would go to the store. ¡°I¡¯ve come again~¡± Mystery silently appeared in front of the shop owner who was close to falling asleep on the counter, jolting him awake almost immediately. ¡°Mystery!¡± He stood up with his hand under the counter, reaching for his gun, but after seeing the familiar face, he relaxed. ¡°You startled me,¡± he huffed. ¡°Sorry, sorry~¡± Mystery laughed. ¡°How rare to see you falling asleep at this time of the night, Fang Fang.¡± ¡°Yeah. I recently got into this game that was just released a few days ago, and it¡¯s been taking so much of my time. It¡¯s really fun.¡± ¡°So even someone like you also likes games, huh?¡± Mystery tilted her head in amusement. ¡°¡¯Someone like me¡¯? Hey, I¡¯m just a normal middle-aged man, okay?¡± Fang Xiu glowered at the young-looking girl who kept talking down on him. Although he knew that the mysterious girl was probably much older than she looked, it still did not give him a good feeling when she acts like an elder in front of him. What ¡®normal¡¯? Mystery almost laughed out loud. The fact that the man was a veteran soldier who had retired with the rank of major general was an open secret. Such a high-ranking fellow was definitely not normal nor weak. That was also why no one dared to cause trouble in his store even though his pawn shop held many expensive items. Seeing Mystery¡¯s expression of holding back a laugh, Fang Xiu harrumphed. ¡°So? Is it the usual again today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Noticing that the man did not want to continue the conversation any further, Mystery produced a stack of gold ingots and arranged it in front of the shop owner. ¡°The exchange rate is about this much,¡± Fang Xiu flashed his bracelet to Mystery, showing a series of numbers. Mystery cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Oh? The price is lower today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame me; blame the market. I don¡¯t decide when the price goes up or down,¡± he replied with a shrug. Although she said it was lower, the amount still reached seven figures which was more than what the average person could earn in their lifetime. ¡°Thanks to you, there¡¯s an influx of gold, so the price went down.¡± Fang Xiu smirked as he transferred the sum to the girl¡¯s bracelet. ¡°What, so it was my fault?¡± ¡°No, no. The gold industry should thank you instead, for increasing the stocks.¡± The two chortled. Gold was always in demand, especially for the wealthy and famous. It was one of the few ways they could use to flaunt their wealth, and its value was universal. That was why Mystery chose to sell the almost limitless amount of gold in her inventory for finance. ¡°Thanks for doing business with me, as always.¡± After finishing the large transaction, Fang Xiu¡¯s eyes were curved into crescents as he smiled widely. He was always very satisfied when the little tycoon came over. Thinking back, it had already been eight years since he met this girl who kept producing gold endlessly to sell to him every month. Thanks to her, he also had a steady income and could live comfortably. ¡°Since your gold is always high in quality, I¡¯ve already got plenty of buyers.¡± He told her. She was not really interested on where the gold end up going, so she simply replied with a noncommittal sound. ¡°I¡¯m going home now~¡± ¡°Come again,¡± Fang Xiu bade her farewell as he watch her disappear into the dark night. Mystery and Enigma (10) After coming to this world and wholeheartedly devoting herself to raising Enigma, Mystery had developed a new hobby: making money. She observed the rising digits on the monitor with a sense of satisfaction. Lately, she had been investing in a lot of productions such as movies and dramas, as well as the stocks of production companies and talent agencies. As the pay day rolled around the corner, she would sit by the monitors, watching as the money flowed in digitally. There was just something about looking at the numbers going up that could make on feel a sense of fulfilment. No wonder there was so many people that she knew and didn¡¯t know that liked to hoard treasures and money. This feeling, was just too addicting! Enigma watched as Mystery smiled foolishly while staring at her wall-sized monitor. A lot of data that he could not understand was listed on it, and there was a series of numbers on the right side which kept being refreshed. Every time it refreshed, the numbers would go up. ¡°Mysty, what¡¯s so fun about watching that? Come and watch a movie with me instead.¡± He pouted, sulking. ¡°Mm. I¡¯ll go in just a bit.¡± Mystery did not take her eyes off the monitor as she said so, her fingers tapping on the keyboard as she replied some messages. The money has been deposited, as promised. $12mil, no more, no less. M: OK. Congratulations, Miss M. The movie was a big success! Here¡¯s a little bonus for our biggest sponsor~ heartheartheart.gif ¨C The message was followed by a deposit of a six figured number. M: Thanks. Dear Miss M, have you received the payment? Please contact us if there is a sum missing. M: Yes, OK. Miss M, due to the success of our recent production, we would like to extend our gratitude to you. We could not have reached this point without your support. Would you be interested in investing on more of our works? Here I have included a few scripts which we plan to produce in the future. [attachment] [attachment] [attachment]. If you are interested, please don¡¯t hesitate to contact me. Sincerest thanks, Zenfire Media. M: OK. ¡°¡­¡± What? This goddess needs to keep her air of mystery, okay? It¡¯s not good if she was found out, after all. And it wasn¡¯t like she needed to mingle with the humans, so there was no need to be so amiable, haha~ Actually, the target of her investments usually would have something to do with Enigma¡¯s interests. Currently, Enigma really liked to watch movies, so she invested heavily in the industry. Whatever that he wanted to watch but did not exist, then she would just pay others to make it. After replying her the messages, she logged out from her bank account and pulled out a streaming site. ¡°What do you want to watch, Eni?¡± She patted the seat next to her, motioning Enigma to make himself comfortable. The two spent the entire day watching movies. That night. ¡°Target spotted.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. White hair and gold eyes, looks around fifteen years of age, lives with a boy with gold eyes and black hair.¡± A man murmured into the communicator, he made his drone float near the slightly tinted windows of the penthouse. Other than the slight buzzing the drone produced, it was practically invisible in the dark night. ¡°Get the girl. If you¡¯re lucky, take the boy too. He¡¯s quite precious, you see. As a specimen, that is.¡± The man on the other side of the communicator chuckled. ¡°Got it, boss.¡± The man nodded towards the driver. Receiving his cue, the driver landed the military-grade stealth-type aerocar onto the porch quietly, barely making any noise. Following them from behind, three other similar aerocars landed on the floor below them which was a parking lot. There was four people in each car, making up for a total of sixteen personnel. The first four in the first aerocar broke into the house through the porch entrance. On the other hand, the remaining twelve sneaked into the building, intending to enter through the other entrance.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The intruders¡¯ arrival caused the alarm to go off, startling Enigma and Mystery from their sleep. Mystery got up, glancing around for a way out. They were inside the innermost room in the house, and there was only one door available. She turned to look behind her, seeing the tinted glass wall. A drone hovered outside, a red light blinking on it. A crashing sound could be heard from the outside as the intruders ransacked their apartment. ¡°Mystery?¡± Enigma rubbed his eyes sleepily. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mystery smiled down on him. ¡°Nothing. Hey, Eni, do you want to go out for a walk?¡± ¡°A walk? Right now?¡± The boy looked at her incredulously. Seeing the smile on her face, he could not help but feel a sliver of doubt. Suddenly, a loud sound could be heard as the intruders try to break down the door which had been automatically locked. ¡°Mysty?!¡± He looked at the older girl with a panicked gaze. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Mystery pulled Eni into her arms, hugging him tightly. Forming a light barrier around themselves, Leila headed straight-on towards the glass wall. Hearing the sound of glass breaking, the intruders immediate got into action. ¡°They¡¯re running away!¡± The intruders returned to their aerocars, ready to chase their targets. Enigma screamed as they descended in the air. He closed his eyes tightly in fear, but unlike his expectations, he did not feel any impact. Mystery hugged him tightly, pushing his head into her bosom so that he would not be hurt by the strong wind. Just as they were about to crash on the ground, Mystery lightly stepped on the ground with the tip of her toes, launching themselves forward into a different direction, as if they were as light as a feather. ¡°Mmmmmyssstyyyyy~!¡± Enigma shrieked. Tears and snot ran down his face. From afar, a few almost invisible aerocars closed in behind them. ¡°Use tranq shots!¡± Ordered the leader. The pursuers took out their tranquiliser guns, aiming it towards Mystery who was practically flying in the air. She evaded gracefully, as if she had eyes on her back. Being very familiar with the area, she jumped around and took twisting and confusing turns, misleading the pursuers. With a short amount of time left before the pursuers located them again, she headed to a familiar direction. Fang¡¯s Pawn Shop! ¡°Hey, whoa!¡± Fang Xiu was startled as the front of his store was destroyed. Mystery crashed into his store unceremoniously, not caring the fact that he was dealing with a customer. ¡°Fang Fang~ I need your help~¡± Mystery unhesitatingly jumped behind the counter, dashing into the door behind it. ¡°Hey!¡± Seeing her actions, Fang Xiu could not help but change his attitude. For customers, the area in the back of his store was a no man¡¯s land. It was his private area. ¡°I owe you one~¡± Mystery did not care about his anger. Her top priority was to keep Enigma safe. As if she was familiar with the place, she rummaged around the bare wall, looking for the hidden switch. ¡°How do you even know about this?!¡± Fang Xiu cried behind her. Mystery ignored the man. Finally, she found the switch. She expertly keyed in the four-digit passcode for the switch. With a beeping sound, the switch blinked green, showing that the passcode was correct. ¡°How?!¡± Fang Xiu¡¯s flabbergasted voice rang once more. Haha,little Fang, you should know that the spirit that often linger around your shop is quite the tattle-tale~ A hidden door was unlocked, revealing its content. It was an interstellar escape pod! As expected of a retired vet~ He managed to get his hands on such a high-tech equipment and was still allowed to keep it. The escape pod provided barely enough space for an adult man; if Fang Xiu ever intended to use it, it would have been a very tight squeeze. She knew it was something that someone sold to him for a bit of cash, which was why it was not tailored to suit his size. Luckily, it had plenty of space given Enigma''s small frame. Before Fang Xiu could stop Mystery from abusing his private properties, their pursuers had finally caught upto them. Fang Xiu¡¯s storefront was now completely ruined. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± He ruffled his hair in anger and frustration. He had almost gotten a done deal on someone¡¯s priceless family heirloom, but now, thanks to Mystery, his customer ran away and his shop was in shambles. The arrival of the unknown pursuers was very timely. Now, the ex-military man had some targets to vent his anger on. With a flurry of curses, he took out the hiddenparticle gun under the counter, charging it up. He accurately shot the intruders, taking them down one by one in mere seconds. ¡°Watch out for him! Request for back-up!¡± ¡°How! Dare! You! Destroy! My! Baby!¡± At this point, Fang Xiu had already jumped over his counter, and instead of shooting them with his gun, he was using it as a blunt weapon instead. He bashed the enemies left and right, acting like a mad bull. Mystery, feeling apologetic, quietly took out one of her many artefacts, placing it down on a safe place along with a money card for reimbursing the damages. However, soon enough, more personnel came as reinforcements, flooding the shop. Since the place that Fang¡¯s Pawn Shop was located in was not a good one, none of the residents came out to check up on them or call the police. They had heard this kind of commotion one-too-many timesdue to the fact that gangs often ran amok in the area. Even as he was stampeded by the enemies, Fang Xiu still refused to back down. It took eleven tranquiliser shots to get the man to fall. Sensing that Fang Xiu had been knocked unconscious,Mystery immediately closed the pod¡¯s hatch, kissing the crown of Enigma¡¯s head, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± she says. She took off her bracelet, putting it on his wrist. ¡°Stay safe.¡± As the enemies broke into Fang Xiu¡¯s private quarters, they could see Mystery trying to get the pod to work. She selected the designated destination and activated it. Mysterypowered up the pod with her divine sense, ensuring that his journey would be safe. The pod''s hatch closed completely. White smoke that felt cold to the touch began filling the interior of the small pod. ¡°Mysty!¡± Enigma cried, small fists thumping on the unbreakable pod. His final seconds on the planet was burned with the image of Mystery being surrounded by masked men pointing their weapons at her. Mystery and Enigma (11) Planet MR-222. It was one of the newly colonised planet in the interstellar system. It was a backwater planet with a temperature that was low all year-round. One day, an interstellar escape pod arrived at the only spaceport in the planet. A young boy was curled up inside it, frost gathered on his skin. He had been induced into cryogenic sleep for the long journey. When Enigma woke up, he could not recognise his surroundings at all. ¡°Mysty?