《The Extra's Return》


 Chapter 1 Epilogue - The Second Dead

    ?Would you believe me if I told you that I had transmigrated to another world? A world set in medieval Europe apanied by magic? If you don''t believe me, I''ll give you concrete evidence.


    I raised my head to look at something that was above my head. It was clear that what was above my head was the sky, but to be clear, what I saw was the moon in the night sky.


    There was evidence that the world I had been living in was not the Earth that you know, but another world.


    In the middle of the night, if it was on earth, wouldn''t there only be one moon that would illuminate the night, but in this world, two moons were shining.


    I was standing under two moons that were emitting such a bright light. The light from the two moons had managed topletely illuminate my body.


    Hanging from my waist was a real sword. I gripped the hilt of the sword tightly while looking at the situation around me.


    The two moons in the sky also managed to illuminate the ce around me.


    Currently, I was standing in the middle of the city.


    Originally, what adorned the contents of this city wererge, magnificent, and luxurious buildings. So many people had passed by andughing happily. Anyway, the reflection of a big city in medieval Europe can be described clearly. But¡­ That''s how it should be.


    However, look at the state of this city now.


    Ruins of buildings were scattered, houses were destroyed to the ground, and dust was scattered, bringing the stench of destruction throughout the city.


    It didn''t stop there, what came out of everyone''s mouths was not the sound of happyughter, instead, what filled the city were groans of pain and sounds of despair. All the sounds reverberated around the world.


    Understandably, there were corpses everywhere. The bodies of everyone, from small children to adults, were scattered on the ground.


    My nose can still smell the odor of blooding out of the various scattered parts of the human body.


    On average, they have been squashed by the ruins of the building to a pulp.


    If this were earth, everyone could hope for help. ''Please call 911?'' Maybe everyone will scream like that. But since this is another world, then that''s impossible.


    Being in this situation, I kept my feet steady, even though my feet were telling me to kneel down.


    The cause of the tragedy that exists in this city is¡­


    In the middle of the night sky, a demon was flying freely.


    Some demons are on the ground, but most of them are in the sky.


    The point was, demons had been everywhere.


    They lined up neatly as they were illuminated by the moonlight. The reddish-ck skin, the long horns on their heads, and the wings that spread across the sky, all of that indicated that they were truly demons.


    If you had guessed that they were the ones who destroyed the city, then your guess was right. The perpetrators who destroyed this city were them, the demons.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the demons that were flying in the sky, there was also a line of humans struggling on the ground.


    Squeezed by the rubble of buildings, they were still trying to maintain their lines. If they split apart, they would be easily exterminated by the demons in the sky.


    However, if they stay together, they will be able tounch a powerful attack.


    "Attack!! Unleash your strongest magic spells!! Kill those demons!!"


    After that shout, various kinds of magic were fired by the humans, they struggled with all their might against the demons that flying in the sky.


    "Forward! Attack! The heroes are with us!"


    Even in desperate, tense, or hopeless situations like this, their shouts of encouragement have managed to shake the earth.


    On this battlefield, the reason why their souls didn''t disappear was¡ªAmong the ranks of humans, there was one person who stood out the most among other humans.


    Especially the golden light magic that had been emanating from his sword, with one swing of the sword, the golden light sessfully annihted those demons, causing them to be annihted instantly.


    The golden yellow hair on top of his head adds a touch of handsomeness to him. The whitish-yellow robe he was wearing fluttered, adding to the domineering aura he exuded.


    That person is Jullian Arkie, The Hero of Light.


    He continued to fight against the demons in the air.


    Around him, several women continuously supported him in defeating the demons.


    They were the women who had be members of the Hero''s Harem Party.


    How did I get to know them? Of course, it was because I knew that this world was very simr to the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, where Jullian Arkie was the protagonist of the story.


    You must be familiar with the terms protagonist, antagonist, tritagonist, deuteragonist, or figurative (a character who still gets some scenes in a story).


    But, you must have never heard the term extra character, right?! If you ask me who I am now, I will answer, "I am an Extra Character."


    I was just an ordinary person who saw the protagonist from a distance, without being able to stand behind or beside him. Not that I had wanted to stand beside him or even help him. It''s just that I wanted you to understand that I was not an important figure in this world.


    In a chess game, I had been likened to a pawn that could be sacrificed at any time. That was the situation I was in.


    If I could, I would have fought hard to escape the fate of being a chess piece, but the reality was always very painful.


    Suddenly, one of the demons that had been flying in the sky came to me. The demon was free-falling from the sky.


    For the sake of anticipating a collision, I strengthened my guard.


    Ka-boom!


    The shock caused by the demons''nding was extremely violent.


    As a result, dust was flying around.


    Because the dust flying in the air was annoying, I slightly narrowed my eyes.


    After a while, the dust in the air began to thin out little by little. Slowly but surely, I opened my eyes little by little.


    Finally, after the dust in the air waspletely blown away, I could clearly see the outline of the demon.


    Unlike the other demons that looked like monsters, the demon that suddenly appeared in front of me was shaped like a normal human. More precisely approaching the human form in general.


    Some demonic physical characteristics are still left on his body, such as his goat-like horns, and the pointed tail on the back of his body.


    Other than that, his other features were no different from that of an ordinary human. Even the clothes that covered his body looked very neat. Very simr to the attire of noble humans.


    "Hahaha, human, I appreciate you for going this far."


    "I don''t need you to appreciate me."


    "Ha ha ha!"


    I responded to the demon''s chatter briefly. However, heughed out loud instead while covering his mouth.


    Suddenly, he walked slowly toward me.


    At first, he did walk slowly, but a momentter, he disappeared as if he had never existed in the first ce.<novelnext></novelnext>


    In about 0.1 seconds, he surprisingly stamped his foot right in my face.


    Bang!


    My body fell t on the ground. The moment my body hit the ground, the ground beneath me instantly formed a huge hole.


    Kuheok!


    I immediately vomited blood from my mouth. My blood flew like red paint thrown by a painter.


    As I suffered under his feet, the demonughed out loud instead.


    "Ohh! That''s such an interesting expression! Hey, do you want to make a bet with me? If I win, I will kill you with various torments, but if you win, I will let you go, how about it?"


    After saying that, he lifted his foot away from my face.


    "Cough!"


    Without much thought, while coughing up a little blood, I nodded slowly while holding my throat. I had agreed to his offer.


    And then, I asked him, "What bet do you want to y?"


    "Okay! I like fun humans like you. Let''s bet on how humans end up, shall we?"


    "Oh, fine. Then, I''ll bet that the human hero will exterminate humanity itself." I smiled in response.


    As soon as I answered, the demon''s expression immediately froze.


    It was only natural for his expression to look surprised.


    Logically, heroes cannot exterminate humans because the existence of heroes for humans in this world was almost the same as a divine messenger, who would save humans.


    However, I had knowledge of the end of this world. I also know why Jullian did that.


    It didn''t take long for us to see the results of our bet.


    The main event of the night had finally begun.


    The hero, who had previously fought the demons on the frontline, was now seen standing in front of a line of demons without any conflict.


    The natural thing was that Jullian should have swung his sword at the demon, but he didn''t instead.


    The other humans weren''t stupid either, although some people still couldn''t believe what they were seeing, they instinctively knew that the hero who was the reason for their spirit for fighting the demons had now switched sides.


    After that, a scene of carnage ensued. The hero¡ªJullian Arkie, with a shining sword, beheaded the humans one by one. Of course, including his own Harem Party.


    "Oh, since your guess is correct, I''ll let you go. However, your hero probably won''t let you go. So, be careful! He he he."


    In the middle of the scene, the demon who was near me kept chattering. After speaking casually, the demon instantly disappeared, leaving only deafeningughter.


    ***


    Some time just passed by.


    After almost all of the humans had been exterminated, I noticed that Jullian was now approaching me.


    ''Is this the end of me? Died at the hands of the protagonist?''


    "Hufft~"


    A heavy sigh escaped from my mouth.


    How can my fate be like this? Wouldn''t everyone who was reincarnated in another world gain superpowers? Why am I the only one suffering without being given strength? Does it only happen in fiction? Or because¡­ I¡­ an extra character?


    "No, I will survive!"


    I convinced myself.


    Then I got rid of the negative thoughts and feelings of inferiority that were in my head.


    To be honest, even though I was just an extra character in this world, I still had a lot of regrets in this world.


    I had several reasons why I joined this war.


    The first reason I knew was that this war was an epilogue event in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, where the hero would exterminate the humans. Therefore, I wanted to see this epilogue event firsthand.


    Moreover, I had nowhere else to hide. There was no other safe ce in the world. So, that was why I joined this war.


    With various thoughts going through my head, I gripped the sword in my hand tightly. I prepared to defend myself against the madness of this world''s protagonist.


    ''Will it be a duel between the protagonist against an extra character?''


    With a bit of a fearless smile, I swung my sword at Jullian. However, before I could swing my sword, my vision suddenly darkened.


    Thest vision I saw was my standing headless body. Blood gushed from there like a fountain.


    Did my head just get shed by Jullian''s de?


    If that''s true, then the sword that Jullian is swinging is too fast for me. I can''t even see his sword swing.


    I thought it was a natural thing considering he was the Main Character while I was just an Extra Character.


    Slowly but surely, the darkness that greeted me grew thicker. My consciousness was slowly fading away.


    It seems that this was the end of my second life after being reincarnated in this world.


    [You have died!]


    [System will update automatically.]


    [....]


    [Updated System working!]


    [Inheritance has been transferred to the System.]


    [....]


    [Transfer sessful!]


    [Regression Magic will activate automatically!]


    [Regression magic seeded.]


    [....]


    [@##$%&@"$%&]

 Chapter 2 The Extras Return

    ?The darkness was very frightening. In the darkness, my sense of time had faded away. I felt that I was trapped in pitch darkness.


    I didn''t know why my brain still had consciousness, but I had heard that when someone''s head was cut off, their consciousness would still survive for a while. So was I also in that state?


    Apart from that, I strangely started to think about some things about the life experience I had after I reincarnated in the novel world.


    About me trying desperately to survive, about the several encounters I''ve had, about the bad luck that alwayses to me, and about other things.


    Until finally, I died at the hands of the Hero of Light.


    Even though I had persevered with all my might during the 11 years I lived in this novel world, I still died with regret.


    All the memories of my life seemed to spin before my eyes.


    But eventually, I felt as if there was a small light in the midst of the darkness that enveloped me. The light, which was small at first, slowly began to grow bigger and brighter.


    I wondered why I could feel the light on my eyelids.


    ''A light? Am I not dead yet?''


    I wondered to myself.


    The moment the thought that I wasn''t dead crossed, I immediately opened my eyes wide. At the same time, all the senses that I have are now starting to function.


    My ears can hear.


    My hands can still feel.


    And my eyes actually still work.


    Instantly, I began to realize that I really was still alive.


    As soon as I realized that I wasn''t dead, I raised my body like a man in a trance.


    "Haah¡­ Huff¡­."


    I''m breathing heavily. My hands groped all over my body.


    After holding my breath for a few moments, my head started spinning from side to side like an electric fan. Along with my head spinning, my eyes also started looking around.


    The curtains fluttered in the wind outside the window. The windows that open let the morning sunlight into the room.


    Seeing that there were no electronics or modern furniture, I assumed that this ce was still in another world¡ªnot Earth.


    What''s more, I suddenly felt a deeply nostalgic feeling.


    As if my head had been struck by lightning, I immediately remembered where this was. This is the bedroom where I woke up for the first time in another world. If I''m not mistaken, I was in the Baron Warwick Household''s mansion.


    I quickly stood up and left the bed. I stood holding my head. Getting out of bed, I walked unsteadily.


    And then, I focused my mind to look for the mirror.


    As soon as I found it, I immediately stood in front of the mirror and looked at my reflection carefully in the mirror.


    Looking at my reflection in the mirror, even though the mirror is blurry, I can still see my appearance well.


    Messy ck hair hanging over my head. Sunken cheeks andzy eyes fixed on my face. The crumpled clothes stuck to my body. All of that illustrates that my body is very unkempt. My head was spinning, and the pink blush on my cheeks indicated that I was under the influence of alcohol.


    All of the features I currently possess are the same as those I had when I first entered the novel world of Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    ''What happened to me?''


    I was confused.


    Gradually, the nostalgic feeling I felt awakened the memories I had when I first entered this novel world.


    At that time, it took a moment for me to realize that I had been reincarnated into another world. Or maybe transmigrate? I don''t know what the right name is.


    You see, even though my face looks messier, it''s still the same face I had when I was on earth. Not only face, however, my name in this world is also the same as my name on earth.


    In conclusion, my soul entered the body of someone who has the same appearance and name as me.


    ''The problem is, how can I return to when I first entered this world?''


    My opinion is not taken by me at random.


    The proof, my face is back to being young.


    If the present was a timeline where I had passed 11 years of living in another world, then my face would look very old. Maybe my age before getting shed by Jullian''s de was around 27 years. However, my face that was reflected in the mirror at this time was that of a 16-year-old teenager.


    "So, I have returned to when I first entered this world?"


    Regression?


    I muttered to myself while ruffling my hair.


    Suddenly extreme thoughts invaded my brain. ''Was everything I experienced for 11 years in another world just a dream?''


    "Hahaha, really, that''s impossible!"


    I deny what I think.


    I would never doubt the eleven years of living experience I had lived in this other world.


    Every pain that arose in my body for the sake of survival is still imprinted in my brain.


    And also¡­


    "Jullian Arkie, I will definitely get revenge on you for chopping off my head."


    Somehow, I can still feel the lingering pain in my throat.


    However, even though I spoke confidently like the main character in a novel, I realized that I was still an extra character.


    The main problem I''m having is that I don''t have enough power to counter Jullian, the main character.


    In this world, where the strong prey on the weak, strength is everything. Without power, one''s words would have no effect.


    Luckily I have eleven years of experience, something I can use as capital. This time, I won''t die that easily. I will make this life very different from my previous life.


    If my previous life was very passive, this time I should be more active.


    However, I don''t believe in absolute luck. If there is a cause, there must be an effect. Since I have the chance to live once again, there must be consequences that I must bear. Only, I don''t know what it is. Something obvious is I will not waste this second chance.


    I looked out the window.


    Outside the window, there is an amazing view.


    Currently, the world is still peaceful.


    Currently, Jullian Arkie is not yet a Hero of Light.


    And in the current timeline, I still have the chance to meet Cornelia again someday.


    Unknowingly, I started to smile.


    Unknowingly, my hands clenched tightly.


    Whatever happens, I will keep going.


    At that time, a system message suddenly appeared in front of me.


    [Soul Assimtion process sessful!]


    [The body you upy is 100 percentpatible with your soul. There are no abnormalities or side effects due to the soul assimtion process.]


    [An achievement detected!]


    [Congrattions, you have managed to survive until the epilogue!]


    [The rewards for your aplishments will be given after a thorough calction. Please wait ....]<novelnext></novelnext>


    I saw a system message stered in front of my face. I don''t know what reward the system will give me. I wasn''t expecting much.


    Since I found this system useless, I threw that information to the back of my head.


    More importantly, what is my ns from now on? That''s the main question in my mind.


    Save humanity?


    I''m not a hero.


    Exterminate humans?


    I''m not a demon.


    Enjoying a second (third) life?


    That seems like a great idea!


    But I know I can''t. In order to enjoy life for a long time, I need to have strength.


    After all, I''m sure this world won''t allow me, who is just an extra character, to live a peaceful life for long.


    I have several goals in mind;


    The first thing is to find Cornelia, but I don''t know where she is now. Even though in my previous life I was very weak, Cornelia is the biggest reason why I was able to live and survive until the epilogue.


    The second thing is to revenge against Jullian and the devils¡­ ??


    "..."


    However, I don''t think that''s the matter.


    I shook my head and thought of another reason.


    Thest and most important goal is to be able to livefortably.


    But, the point is, no matter what I want to do, I have to hurry up and get stronger in order to achieve whatever I want.


    Knock, knock!


    A knock on the door brings me back to reality.


    "Big Brother Mesties! Are you still sleeping?"


    A girl''s voice sounded outside the door. Soon, without waiting for a response from me, the door began to open slowly.


    First, long flowing hair appeared in my view, followed by a pair of round eyes peering into this room. After blinking for a few moments, she widened her round eyes until they were perfectly round like balls.


    "Uh, you''re awake?"


    "¡­Yes."


    She looked surprised that I was awake.


    After reacting with slight surprise, she walked into the room.


    Seeing here in carrying a tray of food and drinks in front of her small breasts, you might think she''s a maid. But if you look at the fine clothes she wears, you might know that she is a child of pure nobility.


    She has a small build, but since she will be 15 years old soon, she still has the potential to grow, especially in her chest.


    The moment I saw her, I started to remember the identity I have in this world. If my identity on earth is as an orphan, then my identity in this world is a child of the Baron Warwick family.


    Therefore, I have an additional name behind my name. Mesties Warwick is my full name in this world.


    Meanwhile, the woman who entered my room was the half-sister of the owner of this body, her name was Wi. We have the same father but different mothers.


    "Big Brother? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    She asked while tilting her head to the side and smiling brightly.


    "It''s fine. Why are you here?"


    I asked dryly.


    Her expression, which had been bright, soon turned into one of shock.


    But quickly, her expression brightened again.


    "Nothing. Why are you here?"


    When I asked dryly, her previously bright expression immediately changed to one of shock. But quickly, her expression brightened again.


    "Brother, can you stop drinking alcohol? It''s not good for your body. Please drink this to get rid of your hangover."


    Wi ced a tray of food and drinks on the table. Right under the table, there were several bottles of alcohol that the owner of this body had previously drunk.


    After she put her ass on the chair, I also followed and sat on the chair in front of her. Now I feel weird. I tried to remember the first time I moved to this world. Since that was already 11 years ago, it was quite difficult.


    While thinking, I took the drink she offered me. Then I put the drink in my mouth. I had only drunk half of it when I suddenly stopped and was petrified.


    Before I swallowed all the drinks Wi offered me, I could see the sad expression on her face.


    ''Why does she look so sad?''


    I wondered to myself.


    It was at that moment that memory from my previous life suddenly appeared in my brain. I had experienced a scene like this in my previous life.


    The reason why Wi looks sad is rted to the drink she offered and I''m drinking now.


    In essence, I realized that the drink she offered me contained a poison that could make a person have severe diarrhea day by day.


    In my previous life, I had to suffer from diarrhea for days. It was only for this small reason that I began to experience various misfortunes.


    At the party that will be held in a few days in this house, I will embarrass this family because of the diarrhea I am suffering from.


    Just imagine, when there are many guests gathered for a party, then suddenly I defecate loudly. All the party guests immediately looked at me with disgusted expressions on their faces.


    That''s embarrassing. Unfortunately, it''s not just the shame that I have to endure. The Warwicks Family were also affected, so they started ming me.


    Then I was kicked out by this family and forced to live in a slum area. In the end, I had to scavenge for food scraps to continue living.


    As a result of those dark memories, I became angry.


    So, before I gulp down all this drink, I immediately do what suddenly urred to me.


    I leaned closer to Wi after pushing the table away.


    After the obstacle from the table disappeared, I immediately caught both of her cheeks. Then I immediately put my mouth into her mouth.


    Wi, who was still dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, could only follow the flow of my game without being able to fight back.


    After our lips met, I put a liquid containing poison into her mouth. Either way, out of shock or something, she immediately swallowed the liquid.


    Gulp!


    I heard Wi swallow the liquid I gave by mouth to mouth. After I confirmed that she had swallowed the liquid, I intended to let her go.


    But, before I could let her go, maybe, because she just realized what was happening, she immediately pushed me away.


    Since I had confirmed that she swallowed the liquid, I didn''t fight back and untied us. Our saliva is still connected when our lips part. Then the saliva fell to the floor.


    I can''t describe the expression on her face.  Surprised? Angry? Frustration? After all, her expression now waspletely different from the sad expression before.


    With a frown on her face, she immediately mmed the door and left.


    I watched her leave while cing my finger on my lips. My lips can still feel the sweet aroma from her lips. The softness and fragrance of her lips overpowered the poison smell she gave off earlier.


    But, if she poisoned me like that, why was she looked so sad earlier? Shouldn''t she look happy?

 Chapter 3 Hikikomori Noble

    ?On the Averus Continent, there are several human-ruled kingdoms, to be more precise, there are four kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Misonia, which is the biggest kingdom.


    The system of the Misonia Kingdom is almost simr to the system of kingdoms in medieval Europe on Earth, which used a monarchical legal system.


    Of course, the monarchy system is held by the nobles.


    The highest authority in a monarchical system is the king. Only after that, the order will be ording to the rank of nobility. Starting from the topmost, Duke, Marquess, Earl, Count, Viscount, and the lowest level is known as Baron.


    In that noble family that had the rank of Baron, Mesties was located. More precisely, he was at the southern tip of the kingdom of Misonia, where the Warwick noble family''s territory was located.


    Right in the middle of Ryam city, the city that was the administrative center of Baron Warwick''s entire fiefdom, there stood a magnificent mansion.


    This mansion was the residence of the noble Warwick family, headed by Baron Delray Warwick.


    Inside Baron Warwick''s office room, the light of the morning sun had lit up the room. There was a table in the room. On the table was a stack of thick cake-like documents.


    Baron Warwick, who had just finished taking care of some administrative paperwork, started to stand up from his seat. He put his hands together and began to stretch the muscles of his aged body.


    Meanwhile on the other hand, outside Baron Warwick''s office room, Wi was standing at the front door.


    She had just run out of Mesties'' room.


    Cold sweat was still dripping down from her forehead. The beads of sweat from nervousness were huge. Her body was also trembling slightly.


    The symptoms she felt were the result of an event that she had not expected at all. She was shocked to death by the kiss Mesties gave her.


    That was why she stood at the door of Baron Warwick''s office room to report what had just happened.


    Then, she pushed the door hard.


    m!


    Due to Wi''s violent mming of the door out of nervousness, Baron Warwick, who was still stretching his body, was shocked to the point of looking like he was going to die.


    Creak!


    "Ahh!"


    Baron Warwick identally stretched his muscles too hard. As a result, the muscles in his aged body were almost torn apart. It caused him to scream and widen his eyes like they were going to fall out.


    Without noticing Baron Warwick''s condition, Wi spontaneously said what she wanted to say.


    "Fa-Father, you have to do something to Mesties! E-even though it... was my first time." Herst sentence slightly disappeared in the wind because it was too quiet.


    "What''s wrong with that useless kid? Why do you look upset and agitated?"


    Baron Warwick spoke while holding his waist that was still in pain. Surprisingly, Baron Warwick''s expression suddenly turned more serious.


    Seeing the displeased expression on her father''s old face, she began to reminisce a few things about Mesties.


    Mesties, in recent years, had only locked himself in his bedroom without ever putting his feet outside his room. In Japanese terms, he might be called a hikikomori person.


    ording to thew of cause and effect, Mesties locked himself in his own bedroom ever since he realized that he was having difficulty feeling the flow of mana in his body.


    In short, his affinity with mana is weak.


    When the Mesties were young, he was just an ordinary noble child, with no notable advantages or disadvantages.


    Training like any other noble child, ying like any other noble child, and interacting with family members like any other noble child.


    But now, he''s like an annoying pimple.


    Naturally, the children of nobles who had been ten years old or less should already be proficient in Mana Control, and in some cases, there were also those who managed to create their Mana Core faster than most children.


    However, even though Mesties was already 16 years old, he had not even created a Mana Core within his body.


    After shutting himself in his room for years, an inferiorityplex or insecurity begins to form in his personality.


    Drinking alcoholic beverages until he got drunk had be a habit for him. What''s more, he had also begun to distance himself from other family members.


    Because of that, Wi felt Mesties'' behavior today was very strange. But she could not say anything to her father.


    In the midst of Wi''s deep contemtion, she finally said, "... N-nothing."


    Wi, who almost said that she had been kissed by Mesties, preferred to keep quiet.


    There was no way she would say that to Baron Warwick, even though Baron Warwick was her own father.


    If Baron Warwick knew, then she would bebeled as a useless child like Mesties. That was the importance of the first kiss in this world.


    If it was a woman from a noble family, showing too much skin to men had been taboo, furthermore if it came to kissing a man other than the husband.


    Such a norm was to show that women who had noble names were superior and more important than women from themon people.


    After a moment of silence, Baron Warwick changed his expression to a more serious one, then he said, "Shouldn''t you be here to report on what I ordered you to do earlier?"


    "Ah!"


    "So, did you make it?"


    "...Yes."


    "Did he really drink it?"


    "...Yes," Wi replied weakly while nodding.


    No exnation was needed for Wi to understand what Baron Warwick meant. What Baron Warwick meant by the drink was the drink Wi had given to the Mesties, which contained poison.


    The poisoned drink that she had given to Mesties was actually the drink that she had received from her father. She received orders to give the poisoned drink to the Mesties.


    Even though she was told that the poison was ssified as harmless, she was confused because she did not understand why her father gave such a terrible order to give the poisoned drink to Mesties.


    "Good job. Then, have you told him to attend the party after the maturity ceremony?" Baron Warwick said.


    "Ah, I forgot about that. But, father, even if we have forced him, what if he doesn''t want to attend the partyter?"


    "Of course, that doesn''t matter. I just need a good reason to kick him out of this house." Baron Warwick said it casually.


    Whether Mesties woulde or not, it would make no difference.


    Baron Warwick was tired of hearing other nobles raving about him.


    The old nobles kept saying that he was not good at educating children. So, Baron Warwick made a resolution. If Mesties will not attend the partyter, then that would be a valid reason to expel him.


    Because if Mesties don''t want to attend the partyter, then it is the same as Mesties disrespecting him in front of the other nobles.


    Baron Warwick flicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Although from the outside he looked like a clumsy and stupid old man, his brain was still capable of thinking up many evil ideas.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Wi could only shudder in fear when she saw her father''s terrifying expression.


    She was merely the hand that Baron Warwick used to execute the n to banish Mesties by ident.


    This morning, when her father ordered Mesties'' personal servant to deliver a poisoned drink to Mesties, Wi identally overheard.


    And after that, Baron Warwick had ordered her to be the one who delivered the poisoned drink to Mesties.


    Of course, she wanted to refuse at first, but she didn''t dare.


    "Are you surprised about what I did, Wi?"


    "I didn''t dare, father."


    "Good. Although you resisted at first, now you seem to understand. What I did is for the good of our family."


    After finishing speaking, Baron Warwick ordered Wi to leave the room.


    Wi turned around, opened the door, and walked out of the room. As she walked along the corridors of the mansion, she looked pensive.


    To be honest, she regretted giving poison to Mesties. She thought so deeply about what she had done.


    ''!!''


    As she looked down, an exmation mark appeared above her head, and she finally remembered that she had swallowed some of the poisoned drink.


    She couldn''t imagine what would happen to her since she had swallowed the poison-filled drink earlier. Moreover... from mount to mouth.


    She put her finger on her lips. Then she shook her head vigorously.


    As Wi''s thoughts flew to the sky, her stomach suddenly began to churn. She grabbed her stomach and looked around.


    ''Is the effect of the poison already active?!''


    The more she stepped, the more her insides churned.


    Pooff!


    And finally, a loud fart sound was heard.


    Her face quickly changed to a bright red color like a tomato.


    This was a very embarrassing experience for her, fortunately there were no people in the corridors of the mansion, so no one saw her.


    With lightning-fast footwork, she quickly ran to the toilet with steam billowing from the top of her head.


    ***


    I thought I had just heard something important.


    "I had no idea that Baron Warwick was the one who nned it all."


    In my previous life, I didn''t know that. Therefore, I med Wi instead.


    I looked up at my ceiling. Directly above my room is Baron Warwick''s office room. My room is on the second floor, while Baron Warwick''s office is on the third floor of the mansion.


    Previously, I used mana to amplify my hearing. But I didn''t expect to hear something so important.


    Not that I did anything really great. This is just one of the basic mana maniption techniques.


    Even though I said basic, this isn''t something anyone can do. However, for me, who had managed to survive until the epilogue in this world, it is not something difficult.


    [Sessfully created a simple mana circuit.]


    [Simple mana maniption works.]


    [Would you like to give a name to the mana maniption skill you did just now?]


    I tilted my head slightly at the message window that appeared before my eyes.


    As far as I know, messages like that never appear in my previous life. I knew that there was a system that was always monitoring me, but that system had almost never appeared in my previous life.


    By the way, I call it World System.


    Well, it''s useless if I continue to grapple with that problem.


    "Five Senses Technique - Sense of Hearing."


    I mention the name that I think is appropriate.


    [That skill has been given the name ''The Five Senses - Sense of Hearing''.]


    And just like that?


    I kept waiting for what the name meant, but nothing happened. Even though I was expecting a cheat ability, I can only feel disappointed.


    Clearing my mind of unimportant matters, I got out of bed.


    Apparently, in my room, there was already a standing servant. Did the servant just barge into my room without knocking on the door or something?


    In fact, the servant immediately said what he needed to say.


    "Young Master, I have been instructed to convey a message from Master to you. He said that you are ordered to join the family for breakfast at the dining table."


    Although the words he spoke were polite words, the tone, intonation, and style he spoke made it clear that he was belittling me.


    A frown formed on my forehead. I was aware that I was the scum of this family, but even a servant dared to act like this?


    "Already?" I asked annoyed.


    "Oh, I know you don''t want to go, so I''ll tell Master that you''re not feeling well."


    When he said goodbye and was about to leave, I immediately walked over to him and held his shoulders tightly.


    "Who said you could go out?"


    "What do you mean?"


    He looks at me from his back. I saw his shocked face.


    "I mean... Eat this!"


    When I said that, I hit his face hard.


    And then, he fell to the floor with his face hitting the floor first.

 Chapter 4 Remove Poison In The Body

    ?I entered the bathroom. I slowly took off my clothes. Completely naked, I immediately dipped myself into the bathtub.


    Hot steam rose from the water inside the bathtub. Right at the moment my skin came into contact with the water inside the bathtub, a feeling offort prated the pores of my skin. My muscles which had been tense soon became limp.


    "I never thought I could feel this kind of luxury."


    Leaning back in the bathtub, I enjoyed the sensation I was feeling. If I calcte from my previous life, it''s been almost 11 years since I''ve had a hot shower.


    Before I could enjoy the sensation of the bath any longer, my stomach suddenly started to hurt. I was sure this must be the effect of the poison Baron Warwick had administered.


    "He invited me to eat with him. Could he be trying to test whether the poison he gave me works or not?"


    I wanted tough. To be honest, what Baron Warwick was doing seemed like child''s y to me now. Just like a prank.


    "Does he want toe up with a good excuse to get me kicked out of this house? Like I''m going to let it slide."


    After all, I need the identity of a noble. There are many benefits that I can get in the future if I keep the identity of a noble child. Even if the identity of a noble child was not the main heir, there would still be many benefitster.


    Before thinking about the future, I''d better get rid of the poison in my body.


    I took a cross-legged sitting position in the bathtub. I closed my eyes and calmed the rhythm of my breathing.


    I focused my thoughts on the internal organs of my body. It was like diving into the deep sea. I kept my focus, so there was no deviation.


    It took a lot of time and effort for me to feel the mana in my body. As you already knew, this body was a trash body that had no potential to have mana at all.


    Even so, I still believed I could do it.


    Mana.


    Mana is a spiritual energy that does not exist on Earth. The energy that previously only existed in fictional worlds, but now this spiritual energy is all around me.


    Among all the uses of mana known to the general public, there were still many secrets about mana energy. In short, the use of mana was to manifest magical events.


    Examples; manifesting fire ording to the will of a Magician, breaking rocks with a fist for a Warrior, and other uses.


    They are called Mana Users. In this world, only 1:100 people can use Mana, though that was just my rough guess.


    Usually, magicians are born from among the nobility, while warriors are from among themon people.


    However, there was one condition to be able to use Mana, and that was to have a Mana Core. And that''s where my problem was, because the body I had now didn''t have Mana Core, I became miserable.


    ording tomon knowledge in this world, one can only use mana if they have a Mana Core.


    Mana Core was a ce to store Mana, so, without a storage ce, one wouldn''t be able to use it, right? That''s the ingrained logic of this world. However, they are all actually wrong.


    Actually, everyone in this world had Mana, but not everyone could use it. Therefore, the concept of Mana Core was created.


    The requirement to use Mana is that you must be in a life-threatening situation, or survive in a life-and-death situation, or if you are unlucky, you must try a half-dead situation hundreds of times before you can use Mana without a Mana Core.


    In my previous life, I was busy trying to survive. Although I initially tended to avoid ces that were likely to be Jullian stages, even in ces far away from the protagonist''s stage, danger always lurked in this world. That was why I had quite a lot of experience being in life-and-death situations.


    Because of that, I can use Mana.


    Of course, the most important factor was that I had met Cornelia. She had taught me everything. Whether it was about Mana control, Mana cirction, or other things.


    What I had learned in my previous life still lingered in my brain. So, even though my body became weak again, I still remembered how to manipte mana, how my body felt when I used Mana, and how the sensations arose from using Mana. Do people call it muscle memory?


    I refocused on eliminating the effects of poison on my body.


    In short, the method I had been using requires you to attract and collect mana that you can collect in your body.


    Then use that mana energy to flush out the harmful substances in your body. Let''s just say you ordered the white blood cells to fight the poison.


    However, it was very difficult. It may feel like diving into the deep sea without using anything, but the target you should aim for is the big shark. Not only you cannot use force, but you also have to lead and make the shark obey yourmands.


    Drops of sweat began to ooze from the pores of my skin. Not because of the hot steam from inside the bathtub, but because of the tension I kept feeling.


    The breath that came out of my nose was calm at first, but now it slowly became heavy.


    ***


    A few minutester, I slowly opened my eyes.


    "Hup!"


    Suddenly, the liquid that was in my stomach started to rise to my throat. I immediately threw the liquid on my throat to the bathroom floor.


    "Blergh!"


    Slowly the liquid in my throat came out.


    What I expelled was all the poison that had been dispersed in my body.


    After all the liquid in my throat came out, I wiped my mouth.


    Only then did I see the message window.


    [Detoxification was sessful.]


    [Please choose a name for your skill!]


    I didn''t expect that I would be able to instantly cleanse the poison in my body. I thought it would take a few days.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Had the World System been helpful in the detoxification process? Whether that would be a good or bad thing, I don''t know.


    As for the name, since I am not good at naming, I will name it, "Poison Resistance."


    [The skill has been named Poison Resistance.]


    ***


    I quickly rushed over, and as soon as I finished showering, I came out of the bathroom.


    Unfortunately, the clothes that were in my closet were the ones that I had already worn for a few years, nothing new.


    "Well, whatever."


    I picked up a random ck outfit that looked better than the rest. Although it''s a bit difficult, I can finally wear thisplicated noble''s clothes


    Then I stood in front of the mirror.


    Now, the smell of alcohol is no longer in my body. The dark wrinkles are no longer under my eyes. Nor was there any sign on my face that I had drunk alcohol. My mind doesn''t spin anymore either.


    It felt strange to see myself looking younger than usual.


    Unknowingly time passed quickly.


    Knock! Knock!


    After knocking on the door, a servant came in after I gave the order to enter.


    "I will escort young master to the dining room."


    He was the servant I had beaten before. His face was still swollen. I could only cover my mouth so as not to burst outughing.


    Importantly, he was more polite to me now.


    "Lead the way."


    He walked in front of me, and I followed him like a duckling. That way, I didn''t have to worry about getting lost as I had somewhat forgotten theyout of the rooms in this mansion.


    On the way, I could see some maids who were cleaning furniture or doing other work. When I passed by, they saw me and stopped what they were doing.


    Dimly, I could hear the voices of people who seemed to be gossiping about something. They whispered in each other''s ears while looking at me.


    [You activated the Skill The Five Sense - Sense of Hearing.]


    ''Hmm? Why is it suddenly so easy to use skills?''


    When the system message appeared, I circted the mana in my body. Somehow it became much easier. Was this another favor from the system?


    When I used the Five Senses skill to enhance my hearing, I could hear the maids'' voices.


    "Hey, isn''t that Young Master Mesties?"


    "It seems so. Will there be a storm today? I heard he''s shutting himself down because he doesn''t have a mana core yet."


    "Well, isn''t that a natural thing? People say, if a noble''s son doesn''t have a mana core, then he''s called family trash. But what does that have to do with storms?"


    "Stupid, that''s just a figure of speech!"


    "But it''s also strange. Why would he suddenlye out after years of depression? Why would hee out all dressed up."


    "That servant in front of Young Master Mesties is Gil, right? Why is his face so swollen?"


    "Well, I don''t care. What matters is that I get my paycheck."


    "...."


    And so on¡­ Some saw the amazement on their faces at my appearance, but some just insulted me¡ªI mean, this body.


    Well, since what they insulted was the behavior this body did before, rather than myself, I ignored them. But for some reason there was a little anger ignited in my heart.


    After I nced at the maids one by one, as if I shot aser out of my eyes, the maids started to turn their faces away.


    They started pretending to continue with their activities; cleaning the furniture, sweeping, or running away. Surprisingly, some of the maids kept staring at my face without blinking. Weren''t they afraid their eyes would fall out?


    Most of the servants and maids in this mansion were from knightly families under the auspices of the Warwick Family, so there were no spies from other nobles.


    ''But... Mana core, huh.'' I thought about what they just said.


    Indeed, those who already had Mana Core were the ones who were easier to process, store, or manipte Mana.


    It would be a lie if I answered that I didn''t want to have it, but I was still very aware that it was impossible.


    There was no point in me continuing to hope for such an impossible thing. I''m d that the realistic nature I had on earth still exists today.


    "Young master, we have arrived," Gil told me.


    Now, I knew that his name was Gil from the maids'' words.


    After I nodded slowly, he slowly opened the door.


    Once the door in front of me opened, I would meet the entire Warwick family.

 Chapter 5 Family Conflict

    ?What was the meaning of being a noble in this world?


    Such thoughts crossed my mind.


    Let''s focus only on the kingdom of Misonia. There was one fundamental difference with the noble system that exists on earth.


    That was power. In this world, nobles were required to have power. In a world where there were all sorts of magical urrences, that was number one.


    Throughout this world, there were many monsters to be seen. They threatened the entire poption.


    If a noble was unable to exterminate a group of monsters that were in his area, he would be seen as unfit to rule as a ruler.


    After that, usually, the royal family will immediately remove the title of the nobility.


    For nobles, power was a symbol of honor, but power was not always about the strength of a noble''s individual body. It could be money, connections, or something else.


    Like Baron Warwick. Although he only had average individual strength, either skills or Mana Core, he still managed to retain the noble title of Baron that he had.


    ***


    After the door to the dining room opened by Gil, I went straight in.


    First of all, I noticed the interior of the dining room.


    The floor, which was made of marble, looked shiny. There was also arge magicmp hanging from the ceiling. A luxurious atmosphere emanated from every corner of the room. Every piece of furniture looked luxurious.


    ''A noble is still a noble. Even if they have the lowest rank, they still have a lot of money, huh.''


    I can onlyment in my mind.


    Finally, after my eyes saw the interior of the room, my eyes focused on the center of the room.


    Arge table was in the center of the room. Several chairs were ced at each corner of the table. And there were already two people sitting on the chairs.


    ''Apparently, Wi and Baron Warwick haven''t arrived yet.''


    They were neither Wi nor Baron Warwick. They were faces that were foreign to me. One was a young middle-aged woman, and the other was a young man who looked about the same age as me... at the moment.


    When the two people who were already sitting looked at me, their eyes instantly turned into the shape of arge egg, and their backs instantly became straight.


    It''s reachable if the two of them are shocked. To them, maybe I was a child who came out for the first time in years.


    However, they were someone who just passed by the side of the road for me.


    ''Umm, if I''m not mistaken, they are Daniel and Thalia.''


    Thalia was the wife of Baron Warwick. She was the mother of Wi and Daniel. In other words, she is my stepmother.


    Meanwhile, Daniel was my half-brother. He was the eldest son, one year older than me-my body now. He was also the one who had the highest potential to inherit the peerage of this family.


    Daniel stopped in shock.


    He immediately stood up and greeted me.


    "Oh~ Mestie, you came?! I don''t know what got into you, but I''m grateful that you''re no longer depressed and confined to your room. Please have a seat!"


    "Thank you for your kind greeting, Brother."


    He smiled as if he was a kind man. Of course, I replied with a smile as well. My expression was stiff when I tried to smile.


    I pulled up a chair and was about to sit down. But inside, the chair suddenly fell.


    "Tsk!"


    I heard a loud click from Daniel''s mouth. I saw he was furrowing his brows as if he was annoyed.


    Of course, he would be upset, because the chair he kicked and dropped didn''t affect me.


    Before I sat down, I saw him kicking my chair. So I immediately stood up. If I had sat down, I would have fallen straight to the floor.


    "Oh, is this your warm wee, Brother?"


    "Tch! Stop pretending to smile, you bastard!"


    "Is there something wrong?"


    "Of course you are! You are the trash of this family. Why did youe here? I wish you would forevernguish in your room to death."


    He shouted loudly.


    I took a deep breath.


    I wasn''t angry when he spoke like that. It was his fault to the owner of this body. But after a while, I also started to get emotional.


    Mentally, I was older than him, so I tried to deal with it.


    I was 27 years old (16 years on earth + 11 years in my previous life), while he was still a sweet seventeen-year-old. I assumed that he was just barking like a dog.


    Taking another seat, I put my ass on the chair.


    "Hey! Are you ignoring me?"


    "What''s wrong? Can you stop screaming? You''re noisy."


    I answeredzily.


    I reached into my ear because it buzzed a little.


    Suddenly Daniel was approaching me with a hostile look.


    As if the innocent chair in front of him was blocking his way, he kicked the chair hard.


    Smash!


    The chair bounced far enough, spinning on the floor until it hit the wall of the room and broke into pieces.


    If we assume that the kick was from an ordinary teenager, there''s no way it could be so badly damaged, but since this was another world, ''Looks like he used Mana,'' I thought to myself.


    It was likely that he used mana to strengthen his body. What would happen if it was my weak body that was kicked? Of course, I will be seriously injured.


    Even though I couldn''t gauge his Mana Core level or his skill level, I still wasn''t afraid. I believe he was only at the Beginner level, so I still have many ways to fight back.


    Without warning, he immediately grabbed my cor. Then he lifted my body.


    I, who was already seated, immediately stood up again.


    He brought his face closer to mine.


    "How dare you! The trash that disgraced our family...!"


    Daniel spits out his words with all his might.


    Had he opened his mouth like that far enough away from me, I would have absolutely ignored him.


    But since his face was right in front of mine, I wouldn''t let him get his words out¡ªnot because of his words, but because of the saliva that came out of his mouth¡ªIt reminded me that I once ate food mixed with other people''s saliva in the slums.<novelnext></novelnext>


    So, I stopped him before he finished saying what he wanted to say.


    "How disgusting!"


    Crack!


    I frowned while pushing his chin up with both hands, so his face was facing the air. Then I kicked him right in the stomach. As a result, he was forced to release his grip on my cor and retreat backward in a few steps.


    Holding his stomach, he winced in pain. His eyes widened too. Maybe he was surprised that I dared to fight back.


    "Bastard!!"


    It didn''t take long, he immediately rushed forward toward me like he was ready to run over me. Since we weren''t that far from the start, he immediately threw a punch so he could hit me in the face.


    Just before the punch hit my face, he stopped his punch in midair. Not out of goodwill, but because of the loud sound of the door opening.


    Do-Kang!


    The door was wide open.


    "What are you doing?"


    An old man with a mustache and a thin beard who had just arrived immediately shouted.


    "Daniel. Back off!"


    "B-but, father."


    "Don''t argue!"


    The old man snapped at Daniel.


    Then Daniel backed off without further arguing.


    So, he was Baron Warwick?


    I tried to remember his face. The impression I had was still the same. He looked like an ordinary old man. He was Baron Delray Warwick, the head of the family.


    "Thalia, why don''t you stop them?"


    "Well, what else can I do? They''re still young. So conflict like that is inevitable."


    Baron Warwick asked his wife.


    But Thalia still answered casually, as if she was carefree.


    When Thalia answered, she raised her bare shoulders, where she was wearing a dress that was open at the shoulders.


    It was now obvious that these three people were allied. Thalia clearly supported Daniel when he bullied me.


    ''Was the owner of this body used to be bullied by them too?'' I wondered in my mind.


    In my previous life, when I was kicked out of this house, Thalia didn''t act much.


    There was only Daniel who was ecstatic as if he had be a madman.


    I remember that he had said, "Now, I am the sole heir to this family''s noble title, hwahwahwa." He had said whileughing out loud. That''s what happened in my previous life.


    I wonder why Thalia doesn''t react like Daniel?


    I watched Thalia.


    She was a middle-aged woman with a beauty that still lingered on her face. There were no wrinkles on her face. How does she maintain such a face when there aren''t many facial treatments to be had in this world?


    But that wasn''t my main focus, I noticed a strange level that I hadn''t noticed before.


    Thalia continued to massage her temples like a person with a headache.


    Before I focused too deeply on Thalia, Baron Warwick''s voice came back to my senses.


    "Mesties, I''m d you''ve changed. I''ll bring your stepmother and stepbrother to punish them for bothering you. So, I''ll have the servants prepare the food. You can eat by yourself."


    "It''s all right, Father."


    I replied with a smile.


    He nodded.


    Then he took Thalia and Daniel out.


    Before Daniel came out, he gave me a death re.


    "I will remember your behavior. I will beat youter. Today you survived, but will you surviveter? Just wait for me."


    "Sure."


    I replied with a small mumble.


    He didn''t seem to hear, as he kept stepping out of the room.


    ***


    In the middle of this quiet, silent, and serene room, I picked up an empty chair and sat down on it. Since everyone had already left, I rxed my muscles.


    What I was gripping fell straight to the ground.


    Plop!


    It''s a fork. The fork slipped out of my hand and hit the floor. It shook a little and finally stopped.


    Not without reason I was holding a fork, earlier, when I kicked Daniel, I reflexively grabbed the fork that was on the table. There was no way I was going to stay still without fighting back.


    As soon as I gripped the fork, I immediately prepared to attack him.


    If he hadn''t stopped hitting, I was sure I would have stuck the fork in my hand into his throat.


    I was 100% sure earlier that I would be able to stick the fork down Daniel''s throat.


    If Baron Warwick hadn''t bothered, there might have been a bloody scene here.


    "Haahh~ I have to fix this habit."


    Self-defense response.


    It was what I got from living hell in my previous life. ''People who hurt me are enemies,'' That was my guideline, that I had to survive in this cruel world.


    I think I had to have some sort of tolerance for that guideline.


    However, I won''t erase that guideline, because that''s the result of what I had learned after living in this world for so many years.


    Ignoring the dark expression that might be on my face, I stood up and left the room.

 Chapter 6 Detoxification

    ?"So Wi''s room is here."


    I pondered for a moment, muttering to myself.


    I stood in front of a door.


    Previously, after I came out of the dining room, I had time to walk around the mansion.


    When I thought of what I wanted to do, I immediately thought of Wi''s current condition.


    So, I immediately asked one of the maids that I met by ident. When I asked, the maid looked very surprised. I could clearly read her thoughts from the expression she showed.


    ''How can Young Master forget about Young Miss''s room?'' That''s probably how her mind works. I felt I could see the words inside her brain floating above her head.


    ''I have no memory of the owner of this body, you know!'' I wanted to say that, but I couldn''t.


    Without further conversation, the maid had immediately directed me to this ce.


    That was how I was able to stand in front of Wi''s bedroom door.


    The ornaments on the door, which are full of carved floral ornaments, truly symbolize the owner''s thoughts.


    After I knocked, Wi, who was inside the room, opened the door.


    "Who is that?"


    "It''s me."


    After seeing that the person who hade was me, she opened her eyes wide.


    She wasn''t the only one surprised, but I was also surprised by her appearance which had changed in less than half a day.


    She was like someone who was seriously sick.


    Her eyes looked very heavy. The movements she makes are also very slow. But, even though she looks like a sick person, she still looks beautiful.


    Because I had also drunk that poison before, I also knew what she felt.


    "Why are you here?"


    "Well, I just wanted to see your condition."


    "Are you here to insult me?"


    "Of course not."


    Oh,e to think of it, she had no idea that I had found out about Baron Warwick''s scheme.


    Did she think that I would hate her?


    "Don''t worry. I know that you didn''t poison me on purpose. I know that you did it because you were forced to."


    "W-who''s worried about that." She averted her eyes from me. "So, you did know that the drink contained poison. Then, how did you know that I was forced to give it to you?"


    "I still have good hearing."


    I answered while pointing at my ear.


    She looked left and right in confusion. Her tiny fingers twirled around like a drunk.


    After hesitating for a moment, she invited me to enter.


    In the bedroom which was decorated with flowers and there were also several dolls, a man and a woman were sitting on the bed. Those two people were Wi and me.


    By the way, this was my first time entering a girl''s room.


    "So, what''s the real reason you came here?"


    "Aren''t you experiencing symptoms of poisoning?"


    "D-don''t worry, it''s not a life-threatening poison."


    "If you don''t mind, I can help you eliminate the poison in your body."


    "Are you sure you can do that?"


    "Sure. Just give me your hand."


    I asked for her hand.


    Wi looked at me with a murderous face. It''s like she doesn''t believe me.


    It''s not like I want to r*pe you. Why are you looking at me so fiercely?


    If only my eyes could speak, such words would probablye out.


    Really, I don''t know anything about women.


    After hesitating for a moment, she finally stretched out her hand. Then I hold her hand. I didn''t hold her hand like a couple but like a doctor checking a patient''s pulse. Even so, I can still feel her soft skin.


    [Poison Resistance skill is active!]


    This time, I will apply to Wi.


    I closed my eyes.


    I ignored the gentle touch of Wi''s smooth and soft skin.


    Once again, when I focused on moving Mana that I had activated, I felt the atmosphere like diving into the deep sea.


    Hurk!


    In the middle of the process, I seemed to hear the sound of something, but since I was still focused, I ignored it.


    ***


    A few little time had passed


    I opened my eyes.


    I have sessfullypleted the task of diving in the deep sea. This was an achievement for me.


    I felt like I wanted to give myself a reward for sessfully eliminating the poison in Wi''s body.


    Without me having to put in any effort, a gift was waiting for me when I opened my eyes.


    "..."


    I''m speechless.


    What a pity, not a gift that makes people happy, but a gift that makes people angry that I got.


    I found that my whole body was covered in vomit.


    The pungent smell was all over the room. When I inhaled it, I also felt the smell. But I didn''t react too much.


    "S-sorry."


    Wi said sorry while looking down. Her face was as red as a tomato.


    "It''s okay, I knew it would turn out like this."


    I replied tly.


    After all, vomit like this was everywhere when you''re in the slums area. So, I am used to it. The smell of vomit and feces has dominated most of my memories.<novelnext></novelnext>


    What she found disgusting had bemonce to me.


    She couldn''t seem to stand the smell of her own vomit. Over her head, an idea popped up, which she immediately did.


    "Take off your clothes. It''s already dirty."


    Before I could reply to Wi''s words, she had already started to approach me and forcibly removed my shirt.


    Uh, isn''t this like a r*pe scene?


    In the midst of her busyness taking off my clothes, there was a sound, knock-knock on the bedroom door.


    "Young Lady, I brought your food."


    The sound wasing from her maids.


    All of a sudden, Wi froze into an ice sculpture. Her hand, which was already half-opening my shirt, stopped in the middle of the road.


    Did she finally understand what she was doing?


    I grabbed her frozen hand and freed myself from her grip.


    "I''ll hide in the bathroom."


    I whispered to Wi in her ear. Above her head suddenly came out a smoke. I ignored her reaction and hurried to my feet.


    Every bedroom in this mansiones with a bathroom. So, I quickly went inside.


    After I hid, Wi sent the maid in.


    "Huh, why is there vomit here? Are you okay, miss?"


    "I''m fine. Just clean it up."


    At once, she asked them to clean up the vomit in the room.


    After the room was quiet again, I went back out. I saw that she still looked embarrassed.


    "Is your body getting better?"


    She nodded slowly without answering.


    ''Did she really trust the previous owner of this body?'' I think about the detoxification that I did earlier.


    The detoxification process can be very risky if something goes wrong.


    It can only be done if one has mutual trust. After all, to do so, I had to bepletely focused. And the defense on Wi''s Mana Core must also bepletely disabled.


    I didn''t know what happened in the past between the owner of this body and Wi, but it seemed like Wi really trusted him.


    I suddenly wondered, what was the rtionship between Wi and the owner of this body before?


    But I wouldn''t be able to find an answer to that.


    "Alright, I''ll be out then."


    I was getting ready to leave when Wi suddenly grabbed the hem of my shirt, making me stop halfway.


    "Hey, wait a minute. ...I-I''m sorry about the poison that I gave to you this morning. I don''t know why you suddenly turned out like this, but I like the way you are. And... T-thank you for healing me. Even though I could have asked the father for an antidote, I wouldn''t dare to. So, once again, thank you."


    Wi bowed low to me. Her long hair fell freely like a waterfall beautifully. Maybe she would look like a grown woman in public, but now she looked like a girl of her age, namely a 14-year-old girl.


    Puk...


    I patted her head lightly.


    In fact, I was actually just trying to make her a guinea pig to test if the Poison Resistance skill could be used to treat people.


    Regardless, it was not bad to receive an apology from her.


    In my previous life, Wi''s fate had been tragic. She would be one of the many girls who made up Jullian''s harem.


    In the novel itself, there was no mention of a girl named Wi. But through my previous life, I knew that she would be made into a collection by the hero.


    Unfortunately, being part of the hero''s collection does not mean happiness. I''m not sure, but I had heard that she lost a battle with another woman in the protagonist''s harem.


    To be sure, I had known that one day, she would be found dead in the middle of the forest. Many say she was found in a sad state. But I didn''t know what happened to her back then.


    Since I had to be her half-brother, I''ll protect her as much as I can. I''m not saying ''Definitely'' because I''m not a hero, I''m just an extra character, but at least I can still do something.


    "No problem. Then, I''ll leave first."


    ***


    After I closed Wi''s bedroom door, I could hear her voice. As well as various sounds of furniture mming into the ground.


    I thought she was crazy, so I wanted to check. But I gave up my intention after hearing what she said.


    "Aaaahhh! Wasn''t that just a confession? Am I crazy? He''s my own brother! Eh, that''s not what I meant! Aaaahh...."


    Ignoring themotion Wi was making, I walked away while pondering for quite a while.


    So this was the beginning of the 3rd month?!


    Before I left Wi''s room, I had asked what today''s date was.


    And she had replied, "If I''m not mistaken, this is the 3rd day, 3rd month, and 990th year of the Sovereign Calendar."


    ording to the plot of the novel, now, Jullian was still focused on increasing his strength. In other words, he was still rtively weak.


    Of course, as weak as the main character was, an extra character like me was still much weaker.


    So, with my weak self, should I just run away and avoid everything?


    "..."


    Really, that was a ridiculous question.


    Indeed, I could just ignore all that and live my own life. It means I would live my own life, while the protagonist¡ªJullian Arkie, will live his own protagonist life.


    But after many things that happened in my previous life, I wouldn''t be able to ignore them anymore.


    ''Is this fate?


    I hope that the experience of 11 years in my previous life, as well as a little information from the novel I had remembered, will help my ns for the future.


    After seeing the destruction of Heinsburg City and the betrayal that had beenmitted by the hero, I had to rely on myself for a better future.


    It was possible that I would end up fighting Jullian sooner than I expected. Therefore, I must also be quicker in improving my strength.


    At the very least, I should be strong enough to be able to fight Jullian in less than a month.


    ''Sounds pretty impossible.


    I feel like I want toin.


    However, I have to do that. Because, approximately one month from now, the hero awakening event will happen.


    In order to prevent Jullian from bing a hero, I must be strong enough. That was the main reason why I had to be strong immediately.


    I think near here there was a ce called Fier Mountain. Perhaps I should go there first to train.


    Alright, I''ll think about itter, after the troubles in this house are over.

 Chapter 7 Strengthening Skill

    ?Inside Baron Warwick''s office room, Gil stood like a statue.


    In front of him was Baron Warwick who kept staring at him like he was ready to eat him.


    With a sharp gaze, Baron Warwick began to speak in an interrogative tone.


    "So all the drinks and food you gave Mesties had no effect on him?"


    "Yes, sir! I swear by the God of Light, that I am not lying."


    Gil raised both his hands and spoke earnestly.


    Cold sweat started to form on his forehead.  His body was shaking all the time. He was afraid of the punishment he would receive from Baron Warwick.


    It had been three days since Baron Warwick had ordered Wi to give him a poisoned drink. But Mesties was still healthy. Not only that, in the past few days, Mesties had made a full recovery from the Hikikomori disease.


    From there, Baron Warwick began ordering Gil, who served as Mesties'' servant, to administer poison to Mesties. Of course, the dose given is higher.


    Indeed, Gil managed to give the poisoned food and drink to the Mesties. However, Mesties would just pretend to eat it and throw up afterward because he already knew that it was poisonous.


    After pretending to eat all that food and drink, Mesties would always smile kindly at Gil and say, "I''ll repay you, Gil."


    On the other hand, Gil always felt the hairs on his neck stand up every time he heard Mesties'' words.


    And now, he had to face the furious Baron Warwick.


    Baron Warwick rise from his seat and took a bottle of strange liquid from the drawer. He opened the bottle and poured the liquid into Gil''s mouth.


    "I want you to test the effects of this poison. Don''t worry, I have the antidote."


    "Urk!"


    Gil couldn''t help but give up as the liquid started to enter his mouth. After swallowing all the liquid, he coughed for a while before falling like a corpse. His body turned white, then his spirit floated.


    "So, it''s not in this poison that the problem lies?"


    Baron Warwick muttered to himself.


    After a while, he had just given the antidote to the dying Gil.


    This is a story about the most unfortunate person in this mansion.


    After Gil was taken out by another maid, Baron Warwick circled the room before he muttered under his breath.


    "Ghost Face, you cane out now."


    "Oh, what''s wrong?"


    Suddenly, a voice answered Baron Warwick''s words. The voice came from an empty chair.  Like a fart, it has sound but no form.


    "Show yourself. I don''t want to talk to someone invisible."


    "Okay, okay."


    Suddenly, a person named Ghost Face appeared on the chair. He sat casually in a ck robe that covered every inch of his body.


    What the person called Ghost Face shows is a stealth technique. It belonged to a high-level mana maniption technique that consumed a lot of mana.


    "So, what is your request, Mister Old Noble?"


    Ghost Face spoke in a contrived tone.  Because his face was covered in a cloak, his expression was nowhere to be seen.


    Even without seeing the expression on Ghost Face''s, Baron Warwick still knew that he was being ridiculed.


    ''It''s fine that you''re acting like this now. Butter, I''ll throw you away when you''re useless.''  That''s how Baron Warwick thought.


    "Oh, before we talk, I''d better install barrier magic first."


    Like he said, Ghost Face started chanting a spell. When he finished chanting the incantation, a barrier began to form.


    All of a sudden, Barriers fill the office room.


    The function of barrier magic was to prevent someone from eavesdropping on their conversation.


    "This way, we can discuss our business more smoothly."


    ***


    "Shit!"


    I clicked my tongue until it hurt.


    Though it was an important moment in their conversation.  But Ghost Face created a barrier instead.  So, I can no longer hear their voices.


    Yes, as seen.  I overheard a conversation between Baron Warwick and a man named Ghost Face.


    I had some suspicions about Ghost Face''s identity, but I threw those thoughts to the back of my head first.


    I thought about what Baron Warwick might ask Ghost Face.  In the best-case scenario, he might ask to immobilize me, but in the worst-case scenario, he would ask Ghost Face to kill me.


    Looking at the old man''s persistence in the past three days, perhaps the worst-case scenario woulde true.


    For now, all I can do is wait for Ghost Face toe to me. Of course, I also had to put up a safety.


    Without thinking about the matter any further, I quickly exited my room. I hastily followed a maid to the front yard.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It''s already the third day since I returned to the present.


    Livingfortably in this mansion almost killed my fighting instincts.


    "I have to leave this ce immediately."


    As I walked down the halls of the mansion, I saw Daniel standing in my way.  He leaned against the wall, like a street thug.


    "Hey, stop, damn it!"


    Of course, I ignored him and kept going.  Who wants to stop when told to.


    He looks really angry when I ignore him.  Even though I was annoyed.  So, when he grabbed my shoulder, I immediately frowned.


    I grabbed the hand and mmed it hard on the floor.  He looked surprised as he flew off my back.  Then he just fell to the floor.


    Bruakk!


    Without another word, he staggered to his feet before starting to attack me.


    A punch or two flew toward my face.  But the blow only hit thin air.


    I dodged left and right, in sync with every hit he took. My footsteps also move in sync with my upper body.


    "Bastard! Bastard! Can you keep dodging? Come on, fight me, damn it!"


    ''Ugh, those are too cliche words, huh.''


    He seemed to be getting annoyed. He continued to spur his punches. As time went on, the blows grew faster, until finally, it was only a hair away from my face.


    So, I can''t just dodge it. I kicked the floor hard and slid towards Daniel.


    Instantly I was right in front of him. It would be more correct to say that we are face-to-face.


    Was he really that surprised? He immediately took a few steps back. His face clearly said, ''He''s fast!''  Or something like that.


    Of course, I won''t let him widen our distance again. I grabbed his neck with my right hand.


    Yes, I choked him.


    "Uk!"


    It seemed like he wanted to say something, but he couldn''t.


    I then dragged him to the window, before finally I pushed¡ªbanging his head against the window.


    Crack!


    The sound of ss breaking echoed through the halls of the mansion. The shards of ss fell to the floor. The now-open window carried a breeze into the hall of the mansion.


    I''m still holding on to Daniel''s neck firmly. I saw his face was red, probably because he was out of breath.


    Just as I was about to let go, he suddenly kicked me using a lot of mana. ''Is that the technique?''


    Grab!


    His kick flew beside my face. Without much difficulty, I managed to catch his kick with my left hand.


    I saw the surprised look on Daniel''s face was quite funny. But I didn''tugh, but frowned because my left hand was numb.


    Without dy, I immediately pushed Daniel further. When I let go of my grip on his neck, he grabs me.


    But he didn''t make it.


    "Fly away."


    Those were the words I spoke to him.


    He then fell from the second floor. Even so, he will not die.  At most, it would only take a few weeks to recover.


    ''As I thought, I softened a bit. If it was in my previous life, I would have killed him straight away.''


    I convinced myself that, if I ever saw Daniel again, and he was still hostile to me, I would kill him straight away.


    The reason why I managed to defeat him early was because I was only focused on strengthening my wrists and legs with mana.


    The act itself is very difficult to perform.  It took a lot of time for me to be able to do that in my previous life.


    [You managed to strengthen some parts of your body by manipting your mana.]


    [Your internal mana control has increased.]


    [Your mana circuit has grown a bit.]


    [Would you like to give your mana maniption technique a name?]


    What?  Is this System insulting me?  Wasn''t mana maniption techniques to strengthen the body the mostmon thing for internal mana user specialists?


    Well, whatever.


    "Strengthening."


    [...Your maniption technique has been given a name - Skill Strengthening.]

 Chapter 8 Maturity Ceremony (1)

    ?The reason why I was able to defeat Daniel even though I didn''t use mana was because I already had a lot of experience fighting in life-and-death conditions.


    In short, it was because of the difference in experience.


    So, even though my current body is much weaker than it was in my previous life, I still have a fighting instinct that far surpasses people with raw strength like Daniel.


    I ignored all useless system messages. Then I walked out of the mansion, ignoring Daniel who had flown far away.


    As a result of themotion that I had, which was I had thrown Daniel out, the servants who heard themotion immediately rushed over to take a look.


    "Aren''t you going to save him?"


    I asked one of the maids who was looking at me with disbelieving eyes. Then they ran out, from inside the mansion to the front yard, to fetch Daniel.


    While the maids were busy, I just walked leisurely.  When I reached the front yard, there was already a horse carriage parked.


    Next to the horse-drawn carriage was Wi, who was wearing a beautiful noble dress. Even though the dress covered her entire body, it still looked good on her.


    "Don''t you want to ask me something?"


    "Hmm? Do you mean about Brother Daniel? If it''s him, I don''t care."


    ''She seems to have her own predicament,'' that''s what I thought.


    "?Let''s go now. Mum and dad might not be able to go with us because they have to take care of Brother Daniel."


    After say like that, Wi''s gaze suddenly turned to something hanging from my waist. She looked quite surprised.  Then she asked by cing her hand on her small mouth.


    "Why are you carrying a sword?"


    "I saw a sword hanging on the wall, so I took it. Don''t worry, this would be just for precaution."


    "Brother. That''s not what I meant. Aren''t we not allowed to carry weapons during the maturity ceremony? ...Well, whatever, I doubt you can use it."


    Wi shrugged, gave up, and turned around. Then, she got into the horse carriage.


    I also followed behind her, but just as I was about to enter, following Wi into the horse carriage, two people immediately stopped me. They wore full armor, which covered their entire bodies.


    The two of them were guards.


    Indeed, if a noble was going to go somewhere, they would always bring a guard. Right, that''s what they were. But, what kind of traits do they have? They blocked me into the horse carriage with spears in their hands. Are they provoking me?


    First, there were the servants (named Gil if I''m not mistaken), then Daniel, and now this guard? I''m really tired of people looking to mess with me.


    "Young Master Mesties is not allowed to enter the same carriage as Young Lady Wi. This is an order from My Lord."


    "Oh, so you guys weren''t deliberately looking to mess with me, huh."


    Who would believe you if you put on a disdainful expression like that?!  Do you guys think I''m stupid?  But I''m toozy to beat you guys up.


    I turned back to find another carriage.


    Tang!


    When I gave up on forcing them, I heard a loud noise.  It was like the sound of metal shing.


    I turned around and saw that Wi had banged the heads of the two guards.  Since their heads were protected by armor, they only looked a little dizzy.  The proof is that many stars were spinning above their heads when they look down.


    ''Why is Wi angry?''


    I saw that Wi was looking at the two guards in annoyance. Instantly, when she nced at me, she immediately smiled and said softly.


    "Brother, pleasee in and sit beside me."


    For some reason, her smile looks so scary.


    ***


    Gallop, Gallop, Gallop!


    The sound of horse hooves rang in my ears. The carriage that I was riding in shook with every step the horses took. The vibration made my butt hurt.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I am now in the horse carriage. I put my elbow near the carriage window, and I saw the scenery outside the window.


    The view of Ryam City began to appear. The city of Ryam has a poption of around 100,000, so you could say it''s a small town.


    Understandably, this area was the Frontier of the Misonia Kingdom.


    Even though this area is ssified as a remote area, the noble district I''m currently passing through still has good ce management.


    As the carriage continued to run, it left the noble district and entered the area where themoners'' people lived.


    While waiting for my destination, I turned my gaze toward Wi who was sitting beside me. She looks very nervous.


    "Why are you so nervous?"


    "Aren''t you nervous too?"


    "Why should I be nervous?"


    "Because we are going to the maturity ceremony?"


    ording to what Wi said, now we are heading to church to attend the ceremony ofing of age.


    Maturity ceremony.


    In this world, children who are 17 years old, for boys, and 15 years, for girls, will undergo the ceremony of maturity. After that, they are considered to be adults.


    About age, age is not determined by the date or day they were born, but only by year.  So, there is no such thing as a birthday party in this world.


    As for when someone wanted to attend the maturity ceremony, it was up to them.


    Actually, the maturity ceremony is just to get an ID Card from the Kingdom. And I did this just to get that ID Card.


    Since there is no such thing as a birthday, after I attend the maturity ceremony, I will be recorded as 17 years old. And Wi will be recorded as 15 years old.  For that reason, Wi and I attended the ceremony of maturity together.


    "Looks like we''ve arrived."


    I noticed this horse carriage had stopped at some point. Then the coachman opened the carriage door.


    I took a step first, then Wi followed behind me. As soon as we got out of the carriage, there was a magnificent building in front of our eyes.


    The building is a church, where the ce is reserved for the worshipers of the God of Light, whose name is the god, Apollo.


    The Church of Light is the only religion that exists in this world. So, it''s only natural that they are a rich religion.


    The proof is that their church is among the houses of other ordinary people. Maybe, they build churches among ordinary people''s houses because they want to be seen always with the people, but to me, that is just their mere arrogance.


    ''Do they want to show off that their organization is a rich religious organization?''


    Why am I so negative about this religious organization? Of course, because they were the organization where Jullian was.


    Actually, I was someone who doesn''t believe that God exists.  ''If there is, he must be an impudent being. Where he''s ying with my life.''


    I don''t know what people think, but I feel that I''m not a racist. So, I will not kill or hate those who disagree with me.


    Even so, my hatred for Jullian is still contagious to the religious organization to which he belongs.


    I threw those disturbing thoughts in the trash, and then I walked toward the church.


    I saw that in front of the church, there were already two people.  One was an old man and the other was a girl.  I don''t know who the old man is, but I know who the girl is.


    My eyes immediately widened when I saw she was there.  ''Why is she here?''  My mind raced fast.  My brain is thinking of various possibilities. ''Damn, if this girl was here, then that person might be....''


    Meanwhile, I unconsciously stopped moving.  My feet are stuck to the ground. My body stands like a tree that can''t move


    "Brother, what''s wrong?"


    I could hear Wi''s voice, but it passed through my left ear and came out of my right.  Meanwhile, I just kept looking at the girl. If I''m not careful, my eyes will drop.

 Chapter 9 Maturity Ceremony (2)

    ?She walked closer to us. She was wearing a priestess robe, which was embroidered with gold in some parts. There was also a sun symbol on the back of the cloak if I remember. The robe was symbolizing who she really is.


    Priestess rista Fonia.


    Even though her current age was different from when I saw her in my previous life, her facial features weren''t much different¡ªageless.


    Speaking of appearance, she is indeed beautiful. The curves in her body also couldn''t be hidden under the robe she was wearing. But that''s not what made me stand frozen.


    In my previous life, she was someone extraordinary. She became a Saintess. Many people worshiped her, admired her like a messenger of gods, and she was also a member of Jullian''s Harem Party.


    Saintess.


    The title was given to a girl with the most brilliant light magic power. The figure should be the main female character. I don''t know why, but she''s not the main female character (heroine) in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    Indeed, there are not many descriptions of her in the Demon Lord and Hero of Light novels. But there is one sentence that sticks in my brain.


    That is... If somewhere there was rista Fonia, then there would be Jullian Arkie there too.


    Why? That is because rista Fonia has an obsession with Jullian.


    In other words, ''Is Jullian Arkie in this town now?'' That thought made me freeze on the spot.


    ''Then why is he here? Have I changed the future, due to my reincarnation? This is different from the plot in the novel and the events in my previous life.''


    Wrinkles kept forming on my forehead as I was lost in thought.


    Like most plots in novels, the main characters are always involved in the conflict, otherwise, the novel will be called trash, ridiculed by the readers, and forgotten. Well, maybe because of that, Jullian is always in the middle of a conflict.


    So, the most certain possibility is¡­ There''s going to be a big incident in this town!


    Well, first, I have to confirm where Jullian was.


    I don''t know how long I stood like a tree, but rista was already in front of me.


    "Are you Young Master Mesties Warwick and Young Miss Wi Warwick?"


    She asked us with a bright smile.


    Pinch!


    I felt a deep pain in my upper arm. Because of that, I immediately came back to my senses.


    "Brother, is she so beautiful that you have to keep looking at her so seriously?"


    While rubbing my upper arm in pain, I looked at Wi. Turns out she was the one who had pinched my upper arm tightly.


    "No, you misunderstood...."


    Before I could finish answering Wi, rista suddenly jumped in and spoke to Wi in particr.


    "Ara, is that so? That''s a very pleasantpliment to hear. But don''t worry, Little Young Lady, I already have someone I like. So I won''t snatch your brother away."


    I frowned as I looked at rista. As for rista, she just keeps smiling with a dazzling brightness.


    And as for Wi, she was trying hard toe forward and beat rista for some reason. I tried desperately to stop him.


    That''s why I changed the topic of the conversation. I spoke to rista.


    "Since you already know us, I don''t think we need to introduce ourselves. Will you be officiating our maturity ceremony?"


    "Yes. My name is rista Fonia. I didn''t expect you to be so handsome. Is it true that you were a young noble who was depressed all those years?"


    She covered her mouth andughed. Looking at her age as early twenties, her present nature was very different from the nature of her that I remembered in my previous life when she behaved like a saintess.


    ''I''ll ask her the reason why she''s hereter, after all, she doesn''t know me now. It would be strange if I suddenly asked about Jullian.''


    "Female Priestess Fonia, let''s go in and continue the maturity ceremony as scheduled."


    The old priest who was beside Priestess Fonia reminded her. Seeing the old Priest''s reaction, rista must havee to Ryam City recently.


    ***


    When I entered the church, the atmosphere inside the church was bustling. Some worshipers prayed in the chairs of the devotees with sobs.


    Ting!


    rista raised and rang the small bell in her hand. Immediately, the congregation fell silent and took notice.


    I ignored those religious fanatics.


    I followed rista to the front of the congregation.<novelnext></novelnext>


    As far as I know, a priestess shouldn''t preside over an event like this, but seeing that the old male priest was silent (trembling), exined the status that rista had.


    "First, we have to measure the amount of mana that you have. Later, after you worship the God Apollo, we will give you an ID card."


    She spoke to us. Then, rista took out a crystal ball. If it was on earth, the crystal ball must have resembled that of a fortune-teller.


    The crystal ball was a tool to measure a person''s mana core level.


    The mana core is divided into three levels.


    Low.


    Medium.


    High.


    "Please put your hands on this crystal ball."


    rista told us. She ced the crystal ball on the altar table.


    First, I nodded to Wi, who asked permission toe forward first. Then Wi came forward and she put her hand on the crystal ball.


    Nothing happened at first, but not long after that, the crystal ball instantly shone brightly.


    "Congrattions, even though your mana core is still low level, it looks pretty high for your age."


    She came back to my side with zero expression.


    For most teenagers, it must be at a low level, like Wi.


    Now it was my turn, so I stepped forward and directly ced my hand on it.


    At first, nothing happened, but a few momentster, nothing happened either.


    Yes, nothing happened!


    There was only silence that enveloped the church.


    I''m tired of putting my hand on the crystal ball, so I take my hand back.


    As I looked around, I could see surprised expressions on the faces of rista and the congregation present, but I ignored them.


    "Pfftt."


    I can hear theughing of the congregation. And some people were also holding backughter.


    The conclusion is simple. I am an ordinary human without mana.


    "This is very strange. It is almost impossible for a human with noble blood not to have a mana core."


    As rista said, it was indeed strange.


    "But it''s possible, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, indeed. Let''s move on to the next process."


    To be honest, I was surprised that she didn''tugh at me.


    After that, we stood at the deepest end of the church. What was in front of us now was a giant statue.


    This statue is in the form of an adult man with a scarf wrapped around his body. A pair of wings can be seen on its back.


    This is a statue of the God Apollo.


    This statue is worshiped by the congregation in this church.


    And now is our turn to do it. It''s an obligation for the citizens of the Kingdom of Misonia to worship the God Apollo, but to be honest, I hate doing it.


    I cupped my hands together, about to bow to the statue of God Apollo, but suddenly a system message appeared in front of my eyes.


    [Your detected worship God Apollo! Warning! Your actions will be judged inappropriate and you should not.]


    [Standard operating system - Prevention. Now activated.]


    My head suddenly felt dizzy. My view of the world around me began to shift in an erratic direction. The pulse inside me also suddenly began to feel very fast.


    Without knowing what the message conveyed by the system meant, I started to lose consciousness. Thest moment I remember is my body hitting the floor before losing consciousnesspletely.

 Chapter 10 The Forgotten Dream

    ?World System.


    That''s what I call.


    The World System has no physical form, it''s just a notification window, floating in front of my face, and only I can see it.


    I don''t know how or why this system exists.


    In the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light, there is no such thing as a system.


    For ordinary people, to make it easier to understand, sometimes, I think that the World System is just like that someone was watching my life from somewhere.


    Why do I always ignore system messages? Because those messages had never previously affected my life in this other world, at least, not until I received them.


    [You are detected worshiping God Apollo! Warning! Your actions will be judged inappropriate and you should not do them.]


    [Standard operating system - Prevention. Now activated.]


    That was the first time, the World System had a real impact on my life.


    Warning? Preventive measure? Really, I wanted to retort that it was bullshit. I don''t like it when a mere system starts dictating what I should do.


    But I can''t prevent system action.


    And after that, finally, I suddenly lost consciousness.


    ***


    The cave was dark, cold, and spooky. There was no sound, could not see, not even air in it.


    In the cave, a woman is hanging on a cross. I couldn''t see her figure clearly. It''s just like looking at a ck-and-white image.


    I don''t know why I can see such a sight.


    Didn''t I just lose consciousness?


    Instantly, the girl nced at me. Our gazes are connected. I wasn''t sure because I couldn''t see her face clearly, but I was sure that she was smiling at me


    After that, everything that I saw earlier disappeared like the earth swallowed.


    ***


    My consciousness started to return. What did I see? It seems I saw something when I lost consciousness, but I can''t remember it clearly.


    I just remember that I lost consciousness earlier while worshiping the supposed statue of the god Apollo.


    My head is still dizzy now, and I still close my eyelids.


    I could feel something soft right behind my head. Is that a pillow? Wrong. I''m sure it wasn''t a pillow.


    The soft andfortable feeling that spreads from the back of my head immediately fills my brain. I feel like burying my head in this pleasure.


    I can''t stop rubbing my head against this thing.


    Pinch!


    "Ow!"


    I immediately opened my eyes when the pain came to my cheek.


    As soon as I opened my eyes, I was faced with two towering mountain peaks, ready to crush me. Behind the two mountains, there is a sharp gaze from the two beautiful eyes.


    "Are you awake? If you are awake, I hope you wake up soon."


    Ah!


    I immediately lifted my body. Get up and sit. I turned and looked at the person who spoke to me earlier.


    It''s rista.


    Turns out she was the one who gave me the thigh pillow.


    At first nce, it seemed like she was paying attention to me, but I realized that was impossible. There must be a good reason why she dared to give a thigh pillow to someone she didn''t know like me.


    Thereafter, I asked while holding my head, which still felt a little dizzy.


    "How long have I been unconscious for?"


    "You''ve been unconscious for half a day."


    She answered as is.


    That''s when I started looking around. I realize that I am still in the church now, but the situation in this church haspletely changed.


    Pieces of the chairs where the congregation had been sitting, which had been neatly arranged, were now scattered all over the floor. Devastation was the right word for this situation.


    I can''t help but be surprised. So I immediately asked rista about it all.


    "What happened?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hey, shouldn''t you thank me first for giving you a thigh pillow?"


    "Should I? Then, thank you very much, Priestess."


    "Fufu, you should really feel grateful because I can''t bear to let you lie on the floor, unlike that old priest."


    She pointed at the poor old priest. Lying unconscious.


    "What is the cause of all this?"


    "Haaah~ all of this was caused by your little sister. She panicked when she saw you suddenly fainted."


    rista answered while standing up. She then patted her thigh, to clean it, as if she had just hit something dirty.


    Then, she continued the story of what had happened earlier.


    She said that after I fainted, although Wi panicked, it didn''t destroy the entire church.


    What caused it all to start was when several soldiers from the Warwick household had suddenlye here. They asked Wi to return to the Warwick residence as soon as possible.


    That''s where the conflict started.


    Wi refused toe back straight away. She said she would try to wait for me to wake up.


    Then, because Wi was worried, she ordered the soldiers to take me back to the residence, but they refused instead. They said that only Wi was told to return to the Warwick residence but I was not.


    Because of the fierce anger, Wi just now went into a rage and destroyed everything.


    Although it should have been easy to stop Wi from running amok, but because they, the soldiers, didn''t dare to hurt Wi, Wi could run amok at will.


    "In the end, I had to convince her that I would take good care of you. Only then did she want to go with the soldiers to return to your residence."


    rista ended her story with a very heavy breath.


    Well, it must be heavy.


    "By the way, maybe this is a bit too sudden, but... May I ask, what is the name of the person you love now?"


    "Ahaha~ why are you asking about that? Did you start to fall in love with me after receiving the thigh pillow?"


    Ugh! I wanted to smack her in the head. I didn''t expect that the nature of a future Saintess would be so annoying. So, I immediately asked about the crux of the matter.


    "Is he named Jullian?"


    "Eh, how did you know?"


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. Where is he now?"


    "What do you want to do to him? There''s no way you can win against him, ok. Not that I want to insult you, but you don''t even have a Mana Core."


    "Well, just answer it."


    "Ok, ok. Maybe he is now in your family''s mansion? I arrived in this city this morning, while he came a littlete."


    "Do you know why he came to my family''s residence?"


    "Let me think about it... I don''t know. I only know about him wanting toe to your residence. That''s why I gathered some information and came to this town first."


    "So you''re not from this town?"


    I asked as if I don''t know.


    "Yes, I am from the Royal Capital, Heinsburg City."


    I pretended to be surprised by widening my eyes.


    "Then, howe you can be the priestess guiding our maturity ceremony?"


    "I wanted to see you guys, so I coulde with you to where you live, then meet Jullian there. But instead, you fainted and your little sister went on a rampage, destroying this church. Damn, shouldn''t you apologize to me?"


    Look how obsessed she is with Jullian. Isn''t that already like a stalker?


    I could tell that she was upset, a sign that she kept frowning is proof, but the strange thing was¡­ There were no wrinkles on her smooth face. I can''t help but be amazed.


    Let''s ignore the adorable annoyed expression on rista''s face for now. The problem now is that Jullian has probably arrived at my family''s residence.


    I have to go back to where my family lives. First, I stand. Ah, but before that, I said to rista.


    "Hey, can you show me your stuff? I''d like to buy one if it interests me."


    "What?"


    She immediately withdrew her magic staff that was originally hanging from her waist. She raised the magic staff at me, as if ready to release magic.


    ''There seems to be a misunderstanding here.''

 Chapter 11 Black Merchant

    ?"What do you mean by that? You''d better exin now."


    rista wears a threatening expression.


    I didn''t want her to misunderstand, so I started to exin what I meant.


    rista, in the current timeline, has a big secret that no one knows about.


    rista is actually a ck merchant. She sells Magic Items in secret within the church.


    Most of her customers were high-ranking people within the church itself. That''s why not many people know.


    For her reasons¡­ Of course, there were special reasons why she wanted or should be a ck Merchant.


    When she finished hearing my exnation, she looked very surprised. Her mouth was wide open. I was so worried that her chin would fall to the floor.


    "So when I tell you I want to see your stuff, I mean your merchandise items."


    "How did you know that I was a ck Merchant?"


    She asked with a question mark hovering over her head.


    "I only heard from a few people."


    I said to rista, making a bad excuse.


    Of course, she won''t believe the bad excuses I gave. She looks like she''s about to explode.


    But I couldn''t possibly tell her how I knew that.


    So, what will she choose? Is she going to silence me so I don''t tell anyone else?


    Of course, I can honestly say that I haven''t told anyone else. So, the option to silence me is actually wide open.


    I saw her rubbing her head, looking down, and looking deep in thought.


    "Does anyone else know about this?"


    "No. I can confirm that only I know."


    "I don''t know and I don''t care how you find out about my identity as a ck Merchant. But, did you know that this is a big secret of the church? If the pope finds out that any outsiders know about this, then that person will definitely be killed instantly, including you!"


    "Ahem. I know that. Don''t worry. Then, are you going to silence me? Or are we going to continue our business? Of course, the middle ground is that we can sign a secret agreement on a magic contract."


    I propose an idea.


    I''m sure she won''t choose to silence me.


    Why am I so sure? it''s because she is the one who will be a saintess, that she should not kill ''good'' people.


    ''Good'' here is the definition of a person who has never killed someone.


    I''m sure she must have identified that I had never killed anyone.


    At least in the current timeline.


    I''m sure in the future I''ll be killing people soon, so I should take advantage of it soon.


    As I expected, she immediately took out a nk piece of paper from under her robes.


    I continued to observe the nk paper rista took out, and a system message suddenly appeared.


    [Name: Magic Contract Paper.


    Level: Middle


    Description: Magic paper that can be a judge. If you write the contents of the contract and sign it with your blood and will, the contract will be active immediately. If one of the parties reneges on the agreement, the Judgment Magic will activate. Judgment Magic power depends on the Magic Item level.]


    The system message suddenly appeared and exined the description of the item.


    While I was focusing on the description, rista seemed to be hesitating when she was about to use the Magic Item.


    "Uhh, I''m actually very reluctant to use Magic Contract Paper. Isn''t this too wasteful?"


    "Then do you believe me that I won''t spread your identity as a ck merchant?"


    "That''s impossible."


    "Yeah, right. It''s a Middle tier Magic Item, but wouldn''t it be safer to use it than nothing."


    "I''m surprised you were able to find out the level of this Magic Item. Yes. I guess I''ll have to agree with you."


    Oh, so it''s true that it''s a Middle tier Magic Item? I was also quite surprised. Smart also this World System. I''m sure the World System would be furious if he/she had an ego. But he/she is a system, so he/she doesn''t own it.


    rista then wrote something on the paper using mana. Yes, mana, not ink.


    A bright light shed from her index finger, slowly starting to carve out one word at a time.


    ''That''s great mana control,'' I thought to myself.


    When she was done, she handed the paper to me.


    I saw what was written on the paper.


    In essence, she told me to keep her identity as a ck merchant a secret at all costs. Not even the thought of revealing the secret should exist.


    "Hmm, before I sign this, may I have a look at your merchandise? Maybe there will be something to add in the Magic Contract Paperter."


    I said in a cheerful tone, but for some reason, rista''s expression darkened.


    ***


    Before the transaction started, rista took me into the confession room inside the church, where no one would be able to see or hear.


    In this confession room, there was only one table and two chairs. This room is dark. The only light came from candles


    Once there, she sat down and started asking questions.


    "What items do you need?"


    "What items do you have?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    She let out a sigh and began to take out arge number of items from within her robes.


    Various kinds of items appear. Most are essories, but there are some weapons too, like swords and knives.


    People who saw the scene might be surprised, they would think, ''Where did that much stuffe from?''


    Yes, with a normal mind, it would be impossible to keep all those things in an ordinary robe pocket.


    I''m sure it''s from Dimensional Pocket.


    [Name: Dimensional Pocket.


    Level: High.


    Description:


    A Pocket already Enchanted with Spatial Magic. Capacity is determined by the level of the Magic Item.]


    A system message popped up as I stared at the pouch under her robes.


    Magic Items.


    Magic Items are items that have a magical effect.


    Most Magic Itemse from Dungeons.


    Very few Magic Items could be made by human hands.


    There are 6 levels of Magic Items.


    The lowest is Common, then there is Low-Middle-High. Above the High level was the Unique level, but that was extremely rare.


    Then there are items that are said to exist but don''t really exist, namely Legendary-level Magic Items.


    I looked at the various Magic Items on the table.


    [Name: Fire Knife.


    Level: Common.


    Description:


    When you inject the Fire Knife with Mana, the Fire Knife emits fire. The amount of Mana that needs to be used is veryrge, while the resulting fire will be very small. Potentially inflicts injury on the user.]


    [Name: Sound Earrings.


    Level: Low.


    Description:


    When you wear Sound Earring, your hearing will improve. Activates automatically. Can''t be stopped. It is likely to affect the user''s mental health if used for too long.]


    ''Why doesn''t anything look useful?''


    For the people in this world, they had to use Magic Identification in order to judge the level of an item. Whereas I don''t need to use Magic Identification because I have the World System.


    After I browsed and assessed all the Magic Items using the World System, I finally found one Magic Item that looked useful.


    In the end, I only took that one item out of all of rista''s merchandise.


    Then I bought the thing. ''Buy'' is probably not the right word, because I didn''t spend a dime.


    Actually, I''m just in debt.


    "Are you crazy? Don''t you know how expensive that thing is? I thought you would have quite a bit of money since you''re still the son of a noble, but you really...."


    At first, rista was angry and didn''t want to hand over the item, but in the end, she gave it away after I convinced her.


    "I promise I''ll pay you in a few months. At most a year. You can add this transaction to the Magic Contract Paper that we''re about to sign."


    The promise that I would pay her was now added to the Magic Contract Paper. So, if I don''t pay her a maximum of one year''s time, I''ll have a bacsh from breach of contract.


    I can only sigh.


    Actually, I was nning to find and collect Magic Items myself. I still remember some ces that contain a lot of Magic Items. With the memories of my past life, I n to go there.


    However, unexpected events continued to ur. From Jullian''s arrival in this town, and the appearance of someone called Ghost Face by Baron Warwick.


    Even though rista''s arrival was sudden, her arrival was also an opportunity for me.


    I was nning on visiting the market and buying some stuff, but now I don''t have to.


    Now I just have to put my signature on the Magic Contract Paper.


    I checked the text on the Magic Contract Paper. In essence, I had to keep rista''s identity a secret and pay the Magic Item fee. Then I signed with my blood.


    rista also signed autographs using her blood.


    After that, the Magic Contract Paper suddenly flew in front of the two of us, then as if on fire, the Magic Contract Paper instantly disappeared into thin air.


    [Magic Contract Paper - Active.]


    Instantly, I had the feeling that something had entered my body.


    [An unknown energy has already entered your body.]


    [Since you don''t have a Mana Core, that unknown energy can''t survive in your body.]


    [Do you want to bind that energy into you?]


    A question mark suddenly floated over my head. What does energy mean? Was it something from Magic Contract Paper that activated?


    I gave a refusal to the World System.


    [You have already resisted the unknown energy. That unknown energy will dissipate.]


    If that energy is from Magic Contract Paper, then¡­ Mmm, that Magic Contract Paper isn''t effective on me? I just found out that there is an effect like this.


    ''Not having a Mana Core has its advantages too, huh.''

 Chapter 12 Open Status?

    ?When the transaction was over, rista and I exited the Confession Room.


    I walked inside the church, which was still falling apart.