¡± He poked his head out of the automatically opened hatch and looked around the vast, empty field. There was nothing around him. A cloud of dust could be seen from afar, closing in on his location. He stumbled out of the pod in a disoriented manner. Soon, a few armoured vehicles stopped near him. The people got out, and once they realised that the unidentified ¡®threat¡¯ was actually just a little boy, they lowered down their weapons. However, in accordance with their safety protocol, these soldiers still did not lower their guards even if he was a young boy; he might have been sent by a terrorist group, after all. The newly arrived men stood at a distance, just in case he was carrying a bomb. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, little boy? Are you lost? Where¡¯s your family?¡± A female soldier stepped forward, softening her tone so that the boy would not be frightened. Enigma ignored the soldier, instead looking around in a panic. He stepped backwards, causing him to accidentally trip on the pod. He fell down on his butt.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Enigma looked up at the sky, then looked back at the group of soldiers. Then, he drew his face closer to his knees, breaking out in loud sobs. ¡°Mysty~! Where are you¡ª¡° The soldiers, seeing the crying boy, panicked. They were experts in diffusing threats and finding illegal items in the baggage, but soothing a child? All of them were utterly clueless on that matter. One of them cursed, ¡°Fuck, what do we do now?¡± ¡°S-should we bring him back to the station? Captain?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just take him to Concierge. They should know what to do¡­¡± ¡°Hey, kid, can you get up? We¡¯ll take you to a nice, warm and comfy place¡­¡± One of them tried to coax Enigma to get up, but the boy refused to budge. After a few more unsuccessful tries, the captain decided to simply drag him with them. They were wasting daylight, and the nights on MR-222 were much, much colder than day. He did not want to end up as an ice statue. He was also worried about the kid; he was wearing such thin clothing. The boy might even fall ill because of the temperature if they left him there any longer. Enigma cried and struggled in futile. The captain was much too strong for his weak child body to beat. Sitting on a sofa in a circular, heated room whilst being covered by layers of blankets, with people walking past him, was how Enigma spent his first night in a new planet. . . . ¡°The only reason you managed to catch me was because I allowed you to. Now, gentlemen, mind showing me the way?¡± Mystery tilted her head, smiling prettily. She raised both of her hands, as if she was surrendering herself. The masked mercenaries in front of her hesitated. Even though she looked quite harmless, their guts were screaming at them to run away from her, as far as they could. She felt utterly and inconceivably dangerous. Seeing that the people did not lower down their weapons, Mystery pouted. ¡°See, that¡¯s no way to treat a lady.¡± With a wave of her hand, she sent the guns flying out of their hands. With their weapons knocked away, they took a step back, cautiously eyeing the unarmed girl who had powers that they thought only existed in fiction. ¡°No wonder those people spent so much to get the girl back,¡± the leader muttered to himself. Suddenly, footsteps could be heard. The people from the back began parting up, making a path for the newly arrived person. Seeing the familiar face, Mystery smiled deeply, ¡°Fancy meeting you here, Joseph.¡± Mystery and Enigma (12) ¡°Has it been eight years, Mystery?¡± Joseph returned her smile gently. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit. Just as beautiful as I remembered.¡± ¡°Hey, now. Shouldn¡¯t you say I became more beautiful instead?¡± Mystery pouted, then laughed. Joseph shook his head with a chuckle, then sighed. ¡°Things would not have turned out this way if you had obediently stayed by my side back then¡­ now look at what you made me do,¡± Joseph fretted. He stepped closer to the girl, reaching his hand out to caress her cheek. ¡°I missed you¡­¡± The man leaned closer, taking a whiff of the goddess¡¯ scent. It smelled pleasantly sweet. Mystery tilted her head with a muted smile, avoiding him naturally. If not because she needed his assistance again, she would not have allowed him to touch her that way. She could feel the ancient demon residing inside her beginning to bare his fangs, but she reined him in. She had no intentions of getting kicked out of the world too early, after all. ¡°Mystery, I¡¯m sorry, but because of the stunt you pulled, I¡¯m going to have to punish you,¡± Joseph palmed her face apologetically. From within the depths of his eyes, Mystery could see both greed and lust. She lightly brushed his hands away, simultaneously activating her powers. Her golden eyes glowed slightly, but Joseph who had his eyes on her the whole time easily noticed it. Mystery went through the past nine years of his memories briefly. She could not watch for long, since her suppressed powers would not be enough to maintain her ¡®sight¡¯. She saw his sadness when he found out that she was gone. He searched for her high and low for many months, but to no avail. He further fell into a depressed state. Then, one day, he had the urge to see Fergus¡¯ research. At that time, Fergus¡¯ research on Mystery¡¯s DNA had reached a minor breakthrough. As he went through it, his interest sparked. He studied hard under his father and finally joined the team upon his graduation. He gradually began to forget the mysterious white-haired girl that once entered his life. However, it did not end there. The research reached a standstill. All the researchers were stuck on quite a few questions that were left unanswered. They encountered a problem: the sample was not enough. It was too limited. His father soon began a secret search for the sample. Joseph soon rekindled his feelings for Mystery once again. He pleaded his father to allow him to be in charge of the secret operation, and knowing that he was the one who found the original sample, Jude Pandora gave him the green light. But¡­ as he searched for every clue related to her, practically grasping at invisible trails one after another, his pure love for the girl turned into an obsession.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. And finally¡­ he was here. He found her. Though it was only because she wanted to be found. This step was necessary, she thought. In order to make Enigma stronger, she must allow him to grow independently. That was why, she had to begin preparing for the next stage of the plan. The Domain Lords of this world were too stingy. They wouldn¡¯t even spare a tiny bit of their Blessings for the mortals of their realms, so it was up to her to make the world the way Enigma wanted it to turn into. Mystery could feel the backlash of the technique on her soul. She slightly trembled, a trickle of blood flowing out from her mouth. She choked, but kept smiling. As if nothing was wrong, she wiped away the blood. ¡°Mystery?¡± Joseph watched her in alarm. He came closer, supporting her figure. ¡°Mystery, let me help you.¡± He saw the red blood coming out of her, feeling a slight bit of disappointment. He had wondered what her blood looked like, and since she was special and had superpowers, he had thought they were anything but red. Mystery opened her mouth to speak, but more blood flowed out instead. She coughed, then spat out the remaining blood from her throat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mystery? Are you sick? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± He whipped his head to glare at the leader of the mercenaries he had hired to capture Mystery, ¡°You! I told you not to do her any harm!¡± ¡°We have not harmed her yet, sir.¡± The mercenary grinded his teeth, but respectfully replied. The bratty young master in front of them was the one who was rolling their pay checks, so he could not afford to offend him. ¡°Mystery, come with me. I¡¯ll fix you up.¡± His eyes narrowed, part worried and part joyous. He took out a small cylindrical vial from inside his jacket and uncapped it. A clear glass holding some sort of bluish liquid could be seen inside it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I won''t hurt you¡­ much.¡± Joseph smiled lovingly at Mystery, then plunged the sharp needle attached to the vial to her neck in one swift move. ¡°Goodnight, Mystery.¡± The liquid proved to be quite effective. Mystery collapsed into his arms as her vision darkened. ¡°What have you d¡­on¡­e¡­¡± Joseph threw away the empty vial, eyebrows raised and nodding in approval. ¡°The new product is very good. I¡¯ll have to relay this information back to the lab,¡± he says in a monologue. "Now, she should remain unconscious for a few days, at least." In one move, Joseph swept Mystery into his arms in a princess-styled carry. ¡°Let¡¯s go, men.¡± He ordered the mercenaries to evacuate, a light smile on his face. Mystery and Enigma (13) ¡°No address, no guardians, no contact information, unidentified fingerprints¡­ Just where did this kid come from?¡± The social worker in charge of Enigma¡¯s case whispered loudly to the person next to him. ¡°Why ask me? I have no idea.¡± The man wearing a military uniform shrugged. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just put him in an orphanage or something?¡± ¡°Of course, I can do that. But do you think that kid will be happy? He must be missing his family very much.¡± The social worker shook his head, eyes narrowing at the other man. ¡°I¡¯ll go ask him a few questions first.¡± The soldier motioned to the man, as if saying, ¡®go ahead¡¯. The social worker walked up to Enigma. He was bundled up in clean, dry clothes that the Concierge had given him. ¡°How are you holding up, little boy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Which planet are you from? I¡¯ll help send you back.¡± Even though the man received no response, he still continued to persist. Enigma finally reacted. He flinched, his eyes reddening. ¡°¡­ ¡­ on¡­ ow¡­¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± Seeing that his words had at last elicited a response, the man leaned closer. ¡°Do¡­n¡¯t¡­ know!¡± Enigma burst into tears. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Enigma had never cared about where he was. As long as he was with Mystery, he was fine. He never took notice of where he came from or where he lived. All he knew was that the place was warm. They lived pretty high up so they also received a lot of sunshine. Enigma hugged Mystery¡¯s bracelet closer to himself. ¡°Little boy, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep you safe, okay? We¡¯ll work hard to find your home.¡± The man patted Enigma¡¯s little back, consoling him. ¡°Do you have any family? Tell me their names and I¡¯ll run a search, okay?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Enigma nodded slowly, stifling his sobs. He had never cried so much in his life. His eyes was hurting like it never did before. ¡°Mysty¡­¡± Enigma cried harder as he thought of the older girl¡¯s ever-smiling face. ¡°She¡­! She¡¯s in danger¡­! The bad people! The bad people took her away¡ª!¡± ¡°Mysty? Who¡¯s that? Bad people? Can you tell me more about this?¡± The man¡¯s back straightened as his eyes sharpened. As he thought, the boy was definitely running away from something, or someone. ¡°Mysty, family¡­ The bad people¡­ they suddenly came¡­ they chased us¡­ then, Mysty took me to that place with that thing, and then¡­ and then¡­ they got her¡­!¡± The man found it a bit difficult to understand what the little boy was saying, but he had gotten the gist of it. ¡°I see. Don¡¯t worry, little boy. I¡¯ll find Mysty for you.¡± The man smiled reassuringly, patting the boy¡¯s head. Enigma brushed away the man¡¯s hand with a glare, ¡°don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t call me ¡®little boy¡¯! I¡¯m, my name, is Enigma!¡± Seeing that the little boy had calmed down somewhat, the man breathed a small sigh of relief. ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s my bad, Enigma.¡± He stood up straight, then held out his hand to Enigma, ¡°come with me, Enigma. I¡¯ll take you to a safe place. Get some rest, and I¡¯ll find you when I find out more about your situation, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Nn.¡± Enigma hesitated, but ultimately took his hand. He wanted to return to Mystery¡¯s side as soon as possible and the man seemed to be his only hope. . . . Mystery felt as if she was floating on air. Within a corner of her consciousness, she could see Eni being taken away to an orphanage, a clean and nice-looking man holding his hands. Mystery breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like her efforts were not in vain. He was safe. She closes her eyes, and when she opened them up again, what greeted her was Joseph¡¯s intoxicated face. ¡°Mystery¡­ you¡¯re awake.¡± He smiled, contentedly lying beside her. Mystery realised that she was lying on a bed. A thick, circular cuff chained both of her wrists to the bed. ¡°What is this?¡± She frowned, tugging her arms. Surprisingly, her body felt weak and the cuffs seemed to be¡­ draining her strength? ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do this to you, Mystery, but you left me no choice.¡± Joseph says, his eyes downcast. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take any chances. After all, being hostile is one thing, but you slipping off from me again would be bad, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± He asked rhetorically, caressing the girl¡¯s soft skin. He stared at the girl¡¯s exquisite little face with darkened eyes. ¡°I told my father to give me some time with you before I turn you in¡­ what a pity. I didn¡¯t want to let you go, but alas. The big man has spoken.¡± A sadness filled his heart as he thought of Mystery¡¯s fate. Without waiting for her reply, Joseph leaned into her, stealing a gentle kiss. He had wanted to taste her lips for the longest time, and it was only now that he had gotten the chance. Mystery tugged her wrists harder as she tried to get the man off of her. The man complied helplessly. It was clear that the girl did not want to be with him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll save you¡­¡± He hugged her close, breathing in her scent for one last time before somebody knocked on his door. His brows scrunched. ¡°So the time has come,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mystery. I promise I¡¯ll take you away once they¡¯re done.