    As I came out of the church, I noticed that it was already dusk. The sun had almostpletely set, devoured by the darkness of the night, slowly.


    "Whoa~"


    rista yawned. She stretched her body like rubber. Her breasts looked like they were about to tear the robe she was wearing. I''m not a pervert, but I''m still amazed by the size of the assets she has.


    She turned around, looked at me, then came up to me and immediately grabbed both of my shoulders tightly. Smiling, she spoke to me.


    "Don''t forget to pay your debt, ok! What you bought is worth 199 Gold Coins, so, you better pay it quickly. Even your life won''t be enough to pay for the Magical Item you bought. This transaction was sessful only because of the kindness of my heart. Remember that."


    She gave me a warning.


    199 Gold Coins is arguably not too expensive for a Magical Item.


    The currencies in this world are divided into, Copper Coins, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and tinum Coins. Copper coins are the lowest, while tinum coins are the highest.


    However, tinum Coins are almost never exchanged. So, in general, the highest currency exchanged is Gold Coins.


    1 Copper Coins can buy one slice of rye bread. The rye bread was hard and unpleasant, so it was only for the poor people.


    Meanwhile, Silver Coins weremonly used by people from the upper-middle ss. Even rich people mostly still used Silver Coins.


    In short, the exchange rate was 1 Gold Coin equal to 100 Silver Coins: 1000 Bronze Coins, and 10,000 Copper Coins.


    The values ??are not always the same.


    So, how much are 199 Gold Coins? Of course, very much. But that''s for ordinary people. For people with abilities, be they Magicians, Warriors, or otherwise, that amount of money wasn''t very much. All of those Magical Items could only be purchased with a minimum of tens or hundreds of Gold Coins.


    "Ha~ don''t worry. Where can I find you when I have enough money?"


    "Find me at the Cathedral in the Royal Capital of Misonia, Heinsburg City."


    After she answered, she looked into my eyes for a while. As if she was intimidating me.


    Of course, I wasn''t affected.


    I just averted my gaze. But maybe she mistook me for fear, she tapped me on the shoulder and pulled her hand off my shoulder.


    "I can''t wait to meet Jullian. So, I''ll be rushing to the mansion where your family lives. See you soon, Young Master Warwick."


    "Cweet!"


    After bidding farewell, rista suddenly whistled.


    Out of nowhere, suddenly a horse came over. The horse ran over here and stopped right in front of rista.


    ''Is that her horse? Some Kind of Familiar? It must be some kind of Magical Beast.''


    I wondered about how rista and Jullian got to this Ryam City in just one day. Though, if I''m not mistaken, they are from the capital, which takes a week to ride a normal horse.


    The answer is: They must be using their Familiars.


    The horse has yellowish-white fur, shining brilliantly at sunset.


    rista immediately mounted the horse. She looked like someone out of a painting. Beautiful and awesome are not enough to describe her figure.


    Wasn''t she supposed to be the main female character? My opinion is still the same about her. Why doesn''t she much appear in the novel?


    I kept looking at her. And she suddenly sighed.


    "Ahh, I must have sinned for making this person fall in love."


    I heard rista mumble. Even though she muttered under her breath, I could still hear it because of my Skill.


    When I heard what she was muttering, for some reason, the expression on my face immediately changed.


    "Hey, why did your facial expression suddenly change like that? It''s like you''re insulting me."


    She suddenly shouted at me.


    I just shook my head and answered her.


    "It''s fine. You can go ahead first. I''ll catch up with youter."


    "You suck ... Ah, I almost forgot. Take this."


    She handed me something. It is square, ck in color, small in size, and thin as paper.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I caught what she gave me.


    Snatch!


    "Ahaha, you''re already like a dog that''s been fed."


    ristamented sarcastically.


    I averted my eyes from the thing she gave me, and I look at rista.


    "Why haven''t you left yet?"


    She looked angry about what I said. Then she directly kicked the horse she was riding.


    The horse looked like it wanted toin, but the horse immediately galloped off. Disappear beyond the horizon. Leaving behind the sound of the horse''s footsteps.


    "The horse was fast."


    I just looked at rista''s shadow which was slowly fading away.


    The n was, rista and I would go to the mansion the Warwick household lives.


    In there, there will be a Night Party to celebrate Wi''s (And I?) maturity.


    ''Shouldn''t we go there together?'' I wanted to say those words just now, but I stopped those words in my head, unable toe out of my mouth.


    If it is the main character, then he will take her for a walk together, suddenly join hands, then a romantic love story will form.


    But the scenario was too beautiful for me.


    However, soon after, I regretted that I didn''t force rista to let us go together.


    "Shit!"


    I said loudly while looking around.


    I didn''t think they, Baron Warwick''s soldiers, wouldn''t leave the horse carriage for me toe back. There wasn''t even a horse for me to ride.


    It is deeply regretted, but I had to walk.


    Even though the distance wasn''t far enough, it would still take two hours if I walked.


    While walking, I looked at the item rista had given to me. What she had given me was an ID Card.


    What was written on the ID card was my identity as a noble from the Misonia Kingdom.


    <Name: Mesties Warwick.


    Mana Cores:-


    Registration Number: 0088123589.>


    With this ID Card, I can move freely. There are many uses for ID cards.


    One of them is that this ID Card will be useful to me when I will register as an Adventurerter. To enter big cities, you must also use an ID Card.


    When I looked closely, I realized that there was some magic added to this ID Card. It was magic to prevent someone from being able to forge an ID Card.


    [The data in the ID Card has been recorded.]


    [The data in your status is moreplete. Do you want to see your status? If you say ''Open Status'', you will be able to see your Status Window.]


    I smiled when I saw the system message that suddenly appeared.


    Come to think of it, World System mostly asks me first when the system is about to do something.


    So, when I fainted in front of the statue of the God of Apollo, that must be a special case. I don''t know what was that, but I want to know. Will I know if I get stronger? What conditions do I have to fulfill?


    Well, seeing that the World System has never harmed me, I can assume that World System is an existence that I can categorize as an ''ally''.


    The World System has always helped me. So, should I cry and prostrate myself to express my gratitude?


    Let''s put aside the World System first.


    I began to read the message carefully.


    "Open Status?"


    I said those words by ident. Then the system message suddenly appeared.

 Chapter 13 Thugs Again

    ?[Status Window.


    Name: Mesties Warwick.


    Stats:


    Strength: F


    Speed: F


    Endurance: F


    Mana Core:-


    Active Mana:-


    Skills:


    Poison Resistance, The Five Senses - Sense Of Hearing, Strengthening.]


    ''Is this the Status Window I''ve heard of before?''


    Because I was poor and an orphan while on earth, I could never buy any games.


    But I always heard my friends¡ªpeople who same with my age at that time, always saying Open Status to show off something to their friends.


    They call it Game VR, if I''m not mistaken. Whether it''s the title of the game or what, I''ve forgotten a bit.


    "Hey, what level are you? Show me your status."


    "My level has reached 200 in game xx. My Status Window contains many skills and my stats are all maxed out."


    "Damn, you''re so great. Look, my stats are still all bad, haha haha."


    Something like that? At that time, I could only see and listen when my friends were talking, like an extra character standing in the corner of the room.


    Unlucky!


    I shook my head so that my memories of living on earth were blown away.


    It was a shameful memory. Embarrassing enough that I wanted to crouch down and hide my head.


    I refocus on the Status Window.


    Looking at the data on the Status Window, I don''t know how weak I am.


    I believe my body is as weak as a normal human.


    Perhaps the indicator on the stat, i.e., F, is the lowest, while as it increases it will be E, D, C, B, A¡­


    I shifted my gaze to the system message that next appeared.


    [Please tap on a skill if you want to see the details of the skill.]


    After seeing what was written, then I followed the system''s instructions and tapped on my skill list one by one.


    [Poison Resistance:


    Poison resistance skill.


    Can be used as an active and passive skill. Active use will have a greater effect. Passive use will not have a strong effect, but it is flexible.


    Can heal others, but depends on the level of skill control you and your patients have. Failure can result in fatal injuries.]


    [The Five Senses - Sense Of Hearing:


    The Five Senses was a skill to enhance the five human senses.


    Sense of Hearing is only one part of The Five Sense skill.]


    [Strengthening:


    Increases limb strength.]


    Apparently, the skills that appeared were only the ones I used after I returned to the current timeline.


    Many of the skills I had mastered in my previous life were not recorded. Will the skills I''ve mastered in my previous life appear when I use themter? Let''s hope that will happen.


    ***


    On the wide road, my two feet tread slowly.


    I walked along the main road.


    It was evening.


    The city of Ryam is about to enter a time when most of its inhabitants are resting. People began to enter their respective homes.


    Suddenly, I felt something. I stopped my footsteps. My eyes began to explore the situation around me. On the street that was originally busy, now it feels quiet.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I turned my gaze to the side. I focused on it. Over there, there is an alley. A ce between two houses that looks rundown. There are no houses in this area.


    Even though I was aware that something was wrong, I still walked closer and entered the alley. The ce I entered was only dimly lit.


    Even so, I could still see some people who were already in this alley. There are about 10 of them. Some are sitting on a pile of wood, some are squatting, and some are leaning against the walls of the house.


    They looked like a bunch of thugs, ready to smack anyone who passed by.


    I came here because I felt bad intentions from them. Even if I don''t go to them, chances are they wille to me.


    I don''t know what their purpose is. Are they really gang members ready to rob citizens? Did I just meet bad luck? I doubt that.


    I think it would be more correct to say that they were waiting for me to pass. The proof, the environment around here is very quiet. They may have chased away or threatened people, or even kidnapped them?


    When I was standing in front of them, they still remained calm.


    Ten pairs of eyes were still staring at me. Their eyes reflected that they had bad intentions. Like a predator who finds its prey approaching them.


    "Who are you guys?"


    I asked them.


    They were all middle-aged men. They wear shabby clothes. Although their clothes were shabby, the weapons in their hands were not ordinary. Some used spears, swords, knives, and other weapons.


    For ordinary citizens, it was very difficult to obtain weapons of such good quality as they used.


    After I asked, one of them stood up and walked closer to me. He has a fit, well-built, and muscr appearance. What characterizes him is his bald head.


    "Kuhahaha, I didn''t expect you to approach us like this."


    He covered his mouth with one hand as he spoke whileughing. He also looked down on me. His way of speaking apanied by crazyughter really disgusts me.


    Wrinkles appeared above my forehead. I''m a little annoyed. So, I replied with sarcastic words.


    "I can''t let a few rats get in my way, can I? Besides, I feel it would be better not to be suddenly bitten by a few rats on the street like this. So, it''s better to get rid of the rats as quickly as possible. Hey rats, don''t you agree?"


    "Good. Good. Since when did Young Master Mesties, who used to shut himself up in his room, be so good at talking?"


    Seeing that he knew who I was, I was now convinced that these were the ones who were deliberately trying to harm me.


    There''s no way they''d know who I was if they were regr thugs.


    Were these people Baron Warwick''s errands? Or Daniel? Well, I''m sure it must be one of those two, or both of them? For now, I don''t need to think about it.


    I looked at the thug boss, then I said to him.


    "Why are you guys confused? Just do what you want to do. I don''t have time to y with mice."


    "Young Master Mesties, you don''t need to rush. Before we start the festive feast tonight, do you have any final words? Otherwise, we''ll get started right away. All of you. Attack!"


    ''Even though he immediately gave the order to attack. Why did you even ask?'' I shook my head at the thug boss''s behavior.


    Except for their boss who gave them orders, the other nine people immediately stood up, prepared, and drew their weapons. Without dying any further, they charged straight at me.


    "Wait a moment!"


    I stopped them with one hand outstretched. Like a vehicle that was ticketed by the police on the road, they immediately stopped moving, standing in ce.


    Let''s ignore their stupidity for following what I say.


    While they were still confused, I took out the sword I brought from the mansion. The sword was still hanging from my waist this whole time.


    I drew the sword from its scabbard.


    Criiing!


    The sound of a swording out of its scabbard was heard. The sword looks stunning. Did the thugs also agree with me, they looked amazed too.


    When I noticed the sword in my hand, a system message suddenly appeared.


    [Name: One-Handed Sword.


    Level: Trash.


    Description:


    A sword used for room decoration.]


    Wow. What a wonderful description delivered by the system. What was written in the system message was inversely proportional to the beauty of the sword.


    "Why are you guys standing around?! Quickly attack! Damn it."


    After hearing the loud voice of the person I assumed to be their leader, the men immediately gasped. Maybe their stupid wits came back to their senses? Their eyes seemed to focus again to beat me.


    "You die, brat. Horyaa!"


    Swoosh!

 Chapter 14 Moment Of Enlightenment

    ?One of them, holding a spear, swung the spear he was holding to stab me.


    The stab was perfectly straight without wobbling in the slightest. ''If they were regr thugs, their movements wouldn''t be that smooth.''


    Seeing the spear''s swift and measured thrust, I was still calm. When the spear was about to hit my body, I just dodged to the side.


    I didn''t dodge in style. I just dodged like I was tripping over something and identally dodged their attack.


    "Oops! That was close."


    When I managed to dodge, there were several other sharp weapons aimed at me.  Of course, I also avoided all of them.


    sh!


    Swoosh!


    Tsuk!


    "W-why didn''t anyone get hit?"


    "And we almost hit him. Does his luck exceed heaven?"


    "Heh, step aside. Why are you guys getting in the way."


    This alley is small, so, it can''t amodate all of them if they attack me at the same time.


    If theyunched attacks in unison, there was a high chance that they would get in each other''s way.


    When they, 9 people, attacked simultaneously, their positions would coincide with each other. They will look like people who are on a fast train during rush hour.


    Moreover, if they swung their weapons at each other, there was a very high chance that they would injure each other''s allies.


    It was for this reason that I approached them earlier. Rather than waiting for them tounch an attack on me on the wide main road, I''d rather choose a field that is advantageous to myself.


    Unlike many of them, I am only one person.  I can attack freely without worrying too much about allies.


    Firmly gripping the sword in my hand, I prepared to start swinging it. Since the quality of this sword is trash, I need to be careful. I don''t want to destroy this sword right away.


    If the weapon in my hand, the decoration sword, were to sh with one of their weapons, then, there was a very high chance that the decorative sword in my hand would instantly shatter into pieces.


    I had to avoid shes between weapons that could cause my sword to break. I better aim for the gap between them.  Immediately, Iunched a counterattack.


    Swoosh!


    One.


    Tsuk!


    Two.


    sh!


    Three.


    ....


    sh!


    And ... 9.


    I stabbed, shed, and thrust them all cleanly.


    First, I dodged their attacks, then when I found an opening, I just attacked.


    When the sword in my hand hit their skin, muscle, and flesh, blood started sttering everywhere.


    On average, I cut their hands off. Their severed hands immediately flew into the night sky. Blood followed the pieces of flesh I had just shed like a fountain.


    In part, I shed their legs off as well, which resulted in their severed legs falling straight to the ground, as if they were part of the gravel on the road.


    Then, there was also a small part that I stabbed. I stabbed their stomachs through their bodies.


    When the intensity of the fight, which had previously reached its peak, had now subsided, the screams of the people I had shed instantly resounded, filling this dark alley.


    "Aahhh~"


    "M-my hand!"


    "M-my feet my f-feet~"


    "Cough! Cough!"


    Some people reach for the ce where their hands and feet were now gone. Their expressions said as if they couldn''t believe that their limbs had separated from their main bodies.


    Different from the people who were still dazed and unaware of reality, some of them were crying loudly and trying to stop the bleeding they were experiencing by pressing on their wounds.


    However, the people I stabbed in the stomach could only spit out mouthfuls of blood. The blood came out of their mouths and fell to the floor.


    What the 9 people have inmon is their eyes filled with despair.


    When I defeated them all, I stood steady and swung the sword in my hand. The blood that was still attached to the entire surface of the sword was directly sshed onto the ground, making the sword I was holding instantly clean.


    "Fuuu~"


    I took a deep breath.


    I looked at the people screaming in pain on the ground. They were the ones I was just faced with¡ªto be precise, I was defeated.


    Their number is 9 people.


    I''m just using my sword skills that I''ve been honing over the years.


    After all, if I had to judge their skills, their skills would be at the very bottom.


    If I had to say the exact reason why I was able to beat them, it would probably be because...<novelnext></novelnext>


    Moments of Enlightenment.


    The Moment of Enlightenment is the moment when what you learn prates your soul. Not only can it not disappear, but when you reach the Moment of Enlightenment, what you learn can also reach new heights.


    I experienced the Moment of Enlightenment while studying the sword in my previous life. So, even though my body is weaker now, I can still use my sword skills.


    Maybe that''s the reason why I was able to defeat them so easily.


    After looking at them and being convinced that they couldn''t fight back anymore, I turned around and noticed the only person still standing.


    Seen from anywhere, he was the boss of the thugs. He was the only person who was still unharmed.


    He gritted his teeth, looking very angry. He looked at me as if he saw the person who killed his parents.


    After a long period of gritting his teeth, which I thought would fall out, he spoke.


    "Stupid! You guys aren''t even good at dealing with noble children who never wield a sword?"


    "You don''t have to me them. Aren''t they all your subordinates? And now it''s your turn to fight me, right?"


    "Kukuku. Don''tpare me to a useless bastard like them, dammit."


    "If you don''t want me topare you to a rat-like them, can''t you just attack me right away? Didn''t you say you were going to start a festive feast? I already prepared a bloody feast for you, didn''t you."


    "You bastard! I''ll cut you into pieces. I''ll torture you and make you suffer!"


    After a series of curse words, insults, and wishful thinking, he drew the sword at his waist and prepared to attack.


    I also made the final preparations.


    I closed my eyes and started to feel the Mana sleeping inside my body. I awakened the Mana inside me slowly.


    Then I opened my eyes to see the system message.


    [Active Mana:-]


    [Active Mana: 500.]


    After I awakened the Mana in my body, the previously empty Active Mana stat was instantly filled.


    I don''t know how much 500 Mana is. For now, I ignore it.


    In the next step, I activate my skill. I channeled Mana into my hands.


    [The Strengthening skill has been activated.]


    [Your power has increased.]


    A feeling offort flows into every pore of my skin. Something strange enveloped my body. That is Mana.


    I smiled when I felt that feeling.


    The grip on the sword in my hand tightened. I identally gripped the sword in my hand firmly.


    ''Am I excited right now?'' I wondered to myself in confusion.


    "Diieeeeee! I''ll show you the prowess of a swordsman, brat. A kid like yourself will pee in his pants and run away when he sees the prowess of my Swordsmanship skill."


    Just as I was lost in a sense offort, the screams of the man I assumed to be the thug''s boss echoed.


    He kicked the ground and immediately took off towards me.


    His body glowed with a faint white color, barely visible. Maybe he used a strengthening technique.


    However, the faint light on his body reflected how much mana he used.


    That means, his Mana Core capacity is low, or maybe he can''t use Mana properly?


    Regardless, he still wields a sharp sword, so, I have to be careful.


    When the distance between us was close, he swung the sword in his hand.


    ''Vertical sh, huh.''


    I positioned myself with the sword horizontally in front of me. I''m ready to defend against his attacks.


    The method I use does not demand to defend head-on. I just tilted my sword so that the direction of the trajectory of the sword he swung could flow to the side.


    ng!


    Srrkk!


    First, the sword he swung shed with mine, producing a crashing sound. Just as the impact urred, before the brunt of the attack umted, I tilted my sword.


    As a result, his attacks flowed to the side of my body.


    His expression looked disbelieving as I managed to block or dodge his attacks.


    I didn''t dy any further, the moment he drew his sword and was ready to sh at me again, I had already attacked him.


    I hit him with a horizontal sh straight into his stomach.


    Crock!


    The sh of my sword managed to sh his stomach. I could feel his guts tearing through the sword in my hand.


    From the source of the wound he suffered, there was blood spurting everywhere.


    "Ack!"


    He retreated backward clutching his torn and bleeding stomach.


    [You have acquired the Swordsmanship Skill.]

 Chapter 15 Black Box Organization

    ?[You have acquired the Swordsmanship Skill.]


    The system message appeared once again.


    ''The system can now name a skill automatically?  So, now I don''t have to bother giving names, okay?  I don''t think it''s just me who''s growing, but the system''s developing too.''


    I looked at the sword in my hand.  Maybe because it was overloaded, there were already cracks everywhere.  This sword is no longer fit for use.


    I threw the sword aside.


    After that, I refocused on the enemy in front of my eyes.


    He looked like he was in pain. I didn''t let this opportunity go to waste, so I walked up to him and kicked him in the chest.


    Thud!


    When I managed to kick him, he bounced back and hit the ground hard. Before hitting the ground, he had time to roll around like a ball.


    In the end, he could only fall to the ground.


    Kahaak!


    He coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood flowed quite profusely, but not enough to make him faint, even less die instantly. He''s still conscious.


    As he fell to the ground...


    I focused on the thug boss.


    The boss thug''s chest was exposed due to the incision I made, so, I could see it.


    At that moment, I noticed that something was drawn on the boss thug''s chest.


    I immediately widened my eyes in surprise.  I was surprised by what I saw. A tattoo is drawn on his chest.


    What is clear, I know what the image on his body means.


    A memory suddenly appeared in my mind.  The memory stuck in my brain. Bad memories that I will never forget.


    Like a cinema showing a film, memories that had been buried deep in my head suddenly appeared and disyed scenes that I had experienced.


    ***


    A piece of the story when I just entered this world.


    It was a time when I had not yet adapted to this world.


    At that time I faced many difficulties.


    Especially when I''ve just been kicked out of the Warwick household. It was then that I felt the real difference between the two worlds for the first time.


    If you think logically, at that time, when I had just been kicked out of the Warwick household, shouldn''t I have been able to live a life without suffering?


    In fact, at that time, I could also count, write, and read. Where such knowledge is more than enough to lead a normal life in this world.


    Be a shopkeeper? Be a farmborer? I should also be able to live like an ordinary human in this world, right? But why did I be a slum dweller instead? Life suffers.


    Isn''t there a special plot for someone transmigrating to another world? Am I not a human from earth who has a lot of modern knowledge? Stupid thoughts like that I never had.


    But in the end, the fate that I lived was just... Trampled on, spat on, and abused at the lowest social level.


    Indeed, at that time, there were many things I did not know.


    How do the systems of society in this world work? How do people''s minds in this world work? What is the shape of the culture of the people in this world? I don''t know all that.


    Is that the reason why I''m suffering? No!


    ? The reason why I can''t live a normal life is because of the¡ªCriminal Organization, ck Box.


    ck Box.


    ck Box is the name of thergest criminal organization in the Misonia Kingdom.


    The organization hasmitted many crimes, from small crimes to big crimes.  Robbery, kidnapping, or murder. All of that has be their activity all the time.


    Their members are scattered almost everywhere in the Misonia Kingdom. From small viges to big cities. Even in a small town like Ryam City, there were many of its members.


    At that time, they kidnapped me and started forcing me to be their ve.  They tortured me every day. Forced me to get the money for them.


    Meanwhile, those who yed with me justughed and enjoyed the moments of suffering that I lived.


    Every day is like hell.


    I was also forced tomit several crimes, from robbing people to killing people. If I refuse, only torment awaits.


    I still remember how I got my first experience of killing people. At that time, I had to do it.


    With trembling hands, I desperately held back the vomit that always wanted toe out of my mouth when I first killed someone. As a result of that first experience of killing a human, I had to carry a lot of burdens in my mind.


    At that time, I was still mentally weak, and fragile, and maybe, I could just go crazy.  For some reason, my mentality can survive without going crazy.


    Therefore, if Ipare the cowardice I had when I was alive on earth, I might seem like a different person. Because now, I''ve changed a lot. Be a person who does not hesitate to kill people.


    Finally, after several years of living in misery, I managed to get out of the vicious circle that ensnared my life.


    The reason for that was that the ck Box Organizations suddenly disintegrated.<novelnext></novelnext>


    They lost the war against another criminal organization.


    Only then did I meet Cornelia. Train and be strong.


    So, I never had the chance to take revenge on the ck Box Organization in a previous life. But it seems I will be able to repay them in this life.


    ***


    Why do I remember that? That''s because I realized that the people who attacked me right now were people from the criminal organization called ck Box.


    The proof is, that their organization''s emblem is engraved on the chest of the person I just defeated.


    The emblem is square, and small in size.  The emblem was made by attaching hot metal to their skin, forming a tattoo.


    When I saw that crest, the once quenched emotions at the deepest edge of me started to re up once again. Feelings of anger arose because of what I had experienced a long time ago.


    Some people say that bad luck always goes hand in hand with good luck. That is, when a person is receiving bad luck, one day he will receive good luck.


    Honestly, I almost cursed those words.  Howe? Whether on earth or in another world, I have always experienced the same fate, namely bad luck.


    However, now I''m starting to believe such words.


    "I-forgive me! I promise I will tell you everything."


    He desperately begged me not to kill him.  Tears of blood spilled from his eyes. What a beautiful sight that is before my eyes now.


    I smiled refreshingly. Then I said to him in a rxed tone.


    "Oh, sorry! I haven''t asked that question yet. I know that there''s a shrimp behind the rock. But, please wait a moment. Don''t tell me who told you to just yet. Answer itter when I''m done ying with you, ok."


    I told him that we were ying games. But instead, he was dripping cold sweat all over his body. I had thought that he had been doused with water.


    He trembled like a frog in front of a snake.


    Am I here ying the snake?


    After that, I started torturing¡ªying with him.


    I stepped on and beat him to my heart''s content.


    He kept screaming like crazy.


    I don''t know how much time passed, I stopped when I was satisfied.


    I knew he was just an insignificant member of the ck Box Organization, but I didn''t think much of it because I just wanted to vent my anger.


    Phew~


    I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand when I was done torturing¡ªying with him.


    I don''t remember if he was one of the people who tortured me in my previous life or not. But even if he wasn''t, I would still torture¡ªy with him.


    From the start, I did intend to eradicate the ck Box Organization.


    It''s just, that I didn''t expect that they woulde straight to me like this.


    "Y-you will definitely regret doing this to me. Don''t you know what organization I''m in?! If I asked my superiors to kill you, they would definitely kill you. They are strong. You will definitely die!"


    "Oh, it''s noisy."


    Pow!


    I kicked his chin until he passed out.  Above his bald head, several stars were floating and swirling. Hey helpless.


    A few momentster.


    I looked around. My head is spinning. I''m not making jokes or anything, but I''m focused on scanning my surroundings like I''m looking for someone.


    "Isn''t the boss of these bugs going to show up?"


    I muttered to myself.


    If he doesn''t want to appear, I just need to force him to appear.


    Then I took out the tools I prepared for this kind of situation. I took the tool out of my pocket.


    As I looked at the item in my hand, a system message appeared in front of me.


    [Magic Scroll - Magic Detection


    Level: Middle


    Description:


    There is Magic Detection magic in it. When the Magic Scroll is activated, Magic Detection will activate and be able to track the presence of magic elements within a radius of several meters.]


    What I''m holding now is a Magic Scroll.  This Magic Item is an item I bought from rista.


    The reason I chose this Magic Item was of course to detect the presence of someone who likes to hide.


    ''Should I activate this Magic Scroll now?''


    I thought in my own heart.

 Chapter 16 The Price Of Power

    ?I poured some of the Mana Active I had into the Magic Scroll.


    The Magic Scroll in my hand reacted immediately.  A bright light immediately came out. When the Magic Scroll reacts with my Mana, a magic circle appears above it.


    [Magic Detection - Active.]


    [The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing responds to the activation of detection-type magic.]


    [Do you want to restructure The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing based on Magic Detection?]


    [Yes/No.]


    A long message suddenlynded before my eyes. I scanned the system messages one after another. Then I replied, "Yes."


    After I answered, the World System responded.


    [You have agreed to the skill restructuring.]


    [Restructuring in progress.]


    [....]


    [The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing has been sessfully restructured into the Hear of Everything Skill.]


    [Hear Of Everything Skill.


    Description:


    When the skill is active, you can detect magic power using your sense of hearing.]


    My eyes opened slightly at the shocking system message.


    From the skill description delivered by the World System, it seemed to be a formidable skill.


    But, before I could celebrate happiness, the system message that appeared next made me shrug.


    [Since Magic Detectiones from a Magic Scroll, the restructuring results are only temporary.]


    [You can only have the Hear of Everything Skill for one day. After that, the skill will return to The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing.]


    Well, I ignored the disappointment I felt. I''d better try my new skill right away.


    [Hear of Everything Skill - Active.]


    My sense of hearing suddenly became sharper. The effect of enhancing normal hearing is still there and is even more markedly increased. Beyond several tens of meters. My head feels a little dizzy.


    But, more than anything, I could hear the sound of something strange. It''s weird because I can''t describe the sound I hear.


    I seemed to be able to hear the sound of ultrasonic waves. Is this how dolphins and batsmunicate?


    For some reason, I could understand that what I heard was a voiceing from some magical energy.


    I closed my eyes and focused on detecting where the voice wasing from.


    In the next few seconds, I immediately knew where the voice wasing from. I looked up at the top of a building, that''s where the voice came from.


    But, if you stare at the ce where the source of the magical energy sound came from, you won''t be able to see anything.


    "Don''t you want to reveal yourself?"


    No answer came to answer my question.


    I had to do something. I took the sword that belonged to one of the thugs I defeated. Then I threw the sword towards the source of the magical energy sounding from the roof of a building.


    The sword flew fast. Aiming into empty air.  However, when the sword reached the roof of a building, it immediately bounced and fell to the ground, as if someone had blocked the sword.


    "Ara~ you can actually detect me, can''t you?"


    The voice of someone I was aiming for resounded. The voice came from the roof of a building. After he finished speaking, a ck-robed figure suddenly appeared out of thin air.


    Then the ck-robed figure plunged downwards. Hended right in front of me.  The eyes behind the ck robes he was wearing looked straight into mine.


    Even so, I still didn''t do anything. I wasn''t prepared to attack nor was I prepared to defend. I just stared straight at the sharp eyes behind the ck hood he was wearing.


    Stealth ability and a figure wearing a ck robe. He was someone Baron Warwick had met before, namely Ghost Face.


    "Eh? You''re not afraid of me?"


    He asked while tilting his head. For some reason, her voice resembled that of a girl.  The voice did not match the mysterious style attached to it.


    Also, I didn''t detect the slightest malicious intent emanating from her. So I wasn''t too wary.


    As if she was feeling relieved, she lowered her shoulders. She looked down as if in thought. A few momentster, she lifted her face, which was under the hood of the robe, which I still couldn''t see, then she asked me.


    "By the way, you were able to find me using the Magic Scroll?"


    "That''s how it is."


    "But I heard you don''t have a Mana Core. Is that true?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Right."


    "Then why were you able to activate the Magic Scroll?"


    "...."


    "The point is, you can use Mana without a Mana Core? Isn''t that impossible?"


    "Not really."


    She pondered for a moment. Momentster, a light shed above her head, as if she had remembered something. Then she asked me again.


    "I''ve read in ancient literature that those who can use Mana without possessing a Mana Core will suffer all over, are you too?"


    "..."


    I didn''t respond.


    Somehow I can imagine a sparkling eye that is under the hood of the ck robe she is wearing. Though I couldn''t see her face or even her expression.


    I felt as if I was being pushed around by the aggressive nature she was disying.  So I nodded inadvertently at the question she asked.


    That''s true. Even now, there is a price I have to pay when using Mana. Either when activating magic skills or something else.


    The price was a pain that radiated through my body. The pain arose as the Magic Circuit started pumping Mana throughout my body.


    But, since I''m used to such pain, I don''t react much.


    If I had to describe how the pain looked, it would probably be the same as when a needle pierces the internal organs in your body.


    Maybe, if you''re the one experiencing such pain, maybe you''ll pass out immediately.  I was the same way the first time I experienced it. But somehow, over time I got used to it.


    "Heee~ I see. You must have suffered a lot, huh."


    She stretched out her white hand.


    Her outstretched white hand suddenly took me by surprise, but she suddenly patted my head lightly as if she wasforting a grieving child.


    Oh, shit.


    I''m too busy getting carried away with the flow of conversation. Aren''t we too close to talk to each other and ask questions like this?


    "Tsk!"


    I clicked my tongue. Then I brushed off her hand that was patting my head. While looking at her, I said to her.


    "By the way, I thought that you were the boss of the people who attacked me. But it looks like you aren''t."


    "Ehehe~ you''re smart. I did receive an order from your father to immobilize you, but I didn''t ept it. Also, I will prove that I''m not their boss."


    She says she will prove my assumption.


    Then she walked slowly towards the nine people I had defeated. The nine people were still screaming, with a few already fainting. Some crawl to escape.


    It happened in the blink of an eye. She immediately approached them one by one.


    She wed them to death instantly with her white hand. The ws she has are very sharp. The nine people could only surrender.


    Even though she was wing with her long, sharp nails, I could see that her hands weren''t covered in blood at all.


    ''She''s strong.'' That''s the feeling I got when I saw her kill them. She seems to be ying around while killing them.


    Was that meant to prove that she wasn''t my enemy? Even though they will also die of blood loss, even if they are not killed. Well, at least this way, I don''t have to get my hands dirty.


    "Wait. Don''t kill that person."


    I stopped her just as she was about to kill their boss, the one with the ck Box Organization mark.


    She stopped, did what I said, then walked close to me. And then, I said to her.


    "Instead of discussing that matter, wouldn''t it be better if you reveal your identity?"


    "Ehehehe~ I''ll tell youter, not now."


    She circled around before finally disappearing once again. Yes, she just left after saying goodbye.


    Before she left earlier, she had told me that I had to return home as soon as possible.  She said something interesting was going to happen.


    Truly, even though the attitude she gave was the same as that of a child ying around, the abilities she possessed were truly not small.


    Sigh~


    If I were an ordinary person, I wouldn''t be able to feel the power she has.  But since I have experience meeting and facing strong people, I can gauge their strengths a little.


    "Then, I have to interrogate that thug boss, I guess."


    I looked at the boss thug lying on the ground.

 Chapter 17 The Main Character Is Coming

    ?I approached the thug boss and bandaged the wound on his body with a makeshift cloth. It was then, that I noticed that his face was twitching, a sign that he hade to his senses.


    Even though he was conscious, he still pretended to be unconscious.


    Maybe he was confused about what I was doing. Or maybe he''s just happy, thinking I''m a naive person for trying to treat him? Whereas, I  just don''t want him to die cause of blood loss.


    As I bandaged the wound on his body, I was fixated on his bald, shiny, and slippery head. I suddenly remembered Ghost Face''s sharp ws. I suddenly felt like I want trying it too.


    Seeing between my fingernails and the boss thug''s bald head, I did so immediately. I wed at the thug boss'' bald head.


    It was hard at first, but after I pressed hard, I was finally able to w at his annoying bald head.


    "Aaargh!"


    He shouted. With that, he finally stopped pretending to be unconscious.


    Then I spoke to him with a bright smile.


    "Now, you can tell me about the person who told you to hurt me, right."


    I asked him who it was that made them do all of this to me. After that, he immediately told me in a trembling voice.


    The name that came out of the thug boss''s mouth was Daniel. It wasn''t that surprising, considering that he had just battered me.


    With this, father and son both want to harm me. If Baron Warwick ordered Ghost Face, Daniel ordered ck Box Organization, I think.


    ''If this is how you y, of course, I will repay youter,'' that is were the words that came to my mind.


    I also need to find the thread that connects Daniel with the members of the ck Box Organization.


    ? After thinking that way, I let go of the bald-headed thug boss.


    I let him go not out of goodwill, but because I needed bait to lure bigger fish. Before he left, I whispered in his ear.


    "Please don''t say anything about my identity to your boss. Just say that you were suddenly attacked by a ck-robed person. And tell your boss that someone wille after them, ok."


    I gave him a warning not to reveal my identity.


    After I said that, he immediately ran away. He ran like his life as if only a thin rope remained.


    Now, that there are no more obstacles, I immediately step on the gas heading to the mansion, where the Warwick family''s residence is located.


    There, most likely, I will meet the main character of this world. I will also reveal what purpose he came here for. Well, even though I already know what the purpose is, I guess.


    ***


    Let''s turn back time a bit.


    Sometimes ago.


    At that ce¡ªinside the mansion, Baron Warwick was sitting in his study. The documents that had piled up on his desk yesterday were now gone.


    Thus, Baron Warwick simply sat leisurely on a chair. In his hand, he held a crystal ball. The crystal ball was a magic tool called the Communication Crystal Ball.


    Within the Communication Crystal Ball, some words were written in it.  Those words were a message from someone.


    The message stated that someone woulde and attend the party that would be heldter that evening.


    The name of the sender of the message is listed there. The name listed is Duke William Arkie. Duke William Arkie is the father of Jullian Arkie. He was a noble who wielded immense influence.


    If one had topare it to the influence the Warwick Family had which only had the rank of Baron, it was like heaven and earth. The point is, it''s very different.


    Baron Warwick''s aged face shone brilliantly as he stared at and read the message contained within the Communication Crystal Ball.


    "M-my lord, T-that..."


    Suddenly, a servant opened the door and informed Baron Warwick that someone hade. However, the servant was strangely sweating profusely, looking very nervous, or perhaps astonished by something.


    After being notified by the servant, Baron Warwick immediately headed outside to greet the soon-to-be person.


    Just as he came out of the mansion, he saw that all the upants of the mansion were already outside. They were looking up at the sky. Baron Warwick also looked up at the sky to see what the people were looking at.


    Instantly, his aged expression began to show traces of surprise. His mouth was wide open until his chin almost touched the ground.


    What he saw was a magical beast flying in circles in the sky. The animal was flying in the sky using its two wings, but its body resembled the body of a lion and its head resembled the head of a bird.


    It was a Gryphon.


    On Gryphon''s back was one person standing majestically. This is Jullian Arkie.


    After circling in the sky for a while, the Gryphon finallynded in the front garden of the mansion.


    The wind generated from the pping of Gryphon''s wings sent a few people who got too close instantly blown away.


    After the Gryphonnded, Jullian dismounted and approached Baron Warwick.<novelnext></novelnext>


    In that instant, Baron Warwick recovered his surprised expression.  As if he was a veteran aristocrat, he didn''t show a surprised expression anymore.


    "I''m d you came."


    "Thank you for your wee, Sir Baron Warwick. And after all, we will be closer after this."


    "Let''s go in and talk about it inside."


    Baron Warwick led Jullian inside.  They went into Baron Warwick''s office room, not the living room.


    They sit down. Then a maid brought a drink. After the maid came out, Jullian immediately said something to Baron Warwick.


    What he said was about something that was at the heart of the matter.  That''s why he came here straight away.


    The reason for Jullian''s arrival was that he wanted to propose to Wi.  He took out a formal letter and several boxes from inside his robes.


    Upon seeing the two things that Jullian put out, Baron Warwick immediately smiled brightly.


    Of course, Baron Warwick''s decisions were predetermined from the start. That way, he immediately made a decision quickly.


    Baron Warwick then replied with a nod of his head.


    ***


    Upon Jullian''s arrival, Baron Warwick immediately ordered his subordinates to bring Wi back as soon as possible.


    For that reason, Wi immediately returned to the mansion where his family lived, leaving Mesties unconscious in the Church of Light.


    And now, Wi is in her room. She was standing in front of the mirror.  Around her, countless maids were swarming over her like a swarm of bees.


    They were doing Wi''s make-up and helping Wi put on her borate noble attire. Meanwhile, Wi just stood there like a mannequin.


    Anyone who saw Wi''s expression would know that she was not happy.


    Then one of the maids spoke to Wi.


    "Young Lady, there is a guest who wishes toe here."


    "Who?"


    Wi answered without turning to look at the maid who told her because she wasn''t really in a good mood.


    "She is a guest of the church representative. Her name is, if I''m not mistaken, Ms. rista Fonia. She is waiting at the front."


    "Oh, let her in!"


    Wi, who had been answering with a cynical tone and a displeased face, suddenly answered excitedly after hearing rista''s name.


    After getting Wi''s approval, the maid went to pick up rista. A few momentster, the bedroom door opened and rista entered the room.


    rista entered Wi''s room with a gloomy face. Even though rista wasn''t someone who would often show such an expression.


    She looked at Wi, who was a few centimeters shorter than her, with a piercing gaze.


    Not inferior to rista, Wi also raised her head to look at rista with a sharp gaze.


    At the very least, Wi thought rista woulde here with Mesties.


    Therefore, when rista came and didn''t bring Mesties here, she frowned.


    For different reasons, the two of them had grim expressions on their faces.


    They both stared at each other for a moment. Finally, Wi couldn''t stand it and asked something that she obviously would have asked.


    "Where''s my brother?"


    "He''ll be here soon. More importantly, are the rumors true?"


    rista returned Wi''s question with another question.


    On the way to Wi''s room, rista had heard a rumor that Wi was getting engaged to Jullian. Because of that, she directly asked Wi.


    Hearing rista''s question, Wi could only knit her thin eyebrows. She couldn''t answer the question unequivocally. Although she clearly didn''t agree, since it was all his father''s decision, she was forced toply with her father''s wishes.


    Right now, she was thinking of running away if her father was really going to marry him off to Jullian.


    Seeing Wi not answering, rista became more and more sure of the answer to her question.


    From then on, the cold war between the two of them began to form a bit.


    rista, with her struggle to get to Jullian. But Jullian will be engaged to Wi.


    Meanwhile, Wi, with her struggle for her brother. But she''s already betrothed to Jullian. And she realized that she couldn''t argue with her father.

 Chapter 18 Night Party

    ?It only took me a few minutes to reach the Warwick mansion.


    When I was about to enter the mansion, another gatekeeper stopped me.


    The two gatekeepers were soldiers belonging to the Warwick family, but they stopped their master''s son from entering his house? Aren''t they crazy?


    Without further ado, I immediately beat them. After that, I opened the gate myself and walked into the mansion.


    In the garden along the front yard of the mansion, I could see that there were already many horse-drawn carriages neatly lined up. The horse-drawn carriages are designed with various ornaments and sculptures that look beautiful.


    The horse-drawn carriages that line up neatly in front of the mansion are the horse-drawn carriages of the party guests. I think.


    When I entered the mansion, I could see that the maids were pacing around doing their various activities. Some prepare dishes, others arrange room decorations and other activities.


    When they saw me, they ignored me and focused on their own business.


    In the midst of everyone''s frenzy, I identally ran into Gil, the poor servant. It seemed he hade to his senses after being poisoned by Baron Warwick.


    He flinched when he saw me, looked away, and tried to run away. But I grabbed him by the shoulder, holding him back so he couldn''t escape.


    "Exin to me what''s going on here."


    I told Gil to tell me.


    After that, I heard a story about the arrival of the majestic Jullian Arkie, namely by riding a Gryphon. Then there are also rumors that Wi will be engaged to Jullian.


    After hearing Gil talk, I went to the bathroom to wash off the dirt, blood, and sweat that had stuck to my body.


    After washing myself, I got dressed and left the bathroom. I walked along the hall of the mansion towards the banquet hall which was on the third floor. It was in the banquet hall that people had gathered for tonight''s party.


    "What should I do now?"


    I thought hard while lowering my head. I thought about the engagement between Wi and Jullian.


    Sometimes, confidence is absolutely necessary. The pessimistic and low self-esteem that used to take root in me must be slowly cleaned up.


    So, what action should I take now? At the very least, something that I need and must do is stop the engagement between Jullian and Wi.


    The problem was, if I did that, I would definitely be the enemy of the Arkie noble household.


    However, I still need to do it. So now, I just have to figure out how to do it.


    Unknowingly, when I was thinking hard about the matter, I was already at the door of therge banquet hall.


    Crack!


    When I opened the door to the banquet hall, I could see a majestic sight. The sight made me squint my eyes slightly. The reason was because of the dazzling light that entered my eyes.


    The light that came from within the banquet hall came from several magicmps hanging above the vast banquet hall.


    The banquet hall was spacious. As my eyes crept into every nook and cranny of the banquet hall, I realized that there were a lot of people inside.


    They were nobles with magnificent clothes. They were standing and chatting casually. Some were holding drinking sses, some were eating a snack, and most of them were talking to each other.


    Without paying attention to people for too long, I stepped into the banquet hall. Just at that moment, someone came up to me.


    She is Wi.


    Now she''s wearing a pretty festive ball gown. She walked slowly, maintaining her dignity as the daughter of a noble.


    "Brother, you have finallye. I originally thought that you were abandoned by that female demon."


    Wi thumped her chest and sighed softly. Maybe feel relieved when you see me. Then she looked into my eyes with bright eyes and a slight smile.


    I didn''t pay much attention to Wi''s gaze. I thought more about who the person she called a demon was.


    Before I replied to Wi, there was one more person who came and approached me.<novelnext></novelnext>


    That person walked elegantly while holding a ss of alcoholic drink.


    She ced her left hand that was not holding a drink under herrge breasts, hugging her body tightly. While her right-hand holds an alcoholic drink slightly raised.


    She is rista.


    Unlike the priestess robe she wore before, now she was wearing a ball gown. I don''t know where she got the ball gown she''s wearing now.


    "Who are you calling a demoness?"


    rista spoke to Wi. Her eyes were very sharp, like seeing a sworn enemy. Likewise with Wi, she looked back into rista''s eyes.