¡± He kissed her one last time, then injected her again with the sleeping agent that the company was researching. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Mystery fell unconscious. And she continued to remain unconscious for a very, very long time. Mystery and Enigma (14) A young man was casually leaning against the wall, observing the hustle and bustle around him. A pair of pitch black and bulky earphones was placed around his neck and a light tune could be heard from it. ¡®He¡¯s coming!¡¯ Hearing the voice, the youth finally spurred into motion. He leisurely walked out on the streets. He was looking down on his bracelet, not paying attention to the road. Suddenly¡ª Bam! He walked right into a person. The person fell down. The young man showed a surprised and flustered expression. ¡°Sorry, man! I wasn¡¯t looking at where I was going!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, I wasn¡¯t, too.¡± The man that he had just ran into waved his hand carelessly. He glanced behind him, his gait betraying his haste. The young man held out his hand to help the fallen man up. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± He scrunched his brows apologetically. The man accepted his hands, allowing himself to be pulled up. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He flashed a slight smile to the polite young man, then quickly scurried away as if running away from someone. Watching the retreating man¡¯s back with a peculiar gaze, he muttered, ¡°Really sorry.¡± The young man hid his hand that had just helped the stranger inside his sleeve, his fingers flexing as if he was typing something. ¡®Did you get it?¡¯ ¡°Mm. I got it.¡± ¡®Good.¡¯ His eyes glanced over at a figure that had just walked past him. The person had pulled up their hooded jacket and wore a pair of black visors, hiding their appearance. As if he had just coincidentally looked at the person, the young man¡¯s eyes roamed away casually. ¡®Meet me back at the base.¡¯ ¡°Mm.¡± The young man entered one of the many alleyways of the suburban district, disappearing into the shadows. When the young man appeared again, he entered the rather inconspicuous bar hidden in one of the alleys. ¡°Welcome to Bar Lucid Dreams. How may I help you?¡± The robot waitress greeted him. ¡°VIP lounge.¡± The young man whipped out a black membership card rimmed with neon purple highlights. The waitress accepted the card and scanned its surface. Then, she returned it back to him with a smile. ¡°Right this way, Mr. Enigma.¡± Without a word, Enigma followed the waitress up to the second floor. She placed her hand on the scanner next to it, and ushered him in politely. Inside the room, two people were waiting for him. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± One of them said. His voice sounded nasally, as if he was high on something. The other person, was exactly the same person he had been looking at just moments before he came to the bar. ¡°How come you¡¯re always faster than me?¡± Enigma clicked his tongue at the person. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for being the better agent.¡± The person crossed their arms and harrumphed. ¡°So? Where¡¯s the thing?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Calm down. I have it right here.¡± Enigma moved to the only monitor inside the room. He placed his hand on the black desk just under the monitor. The desk lighted up at his touch, showing that it was actually a touchscreen keyboard. The desk recognised his handprint and immediately gave him access to the monitor. Enigma took off his bracelet, placing it on the desk. The computer took five seconds to completely upload the files within his bracelet onto the monitor. Enigma clicked his tongue, ¡°your computer sure is a piece of junk.¡± The nasally-voiced man glared at him, ¡°hey! Don¡¯t complain. That¡¯s the best supercomputer I could afford with the peanuts you guys gave me. You think running this bar is cheap? Think about the maintenance cost. And the customers! Gods, why don¡¯t we ever have any customers¡ª¡° Enigma tuned out of the man¡¯s ramblings as he organised the files in his bracelet. He made a swiping motion on the desk and sent a copy of one of the files towards an icon that had appeared on it. Just as the icon flashed with a green circle, the hooded person¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡°I received it.¡± Enigma nodded, then picked up his bracelet from the desk. He secured it back on his wrist. The person browsed through the file, whistling in surprise. ¡°This guy¡¯s filthy rich.¡± ¡°It¡¯s stolen money.¡± Enigma says plainly. ¡°Are we going to return it?¡± ¡°Of course not. Do you know who that guy stole from? Pandora Corp! I bet you they won¡¯t even feel the loss if we don¡¯t return it.¡± Enigma contemplated the person¡¯s words, then nodded. ¡°True. Losing a few millions won¡¯t make them flustered.¡± ¡°So? How much is my cut?¡± The other man jumped eagerly at the mention of money. ¡°Your cut? If I recall correctly, you didn¡¯t help at all this time.¡± The person sneered. The person took off their jacket and removed their visor, revealing a girl in her teens, with a grotesque scar marring her otherwise gorgeous face. ¡°Hey, I provided a safehouse for you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°We paid for this room.¡± The girl stated, crossing her arms across her chest. The man coughed awkwardly. ¡°Fine, you win. I won¡¯t ask for it this time.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The girl harrumphed, condemning the man with her looks. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So? What are we going to do with the money?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll channel some of it to the others. Dean¡¯s equipment needs repair and repair needs money. As for the rest of the money¡­¡± She frowned. ¡°We¡¯re finally old enough to ride the spaceship, but there¡¯s not enough money to send all of us.¡± ¡°So that means we need to gather more funds?¡± Enigma sighed. He was getting tired of microstealing other people¡¯s money. Although hacking in to strangers¡¯ bank accounts is easy, it was a crime. It left a bad taste in his mouth. That was why, they tried to target those who were also criminals. ¡°Even if you guys have the money, you guys should wait for a while.¡± The man turned serious. ¡°I heard that something¡¯s going on in the motherland. Terrorists keep trying to attack, so the restrictions on spaceship passengers are getting tighter. They won¡¯t let you on unless you have a super clean record or a military permit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Enigma silently gazed at the girl. She had a few records of assault and battery on her plate, after all. That was far from ¡®super clean¡¯. The girl glared at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± He quietly opened a tab on his bracelet¡¯s browser. He hacked into the government¡¯s server and wiped out all of the girl¡¯s criminal records in seconds. The man looked back and forth at the two figure, a peculiar look in his eyes. ¡°¡­Good for you, Amara.¡± He finally said. He had noticed Enigma¡¯s actions and silently lit a candle on the officers who would misunderstand that Amara was a good girl. Even with the scar, if she kept her mouth shut, she would look like a docile and pretty girl. ¡°What!¡± Amara growled at him. ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t you guys have somewhere else to be?¡± Lucid Dreams¡¯ owner cleared his throat. Having these rebels in his establishment was bad luck, he thought. Enigma and Amara ignored his blatant words of wanting to kick them out, and instead spent another two hours in the VIP lounge. Finally, the two left, causing the man to almost burst into tears of joy. The two took the subway to a rundown district. The buildings there did not look so nice but it was all they could afford. The two headed to a warehouse and entered it. ¡°We¡¯re home~¡± Amara greeted cheerfully. ¡°Welcome home, Amara, Enigma.¡± The people inside warmly greeted them. There was five people altogether, three guys and two girls. They all looked roughly around the same age. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Enigma, here.¡± One of the girls handed Enigma a small, rectangular box. ¡°We went back to the old orphanage this morning and I finally found what you were looking for.¡± Enigma¡¯s heart thumped. ¡°You did?!¡± A rare look of excitement filled his eyes, shocking his companions. Enigma was usually very stoic, and to get some kind of genuine reaction from him was a novelty. Enigma accepted the box. ¡°Where did you find it?¡± ¡°It turns out that damned Warren hid it in the headmistress¡¯ office. No wonder we couldn¡¯t find it anywhere.¡± The girl sneered, thinking of the jerk that kept bullying them back when they were still in the orphanage. ¡°Oh¡­ what¡¯s important is that we found it. Thank you, you guys.¡± Enigma gave them a small but genuine smile in gratitude. The six people¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Enigma had always been a good-looking fellow, and when he smiled¡­ Ah. so blinding! For a moment, these people thought that it was a good thing that Enigma did not smile very often, else a trail of admirers would have already gathered under his feet. Mystery and Enigma (15) Enigma did not notice their reaction. Instead, he fully concentrated on the box in his hands. He slowly opened it, revealing its content. A bracelet, much like the one he and everyone else was wearing, rested inside the box. The only difference was that the bracelet was a custom-made one with a sleek design. The letter ¡®M¡¯ was engraved on it. The bracelet was slender; as if it was meant for a lady. Yes, it was the exact same bracelet that Mystery had given Enigma before they separated. Unfortunately, Enigma had lost it a few years afterwards; some boy in the same orphanage had been jealous of him, and stole the bracelet when he was not looking. He had searched for it high and low, and even got into multiple fights with the boy, but the boy somehow forgot where he hid it. Until now, the bracelet remained unfound. Enigma ran his thumb on the engraved initial. ¡°Mysty¡­¡± he muttered quietly. Longing filled his gaze. He brought the bracelet close to his face, resting his forehead on it. ¡°Mysty¡­¡± Sadness filled his heart. So many years had gone by, and her scent had already disappeared from the impersonal piece of technology. ¡°It was dead when we found it, but I already fixed it. Some data might be missing, though. It¡¯s something personal for you, so I didn¡¯t dare to check the contents.¡± One of the guys explained, Dean, explained. ¡°Thanks.¡± Enigma pressed on the flat surface of the bracelet. The activation process was simpler than the bracelet he had on. All he needed was scan his thumbprint on it. Luckily, Mystery had already inputted his thumbprint in the bracelet, so he was able to access it easily. He browsed through the bracelet¡¯s content. Enigma froze. He had somehow stumbled on a file titled ¡®Eni¡¯s 18th birthday¡¯. His fingers trembled. He tapped on the file icon, revealing two other files inside. One was a video. Shakily, he tapped on the video file. A hologram popped out from the bracelet, making him jump. ¡°Play video.¡± He says, commanding the voice-activation system with a hoarse voice. The video started to play. The camera focused on a smiling Mystery. ¡°Hello, Enigma.¡± Mystery¡¯s sweet and melodious voice sounded. Enigma¡¯s legs almost buckled from the nostalgia. He had forgotten how much he missed her until then. Even though they had many questions about the spectacle, the six people near him kept their quiet. They knew this was a personal moment for Enigma. ¡°Mysty¡­¡± He choked.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Eni, how are you? Are you well? Are you happy?¡± Mystery¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°By now, I assume that I¡¯ve already left your side. Am I right?¡± She smiled up to the camera. ¡°!¡± He shuddered. Was Mystery planning on leaving him all along? Bitterness filled his heart at the thought. ¡°Eni¡­ listen. Do you remember what I¡¯ve always told you?¡± Mystery¡¯s gazed turned serious. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Eni. You¡¯re a very special boy, you know that?¡± Mystery sighed helplessly. ¡°Since you¡¯re probably an adult now, then there¡¯s no need for me to hide anything. Eni, do you remember that story I told you? The story about the special boy with the gift of sharing.¡± Mystery smiled, as if it was just yesterday that she had told the story to him. Which was probably true, since the video was dated exactly the day after. Enigma could not help but smile sadly at the memory. He had been so inquisitive back then, and Mystery probably gave up telling him the story halfway. ¡°That story, it was about you.¡± Mystery said. ¡°Although I simplified and sugar-coated it quite a lot, it will one day come true.¡± ¡°What?¡± Enigma trembled. What did she mean? ¡°Mysty¡­ why?¡± ¡°Eni, remember the story.¡± Mystery stared straight into the camera, voice firm. ¡°Hurry, before it¡¯s too late. They¡¯re already moving. Soon, they¡¯ll find me.¡± ¡°Mysty! Who are ¡®they¡¯?! Who¡¯s after you?!¡± Enigma cried at the two-dimensional footage. ¡°If¡­ if I¡¯m not with you, Eni¡­ that means¡­ Pandora has already found me.¡± The Mystery in the video casted her eyes downwards, concealing her sadness. ¡°Save me, Eni.¡± Mystery wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes, ¡°Happy Eight...teenth birthday, Eni. I love you. Always.¡± The video ended. Silence consumed the room. Enigma lowered his head, hiding his reddened face with his long bangs. ¡°¡­¡± The rest did not dare say anything. Enigma was showing so much emotion. It was more than they thought he was capable of showing. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Enigma fiercely rubbed his face. Mystery was in danger, and he might even be too late. This was not the time for him to wallow in sorrow. He returned his focus to Mystery¡¯s bracelet. There was another file he had yet to explore. It was labelled ¡®present¡¯. He tapped on it. Suddenly, a window popped out.