    I think I can see a sh of electricity in their eyes.


    I wonder what happened between them. I could imagine that they were involved in a conflict I didn''t know about.


    ''It seems that rtionships between women areplicated.''


    I can only sigh in my heart. With no other choice, I had to intervene with them.


    But, when I was about to separate the two of them, I noticed that the gazes of the people around were looking at us.


    Surprisingly, more eyes were staring at me. Maybe because I interacted with the two of them.


    Though, when I entered the banquet hall, few people turned to look at me. Most people are still busy with what they are doing.


    But now, there are many eyes were on me. When I looked around more, I noticed that they were widening their eyes when they saw me.


    Then people started to put what they were thinking through their mouths.


    "Whose son is he?"


    Such questions came out and flowed from the mouths of some to the ears of others. Until finally, such questions flowed into Baron Warwick''s ears.


    Why would I know? It was because I discovered that Baron Warwick was standing and talking in the middle of the banquet hall. He was surrounded by people, like a host who entertains guests.


    I could see Baron Warwick''s frowning expression. The instant Baron Warwick saw me, he immediately widened his eyes.


    He must be surprised that I didn''t suffer any injuries.


    Then I walked over to Baron Warwick and left Wi and rista who were still fighting with their gazes on them.


    Not too far away, just walking a few steps, I was already in front of Baron Warwick. Or, should I call him dad now?


    I focused on seeing Baron Warwick''s face. Seeing Baron Warwick''s irritated face wasforting enough, I thought.


    I suddenly recalled the memories of my previous life. Right at the party tonight, I was humiliated by Baron Warwick until then I was kicked out of this household.


    But this time will be different.


    I lifted the corners of my lips and asked Baron Warwick.


    "Father, isn''t this a good time to introduce me to the guests who havee?"


    I said that with a bright smiling face, like sunlight shining on Baron Warwick''s dark face.


    But I was amazed by Baron Warwick''s change of expression. He immediately smiled brightly, leaving behind the dark expression he previously had.


    The instant I called Baron Warwick father, several people immediately raised their eyebrows. They were surprised by my identity.


    I already guessed that. Not many people know who the Mesties are. I mean, this body I''m in. As far as I know, because Mesties has been locked away for too long, not many people know Mesties'' face.


    By the way, it''s a bit weird when I say my own name as someone else''s.

 Chapter 19 A Little Thing About Our Main Character

    ?Baron Warwick introduced me to the guests.


    As I shake hands with them one by one, I talk about how happy I am to have a father like Baron Warwick.


    Basically, I''m saying Baron Warwick is a great person. I act like a good boy. So when Baron Warwick kicks me out againter, for whatever reason, I won''t look like the person who has the fault.


    Even though I tried my best to keep a smile and speak in a friendly manner like a well-educated noble, the people''s response was not friendly at all.


    And among these annoying old nobles, the person in front of me right now is the one that irritates me the most.


    His most prominent feature is his very thick mustache. His belly is bloated and full of fat. Even so, he stood with his chest outstretched.


    He is an old noble. When you see it in one nce, you will feel annoyed. That''s the impression I have.


    "Do you know who I am, son?"


    He spoke in an arrogant tone. His face was facing up, and his eyes looked at me as if he was looking down on me. No, he''s really looking down on me.


    He also did not respond to my outstretched hand.


    With a forced smile, I tried to speak with all my might.


    "Sorry, sir. I don''t know."


    "Pffft~ it''s only right that you don''t know. Aren''t you a descendant of the trash of Baron Warwick?!"


    He covered his mouth as if he didn''t want tough at me. Yet anyone knew he was doing it on purpose to insult me ??and Baron Warwick.


    Not only him, but it turned out that most people were alsoughing secretly. They averted their faces andughed softly.


    I should be angry, but I can only bite my lower lip. Besides, I can''t get angry or even hit him.


    I convinced myself that I wasn''t an emotional person. Somehow, I have to endure their insults for now.


    I nced at Baron Warwick who was also enduring the old nobles'' insults. Now I better understand the burden he is carrying. For some reason, a little sympathy arose in my heart.


    When Baron Warwick saw my gaze, he immediately whispered in my ear. He mentioned that the person in front of me was Count McBride. Only then did I know who he was.


    After knowing the name, now I can say thank you.


    "Thank you for your insult, Count McBride. I will remember what you said. If the opportunity arises, I will certainly repay you."


    "Hoh~ you''re good at talking too. But, why do you sound like you''re insulting me?"


    I spoke to Count McBride with my head slightly lowered, a sign of respect. My expression also smiled brightly.


    But, my tone or words must have offended him. His old face suddenly changed color to a bright red color.


    Besides, I was also serious when I said that. I will look up information about these peopleter. Then I will reply to them.


    It''s not like I''m being impulsive, it''s just that noble society is cruel. Biting each other has bemonce.


    ***


    "Brother, since when are you so good at socializing like that?"


    After greeting the old nobles, I approached Wi and was immediately asked such a question.


    Wi''s eyes are still wide open, forming the letter O along with her small mouth which is also in the shape of an O.


    She looked very surprised.


    From her point of view, it may seem strange when she discovers the nature of her brother who a few days ago still likes to lock himself in his room, but suddenly bes a person who is good at socializing.


    Although, if you look at me from the outside, you''ll find I look really good at socializing, honestly I''m not.


    Honestly speaking, I really don''t like formal gatherings like this. If possible, I don''t want to do this. But I have to.


    Suddenly everyone''s gazes flowed toward the entrance of the banquet hall. Like a bunch of cats when fed, everyone''s heads turned towards the entrance at the same time.


    I also turned to see what was going on. It turned out that the door of the banquet hall opened once again. And then someone came into this banquet hall.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He is the long-awaited main character. I don''t know why he came sote.


    Was he implementing the characteristics of a hero? Where a hero alwayseste? That''s really not worth emting.


    Yes, he is Jullian Arkie.


    The bright aura he gave off was brighter than the entire glow of the magicmp hanging over the hall of the banquet hall.


    He had a striking appearance. He wore a breastte with a cloak hanging from his back. The clothes were different from the other guests. But that only made him even more attractive.


    I shifted my gaze from Jullian towards Wi.


    I saw that Wi was looking downnguidly. Her hand gripped the hem of my shirt.


    Then, I put my hand on her head. My hand touched her silky hair. Then the tremors in her body lessened slightly.


    I don''t know why Wi reacted like this. Whereas from a girl''s point of view, Jullian is the perfect male figure. But maybe her intuition said otherwise. I don''t know.


    "Brother, should I run away?"


    "Don''t worry. I will make sure that what you imagine won''t happen."


    Suddenly, Baron Warwick arrives and drags Wi to meet Jullian.


    Maybe she was a little convinced by my words, she just gave up when Baron Warwick invited her to see Jullian.


    Not only Wi and Baron Warwick but also the other old nobles who approached Jullian. Each of them immediately surrounded Jullian.


    Meanwhile, I just watched from afar.


    I suddenly thought of a few things.


    ***


    A glimpse of the nature of the main character in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, if referring to the division of personality, then Jullian Arkie''s personality was more inclined to extrovert personality.


    In more detail, he was the type of the main character who was selfish, overconfident, and liked to be the center of attention.


    If you read a novel with such a main character, won''t you really like it?


    Same as me. When I was reading the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, I really liked the confidence of the main character.


    To be honest, it was a bit difficult for me to say, but I had a pessimistic and insecure personality. In essence, my nature was very different from Jullian''s.


    Therefore, when I was reading the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, I was able to open up a new perspective. And that motivated me a little bit. I was motivated to have a more confident nature.


    But that was only when I read the novel. When I went into this world and felt everything in this novel world, I changed my mind.


    Although I was happy when I was reading a novel with such a main character, when I was in the same world, I couldn''t help but feel unhappy.


    That was indeed a bit of a contradiction. Just reading and real experience are very different. Something we like when we read does not mean we will like it when we are actually in the world of our reading.


    Despite all that, even though the main character, Jullian, had such a personality, he had enough capital to be able to support his traits. So, there''s no point in getting angry.


    Like the main character in general, he has a lot of cheats. From having a great background to having the blessings of a power far greater than anyone else.


    As if the world revolved around Jullian, luck was always in his hands, whether it was about money, women, or even power, he had it all.


    In the novel itself, the story only focuses on Jullian who goes everywhere to save people. At least, that''s what I remember.


    Then, with his aristocratic status, with strength greater than any viin he fought, and with the handsome countenance stered on his face, he somehow began to acquire women one by one.


    I''ve always wondered, what if I had a perfect life like him? Wouldn''t that be so beautiful?


    However, I can only specte because I knew that was impossible.


    I want to tell myself that yearning for other people''s lives will only cloud our view of our own way of life, but I realized that my life path was only full of suffering.


    Considering all the suffering I had gone through, it was only natural that I desperately wanted a life simr to the Jullian way of life.

 Chapter 20 Hero X Extra

    ?For now, I stopped thinking about Jullian.


    I shook my head to dispel any distracting thoughts.


    Seeing a maid carrying a tray of drinks, I took the ss that was filled with alcoholic drinks.


    After taking a ss of alcoholic drink, I went to the balcony for some fresh air.


    Leaning on the balcony railing, I looked at the scenery outside the mansion. Tonight, darkness is everywhere, but there are still two moons up in the sky that brighten the scenery of this night.


    When the night air blows, they''re hit every pore in my body. I enjoy every touch that the night breeze makes.


    The ss containing the alcoholic drink is still in my hand. I drank a little of the alcoholic drink that I don''t know what it is named for, and after that, the drink went down my throat.


    Gulp!


    Ahhh~


    It makes me feel a little better.


    While I was enjoying the drink in my hand, I heard someoneing towards me from behind.


    I turned back, so I can look at the person who came towards me. It turned out to be rista. When I looked at her face, I was a little surprised to see that her cheeks were slightly colored pink.


    She also had a drink in she''s hand. Maybe she''s a little drunk.


    Between the two of us who stared at each other for a while, she was the first to start asking questions.


    "Why are you here alone? ...Oh, did you feel inferior after Jullian caught everyone''s attention?"


    "There''s no way I''d feel that way."


    I disputed what she assumed. But it was true that everyone''s attention was on Jullian right now.


    Even though he only used his identity as the son of a Duke. Yeah, right now, he''s not a hero yet. But he still got the attention of those old nobles.


    Even so, it was understandable since all the nobles present here were low-ranking nobles.


    They swarmed around Jullian to curry favor with Jullian. They knew that Jullian was the heir to the Arkie noble household. If they could get Jullian''s attention a little bit, they could have an advantage.


    I''m guessing, they probably think that way.


    "You may not know this yet, but he is a candidate for the greatest Pdin Knight for the Church of Light. His future is bright. So it''s only natural that those old nobles flock to him. I hope you don''t feel jealous."


    rista said it in a tone that sounded like she felt sorry for me. Apart from that, I also already know about the thing that she said.


    As I recall, Jullian does have that kind of background. Also, since he had already performed the maturity ceremony, people must have seen Jullian''s potential power, aka the main character''s potential.


    Likewise with rista, since she''s a priestess of the Church of Light, I''m guessing she''s well aware of Jullian''s potential. Or, should I say that the reason rista was aiming for Jullian was because of that?


    To confirm that, I immediately asked her.


    "Isn''t that the reason you like Jullian? You don''t have to pretend like you''re depressed when Jullian gets engaged to Wi. Even though what you are after is also simr to what the old nobles want, right."


    I told her what her little secret was. But, she only raised her eyebrows slightly upwards. She didn''t seem too surprised.


    Her slightly surprised expression instantly returned to calm. She walked over to the balcony railing and looked at me from beside me.


    "Fufufu, how did you know that?"


    "...."


    "The more I look, the more I realize that you are a mysterious person."


    "Ignore that for now. What''s the real reason Jullian came here?"


    The question I raised was the crux of the real problem.


    Most likely, the reason why Jullian hade here was closely rted to the reason why things had gone differently from my previous life.


    rista pondered for a while before finally answering.


    I watched every word that came out of she''s mouth. Every movement of her lips is clearly visible to my eyes. And the sound that came out of her mouth sounded clear to my ears.


    "... Oracle. More or less, that''s the reason."


    She finished her answer there.


    I don''t know if that''s true, but...


    I lowered my head slightly and held my chin. ''Then... No. I''ll think about itter.''


    After answering my question, rista immediately drank all the drinks in her ss in one gulp.


    Unfortunately, there was a bit of drink that trickled down from the corners of her lips. The drink dripped down. Walking along her smooth white neck. Until it disappeared into her clothes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Because she was wearing a ball gown, her attire was now more revealing than the priestess robe she had previously worn.


    "Ho~ what did you see?"


    She seemed to notice my gaze on her body, but she just chuckled with a seductive smile. Not that I stole nces, I just saw it because it happened right in front of me.


    Without responding to the look in his eyes, I only answered briefly.


    "Nothing."


    "Fuh~ even so, I was really sad to know that Jullian is here to get engaged to your step-sister."


    "You don''t have to worry. Most likely, I will break their engagement."


    I just say whates to my mind, therefore I didn''t expect her to be that surprised.


    And then she moistened her lips and said, "Ara~Ara~ Even if you do that, you won''t necessarily be able to win my heart, you know. But at least, I thank you for your good intentions."


    ''Aren''t you overconfident?'' I can only say that in my head because I don''t want to argue with her.


    But instead, she averted her gaze with an added hint of a thicker pink tint to her cheeks. I think she''s getting drunk.


    Right now I had to get back inside the banquet hall before Baron Warwick announced the engagement between Jullian and Wi. So I didn''t think about it any further.


    ***


    "With this, I will announce that my daughter and Jullian Arkie will...."


    "Wait a moment."


    Baron Warwick raised his hand and was about to announce the engagement between Wi and Jullian. But I immediately stopped him.


    I approached Baron Warwick, Jullian, and Wi, who was the center of everyone''s attention. Behind me was rista following me.


    My eyes fell on Baron Warwick''s face. His face was dark because I interrupted him.


    In the midst of everyone''s attention, I opened my mouth to speak.


    "Sorry, Father. But you have to cancel what you''re about to announce!"


    Instantly, everyone''s faces were immediately shocked.


    Wi made a slightly moved expression for some reason. rista covered her mouth in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Baron Warwick immediately let out smoke from above his head. His anger peaked at the top. I felt he was ready to eat me, but I ignored him.


    You may be wondering, how can I be sure that Baron Warwick will announce the engagement between Wi and Jullian?


    Even though it is not certain that what will be announced is the engagement between Jullian and Wi. But, how can I be sure? Of course, there is a reason for it all. The reason had to do with the secret of Jullian''s power.


    Ignoring Baron Warwick''s anger, I approached Jullian.


    "Are you the Young Master of the Arkie noble household?"


    "Nice to meet you."


    We get to know each other.


    Look at the glow thates out of the smile on his face. It sure can blow everyone away. If I didn''t know his nature, I would definitely be deceived.


    This is my first time interacting with him. Where, in my previous life, I could only see from afar. Even though his face looked younger, there was no mistaking that it was Jullian Arkie, the Main Character.


    Returning his smile, I also showed a smile on my face, even though my heart was burning with the fire of anger.


    I suddenly remember the moments of death that I experienced. Somehow, I managed to contain the anger in my heart. Yeah, though it''s not easy.


    Next, I patted his shoulder. My face drew closer, and then I whispered to him.


    "You''d better stop what you''re trying to do. Otherwise, I''ll reveal your secret."


    "I don''t understand what you''re saying."


    "You don''t have to pretend like that. I know about a secret of yours that you protect the most."


    After whispering those words, I pulled myself back. Our gazes locked. Now, each of us knows that we are enemies.


    And to me, this is a deration of war against the main character of this world.


    [Quest: Fight against Hero of Light.


    Description: You must thwart the ns of the aspiring Hero of Light to get his first harem.]


    [Rewards will be given after youplete the Quest.]

 Chapter 21 I Will Make You A Hikikomori

    ?"If I may ask, what do you mean by that?"


    The words that came out of his mouth carried pressure. The pressure was directed at me. He tried to intimidate me, but I still stood firm.


    Our eyes are still looking at each other. With a small smile, I replied to Jullian''s question.


    "Are you sure that I should say it here?"


    When he heard me say that, he immediately realized that we were still in the middle of the banquet hall, where many eyes and ears were watching us.


    His eyes looked around and he saw that people were already looking at the two of us earlier. After his head turned like a windmill, he looked at me and said something.


    "We''d better talk about this somewhere else."


    "All right. Follow me."


    I led him out of the banquet hall.


    ***


    For a quieter conversation, I led Jullian to a quiet room. This is one of the empty rooms in this huge mansion.


    When I finished closing the door, Jullian immediately grabbed my cor. Suddenly he pushed me until my back mmed into the closed door.


    Twhack!


    After my back mmed the door, I grabbed his hand which was still gripping my cor tightly. I pretended like I wanted to rebel. That''s why I wasn''t serious when I tried to release his grip.


    And it seems that he used something like strengthening magic because his grip was so strong.


    Actually, I just had to activate the Strengthening skill and break free from his grip, but that''s okay, after all, I didn''t mean to reveal that I can control Mana from the start.


    "Now, tell me what you mean about my secret that you told me earlier!"


    He said it in a threatening tone. Even so, not an expression of fear appeared on my face, but a calm expression instead. My mouth smiled a little and my eyes narrowed.


    At that moment, I started to think about what made Jullian react like that.


    What might be Jullian Arkie''s secret? The answer to that question is very easy.


    I actually still remember that clearly because I really nted that in my brain.


    His secret was linked to the power that he received, where he obtained the magical powers that had a powerful element of light.


    Actually, the secret lies not in his strength, but in the limitations that he must ovee. When he gained such immense power, he also received an equally great limitation.


    Indeed, he gained great light elemental magic power. However, there is one condition to maintain his power.


    He had to earn the admiration of humans.


    Like a real hero, he must be able to save others and reflect the character of the hero perfectly.


    Kind, honest, friendly... All of that is just camouge so that he gets more power.


    Because the more people who glorify him, the more his power will increase.


    Like politicians who are willing to do anything to get votes from the people when they are about to conduct elections, so is Jullian, he is willing to do anything to have great power, including saving humanity.


    Then, what will happen if the fate of mankind is certain to be destroyed? Of course, he would not hesitate to betray humanity. Such a scenario happened in the epilogue of the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light. Or at the end of my previous life, where Jullian betrayed humanity.


    At that time, humans were indeed on the verge of annihtion, until he, who was considered a hero, felt that he was unable to save mankind. Thus, he, who did not wish to fall with mankind, was tempted by the demons and betrayed mankind.


    You don''t have to wonder how I got to know that even if I didn''t interfere with Jullian''s life in my previous life, because I know it all from the Demon Lord and Hero of Light books.


    However, that was only exined at the end of the book, while at the beginning of the book it is said that Julian is a really kind person. I know that was confusing, but that''s how the reality was.


    Luckily, in the current timeline, he hasn''t been crowned a hero yet. So, I still have many opportunities to thwart all the heroic actions that he will doter.


    Including what he was going to do now, where he wanted to be engaged with Wi.


    To be honest, I don''t care if Jullian gets engaged to Wi or not. I''m just doing this all to prevent Jullian from gaining more powerter on.


    Let''s get back to reality.


    I was still in the position where my cor was grabbed by Jullian.


    "Do you really want to know if I really know about your secret?"


    "You''d better not y around if you can''t bear the consequences."


    "In that case, we''d better have a duel in front of all the party guests tonight. If I lose, I''ll tell you...."


    I stopped my speech midway. Averting my gaze from Jullian, I stared at the system message that had previously appeared next to my eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Quest: Fight against Hero of Light.


    Description: You must thwart the ns of the aspiring Hero of Light to get his first harem.]


    [Rewards will be given after youplete the Quest.]


    The system message seemed to be telling me to fight Jullian. It was exactly what I wanted to do, so I just smiled in response to the system message.


    I turned my gaze back to Jullian, then I continued my speech which I had stopped in the middle of the road.


    "...But if you lose...."


    "What do you want?"


    "That''s easy. You''d better cancel all the ns you have here and go back to where you came from. Stay home, and you should lock yourself up for the next 1 year!"


    After I put forward my terms, I could see that his eyelids were twitching slightly. Then he let go of the hand that was gripping me.


    "Sigh~"


    I sighed as soon as I was free from his grip. I put my hand on the cor of my slightly wrinkled shirt.


    When I finished, I could see that Jullian was lowering his head, as if he was deep in thought.


    Maybe, in his head, he was wondering if I really knew his secret or if I was just bluffing.


    Looking from his point of view, there''s no way that I would know his secret.


    However, what if he believes that I know his secret?


    It''s possible that he''ll go to extremes when he''spletely sure that I know his secret.


    In the worst-case scenario, he would kill me instantly.


    However, when he''s not convinced yet, he won''t do anything extreme like killing me outright.


    Why can I be so sure? The reason is simple. It''s because he can''t kill me directly. If he kills me directly, his qualifications as a potential hero will be lost.


    In the nature of a hero, they should not kill innocent people. In this case, those who are innocent are those who have never killed anyone.


    "It''s strange, how can he feel like someone who has already killed so many people, but at the same time, I believe he really has never killed a human."


    Jullian muttered to himself.


    Indeed, some of the followers of the Church of Light could tell whether the person had killed another person or not. Like Jullian and rista.


    Just like rista won''t kill me because she''s a Saintess candidate, Jullian won''t kill me either because he''s a Hero candidate.


    But, Jullian and rista can instantly kill me the moment I''ve killed someone else.


    Miraculously, I haven''t killed anyone else in this timeline yet. Should I be grateful?


    After pondering for quite a while, it seemed that he had already made up his mind.


    He took something out of his pocket. What he took was a paper.


    [Name: Magic Contract Paper.


    Level: High.


    Description:


    Magic paper that can be a judge. If you write the contents of the contract and sign it with the blood of your own ord, the contract will be active.


    If one of the parties reneges on the agreement, the judgment magic will activate.]


    The description of the item that was issued by Jullian was disyed in the notification window.


    It seems that the Magic Contract Paper grade is higher than the Magic Contract Paper rista used with me before.


    "Do you know what this item is?"


    "Of course."


    "If you had known, it would have been easier. I would have agreed to fight with you. But you have to sign here first."


    Jullian suggested that we sign the Magic Contract Paper first. Of course, I totally agree.


    A sly smile might be on my face without me knowing it. I knew that he would take it out, so I didn''t tell him to.


    Let him feel that he is the one leading this negotiation. That way, it will be easier for me.

 Chapter 22 Sword Fighting Show

    ?"Why do you bother doing all this? Don''t we know each other yet?"


    "..."


    Yes, you may not know me, but I know you very well.


    "Are you really doing this because you don''t want your sister to be engaged to me? Aren''t you being so overprotective?"


    He suddenly made a crumpled face. He looked disgusted when he saw me.


    Ignoring the strange look he gave, I let him think what he wanted to think, "Yeah, let him think as he wants."


    I''m more focused on what we were doing.


    The two of us were about to sign the Magic Contract Paper, but before that, I have to add a few things.


    "You know that I don''t have a Mana Core, right? So, I guess we should fight without using Mana."


    "Don''t worry, I knew from the start that you couldn''t use Mana. Even though I only arrived here a short time, I''ve heard a lot of people talk about your ipetence."


    Before the signing process, I suggest that we should fight without using Mana. But instead, he looked at me as if he pitied me.


    Whether it was because he underestimated me or indeed he was just overconfident in his strength, he agreed without a problem.


    He added that above the Magic Contract Paper that he wrote using his mana.


    After everything was written on the Magic Contract Paper, and then, he and I added our signatures on the Magic Contract Paper.


    [Magic Contract Paper - Active.]


    A system message confirms that Magic Contract Paper is active. But ...


    [An unknown energy is entering your body.]


    [Do you want to bind that energy into you?]


    ''Of course not.'' I just answered in my mind.


    Yes, just like before, when I resisted the magical energy entering my body from the Magic Contract Paper, the Magic Contract Paper no longer affected me.


    Finally, the contract had beenpleted, and Jullian would leave if he lost. Whereas I will keep his secret if I really know his secret.


    True, our bets did seem trivial.


    However, the meaning behind our reasoning is enormous.


    If Jullian left empty-handed, he would fail to carry out the orders of the God he worshiped.


    As for me, if I lose, I will fail to be rewarded by the World System.


    I don''t know what kind of reward the World System might give, but it must be something important.


    I don''t want to waste the opportunity to increase my power.


    Opportunities like this are hard toe by.


    After struggling without being able to increase my strength in my previous life, an opportunity like this was a very precious thing.


    With a smiling face, I looked at Jullian as if I was mocking him.


    Jullian also looked at me with a mocking look. If I had the power to read minds, he might be thinking, ''I''m going to embarrass him in front of everyone.'' Something like that, I guess.


    After that, we went back into the banquet hall.


    ***


    When Jullian and I returned to the banquet hall, we announced that we were going to have a fight.


    In front of everyone, the match between Jullian and I could be said to be just a show. We can''t possibly tell the real reason.


    We were simply using the excuse that I wanted to receive some teachings from him, someone who inherited sword techniques from the Arkie noble family, who were renowned for their prowess in sword techniques.


    Since I can''t use mana, Jullian won''t use mana either, so he can maintain his dignity as the main heir to the Arkie noble family.


    That''s what we announce.


    Then all the invited guests immediately moved aside. The chairs and tables were also removed by the waiters.


    However, there are two people who are still standing in front of me now. They are Wi and rista. On one side, there was rista who looked at me as if she were looking at a rare species. On the other hand, there was Wi whose eyes looked like a confused person.


    Wi''s mouth closed and opened as if to say something. Finally, she took a deep breath. And then, she said what from the start she seemed to want to tell me.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Brother, do you really have to do this?"


    "Yeah, I guess I should."


    "I-I really feel very grateful if you would do all this for me. But, what if your skin gets scratched, or maybe even bleeding? How can I bear it when you might get injured?"


    She said all those words with a face that was really ready to cry at any moment. Tears slowly began to form on her small eyelids.


    Her eyes looked at my body. Her two small hands held my shirt. While her body is slowly approaching mine.


    For some reason, I felt goosebumps all over my body. Though I should feel grateful that she was worried about me. But, why was she so worried? After all, it''s not as if I''ll be participating in a life-and-death duel.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll only use wooden swords. And we won''t be using mana. This is purely a battle where we''re only pitting our swordsmanship."


    After I reassured her, her face looked more rxed. However, rista who was just staring at me directly spoke to Wi.


    "Yeah, that''s right. After all, your stepbrother didn''t do it for you. So you don''t have to act cute like that."


    rista''s words were sharp. So did the look in her eyes that she directed to Wi. Not wanting to lose, Wi also replied to what rista said.


    "What do you mean by saying that?"


    "Lady Wi, Young Master Mesties did it for me, not for you."


    "No, Brother Mesties did it for me. There''s no way he would do it for you. For what reason would he do it for you?"


    "Fufu~ it''s a secret between the two of us."


    They exchanged conversations like that. Honestly, I don''t understand what they mean at all. Anyway, it''s not important. So I ignored it. But, since it seemed like they were going to take a long time, I told them to get out of the way.


    ''I wonder what''s the reason they have such a war of words?''


    I can only ask myself while watching them go further. I''m sure I won''t get the answer at all.


    ***


    At the same time that Jullian and Mesties were about to fight in front of all the invited guests, there was someone who was lying helpless.


    That person is Daniel.


    In the bedroom in the mansion where the Warwicks lived, Daniel was lying on the bed.


    As a result of being dropped by Mesties this morning, he can now only lie on the bed. He had an injury to one of his ankles. There was also a wound on his head. So, his legs and head are now covered in bandages.


    Suddenly, Daniel took out a round object from behind the pillow. It was a Communication Crystal Ball.


    On the Communication Crystal Ball, there was already a message. The message tells Daniel that the person who stopped the Mesties halfway through has failed. ording to the report submitted by one of the returnees, they were defeated by a mysterious figure in ck robes.


    After finishing reading the message, Denial immediately mmed the Communication Crystal Ball.


    Kaboom!


    The Communication Crystal Ball made a loud sound as it hit the floor.


    "Shit! Bastard! Fucking!"


    Inappropriate words came out one after another from Daniel''s mouth. A look full of anger was drawn on Daniel''s face. Like a train, Daniel''s face was full of steam.


    "How dare he make me lie on the bed like this. I''ll definitely repay himter. You''ll see that soon."


    Just at that time, someone came with food. That person is Wi and Daniel''s biological mother. Or Mesties'' stepmother. She is Thalia.


    cing the food beside Daniel''s bed, she paused before finally saying something to her biological son.


    "I have some news. It seems that your half-brother, Mesties, is going to fight with your sister''s fianc¨¦e candidate."


    "What?"


    Daniel opened his mouth in surprise at what his mother said.


    "Are you going to see it?"


    "Of course. If that''s the case, wouldn''t that be a good show? It would be a shame if I didn''t see him being defeated by a child from the great Arkie noble household."


    After saying that to his mother, Daniel immediately threw the nket that covered him. Then he rushed out. Of course, he walked with a limp due to the wound on his leg. In order to walk, he must use crutches.


    Seeing her biological child out of the room, Thalia just sighed heavily. Her eyes roamed the contents of her biological son''s bedroom for a while. Until finally she found there was a round object on the floor.


    Of course, she knew what it was, it was a Communication Crystal Ball. After picking it up, she could also see the message it contained.

 Chapter 23 The Fate Of The Extra Character (1)

    ?Being in the middle of the banquet hall, I stand like a prodigal son. The few meters around me werepletely empty. The invited guests stand alone from a considerable distance.


    In front of me, one more person is standing like a lost child. Just like me, he was standing in the middle of the banquet hall with no one else around. He is Julian. Yes, we are face to face to fight now.


    All eyes were on us, even the magicmp above the banquet hall seemed to only focus on us, which made me feel like I was standing on the stage of a music concert.


    From the many eyes of people who saw me and Jullian, most of them looked at me with disgust, while when they looked at Jullian, they looked very amazed and fascinated.


    When I looked at all of them, from everyone''s eyes, I could imagine that they were thinking that I would embarrass myself.


    For them, it is clear who is the main character and who is the real extra character.


    Then, the maids approached Jullian and me. Each of them carried a wooden sword in their hands. With nervous expressions, they handed the wooden swords to me and Jullian. After the maids finished handing the wooden swords to Jullian and me, they instantly disappeared into the crowd.


    I nced at Julian.


    He swung the wooden sword in his hand as if he was adjusting to the wooden sword he received. I guessed that he was showing off.


    In this world, most ordinary people would focus on practicing martial arts. While the nobles and their descendants will focus on studying magic.


    However, this general knowledge cannot be applied to Jullian. Unlike other noble children who only focused on learning magic, Jullian had studied martial arts since childhood. Especially when ites to his family''s swordsmanship.


    So, I have to see if my swordsmanship can match the swordsmanship he''s practicing.


    Swing! Swing! Swing!


    Jullian continued to swing the wooden sword in his hand. As he did so, he nced at me.


    "Are you sure you want to fight with me? If you know my secret, we don''t need to fight, right? You can use the secret you know to ckmail me. So do you just want to bluff?"


    "Why are you talking so much? Do you want to cancel our fight?"


    "...."


    I tried to provoke him. However, he remained calm.


    Since our fight was just a show, we were free to start whenever we were ready to fight, that''s what Jullian said.


    No referee will mediate between us.


    "Hm... Well then, let''s get started."


    Without giving a word, I immediately came to attack.


    I immediately kicked the floor hard. My body charged forward with the wooden sword gripped tightly in my right hand.


    Many people say that, when you fight, the one who attacks first wins. Because of that, I slid forward while he was still busy trying to get people''s attention.


    Swing!


    Thwack!


    The sound of my sword being stopped by his sword was heard. But the sound is not too loud because the sword we use is a wooden sword.


    Indeed, he was surprised. But he entered a defensive stance quickly.


    The reaction has been good as I expected. To be honest, I''m currently trying to test how far Jullian''s strength is in swordy.


    I want to see how far the main character''s strength is at the beginning of the story.


    I still remember that I couldn''t take a single sh of the sword that Jullian swung before my death in my previous life.


    The power he disyed back then is still etched in my brain. However, that was when Jullian''s abilities had already developed, while in the current timeline, he had not yet reached that level.


    Thwack! Thwack! ...


    While showing a smile, I continued the barrage of attacks. Because of that, Jullian could only endure. But, he also attacked. We exchanged attacks with each other for a while.


    "Unbelievable, how did your son have such skill with the sword, Baron Warwick?"


    "Yeah. Is that the ability of people who just locked themselves in a room for years?"


    I can hear people''s conversations in my ear. From their voices, I could tell that they were surprised. Meanwhile, why was there no response from Baron Warwick? Maybe because he couldn''t answer either.


    When I heard their surprised voices, I wanted to ask where their previous arrogance was. But I threw that thought backward. That doesn''t mean I can get a big head. After all, our battle is still not over.


    Removing my mind from the surroundings, I refocused on fighting against Jullian.


    At first nce, I did seem to have the upper hand, but I realized that it was because I was still in a state where my stamina was full.


    If the fight continues, I''m sure my physical strength will have a hard time dealing with Jullian''s stamina, which is the stamina of a person who has practiced swordsmanship since childhood. I''m sure I''ll be exhausted first<novelnext></novelnext>


    Several times, the sword shes that he swung at me almost hit my vitals, but I managed to dodge quite well.


    Even though my body was slightly scratched with every attack heunched, I managed to retaliate with a sharper, heavier, more urate, and more intense attack.


    Until finally Jullian was hit by my sword right in his waist.


    One of his knees touched the floor, holding his sword and waist. He looked at me with eyes that didn''t seem to believe what had just happened.


    "Huh??"


    Although he was confused for a while, he soon realized that he was in a state of emergency.


    "Shit!"


    Suddenly, a vein appeared on his forehead, a sign of anger.


    Normally, a hero would lose first, but in the end, a hero will rise, fight, and ultimately win.


    Therefore, I will not allow the person in front of me to do such a mainstream thing.


    As I raised the wooden sword, preparing to end this match, suddenly something unexpected appeared.


    Jullian suddenly activated something like Strengthening magic. Elements of light appeared around his body, a sign that he was using Mana. Then he immediately stood up, gripped the wooden sword in his hand, and shed at me.


    It all happened in the blink of an eye.


    I, who was taken aback for a while, almost automatically activated the Strengthening Skill, but I didn''t.


    I deliberately didn''t dodge. Until finally he shed me from the shoulder, and chest, then reached the waist. A [ / ] sign was drawn on my body.


    Even though he was wearing a wooden sword, but because he added Mana, the wooden sword became as sharp as an iron sword. So, my body immediately bleeds. Blood spurted and soaked my clothes until they sttered on the floor.


    Holding the wound on my body, my knees fell to the floor.


    Of course, I feel pain, but this is my victory because Jullian broke the contract, where he is not allowed to use Mana. So, a satisfied smile is still on my lips.


    When I looked at Jullian, he was standing like a statue. I think he''s already set as the loser ording to the Contract Magic Paper.


    I don''t know why he used the skill, maybe because he''s still a teenager, so he still has an impulsive nature.


    My eyes roamed around, I could see the eyes of the invited guests who looked down on me.


    "Then why if he''s really good at his sword skills, if he can''t use Mana, he''s still a piece of trash."


    "Yes, I agree. What an interesting spectacle. He''s just embarrassing himself."


    "Hahaha, how do you feel, Baron Warwick, when you see your trash-like son humiliate himself?!"


    They all insulted me enthusiastically. Even the people who previously gave me littlepliments started insulting me too. Let alone Count McBrigde, he was the one whoughed the loudest.


    They had all forgotten the fact that Jullian wasn''t supposed to use Mana. Either because they don''t want to offend the Arkie noble family, or they think that the strong will still be victorious even if they vite the rules, which is a naturalw.


    In conclusion, I lost the battle, but I won the bet.


    Indeed, Jullian managed to get the attention of the nobles, so he would be more adored, but he had to bear the punishment of losing his bet with me.


    Despite everyone''s insults, I''m currently whimpering, enduring the pain.


    It''s not that I''m crazy for letting Jullian hurt me like this, it''s just, there''s a reason why I confidently took his attack.


    For now, this is purely just my guess, but I feel that I shouldn''t reveal my power so bluntly here.


    Even if it meant I had to endure all of the people''s insults, I convinced myself that it was fine.


    Of course, I felt regretful that I couldn''t embarrass Jullian in front of those damn old nobles, however, an objective perspective was more important.


    But ¡­


    I started to regret what I had done because Baron Warwick didn''t help me right away. He instead just stared nkly at me along with the other damn old nobles.


    ''Until when are you going to see me suffer.''


    Fortunately, he acted immediately.


    I thought, there was no way Baron Warwick would let me die here. At the very least, he would act well in front of the other invited guests. And that''s exactly what he did when his sanity returned.


    As I expected, Baron Warwick immediately ordered the servants and the maids to help me. Of course, the expression on his face is very interesting to watch.


    I just hope the servants and the maids will treat me quickly.

 Chapter 24 A Sweet Gift

    ?I''m currently in my bedroom. Lying on the bed, my body was covered in bandages. This is the result of the care taken by the maids.


    After all the maids had finished treating me, they came out of my bedroom. By the time all the maids came out, someone hade into my bedroom.


    She is rista.


    After her eyes scanned my entire body, the look on her beautiful face darkened. Not out of disgust, but perhaps because she sympathized.


    "Does it hurt?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?"


    Even though she asked with a guilty face, I guess she already knew the answer.


    rista sat on a chair that was beside my bed.


    Suddenly she took something from a small bag that she was carrying. And it turned out to be Pocket Dimension. With a very disheveled face, she held out the item she had just taken out to me.


    "Take this!"


    What she gave was a vial filled with a faint green liquid. It was a recovery potion. Judging by the wrinkled expression on her face, she didn''t seem sincere when she gave it to me.


    ''I think she''s still a merchant.''


    The recovery potion was an extremely valuable alchemy item. No wonder it was so hard for her to give it to me. For an ordinary noble family like the Warwicks noble family, of course, it doesn''t have much of it.


    The ones who used to consume such luxuries were usually only nobles with great influence, elite groups, or elite Adventurers who used to go exploring the Dungeon and risk their lives every time.


    [Name: Recovery Potion


    Level: Low


    Description: Can heal minor physical injuries.]


    Even if it was low tier, it was still very valuable. And I''m sure the effect will be very effective.


    Maybe because she saw that I didn''t respond, she started to convince me.


    "Don''t worry. Just take it and use it quickly before I change my mind. Besides, I also feel guilty for what Jullian did to you."


    "Hm? Well... I''ll pay you for thister."


    Then, ording to what she wanted, I took the recovery potion that she gave me. After that, I immediately drank it.


    After I drank the recovery potion, ording to the name of the item, the wounds on my body no longer hurt.


    Before I could truly be amazed by the effects of the Recovery Potion, something came bothering me.


    Break!


    Surprisingly, the door which was originally closed was wide open. As the door opened, someone stepped in. That person went inside arbitrarily.


    Looking towards my bedroom door, I saw the person. I barely recognized him.


    The bandages on his head and legs almost resembled my appearance. The way he entered this room was with a limp. He uses a cane simr to crutches.


    He did look pitiful, but his face was full of triumph.


    He is Daniel.


    "Kuhahaha! Look how pathetic you are. Lying on the bed covered in bandages. Are you a cripple now?"


    He insulted andughed at me. His index finger pointed at me. Tears of joy fell from his eyes to the floor.


    Honestly, I don''t know how to respond to Daniel''s words. I wondered to myself.


    ''Isn''t he aware that he has bandages all over his body too? And he also looks like a cripple when he walks.''


    Feeling the wounds on my body getting better because of the recovery potion I had drunk before, then I got up from the bed.


    Face-to-face, we stared at each other. Two people wearing bandages seemed ready to punch each other.


    Seeing that I was standing without showing the slightest pain, in the blink of an eye, Daniel''s avnche of tears immediately stopped. Hisughing mouth also froze.


    "Pfftt." From the side, I could hear rista''s voice that was holding backughter.


    Daniel came out saying threatening words. The way he walked looked very pathetic. Even so, he still managed to swear out of annoyance.


    Maybe he walked out knowing that he wouldn''t be able to beat me with his current body condition.


    After a briefmercial, it was now just rista and me in this room. She looked at me with serious eyes. Before she finally asked me,


    "Okay then, is this goodbye? Or see youter?"


    "Who knows."


    "Well, before that, I''ll give you a present first. I really can''t give you money... Cough! Not because I''m stingy, ok. Instead, I''ll give you another gift."


    "Hm?"


    Without giving me any warning, she immediately spread her arms and approached me. She suddenly came forward and hugged me.


    Even if it happened suddenly, actually I could avoid her, but my body let her do what she wanted.


    What happened next was the two balloons that she had touched my chest.


    Since my body was only wrapped in a thin bandage, I could feel the stic sensation in detail.


    The scent of a grown woman also entered my nose. I''m still a boy, so it would be a lie if my lower half didn''t react.


    In that position, beside my ear, she whispered, "This is a reward for fighting with Jullian. And because you did, Jullian didn''t announce his engagement to your step-sister. Even though I was touched that you did it to get me, I still can''t give up on getting Jullian."


    She patted and stroked my back gently. It would be a lie if I didn''t enjoy her touch, but as an older person, I try not to be too enthusiastic.


    Even so, I had no idea what she was saying. In a moment like this, I had the intuition that I shouldn''t have said that I fought Jullian not because of her.


    After a while, she let go of her hand.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Covering her mouth with her smooth hand, a small mutter escaped from her mount.


    "I can''t imagine how much he must have suffered from being publicly humiliated like that."


    That''s what I heard.


    "Did you say something?"


    "No. Then, see youter."


    It seemed she chose to use the phrase see youter instead of goodbye.


    Before she walked out of my line of sight, she raised her hand and waved it in a very sexy way. Plus, she winked her eyes to tease me.


    Unconsciously, I almost raised my hand as well to return rista''s wave. However, because I felt a sudden feeling of nostalgia crashing into my consciousness, I didn''t do it.


    I stared at my hand that had canceled giving rista a wave with a strange look in my eyes. My thoughts becameplicated as well.


    And then rista turned around and walked out of the room with a disappointed face because I didn''t respond to her wave.


    ***


    As soon as Iy down on the bed, I said something in a low voice.


    "Open status!"


    [Status Window.


    Name: Mesties Warwick


    Stats:


    Strength: F


    Speed: F


    Endurance: F


    Mana Cores:-


    Active Mana:-


    Skills:


    Poison Resistance, Hear of Everything (1 day), Strengthening, Swordsmanship.]


    I see that the Hear of Everything skill can still be used. So, I tried to activate the skill.


    [You activated the Hear of Everything skill.]


    [Your hearing will improve. You will be able to hear sounds that ordinary humans cannot hear.]


    Hearing the World System''s exnation, the first thing that crossed my mind was, can I now hear ghost voices?


    Suddenly I heard a voiceing from the mansion''s corridor leading to my bedroom. The person walked briskly towards my bedroom.


    Kkiiiik!


    After arriving, she slightly opened my bedroom door and went inside. She is Wi. With my keen hearing, I could hear what she was muttering.


    "Damn it! I will definitely kill him one day. How dare he hurt my brother. I will definitely kill him! I will definitely kill him! No, I better torture him first before I kill him."


    A horrible mutter escaped from her mouth while biting her fingernails.


    I pray that she won''t actually do something as extreme as what she said to no one. Because she muttered horribly, the maids who wanted toe to check on me immediately ran away.


    "Ah! Brother. You seem to be in a lot of pain."


    Her expression changed quickly when she realized that I was watching her.


    "Yes, it is. And, what about what are you worried about?"


    What I mean is the engagement between her and Jullian.


    "I think my worries are gone because that person suddenly left."


    ''Is that true?''


    Then, I averted my hearing to confirm what she was saying.


    Far from my bedroom... More urately, in the air, not far from the mansion, there was the sound of magical animals flying away. I think it''s Jullian''s Gryphon. So, I guess Jullian is riding the Gryphon back to where he came from.


    That way, just as Wi said, Jullian was really gone. Well, it was a bit disappointing that I had to deliberately give in, however, I also knew that I didn''t have enough strength to beat him yet.


    Honestly, when I fought Jullian, even if I put all my effort into it, I wasn''t 100% sure I could beat him.


    Even in the beginning, that''s how strong the main character of this world is. In contrast to an extra character like myself.


    With a wry smile, I canceled the Hear of Everything skill. The moment I opened my previously closed eyes, suddenly a system message appeared in front of me.


    [Congrattions! You have sessfully carried out the quest Fight the Hero of Light Candidate.]


    [You will be rewarded!]


    [First prize. You have the option of making the Hear of Everything Skill derived from The Five Sense - Sense of Hearing Skill a permanent skill. Will you ept it?]


    Seeing the greatness of the Hear of Everything skill, I immediately answered in agreement without thinking.


    [You have agreed to make the Hear of Everything Skill a permanent skill.]


    [Giving a second gift!]


    [Congrattions! You got the Skill Inventory!]


    [However, since your body doesn''t have a Mana Core, you can''t activate the skill.]

 Chapter 25 Stigma Of Darkness

    ?The moon has turned into the sun, while the night has turned into the morning.


    Sincest night, Wi has always clung to me. She always took care of me in a way that was too much. Even though I had told her that I was fine, she still insisted.


    She always feeds me when I''m going to eat. Even when I refused, she would immediately put the food in my mouth. She also helped me when I changed, if I refused, she would hide my only change of clothes.


    "BROTHERS, WHERE ARE YOU?"


    I could hear her scream as she called me from inside the mansion.


    Running away from Wi, I was currently in the mansion''s backyard. It''s a pretty big park too. There are some trees nted here, so I have a ce to hide.


    Of course, I''m not only hiding but also doing some things.


    cing my hands on a tree branch, I pulled myself up and down. I did pull-ups a few times, then sit-ups, push-ups, and so on. I also carried a wooden sword and practiced shing trees several times.


    After warming up, I did a test. I wanted to test the World System''s ability to create skills.


    Will everything I do be converted into skills? Or are there separate criteria?


    Having said that, I held the sword in my hand with more concentration. I also activated the Mana inside me.


    There was an ability that I wanted to try out.


    And the result...


    sh!


    I swung the sword in my hand to cut through the tree trunk in front of me.


    However, the result was not what I expected.


    ''It''s not that easy, huh.''


    I kept repeating the test, but I stopped when I felt what was known as a muscle cramp.


    "Ugh!"


    ''This body is indeed very weak.''


    Even so, I kept moving my body to another training session.


    This has been my habit since my previous life. I can''t neglect training even if I don''t get kicked out of the Warwick family.


    While continuing to move my muscles, I began to ponder. My brain started to think of a few things.


    I suddenly remembered what rista had told me about the reason why Jullian hade here. She said that Jullian got the Oracle from the God of Light, aka the God Apollo.


    Then, why did the God of Light give him the Oracle to propose to Wi? Was there something special about Wi? I can only shrug because I don''t know the right answer.


    In the Demon Lord and the Hero of Light novels, if I remember correctly, it was rare for the God of Light to give Jullian an Oracle.


    Granted, there are asions where the God of Light gives Oracles, however, almost all of the Oracles given will have a connection with the demon.


    Then, does Wi have a rtionship with the demon? ''There''s no way Wi has a rtionship with a demon.'' That is the only certain thing.


    Regardless of the reason for Jullian''s visit, there is one point that worries me the most.


    Butterfly Effect.


    A flutter of a butterfly''s wings could cause a hurricane elsewhere.


    If Jullian''s arrival here was the flutter of a butterfly''s wings, would things change in the future from now on too? If so, I should also be quicker in doing some of the things I need to do.


    I started thinking about the main female character in the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light. A figure who will always apany Jullian in the future.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to meet her and prevent Jullian from getting her.''


    I feel that my journey to be able to live in peace is still far away. I still have too many things to do.


    "Haa~ fuuhh~"


    Air goes in and out of my nose. I''ve finished a running session around this park. Sweat dripped from my pores and wet the clothes I was wearing.


    Wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, suddenly my eyes saw a system message that came without an invitation.


    [The reward that was dyed will now be given to you.]


    Rewards that were dyed? Do I have something like that?


    Didn''t I receive the reward that I should have received forpleting the quest against Jullian already?


    At first, I was confused, but I managed to remember itter after I thought for a while.


    "Hmm?"


    If I''m not mistaken, after the death from being shed by Jullian and I opened my eyes to this world for the second time, I did get a system message that I would get a reward.


    [Rewards forpleting the novels of the Demon Lord and Hero of Light will be awarded after thorough calctions. Please wait!]<novelnext></novelnext>


    As I recall, that''s the kind of system message that popped up when I just had a regression.


    [Congrattions! Since you have lived up to the Epilogue in your previous life called The Tutorial, you will now receive the appropriate reward.]


    My vision immediately blurred when I saw the system message. My eyes opened slightly in surprise, until a momentter, my face calmed down again with a lot of effort.


    The first thing I noticed was, not the notification that I had received the reward, but a word or term used by the World System that most caught my attention.


    ''Tutorials. ¡­. What an inappropriate term.'' I''m at a loss for words because of the terms used by the World System.


    ''If my previous 11 years of life were just a tutorial, is the current timeline the real game?''


    I firmly denied that the experience I had in my previous life was just a Tutorial.


    The despair, the crying tears, and the screams I let out while I was going through various kinds of suffering in my previous life were real.


    However, perhaps it was just ''your suffering'' when others saw it. But for me, the experience of suffering I had was the foundation I had to keep moving forward.


    But it''s useless if I dispute the terms that the World System has. It''s better to ignore that and focus on the rewards that the World System gives.


    [Congrattions! You have received the Memorize skill as the first reward!]


    [Skill Name: Memorize


    Description: You will recall the memories you have forgotten when the Memorize skill is active. However, there must be a trigger to activate this skill. The memories that appear will be adjusted ording to the trigger.]


    Hmm. The skill was quite useful.


    Before I finished analyzing the description of the Memorize skill, another system message visited again.


    [The system has calcted all your Misfortune Points. That sum is umted from all the misfortunes you''ve had.]


    My face began to show symptoms of extreme confusion. After all, what is the point of misfortune? Did the World System calcte the various misfortunes I had in my previous life?


    [ording to thew of karma, after calcting all your misfortune points, you are entitled to an additional reward.]


    [Congrattions! You have received the Stigma of Darkness!]


    [The transfer of the Stigma of Darkness is about to happen!]


    [Go to a calm and quiet ce. Make sure you don''t bite your tongue because the process will be very painful.]


    As per what the system message said, the pain came shockingly. The pain came from the back of my left hand.


    "Kuh!"


    I tightly gripped the back of my left hand which felt like it was starting to burn. My face began to turn wrinkled as the pain began to creep through my senses.


    As if a huge hurricane had pushed me from behind, my two feet dashed into the mansion as fast as lightning. Luckily, on the way to my bedroom, I didn''t find Wi.


    Then I locked the door to protect my privacy from someone who mighte and break in.


    It didn''t take long for the pain that emerged from my hand to spread throughout my body. The pain was like when someone stuck hot iron into someone''s skin.


    It was because I had experienced it when I was kidnapped by the ck Box Organization, that I was able to make an urate picture of the pain I was feeling.


    Sometimeter, the pain I feel bes like when my inner body burns little by little. Most people say death from burning is the most painful death.


    "Hnngggg!!"


    As the pain burned through my blood, intestines, nerves, and flesh, I groaned in despair. Sweat dripped profusely until it pooled like the ocean.


    Due to the excessive pain, I inadvertently started to push the table away, throw flower vases, kick chairs, and ruffle my mattress.


    Break! ng!


    The sound of various pieces of furniture falling against the floor and walls began to be heard. Various pieces of furniture were scattered everywhere.


    "Rrgghhh!"


    Until finally I put the cloth that I rolled into a ball shape into my mouth so I wouldn''t identally bite my tongue.


    My body jumps onto the bed. On the bed, I continued to struggle. My hands kept hitting my bed until I thought my bed was going to copse.


    I feel like I want to faint. However, the system message that came next surprised me.


    [You must not faint. If you lose consciousness, you may lose your life.]


    It was the system message that made me try not to lose consciousness.


    Finally, hope amid despair came and smiled at me.


    [The World System has detected that your body will not be able to ept the Stigma of Darkness.]


    [Starting the handling step. Subsequent rewards will be immediately awarded for troubleshooting.]


    [You received the Body Reconstruction.]

 Chapter 26 Body Reconstruction

    ?My body is still sprawled on the bed.


    My body felt like it was throbbing. One pulse after another pulse appeared and moved rhythmically.


    The burning feeling in my body suddenly began to feel a little faded.


    ''Is it over?''


    Even though I had thought that my suffering had started to fade as well, it turned out that my guess was wrong.


    I haven''t had time to take a breath yet, but new suffering came and reced the burning feeling that had previously tormented me.


    [You received Body Reconstruction.]


    [Starting the Body Reconstruction process so that your body can receive the Stigma of Darkness.]


    This time, the agony I had to feel was¡­ It felt like all the fibers in my body were being pulled and rearranged. And every bone in my body felt like it was being broken and put back together.


    In that process, my heart rate kept increasing until I thought it was faster than the speed of sound. The blood pumped from my heart spread to every corner of my body.


    I tried my best to keep my consciousness. My body moved, struggling to follow the direction of the pain I was feeling.


    I couldn''t help but bite the ball of cloth that was lodged in my mouth. If I let the ball of cloth in my mouth, I might scream until my vocal cords break. Meanwhile, if my voice came out it would break everyone''s eardrums.


    Tears continued to gush out of my eyes. Snot was alsoing out of my nose profusely. I flexed every muscle I could in my face as if to clearly describe how much I was trying to endure the pain.


    Maybe my face would look ugly now. However, I didn''t have time to pay attention to such unimportant things.


    I couldn''t possibly keep my appearance when this pain was so tormenting me.


    With the pain ''almost'' exceeding the pain tolerance that I can bear, time slides forward.


    ***


    [The Body Reconstruction process has beenpleted.]


    Finally, after that long agony, The wave of pain that I felt earlier hadpletely calmed down. Slowly, the pain that I felt began to disappear.


    With all my might, my eyes began to slowly open. Spitting out a ball of cloth from my mouth, I looked around.


    There is a stench smell from my bed which I am in now. Disgusting red-and-ck droppings were everywhere. The dirt was probablying out of my skin pores.


    But not only ckish red dirt, but there was also bright red blood scattered on the mattress. It''s my blood when I''m in pain, I guess.


    ''Apart from that¡­"


    My nose twitched a little from the stench smell. But I ignored it first.


    My gaze focused on the system message. World System said that the Body Reconstruction process wasplete.


    ''So, it is Body Reconstruction, hah!''


    The exmation mark nestled above my head.


    ''I didn''t expect that the World System could give me such a gift.''


    For humans in this world, Body Reconstruction was a process they used to refer to as self-evolution. Only lucky people can experience Body Reconstruction. And now, I have experienced it too.


    What is Body Reconstruction?


    Body Reconstruction is a process in which a person''s body undergoes a cleansing of impurities in their body. The bones and muscles of a person who undergoes this process will also be strengthened.


    [Your strength has increased from F to D permanently.]


    [Your speed has increased from F to D permanently.]


    [Your endurance has increased from F to D permanently.]


    [Agility and Reflex stats unlocked.]


    As the system message said. My stats jumped two levels in one go. There are even other stats exposed.


    [Every increase that urs in your muscles, the increase will bepressed automatically. So you don''t have to be afraid of having a body full of muscles like a monster.]


    Thetter effect took me by surprise.


    Although that''s a good thing.


    ''I guess that''s enough to pay for all the pain I''ve been through.''


    I tried to lift my body.


    A sigh of relief also almost escaped from my mouth.


    Until finally I realized that this is not over yet.


    [Restarts received the Stigma of Darkness.]


    "Shit!"


    Maybe the pain of Body Reconstruction is over, but the process of obtaining the Stigma of Darkness isn''t over yet.


    If the Body Reconstruction process caused pain where my body felt like it was being crushed finely with a hammer, then the process of receiving the Stigma of Darkness was a process where the pain would be the same as when my body was roasted alive in hellfire.


    For that reason, as soon as the system message appeared, I rushed to find the bundle of cloth that I had previously thrown away.


    Surprisingly, when I lifted my body, I felt as if my body became lighter. Was it just my illusion?


    After getting the bundle of cloth and stuffing it in my mouth, I sat on the bed in a ball-like position.


    In that pitiful position, where I was biting the ball of cloth firmly in my mouth, I prepared to ept the pain once again.


    "Urk!"


    Not long after that, the pain of being burned by hellfire came again¡­ that''s what I believe.


    However ¡­.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Congrattions! You have received the Stigma of Darkness.]


    For some reason, the pain I had been waiting for did note.


    Unknowingly, the process of receiving the Stigma of Darkness had just finished.


    In the end, I just looked around like an idiot.


    Maybe it was because I had experienced Body Reconstruction that the pain I had been waiting for didn''te.


    Regardless, I immediately corrected my position. I spit out the bundle of cloth that I bit off, wiping away the tears, snot, and sweat on my skin.


    After doing all of that, I realize there was something in my body that wasn''t there before.


    When I stared at the back of my left hand, there was something like a tattoo there.


    I''m sure there were no tattoos on my body before. But suddenly there is.


    The tattoo image is like a flower petal, but the color in the image is all ck.


    [Name: Stigma of Darkness.


    Description: Stigma granted to the Goddess of Darkness''s chosen one. You can store Mana in Stigma of Darkness ¡­ Iplete description.]


    "??"


    I am surprised.


    My mouth is slightly open, while my brain begins the process of a thorough analysis of the description of the Stigma of Darkness.


    I''m more focused on notifications about the Stigma of Darkness that can store Mana.


    What does it mean?


    Even the dumbest person would be able to understand what it meant. That is, within the Stigma of Darkness, I''ve resolved the source of the problem I''ve been having all this time.


    Think of it like a Mana Core. With the Stigma of Darkness function that can store Mana, you can say that I already have a Mana Core. If you still don''t understand, you are stupid.


    Just like me now, although my brain also understands, but my subconscious still can''t process the situation I''m in.


    Shaking my head, I began to calm myself.


    ''Goddess of Darkness.''


    My mind revolved around that name.


    I don''t know who the Goddess of Darkness is.


    In the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light and my previous life, I never even heard of it.


    In this world, there is only the God of Light, God Apollo.


    ''Not. The identity of the Goddess of Darkness is not important for now.''


    With this Stigma of Darkness, I might be able topete a bit with Jullian and the Demons in the future.


    This is a huge breakthrough for me.


    I lifted myself and stood up.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    The sudden loud sound was a knock on the bedroom door, but it felt like the sound of a door mming.


    ''I''m sure that door won''tst long.''


    "BROTHER!! IF YOU DON''T OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL BREAK IT IMMEDIATELY!!"


    A voice hit my ear hard. The voice came from behind the door.


    "Brother, I''m in!"


    Break!


    As you can see, she is Wi.


    Before I could even answer, she had already broken down the door and gone inside.


    Gasp!


    Her attention was focused on my bedroom, where everything appeared to be disintegrating. Her eyshes briefly blinked as she continued to scan the many pieces of furniture that were broken and dispersed around before ultimately ring at me.


    "Big brother, howe your bedroom is so messy?"


    Before I answered, she frowned.


    A gust of wind suddenly came in from outside. The wind passed through the window into my bedroom, then the wind carried a stinking stench smell into Wi''s nose.


    Sniff... Sniff...


    "Ew! What''s this smell?"


    Wi frowned while covering her nose with her finger. After scanning the room, her eyes were glued to what was on my bed sheet.


    The look in her eyes showed that she already knew where the smell wasing from. It was obvious that the bed sheet in my bedroom was where the smell hade from.


    "Big Brother! What is it?"


    She pointed at something on my bed sheet while her finger shook erratically.


    "Who-whose blood is that? Was it the blood of a woman who did it for the first time? Then, did you do it with rista yesterday or some other woman?"


    Her hands continued to shake until the shaking of her hands spread throughout the rest of her body. She appeared to be about to cry.

 Chapter 27 Demonic Mana

    ?"Have you calmed down?"


    I talked to Wi.


    Even though I''ve tried tofort Wi, she is still sobbing a little.


    After a while, she finally said something.


    "But, why hasn''t Brothere out of the bedroom even though a day has passed? I thought you were sleeping because you locked the door. So I didn''t dare break in until I finally thought that you had something wrong."


    She pressed the tips of her index fingers together.


    As she spoke, her eyes kept moving erratically.


    ''Apparently, I''ve been through that torture for a whole day, huh.''


    She nced at me and asked, "Then, what is it...."


    "I told you it wasn''t like that, didn''t I?"


    Even though I told her that the stench smell and dirt marks on my bed earlier weren''t because I did anything to an innocent girl, she still seemed hard to believe.


    "If you do it with rista or maybe one of the maids in this mansion, I''ll ki-"


    "Hmm?"


    Wi''s face seemed to turn ck as she muttered under her breath, but the moment she noticed my gaze, she changed her expression to a bright smile.


    Raising my eyebrows up, I was confused for a moment, but I turned my gaze forward again.


    Right now, we were walking side by side along the corridors of the mansion. I had cleaned myself up in the bathroom before chasing Wi and walking together like now. My bedroom is also under the care of the maids.


    So, we are currently walking towards the dining room together. After arriving, we opened the door and entered the dining room together.


    My eyes stare into the room. In themon dining room, Thalia, Daniel, and Baron Warwick were already seated in their respective chairs.


    Daniel seemed to have removed the bandages all over his body, probably he had drunk a healing potion out of nowhere.


    Unlike before, Daniel did not start the fight in vain.


    Maybe because there was Baron Warwick.


    That way, Wi and I managed to sit in our seats without any unnecessary fighting or exchange of words.


    Once all the family members were seated, then a line of maids entered the room with a trolley full of food on it.


    The maids put various foods on the dining table. There is beef stew, sd, sausage, and various soups.


    They were all foods I hadn''t tasted in a long time. For the past few days, only delicious but poisonous food has entered my mouth, for that, I quietly enter the kitchen and eat whatever food is in there.


    As soon as every food was avable on the table, without hesitation, I immediately took some of the food.


    Even though I seemed rude, strangely no protest came from them.


    Maybe it''s because I''ve followed the usual eating etiquette of noble families.


    Before I took the food, I had confirmed that Baron Warwick, the person who was the head of the family, had taken the food.


    And the way I take food is also not arbitrary. For myself who has lived on earth, eating etiquette is not a difficult thing.


    As soon as Baron Warwick ate his food, I ate mine as well then.


    Cruch... Cruch... Cruch...


    The sound of chewing is heard.


    Taking all the food that was in front of me, I began to put them one by one into my mouth. Since all these foods are non-toxic, I don''t need to be too wary.


    While eating all the dishes, Baron Warwick started a chat.


    "Wi, have you got everything ready? Tomorrow is the day you will go to the royal capital to enter Milestone Academy."


    "Eh? Milestone Academy?"


    "Supposedly, for a small noble like us, only one person can enter Milestone Academy, and that slot is already upied by Daniel. But, I coincidentally got the chance to put you in there."


    Even though I didn''t look at Baron Warwick and Wi when they exchanged words, I still listened intently to them.


    Milestone Academy.


    I know it is thergest and most influential academy in the Averus Continent.


    Milestone Academy is located in the northernmost area of ??the Misonia Kingdom. Almost adjacent to the Bradfault Kingdom.


    On the Averus Continent, there are four human kingdoms, they are the Misonia Kingdom, Bradfault Kingdom, Lya Kingdom, and Anster Kingdom.


    Among the four kingdoms, the Misonia Kingdom was thergest.


    Then there is the Bradfault Kingdom which is to the north of the Misonia Kingdom.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Going further north was the Lya Kingdom which was at the northern end of the Averus Continent.


    Meanwhile, the kingdom of Anster itself is located in the northwest.


    For the four great human kingdoms, Milestone Academy has always been the top choice for the children of nobles to undertake education.


    The same goes for small noble families like the Warwick noble family.


    But, small nobles could only enter one of their descendants at a time to go to Milestone Academy. And it was already upied by Daniel who was said to have gone to Milestone Academyst year.


    The reason he was at home right now was that he was taking his time off. By the spring starting next month, he should have returned to the Academy.


    That''s what I heard from their conversation when I focused on eating some more food.


    "Mesties, after this, go to my office room. I have something to tell you."


    I responded to Baron Warwick''s orders with a small nod.


    ***


    As soon as the meal together was over, I went to Baron Warwick''s office room. When I went inside, I saw that Baron Warwick was already sitting on a chair behind his desk.


    He has a different expression than when we ate together earlier. His expression looked much more serious. The impression of an ordinary old aristocrat I felt about him was gone.


    ''Really, does he have multiple personalities?''


    Stepping forward, I was right in front of his office desk.


    "So, what''s the matter?"


    I started the conversation first. I don''t want to waste time.


    Baron Warwick suddenly pulled out a pouch from the drawer. The contents of the bag made a ttering sound when they hit the table.


    Obviously, it''s money.


    He handed me the bag full of money. His eyes looked right into mine as if to say, "Take this money!"


    "You must leave this house!"


    After hearing that, a small smile appeared on my face.


    ''Home, yes.''


    Interesting term.


    I never, not even once, thought that this was my home. However, refusing money that is just given is not good.


    I took the money he gave me and put it in my pocket.


    It''s okay. I was indeed nning to go out and leave this family from the start. After all, I already got an ID Card. Even if I leave this house, my identity as a noble will still not change.


    I knew that the reason why he didn''t take my ID Card was that the ID Card wasn''t something that could be taken from someone easily.


    Unless the owner of the ID Card dies, the ID Card cannot be taken over by someone else because there is special magic in the ID Card.


    But, why didn''t he just kill me inside the mansion? There are 1001 ways to kill me here and now, but why doesn''t he do it? There''s only one possibility I can think of. He might be afraid that bad rumors will arise if I die in this mansion.


    "What if I refuse?"


    Bang!


    His hand could still make a loud sound when it hit the table. Even though his hands looked wrinkled and had no muscles at all, how did that sounde about? I was worried that his hand was broken.


    The wrinkles that were already on his face grew even more as he frowned. Extreme anger rose and red, it was evident in his eyes.


    I felt something strange gushing out from Baron Warwick''s body. To confirm my suspicions, I activated the Hear of Everything skill.


    [You activated the Hear of Everything Skill.]


    My enhanced hearing can also detect active Mana in the air. And this time it''s still the same.


    Normally, the sound produced by Mana in the air would seem like the sound of light blowing air. However, this time I heard a different voice.


    Sounds of mes, chaos, screams and sounds that almost resembled destruction entered my ears. All the sounds mixed into one made anyone who heard it would have blood dripping from their ears.


    The voice came from the Mana surrounding Baron Warwick''s body.


    Reflexively, I covered my ears with my palms. I was confused about the reason why Mana''s voice could be so terrible and why it came from Baron Warwick''s body?


    Until I finally realized something. The mana emanating from Baron Warwick''s body was not the same as the mana expended by humans. The mana that represented the chaos¡­ Obviously, it was the mana that demons normally emit.


    [The Stigma of Darkness detects the Demonic Mana.]


    [For further identification, you are required to touch the target!]

 Chapter 28 Ghost Faces True Identity

    ?"Didn''t I already give you money? Why don''t you want to go? Do I have to force you?"


    Baron Warwick''s anger grew even more. Because he was too angry, hot steam seemed toe out from above his head.


    ''How do I touch him when he''s so mad at me?''


    ording to the World System notice, I have to touch him directly if I want a more specific identification.


    Even though it looks easy, it is a difficult thing.


    However, I have to do it even if it''s a difficult thing.


    "W-What are you doing?"


    A cry of anger mixed with confusion escaped Baron Warwick''s mouth. But I ignored it.


    I put my hand on my head as if I suddenly felt dizzy. I walked up to him in a staggered manner. As soon as I felt our distance was close enough, I plopped down on his office desk.


    He seemed to be looking at me strangely. He was about to back away, but I managed to grab his hand in an instant.


    Please don''t imagine a romantic scene when you see me holding his hand.


    Although it was a little disgusting when I felt his wrinkled hands, I ignored the feeling and focused on staring at the system message that appeared in front of me.


    "..."


    Finally, Baron Warwick''s scream ended my focus on the system message.


    "GET AWAY FROM ME!"


    "Tch!"


    I ended up being kicked out of his room for acting weird.


    With the slight awkwardness I felt, I wiped my ass and stood up.


    "Well. All right. I''ll go."


    "You''d better never mention that you''re a member of the Warwick noble family again."


    He left such words after kicking me out of his room.


    Before I actually left, my head twisted back. I saw Baron Warwick. Surprisingly, he looked pensive as he walked to his chair.


    As soon as he sat down in his chair, he made an expression like most old men, as if he had regained hisposure.


    The expression of anger, which had previously overflowed as if spilling over into his mind, had nowpletely disappeared without being seen.


    With that, the evidence was clear.


    ***


    Without doing much preparation, I immediately left the mansion. Spurring my footsteps, I ran quite fast.


    When I run like this, I can cover several kilometers in a few hours. Moreover, what I felt yesterday was not just my feelings. It turned out that my body actually became very light. That''s because my body has undergone Body Reconstruction.


    Without the horse carriage, I wouldn''t have a problem if it was just running around the city.


    Passing through the noble housingplex, I continued to run along the main road. While running, I started thinking about my meeting with Baron Warwick.


    When I think about it, wasn''t it in the end, I had to leave this family in the same way as in my previous life, being kicked out by Baron Warwick.


    However, in contrast to my previous life, which was kicked out without any capital, right now, I am holding a lot of cards in my hand.


    While ncing in the direction of the Warwick noble family''s mansion, I started to think about a few things. More specifically, it was about the demonic Mana that I detected from Baron Warwick''s body.


    "I had no idea that Baron Warwick had been under the influence of Mind Control Magic all this time."


    My hand grabbed my chin and my head started to think about the system message that popped up after I held Baron Warwick''s hand.


    [Mind control type magic detected!]


    That was what was said in the system message, which appeared when I held Baron Warwick''s hand.


    Although the World System does not say exactly what magic spell is controlling Baron Warwick, the mere information that Baron Warwick is under the influence of Magic is enough to exin things.


    Moreover, looking at the demonic Mana that appeared on Baron Warwick''s body, it was certain that the magic controlling Baron Warwick had a connection with the demon.


    Or, was the person who cast magic and cast it on Baron Warwick a demon? Nope!! There''s no way that would happen!


    I shook my head to stop thinking about the origin or mastermind that put magic control on Baron Warwick.


    ''I think there are still many mysteries in this family.''


    With magic controlling Baron Warwick''s mind, everything he did now made more sense.


    However, seeing Baron Warwick''s unstable emotions, it indicates that Baron Warwick has not been fully affected.


    In severe cases, someone who was hit by that magic spell would be unable to do anything without an order from the caster or spellcaster.<novelnext></novelnext>


    So, seeing that Baron Warwick can still carry out normal activities without looking like a robot, I don''t think he''spletely under the control of mind-controlling magic yet.


    "!!"


    I suddenly remembered that Thalia also had a strange behavior when I met her before, and then, is she also under the influence of mind control type magic?


    Let''s think about thatter.


    Someday, after I''ve done all my business in a few ces, I''lle back and reveal everything.


    I still remember some clues from my previous life that I could exploit. However, that can still wait forter.


    "Hmm?"


    Although I was still on my way, I suddenly stopped my footsteps.


    My eyes wandered around until they finally stopped on the roof of a house.


    My feet immediately kicked the ground until the dust billowed, swirled, and disappeared again.


    My face hit the wind even harder as the speed of my jumping body reached its peak. Until finally, my body reached the top of the house.


    After jumping from the bottom to the roof of a house, I stared at an empty space in front of me.


    At first, it was nothing, however, not long after, a figure wearing a ck robe suddenly appeared, as if she hade from the void.


    Her appearance is still the same. She wore a cloak that covered her head to hide her face.


    Yes, she is Ghost Face.


    I stopped halfway because I had the experience of identally using the Hear of Everything Skill.


    I felt that she had been waiting for me here for some reason.


    "Ahahaha. I knew you would find me."


    p! p! p!


    She pped as if she was happy for some reason.


    Not a hint of contempt or hostility came out of her mouth.


    She just looked like a kid who liked to y around.


    "Is there something you want to tell me?"


    "Hehe~ nothing special. I just wanted to tell you a few things. Did you know that your step-sister is going to Milestone Academy?"


    "Well, I know that. And then?"


    "Shouldn''t you be thanking me? Because your step-sister was able to get in there thanks to the rmendation letter that I gave!"


    She said that while walking in a straight line as if she was keeping her bnce on this roof. After that, she just sat down. While sitting down, she puffed out her half-baked chest.


    "What is your identity to make such a rmendation letter?"


    "Fwehehe~ Wait and see!"


    After saying that in a cheerful tone, she lowered the hood that covered her head. As the hood covering her head fell and plunged downwards, her ck hair was exposed. Her hair was just shoulder-length, but it suited her face perfectly.


    And it turns out that she is indeed a woman. Judging from everything I saw from her appearance, I guessed she was the same age as rista, maybe around twenty.


    Something that stood out about her, might be her pretty facial features.


    Her face is so pretty... No, it''s more cute than pretty. However, it wasn''t her beauty that surprised me. It''s something that appeared above her head. It was something that an ordinary human would not possess.


    What was above her head was an ear that a cat would normally have, however, unlike the ears of a small cat, hers was bigger. There are fine hairs on her ears that beautify her appearance.


    Unmistakably, her appearance symbolized that she was a beastmen. Perhaps, if I took off her cloak, I would be able to see her tail swinging in the air.


    Beastmen was one of the most populous races on the Averus Continent. But they live in their own territory. Even so, there will be some beastmen going outside.


    Generally, there wouldn''t be many beastman races in the Misonia Kingdom. Especially in this small and remote ce like Ryam City. Maybe she is the only beastman in this town


    "Ahaha, seeing your face, you must be surprised by my identity, right."


    Her eyes traced my gaze so she noticed that I kept staring into her ear. While she spoke, her head tilted to the side and her finger touched her chin.


    "Can you exin the reason why you told me about your identity?"


    "Well, this also rtes to the reason why I came to this city. Actually, I am an emissary sent by the Varmint Association."


    "??!?!"


    A question mark and an exmation point appeared simultaneously above my head.

 Chapter 29 Callie Claws

    ?Beastmen, they are a race that has almost the same body as humans. The most noticeable difference is their physical characteristics, which usually still have some of the characteristics of an animal, for example, such as ears, or tail.


    The Beastmen lived in the western region of the Averus Continent, bordering the Misonia Kingdom.


    To be more precise, it was in the west of the Misonia Kingdom. The area there generally consists of steep mountains. That''s where all the Beastman tribes were gathered and formed the Varmint Association.


    The Varmint Association is an association that contains Beastmen from various tribes. All the Beastman tribes gathered to create the Varmint Association.


    Long time ago, before the Beastmen gathered and created the Varmint Association, they lived a nomadic life, moving from ce to ce.


    The Varmint Association was formed several decades ago. Where at that time, on the Averus Continent, there were still many wars going on.


    The Varmint Association was formed during an era of war between races, where they were forced to unite in order to fight for the interests of their race.


    The era of war between races was a war fought between the Human, Elf, Dwarf, and Beastman races. Where these four races currently dominate the Averus Continent.


    After the war between the races ended, although there were still grudges in the depths, on the surface, somehow, the four races showed their trust by sending various envoys to each side''s territory.


    Of course, they had some limitations, but it was enough to keep the world from being in the chaos of war anymore.


    And a peace is created.


    And so, one of those emissaries was Ghost Face, who became the emissary of the Varmint Association for the Misonia Kingdom.


    If she was indeed an emissary from the Varmint Association, then her rank and authority were quite high. So, that did exin the reason why she was able to rmend Wi to enter Milestone Academy.


    "If you are an envoy, why would you obey Baron Warwick''s orders to harm me?"


    Ghost Face was surprised by my question, her ears also twitched a little funny. With a frown on her face, she stood back up full of vexation.


    "Hey, who wants to obey the old man''s orders! I certainly didn''t harm you. It''s just that, for some reason, your father actually considers me as one of his subordinates that he can order."


    ''Well, that''s probably the effect of the mind control magic that possessed Baron Warwick.''


    "Actually I could assume he was provoking an envoy, however, I don''t want to y it rudely like that. So, aspensation for I disobeyed his orders, I made his daughter enter Milestone Academy. Wasn''t it me who lost here while that old man took advantage of me?!"


    She kept on grumbling. Her feet kicked the tiles on the roof of this building. I''m afraid that if the owner of this house finds out, they will curse her.


    Regardless, she suddenly rubbed her nose and said something, "Actually, I''m curious about the stenching from your family''s mansion. Especially the stench from your father. So when I investigated it somehow ended up like that."


    My eyes immediately widened when I heard what she said. I was amazed that she could smell something like that. Possibly, what she smelled was the demonic mana that came out of Baron Warwick''s body.


    "By the way, what''s your real name?"


    After hearing my question, her eyes wandered from left to right, then from bottom to top. Until she finally stopped and started chanting a spell. And in the blink of an eye, there was already a soundproof barrier magic all around us.


    Stepping forward, right in front of me, she held out her hand for a handshake. I did what he wanted. Our hands are entwined together.


    Standing on the roof, with the sunset in the background, this is the perfect moment for a romantic scene that doesn''t really suit an extra character like me.


    Fortunately, this is not a romantic scene. She was just ying with me. After our hands intertwined, she winked one eye left, then shook our shaking hands up and down.


    "My name is Callie ws. Nice to meet you."


    "???"


    ''Callie ws?''


    My eyes narrowed as I remembered the name. My mind began to wander to find the identity of the owner of the name Callie ws.


    At first the memory I had of the name Callie ws seemed very blurry.


    I felt as if there was a cloud of fog covering my memory.


    However, something suddenly came, breaking the fog and making everything very clear.


    [The conditions for using the Memorize skill have been met. Do you want to activate the skill?]


    I nodded in response to the system message.


    [Memorize skill has activated.]<novelnext></novelnext>


    As a result of activating the Memorize skill, my memory became extremely bright. Especially my memory of Callie ws.


    Suddenly, all the memories I had of Callie ws filled my mind. Even the little things that I have forgotten I can remember.


    Where did I hear that name from, what I was doing when I heard that name, when, where, and how¡­ all of that became very clear.


    It''s a very strange experience. I felt as if someone was whispering all that in my ear, reminding myself of all the memories I had forgotten. Of course, that''s just about the name Callie ws.


    I''m having a bit of a hard time sorting out my memories of Callie ws. But I managed to put the important things together and just get to the point.


    Of course, it was clear that Callie ws name was the name of one of the characters in the Demon Lord and the Hero of Light novels.


    ''If I''m not mistaken, I read the Callie ws scene while I was sheltering on the side of the road.''


    But that''s not the point.


    The point is¡­


    Wasn''t she someone who would be an important figure in the future. Aspiring leader of the Varmint Association? Why is she here now? I didn''t even know she had been to this remote town.


    Callie ws is the name of a neutral character in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light. She is indeed rare, or even only appears once in a novel.


    However, she has a very crucial role for the future.


    She will help the hero and his party a lot from behind the scenes. But somehow, she wouldn''t be one of Jullian''s women. In other words, Callie ws doesn''t belong in the hero harem.


    Plus, she''s from a ck cat tribe with the surname ws. In the memory that emerged from the Memorize skill, the ck cat tribe was a beastman tribe that had specialists to be assassins. And the ws are the most famous ck cat family.


    So, that was enough to give me an exnation of where she got the great ability she has now, and the stealth skill she has as well.


    Suddenly, a light bulb shot out above my head and emitted a light. It was a sign of an idea emerging from my brain. With that, I had the idea of ??taking advantage of my encounter with Callie ws.


    I asked her a question. "What will you do next?"


    She let go of the hand that was holding mine. She looked up as if contemting something.


    "Hmmm. Of course I will report to my boss. I don''t know if I will have another mission or what. Why are you asking?"


    "In that case, I hope you can be Wi''s bodyguard while she goes to Milestone Academy."


    "Hey, are you kidding me right now? Your step-sister will be at Milestone Academy for three years. Sorry, I declined."


    She sulked non-stop. Her cheeks puffed up as she sucked air into them. She looked annoyed with her hands resting on her waist.


    The reason why I asked Callie ws to be Wi''s bodyguard was actually because I was leaving and wouldn''t be able to protect Wi, so I wanted to have her be Wi''s bodyguard.


    "If you smelled the stench of Baron Warwick, you would know that person is under the influence of magic. Therefore, I don''t want Wi to smell like that."


    "Then why should I agree to your request?"


    "That''s because I will take care of your secret mission!"


    When I said that, obviously, she was very surprised. Her eyeballs, which originally still resembled the eyes of a human being, which were perfectly round, suddenly turned vertical like the eyes of a wild animal ready to hunt.


    Her attitude that initially seemed to be ying like a child immediately turned 360 degrees into very hostile.


    Her nails suddenly lengthened. Its sharp and long ws looked very dangerous.


    And then, she took a step forward, her ws darting towards my throat.


    Without moving, I remained still.


    As I expected, she immediately stopped her w attack that was aimed at my neck.


    So, the ws stopped just a few millimeters from my neck. If she''s even a littlete, she''ll leave a deep cut on my neck, or even slit my throat. Of course, that''s if I don''t fight back.


    Illuminated by the sun setting behind us, our eyes met each other. My eyes remained calm, while her eyes remained ferocious.

 Chapter 30 The Giant Bear

    ?"Do you know anything about the secret mission I have? While you can still speak, if you know something, you better say it quickly!"


    At Callie''s request, or rather a threat, I began to tell her what I knew about the secret mission she had.


    Her mission is to free the beastmen who are still ves in the Misonia Kingdom.


    In fact, the Kingdom of Misonia has madews that prohibit very and the sale and purchase of ves, whether for humans or other races. Thew has also been passed by the royal court. If anyone vites, they will be beheaded in public.


    Once again, in public.


    But the truth is, there were still many humans who captured beastmen and made them ves. Therefore, she got a mission to free all beastmen who were made into ves.


    Nevertheless, she couldn''t carry out the mission openly.


    Even though there werews that regted the prohibition of ves, there were still many nobles who were corrupt and supported very.


    If she went on that mission openly, she would be ndered by the corrupt nobles as a spy who harmed the Misonia Kingdom.


    After I told her about her secret mission, her eyes looked confused.


    "Eh. How did you know about that?"


    "Judging from the response you showed, does that mean... What I said is the truth?"


    I smiled, trying to pretend I didn''t know before and was just guessing at random.


    "Eh?? ... Ah shit. How could you guess urately like that?"


    Finally, she put away her sharp ws that were only a few millimeters apart from my neck. I rubbed my neck still feeling the cold of Callie''s sharp ws.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t notice my weirdness, but maybe because she didn''t know how I found out, she pretended to go with the flow.


    "How? Are you going to ept my offer? It''s possible, I can uncover these individuals using my identity as a noble''s son. Other than that, I guess you don''t have any additional clues about the mastermind who made the beastmen be ves."


    Her face suddenly drew closer to mine. I saw that her eyes had returned to normal.


    Sniff~ Sniff~


    Her nostrils twitched. She was clearly inhaling my bad breath. Does my breath stink? I couldn''t help but think like that when I saw her reaction which immediately turned her face away.


    "Hehe, you don''t stink. So, I''ll trust you for a while. So, I''ll give you a chance to prove your worthiness."


    She rubbed the tip of her nose proudly. I don''t understand how her sense of smell works, however, I can guess that that''s how she detects someone''s malicious intent or something, I guess.


    "Alright. Come with me. After you finish the test I gave you, I''ll agree to escort your step-sister and leave the mission I have to you."


    Suddenly, she smiled brightly like a child looking at an adorable toy. However, the person she thought of as the toy, aka me, was feeling a scorching chill down the back of my body.


    Her expression said that she would be happy while torturing me.


    She quickly grabbed my cor and took me away. She carried me around like she was carrying a bag of trash. I gave up when she took me somewhere.


    We passed various buildings at lightning speed. When faced with the city walls, Callie climbed up the walls surrounding Ryam City with great ease.


    As she climbs up the vertical wall, I feel as if she''s walking leisurely because she''s moving too fast.


    Along the way, I became her carry-on.


    After Leaving Ryam City, she continued to stay away from the city. The direction that she was heading, unmistakably, was the Great Forest that was south of Ryam City.


    Some time passed, and we finally came somewhere.


    Callie finally stopped after reaching where she was probably headed.


    After arriving at the destination, she threw me on the ground just like someone who is throwing trash anywhere.


    I almost rolled on the grass. But I immediately stood up. Even so, I can barely bnce my body position.


    The dizziness from experiencing the extreme speed still lingers in my brain.


    Because she was moving so fast, I felt like I was riding a roller coaster. Indeed, the movement speed is that fast, so, it''s only natural for us to reach the Great Forest within an hour or two.


    ''Why are all the women who be important characters so strong? Only an extra character like me is weak.''


    I was amazed by Callie''s speed.


    My hands held my head, as my eyes began to look around.


    Huge trees soared high into the sky, forming arge, lush forest. Moist air wet the pores of my body. Now and then the wind blows the leaves.


    The weird thing is, around me, there was no sound of living beings at all. The forest is silent as if a terrifying creature is about to appear.


    "Where is this?"


    "Don''t you recognize this ce? Aren''t you from the area around here? You should know because this ce is quite a famous ce."


    Forest¡­ famous¡­ Warwick''s Territory¡­ I startedbining the clues given by Callie. It''s not hard to get the results.


    "Great Forest."


    "Smart."


    It was the only name that matched the few clues she gave.


    Indeed, this was the famous Great Forest with the mysteries within. Neither in the novels Demon Lord and the Hero of Light, nor even when I lived in my previous life, no one was able to unravel the mysteries within the Great Forest.


    "What are you trying to do by bringing me here?"


    "Hehe, are you curious? Wait a moment here. You''ll find out for yourselfter."


    Even the dizziness in my head hadn''t quite subsided, and yet, it seemed like she wanted to leave me just like that.


    Does she intend to leave me here alone? Doesn''t she know that the Great Forest is famous for the ferocity of the monsters within?


    Indeed, throughout history, not a single monster had evere out of the Great Forest.<novelnext></novelnext>


    However, the monsters were famous for preying on anyone who dared to enter their territory.


    Callie looked like she wanted to kick the ground and leave, but she stopped when she saw my face.


    She tilted her head¡­


    And then sheughed...


    "Wahahaha~ why are you making an expression like a cat abandoned by its master?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Hahaha, don''t pretend like that."


    She held her stomach whileughing.


    Am I making that kind of expression? I do not think so. After all, it''s not appropriate for a cat to call me a cat.


    I can only think about her yful behavior.


    Afterughing satisfied, she immediately ran away just like that.


    She went into the forest.


    I waited in the forest alone.


    "..."


    Until ¡­


    Rawrrr!


    Not long after Callie had gone to the deep forest, a sharp roar resounded from the deep forest. The roar came from the same direction as where Callie had gone.


    My eyes saw Callie returning from the forest. She was jumping from one tree branch to another. I remembered the cat jumping on the side of the road when I saw her.


    "Hehehe, Mesties. if you want me to agree to what you''re proposing, you have to defeat the monster behind me first."


    As she approached, she shouted at me.


    In an instant moment, She ran past me and just disappeared. I guess she used a stealth skill or something like that.


    "Hey, what do you mean by defeating a monster?"


    I was confused about what she meant. Even though Callie was gone and didn''t answer, the confusion I felt was immediately answered by what happened next.


    Rustle~


    From within the forest, where Callie had previously left, the trees fell and the grass fell apart. Finally, a giant bear was seen.


    The bear''s bright red eyes indicated that the bear was a monster. Yes. The monster''s name was Giant Bear. It was nearly five meters tall with jet-ck fur.


    "Don''t worry. He''s the weakest monster here."


    Callie said it out of thin air.


    I know that it is the weakest monster in the Great Forest. However, if using the standard of measurement of the average human, then the monster was at rank C, where just one could level a small vige.


    "Open status window."


    For that, I tried to see my status window.


    [Status Window:


    - Name: Mesties Warwick


    - Stats:


    (Strength: D) (Speed: D) (Endurance: D) (Agility: F) (Reflex: F) (Mana Core: -) (Active Mana:-)


    - Skills:


    Strengthening, Hear of Everything, Poison Resistance, Swordsmanship, Memorize, Inventory.


    - Stigma:


    The stigma of Darkness.]


    [After the World System finishes calcting your misfortune points and rewards you ordingly, the World System can now disy the Title feature in the Status Window.]


    [Would you like to see your Title?]


    "Yes. I''d really like to see it. But not for now."


    Without waiting for me to finish analyzing my status, the Giant Bear dashed towards me. His eyes are currently focused on me.


    Roar~


    The bear directed its roar at me.


    "Tsk!"


    I remained calm despite the sudden turn of events. I''m also used to being on guard, so, having no other choice, I made up my mind to defeat the monster.


    The problem is, I don''t have a weapon.


    I looked around. Apparently, many tree branches fell to the ground.


    For the sake of getting a weapon, I jumped to grab a long, big, hard tree branch. Incidentally, the ends of the tree branches are also quite sharp.


    Then I took a position like holding a spear, where my right hand held the base of the tree branch and my left hand supported the middle of the tree branch.


    Strengthening my stance, my feet pressed firmly into the ground. Like a rocket preparing tounch, the tree branch in my hand pointed straight at the Giant Bear.

 Chapter 31 Death Of The Giant Bear

    ?[Active Mana: 495.]


    Tsss~


    I circte Mana in my body.


    At the same time, the Active Mana, which was previously empty, now shows the amount of Mana value in my body.


    [Skill Strengthening - Activated.]


    I kicked the ground with all my might.


    Stomp!


    In a few steps, I came forward. After the third step, I threw the tree branch in my hand.


    Swoosh!


    The tree branch in my hand shot at high speed toward the Giant Bear''s stomach.