Transferring assets¡­
Processing¡­
Transaction complete. Check balance?
Yes No
Enigma tapped on ¡®Yes¡¯. Then, he was stunned. The moment he had clicked on the file, a program was activated, allowing instantaneous transfers of all of Mystery¡¯s assets to him. All the properties that she owned, all the businesses, and all her bank accounts¡­ were now placed under his name! He had hit the jackpot! Enigma gaped. He knew she was loaded, since, back then, his life had been pretty convenient. But, he didn¡¯t know she was that rich. He vaguely remembered all those years ago, when Mystery would just sit in front of her monitor and stare at it for hours on end¡­ A bittersweet feeling washed over him. Could it be that Mystery had done all of that, for him? ¡°Hey, Amara¡­¡± Enigma dazedly called out to the scar-ry girl. ¡°What is it?¡± Amara cautiously replied. Enigma seemed to be in a sensitive mood, so she did not dare to use her usual tone on him. ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯ve found a solution for our problem.¡± ¡°What?¡± Enigma turned towards the crowd and rotated the holographic screen towards them. The people squinted their eyes, trying to read it¡­ ¡°¡­WHAT.¡± A hushed silence filled the warehouse once again. Their eyes widened, and their mouthsgaped. A fly might even fly into their their gaping mouths. ¡°¡­Am I hallucinating¡­?¡± ¡°Is this real¡­?¡± Amara slapped the person next to her, Lukas, making him fall to the ground. ¡°Ow! Hey, what was that for?!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s real¡­¡± Then, everybody freaked out. Mystery and Enigma (15.5) Midmorning, Summer of the year 3XXX. "Mysty, what kind of flavour should we pick this year?" Enigma who was sitting on Mystery''s lap was excitedly browsing through a cake catalogue of a nearbybakery. "Hm~ I''m fine with anything~" Mystery hummed as she played with his soft and silky black hair. Today was the day before his birthday, and he was looking forward to celebrating it. "How about this one? Or this one? This one looks tasty, too." Enigma pointed at the different cakes that was shown in the catalogue. "How about we get all of them?" "No~ I can''t finish all of them myself~" "Then hurry and choose, Eni~" "A~h! This one! I want this one!" Finally, after much deliberation, Enigma finally chose a cake. Mystery immediately booked an order for the cake, "it''s final, okay? No take-backs, okay?" "Geez~ I''m not a kid anymore! I''ll be eight tomorrow! Only little kids change their minds quickly." Enigma puffed his cheeks. "Sure, sure~" "Ah! Mysty, you placed the wrong order!" Enigma noticed her actions and immediately stopped her hand. "What? This is the right cake, though?" "No~ you chose ''pick-up'' instead of ''delivery''~ that''s wrong~" Hearing his words, Mystery smiled mysteriously. "That''s right, though~" Mystery gently pushed away his little palms and tapped on the ''''confirm order'' button. "Your order has been placed. Your cake will be ready in two hours. Please come to the selected branch store to pick up your order. Thank you for choosing Flavours Bakery. Please come again!" A mechanical female voice chimed. "Are we going to go get it ourselves?" Enigma asked sullenly. He had already planned to play games the whole day and this had greatly affected his schedule. "I''m not." Mystery smiled slyly. "You are~" "Huh?" "Enigma, since you''re all grown up, it''s time for me to send you on your first errand." Mystery pushed Enigma off her lap and placed her hands on his shoulders firmly, a serious look on her face. "An... errand?" Enigma''s face twisted. In this day and age, which kid would need to actually go to the store directly for an errand? At most, the ''errand'' for a modern kid like him was basically just keying in the grocery list into some store''s website, and the store''s delivery service would send the groceries directly to their doorsteps. "This is child abuse," Enigma said, still pouting. "Go get dressed~" Mystery laughed, ignoring his protests. "Fine." Enigma grumbled, but still obediently changed into more suitable clothing. With an unsatisfied face, he grudgingly entered their private aerocar. Mystery inputted his destination, and with a kiss on the forehead, she sent him off.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "Come back soon~" She waved at the boy who was still frowning inside the aerocar. "..." After watching the boy fly away, Mystery re-entered their house. She went straight to their bedroom which contained the wall-sized monitor that she had installed for convenience. There was not much time to spare. The bakery was just in the neighbouring building; Enigma would be home as soon as the cake was finished. She activated the computer and pulled out its attached keyboard. She took off her bracelet and connected it to the computer. Mystery generated a tiny bit of her divine sense and fueled it into the keyboard. In mere seconds, as if it had a life on its own, windows upon windows were opened. Walls of texts flashed by in each tab. Mystery swiped her hand over the keyboard, making sure that the software program would run as it was intended. Once the first part was done, all that was left was for her to record the ''legacy video'', as she dubbed it. Mystery waved her hand, and the bracelet disconnected from the computer on its own. She made it levitate in front of her, with the camera function opened. "Ah, ah~ ah~ ah!" Before she started the recording, she cleared her throat, testing different tones of voices. As if finally finding the correct one, she nodded in satisfaction. Mystery rubbed her face roughly and pinched herself until her eyes almost watered. Staring at the front camera and seeing her somewhat melancholic face, Mystery muttered, "perfect." "Start recording." Mystery''s aura changed, as if she was an actor in front of the camera who was getting into her role. ¡°Hello, Enigma.¡± Mystery started. She vaguely imagined how Enigma would look like by the time he discovered the video.¡°Eni, how are you? Are you well? Are you happy?¡± Mystery¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°By now, I assume that I¡¯ve already left your side. Am I right?¡± She smiled up to the camera. Ah, keep up the sad eyes! Sad eyes! ¡°Eni¡­ listen. Do you remember what I¡¯ve always told you?¡± Mystery says, making her face look stern for added effect. It was important to use foreshadowing, especially since she was about to leave him with a sketchy video about his background. ¡°Eni. You¡¯re a very special boy, you know that?¡± It''s a hint! Catch it! ¡°Since you¡¯re probably an adult now, then there¡¯s no need for me to hide anything. Eni, do you remember that story I told you? The story about the special boy with the gift of sharing.¡±Mystery smiled, remembering the nosy boy who kept butting in while she was telling him the story the day before. That silly child; he didn''t even know that the story was just the first phase~ ¡°That story, it was about you.¡±Mystery paused, picturing an orchestra playing a dramatic tune in the background in her mind.¡°Although I simplified and sugar-coated it quite a lot, it will one day come true.¡± ¡°Eni, remember the story.¡± Mystery stared straight into the camera, voice firm. ¡°Hurry, before it¡¯s too late. They¡¯re already moving. Soon, they¡¯ll find me.¡± Dun, dun duuuun, the orchestra sounded. ¡°If¡­ if I¡¯m not with you, Eni¡­ that means¡­ Pandora has already found me.¡± Mystery scratched her thigh until she drew blood. Trembling from the pain, she bit her lips. She lowered her head, hiding her face that was already dripping with cold sweat. The cut she made had been too deep! What a mistake. ¡°Save me, Eni.¡± Her voice was impossibly sorrowful and pained. Tears filled her eyes as she mutedly tried to stop the blood from her thigh. Mystery wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes, ¡°Happy Eight...teenth birthday, Eni. I love you. Always.¡± "Stop recording." Finally, she released the breath she had been holding. "Ah, #^%&*^! That %&^(*& hurts!" Mystery blurted out some curses. She eyed her bleeding thigh with an annoyed glance. She gritted her teeth, taking out a porcelain bottle from out of nowhere. She uncapped the bottle and tipped it into her palm. A small pill rolled out from the bottle, emitting a medicinal scent. She immediately swallowed it, then sat in a meditative pose. In the blink of an eye, the pill''s effect kicked in and the self-inflicted wound on her thigh healed. "Tsk. The things I dotocreate plotlines." Mystery muttered under her breath. Mystery immediately cleaned up the bloody mess she had made and erased all evidence of her activities. Soon, the room appeared as normal as it had always been. "Ah, I almost forgot." Mystery took out a piece of paper from within her wide sleeves. It was the script which she had used for the video. Mystery scanned the paper, frowning. "Ah, I missed saying that part." Mystery shrugged, "oh, well." She casually tossed the paper into the air, and snapped her wrist. A fire was suddenly lit under the paper, and in mere seconds, it burned into ashes. All of these took less than an hour. When Enigma returned with the cake, Mystery congratulated him with a smile, looking as if she had not just planted his ''sad backstory'' flag. Mystery and Enigma (16) ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡± maniacal laughter filled the space. ¡°We¡¯re rich! We¡¯re filthy rich!¡± ¡°No more sleeping on uncomfortable beds! No more sleeping in unheated buildings!¡± ¡°No more stealing! No more scrimping on food!¡± ¡°Gyahahahahahahahahahaha!¡± Enigma watched the crazed crowd, allowing himself to smile a little. All of them were forced to leave the orphanage when it closed down a few years ago, and since then, they had been working hard to feed themselves and make a decent life for themselves. Without Mystery¡¯s stashed funds, Enigma had also been treading on the edges of poverty. Thanks to his pricey equipment, there was barely enough money left for him to buy food. All this time, he had been relying on the disgusting nutrient supplements for sustenance. ¡°Hey, Eni¡­¡± One of the men sneaked close to Enigma, looking as if a pair of devil horns sprouted from his head. He rubbed his hands together, a sly smile on his face. Enigma did not bother to pay attention to him. He looked down at Mystery¡¯s bracelet and made a flurry of taps. Within a few seconds, the sound of notification bells could be heard from the others¡¯ bracelet.