    We were about 40 meters apart, the Giant Bear and me. About half a football field separated us. That''s pretty close to a five-meter-tall Giant Bear.


    For that reason, I can feel the Giant Bear''s footsteps.


    A tremor echoed beneath my feet as the Giant Bear continued to approach.


    However, as the tree branch in my hand approached, the Giant Bear''s footsteps stopped.


    Groaammm!


    Just as the tree branch was about to hit its stomach, it had already swung its gigantic arm with its monstrous ws.


    Crackle!


    The branch of the tree just fell apart.


    It''s a shame, but I knew it would happen. Such an attack won''t work on a Giant Bear from the Great Forest.


    When I finished throwing the tree branch, I immediately ran forward.


    Stepping my foot into the big tree, I walked up like a ninja. The tree I climbed was right next to the Giant Bear.


    When I looked down, I could see a Giant Bear. In other words, I''m ready to attack.


    After the Giant Bear crushed the tree branch, I slid down to the bottom, where the Giant Bear was.


    In both my hands there are tree branches that I pulled straight from the tree, making the tip of the branch very sharp.


    ''''Will it work?''


    I poured Mana into the two tree branches that I was holding.


    When I did that, surprisingly, the two tree branches in my hands became as hard as iron.


    What was originally a twig, has now be a weapon simr to a nail.


    [Congrattions! You have obtained Skill Amplification.]


    The system message confirmed my sess.


    ''Hoo.''


    At this rate, it''ll be easier.


    This was a skill that required external Mana processing. So, I can only use it because I have the Stigma of Darkness.


    Mana flow from the Stigma of Darkness came out and strengthened the tree branch in my hand.


    I focused on staring at the confused Giant Bear.


    Even though he was confused for a while, he immediately turned his gaze straight at me. His head was spinning as he looked at me, where I was above him.


    However, he was toote to notice my attack.


    "You''re toote, big monkey!"


    Tashuk!


    I strike right into his eyes.


    Swaaa!


    His eyes, which were already red, were spitting out red blood as well, turning his entire body red.


    The two spikes in my hands pierced his eyeballs.


    Awoooo~


    A loud scream resounded. Makes the birds fly away and the insects faint.


    At least, that''s what I thought.


    Before his hand caught me, which was still on his face, I directed him to fall onto arge rock by pulling the two spikes in his eye.


    I control it like a pilot controls a ne.


    Finally, he managed tond a heavy blow to his own face. He did intend to hit me, but I managed to dodge because I let go of my grip on the spikes.


    Thud!


    What happened next was, the Giant Bear fell against arge rock as I predicted.


    Unfortunately, the fight isn''t over yet. The Giant Bear is still alive.


    He tried to lift his huge body which was now covered in blood.


    Even so, both of his eyes were blind and his body was badly injured. So, I can immediatelyunch an attack.


    One by one Iunched the attacks. Either using bare hands or using everything around me.


    Finally, blood spurted in all directions from his body. He fell to the ground unable to move. It was a sign that the Giant Bear had lost his life.


    That''s how the fight between me and the Giant Bear ended.


    My sess in defeating Giant Bear was a great achievement.


    Considering that Giant Bear, a C-rank monster, can only be defeated by B-rank, or C-rank Adventurers inrge numbers, what I did was more than enough to receive praise from everyone.


    However, I''m not a fool who would be proud of that. I''m still too weak whenpared to the important characters in this world.


    After the battle ended, I had to find out where Callie was.


    It wasn''t too difficult to find her.


    Instantly, I could hear her.


    I stared at a ce far up in the trees.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Isn''t this enough?"


    I told Callie, who was just watching.


    p! p! p!


    A sound of apuse was heard. Emerging out of thin air, she descended downwards.


    "Hehe, you''re really good. Then, as per our agreement, I will agree to your wish."


    "That''s good."


    Now, the things I have to do have improved. Although, from the start, I did n to save the beastmen, so I didn''t think much of it.


    Then, she took something out of her pocket. What she took out was a crystal ball. The crystal ball was about the size of a fist.


    Suddenly, she threw the crystal ball at me, which I took for granted.


    [Name: Communication Crystal Ball


    Description:


    ? Magical Items formunicating. Can only send messages to connected Communication Crystal Balls.]


    The function of this magic item is simr to that of a telephone. However, this magic item uses Mana''s energy.


    "When you have thetest progress or information on your investigation, you can contact me via that. You can also contact me if you need help. I''ve tagged the item using my Mana. I''m sure you know how to use it, right?"


    I just nodded.


    "Okay, let''s go back."


    After that, Callie carried me into Ryam City.


    A few moments passed and we were already inside the city. Once there, she just left me on the roof of a building.


    "Where will you go?"


    "Hehe, of course, I''m going to meet the person I''m going to take care of."


    As I stared at Callie''s back as she left, I could see the tail hanging behind her.


    ***


    After leaving the Mesties just like that, she headed off toward the center of town. After passing through various ces, Callie finally arrived at the mansion where the Warwick family lived.


    After arriving, she passed all the guards with ease.


    She walked on the rooftop of the mansion as if she was walking on a yground.


    After looking around, she came down from the roof and opened the window of one of the rooms like a thief.


    As soon as she broke the window, she went inside.


    The ce she entered was Wi''s bedroom, where the magicmp was still on.


    Just as Callie came in, across from where the bedroom door was, Wi came into the room.


    "W-who are you?"


    A frightened voice came from Wi''s mouth.


    Her body trembled slightly when she saw Callie.


    Understandably, Callie is currently wearing a cloak all over her body.


    For a young girl like Wi, she obviously thought the figure in front of her was scary.


    And as for Callie, because she had such a childish nature, it was clear that she would tease Wi.


    For that reason, she started to scare Wi until Wi''s knees fell to the floor. Wi''s eyes filled with tears as if a flood was about toe.


    After feeling satisfied, she just stopped teasing Wi


    "Hahaha. I was just kidding. Actually, I was sent by the Mesties here."


    "Huh? My brother?"


    "Hehe, yeah."


    "Where is he?"


    After hearing Mesties'' name being spoken by Callie, Wi immediately came to her senses.


    Understandably, she had been looking for Mesties, but couldn''t find him. The n was that, since she was going to Milestone Academy tomorrow, she wanted to discuss a lot of chatter with her brother for a while.


    However, she instead heard from the maids in the mansion that Mesties had run away from home. Everyone says that the humiliating defeat to Jullian was the reason why the Mesties ran away.


    ''If Brother Mesties ran away because he lost to Jullian, ording to what the maids said, then it must be all my fault.''


    Wi''s mind flew to the thought of the reason for Mesties'' departure.


    "Oh, Mesties said, he left a letter in your drawer."


    Callie remembered what Mesties had said before parting ways.


    Hearing that there was a letter left by her brother, Wi rushed to open the drawer and snatched the letter inside quickly. She opened it and began to read the words in the letter.


    The letter contained the reason that Mesties'' departure was his own wish. And furthermore, the letter contained that Mesties would assign a bodyguard to herself secretly.


    "So you are the bodyguard that my brother secretly ordered?"


    "Oh, is it written in the letter? Ahahaha, he is indeed great if he can predict it. Yes, I will be your bodyguard for some time toe."


    Callie was amazed.


    Returning to the letter in her hand, Wi read thest line of the letter.


    <I will meet you outside the gates of Ryam City tomorrow when you will leave.>


    After reading those words, Wi''s worries began to be resolved.


    "Hehe, nice to meet you, Young Miss Wi. My name is Callie ws."


    Callie lowered the hood that covered her face to show that she was harmless.


    Even though Wi was briefly shocked by Callie''s identity as a beastman race, she calmed down quickly.


    "Nice to meet you too, Miss Callie ws."


    They both shake hands.


    The handshake between them marked the beginning of their rtionship.


    But Wi didn''t realize that she would often be teased and bullied by Callie.

 Chapter 32 Cultivation Technique

    ?"Time to find an inn to sleep in tonight."


    I saw that it was night, and the two moons in the sky had taken over thend.


    Therefore, I went to find an inn.


    I''ll have to go find an inn if I don''t want to sleep on the side of the road tonight.


    It is quite difficult to find lodging in a remote city like the city of Ryam. But I finally managed to find one inn before I actually fell asleep on the side of the road automatically.


    Warm Inn.


    That''s the name of the inn. The name was written on a wooden board hanging in front of the inn''s entrance.


    I almost mistakenly thought this ce was an ordinary house. Luckily there was a signboard with the inn''s name at the front door.


    The entire building was made of wood, which only had one floor. This ce is specifically for staying, without the usual bar in an inn.


    Entering the humble inn, I met the innkeeper.


    "Customer?"


    "Yes."


    Does he think I''m a thief? When he saw me, he suddenly picked up the small ax hanging on the wall. He took a stance as if he was ready to attack me.


    So, as soon as he confirmed that I wasn''t a thief, he immediately lowered the small ax in his hand.


    "How long do you want to stay?"


    "One night."


    "It costs 20 copper coins."


    The price is quite cheap. Very different from the average price of amodation in big cities.


    I took a coin from the pocket that Baron Warwick had given me.


    I paid with the coins Baron Warwick gave to the innkeeper.


    After receiving the money, he gave me change and threw a room key at me. After that, he escorted me to the room that was meant for me. After finishing, the innkeeper left to do his own thing.


    I arrived at a room that was addressed to me. There is only one bed in the room. I went inside and locked the rickety bedroom door.


    I didn''t rush to slide onto the bed and go to sleep. I still have to confirm a few things.


    First, I turned on a candle. Then I sat on the bed, I intended to analyze the status window and a few other things.


    "Open Status!"


    [Status Window:


    Name: Mesties Warwick


    Title: Poor Noble, Regressor, Transmigrator, ?, ?


    Stats:


    (Strength: D) (Speed: D) (Endurance: D) (Agility: F) (Reflex: F) (Mana Core: -) (Active Mana: -)


    Skills:


    Strengthening, Hear of Everything, Poison Resistance, Swordsmanship, Memorize, Inventory, Amplification.


    Stigma:


    The Stigma of Darkness.]


    Just like the World System said when I fought the Giant Bear earlier. The title, which wasn''t in my status window before, has now appeared.


    I started to analyze some of the titles that I have.


    The titles Regressor, Transmigrator, and Poor Noble are titles I can understand, but I don''t understand why there are two question marks there.


    I knew that the World System would not answer my curiosity. So, I prefer to ignore it. I better focus on the next point.


    Without realizing it, my skills have increased a lot.


    Despite all that, I touched on Skill Amplification and Stigma of Darkness to see their respective descriptions.


    [Name: Amplification Skill.


    Description: Able to increase the power of the items you give Mana.


    Limited to non-magic items.]


    [Name: The Stigma of Darkness.


    Description: Stigma granted to the Goddess of Darkness chosen one.


    Amount of Mana stored: 50.


    Mana storage limit: 500.]


    [Name: Inventory Skill.


    Description: Able to store items ording to Mana used when using Skills. The bigger the stuff put in, the bigger the Mana spent. Likewise, when you want to remove an item, when your Mana is not enough, the item will not be able to be ejected.]


    I want to use Inventory skills first.


    ''Then, is the amount of Mana umted in Stigma of Darkness enough to activate the Inventory skill? I''d better give it a try.''


    But, how do I use the Inventory skill?


    As far as I know, the way to activate the Inventory skill is different from the way I activate the skills I had before. If my previous skills used internal Mana moves to activate them, Skill Inventory should use external Mana moves. And in order to utilize Mana externally it required a spell.


    "Inventory."<novelnext></novelnext>


    I just tried the Inventory Skill.


    But I didn''t think that it would work.


    Suddenly, a spell I never knew before appeared in my mind.


    After I cast the spell, a magic circle suddenly appeared in front of me. Then, a ck hole came out of empty air.


    [You have sessfully used the Skill Inventory.]


    When I put my hand into the ck hole, I felt that there was a big room inside.


    Then, I tossed the Communication Crystal Ball and the bag filled with money into the Inventory. After devouring it all, the ck hole simply vanished.


    I saw that the amount of Mana stored in the Stigma of Darkness had decreased. Therefore, I immediately prepared to meditate.


    In general, there were two ways to increase the Mana stored in the Mana Core.


    The first method is natural Mana replenishment, where the amount of Mana in a person''s body will be filled automatically but takes a long time.


    The second method is meditation.


    If replenishing Mana naturally would only increase the Mana in the Mana Core, then practicing the meditation method would be able to increase the upper limit of the Mana Core''s capacity.


    That''s what I want to do.


    ''What meditation technique should I choose?''


    Meditation techniques are alsomonly referred to as cultivation techniques. The difference was, cultivation techniques were methods to increase the upper limit of Mana Core storage, not just to replenish the Mana within the Mana Core.


    Meanwhile, meditation is only one form of cultivation.


    To meditate, first, I have to position myself in the lotus position.


    Closing my eyes, I started to concentrate on being able to sense the Mana in the air. After I sensed it, I started to slowly absorb all the Mana in the air into the Stigma of Darkness.


    Generally, people would gather Mana into their Mana Core. But since I don''t have Mana Core, I gather Mana into the Stigma of Darkness.


    I do breath control ording to the cultivation technique I use.


    Indeed, I learned this cultivation skill in my previous life, however, at that time, I couldn''t apply what I learned because I didn''t have a Mana Core.


    Thus, this was my first try, where I put into practice the cultivation skills I learned.


    The first cultivation technique I tried to use was a technique called Bright Sunlight Cultivation. This is a cultivation technique belonging to the Arkie noble family, which I learned from the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    If I managed to use this cultivation technique, I would be on the same starting line as Jullian.


    At least, that''s what I imagined.


    [Since you don''t have a Mana Core, the skill you used failed.]


    Unfortunately, my expectations were too high that the World System managed to p me and awaken my consciousness back to reality.


    Yes. I failed when trying to drain Mana into the Stigma of Darkness using the cultivation technique I was trying to use.


    To be sure, I tried once again using some other cultivation technique.


    Spring Water Cultivation.


    Earth Radiance Cultivation.


    ....


    [Since you don''t have a Mana Core, the skill you used failed.]


    By now, it was clear that I had failed in that cultivation technique.


    The techniques I was trying to use just now were cultivation techniques belonging to the big noble families, where they were a big secret to them.


    However, that only applies for now. Later, when the world was engulfed in war and chaos was everywhere, those techniques would no longer be a secret. They were forced to spread it so that humans do not perish.


    And, the one who forced the great noble families to spread the secrets of their cultivation techniques was Jullian, which he did so that he could gain greater power with the support of the humans.


    Because of that, I was also able to know the secret cultivation techniques of the great noble families.


    However, I didn''t give up trying some other cultivation techniques. In the end, one of the cultivation techniques I had learned worked.


    [Congrattions! You have learned the Meditation technique.]


    [You have acquired the Origin Cultivation skill.]


    Origin Cultivation, that was the name the World System gave it.


    I remember, back then, I was forced to learn this skill by Cornelia, the person I thought of as a teacher.


    In fact, at that time I already knew many cultivation skills. And it was clear that even if I studied them, I still couldn''t apply those cultivation techniques.


    However, Cornelia still forced me to learn the cultivation skills she taught me.


    I didn''t expect that the cultivation technique she forced me to learn would be the only technique I could use.


    I smiled unintentionally as a result of remembering those days. But I immediately changed my facial expression.


    ''I will find you and repay all the kindness you have given me!''


    That was the determination I formed in the depths of my heart. To repay Cornelia''s kindness, I need sufficient preparation and strength.


    Closing my eyes, I continued my dyed meditation.


    One thing that I need to do before I actually leave Ryam City is to attack the ck Box Organization''s headquarters.


    But before that, I have to fully replenish the Mana in the Stigma of Darkness.

 Chapter 33 The Black Box Organization (1)

    ?I opened my eyes just as dawn was about to break. Maybe around 3 to 4 a.m.


    I quickly stood up and left the inn room. Without looking in the mirror, I could tell that my eyelids had turned ck. My eyes have definitely changed like panda eyes.


    Last night, I should have gone straight to bed after doing a short meditation. But I can''t sleep for some reason. So I continued to meditate. Even being able to do meditation optimally is difficult.


    I staggered out of the inn. As I exited the inn''s entrance, I found the innkeeper carrying a bucket of water.


    When he saw my anguished face, he asked with a happy smile.


    "How was your evening, Customer?"


    "Haha, I wish the walls could be thicker."


    The innkeeper justughed at my words. He must have understood what I meant.


    "Please understand, sir. That is one of the advantages of this ce."


    "Haha, you must be joking."


    Last night, for a long time, I was disturbed by the noise of other visitors.


    Due to the thin walls of the room, the noise from visitors in other rooms can be heard very clearly. Though their voices should not be heard by minors. But, from the voices that I heard identally, they didn''t try to lower their voices at all.


    They continued to make sighs, moans, and groans until they echoed so clearly in the inn. Such voices jumped out from every room in this inn.


    That''s why it''s hard for me to sleep.


    Just by hearing their voices, I can imagine what scenes they present. They were clearly having sexual intercourse.


    Don''t get me wrong, I''m not the weird protagonist in mostics, where they''ll peek until they spit blood from their nose.


    Really, if I wasn''t a patient person, I would have torn down this innst night. Luckily I am patient with things like that.


    "So, how was it? Would you like to stay here again?"


    "No. More importantly. Where can I shower?"


    I stopped talking about unimportant things. There''s still something I need to do.


    "I provide warm water for bathing. If you pay, I will send a bucket of water to your room. Or, behind the inn there is a well, it''s free there, but it gets very cold in the morning like this."


    "It''s fine, I''ll just go to the well behind the inn."


    With that, I walked to the back of the inn and found a well.


    It was still dark, where the sun had not yet risen. Therefore, I didn''t hesitate to take off my clothes in the open and started to draw water for bathing.


    Cold water and morning dew hit my skin. I felt a piercing coldness as I continued to ssh water on my body.


    "Hey, young man. Your stuff looks good. Do you want to y with your sister here? I''ll give you a discount, what do you think about my offer?"


    From the windows of the inn, a woman''s voice was heard. She didn''t appear to be dressed properly, and I could still see her cleavage.


    She looked at me seductively. It was likely that she was a prostitute who was very noisyst night.


    Even though she kept trying to tease me, I ignored her.


    Is it because I''m used to the culture of the poor in this world? So, I didn''t cover the area under my stomach and just pretended I didn''t see her.


    I was just rushing to finish my business.


    I don''t have time to deal with that red light girl.


    After that, I put on my clothes and then go somewhere.


    ***


    Far from the center of Ryam City, I arrived at a ce. This ce was located very secludedly even though it was still within the walls of Ryam City.


    I walk on a muddy road.


    All the buildings on the left and right of the street where I walked were made of wood. The buildings looked old and worn. There are even simple huts scattered around as well.


    A very suffocating smell entered my nostrils. A sight full of trash filled my eyes. The smell of dirt, damp air, and disgusting smoke flew everywhere.


    However, all of that has be normal for me. Walking along the dirt-strewn street, I felt a nostalgic feeling.


    This ce is the slum area, the ce where I lived the days of suffering in my previous life.


    However, I immediately threw away the nostalgic thoughts that were bothering me. I have to focus on doing something.


    At dawn like this, people in the slum area are just entering bedtime because they are already active in various activities at night.<novelnext></novelnext>


    So, more or less I''m free to do something. The movement that I can do bes more flexible than choosing the time of night. That''s what made me choose to move when dawn just arrived.


    The ce I''m headed to is the ck Box Organization''s headquarters.


    There''s only one reason why I woke up at dawn, that is, before I leave this city, I want to destroy the ck Box Organization''s headquarters in Ryam City.


    I still remember where their headquarters is in Ryam City. That''s why I immediately came to this ce.


    Hiding in the shadow of a ramshackle house, I gazed at a seemingly ordinary building. In other words, the building was almost the same as the other buildings in the slum area.


    However, I know that the building is the headquarters of the ck Box Organization.


    Inside that building, there were people who had kidnapped and tortured me in my previous life. Therefore, I will eradicate them.


    ''Should I say that this is revenge?''


    A small smile appeared on the corners of my lips. With a calm expression, I stepped out of the shadow of the shabby house, where I was hiding. I didn''t forget to wear a cloth that partially covered my face to hide my identity.


    I can''t just rush into their base like an idiot, but I have to defeat the people assigned to monitor and guard their base first.


    The people guarding and supervising did not stand in front of the building like the guards belonging to the nobles, but they disguised themselves as drunken vagrants in the middle of the street.


    I came across a homeless man near their base. The bum was leaning against the wall with droopy eyes as if to tell everyone that he was really drunk.


    At first nce, he looks like an ordinary tramp, however, I know that this person is one of the members of the ck Box Organization in charge of guarding the headquarters.


    Just look at the weapons he hid nearby, maybe only ordinary kids wouldn''t notice.


    "He~ What''s wrong with you, young man?"


    "..."


    "Why did youe here wearing such a face covering? Did you get lost?"


    ''Do I still look like a child?''


    When he saw me, his zed eyes turned clear instantly. In his eyes, I might look like a teenager who was dumped by my parents¡­ Wait, I don''t think that''s wrong. The difference is, he mistook me for a weak teenager.


    So, when he saw me, I could guess that he intended to kidnap me and use me as a begging or stealing tool. That''s exactly what they did to me in my previous life.


    "It seems you are drunk, Old Man. Wouldn''t it be better for you to sleep forever?"


    I replied sarcastically.


    When he heard my taunt, he stood up as if he had never been drunk before.


    I knew he was intent on attacking me.


    However, in contrast to my previous life, where I couldn''t fight back because I was weak, now, I already have enough strength if only to finish off the ck Box Organization members in Ryam City.


    Therefore, without waiting for him to attack, I had already stepped forward. In an instant, I arrived behind him.


    Without waiting for him to react, my arms wrapped around his neck. I locked his head with my left hand.


    "Urghhh!"


    And when he wanted to scream, I covered his mouth with the palm of my right hand.


    "Mmm!"


    This is useful so he can''t scream for help.


    The more I tighten the grip on his neck, the thinner the breath he can take.


    Throughout the process, he kept pping my hands. He also asionally tries to untie the locks that are wrapped around his neck. However, he couldn''t let go.


    Momentster, he lost his previous strength. His body went limp for a moment. With lifeless bulging eyes, he no longer breathed.


    Only then did I let go of my hand that was wrapped around his neck. Then, like pants, his body slid down andy lifeless.


    Yes, this is the first kill I''vemitted after the regression.


    Well, nothing special really, or at least, that''s what I thought. However, the unexpected happened instead.


    [The Stigma of Darkness absorbs the Death Mana from the person you kill!]


    [Starting the absorption process...]


    I can feel a mysterious energy entering the Stigma of Darkness. Unfortunately, I don''t know what it is.


    [The Stigma of Darkness has sessfully absorbed Death Mana.]

 Chapter 34 The Black Box Organization (2)

    ?[The Stigma of Darkness has sessfully absorbed Death Mana.]


    Only the system message before my eyes confirmed that the Stigma of Darkness had absorbed something.


    Death Mana? I don''t know what it is.


    For now, I ignore that.


    I have to quickly clear the guards of the other ck Box Organization headquarters before anyone notices my movements.


    But before I stepped in to kill the others, I took out the sword hidden by the guard of the ck Box Organization headquarters that I had just killed.


    With the preparations finished, I started running toward the other guards. Luckily, because of their great distance, they didn''t know that I had killed one of them.


    Therefore, I approached them one by one, covered their mouths, and strangled them until no bad breath came out of their noses or mouths.


    "Ugh!"


    "Ack!"


    "Mm!"


    Not all of them were pretending to be drunk bums. Many of them just sleep on the side of the road, watching from the roofs, or even hiding in the garbage dump.


    If I didn''t have any memories of this ce from my previous life, I definitely wouldn''t know where they were hiding.


    To ensure their existence, I also made sure to always activate the Hear of Everything skill. That way, I can hear the sound of their breathing.


    It was quite a waste of time but ended with sess.


    Once I was sure that I had eliminated all the guards, I entered the building that was their headquarters.


    I don''t have to enter through the window like a thief. Since I had cleared the guards, I entered through the front door.


    Without thinking, I opened the door and entered. The first thing I saw was the darkness within the building. Even the windows were tightly closed.


    There were torches along the corridor, but they didn''t light them.


    What helped me see the situation inside the building was only a light from outside that faintly came through the cracks in the wooden walls of the building.


    That''s the scene I saw when I went inside.


    I noticed that some of the rooms were still pitch ck, which indicated that the upants of the room were sleeping.


    Without waiting any longer, first, I opened one of the rooms, where I was certain that it belonged to one of their members.


    Fortunately, my eyes have started to get used to this darkness. So, with only the help of a little reflection of light from the outside, I could see the situation inside the room.


    In a room that had no light at all, there was arge mound on top of the mattress. The mound was covered by a nket, and the mound continued to churn.


    "Ooh! I''ming."


    "Ah! Why did youe out so soon?"


    "S-Shut up! D-Do you dare insult me? Damn you whore!"


    A voice retorting back and forth came from within the mound of nkets. Their voices were so well muffled that I only could hear them because I still activated the Hear of Everything skill.


    Not long after that, because their nkets were down, the two human figures that had been under the nkets came into my view.


    The scene in front of me showed the face of a man on top while a woman was on the bottom.


    I didn''t have to open the nket to know what they were doing.


    Silently, I picked up the knife lying not far from his bed. I''m sure that it''s the weapon of the person fighting on the bed. I couldn''t kill him with the sword because it was too long.


    And it seems that they are too focused on fighting that they are not aware of my existence.


    I moved in an instant. Before he could even notice my presence, I was already standing behind him. Next, my left hand immediately covered his mouth from behind his back.


    "Euppp!!"


    Crock!


    Before he could even muster a shred of strength against me, the knife in my right hand had pierced right through his heart.


    It happened in an instant.


    Blood spurted everywhere. Wet the whole bed.


    Since the whore was right under the body of the person I stabbed in the back, most of the blood was pouring down her face and body. As a result, she immediately fainted without being able to scream.


    With this, one room has beenpleted.


    I still have a lot of room to take care of. Thus, before the sun rose in the far east, I rushed to finish what I was doing.


    Every time I entered the room, I could always see familiar faces that had bullied me in my previous life.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Without much extra effort, I stabbed and killed them in various ways. I shed at their heads, some noticed my presence as well, but I acted quickly and immediately subdued them before they could send a signal.


    Meanwhile, the whore beside them I made unconscious by hitting their necks. Luckily, most of them had finished and were fast asleep, so it was easy enough for me to attack them.


    That way, I''ve cleared about 20 rooms. I finished one room in 2 minutes, so about 40 minutes had passed. Where I entered, sneaked in, and killed every member of the ck Box Organization in it.


    Ssh!


    Blood sshed on the floor. This was thest room the regr members were in, without a whore at the side.


    In that way, now it''s only their leader''s room that I haven''t entered.


    "I didn''t think that I would be able to beat them this easily."


    The reason why I was able to stab every one of them without too much trouble was probably due to the physical increase I gained. Moreover,bined with the killing experience I had in my previous life.


    So, it''s only natural that I can kill them easily.


    But, every good thing will surely be followed by a bad thing. That''s what I thought as I looked up at the room I was in.


    The room, which was originally dark without a sound, suddenly came from a voice. The voice came from above the room I was in. That room is the room where their leader or boss is.


    "So he''s awake, huh?! Why doesn''t he just sleep for a bit?"


    I muttered under my breath, still maintaining the focus I was keeping without lowering it.


    Stomp!


    Bam!


    The sound that came from above was the stomping of feet trying to break through the ceiling. As it turned out, without waiting long, the ceiling above me was instantly destroyed.


    In that instant moment, a huge hole was instantly created.


    The person who broke through the ceiling plunged and slid down, heading straight for me.


    Arge ax was in his hand, swinging heavily toward my head. From the attack heunched, I could feel a thick killing intent.


    Taking advantage of the momentum he had from the downward pull of gravity, he attacked me with his sword. When he attacks along with his body weight, I will be overwhelmed if I take his attacks head-on like a fool.


    Thus, I tried to minimize the impact of his attacks, as I usually do. Also, the opening of the reflex stat in my status window also helped me a bit in responding to surprise attacks like this.


    ng!


    That way, along with my parry, I kicked the floor and jumped to the side. In that way, I managed to fend off his attacks.


    I received only a small amount of impact from his attack, while all the impact from his attack rushed downwards.


    Bam!


    The floor of the room shattered as therge ax in his hand plunged and hit the floor.


    "You managed to dodge my attack? That was surprising. I thought it was just a fly from another group, but I didn''t expect it to be someone quite capable."


    He got up and looked at me with a smug grin on his face. From his appearance, he looked simr to a middle-aged man. But he has some prominent muscles in his body. I think that''s a testament to his strength.


    Unmistakably, he was the leader of the Ryam City Branch of the ck Box Organization.


    ording to the information I remember, the mana core level in his body is at the mid to low level, so, he can take out quite a lot of mana.


    Whereas by the standards of the Adventurer''s Guild, he was probably equivalent to a B-ranked Adventurer. The average strength of a B-rank Adventurer would already make them famous in a small town, like Ryam City.


    If it wasn''t for the sudden increase in strength in my body, I wouldn''t have dared to rush in here right away.


    "Which group are you from, kid?"


    "Does it matter? It''s clear that we are enemies. Shouldn''t we just fight?"


    "Hahahaha, I like your answer. But, how dare you kill my men!"


    He saw the bodies of his men lying on the bed.


    I could guess that right now, he was wary of me.


    "You don''t have to wait for the rest of your men to arrive, considering themotion you created. After all, I killed them all."


    With the slightest provocation, he was ready to explode.


    With emotions etched in his head, he readied the ax in his hand to attack me. But, without waiting for the attack toe, I immediately attacked using the sword in my hand.


    I''ve thrown away the knife I''ve been using.


    It''s time to fight the boss with my main weapon.

 Chapter 35 The Black Box Organization (3)

    ?The battle between me and the leader of the ck Box Organizationsted several minutes. The two of us had already exchanged blows several times.


    His attacks are heavy, but he can''t be as fast as me because he is an ax wielder, where ax wielders tend to be slower than sword users.


    "How long can you hold on, kid?"


    Indeed, I had a hard time keeping up with his attacks. I was able to survive until now only by relying on my experience in fighting.


    Unmistakably, this leader of the ck Box Organization is the most powerful opponent I''ve faced after my regression.


    Although my stats have grown a little, I feel that my stats are still far below the Leader of the ck Box Organization. But, despite that, I still believe that I will be able to defeat him.


    ng! ng!


    The sound of shing swords and axes continued. Every time I managed to withstand his attacks, he looked angrier.


    In between our fight, it turns out he was watching the expression on my face. It was evident from what he said.


    "Ha? What''s with that look in your eyes? Are you belittling me? Do you think I''m funny?"


    It turned out that he could see the expression on my face just by looking into my eyes.


    I didn''t even realize I was belittling him.


    Maybe I identally enjoyed this battle.


    "Oops! Sorry."


    I said it in an indifferent tone.


    However, he grew even angrier.


    "Let''s see if you can still enjoy this fight when I cut off your hand and make you kneel at my feet!"


    He wasn''t just talking nonsense.


    The tide of battle suddenly started to side with him. The weight of his attack was getting heavier, his axe-swinging speed was also getting faster, and the Mana escaping from his body was also getting bigger.


    Ka-ng!


    The blow of the ax shot toward me. With a defensive stance, I block the attack using the sword in my hand.


    This time, I failed to channel the attack, so the attack was able to hit me. Even though I managed to block it with my sword, my body was pushed back until it hit the wall of the building.


    Crash!


    As a result, I was pushed out of the building. Thick smoke came out and billowed as my feet continued to brake on the ground until my body stopped.


    My sword that was holding back his ax attack continued to vibrate as if it was screaming in pain. Likewise with my hand holding the sword.


    That was the power he disyed after activating his technique.


    His slowly changing form emerged from behind the hollow wall. Starting with his hands, he walked out using his feet. His clearly visible crimson face then appeared.


    White smoke emerged from his mouth as if he was a steam engine ready to crush everyponent of his body.


    It was the result of using the technique he used. And I know what technique it is. The technique he uses is the Rage Skill, which can increase the user''s strength several times to be more powerful.


    However, unlike my Strengthening Skill which has no side effects, the Rage Skill has its drawbacks. The drawback is that it can make the user''s emotions unstable. To be more precise, they would be ovee by anger.


    "I admit that you are quite strong for a child of your age. Therefore, I will give you the honor of experiencing this technique of mine."


    I realized that he had be much stronger than me. For that, I started draining the Mana in the Stigma of Darkness.


    [Strengthening Skill - Activated.]


    [Swordsmanship Skill - Activated.]


    The reason why I was pushed back is that I haven''t used up all the cards in my hand.


    [Skill Amplification - Activated.]


    With the sword in my hand that I had given the Amplification skill to, I took a defensive stance. With a condescending look, I spoke to him.


    "Come forward if you are so confident. I will make you realize the vastness of the sky."


    "H-how dare you act so arrogantly in front of me!"


    I provoked him a bit because I realized the weakness of the Rage Skill.


    Rage Skill users tended to be weak to provocations. It was because their anger and emotions increased as their power increased.


    Then, we shed once again.


    ***


    At the same time, but in a different ce, changes began to ur.


    It wasn''t far from the battle between the Mesties and the leader of the ck Box Organization.


    To be exact, it was in the basement of the ck Box Organization''s headquarters.


    In the dirty and damp basement, there were several people curled up on the floor. They curled up without any mat to sleep on. Only a sliver of fire emerging from the torches warmed them.


    They are children who were kidnapped by members of the ck Box Organization.


    "How long do we have to suffer like this?"


    One of the children muttered under his breath. He is a child who was recently kidnapped and enved by the members of the ck Box Organization.


    Last night, he had done his work as a ve with the other children. Where hemitted theft, stabbing, pickpocketing, and more. He was forced to do that because he and the other children were being watched by the members of the ck Box Organization so they couldn''t escape.<novelnext></novelnext>


    If you ask why the members of the ck Box Organization use children, then it is clear that they use children as tools for them.


    There would be no risk in letting the authorities get their hands on the children. So, they can be safer.


    Meanwhile, the fate of children caught by soldiers formitting crimes can be dire. They may be imprisoned, tortured, or even sold to the hands of a disgusting nobleman.


    "I wonder when we''ll have a chance to escape."


    He was just fantasizing without having too high hopes, but he immediately widened his eyes. Suddenly, his eyes started to shine brightly because he heard a loud noiseing from upstairs.


    "Hey, did you guys hear that?"


    "What? What are you talking about?"


    "Shut up and just listen, damn it!"


    He got up and spoke to his friend.


    "Listen carefully. Isn''t that the sound of a battle?"


    Hearing the hint, other children began to focus on listening. Not much time passed, and they became convinced. They actually heard the sound of destruction followed by the continuous sh of sharp weapons.


    At first, they made expressions of surprise, but their expressions soon turned back to those of despair, just like the expressions they used to put on their faces.


    "... Oh. Then why?"


    They all nodded in response.


    The responses that followed the letter O, which came out of their mouths, irritated the only child who was previously excited.


    "Tsk! You guys are stupid."


    The only child who was excited was Anas.


    Since the other children had no one to discuss this, he started thinking to himself, ''I think someone broke through here and is currently fighting. This is our chance to escape!''


    When his friends were still confused, he was the only one who was quick to respond in understanding the situation.


    "Hey, let''s escape!"


    "Eh. You''re kidding, right? We could all die if we get caught."


    The look of fear was evident on the children''s faces as if they had never thought of running away at all.


    "After all, if we get out of this ce, we''ll never get ''that'' again."


    ''Shit! They are addicted to the effects of the drugs given to them.''


    Anas knows that the ''that'' item they are referring to, is a drug that can make them addicted and disturb their minds.


    In other words, their brains have started to wash away little by little.


    Fortunately, not everyone has be addicted, just like Anas. So, he gathered them.


    Although there were some who opposed it at first, it wasn''t long before they all agreed.


    In an instant, he gathered them all together. There were nearly 20 of them. They were all in their teens.


    His gaze shifted to the faces of his friends who refused to leave. He bowed and thanked him.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll definitely save you guys one day!"


    With thosest words, he left with the other 20 children following.


    Anas is the one who leads. When he opened the door leading to the top floor, he didn''t see a single guard.


    Though with the number of people following him, there should have been guardsing and finding them. But instead, only the sound of crickets came to them.


    "Hey, we''ll be out in a minute. Slow down your footsteps!"


    When Anas and the other children began to be optimistic that they would get out of the building, they were surprised by something.


    Kboom!


    The walls of the buildings near them shattered into pieces. On the floor,y arge body that seemed to be unconscious.


    It was a huge body that just flew and smashed the wall into a hole.


    Anas and the other children could not keep their mouths shut as their mouths kept forcing them open due to the shock.


    They were shocked to see the figure of a person lying unconscious on the floor. They knew that the person was the boss of the ck Box Organization.


    Thick smoke was still billowing everywhere.


    Outside the building, there was a figure approaching.


    ''Is he the one who attacked this headquarters and even defeated the leader?''


    Anas thought about it in his heart.


    As the thick smoke cleared, the children noticed that the person who had arrived was wearing a suspicious-looking face covering.


    That person was Mesties.


    When Mesties looked at the group of children, he said something in a nostalgic tone.


    "Oh, I didn''t expect that you guys were already trying to escape. In this way, I won''t have to free you guys from the basement."

 Chapter 36 Killer Kids Squad (1)

    ?I''m still exchanging blows with the leader of the ck Box Organization. He used the Rage skill, therefore, his attacks became very heavy.


    Until his attack finally broke my sword.


    Even though I had given the Amplification skill to the sword in my hand, but because his attack was too powerful, his attack still managed to break my sword.


    The fracture of my sword flew through the air.


    Surprisingly, the fracture of my sword, either because I calcted it or because of pure luck, the fracture of my sword flew straight up so that after reaching the maximum height, the fracture of my sword fell straight down.


    I calcted the ce where the fracture of my sword would fall. After confirming where the fracture of my sword would fall, I led the leader of the ck Box Organization there.


    "Hahaha, without a weapon in your hands, you''re as good as the end!"


    He shouted with joy.


    "Look behind you!"


    "Do you think I''ll take your word for it?"


    He thought the warning I issued was just a lie.


    "What a shame. But you will definitely regret it."


    He didn''t realize that the fracture of my sword was still flying in the air and plunged straight into his body.


    The fracture of my sword swirled in the air and shed through the dawn air. With the gleam of the dawn sun reflecting off the fracture of my sword, the fracture of my sword continued into that, until¡­.


    Crock!


    And sure enough. The fracture of my sword fell and pierced his shoulder.


    Surprisingly, he did not scream in pain despite the bright red blood flowing from the wound on his shoulder, but he was only shocked.


    I thought he was suffering the side effects of the Rage skill, which is why he could be so foolish as to be hit by such an attack.


    I didn''t waste much time and took advantage of the opening created when my de fractured and hit him.


    What I did first was focus all the remaining mana in the Stigma of Darkness into my legs; only then did I kick his body as hard as I could.


    Thud!


    Push!


    Woosh!


    The ck Box Organization Leader''s massive body flew through the air until it broke through the walls of the building and made his body enter the building.


    I went inside the building to see the state of the leader of the ck Box Organization, but I found something else instead.


    Besides me finding the ck box organization leader''s body that had fainted, I also found a bunch of other people.


    Inside the building, I could see a line of children standing on tiptoe as if sneaking to escape.


    Their faces were as white as corpses. Perhaps they were surprised by the body of the leader of the ck Box Organization who had suddenly appeared.


    "Oh, I didn''t expect that you guys were already trying to escape. This way, I won''t have to release you guys from the basement."


    A nostalgic note identally escaped from my mouth.


    Actually, I already had the intention of freeing them from the start because they were the ones I was with when I was kidnapped by the members of the ck Box Organization.


    At least they and I once had a connection.


    I scanned the line of children.


    Finally, I can see the face that looks most familiar in my memory.


    A boy who has dark brown skin. I don''t know exactly, but he looks a few years younger than me. His name is Anas. I still remember his name because he was the only child who had the most guts, was rebellious, and had the most perceptive mind.


    "What''s your name?"


    While all the children were scared, only he alone dared to speak to me.


    His name is Anas.


    His nature is still the same as my first life. I still remember how he alwaysined to me about his suffering while being a prisoner of the ck Box Organization.


    Moreover, he was the only child who often tried to escape, so he had to be tortured every day when he was caught.


    Unfortunately, when the ck Box Organization was destroyed, we were separated. He and I never saw each other again. So, I don''t know what fate he had in my previous life.


    "You don''t have to know my name. I don''t think I need to exin to you that I was the one who messed up here so you guys got a chance to escape right?"


    "Did you do it all to save us?"


    "Hmm. Not really."


    "Then. Goodbye. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to escape."


    He said what needed to be said and immediately tried to leave. He tried to walk past me and tried to drag his friends, who were standing in fright. He forced his friends to leave this ce in a hurry.<novelnext></novelnext>


    But, just as he and the other children were about to leave, I stopped them.


    "What will you do after you run away? Do you have a ce to return to?"


    He and the other kids'' faces appeared pale as I said that simple fact.


    The reason they could be kidnapped was because they had nowhere to return to. Either someone was kicked out by their family, sold, abandoned, orphaned, or for other reasons. To be sure, they had nowhere to return to.


    "Then, what kind of solution do you want to give us?"


    "...."


    When I wanted to say a few things to them, I suddenly had a bad feeling.


    Since what I wanted to say was just an unimportant persuasion, I could shorten my words.


    It would be better if I told Anas and he persuaded the other kids. Because of that, I immediately approached Anas and whispered in his ear.


    Maybe he was surprised, but instead, he blushed and stepped back backward. But, I managed to get close and whisper in his ear.


    "First...."


    "A-are you crazy?"


    He distanced himself with a shocked expression upon hearing the instructions I gave.


    "Don''t worry. I''ve killed all the other members of the ck Box Organization. So, you''ll be safe."


    I convinced him to do what I ordered. Reluctantly, he left with the other children.


    After the children left. I noticed something else.


    The leader of the ck Box Organization, who had been closing his eyes for a while, started to open his eyes.


    "Now, you don''t have to pretend you''ve lost consciousness anymore."


    I told him not to pretend he was unconscious while giving him a death re.


    "You are really great. I didn''t think you could knock me out. But thanks to that, my mind is clear again."


    He took something out of his pocket. It was a box that contained a small round pill. He instantly pushed the small round pill down his throat until it fell into his stomach.


    "My name is Gilbert. Remember that name when you fall into the deepest pit of hell, because it is the name of someone who will kill you."


    Suddenly, the color of his eyeballs turned white. The muscles all over his body seemed ready to explode. Also, there was an ominous aura emanating from it.


    "Hahaha, I was unsure about the effect of this medicine when that person gave it to me, however, I didn''t expect the effect to be so amazing! I feel filled with power! Is this the feeling of someone being blessed by Mana...."


    ''Was that the effect of the medicine he swallowed?''


    "Hmm??"


    Surprisingly, even though he wasughing with joy at first, he suddenly stared nkly.


    His two hands also went limp and fell, as if the spirit within his body had suddenly disappeared.


    A momentter, before I could react, he was already near me. He hit me like pping a mosquito. My body instantly flew away several meters.


    Its power is simply unreasonable.


    I can''t do anything. Before, I could still win using experience, skills, and a few other tricks. However, due to the huge difference in strength, all of my weapons are no longer of any use.


    From strength to speed, I lost in all aspects. But the fact that we have different amounts of mana is more significant.


    Each of his attacks had an enormous amount of umted Mana. It was a miracle that I was able to hold on.


    There was one more thing I noticed, namely, that there was no sign of consciousness when I looked into his eyes throughout the ongoing battle.


    This means that he is nowpletely unconscious. Unlike the use of the Rage skill which only increases emotions, but right now, I feel like I''m fighting against a robot.


    In the situation that kept me cornered, suddenly a system message appeared.


    [Demonic Mana detected.]


    [Do you want to activate the Death Mana in the Stigma of Darkness that has umted as a result of your killing?]


    "If I can get out of this urgent situation by activating that thing called Death Mana, then I agree."


    I suddenly felt a sting on the back of my hand, where the Stigma of Darkness was, which then continued to spread throughout my body. And next, the Stigma of Darkness crest began to emit a dark light.


    [Target Has Been Locked!]


    I believe that the target referred to by the World System is the target for Death Mana thates out of the Stigma of Darkness, namely Gilbert who emits Demonic Mana.


    And sure enough.


    What happened next was quite astonishing even to me.

 Chapter 37 Killer Kids Squad (2)

    ?If this was a film studio, then I would have been able to hear the director''s voice saying ''Cut'' out loud.


    And because of the ''Cut'' sound, the actors stopped moving suddenly. Yep, to match that metaphor, the cast in that film was Gilbert and me, where we did dangerous action scenes before.


    The reason why I was able to equate what I experienced with the filming process was because of the strangeness that happened to Gilbert, the leader of the branch of the ck Box Organization that I was fighting against.


    We, who previously were fighting seriously, are now just facing each other without moving. He stood motionless. As if he had been paralyzed by magic, there was no sign of movement from his body. It seemed to reflect that he was a statue from the start.


    [Death Mana has sessfully entered the target.]


    [Death Mana starts consuming Demonic Mana.]


    [The transfer of control process has started.]


    [Demonic Mana has been sessfully eroded.]


    [The target has been affected by the Death Mana contained within the Stigma of Darkness! Now, the target is in yourplete control.]


    [Congrattions! You have sessfully obtained Mind''s Puppet.]


    A series of system messages popped up before my eyes. I still find it hard to believe the system messages I read.


    Slowly, I tried to understand the situation.


    [You can control Mind''s Puppet by using your will.]


    ''Control.''


    Can I really do that?


    To confirm this, I approached Gilbert. I walked up to him with great care. If the system message was a lie and Gilbert was just faking it, I would have died on the spot.


    What''s more, this pitiful state of my body. With great difficulty, I walked over while holding my arm which seemed to have been broken. There was also blood dripping from the corner of my lips.


    As I walked until I reached him, all I could think about was telling Gilbert to stand still. I was using my will, without any verbalmand, as conveyed by the system''s message.


    Miraculously, even though I tapped the protruding muscles on his body, he really didn''t move.


    Do I now get a giant teddy bear? But how far is this puppet''s powerpared to when he still had consciousness? How far can I control this doll, urately? I still need to check it out.


    The first thing I need to check is, can he still remembers the things he has done. In other words, does the memory in his brain still exist?


    To answer those questions, I need to examine them. First and foremost, I still have a big question mark in my head, it was something that bothered me from the start.


    So, I immediately asked.


    "Who gave you the pill you ate earlier?"


    The reason why he was able to have so much power at the expense of his consciousness was because he had taken a strange pill before.


    It seemed that he only had one pill. That''s why I can''t be sure what pills he took. But clearly, I know that the pill is a pill that makes him rage like a bear.


    At first nce, it was an insignificant matter, but it could lead to a big event in the future. Especially the person who made the pill.


    With a serious expression, I waited for an answer. Not long after that, he finally started to let the answers out of his mouth.


    ***


    "Hey, I don''t know what that person ordered, but, are you sure that we should still follow what that person ordered?"


    "Yeah. Shouldn''t we just go straight away?"


    The children protested Anas'' decision because Anas was obeying the Mesties'' orders.


    Seeing the frightened faces of the children, it was only natural that they would protest Anas.


    "Alright. I won''t force you to follow me anymore. For those of you who want to leave, I won''t hold you back. But, for those of you who still want to stay with me, I''ll tell you what that person ordered."


    They were all silent.


    Anas continued, "I''m almost certain that if you leave here, you''ll probably be kidnapped by someone else again. Or, in the best-case scenario, you''ll still starve along the way. Therefore, I''ll bet on following that guy''s orders. "


    ''And I have a feeling that keeps whispering in my heart that I should believe him.'' That is what he thought without being able to tell the other children.


    After Anas persuaded them, the other children also began to realize their position. And again, in their subconscious, they also began to think of Anas as their leader. Perhaps, it was because they had often seen his tenacity and courage.


    "A-are you sure about this?"


    After knowing the ce where Anas led them, the children began to look disappointed that they had followed Anas.


    Where they are now is a prison. On both sides of them were prison cells. Inside the prison cell, some people were locked up and looked very miserable.<novelnext></novelnext>


    As it turned out, they were members of the ck Box Organization themselves.


    Yes. This prison is where the members of the ck Box Organization are locked up. The reason why some members of the ck Box Organization were locked up was because of those who defected, betrayed, andmitted other offenses. Including those who failed in carrying out their mission.


    "Okay. Let''s do it!"


    Anas gave the order.


    Earlier, on the way to the prison, Anas had told the other children about the n that Mesties had ordered.


    First of all, they had to free the prisoners as if they were a savior who hade from heaven.


    Due to the chaos in the headquarters, Anas and the other children managed to get the prison key from the corpse of a guard who had been killed by Mesties.


    When the lock was opened, the children entered the prison cell as if they were little angels who hade down from heaven to help those who had suffered.


    However, what some of the suffering people or those who were subjected to the angel''s kindness did was not gratitude, but something brazen.


    "Ah!"


    "Kya!"


    Inside some of the prison cells, loud screams were heard from the children who wanted to free the prisoners.


    Anas saw that the people who had just been released were actually fighting and attacking the children who freed them.


    Now, the little angels have been caught by evil hands. Good is repaid with evil. More or less that''s the fate of the children.


    "You rancid brat! You think we''ll thank you when you save us?"


    Surprisingly, the children who had been attacked and taken hostage were still calm. mes could be seen burning in the children''s eyes.


    "I didn''t expect what he thought would actually happen. Luckily we were prepared beforehand. You guys! Do it!"


    Anas gave orders to the children.


    Automatically, the children who became prisoners took out a knife from under their clothes. And they plunged the knives in their hands into the chests of those who held them hostage.


    Blood rushed to their faces. Even so, they didn''t seem frightened like other normal children. Because they are used to it. These are the teachings of the members of the ck Box Organization themselves.


    Should we say, ''Weapon Eat Master''?


    The tattered prisoners looked very surprised. Unfortunately, that was thest expression they could put out in this world. Eventually, they fell to the ground without being able to put up a fight.


    On the other hand, several members of the ck Box Organization who had not rebelled noticed what was happening. They all held their breath as they saw the horrific faces of the children.


    Whereas those children were just sandbags to them before. However, what they saw now was a bunch of little devils.


    "Hehehe, I didn''t expect that I would feel this good when I kill people."


    Anas saw the expressions of joy on the children''s faces. While he didn''t realize that he himself was also showing a happy smile.


    This was the moment when the children who had suffered at the hands of the members of the ck Box Organization tasted the sweetness of revenge. In their hearts, they simultaneously thanked the person who had created this moment. That person was none other than Mesties.


    This incident was exactly what Mesties wanted. However, there was one thing that was beyond Mesties'' expectations. It is the awakening of the brutal soul within the children.


    "Doesn''t anyone want to rebel anymore?"


    Anas asked about those who were still alive. Obviously, no one said anything.


    "I didn''t expect that things would turn out the way he predicted."


    Actually, the children have been prepared for this scenario. After all, it was all predicted by Mesties, who then passed it on to Anas. That''s why Anas ordered the children to carry weapons on their way to prison and then did it ording to the scenario.


    Amidst everyone''s excitement, someone came from the direction of the prison entrance.


    Then, that person brought back the senses of the children who were intoxicated with excitement.


    "Don''t get too excited. The reason why you can kill them easily is because they were already in a miserable state before."


    The person who came was Mesties.


    As Mesties said, the biggest reason the children were able to kill the prisoners was because the prisoners were in a pitiful state.


    When Mesties arrived, he observed the prisoners first. Then, he walked away, ignoring the shocked children.


    Mesties went straight to a prisoner whose face he still remembered.

 Chapter 38 Killer Kids Squad (3)

    ?Originally, I just wanted to use someone randomly, but I didn''t expect that I would find a familiar face among the prisoners.


    Inside one of the prison cells, there was someone whose face was still fresh in my memory. That person was the boss of the bald thugs who had earlier intercepted me with some other street thugs.


    After failing to catch me, it seems like he was locked up here.


    Fortunately, he was one of those who didn''t fight the children, so he was still alive. If he had joined the fight against the children after he was released, his head would have fallen to the ground as well.


    If such a thing were to happen, I would have to choose a random person. So, I would have to show some intimidation to make that person obey me.


    But, with the bald thug boss still alive, I could take advantage of him without bothering to show intimidation to make him obey me.


    I lowered the cloth covering my face slightly so that he could recognize who I was, but, I quickly covered my face again before the others saw my face.


    Since he already knows my abilities and my identity, he won''t dare mess around.


    "Eeeeck!"


    He ended up with round eyes in surprise, which were the same as his round head.


    Without waiting for him to regain his senses in surprise, I whispered to him in his ear.


    "How are you?"


    "A-Aren''t you...?!"


    "Shhh!"


    It seemed like he would say out loud that I was the son of a nobleman, but I immediately put my index finger in front of my mouth, in other words, I signaled him to shut up.


    However, just that gesture seemed insufficient to silence him. Since he looked like he was about to say my name out loud, I immediately threatened him by cing my hand on his bald head.


    The results are quite satisfactory. His face seemed to turn blue. He nodded vigorously in fright. It was clear that he was traumatized.


    Since I''m out of the Warwick manor, I n to hide my identity. It''s not that I don''t want people to say that Baron Warwick''s son managed to destroy the ck Box Organization''s headquarters, but because I don''t want the kids to know my identity.


    That''s why I put a cloth on my face.


    ''Well, there are other reasons too actually.''


    "S-sir! I beg you, please spare my life. I will faithfully serve you. Moreover, I have reported to my boss that it was not you who defeated me, but a mysterious figure wearing a ck robe who defeated me."


    He was a man, but he pleaded with teary eyes.


    It was a good thing thatrge chains were still shackling his hands and feet, otherwise, I''m sure he would have begged on his knees.


    Well, earlier I did tell him not to say anything about me to his boss. That way, someone rted to them, aka someone or people in the Warwick noble house wouldn''t know that I can use Mana.


    What he said was not a lie. I was sure of that. If he was lying, the people at Baron Warwick''s house would''ve been gossiping about how I could manipte Mana.


    If that happened, then I could have failed to make Jullian a Hikikomori. Because the fight between me and Jullian earlier prohibited the use of Mana. If Jullian knew that I was a Mana user, he would definitely propose to fight with maximum power.


    "Yes. You don''t have to worry. I will spare your life. I will also spare the remaining members of the ck Box Organization here."


    After I convinced him, I borrowed the knife that the children were holding. Since all my weapons were destroyed in the battle with the leader of the ck Box Organization, I don''t carry any weapons now.


    I used a knife I borrowed from the kids to cut the handcuffs that bound the bald thug boss.


    Ka-ng!


    With one sh, the chains on both his hands and feet were severed. Because the chains that bound him were suddenly severed, he immediately fell to the ground. With his face pressed to the ground, he continued to thank me.


    I stood, watching all the prisoners who had just gained their freedom. There were about ten or maybe more of them. Less than the number of children.


    When they looked at me, they looked confused because they didn''t know me.


    However, I didn''t n to say anything to them. I don''t care about their confusion. After all, when theye outter and see that I have leveled their headquarters, they will understand immediately.


    "By the way, what''s your name?"


    "My name is Solemn, sir!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    As I thought, it was an unfamiliar name to my ears.


    Now, if I recall my memory, there wasn''t a bald person like him who was a member of the ck Box Organization in the Ryam City Branch. I mean, at a time in my previous life.


    In fact, I''m quite familiar with almost all the names of the members of the ck Box Organization in this branch of the city of Ryam. In other words, I know the names of every person I just killed.


    However, the important thing was, it seemed that he was indeed a new member. It was strange to see a bastard like this bald thug boss telling the truth. I just didn''t expect it.


    "Since when did you join this organization?"


    "Mmm, actually, I just joined not too long ago, sir. And the task of intercepting you a few days ago was also my first. Therefore, I only brought people I know to attack you, not members of the ck Box Organization."


    ''That makes sense.'' I thought. "All right. Anas and Solemn, you two follow me. As for the others, you guys wait for me upstairs."


    I left behind the children and the other prisoners.


    Behind me, there is Anas along with the Bald named Solemn.


    I lead the two people behind me into an empty room. Then, I pressed against the wall of the room. Suddenly a hole leading downwards opened. Down the stairs that continued with the torchlight on the wall, the two people behind me continued to stare with surprised faces.


    "I-I didn''t expect that in the dungeon, there''s adder that leads deep into the ground like this."


    Seeing the shocked faces of Solemn and Anas, I guess they both don''t know where we are going. Well, that''s only natural. After all, only someone with the rank of branch leader could know where I was going.


    The reason why I was able to find out was that I had obtained this information from Gilbert who had be my puppet. Even though it had be like a doll, somehow, when I asked him, he was still able to answer.


    ''But somehow, he can''t answer a question that points to the person who gave him the pill he ate.''


    Even so, I can still ask important questions about a few things. Especially about the system in the ck Box Organization and other things regarding criminal organizations.


    In his opinion, the Ryam City Branch was the branch of the organization that was looked down upon the most.


    It might have been a little strange when I heard it from Gilbert''s own mouth that had be like a puppet, but, he said, he was someone from the headquarters of the ck Box Organization in the capital city, but he was exiled to the Ryam City Branch.


    For that reason, it wouldn''t be strange if Gilbert''s strength was weak. Maybe that was the reason why he was exiled.


    Actually, a criminal organization like the ck Box is only underestimated by various Kingdoms, including the Misonia Kingdom itself.


    While the reason why there are still many criminal organizations out there is that they can still be used by the leaders of a region.


    If there was a criminal organization that defied the nobles'' orders, on average that organization would be instantly destroyed by the soldiers belonging to the nobles.


    But because of this kind of criminal organization anyway, I have thoughts of using them.


    Without realizing it, we arrived at the end of the stairs. In front of us, there is a door. What''s clear is that, when I opened the door, there was a room inside. Before I go inside, I tell the two people behind me.


    "This is a room that only you guys are allowed to know about. In other words, I''m telling you to keep this ce a secret from the others."


    Anas looked confused, while Solemn just nodded like a machine.


    After that, I opened the door. As soon as the door opened and what was inside the secret room was seen, Anas and Solemn surprised faces could make a catugh.


    The reason was not because of the collection of chests that lined the length of the room, but what was inside the chest. Inside some of the opened chests, copper, bronze, and silver coins could be seen shining until they pierced Solemn and Anas'' eyes.


    As seen, this is the ce where the money collected by the ck Box Organization Members of the Ryam City Branch is located. I''m sure all this wealth has been umted over the years.


    Considering that the ck Box organization was thergest criminal organization, that kind of treasure was a reasonable amount even if it came from a remote branch.


    ording to what Gilbert had told him, the Ryam City branch was remote but rich, so earning money was easy. But there wasn''t much they could do with the money.


    "Use this money to rebuild your headquarters."


    I told Solemn to get some money.


    "You don''t need to be confused. From now on, I will appoint the two of you as leaders of the Ryam City branch of the ck Box Organization."


    Then, I told them what I had nned.

 Chapter 39 Great Farewell (1)

    ?On the surface, I told Solemn to be a leader. I had him take over the position of the previous leader of the ck Box Organization who was now my puppet.


    And then, I gave orders to the boss of the bald thugs to continue carrying out their criminal activities, including fulfilling the requests of the nobles who lead this territory. In another word, Baron Warwick.


    "When you receive an order under the guise of a request from Baron Warwick to find me or even kill me, don''t refuse it. Just pretend you agree to it, then take the money, and do the search as necessary."


    Above his bald head, a light appeared indicating that he understood the reason why I gave such an order. I think even he knows that a criminal organization as big as the ck Box is still under the authority of the nobility in an unwritten manner.


    "Alright, sir!"


    With that, Solemn left the room. So, now only Anas and the children are left.


    "Inventory!"


    [Skill Inventory - Activated.]


    Actually, before I brought Solemn and Anas here, I had already entered this room and ced most of the treasure chests into my inventory.


    To that end, the few chests filled with money in this room were actually just leftovers that I left behind.


    Anas was confused when I used the Skill Inventory, but considering he''s a smart kid, he didn''t say anything.


    I took some magic items from the inventory. This is a magic item that came from the treasure chest of the ck Box Organization that I confiscated.


    "Take a good look, I''ll tell you what the function of these things is."


    "What is this?"


    "This is a magic item."


    At first, he was surprised when he heard that the items I took out were magic items. But he soon took a good look.


    The first magic item I want to exin to him is a dagger. This dagger has poison. And to further reassure him, rather than just giving him an exnation, I tried to prove the poison effect of the dagger.


    I tested it by scratching my own hand. When the dagger grazed my hand, blood crawled out from within the scratch.


    What came out was not only blood but also green poison. With the poison vapor also flowing out, Anas held his nose at the smell of the poison.


    "Uh! Why did you cut your own hand? And, isn''t that poison?"


    He has good eyes because he can recognize the poison in the wound on my hand.


    "Don''t worry."


    I don''t have to worry because I already have the Poison Resistance skill. So even when I poison myself like this, I won''t feel the effects of the poison.


    And sure enough, as soon as the poison''s effects started to creep through my body, before I was really affected, a system message informed me that the Poison Resistance skill had activated automatically.


    [Poison Resistance - Activated.]


    "This dagger has poison in it. So you have to be careful."


    [Name: Snake Saliva Dagger


    Level: Middle


    Description: When you sh someone using this Dagger, the enemy is exposed to poison that can make them dizzy.]


    Even though it''s only Middle level, it can make the opponent feel dizzy. By making the opponent dizzy even with minor scratches, it can give him enough time to escape if he is in danger.


    After Snake Saliva Dagger, and then, I exined the description of the other magic items.


    A Magic Book. Magic Books could make a person learn a skill.


    [Name: Skill Book - Dagger Wielder


    Level: Middle


    Description: A book that can grant you dagger mastery skills. Skill level depends on your understanding and Skill Book level.]


    Maybe it''s a little more valuable, but I actually feel that when I use the dagger, I''ll also get that kind of skill with the help of the World System.


    If there was no help from the World System, one would have to study diligently to be able to use the Skill Book. And for someone who doesn''t have much free time like me, such a low-level skill book won''t be of much use.


    ''There''s nothing wrong with investing a little.''


    "Take this."


    I gave both of them to him.


    "You can practice using these magic items, but don''t let the rest of the ck Box Organization realize that you have these items, including Solemn. I''m sure you''ll understand why I said that."


    Heavily, he nodded at my words. In this world, only your own strength can rely on.


    In the near future, I''m sure Solemn and the remaining members of the ck Box Organization won''t do anything to the children for fear of me being behind them. But, one day, I believe that fear will go away.


    Therefore, Anas, who understood what I meant, reluctantly epted my gift.


    When Anas received the magic items, drops of water began to flow from the corners of his eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It was only natural for him to be moved, because in total, maybe all the magic items were worth hundreds of gold coins.


    "I-is all of this true for me?"


    "Yes."


    "H-how can I repay all your kindness? Is there anything I can do?"


    I''ve been waiting for such a question toe out of his mouth. Then I gave one more magic item. It was the Communication Crystal Ball.


    "Actually, there''s something you can do. I want you to gather all the information that exists within Ryam City. Within a certain period of time, use this Communication Crystal Ball to transmit that information."


    His reaction was surprising.


    After wiping the tears that fell down her cheeks, she gracefully rested her knees on the ground like a knight when in front of their Master.


    "I don''t know your true identity. However, I will perfectly engrave your presence in my head. That way, I will always recognize you and repay your kindness in the future."


    An idea suddenly entered my mind when I saw Anas'' serious face. The attitude he showed was very simr to someone of noble blood, but I immediately denied it.


    The reason why I gave him magic items was because I knew that he could actually use Mana. Using the Hear of Everything Skill, I could feel the traces of Mana that were orderly within his body.


    ''Now, if I look seriously, his face doesn''t look like a real man. Or should I call him a pretty boy?''


    I immediately shook my mind to get rid of the dangerous idea in my head. That dangerous thought probably came because of the cry he let out.


    "You are a man. So stop crying."


    "Heh, who said boys can''t cry."


    "Up to you."


    With this, I finished taking care of the ck Box Organization headquarters of the Ryam City Branch.


    ***


    Outside the north gate of the Ryam city, a luxurious horse-drawn carriage was parked by the roadside. All around the carriage, soldiers were standing guard.


    The soldiers who wore armor all over their bodies looked extremely intimidating.


    There were even some road users breaking out in cold sweats when they were about to pass through the ranks of the soldiers.


    Understandably, the horse-drawn carriage in the middle of the line of soldiers in full armor was a horse-drawn carriage belonging to a noble.


    Yes, it was the horse carriage that would take Wi to Milestone Academy.


    Inside the horse carriage, Wi and Daniel were sitting across from each other.


    "Is it true that the bastard wille here?"


    Daniel asked Wi, but Wi didn''t answer right away. Wi acted like she was being bothered by something. Seeing Wi''s behavior, Daniel couldn''t help but knit his brows.


    "Can you stop doing that?"


    "What do you mean that I should stop? Aren''t you the one who should stop acting weird like that?"


    Daniel was angry when Wi said in a small voice that seemed to be telling Daniel.


    But in reality, Wi didn''t say that to Daniel, but to Callie who had been tickling her with a transparent form beside her.


    "Ufufu, I think I''ll stop bothering you now. Your brother is getting angry, you know."


    Callie let out augh that only Wi could hear.


    With Callie''s distraction stopped, Wi immediately answered what Daniel kept asking. It was a question regarding the whereabouts of the Mesties.


    "...Yes. Brother Mesties said he woulde here to see me before I left."


    After the question he asked was confirmed, Daniel let out a venomous smile.


    How not, before he left the mansion, he had been given an assignment by his father, Baron Warwick, to capture the Mesties.


    "Since your little sister is now able to study at Milestones Academy, I''m not expecting too much from you. So, before you go to Milestone Academy, make sure you catch Mesties."


    That''s what his father said. Luckily, he overheard Wi muttering that the Mesties would meet Wi in front of the north gate of the city.


    This way, he could immediately capture Mesties and head to Milestone Academy.


    ''After I catch that brat, next is your turn!''


    The dangerous thoughts that Daniel had in mind were directed at Wi. Not even just to Wi alone, but the radical thoughts he had also spread to his own father, who he felt underestimated him.


    ''After I finish you off, I''ll get the wealth and titles I want.''


    "Kukukuku!"


    Daniel covered his mouth, preventing an evilugh from escaping his mouth.

 Chapter 40 Great Farewell (2)

    ?After I finished arranging everything I needed to arrange regarding the ck Box organization headquarters of the Ryam city branch, I left the ck Box organization headquarters of the Ryam city branch.


    Before leaving, I had given the task of Solem and the other remaining members to clean up all the other criminal organizations that existed within Ryam city. They should already be the only criminal organization in the city, so it''ll be easier for me to use them one day.


    Of course, they didn''t have to do it right away, but when I returned one day, they should have finished what I ordered, which was to wipe out all the other criminal organizations in this city.


    Even though they seemed pessimistic at first, I didn''t care. I just want to give them a long-term goal. And now, my two feet continue to walk towards the north gate of the city.


    I still remembered that I had written to Wi that I would meet her at the north gate of the city, but I felt sorry for doing so.


    Actually, I didn''t have much to say to Wi since I had Callie beside her.


    But somehow, I promised to meet her instead.


    Did I slightly expect to have a heartwarming farewell scene like the main character?


    ''I must be crazy. Should I go back?''


    Actually, my next destination is Burgenfield city which is in the west. So I don''t have to go to the north gate of the city to meet Wi.


    ''Yes. I''d better go straight to Burgenfield city and meet the main heroine who lives there!''


    Indeed, I had made a contract for Jullian to be a hikikomori for one year.


    However, if Jullian''s strength was sufficient, there was a very high possibility that he would be able to break the contract binding him, and it would be purely using his own strength.


    If so, Jullian would be free to do whatever he wanted. He was able to enter an event that would see him recognized as a hero and ended up incorporating the main heroine into his harem.


    As much as possible, I wanted to prevent Jullian from bing a hero.


    When I made up my mind to go to the west gate of the city, without realizing it, I had arrived at the north gate of the city.


    I should have just turned around and left, but something was holding me back from doing so.


    Amon thing that happens is, when you''re about to leave the city, you don''t have to be checked by the gate soldiers. But instead, I saw soldiers checking out those who came out, not just those who entered the city.


    And when they saw me, they seemed ready to eat me alive. Luckily I was still wearing a face covering, so they didn''t really recognize me.


    ''I believe they have been given orders by Baron Warwick to prevent me from escaping this city. At this rate, I''m sure the west gate also has soldiers on guard.''


    If every gate is guarded, I have no other choice but to break through. As a result, my two legs continued to lead me to be able to break through the line of guard soldiers.


    "Hey, you over there, stop running!"


    Seeing that I ignored their screams, they shouted to alert another gatekeeper not too far away.


    They are slower than me. So I can get away. However, bad luck still hit me. As I passed them, the hand of one of the guards managed to tear the cloth covering my face.


    Since my face was exposed, they started chasing after me like crazy people. And that''s not the only problem I have.


    When I got outside the gate, I could see a line of soldiers surrounding a horse-drawn carriage. The carriage was luxurious, in which I was sure that Wi was in it.


    From inside the carriage, Wi got out.


    But the strange thing was, there was Daniel who also came out. As soon as Daniel came out, he looked at me like someone thirsting for revenge.


    Wi raised her hand and waved her hand as if to call out to me.


    But Daniel was the first one to yell at me.


    "Hahahaha. Now, your history is over. You guys, catch that guy! Let me kill him here."


    With themand that came out of Daniel''s mouth, the soldiers hastily surrounded me. Their footsteps echoed all around. Together with the nging sound of their armor, they surrounded me in an instant.


    Likewise, the soldiers guarding the gates have arrived and surrounded me.


    Seeing such a sudden turn of events, it was natural for Wi to be surprised. From the expression she showed, she didn''t seem to understand why her brother ordered the soldiers to surround and capture me.


    "Why did you do that?"


    Wi wondered in confusion.


    "You''d better keep quiet and don''t interfere. It''s father''s orders to arrest that person."


    "Hey. He''s our brother! Why would father give such an order?"


    "Huh? I can''t believe that you still think of that person as a member of our family."


    Daniel''s anger overflowed like an active volcano. As he continued to be harassed by Wi, he pushed Wi to the ground.


    With a ze of fury in his eyes, he looked down on Wi.


    On the other hand, Wi could only lower her face.


    It''s an entertaining show. Is that what ismonly referred to as a dispute between brother and sister? Even though Wi was in a pitiful position, I wasn''t the main character who would be moved to save her and act as a hero.


    It wasn''t just me who was quietly watching everything that was happening, there was also Callie who was watching not far from Wi in Stealth mode.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Do you need my help?"


    In such a situation, Callie offered help to me. But I shook my head to reject it.


    There''s no need to rely on Callie''s help because I''m afraid that she''ll charge meter.


    Even when Daniel''s hand touched Wi''s chin, and made a disgusting expression, I still didn''t move.


    "Hey, did you hear the sound of something cracking? I think it''s like someone grinding their teeth."


    "What do you mean?"


    The two soldiers behind me muttered something, but I ignored it.


    What''s more, the more time these people spend, the better off I will be.


    [You have ordered your mind puppet toe immediately.]


    Since the beginning, I had ordered Gilbert to head here immediately.


    Previously, after I got Gilbert as a puppet, I tested how far the effective mind control range was. For that, inwardly, I ordered Gilbert to go as far as possible.


    And as a result, the effective range of innermands I can give is quite far. At the very least, it covered everything in Ryam city. But when it reaches its limit, I feel like the control I can exert begins to weaken.


    Whereas if mind control had no distance restrictions, I would like to order Gilbert to guard the headquarters of the Ryam City Branch ck Box Organization led by Anas and Solemn from the shadows.


    But I can not realize the idea.


    "Hey, why are you guys just surrounding him? Get him quick. I don''t want to waste too much time here."


    Daniel''s order came out, and then several soldiers approached me.


    You might think that I will fight. If you thought it would happen, then you are wrong. I just gave up when some of the soldiers subdued me.


    My body is still full of injuries from fighting Gilbert. Mana inside the Stigma of Darkness has also been depleted. So, I don''t have that many cards to fight against this group of soldiers anymore.


    "Fuhahaha~ Good. You seem to realize that even if you fight back, you have no hope of leaving here alive. Is that the reason why you can only surrender?"


    As soon as I bowed with several soldiers holding my hands behind my back, Daniel only dared toe forward and speak in front of me.


    He took out a sword and prepared to swing the sword to kill me.


    "Hehe. Die!!"


    When he said that, an explosion suddenly resounded amidst the crowd of soldiers.


    Kboom!


    "What is it? Who dares to disturb this beautiful moment of mine?"


    Daniel was furious like crazy.


    But he quickly shut his mouth when he saw the figure of the person who came. That person was Gilbert, who used arge ax as his weapon.


    I controlled Gilbert using my mind. And as a result, one by one the soldiers under Daniel''s orders flew like lowly insects.


    When Daniel wasn''t paying attention to me, I did what I needed to do.


    Against the backdrop of a chaotic battle, I feel like I finally don''t have to act like a weakling anymore.


    Just a reminder, the Mana in the Stigma of Darkness has already run out, but I haven''t activated the Mana inside me yet, so I still have Mana reserves left.


    Quickly, I activated the Mana that was within me.


    [Active Mana: 498.]


    In the status window, where initially Active Mana only had a (-) sign as an indication that I didn''t have Mana, suddenly the number 498 started to appear.


    [Skill Strengthening - Activated.]


    Using Mana, I strengthen my body. As a result, I was easily able to break free from the grip of the two soldiers who were holding my arms from behind. Then I took the sword that was in my inventory.


    [Swordsmanship Skill - Activated.]


    sh!


    In the blink of an eye, the two soldiers'' heads that were previously still attached to their bodies now detached and flew away, followed by a torrent of blood that continued to pour out.


    The reason was simple, it was because I had shed their heads at the same time.


    With the two soldiers down, Daniel finally turned his gaze to me.


    Without saying anything, the moment our eyes met, I shed my sword toward his neck.

 Chapter 41 Great Farewell (3)

    ?From the start, I already had the n to kill Daniel. However, it was obvious that I couldn''t do that when we were still in the mansion.


    Therefore, this is the chance I get to finish what I should have done. I don''t want the root of hatred in Daniel to continue to gue me like a parasite in my life. Especially when I dream of a rxed,fortable, and free life without any burdens.


    But¡­.


    ng!


    Sparks appeared when the sword I was swinging was blocked by a warrior''s de. The soldier appeared and blocked my attack so quickly that I was forced to retreat backward.


    I wasn''t absolutely surprised by the appearance of the soldier blocking me. For a noble''s son, at least it was only natural to have a bodyguard.


    Unlike the other warriors who wore headgear, the warrior who parried my sword showed his face proudly. Not to mention the shiny iron armor that he was wearing, it looked very conspicuouspared to the other warriors.


    With just that difference, I knew that he was no ordinary soldier, but a knight. The title of a knight had a different meaning from the title of an ordinary soldier. Knights are titles given to those who have faithfully served a noble family from generation to generation. And of course, knights had their own standard of strength.


    "I once heard that the second young master had surprisingly excellent swordsmanship, but I didn''t expect that to turn out to be true. Where did you learn that swordsmanship from?"


    He said proudly. His chest puffed out to show that he was a knight.


    I just frowned when I saw his face closely. From his face, he looked like a man in his 50s. I had the feeling I''d seen his face somewhere, but I forgot.


    "This is indeed very unfortunate, but I have received an order from my lord to capture you. So, you might as well give up and let us arrest you, Young Master."


    "... I refuse."


    "Why did you refuse? You didn''t even need to run away from home after losing to Jullian. After receiving your attack, I realized that you have the skills to handle the sword. If you keep practicing, you can at least defeat a Beginner-level Warrior."


    "Thank you for your good intentions, Mister Knight. But I still refuse."


    Do I look like I ran away from the mansion because I lost against Jullian? It might look like that from an outsider''s perspective.


    I don''t think anyone knows the real reason I left the Warwick residence.


    "Since you keep refusing my advances, I think I need to use force."


    He stepped forward and attacked, but he still didn''t use Mana, so I was still able to defend myself easily.


    In the middle of a sword fight, suddenly, a skill I didn''t expect activates and makes me frown.


    [Skill Memorize - Active.]


    I didn''t expect the Memorize skill to suddenly activate. I remember that the effect of this skill is to bring up a memory that I forgot. In that case, the person in front of me must be someone I''ve actually interacted with, or at the very least, she''s someone I''ve seen.


    Holding my head, which felt a little dizzy, I started to remember.


    It felt really weird like there was a clip in my head spinning automatically. The clip shows a scene of an old man in a slum. When I watched it, indeed the face of the old man in the slum and the face of the knight in front of me felt simr.


    But that''s not what made me frown a little, but rather what the old man was talking about.


    The expression he showed and the tone of voice he used when he spoke looked like a madman, so everyone passing by would pay attention to him, just like I used to.


    ''Maybe that''s the reason I can forget about it.''


    The story he tells is indeed very important, namely about the destruction of the Warwick family.


    However, at that time, I was free from the grip of the ck Box organization and I became an adventurer. I did hear some people talk about the copse of the Warwick noble family, but I didn''t think much of it.


    To be honest, I never thought the Warwick family was important. In the past, I only thought that the Warwick family was a temporary shelter, so I didn''t care when the Warwick family was destroyed.


    Moreover, the destruction of a noble family was a natural thing at that time. So, I never investigated what, how, or who was behind the copse of the Warwick family.


    "... Haaa. I see."


    I can only sigh. Who, why, and how could the Warwick family be destroyed? The answer to that question I got through the Memorize skill, or rather, from the mouth of someone who was considered a crazy old man.


    All of that was useful information, but even so, my regression could turn all that information into ashes, so I needed to be careful how I acted.


    After all, I have no intention of stopping the destruction of the Warwick family.


    As I focused on contemting, the confident voice of the figure I indicated to be the Vice Knight Captain, Trusty, woke me up.


    "You have to focus when fighting, Young Master."


    "Wait a moment, Vice Knight Captain Trusty. I want to ask you one question. Are you really going to close your eyes?"


    "It''s surprising to see that you know me. But what do you mean by that?"


    It couldn''t be helped that he was confused by what I said. Then, I just need to say straightforwardly.


    "Hasn''t there been something strangetely about my father''s character? He seems like a fickle, angry person, and seems like someone else. If you think about it deeply, I''m sure you''ll understand what I mean."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Stop your disrespectful remarks towards the Lord I serve."


    "...."


    Now, I know the reason why he could look so desperate when the Warwick family fell. Judging from the sudden anger that erupted when I insulted Baron Warwick, he must be a very loyal knight.


    He frowned, readied the sword in his hand, and let out a sizeable Mana explosion.


    [Skill Amplification - Active.]


    [Hear of Everything Skill - Activated.]


    Before he could attack me, I activated several skills including the Amplification and Hear of Everything skills.


    Considering it was my first time activating all the skills I could activate simultaneously, this would indeed be a bit of a strain on my body. So, it wouldn''t be strange if Mana''s consumption would be very high.


    "Ugh!"


    Like it or not, I felt a pretty big burden all over my body. Some say that the internal energy, aka Mana, within a person must be in bnce with the user''s physical strength, and that seems to be true.


    But thanks to that, I managed to withstand its attacks. I used the Hear of Everything skill to read his Mana flow. Meanwhile, Swordsmanship skills, Amplification skills, and Strengthening skills to withstand attacks and counterattacks.


    "...Are you angry that I tried to make you lose your allegiance towards my father?"


    "Shut up! Why do you even dare to speak ill about your own father?"


    I think his brain is too loyal to Baron Warwick. In fact, because of that loyalty, he will regret it. Well, I don''t really have any intention of saving this fellow from the regretful fate he willter fall into.


    At the very least, I''ve nted seeds of suspicion in his head. Whether it blooms or dies, that''s none of my business anymore.


    "Kuk. Since when have you been able to use Mana?"


    "Is this the right time to be surprised?"


    He looked surprised as I held back each of his attacks. Seeing that he had used Mana from the start, he was definitely serious. However he only attacked the non-vital parts of my body, so clearly, he only intended to paralyze me.


    ng!


    Tsuk!


    For that, I managed tond a stab through his breastte.


    Crash!


    When I drew my sword, a small amount of blood stuck to the tip of my sword, indicating that my attack had sessfully injured him.


    He looked speechless as he wiped the blood on the armor covering his chest. His face was dark. Was his pride hurt from getting hurt fighting me?


    "Hah... I shouldn''t be angry. Originally I never thought that I would be forced to use this skill. For thest time, I advise you to just give up, Second Young Master."


    "I also suggest that you give up persuading me, Mister Vice Knight Captain, Trusty."


    After hearing my answer, a powerful aura suddenly appeared around his body. Is that a killing aura? I think so. However, I just smiled.


    The killing aura emitted by a knight who upholds loyalty without ever doing anything dirty? Pfftt~ it can churn my insides because that is too ridiculous.


    "What you''reughing at?"


    His eyebrows twitched as I tried to hold back augh.


    "Well, it''s funny to see the way you intimidate opponents."


    I don''t mean to offend, but I''m just being honest. Understandably, I''ve felt the killing intent of a true demon before, so it''s only natural that Iugh at the killing intent he emits.


    Seeing the veins in his temples getting bigger, he seemed to be getting more and more annoyed.


    "Fine. I won''t hold back anymore. Maybe you''ll lose one of your limbs. So, don''t me meter, because I already gave you a warning."


    With an increasingly serious expression, he raised the sword he was holding as if he was about to use the ultimate move.


    Since I was still using the Hear of Everything skill, I could tell his Mana movement. His mana began to concentrate on the sword he was holding. Slowly but surely, high-pressure Mana began to envelop his sword until it emitted a light color.


    Now, even using the naked eye without using the Hear of Everything skill, I could see the glint all over the sword''s body.


    "Sword Aura!"


    He said the name of the skill he spat out quietly.


    Seeing that phenomenon, I just narrowed my eyes.

 Chapter 42 Sword Aura

    ?Sword Aura.


    I know about that skill. Maybe everyone knows that too. Sword Aura was a formidable skill. The skill could indicate that the user had reached the Master realm.


    Apart from using the Mana Core level as a measure of one''s strength, there was also the rank of a Warrior.


    These levels are divided from the lowest being Beginner, Trainee, Veteran, Master, and then Grandmaster. At least, these are the five general levels known today.


    Actually, to be called a Warrior Beginner is something difficult, especially to be able to reach the Master realm.


    Honestly, if I got hit by the vice captain''s Sword Aura skill, I could die instantly.


    Moreover, even though I appear to be underestimating my situation, my body has reached its limit. The breathing out of my nose is also getting erratic. At this rate, I could copse at any moment.


    In my current state, I couldn''t possibly defeat him. For that reason, my mind turned to focus on running away.


    And in order for me to run away, I have to keep Vice Knight-Captain in ce. In other words, someone must restrain him.


    Obviously, that person was Gilbert, my teddy bear.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Gilbert''s cornered state. One after another, incisions formed on top of his body.


    Although individually he looked great, but against a group of well-trained soldiers, he would be overwhelmed.


    Gilbert was under my control, which is why a mere flock of soldiers could easily push him back.


    You know, controlling a puppet to fight while myself is fighting is really hard. The easy picture is, you can imagine that my brain is being split in two, where one I use to control my own body, while the other one I use to control my doll.


    I used the Skill Hear of Everything to know every single attack the soldiers had so I could make my puppet dodge and attack at the right time. And that''s how I control my doll without looking.


    [Your skill in controlling Mind''s Puppet has increased.]


    I just treated the World System notification as a form of momentary constion. How could I not, when Gilbert''s body was getting hurt, somehow my mind also felt the pain. Maybe it''s natural since I''m the controller, but still, my head hurts.


    Boom!


    I made Gilbert kick the ground and ignored the soldiers'' attacks. As a result, Gilbert jumped past the soldiers just like that.


    Because Gilbert''s speed was faster than ordinary soldiers, Gilbert managed to leave the soldiers behind. Eventually, Gilbert was able to arrive beside me on time.


    Upon seeing Gilbert''s presence in front of me, Knight Vice-Captain Trusty started to let out a mocking voice to Gilbert.


    "I don''t know who you are, but you will regret having dared to obstruct a knight like me."


    Fortunately, it wasn''t toote. As soon as Gilbert arrived, Knight Vice-Captain Trusty''s Sword Aura attack came as well.


    ng!


    Gilbert''s rather long ax handle blocked Sword Aura''s frontal attack. What happened next was, Gilbert''s ax broke just like that. Without a crack, the Vice Knight Captain''s sword shed Gilbert''s iron ax in half so smoothly.


    [Congrattions! Your skill in controlling Mind''s Puppet has increased.]


    [Do you want to bring out the full potential of your Mind''s Puppet skill?]


    It came on time. Seeing the difference in strength between Gilbert and the Knight Vice-Captain, I didn''t have to hesitate to agree.


    [Note: if you agree to it, you will receive a huge impact on your mind.]


    "Unlucky!"


    I cursed myself for not reading the system messages topletion.


    Maybe it''s just my perspective, but I feel that the world is starting to spin randomly. My hands touched the ground to hold my body that wanted to fall.


    In the midst of the dizziness in my head, I could vaguely see Gilbert who began to fight back against the Knight Vice-Captain, Trusty


    ***


    On the other side of the battlefield, there was the figure of Daniel trying to find a safe ce to hide. And finally, he decided to hide behind a horse-drawn carriage.


    "Huuh~ huh."


    He still remembered the previous sh of Mesties sword aimed at his neck. Instantly, his whole body began to break out in cold sweat.


    "Shit! Is he really the Mesties I''ve known all along?"


    He couldn''t help but bite his fingernails.


    Until a moment ago, the only figure of Mesties in his mind was a weak young brother, easily bullied, and never fought back when he yed with him.


    He still remembered Mesties'' childhood, where Mesties only ate when it was time to eat, slept when it was time to sleep, and practiced when it was time to practice.


    Even when Daniel insulted, pushed, and even injured Mesties, Mesties never showed a change of expression. Because Daniel does that so often, bullied Mesties had be a habit.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Eventually, at some point, his constant distractions began to pay off, at least, that''s what he thought when Mesties became a drunk and could only be depressed in the room.


    He felt, even more, superior because Mesties couldn''t use Mana, while he entered Milestone Academy, the most prestigious Magic Academy on the Averus Continent.


    But, since when did everything start to change? He didn''t know when exactly because he had juste back from Milestone Academy. But since he came home, it feels like a lot has changed.


    Now, he had noticed the change in Mesties'' character, even though he rarely showed emotion, but Mesties would no longer remain silent when bullied.


    While thinking of that, he suddenly became even more irritated. ''How can I, who is a student of Milestone Academy, shudder in fear and went into hiding like this?''


    When that thought came, he put up an illusory wall in his mind. Trying to convince himself that he is superior to the Mesties.


    Humans are indeed such creatures, when an unbelievable realityes, they tend to convince themselves by believing in a fake reality made up by their minds.


    With a confident face, he looked towards the battlefield.


    When Mesties was shing swords with the vice knight-captain, he couldn''t hide his surprised reaction.


    ''Damn. How did he have that kind of power? Has he been hiding his power all this time? But he definitely can''t beat the vice knight-captain, right.''


    And sure enough, when the vice knight-captain used Sword Aura, Mesties could only take refuge behind the mysterious man.


    What''s more, Mesties looked even more pitiful when both of his knees touched the ground with one hand supporting him, while the other hand held his head as if his head was dizzy.


    Seeing that, Daniel felt happiness within himself. He felt this was the perfect opportunity to end the Mesties'' life. With a loathsome smile, he drew his sword and started to approach the Mesties.


    ***


    I didn''t expect that Gilbert would have enough power to fight against Vice Knight-Captain Trusty, where Gilbert was bringing out various skills that he didn''t show when against me.


    Was it his true strength, he twisted his body while wielding the ax that shortened with a lethal twist. As if he were a walking tornado, he began to sessfully withstand the momentum of Vice Knight Captain Trusty''s attack.


    ''I can''t let the opportunity he gave me go to waste, right?''


    In my mind, I sent a telepathic message to Gilbert, ''Goodbye''. Whether he would survive or not, I didn''t think too much about it.


    If he still had consciousness, he would have gone berserk because I left him to be a living shield. It was a good thing that he was under the influence of the Mind''s Puppet skill.


    When I focused on running away, I suddenly jumped to the side.


    Maybe you can say that what I do is just a reflex, which means, a movement that I do unconsciously. But what I did just made me dodge the sneak attack.


    sh!


    A sword sh passed through the ce where my body was previously.


    "Huh! You can avoid my attack?"


    The person with the stupid expression was Daniel.


    I didn''t expect that this idiot would still bully me to the end.


    Even though I still have a headache, I still have enough power to throw trash in its ce. Obviously, the trash I''m referring to is Daniel.


    In an instant, I, who was originally in front of Daniel, was immediately behind him.


    His eyes widened at how fast my movement was. By reflex, he retreated backward, but it was toote since I had finished attacking him.


    "W-what?"


    He was still wondering like a fool.


    "Look at your hand."


    When I pointed at his arm, only then did he realize.


    Yes, his hand had been cut off cleanly and neatly. From the tip of his shoulder, his hand disappeared, leaving only blood flowing.


    When he saw his severed hand lying on the ground, his eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets.


    "H-Hahahaha T-this can''t be happening... Aaaahhhh~"


    At first, he seemed very hard to believe what was happening. But when the pain receptors in his body started to travel to his brain, he started screaming from the pain.


    Holding the base of his arm, he fell while screaming and thrashing like crazy.


    While he was feeling pain all over his body, he was probably trying to stop the bleeding in his arm with the Mana he had. I could tell that from every Mana move he made.


    Finally, he stopped screaming.


    He looked at me with a look that I could not guess. Was that a desperate look? Surprised? Anger? But that''s not important. Fate is certain. I will kill him here.

 Chapter 43 Kill Him

    ?"Sibling?"