M.E has deposited $1000000 into your bank account.
M.E has deposited $1000000 into your bank account.
M.E has deposited $1000000 into your bank account.
M.E has deposited $1000000 into your bank account.
M.E has deposited $1000000 into your bank account.
M.E has deposited $1000000 into your bank account.
¡°Eni¡­¡± The crowd looked touched. Some of their eyes reddened. ¡°Eni, all this time, I thought you were the devil, but you¡¯re actually a saint¡­!¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Eni, you didn¡¯t have to be so generous~¡± ¡°Eni, I¡¯ll follow you forever!¡± Of course, while they were singing praises to Enigma, their eyes never left the series of digits in their bank accounts. Though the atmosphere was no longer tense, Enigma could not forget about Mystery¡¯s message. While the rest were still enjoying their joyous occasion, Enigma quietly slipped away. He climbed up the roof of the warehouse. The warehouse was one of the rare few buildings that had less than ten floors. It was easy for anyone to climb up to the roof, but there was really nothing special about the place. The area was not good, and tall skyscrapers obstructed the view from all sides. And as a result of industrialisation, not many stars could be seen, either. But, it was the kind of place that gave one peace and quiet. Enigma sat alone. He replayed Mystery¡¯s message over and over again, as if branding the image of the girl in his mind. ¡°Mysty, wait for me¡­!¡± Enigma muttered. In his head, plans were already forming. He pondered about what he should do. In any case, with the help of his friends, he could definitely try to get Mystery back. Enigma replayed the video one last time. ¡°Pandora, Pandora¡­¡± The name sounded so familiar, he thought. ¡®Where have I heard it?¡¯ ¡°¡­!¡± He recalled Amara¡¯s words. Could it be that the ¡®Pandora¡¯ that Mystery mentioned be Pandora Corp? It was plausible. After all, a big company like Pandora definitely had some backhanded dealings in the past. Human experiments could be one of them. But why Mystery, in particular¡­? ¡°¡­¡± Deep down, he knew why. They were special, Mystery always said. She used to teach him a few tricks when he was younger. She¡¯d taught him how to levitate and how to make things move with but a thought, but that was about it. Since she had constantly warned him to keep his gift a secret, he had never told anyone or used it consciously. He was not like Amara, who used her powers as she liked. Since Mystery had told him so, he never dared to show his powers in public. He had also watched one-too-many dramas to know that it was dangerous for him and his surroundings to use his powers so freely. Enigma sighed for the n-th time. The more he sought for answers, the more confused he became. Who came for them that night? Who were they hiding from? Why did Mystery send him away? ¡°Enigma, it¡¯s time to call it a night!¡± Amara¡¯s head popped out from one of the windows below the roof. She beckoned him to come inside, slightly shivering from the cold wind. Enigma snapped out from his thoughts and climbed down, following her inside. ¡°The others were discussing about getting a new lair. What do you think we should get? Dean says he wants to go check out some new tools and upgrade his old ones soon. He¡¯s so happy that he doesn¡¯t need to go to secondhand stores anymore, but I say he should save some money for the future, but he doesn¡¯t listen¡ª¡° Amara kept talking as they retired to their cots. There was no separate bedrooms in the warehouse, so the seven people simply shared their sleeping space. Since the place was unheated, they could only huddle together at night to keep warm. ¡°Let¡¯s make today the last day we sleep in this gods-forsaken building¡­¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± ¡°Tomorrow, let¡¯s eat at that high-class restaurant down Luxury Street¡­¡± ¡°Then, we should get some nicer clothes first¡­¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± The group chattered as they drifted to sleep. Mystery and Enigma (17) ¡°Roll call!¡± Amara stood in front of her six family members like a drill sergeant, completely with a mock-stern face and strict tone. ¡°Dean!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Lukas!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ¡°Belle!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Joy?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m up!¡± ¡°West!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Enigma!¡± ¡°¡­Mmfh.¡± Five enthusiastic voices and one noncommittal voice replied the girl. Enigma yawned, squinting his tired eyes. He had slept very late the night before. So many thoughts circulated around his head and kept him awake. It was only an hour before Amara made them get up that he finally managed to fall asleep. However, the rest appeared to be in good moods and woke up early. They had decided to go house-hunting. With Enigma¡¯s inheritance backing them, they were free to choose their new house, considering their high budget. ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± Enigma waved them away, retiring back to bed. ¡°What? You can¡¯t do that! You¡¯re the main character, after all,¡± Joy says, pulling his arm. Enigma turned away from the girl, burying his face into the pillow. Soon enough, he fell asleep. ¡°Let¡¯s just go, Joy. He looks really tired.¡± Belle tugged the other girl, pulling her away. ¡°Fine, then.¡± Joy reluctantly followed the group, finally leaving Enigma alone to get his much-needed rest. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we can just send the bill to him later,¡± Lukas says, smiling shadily. ¡°Hey, cut him some slack! We should pool our money and pay for the new house together¡­¡± Belle reprimanded Lukas, reminding him that Enigma had already given them a hefty amount of cash to spend. ¡°But the money he gave us barely made a dent in his bank account~¡± ¡°I see, so this is what ¡®giving an inch and asking for a mile¡¯ meant,¡± West noted, nodding his head. ¡°Hey!¡± The group bantered as they left the warehouse. With no one left to bother him, Enigma managed to sleep peacefully. It was only nine hours later that he woke up, feeling refreshed. Feeling hungry, he rummaged around the pantry for some food, but all that was left was a few packets of ramen-flavoured nutrition supplements¡ªthe cheapest kind one could buy. He eyed the packets with a disgusted expression. He was better off ordering some take-outs instead. Although store-bought food was not as good as those classy restaurants¡¯ that used fresh and organic ingredients, they were still much better than the nutrition packets. Since he was feeling lazy, he decided to order some food from a chain restaurant closest to the warehouse. Three hours later, the six finally returned. ¡°I told you that #7 was better! Or #10. I was fine with either of the two!¡± Lukas grumbled. ¡°What are you talking about? #13 was definitely the best choice! It has a large veranda, and we even have free access to the rooftop park!¡± Joy shot back, rolling her eyes. ¡°Who cares about some rooftop park?! The internet speed in #7 was the best among all of the rest, you know?!¡± ¡°Grr!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Lukas and Joy clearly had differing opinions during the house-hunt. In the end, the group chose the fifteenth house they visited, much to the dismay of Lukas. ¡°Enigma, you should start packing. We can move in tomorrow.¡± Amara says, ignoring the quarrelling duo. ¡°Guys, I have something I want to talk about.¡± Enigma says to the group, causing them to quieten. ¡°What is it, Enigma? Why so serious¡­?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Is it about¡­ that Mysty person?¡± Enigma nodded. ¡°Who is she anyway?¡± ¡°Mysty is¡­ my sister.¡± A complicated gaze flitted Enigma¡¯s face. All this time, he was unsure of Mystery¡¯s relation to him. Back then, he had asked the same question to her. ¡°Mysty, how come I don¡¯t have parents? All the other kids in the building keep making fun of me because they have never seen my parents.¡± ¡°What? Who are the kids? I¡¯ll go teach them a lesson¡­¡± ¡°Mysty! You still haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ uh¡­ they¡¯re¡­ far away.¡± ¡°Mysty, are you my sister?¡± Enigma tilted his head. He figured that it was impossible for Mystery to be his mother since she seemed to be much too young to be one. A helpless look flashed on her face as Mystery smiled awkwardly. ¡°¡­Sure. Something like that.¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter! You¡¯re the only family I need!¡± He cuddled up to the girl, throwing away the subject. He couldn¡¯t care less what their relation was as long as he was together with her. ¡°Yes, yes~ Eni, you¡¯re so sweet~ Kyaa~¡± ¡°Eni? Enigma?¡± Amara waved her hand vigorously in front of Enigma, snapping him out of his daze. ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°I asked you, what happened to her?¡± ¡°Mystery¡­ she was kidnapped by some unknown people the same day I came to this planet.¡± ¡°Mystery¡­? So you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Ah, Mysty¡¯s full name is Mystery. And no, I don¡¯t know where she is now or what happened back then. But I have a strong feeling that maybe, Pandora Corp¡­ was the one that took her away.¡± ¡°Mystery¡­ and Enigma? Your parents sure have a way in naming their kids, huh.¡± Dean remarked. Enigma sent a sidelong glance at Dean, not bothering to correct him. ¡°But what makes you think that it was Pandora Corp?¡± ¡°For one thing, I can¡¯t think of any other ¡®Pandora¡¯ that can hire so many experts just to capture some kids. Another thing is¡­ Mystery is the same as me. No, she¡¯s even stronger than me.¡± ¡°¡±¡°What?!¡±¡±¡± ¡°So you weren¡¯t the only one in your family? Does this mean that the superpowers are genetically passed down¡­?¡± There was only so much that they knew about the superhumans. Enigma and Amara were the only two superhumans in the group, after all. Their powers were totally different from one another, too. One had super strength while the other had telekinesis. Researching their powers was difficult as well, since they needed to keep it hidden. ¡°Then, we have to save Mystery!¡± Belle says, a worried look on her face. ¡°¡±Yeah!¡±¡± The others parroted her. To them, they were all each other had. Knowing that Enigma still had a living relative also made them happy but worried at the same time. According to what they knew, Mystery was in a precarious situation. If Enigma¡¯s deduction was true, then they might face some troubles in trying to save her. Enigma felt his heart grow warm. He had grown up with all of them together and they were very close. He was fine with going to find Mystery alone, but knowing that they wanted to help him without showing even an ounce of hesitation caused him to feel touched. ¡°Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate it.¡± Enigma says, lowering his head. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to do it alone, so don¡¯t worry and just rely on us, okay?¡± West patted Enigma¡¯s shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°Alright! We should get to work as soon as possible, then!¡± Dean stretched out his arms upwards, a roguish grin on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s start brainstorming, then,¡± Lukas suggested. The seven huddled together in a circle and sat down. Multiple holographic screens were projected in the middle of the circle, with Enigma controlling it. ¡°Before I came here, Mysty and I lived on the mainland.¡± Enigma made the projection zoom into the planet in question. ¡°We lived in Z City.¡± He showed the penthouse they lived in. ¡±I¡¯ve lived there for as long as I remember.¡± He pulled out a picture of Mystery, screenshotted from the video. Mystery had never liked taking photos, so he could only use a screenshot instead. ¡°This is Mysty. I don¡¯t know how old she is, but judging from her outward appearance, she must have been about¡­ seven years older? She, as you know, is somehow extremely rich." The rest scrutinised Mystery¡¯s picture. ¡°She¡¯s so pretty,¡± Joy remarked, letting out an amazed sigh. ¡°I know, right,¡± the rest nodded in agreement. Before this, they were only able to take small peeks, but seeing the girl¡¯s face so clearly dazed them. She shared the same golden eyes as Enigma, but instead of the sharp and cold glint in Enigma¡¯s eyes, Mystery¡¯s eyes were more doe-like, gentle and soft. Her hair was also as white as snow, which starkly contrasted from Enigma¡¯s pitch-black hair. ¡°Hey, who do you take after, your mom or your dad?¡± Amara asked him curiously. While the two shared some resemblance, they ultimately did not look similar at all. If not for the rather unique eye colour, one would probably be unable to link them together as siblings. ¡°¡­¡± Enigma ignored her question. Rather, he did not know how to answer the question, since he also did not know. "I don¡¯t know about my parents. Mysty never talked about them.¡± ¡°As I have mentioned before, Mystery was taken away one night, and she sent me away. I suppose it was her way of trying to keep me safe.¡± Remembering the memory of that night caused a sour feeling to appear in his heart. Enigma frowned, sighing. ¡°Mysty has always taken care of me. I never knew we were even being tracked by someone. That was why, yesterday, I dug into Pandora Corp¡¯s servers to see if I can find something. Anything.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a crime, isn¡¯t it¡­¡± Belle sighed. A leopard can¡¯t change its spots in one day, she thought. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t find anything. At least, not on the surface.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I had to dig really deep for these.¡± Enigma pulled out multiple windows. Each one of them contained sensitive and undisclosed information regarding Pandora Corp. Alongside the windows, he also showed them several news articles. ¡°If you look at the date and location of the recent ¡®terrorist attacks¡¯ in the news, you can see that it coincides with these reports." He moved a pair of windows and placed it side-by-side for reference. ¡°See, the one on the left is the report I found in Pandora¡¯s secret archives, while the one on the right is an article by the Frontier News.¡± ¡°But couldn¡¯t that be just a coincidence?¡± Enigma shook his head, ¡°I thought so too at first. But, look at this part of the report.¡± He highlighted a paragraph from Pandora¡¯s report. ¡°¡ªSubject attacked the observers and managed to run away. Troops were immediately dispatched to subdue the subject, but a building was destroyed in the process. Results showed that subject is able to control his powers better under pressure. Evidence taken from the site shows a 20.54% increase in solidity of subject¡¯s ice manifestation. Further training is needed before subject can achieve the desired level of solidity.¡± Enigma also read an excerpt of the news, ¡°¡ªA building was destroyed in F City¡¯s commercial district. It is believed that it was a terrorist attack by an unidentified group. Traces of melted water and ice spikes could be found within the building, showing that the terrorist carried an endothermic bomb which exploded in the building, thus causing its destruction. Actions were quickly taken by the government and the terrorist has long been captured and taken in for questioning.¡± A peculiar air enveloped the group. ¡°Does that mean¡­ what I think it means?¡± The five glanced at Amara and Enigma. A feeling of excitement caused their hearts to beat faster. Dean jumped, his eyes wide open, ¡°Pandora Corp is investigating superhumans?!¡± Mystery and Enigma (18) ¡°Eni, how did you even manage to get that information?¡± Compared to Dean¡¯s elation, Amara and the rest were feeling conflicted. They knew that Enigma was an amazing hacker; they had worked with him for so many years, after all. But to break into a massive company like Pandora and steal that kind of confidential information unscathed was a crazy move. They didn¡¯t even realise what he was up to the whole day! ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They didn¡¯t even notice me at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s beside the point,¡± Dean butted in. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys realise?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think, Pandora Corp isn¡¯t just simply investigating superhumans, but also¡­ experimenting.¡± Enigma nodded, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re about right.¡± He pulled out another report. ¡°This is one of the oldest reports I could get my hands on. It was tough getting it since it was so heavily protected.¡± He allowed the rest to take some time to read the report. By the time they finished, their mouths were wide open. ¡°W-what is this?!¡± Belle cried. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± ¡°Pandora¡¯s business runs deeper than we thought.¡± West placed a hand on his chin in a thinking manner. ¡°Gene modification is illegal, isn¡¯t it?!¡± Lukas exclaimed. From the report, they found out that Pandora Corp had been modifying DNAs and implanting questionable genes into babies. ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Enigma added another report into the heap. It was about a research on a ¡®magical concoction¡¯ that allowed people to manifest superpowers. ¡°Oh my gods¡­¡± one of them gasped. ¡°They¡¯re torturing these people!¡± Amara raised her head to look at Enigma, showing him a complicated look. ¡°It seems like your sister is one out of many victims.¡± Enigma nodded, but he was not finished with his presentation yet. ¡°These are the video reports that I managed to grab before I left Pandora¡¯s archives.¡± He played the most recent video. In the video, several young children were placed in chairs with restraints. The children screamed as though they were in immense pain. Every once in a while, an observer would comment on their conditions with an apathetic voice.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! As soon as the video ended, another one automatically played. In this video, a young girl was bleeding from her five orifices as she begged and pounded on the glass wall. The space around her seemed to contort, as if her powers¡ªgravity¡ªwas out of control. However, the observers did not signal her to stop until she collapsed ten minutes later. They watched the recordings one after another, each one unveiling more and more of the horrors hidden underneath Pandora Corp''s pristine reputation. ¡°We need to do something!¡± Belle sobbed. Watching the videos pained her deeply. All those people who became the test subjects were clearly unwilling. ¡°Saving one person is one thing, but if we want to save all of them, then we might have to bring the whole corporation down.¡± West says, warning her. ¡°But¡ª!¡± Belle was someone with a soft heart; she could not bear to see such young children in so much pain and suffering. She pleaded to the rest. Amara, who had been quiet the whole time, finally opened her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Amara stared at ach one of them with a firm gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s destroy Pandora.¡± ¡°Are you being serious right now?¡± West laughed nervously. Deep down, he knew that what Amara says, she will definitely do. She was that type of person, after all. Meeting her resolute gaze, West could only sigh. ¡°Fine, then. Let¡¯s do it. Are you guys in?¡± Dean twisted his head, as if contemplating. ¡°Hm~m. Well, it can¡¯t be helped; I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m in, too!¡± Enigma nodded his head slowly. ¡°As long as I can save Mysty, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°You guys¡ª!¡± Belle sobbed, her eyes glittering with gratitude. She knew that the task was nigh impossible, but the rest went along with it for her sake. ¡°One for all and all for one,¡± Joy says, smiling. She patted the other girl¡¯s arm reassuringly. The seven spent the whole night poring through the materials Enigma had found while simultaneously forming a plan. The next morning, the seven hauled a cab and headed to their new residence with the miniscule amount of luggage that they had. ¡°Oh, speaking of which, what should we call ourselves?¡± As they were putting their luggage in the boot, Joy asks. ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°Call ourselves?¡± Amara repeated her words, tilting her head quizzically. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be cooler if our group had a name? Like ¡®the Vigilantes¡¯ or something.¡± Joy grinned. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea. Let¡¯s choose one!¡± Dean agreed. ¡°Childish.¡± Enigma raised an eyebrow at their happy-go-lucky behaviour. It was as if they had not been planning the destruction of a multi-trillion conglomerate just the night before. ¡°Why not? That seems fun.¡± Amara poked her head out from the aerocar, sharing Joy¡¯s grin. ¡°So? What should our group name be?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°This is surprisingly hard, huh?¡± Lukas commented, laughing nonchalantly. He turned towards Enigma. ¡°What about you, Eni? You came up with your hacker name yourself, right?¡± ¡°Oh, ¡®Spectre¡¯, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Dean remarked. ¡°Coming and going like a ghost; before you realised it, your money¡¯s been stolen by ¡®Spectre¡¯!¡± He cackled, making up a catchphrase for Enigma¡¯s hacker identity. Enigma sent him an annoyed glare. ¡°¡¯Spectre¡¯, huh¡­¡± Amara thought deeply. Suddenly, she brightened. ¡°Ah! I know!¡± ¡°Did you think of one, Amara?¡± Amara grinned, ¡°What about ¡®the Seven Spectres¡¯?¡± ¡°The Seven Spectres¡­¡± The rest mulled over the name. ¡°Yeah, that sounds nice. Good going, Amara!¡± Seeing that the name sounded both cool and ominous, the rest simply agreed with Amara¡¯s choice, praising her. And so, that was how the infamous rebel organisation, the Seven Spectres, got its name¡­ Mystery and Enigma (19) Bar Lucid Dreams, VIP lounge. ¡°So? Why are you guys here again?¡± Lucid, the owner of Lucid Dreams asked with a weathered look. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re having a housewarming party.¡± Amara replied with a nonchalant tone. She swirled the wine glass in her hand as she leaned into her seat in a relaxed manner. It had been a while since the lot of them celebrated so lavishly, so she intended to savour her beverage slowly. ¡°¡­¡± Housewarming parties should be held at your own house! He wanted to retort. However, just one glance at Amara immediately caused him to shut his trap. The girl was probably drunk, and that might not bode well for whomever that decided to offend her right now. He wasn¡¯t going to take any chances. He still valued his safety, after all. ¡°Are we bothering you, uncle?¡± Belle tilted her head worryingly. Seeing the girl, Lucid could only helplessly smile. ¡°No, of course not. I haven¡¯t had many customers around lately, so having you kids around livens my mood.¡± Lucid¡¯s tone changed to a more amiable one as he spoke to her. To him, aside from Belle, the other six were hooligans. Heck, some of them were downright criminals! But Belle was different. Even when she was younger, she was a sweet and gentle girl. Even if he was discontented with the rest, he did not dare to take it out on the girl. ¡°If you say so, uncle. Thank you!¡± Belle smiled sweetly. ¡°Seems like the profits from your last heist was big enough to afford a new place. Did you guys give up on going to the mainland?¡± Lucid raised his eyebrow. ¡°Eni received a hefty inheritance for his 18th birthday. Not just spaceship tickets, we can even afford a whole spaceship now!¡± Amara cheered, raising her glass. She freely told the information to Lucid, seeing as he was an old acquaintance that she trusted. ¡°Inheritance? Did you find your family?¡± Lucid snapped his head towards Enigma. He knew that Enigma only had one family member: Mystery. These past eleven years that he had known the boy, Lucid never stopped searching for any clues related to Mystery, just as he had promised the younger boy a long time ago. However, despite exhausting all his connections and searching everywhere, nothing came up. The search was fruitless but neither of them ever gave up.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Not yet. There are leads, but¡­¡± Enigma pursed his lips. The storm in his eyes showed his uncertainty. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Lucid¡¯s face changed into seriousness. Despite his attitude towards the group of rebellious kids, deep inside, he still cared for them. Back when he was a social worker, he had been in charge of their cases, after all. Having been in direct and close contact with the now-grown children for so long, obviously he held some affections for them. Even after he retired and opened up a bar, he still kept up his relationship with them. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I think of something,¡± says Enigma, bobbing his head in gratitude. ¡°Please do.¡± Lucid scratched his head and sighed. ¡°Wipe those solemn expression on your faces! It¡¯s time to par-tayyyyy!¡± Jumping on the leather seats, Dean shouted. Clearly, he was inebriated. Since it was a special occasion, the group had decided to splurge on alcohol, which they would come to regret the next morning as they suffered from its consequences. . . . Unknown Building, B City. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve finished calculating the most optimum route. Preparations are almost complete.¡± ¡°Hm, I see. Show me.¡± ¡°Right here, boss.¡± The man swiped a blueprint towards the man he called ¡®boss¡¯. ¡°The second emergency staircase? Amazing, I never would have thought to use that one since it¡¯s so obscure.¡± The boss nodded in approval. ¡°We¡¯ll set out in a month. For now, monitor that person¡¯s movements.¡± The boss says. The man nodded. He closed the screen showing the blueprint and watched as the boss busied himself with the other materials relevant to his masterplan. ¡°Um, boss?¡± The man hesitantly called out. ¡°If I may ask, just what are we looking for¡­?¡± The boss raised his head from the thing he was reading to look at the other man with an unreadable gaze. Seeing that look, the man panicked. ¡°Ah¡ªno¡ªI mean¡ªif I know exactly what we¡¯re looking for, then I might be able to devise a much better route to increase our success¡­!¡± The boss narrowed his eyes, ¡°ah, I see. Well, I suppose it would not do me any harm to tell you.¡± The other man silently heaved a sigh of relief at his boss¡¯ words. ¡°This is the ¡®goods¡¯ that I¡¯m looking for.¡± The boss raised a corner of his lips, smiling wryly as he passed a file towards the other man. ¡°¡­!¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened as he went through the file. His hands trembled due to his newfound knowledge. Attached on the front page, was a picture. A white-haired girl, eyes closed as if she was asleep. The picture was labelled: Project M ¨C Subject 0; Mystery [codename: Queen Bee]. Mystery and Enigma (20) MR-222¡¯s Spaceport, departure station. ¡°...¡± The officer held up the records of the person he was checking, his eyes alternating between the files and the real person standing in front of him. The girl in the picture attached to the digital records carried a rather rebellious expression, which further heightened the ferocity of her looks. With the scar on her face, she looked rather villainous. However, the same girl was currently standing in front of him, smiling sweetly. The officer tilted his head in puzzlement; the girl¡¯s records was quite clean, but something was nagging him in the back of his mind, as if something was wrong. After a few moments of deliberation, he shrugged his shoulders, ¡°...looks good to me. Go ahead; enjoy your ride.¡± In the end, he decided that he was not paid enough to do a full check on the girl and simply granted her passage. Of course, this act of negligence would definitely get him fired and punished severely in the future.¡±Next!¡± The officer cracked his neck and shook his tired shoulders as he called for the next person. Just like that, Enigma and his friends successfully boarded the spaceship headed for the mainland. The Seven Spectres quickly found their seats. For the sake of being inconspicious, Enigma had chosen to buy normal tickets instead of first-class ones though he could easily afford them. ¡±Woah, look at this view! Everybody looks so small,¡± exclaimed one of them. Since it was their first time on a spaceship, they could not help but look around in wonder and excitement. The view from the large panel windows allowed them to look at the scenery outside. Compared to the hustle and bustle of the spaceport, the inside of the spaceship was rather empty and quiet. Aside from them, there was a few other civilians inside the ship. Seeing the youths who were excited for their firstspace trip, the other passengers who were mostly the elderly could not help but smile at their antics. ¡±It¡¯s good to be young,¡± remarked an old grandpa. ¡°How cute,¡± his wife added. The old people could not help but reminisce about their first space trip; they were once as excited as those youths. Suddenly, the intercom buzzed and the pilot¡¯s voice could beheard.¡°Dear passengers of Spaceship 2233, we are now preparingfor take-off. Please take your seats and wait for the flight attendants to execute the safety procedures.¡± A flurry of flight attendants walked out from somewhere with perfect smiles on their faces. Nodding slightly to greet the passengers, they immediately went to work. The Seven Spectres obediently sat in their seats, waiting with anticipation. It was their first time riding a spaceship so they were not familiar with the procedures. ¡±Please put your arms here, and press this button,¡± the flight attendant instructed. The first one to receive help from the attendants was Amara. Curious, she placed her arms on the designated armrests without complaint. Once the button was pressed, a cross-shaped seatbelt immediately locked her in her seat. Once the flight attendant confirmed that Amara was secured in her seat, she pulled out an IV bag filled with a mysterious liquid from a compartment below the seat and attached it to her arm. On Amara¡¯s other arm, another IV drip was placed. ¡°Thisbutton is for the tranquilisers, this button is for nutrition shots, this button is for the bathroom, and this one is the call button for the flight attendants,¡± the attendant patiently explained to them the use of each button affixed on the armrest. ¡°And this red one enclosed by glass is the emergency button. In the case that the ship is attacked or in danger, the passengers can press it to release the seatbelts.¡± As she was saying that, the flight attendant pulled out a medium-sized disposablebag from another compartment on the seat, handing it to her. Simultaneously, the rest were also given one by their flight attendants. ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to use this,¡± she says, smiling amiably.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After twenty minutes of preparations, all the passengers were finally tucked into their seats, waiting to start their journey. The pilot received the ¡®ready¡¯ signal and once again sounded the intercom. ¡°Now taking off. The ship will arrive at Earth 1¡¯s Royal Airport in five days. Passengers, have a good rest and good night.¡± Just as the pilot finished speaking, the ship began to shake. ¡±?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡±The passengers over there, please calm down! The take-off can be a little rough and nauseating, but it will pass!¡± ¡°Gueh¡ª?!¡± ¡±Ug¡ª¡° Sounds of retching could be heard from the group. Luckily, they had already received ¡®vomit bags¡¯ from the attendants, preventing unwanted accidents from happening. While the rest were busy vomitting their guts out, Enigma and Amara who were less affected could not help but marvel at the scenery outside. It had only been a few minutes since the spaceship took off, but they were already far enough to see Planet MR-222 in the horizon. Both of them had seats near the windows facing the planet, so they took the chance to admire the sights fully. Watching the spaceship becoming firher and further away from the planet, aslight feeling of sadness invaded Enigma¡¯s heart. Though MR-222 was not the most comfortableplace to grow up in, he still spent a little over a decade of his life there. Now that he was finally leaving it, he could not help but feel a little sad. ¡±Goodbye, MR-222...¡± he murmured. Enigma closed hiseyes, memories flashing in hismind. Faces of the people he knew whowerestill living on the planet appeared, making him wonder if he would ever have another chance to meet them again in his lifetime. Perhaps, when everything is over, he might take Mystery back to the backwater planet; perhaps show her around and introduce her to Lucid. ¡°We¡¯ll come back again, won¡¯t we?¡± Amara looked at Enigma with a small smile. She had spent her entire life on the planet. Now, she was leaving. She felt both excited and scaredatthe same time. What if their plan fails? What if they¡ªno. Amara mentally punched herself. There was no way she was going to let doubt cloud her mind. Still, it did not change the fact that she was beginning to miss the place she grew up in. ¡±What, homesick already?¡± Enigma offered her a half-smile, teasing her. ¡±What¡¯s with that, that¡¯s so unlike you; it¡¯s creepy.¡± Amara stuck out her tongue, replying to Enigma¡¯s teasing. Though she was unused to the way he was acting, she was glad that Enigma was opening up to them more than he ever did in the past decade that they had known each other. Enigma ignored her remark and turned his head to scan the rest. Dean was dry-heaving into the vomit bag, muffling his screams. Meanwhile, Belle, Lukas and West were already knocked out from the tranquilisers. Joy, on the other hand, had already recovered from the initial nausea and was playing around with the zero gravity. ¡±How free,¡± Amara mumbled, also looking at the girl. They were a few seats apart so Joy had not noticed their attention on her. The spaceship was quiet. After admiring the scenery for a while, the two energetic youths became bored. ¡±What do you want to do when we arrive at the mainland?¡± Amara off-handedly asked Enigma. ¡°And I¡¯m not talking about ¡®the plan¡¯; I¡¯m talking about literally the first thing you¡¯d do.¡± ¡±Hm...¡± Enigma paused. He never gave any thought on that matter. All he had in his mind was how he would enhance his powers and save Mystery. ¡°What about you?¡± Since he was unable to provide an answer, he simply threw back the question to the girl. ¡±Me? Hm...¡± Amara tilted her head, thinking. ¡°Take pictures, I guess.¡± ¡±How generic.¡± ¡±Shut up. What would you do?¡± ¡±I guess... see if I can remember anything from my time with Mysty. Maybe look for our house.¡± ¡±Ah! Speaking of houses, we still haven¡¯t discussed about where we should staywhen we get to the mainland.¡± ¡±Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± Enigma instinctively raised his wrist to use his bracelet, but half a second later he realised that he was unable to use it. The spaceship had blocked the use of internet. It was mostly for safety reasons as the spaceship was a military-made ship and the higher ups did not dare to take any chances in fear that a hacker from an enemy force might take advantage of the connection and hack into the ship. ¡±We¡¯ll just have to figure it out when we get there, huh.¡± Amara sighed. She hoped that they will be able to settle their housing issue as soon as possible. Being homeless was not something she wanted to do on the mainland where they would have their fresh starts. ¡±...¡± ¡±...¡± ¡±...This is too boring!¡± Amara sighed exhasperatedly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do, might as well go to sleep.¡± ¡±I agree.¡± The two exchanged nods, and finally pressed the tranquiliser button, sending them into deep sleep for the next twelvehours. Mystery and Enigma (21) Enigma woke up from the tranquiliser. He looked around the cabin, only to see that everybody else were still knocked out. It seemed that those who had woken up before him had probably sedated themselves with another dose of the tranquilisers. They were in zero gravity, so the moment he took off his safety belts, Enigma floated in the air. He hurriedly reached for something to grab. He was rather unfamiliar with the condition so his movements were awkward and uncoordinated. Enigma latched himself on the bars installed above the windows, heaving a breath of relief. He looked around. The place was quiet save for the slight hum of the spaceship. Even the flight attendants were unconscious in their own cabin pods. For a moment, he stayed still, taking in the view. His stomach grumbled. Enigma returned to his seat, rummaging for his rations. Though he could have called for a flight attendant to get him some solid food, he did not feel like interacting with other people. As soon as he finished the chicken-flavoured nutrient packet, he sat down and fumbled around with Mystery¡¯s bracelet. Ever since he had received it, he often found himself looking through its every files and functions. Though he had not found anything unusual, it was somewhat calming to do it. For the nth time, he played Mystery¡¯s video. He closed his eyes, trying to remember what Mystery had told him.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. That story, it was about you.Although I simplified and sugar-coated it quite a lot, it will one day come true. The story¡­ What was it¡­ he had to remember it¡­ Remember¡­ Enigma opened his eyes in a snap. As if something clicked in his mind, he began to ponder deeply. He thought back to the story Mystery had told him that night. ¡°He saved them, of course. He made eee~veryone as special as he was.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Enigma tilted his head again, confused. ¡°How can he make others become special?¡± ¡°Because he had the gift of sharing~¡± Mystery laughed, dishing out the anticlimactic ending. ¡°He shared his kindness with everyone, so everyone became as kind and as special as he was.¡± The gift of sharing¡­ Was that his true power? The ability to make everyone a superhuman? ¡­Was that it? He stared at his palms. He had never tested if he could do that. As far as he knew, his power was just telekinesis. Perhaps¡­ it was because Mystery had not taught him anything else other than moving things with his mind that he never bothered to find out if he could do more. His fingers twitched. ¡°Should I¡­ test it?¡± He muttered. ¡°But how¡­?¡± ¡°He shared his kindness with everyone, so everyone became as kind and as special as he was.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Enigma¡¯s eyes carried a certain light as he looked around. He closed his eyes, concentrating. ¡°To move something, you must know where they are first, then order them,¡± Mystery had once said during one of their lessons. Her words did not make much sense and he struggled a lot while practicing, but after a few tries he was able to levitate a few things. In the same way, he visualised the layout of the place. However, something surprising suddenly happened. As if following his command, many multicoloured dim lights popped out on his visual map. His eyes opened in surprise and he looked around. The dim lights were in the exact same position as everyone around him! Unknowingly, he had discovered something new; a radar. ¡°What kind of development is this¡­¡± He muttered in amazement. He closed his eyes and continued to explore his new ability. ¡°Ugh!¡± An aching pain suddenly invaded his head. At first, it was barely noticeable, but the longer he used his new ability, the more intense the pain became. Worse of all, even after opening his eyes, he seemed to be unable to stop seeing the radar, and without any idea what was happening, he passed out. Mystery and Enigma (22) A man and a young girl stood facing each other. ¡°Congratulation, Enigma. You¡¯ve successfully opened your Second Sight," the girl says. The man smiled at her, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, ????. If you hadn¡¯t recommended the technique to me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it. The man paused, then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s only unfortunate that I haven¡¯t met the requirements for the next stage of the technique.¡± ¡°Cheer up~ if you work hard enough, you¡¯ll be able to see the Karma Threads like me. It¡¯s a tough technique, but it¡¯s useful.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The man stared at her eyes; a golden colour which shone even brighter than his own. . . . Enigma opened his eyes. He felt as if he had seen a nostalgic dream, but he could not seem torecall it. ¡°Eni?¡± Amara¡¯s voice rang beside him. ¡°You¡¯re finally up!¡± Around him, the rest were up and about, playing around with the zero gravity. ¡°Eni! Check this out!¡± Dean exclaimed from above, an excited look on his face. After catching Enigma¡¯s attention, he made a few flips in the air. ¡°Woohoo!¡± The rest laughed and clapped. ¡°Noisy kids¡­¡± Another passenger who was awake muttered. ¡°Leave them be; they¡¯re having fun,¡± chastised his partner. Enigma watched dazedly as they frolicked. His mind was functioning as quick as it could, processing the information he had been compiling on his recent new ability. ¡°Eni? Have you become disoriented from sleeping for too long?¡± Seeing Enigma¡¯s muddled look was somewhat amusing, and Amara could not help but tease him. ¡°Mm.¡± Enigma was not in the mood to talk, so he simply turned away from the girl, staring out into the cosmos. ¡°Gee, what a party-pooper,¡± Amara jeered at him before joining the rest in their fun. It was only hours later that they got bored and returned to their seats. Many of the other passengers had already re-entered the state of unconsciousness, but the young and spirited group of seven were not ready to go back to sleep yet. ¡°Seriously, Enigma. What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± Lukas poked the boy. Enigma had always been a quiet fellow but he rarely ever looked so zoned out. Enigma did not answer him in the first few moments. After concluding his thoughts, he finally replied to the other boy¡¯s question. ¡°Have the rest gather around once the coast is clear.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°¡­? Okay.¡± Lukas obviously had questions but because of Enigma¡¯s serious expression, he did not tarry. He immediately informed the rest and passed the time by chatting lightly. Soon, the last of the passengers were asleep, and all that was left was the Seven Spectres. ¡°So? What is it, Eni?¡± Not wasting any time, Enigma immediately informed them of his discoveries. ¡°I think I¡¯ve developed a new ability. I was able to wake up earlier than everyone so I had some spare time to experiment. But I think I was too overwhelmed by my new ability, and I passed out soon after.¡± ¡°Woah, really?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Eni!¡± ¡°What kind of ability is it?¡± ¡°A radar.¡± ¡°Radar?¡± ¡°When I tested it, a map-like 3D diagram appeared in my mind and I was able to see everyone¡¯s position in this room on it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so cool,¡± Joy remarked, her eyes shining partly with admiration and partly with envy. ¡°So if you close your eyes, you can still see what we¡¯re doing?¡± Enigma shook his head. ¡°No. From what I¡¯ve concluded, all of you just look like balls of light to me.¡± ¡°Balls of light? Do we have any colour?¡± Enigma tilted his head, thinking. ¡°Some. Most of the rest are grey, with little motes of other colours mixed in. They¡¯re very indistinct, so I didn¡¯t pay much attention to them.¡± Then, he turned to look at Amara. ¡°Oh, but Amara¡¯s is both grey and dark red. Like a ball with a red centre.¡± ¡°Oh? How interesting¡­¡± ¡°What about mine?¡± Dean jumped excitedly. ¡°Yours? The same as others; grey with a few unnoticeable multi-coloured strands.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Dean wilted in disappointment. ¡°But why is Amara¡¯s the only one who¡¯s different?¡± Lukas remarked quizzically. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡° Enigma froze mid-sentence. Could it be¡­? He closed his eyes, making the map appear once again. He willed himself to zoom out from the fist-person view to a bird¡¯s eye view. Then, he spotted his own ball of light. Unlike others, it was a white orb instead of grey, and a faint blue ring surrounding it. Compared to the grey orbs all around, his white one seemed to be startlingly bright. ¡°Mine is white, with a blue ring.¡± He notified the group. ¡°Since I¡¯m the only one with the blue ring, I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s a mark for ¡®me¡¯.¡± ¡°Yours is white? Just white?¡± Enigma nodded, ¡°But the centre is whiter than the outer parts.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°I wonder what they mean¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just pull up a directory or something?¡± Dean muttered. West immediately elbowed the boy, ¡°Hey, do you think Eni¡¯s power is like a program or something?¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°A directory, huh?¡± Enigma contemplated his words. However¡ª As if it had heard his thoughts, a directory really did appear in his mind.
Mono-colour ¨C human Duo-colour ¨C superhuman Blue ring ¨C self Green ring ¨C ally Red ring ¨C enemy
¡°¡­¡± Enigma sucked in a breath and exhaled. ¡°Never mind, the reason why Amara¡¯s is unique is because she¡¯s a superhuman.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you figure that out?¡± ¡°¡­The directory appeared.¡± ¡°Pff¡ª¡° ¡°So, should we treat it like a program, then¡­? Hahaha¡ª¡° Dean asked, huffing and puffing from laughter. ¡°Stop laughing,¡± Enigma shot them a scathing look. ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Dean apologised, his cheeks quivering. ¡°Still, I¡¯m amazed. It appeared when you want it to. Could it be that one day, when you¡¯ve mastered your powers, you¡¯ll be omnipotent?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Enigma shook his head after giving him a warning glare. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m still exploring. From what I¡¯ve figured out from Mysty, one day I might be able to ¡®share¡¯ my powers with other people.¡± ¡°Seriously?!¡± Lukas¡¯ eyes lit up. ¡°How can you do that?! I¡¯m willing to be a test subject!¡± Joy immediately volunteered herself to be a lab rat for Enigma. She was also interested in acquiring a superpower. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for, Eni? Let¡¯s get experimenting.¡± Amara rubbed her hands excitedly. She also wanted to know just how far Enigma could develop his powers. Mystery and Enigma (23) Enigma took a deep breath, preparing to activate his powers again. The space in his mind reconstructed the layout of his surroundings almost immediately, its speed even faster than the last time he activated his power to its fullest. Somehow, it felt as if he was very familiar with the process. As if he had done it countless of times before. The more he used it, the smoother it became for him. Again, he saw the orbs of light that signified the positions of everyone around him. He opened his eyes slowly. Unlike the other time, it did not overload his brain. Although he could feel a slight throbbing of his head, it was quick to ebb away the longer he kept his powers activated. ¡°¡¯Share your powers¡¯, huh¡­¡± Enigma¡¯s brows crinkled as he thought of a way to do it. It was easier said than done. He had no idea where to start. There was no manual for the method nor does he have anyone to teach him. ¡°Let¡¯s brainstorm,¡± Amara suggested. ¡°How does something connects to something else?¡± The Seven Spectres huddled in a circle, thinking deeply. ¡°Bluetooth?¡± Dean suggested. It was the first thing that came to his mind. Enigma frowned, ¡°how does one imagine something invisible? That¡¯s too difficult.¡± ¡°So something tangible, like plugs?¡± West commented. ¡°Or wires.¡± ¡°Oh, wires!¡± Joy shouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t people from a long time ago used to use wires for everything?¡± Enigma nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll try to see if it works.¡± Enigma closed his eyes in concentration. He imagined a wire coming out of his white sphere. It felt as if something was obstructing him as he tried to execute it. Beads of sweat appeared as he continued to push himself, and soon, a feeling of popping through a thin membrane enveloped his mind, causing him to tremble. The wire was a success! He tried to control the newly formed wire, wiggling it and extending it further. After testing the waters for some time, he found out that he could freely control it however he wanted. ¡°Enigma?¡± Amara called out to him carefully. The boy had barely moved at all in a few minutes and she wondered if he was fine. Everyone held their breath as they watched Enigma¡¯s eyes fluttering open. ¡°I¡¯m going to try something,¡± he informed them with a hushed tone. ¡°If you guys feel anything, tell me.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. His words caused everyone to straighten their back, looking extremely tensed and somewhat expectant. Enigma moved his tentacle-like ¡®wire¡¯ that was the same colour as his orb and slowly led it towards Amara¡¯s grey-red sphere. Unexpectedly¡ªor expectedly¡ªhe was unable to break through Amara¡¯s grey layer. It felt as if there was something blocking him from touching her. ¡°What was that?!¡± Amara exclaimed. She suddenly felt a jolt in her mind that caused her to feel somewhat unsettled. ¡°What was what?¡± The others looked at her with a puzzled expression. They didn¡¯t feel anything at all, though? ¡°Did you feel that?¡± Enigma asked her. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s like something was trying to poke into my head.¡± Amara nodded in confirmation, sharing her experience with the rest of the group. ¡°It¡¯s risky, but can you let me through? Try relaxing or something,¡± Enigma requested. Amara nodded, easily consenting to the experiment. What was the worst that could happen, she thought. Enigma closed his eyes again and redid his actions. This time, he was not completely repelled by Amara. Amara shifted uncomfortably but forced herself to relax. Enigma pushed forward and finally managed to break into Amara¡¯s orb. An influx of information suddenly flowed into him. Enigma¡¯s brows knitted tightly as he increased his concentration even more. All the information currently bombarding his brain was causing him another headache. He worked hard to sort through all the information, his brain working on overload. Enigma felt as if he had entered a new world. A new world called ¡®Amara¡¯. Inside this world, he saw windows of her memories, thoughts, and even emotions. Although he wanted to try touching those windows, he held himself back. After all, it was invasive of him to do so. There were things which he was curious about, but he did not want to divulge into her secrets; they were friends, and if Amara did not feel comfortable telling him in real life, then there was no reason for him to snoop into her mind. Enigma ignored the memories and dove deeper. ¡°This¡ª!¡± He exclaimed in his mind. ¡°Genetic code?!¡± Like a programming code, millions of letters and numbers flashed in front of him, creating a formula of the human named Amara. Like a child who had gotten a new toy, Enigma spent what felt like hours examining the endless code, trying to decipher it. The more time he spent on it, the less he understood them. In the end, he gave up. Although it felt like a long time, in reality, only a few minutes have passed. When Enigma finally opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of Amara who was frowning with an uncomfortable look on her face. ¡°What did it feel like?¡± He asked her. ¡°Like¡­ someone was going through my head,¡± Amara described uneasily. The feeling was too complex for her to perfectly describe. It felt as if someone was kneading her brain from the inside. ¡°What did you find in there?¡± ¡°You.¡± Enigma replied cryptically. ¡°Okay¡­?¡± Amara replied confusedly. She would have liked it if he explained a bit more, but her brain was feeling sore from Enigma¡¯s exploration. ¡°I¡¯ll try this again, but with someone else,¡± Enigma informed. Joy, without missing a beat, quickly raised her hand, ¡°Me! Me next!¡± She excitedly volunteered. Without further ado, Enigma repeated the same steps as he did previously, but instead of feeling a repelling barrier like in Amara¡¯s case, he entered Joy¡¯s sphere rather easily. It only felt as if he poked through a mass of rubber. Although he felt a slight resistance, he was still able to go through. On the outside, though, Joy¡¯s face changed. She now knew what Amara meant by feeling as if someone was going through her head. Just like with Amara, he simply glanced at everything quickly without touching or changing anything before pulling out his wire. ¡°Hm¡­ I felt less resistance compared to Amara. It¡¯s still not concluded whether it was because Joy is not a superhuman or because she had already known what to expect,¡± Enigma muttered. With many more questions in his mind that needed to be answered, they continued their experiments further for a few more hours.