    In the midst of the bloody scenes surrounding this ce, suddenly a low-pitched voice came out of a woman''s mouth.


    Instantly, Daniel and I turned our gaze in the direction from which the voice came.


    It turned out that the voice came from Wi''s mount.


    As soon as Daniel saw Wi, a sly smile tugged at his mouth.


    "Wi-Wi, look what your brother, Mesties, did to me. I-Is this something a brother would do?"


    He showed his severed arm. Of course, he didn''t forget to show tears, snot, and sad expressions on his face.


    That expression would indeed make anyone sympathize with him, but that didn''t apply to Wi, who had just received bad treatment from Daniel.


    And if I had to, I could also argue, "Aren''t you the first one to want to kill me", or something like that.


    But I choose to be silent.


    Wi also didn''t seem to respond to Daniel''s words. She just covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes kept shaking violently.


    She may be surprised.


    Seeing Wi who was silent without responding, Daniel suddenly started raging.


    "Y-you bitch! Damn it! How dare¡­ Why are you just keeping quiet?! Do you dare to fight me now!"


    A series of profanity words left his mouth, followed by a torrent of spit that sttered everywhere.


    But as soon as I came closer to him, it looked like he sessfully regained his sense of the situation.


    He retreated backward dragging his butt.


    Strangely, I can see something wet between his legs.


    "S-Stop. Don''te any closer! Please, spare me."


    He tried to plead with a pitiful face.


    I could feel the fear he was feeling because he would even pee in his pants like that.


    But, it''s a shame because from the start I had no intention of forgiving him.


    "I don''t have any more time, so I won''t give you a chance to say anyst words. Goodbye."


    "S-stoooppp!!"


    I thrust my sword to pierce Daniel''s heart.


    He did put up a bit of resistance by focusing Mana around his chest, but I was still able to prate Daniel''s heart.


    As a result, the tip of my sword prated all the way to his back.


    A groan of pain escaped from his mouth.


    Whereas his eyes, which were ring at mine, showed extreme hatred. Even so, I wasn''t scared at all. I just drew my sword like it was nothing.


    As soon as my sword left his body, hey t on the ground. A pool of fresh red blood wrapped around his body.


    What a terrible sight.


    Just like that, I managed to end Daniel''s history in this world.


    As usual, when I had killed, a mysterious energy began to enter the Dark Stigma.


    [The Stigma of Darkness has begun to absorb Death''s Mana... The absorption process has failed.]


    However, something out of the ordinary happened. I don''t know why, but the Death Mana from Daniel''s body can''t be absorbed by the Stigma of Darkness.


    Even though I hoped that the World System would notify me, the follow-up notification message never came.


    Since the Hear of Everything Skill was still active, I could hear a sound that I identified as Death''s Mana.


    Death Mana''s voice is different from that of ordinary Mana and Demonic Mana.


    Ordinary Mana seems soothing, and Demonic Mana seems full of anger.


    However, Death Mana is different. Death Mana is more like nothingness like there is sound but also like nothing.


    And, that voice wasing out, flying and disappearing somewhere. That''s the best exnation I can describe.


    Unfortunately, I can''t keep thinking about that. I already felt a strange stare from the moment I killed Daniel.


    Turning my gaze, I saw the direction the strange gaze wasing from.


    It turned out to be Wi.


    She watched me with a frightened expression. She even covered her mouth as if she was going to vomit.


    And when her eyes met my eyes, there was an obvious fear in her eyes.


    ''Does she think I''m not going to kill Daniel?''


    If previously she might have felt that I was a brother at heart, I wanted to let her know through this action that I was not the brother she had always known.


    I don''t mind if she feels disappointed. I''ll let her mind fly free. Even if she thinks that I have be a sadistic brother, I don''t mind.


    Instead of pretending to be kind by letting Daniel live, it''s better to eradicate what would be a hindrance to me.


    After all, I was a Mesties who came from the earth and a figure who had lived twice in this world, not the brother she had known all along.


    Ignoring Wi, I just walked away.


    But before I could escape, the dizziness in my head suddenly increased sharply. I can feel the paining from nowhere.


    My eyes continued to scan my surroundings until they stopped just as I saw the fight between Gilbert and the Vice Knight Captain.


    In the middle of their fight, a burst of fresh blood shot into the air.


    And from there, I realized where the pain I felt wasing from. It turned out that the pain I was feeling was the aftereffect of the puppet I was controlling had received a fatal blow from the Vice-Knight Captain''s Sword Aura.


    My eyes subconsciously met the Vice Knight Captain''s eyes, where his eyes looked ready to eat me alive.


    Apparently, he still had time to avert his eyes in the middle of his fight with Gilbert.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You guys, what are you doing, hurry and arrest that person. Do whatever it takes to catch him, even if you have to hurt him."


    Was it because he had the upper hand against Gilbert, he could still yell at a bunch of useless soldiers between fights.


    The soldiers didn''t do anything else because Gilbert, the person they were fighting, was busy fighting the Knight Vice-Captain.


    But they looked shabby.


    Their armor was dented after the fight with Gilbert.


    "I-is what we saw true? Did the second young master just kill the first young master?"


    "It seems we saw right."


    Contrary to Vice Knight Captain''s orders, the other soldiers still looked confused.


    Maybe they still don''t believe that I killed Daniel.


    Seeing the behavior of the soldiers who looked like kittens when given cat toys, made Vice-Captain Knight even more furious.


    "Shit! Don''t you guys have to hurry and see the first young master''s condition? If he''s still breathing, then you have to save him. As for the rest, you can catch the second young master."


    "Th-then, what will happen if he dies?"


    "...Then you¡ªno¡ªbut we will all be finished."


    "Hup!"


    Their terrified voices rang clearly in my ears. They didn''t even have time to prepare and adjust the positions of their helmets and iron armor because they had to immediately obey their superiors.


    Such is the fate of the side characters. Somehow, I always have a special feeling when I see a group of people who I consider extra characters.


    They immediately ran to Daniel.


    Seeing Daniel wallowing in a pool of red blood, they gasped.


    And after checking and finding that Daniel''s breathing had stoppedpletely, they were sure that Daniel was Dead.


    I may not be able to see because they are wearing full body armor, but I can tell you that they are in a cold sweat.


    "Oh crap. The First Young Master Daniel is no longer breathing."


    "W-what should we do?"


    "Let''s quickly catch the second young master Mesties first! We should at least catch him. Don''t let us lose him, if he were to escape, we would all die for sure."


    "A-Alright, I guess so."


    The two soldiers who checked Daniel nodded to each other in agreement. Then they conveyed it to the vice knight captain. Along with the vice knight captain''s anger, the soldiers also started letting out screams of their own.


    "Hyaaa! Chase the second young master!"


    Their screams echoed. Somehow, the soldiers chased after me like a bunch of demon-possessed people screaming loudly.


    But they were toote.


    I''ve been thinking of a way to escape ever since.


    Luckily, I saw the horse-drawn carriage that Wi and Daniel previously rode in, so I could think of a way to escape.


    ''Since there are horse-drawn carriages, there must be horses to pull the carriages.'' That''s what I thought.


    Indeed, there were two horses at the front of the carriage. There was also a coachman who was seen calming the two horses so they would not run away.


    Luckily, when the coachman saw me, he immediately ran away in fright.


    ''He''s smart.'' The most perfect way of survival for an extra character is to avoid every conflict. Somehow, the coachman made me remember the way I lived in my previous life.


    After that, I cut the rope and iron connecting the horse to the carriage. Then I mounted one horse and pulled the rope connected to the other horse.


    That way, the other horse can run behind me. I took the other horse not only so the soldiers chasing me couldn''t use it, but so it could be used for something else.


    And that''s how I managed to escape leaving behind the pursuers on foot without being able to catch up to me on horseback.


    ***


    At another ce.


    Some time ago, there was someone who rode a fast horse out of Ryam City. He wore a hood that covered most of his body, including his face.


    When the hood he was wearing opened due to the wind, his face began to show. He is Gil, the servant assigned to serve the Mesties in the Warwick family.


    In contrast to the mysterious figure he disyed, he was actually sweating profusely as he continued to gallop, that was because he was in a hurry.


    "Ah, damn it. Why does the meeting ce have to be such a faraway ce."


    He muttered in annoyance.


    He rode a horse to a vige quite far from Ryam City.


    What he wanted to do was contact the leader of the Ryam City Branch''s ck Box Organization that was Gilbert. The reason for that was to convey something entrusted to him by Baron Warwick.


    And if you''re wondering why he''s in such a rush, it''s because he received a threat from Baron Warwick before he left.


    "Quickly tell the leader of the ck Box organization. If you''rete, I will have every soldier under mymand find and kill you."


    Finally, after receiving a death threat from Baron Warwick, he immediately rushed to the ce where he usually met with the leader of the ck Box organization.


    "I didn''t expect an old noble like him to still give off such a terrifying aura."


    When he thought back on the psychological pressure he had experienced from Baron Warwick, he got shivers.


    Actually, it wasn''t as if Baron Warwick had any powers or anything, it was simply the result of himself being overly anxious to the point of having strange delusions.


    Unknowingly, he continued to ept bad luck. It all started when Mesties hit him to the point of causing him to have excessive anxiety.


    "I hope he''s not toote."


    Before he left, he had already sent a message using a dove to the leader of the ck Box organization. But considering the message left to him by Baron Warwick was important, he had to tell him face to face.


    Therefore, the message he sent via the dove was simply ordering the leader of the ck Box organization toe to a designated ce.


    And so he continued on his way.

 Chapter 44 Remote Village

    ?Even though my head was about to burst, I still rode my horse to escape.


    ording to the direction from which I came, which was the north gate of the city, I should have run straight north, and that''s what I did.


    But I did not continue riding north.


    As soon as I get out of sight of the soldiers, I turn west. From there, I galloped until I felt that I had created quite a distance.


    ''There''s no way Baron Warwick will just keep quiet. Most likely, that person will surely send soldiers after me.''


    Thus, next, I must find a ce to rest. At least a small vige.


    But before I searched for the nearest vige, I got off the horse and let the horse go somewhere. I did that to trick the pursuers. Because if I continue to ride the horse, the footprints of the horse will be very clear and it will be easy to trace my whereabouts.


    Even though I still don''t feel too safe, at least I want to find a ce to recover from the headache I''ve been suffering from.


    That''s what I thought while staggering.


    After walking for a long time, I finally saw a vige.


    It was a remote vige in a remote area anyway, so it was no wonder the size of the vige was so small.


    In fact, ording to what I''ve seen, the number of houses can be counted on human fingers.


    [Skill Inventory - Active.]


    Once inside the vige, I used the remaining Mana in my body to take out a one-handed sword from the Inventory.


    That way, when I walk into the vige, the vigers will think I''m an Adventurer. And sure enough, as soon as a few people saw me, they immediately came up to me and started talking.


    "Are you an Adventurer, Sir?"


    "Yes. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    "I am the Vige Head of this vige. May I have a moment of your time?"


    "Of course."


    I tried to act like I wasn''t in pain.


    "Ahaha, good to hear. It''s been a long time since an Adventurer stopped by this vige since it''s a remote vige. Regardless, will you ept this old man''s request?"


    The old manughed with a worried look on his face. Maybe he was worried that I would get angry or maybe even throw a tantrum. At least, that was the stigma attached to the Adventurer profession.


    Moreover, a request like that had to be made to the Adventurer''s Guild first and then forwarded to the Adventurer.


    It is implemented to ssify the level of danger of a request first.


    To reduce the death rate of Adventurers, mission levels were created.


    "I''ll hear it first."


    Hearing my answer that seemed to give him hope, he gave a disgusting smile. Then he took me to his house to hear his request. This way, I can also rest there.


    ***


    After arriving at the house of the vige head who was going to make my request, he gave me the freedom to rest before we discussed the details of his request.


    ''It seems he has a serious problem since he allowed a foreigner like myself to live here.''


    Making the best of my time, I cleaned myself up andy down on my back on a hard, smelly mattress. Even so, I don''t have a problem because I''m used to living without a mattress.


    While lying down, I started thinking about a few things.


    "Hopefully the soldiers chasing me will think that I have gone north."


    I can make such assumptions not without reason, there is a rationale in which I believe that the soldiers pursuing me will prioritize searching northward.


    The reason was, in the north, manyrge cities could be used as hiding ces.


    Unlike what was north of Ryam city, west of Ryam city there were only small viges which would not make sense for hiding ces.


    Moreover, in the west direction from Ryam city, there is a ce that became the basis of my assumption, where I assumed that the soldiers would never think that I would go west.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The ce I am referring to is called Fier Mountain.


    Fier Mountain was alsomonly referred to as a natural barrier. A barrier that prevents Ryam city from being able to gain better ess to other major cities. That barrier was the reason why Ryam city was still a remote city.


    You might think that the lord of Ryam city should have made the ce no longer a natural Barrier, but I can guess with certainty that no generation of Ryam city lords has been able to realize that.


    Why? It was because Fier Mountain was a mysterious ce. Even that ce was already considered one of the 7 most mysterious ces on the Averus Continent.


    Indeed, many people tried to enter Fier Mountain, but not many people returned. Even the ones who returned left only fear on their faces.


    Speaking of which, Fier Mountain is a ce I''ve always wanted to visit.


    ''I don''t think it''s quite right to say that it''s a ce I want to go to, but a ce I have to go to.''


    Originally, I wanted to go to Fier Mountain and train from the beginning, but I changed my mind after seeing the various benefits of the World System.


    But now, seeing that I was having a hard time dealing with Gilbert and Vice Knight Captain, Trusty, I realized that I had to head to Fier Mountain.


    That''s not the only reason I''m going south. My biggest reason is to cut the road.


    ording to the route disyed on everyone''s general map, I must first travel north, passing through several towns and cities, before I can finally reach Burgenfield city.


    However, by cutting over Fier Mountain, I can arrive there more quickly.


    "He''s finally here."


    Actually, not only was I lying meaninglessly on the bed, but I was waiting for Gilbert''s arrival.


    Through mind control, I could tell that Gilbert had managed to escape safely. I went behind the vige chief''s house which was deserted. There, Gilbert unsteadily started walking towards me.


    Who would have thought that he would be able to escape alive? Even though the wounds on his body were ready to take his life, at least he was still safe.


    Previously, after the vice-knight captain Trusty heard the soldiers'' shouts saying that Daniel was dead, the vice-knight captain Trusty immediately lost interest in Gilbert.


    That was the reason why Gilbert was able to escape.


    It would be easier if you imagine me and Gilbert distracting the Vice Knight Captain and the soldiers from each other.


    That''s the biggest reason we can survive. And, about how he got here so quickly? It was because he had ridden the horse I gave him.


    Even though I couldn''t see how he escaped in person, I have a bit of an idea since I was the one controlling him.


    You can imagine that, as soon as I escaped, I let go of the other horse and let it run towards where Gilbert, who had already managed to escape, was. And that was the reason he was able to survive.


    p! p! p!


    The sound of a bird pping suddenly woke up my mind.


    My eyes stared at a bird that came uninvited.


    The pping of the bird''s wings shook off every wind in the air. The dove that was originally flying suddenlynded on Gilbert''s shoulder. Seeing that, I immediately caught the bird and took a piece of paper at the bird''s feet.


    I opened it and read what was written on the paper. It turned out to be a message written by someone. Since there is no name, I do not know who sent it. But, the content of the message is short, clear, and concise.


    The message read, "Meet me at the usual ce." Seeing that the message was addressed to Gilbert, I realized that I had to dig up information from Gilbert''s head.


    But before digging for information, I tried to cover every wound on Gilbert''s body as best I could. At the very least, I want to extend his life as long as possible.


    After tearing every piece of cloth on his body and some of mine, I managed to close up the wound. As a result, he looked like a tightly wrapped gift. Even though the blood was still seeping out, at the very least, the flow was not as heavy as before.


    After I finished, I began to interrogate him. But for some reason, the answer that came out of Gilbert''s mouth was very difficult for him to say as if he was having trouble speaking.


    [Your Mind''s Puppet control is getting weaker.]


    No wonder, it turns out that the control I have over Gilbert is getting weaker.


    Was it because of Gilbert''s injuries? Or is it because of the dwindling Death Mana in the Stigma of Darkness? At least, the two possibilities that I guessed were very likely to be the answer.


    Despite the difficulty, I managed to get the most important answer out of Gilbert''s mouth. But really, Gilbert''s answer managed to surprise me.


    "Order... Gil... Brother...."

 Chapter 45 Assassins Candidate

    ?As soon as I heard that Gil, a servant who served me once, was Gilbert''s biological brother, I was astonished.


    I was actually curious about the rtionship between the two of them and what kind of past they both had, but I kept those questions to myself because they weren''t important at this point.


    There are still better things than discussing their past.


    "Do you know the reason why Gil wants to meet you?"


    "Perhaps... He has a message... From Baron Warwick."


    Seeing every word that came out of his mouth that was bing more and more broken and unclear, it seemed like I couldn''t control this huge teddy bear much longer, in other words, this doll was about to expire.


    I have to dig up information from his head that I haven''t had the chance to dig up before. Of course, I have to dig up important information, not trivial information like his habits or something like that.


    First of all, I started to dig deeper into the ck Box organization.


    Such as information about the organization''s system. As well as other important information such as the location of their headquarters, the strength of the leaders, and so on.


    Granted, some of the information he provided was new to me, but I couldn''t get carried away in this moment of interrogation.


    Without lowering my guard against the surroundings, I continued to carry out the interrogation.


    But, I stopped after I sensed someone''s presence.


    That person was not far from me. Fortunately, I didn''t sense any ill will from that person, so I didn''t immediately attack him.


    The person emerged from the road beside the houses. He seemed to be looking from left to right as if he was looking for something.


    Finally, his eyes found me.


    "Ah, I finally found you!"


    His voice still sounded familiar to my ears.


    His figure still looks like a teenage boy''s.


    And his dark brown skin is still his trademark.


    Even though his clothes symbolized a man, when that person waved and approached me, his body movements somehow didn''t look like a man''s.


    Are there also shemale (half-male women) in this world? If there was, he would be one of them. Inevitably, I thought about useless things like that.


    There is only one person who fits the strange description above, that person is Anas, a child that I just freed from the hands of the ck Box Organization. Somehow, he got here and met me.


    "Earlier, I apologize if you don''t agree, Sir. But, on second thought, I wanted to follow you until I could repay your debt of kindness."


    After stating his intention, he scratched the back of his head while averting his eyes when I met his eyes. I think, his rebellious nature will still be there even if he is no longer in the grip of the ck Box Organization.


    But before that, I have to know the chronology of how he got here.


    "And how did you get here?"


    Maybe because he couldn''t hold my gaze, he then started to tell me about how he got here.


    "At first, I was astonished when I realized that all of the gates that sealed Ryam City had many soldiers on guard. And I felt that the number of soldiers was out of line."


    "And then?"


    "And I just broke through, hehehe."


    "How did you manage to break through just like that?"


    "I used the Dagger Wielder skill you gave me earlier."


    "Does that mean you can instantly master the Dagger Wielder from the Skill Book I gave you?"


    "Um... Yes."


    There were only a few possible reasons for how he could master a skill from the Skill Book. Either he had previously learned a skill rted to that skill, or he did have extraordinary talent. Maybe it could also be because he has very highpatibility with the skills in the Skill Book.


    Or instead, all the reasons above are the answer? In essence, he will be a very important asset if he has great potential.


    At first, I wanted to send him off because I didn''t want to have the extra burden on my journey, but it seemed that was unnecessary. Well, I guess I''ll prove it myself.


    "Then you should be able to use the Skill Dagger Wielder by now, right."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Isn''t it only natural that you have to prove your words?"


    "But how should I show it?"


    In response to his question, I readied the sword in my hand. When he saw me, who looked as if he was preparing to fight, he seemed to immediately understand what I meant.


    "Are you saying I have to fight you?"


    "Of course."


    "But, I only have the poison dagger you gave me, Sir. Won''t this harm you?"


    "Oh, didn''t I tell you that the dagger won''t have much effect on Mana users?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh, it''s no wonder that the warriors I shed before were able to recover quickly. I thought it was only because of the abilities I had, not because of the problem with the dagger. But... I see."


    He muttered under his breath while looking at the dagger in his hand. His brain seemed to be processing information.


    "Are you disappointed? Or, did you expect that I would give you such a powerful Magic Item? I will say this once, and that is¡­ nothinges for free in this world. Do you still want to follow me after hearing about it? "


    It''s up to him how to interpret my words. I''ll leave it to his head.


    "What do you mean? Do I have to pay for the Magic Item you gave me? But I don''t have any money. And... I-I can''t pay for it with my body either."


    I don''t understand what he said. He said something strange.


    I instantly regretted having let him freely interpret my meaning.


    It would be better if I exined it to him directly, but I''m toozy to do that.


    Ignoring the strange pose he was striking, I quickly slid over and in an instant, I was in front of him. Then I swung my sword just like that. Of course, I''m gonna stopped my sword when my sword was about to hit him.


    But, before I stopped my sword, he stopped his strange pose, and his eyes immediately stared at the direction my attack hade from. His reaction is fast. I could see that he wanted to dodge my attack.


    Of course, since I attacked suddenly, he won''t have time to dodge my attack. So, ording to what I nned, I stopped my attack as soon as my sword got close to him.


    "Ah, you startled me!"


    I ignore the reaction.


    "Get ready for the next attack."


    Immediately, Iunched an attack ording to the standard of battle. That is to say, I swing my attacks not with the weird variation moves I''m used to, but with more conventional moves like horizontal, vertical, and diagonal shes. My movements are also slower than usual.


    Even so, I didn''t expect that he would be able to fend off my attack. He blocked every one of my attacks using a variety of exaggerated but effective moves. Indeed, that was proof that he had mastered the Dagger Wielder skill.


    Speaking of which, he had been using up his Mana a while ago. And I could tell that he was currently using the Skill Dagger Wielder.


    "Good. I guess I now believe that you have mastered it."


    I stopped attacking.


    Meanwhile, he ced his hands on his knees. It was clear that he was exhausted.


    One thing I learned from the fight earlier is, he has the talent to be an Assassin. The stamina is bad, but the movement is good. That way, I can raise him to be my Assassin.


    But, learning from his rebellious nature, I wouldn''t have much hope.


    "Do you already have a cultivation method?"


    "Well, you must know the answer already, right? Hehe."


    He gave a hollowugh when I asked something that seemed to have an obvious answer.


    "First of all, I''ll ask it again, are you going to follow me?"


    "Sure. I will be the one who will always serve you until my debt is paid off."


    "Your answer is very vague. In a way, seeing that I have saved the bad luck that befell you, will your debt be repaid when you can save meter, with almost the same scenario as when I saved you?"


    "Oh, that seems like a great idea. Yes, I''ll do it that way."


    He pped his hands as if having had an epiphany. But I guess that''s fine. With that kind of resolution in mind, at least he wouldn''t mess around.


    "Very well. I will give you the cultivation method bookter. For now, you must do as I say. Do you understand?"


    "Ahhh. Is that true? ...."


    I stopped listening to the happy voice he let out for being annoying.


    ''Was this how Cornelia felt when she found me, saved me, and started tutoring me?''


    Somehow, I could feel the moment Cornelia taught me.


    Anas reminded me of myself when I was rescued by Cornelia and taught a few things.


    "Hey, are you thinking about a girl right now?"


    He suddenly stopped cheering joyfully. Then he suddenly asked me strangely. Well, it was even stranger to see that he could make such deductions.


    "Forget about that. I think I should get a new informant now."


    Originally I nned to have Anas be my informant within Ryam City while I was away, however, it seems that is no longer possible.


    I feel like I''ve done something wrong to give instructions to someone who obviously won''t follow them.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to think of another way I can get information inside Ryam City while I''m away.''


    And fortunately, Anas'' recement immediately urred to me.


    I gave instructions to Gilbert who was still like a statue.


    "Show me the meeting ce between you and Gil."

 Chapter 46 Where Does My Story Belong?

    ?This is the life story of a pair of brothers. They both used to live a life of hardship, but they were both very close. They are Gil and Gilbert.


    Like children in the city in general, their parents are just ordinaryborers. So, even Gil and Gilbert were struggling to find food. Even in this difficult situation, they work hand in hand for a living.


    But the rtionship between Gil and Gilbert began to crack after the change in character in Gilbert who had reached maturity.


    One day, Gilbert suddenly started to have a vicious streak. He started beating people and forcing them to give him money. Such a bastard trait came along with Gilbert''s strength.


    Gilbert became one of the fewmoners who possessed Mana. As a Mana user, of course, he has power above the average person in his area.


    One day, Gil realized that Gilbert had joined a crime organization. And that is the ck Box organization.


    And that''s how their rtionship ended. Gilbert just left Gil and his parents. Then it was only natural that Gil would have animosity toward Gilbert.


    Time passed, and after both of Gil''s parents died of old age, Gil went to Ryam city. Unexpectedly, he was able to be a servant in Baron Warwick''s household after a series of struggles.


    Long story short, he was chosen as the Mesties'' servant.


    While being a servant, he also has another task given by Baron Warwick.


    Like most aristocrats, there is a dark side to the aristocratic household that themon people don''t know about. Likewise with the noble household of Baron Warwick.


    Things like silent killing, coercion when making trade agreements, or other things continue to be done by Baron Warwick, like nobles in general. And to do that, Baron Warwick needed a ''tool'' so as not to spoil the image of a noble.


    It''s clear that the tool is a criminal organization, the ck Box Organization. And somehow, Gil was chosen as the intermediary between Baron Warwick and the ck Box Organization.


    Even though he looked like a fool, but he realized that it was not good luck, but bad luck. Because, if something happens, then he can be destroyed just like that. Even so, he still followed Baron Warwick''s orders.


    Actually, without him knowing it, he had be the most unfortunate servant since he had been targeted by his master.


    One day, with his master''smand, he went to the ck Box Organization headquarters to meet the leader of the ck Box Organization in the slum area. When he met the Boss of the Ryam City Branch of the ck Box Organization, he felt like someone who had just been struck by lightning.


    The biggest shock of his life filled his brain like a bolt of lightning. Yes, who would have thought that the Boss of the ck Box Organization would be his brother whom he had not seen for a long time?


    Nheless, Gil could not back down and refused Baron Warwick''s orders. He was afraid that if he refused, he would be killed because he already knew Baron Warwick''s secret.


    Reluctantly, he stays in touch with his brother in order to fulfill his duties. In fact, he was really reluctant to meet his brother. In the world of thoughts in his head, he already identified himself as the person his brother betrayed. It was only natural that he would be reluctant to meet the person who betrayed him.


    As he currently did, he was forced to meet his brother so he could deliver Baron Warwick''s message.


    "Damn. Looks like I have to wait here for a long time as usual. When will he get here."


    He continued to mutter in annoyance. His feet kept moving as he thought about the series of his past in his head.


    Currently, he was in a warehouse on the edge of the vige walking in circles. asionally, he would kick the ground like someone whose girlfriend had just dumped him. He felt irritated because right now he was waiting for Gilbert''s arrival.


    But he was relieved when he finally felt the presence of the person he was waiting for.


    "Huh. You''ve finallye. But I didn''t expect you to get here so quickly. I guess I should have waited a bit longer."


    Gil got up and approached the person he saw. He was sure that the person who had arrived was Gilbert, his brother. As he got closer, he saw that it was indeed Gilbert, but someone else was helping Gilbert walk.


    Gil ignores a mysterious figure helping his brother walk. He was more focused on seeing Gilbert''s state which looked very pitiful.


    "Hey, what happened to you?"


    "Exin... Message...."


    Every footstep Gilbert took seemed iparably difficult to take. The injuries on his body were obviously very severe. Even Gil, who had hated his brother, felt pity now.


    But Gilbert didn''t seem to hear Gil''s worried voice and immediately asked what was the matter until Gil asked to meet. Surprisingly, Gil throws out the reason why he came here and starts making a worried face instead.


    The feelings he had before, where he felt like he had been betrayed by his brother, were now being thrown back. Now, there is only a feeling of worry and confusion.


    "Hey. Wake up. What''s wrong with you? Exin it to me first."


    Gil urges his brother toe up with an answer to his confusion. From the moment he saw his brother''s state, he could guess that his brother had gone through a fierce battle.


    In a rush, he tried to patch up every wound on his brother''s body as best he could.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Not long after, Gilbert spurted blood from his mouth.


    Seeing his brother vomiting blood, Gil couldn''t help but feel anxious. Especially seeing his brother''s body wrapped in cloth like a package. He was bewildered by the state thaty in front of him. This state was already beyond what he could imagine.


    Even though he kept asking questions and forcing Gilbert to answer and exining how it got like that, he never received an answer from Gilbert.


    In the end, it was the mysterious person who responded to it.


    "Let me exin to you."


    "Wh-who are you?"


    ***


    I spoke to Gil using the hood covering my face. I even slightly changed the tone of my voice, bing a bit hoarse. It was all so Gil couldn''t find out I was the Mesties.


    Previously, I followed Gilbert from behind to confirm the state of the meeting ce.


    I had suspected that this was a trap, so I didn''t want to do anything reckless. It could be that this ce was already surrounded by Baron Warwick''s soldiers, but after I checked the surroundings, it didn''t seem like that.


    ''I didn''t expect that the two of them were really a pair of brothers.''


    I saw the state of Gil who hugged Gilbert regardless of the blood that would stick to him. But strangely, there was a look of annoyance mixed with sadness on Gil''s face. I don''t know which is more, whether sadness or anger.


    Gil keeps looking at me questioningly, but I just give him a simple answer.


    "If I told you that I was the one who saved him, would you believe it?"


    "Can you show any proof that what you said is the truth?"


    "Why should I?"


    Did he think that he had another choice? Even if he doesn''t believe me, I don''t mind. But I''m sure he will believe what I say after he investigates it himself because what I''m about to say isn''t a total lie.


    But before I can tell Gil, a system message pops up.


    [Your connection with Mind''s Puppet is lost.]


    It suddenly dawned on me that I could no longer control Gilbert. It would be dangerous if Gilbert regained his senses and told the truth that I was controlling him.


    This is indeed the worst-case scenario, but I had anticipated this. What I have to do is kill Gil and Gilbert.


    But before I pulled the sword out of the Inventory, it hit me that Gilbert seemed to have lost the ability to speak, aka, he was in arogany.


    I looked into Gilbert''s eyes which before seemed lifeless but now started to have a light of consciousness in them.


    As for Gil, he, who was previously focused on me, was nowpletely focused on Gilbert.


    "Gil..."


    With eyes that already had the light of realization, Gilbert tried to pronounce Gil''s name with all his might. Even though his mouth was full of blood, he still managed to make a sound.


    Too bad indeed, after mentioning Gil''s name, he immediately breathed hisst.


    As soon as he heard his name being called, a trickle of water flowed so profusely from Gil''s eyes.


    I don''t know how to deal with both of them. This is just my view, but I assume that Gil is old, so I feel strange when I see him dripping tears from his eyes.


    I didn''t want to hear his whining that kept echoing in my ears, so I went outside first.


    Even so, thest word that came out of Gilbert''s mouth was the name of his younger brother before he finally breathed hisst.


    "What a moving brotherhood. Is that how a character''s despair scene in a novel should be made?"


    Even if this worldpletely belonged to the protagonist in the novels I''ve read, I guess every living thing residing in this world has its own story that can''t fit into the novel where the protagonist is.


    So, where does my story belong?

 Chapter 47 Multiple Personality

    ?''Why did Gilbert manage to regain his senses? No, it would be more appropriate if I asked about why the connection I had with Gilbert got cut off.''


    Was it due to the insufficient Death Mana that Gilbert managed to regain his consciousness? In that case, wouldn''t every Mind''s Puppet that I wouldter control be suddenly disconnected, and they would regain their consciousness?


    To be clear, I started sifting through what I knew about Mind''s Puppet.


    First, Mind''s Puppet can exist because Death Mana has umted in the Stigma of Darkness. Meanwhile, I can collect Death Mana through the people I kill.


    The more Death Mana in the Stigma of Darkness, the longer the duration of Mind''s Puppet control. Considering the way Death Mana is collected is by killing people, wouldn''t I be a mass murderer?


    And the second and most important thing is another trigger for Mind''s Puppet to activate. That is the target must have demonic mana.


    I don''t know to whom I wonder. Maybe I was hoping for the World System. I wish the World System would tell me more clearly.


    But, I think what happened to Gilbert can give me a little additional information about Mind''s Puppet.


    [Congrattions! You have understood how to make a Mind''s Puppet.]


    [You have obtained the Mind''s Puppet skill.]


    Finally, the system message I was waiting for appeared.


    [Skill Name: Mind''s Puppet


    Description:


    You can control the creature you targeted with Death Mana. The duration and consumption of Death Mana depend on the target you control. The more you get used to it, the more proficient you will be at controlling your target. But you have to be careful because not only consume Death Mana, but this skill also consumes your mental strength.


    Terms of use: You can only control living things that have demonic mana.]


    Maybe the Mind''s Puppet skill looked great, but in this world, there weren''t many creatures that possessed demonic mana.


    Despite the slightly smiling pleasure I have from acquiring a useful skill, I''m getting tired of being out here.


    "But how long should I wait."


    I''m currently waiting outside the warehouse.


    As time went on, I got so fed up I wanted to ignore Gil and just walk away. But I remembered that I had to make Gil my informant in the Warwick mansion.


    Luckily, it wasn''t long before Gil came out of the warehouse. He came out carrying his brother''s body. Looking at the look in Gil''s eyes, I was like looking at a walking corpse. He was obviously very distressed.


    "You are still here?"


    "Sure. What are you going to do with your brother''s body?"


    "I''m going to bury him. After that, I want to hear the story of how and why he died."


    "As for why he had to die, unfortunately, I don''t know. But I will tell you what I know. Even so, you''d better hurry. I don''t want to waste too much time in this vige."


    "Alright. Just a moment."


    ***


    We went to the public cemetery in this vige.


    He didn''t waste much time.


    As he said, he immediately dug the ground and buried his brother''s body. Of course, he buried it in the graves of the other vigers, not on random vacantnd.


    While looking at Gil crouching in front of the tombstone over his brother''s grave, I think about how the story between Gil and Gilbert is so different from the story between me and Daniel.


    Even though the ending in our story is almost the same, namely the death of our brother, there are clear differences between our stories. If Gil weeps over the death of his brother, here I am, the one who killed Daniel with my own hands but has no sorrow or anything else.


    Maybe I looked naughty and pretended to be strong and self-righteous. Nevertheless, I don''t regret my decision.


    A thorn has to be removed from the road if you don''t want to get into an ident.


    Even after I repeated my life in this world once again, I still adhere to the principle of not letting the enemy escape if I can get rid of them. Unless my enemy is still useful.


    And that''s the lesson I learned after living a life full of suffering in this world.


    ''I don''t think my survival instinct has faded. I''m happy about that.''


    "Now, I beg you to tell me about what I said earlier."


    Gil''s voice wakes me from my reverie.


    I''m d he put away the expression as if he suspects me. All that was, he just looked down and begged me to tell him the cause of his brother''s death.


    From there, I started telling the stories.


    I started the story as if I were a spectator watching from afar. The first was about how Gilbert was fighting the soldiers outside the north gate. Then about how Gilbert fought fiercely against the Vice Knight Captain, Trusty.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Until I finally saw him running away. Then I rescued him and brought him here ording to his request. If you don''t believe me, you can ask anyone. I think a lot of people can attest to what I''m saying."


    Gil pays close attention to every word I spit out.


    "Then how did you save him? And for what reason?"


    "I didn''t want to get involved at first. I don''t know why that guy is fighting a bunch of soldiers. Is he a criminal? I would feel sorry if I did save a criminal."


    "Ugh!"


    After I questioned the nature of his brother, Gil stopped contradicting what I said.


    "Sorry for doubting you. And thank you for helping my brother. If you didn''t help him, I probably wouldn''t have seen him until he was a cold corpse. At the very least, I had seen him before he died."


    He lowered his head and kept muttering about something. After I paid close attention, it turned out that he was in a dilemma between holding grudges with Baron Warwick''s household or trying to let go of his brother''s departure.


    "Strange, if indeed my brother has been deemed useless, why did Baron Warwick assign me to deliver a message to him."


    "What message do you mean?"


    "Oh... It''s fine. I''m just a little confused. I''m here to convey Baron Warwick''s message to my brother."


    "And what does the message contain?"


    "Eh... Sorry, I couldn''t tell you. Although I am indebted to you, I will die if I carelessly reveal Baron Warwick''s message. But as my gratitude, I will let you know that the message rtes to that useless Young Master I previously served."


    "And who are you calling that useless Young Master?"


    "Who else if not Young Master Mesties? Just because he lost against Jullian Arkie, he just ran away from the house. Even though anyone would understand that. Who would have thought that the withdrawn, drunk, and depressed Young Master, a.k.a Mesties, could win against the main heir to the Arkie noble family."


    Seriously, if I was a kid, I would have felt the emotions boil in my head at the sight of Gil''s mouthfuls.


    "You mean me?"


    I pulled down the hood covering my head and the cloth covering my face. When he saw who I really was, he almost lost consciousness. But in the end, he just put his two ugly butts on the ground.


    Originally I wanted to act as a mysterious figure if he harbored a grudge against Baron Warwick and took advantage of his hatred for Baron Warwick. But seeing that he didn''t hold a grudge too much, I diverted my n.


    ''It seems that he and his brother''s past is a bitplicated.''


    "Y-Young Master Mesties? H-how?"


    "Don''t be too surprised. I''m just a closed-minded Young Master, drunk and depressed. You don''t need to pee your pants like that."


    "S-Sorry, My Lord!"


    "That''s fine. But I hope you won''t tell anyone that you met me, do you understand?"


    "...Y-Yes."


    "Are you still not willing to tell me what message my father wants to convey?"


    "I-I don''t dare, Young Master."


    He fixed his position and started to speak.


    "Baron Warwick''s message was, he wants to order my brother, Gilbert, to kidnap you¡­"


    Hearing what Gil said, I couldn''t help but widen my eyes. Why would Baron Warwick order the leader of the ck Box organization to do such a troublesome thing?


    If the order hade after I fought the soldiers and the Knight Vice Captain, Trusty, then I would have taken it for granted, since I had killed Daniel and fought his soldiers.


    But it seems it was an order that came after I was kicked out of the mansion. In other words, at that time I had not yet fought a group of soldiers and had not killed Daniel.


    Now that I think about it, if it''s true to what Gil said, then, the incident where I was kidnapped by the ck Box organization in my previous life was not a coincidence, but because of Baron Warwick''s orders?


    Somehow I felt a bit of anger in my heart.


    But it turns out that Gil isn''t done talking.


    "... But that was just an act of kidnapping. In fact, he wanted to keep you safe at the ck Box organization headquarters. At least, that was the gist of the message your father wanted to convey."


    Gil continued speaking after scratching the back of his head.


    Meanwhile, I just widened my eyes, feeling as if I couldn''t believe what he was saying.


    If what Gil said was the truth, then there''s only one answer I can think of. Baron Warwick has a split personality. That''s the conclusion I got.


    It could also be a form of parental love. But I highly doubt that. Then there was only one conclusion left, and that was that Baron Warwick had multiple personalities.


    ''Is that the demonic mana effect I felt from Baron Warwick''s body yesterday? Or¡­''

 Chapter 48 Captain And Vice Captain

    ?Before Gil and I parted ways, I didn''t forget to give Gil the Communication Crystal Ball.


    "Em... Young Master, you may already know, but I can''t use magic items like this."


    "Go to the ck Box organization''s headquarters. Get someone named Solemn to activate the Communication Crystal Ball."


    "???"


    A confused expression was nted on his face, but I continued to speak to him.


    "Well, if he asks, then just answer that you are my servant."


    He had sparkles in his eyes when I told him about the ck Box organization members in the slum who would listen if he went there on my behalf.


    At first, he was worried and refused the Communication Crystal Ball because he couldn''t use it, but after I convinced him, he epted it.


    "If there is useful informationter, pass it on to me via the Communication Crystal Ball. Whether it''s information from within the mansion or information from within Ryam city, I want you to provide as much information as possible."


    I intend to threaten him if he refuses. Making threats against Gil wasn''t that difficult when I found out that his brother was the boss of the Ryam city branch of the ck Box organization.


    But somehow, after seeing the look in his eyes when he saw me, I couldn''t bring myself to do that.


    "Oh. Obviously. Even if there are no newsworthy incidents, I will dig up useful information and give you all the information I get in detail, Young Master. If needed, I can provide periodic reports, even if it is not useful information."


    "Hmm. Ok. Up to you."


    I can only hope I won''t receive any strange information from him.


    "Emm, if I may ask, what have you done to the ck Box organization headquarters in the slum area?"


    "You will find out for yourselfter."


    I don''t need to exin that I ransacked the ck Box organization headquarters in the slum area.


    And that''s how we parted ways.


    But before we actually parted ways, he made a strange resolution.


    "I promise to make him a true noble. And I''m ready to deliver him into a powerful figure. That way, I''ll have the capital to fight the ck Box organization that took my brother!!!"


    That''s what Gil mutters I hear.


    I don''t understand how he could hate the ck Box organization when I told him that the cause of his brother''s death was fighting Baron Warwick''s soldiers.


    ''Could it be because of his past?''


    At first, I was curious, but that curiosity disappeared as I walked.


    ***


    When I arrived in front of the vige chief''s house, I was astonished when I saw an unusual sight. You can''t find that sight in everyday life in a small vige like this.


    Many vigers were bustling around with carts carrying Magical Beast corpses.


    The Magical Beasts that had gathered and piled up on the side of the road were shaped like Wild Boars, but strangely there was a thorn on their back that looked like a porcupine''s quills.


    I know that in this world, creatures like that were originally just like themon animals that exist on earth.


    But a change started to happen to them from being exposed to the energy from within the Dungeon.


    The energy from the Dungeon is what makes the ecosystem in this world different from the ecosystem on earth.


    Finally, they were born, Magical Beast.


    Because of Magical Beasts like that, many humans had a hard time living. Perhaps these vigers were also having a hard time due to that group of Magical Beasts.


    Fortunately, Magical Beasts like the Wild Boar were low-level. Even untrained vigers would be able to kill them. Of course, there would almost certainly be heavy casualties.


    So, it was quite strange to see vigers transporting the corpses of Wild Boars.


    ''Then who can defeat those Wild Boars?''


    As I was wondering, the vige chief''s voice came to my ears.


    "Finally you came here, sir."


    The vige chief weed me with a bright face. In contrast to the gloomy and sluggish face that entered his face before, now he seems to smile so much that I''m worried his mouth will be torn.


    "What happened?"


    "Hehe, all of this is thanks to your friend. At first, I was worried because he only asked for food and special treatment, but I didn''t expect that he would solve the problems in our vige so quickly."


    The vige chief was most probably referring to Anas. Before I met Gil, I left Anas at the vige chief''s house.


    But I didn''t expect that person to make such a big fuss.


    It turned out that Anas was already near me. He seemed to be enjoying every word that came out of the vige chief''s mouth.


    He rubbed his nose shyly.


    "Hehehe."


    A strangeugh emerged from Anas'' mouth.


    On his body still stuck a ssh of Wild Boars blood. From there, I knew that he was the one who had just defeated that group of Wild Boars.


    And my guess was confirmed by the vige chief''s passionate story. He began to tell Anas'' prowess in an exaggerated tone.


    "At first, he said goodbye to go outside. I thought that he just wanted to run away after finishing the food at my house. However, at that time, a group of Wild Boars was seen roaming the field that we will ntter on. And after that, he took down a group of Wild Boars with great agility. Fwoosh! Swoosh! Shwaas!... Like that... Hahaha."


    I was worried that Anas'' nose would be even longer as he received all the praise from the vige chief.


    "...Haha. You don''t need to praise me like that, vige chief. But I''m disappointed that you thought that I would run away after you fed me."


    ''No, I''m sure he would have left immediately if he hadn''t found a pack of Wild Boars in the fields.'' That''s how I thought when I saw the interaction between the vige chief and Anas who were nudging each other with their words.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Apart from that, I do have to thank Anas for a little.


    Originally I didn''t even have any intention of listening to the vige chief''s request, let alone any thoughts of helping him.


    "Haha regardless of that, thanks to you two. Because of you two, we were able to start plowing our fields safely. If we had to wait for the Lord''s army, we would have beente in plowing our fields."


    The vige chief bowed his thanks to us.


    So did the other vigers.


    Therefore, the two of us, Anas and myself, started to continue our journey. We headed straight west.


    "So, where are we going next?"


    "We will go there."


    I pointed at Fier Mountain which wasing into view with our naked eyes. Besides, I want to make that ce a training ground, but I also have to gain something there.


    ***


    At the same time, elsewhere.


    More precisely at the Warwick family mansion.


    "I deeply apologize, My Lord. I have failed to catch Young Master Mesties and even let Young Master Daniel die."


    Vice Captain Trusty''s voice echoed in Baron Warwick''s office room. He put one knee on the ground and his left hand clenched into the ground. It was the usual position when a knight faced the people they served.


    "Naturally you should be given punishment for negligence in carrying out your duties."


    "I am ready to ept any punishment you give, My Lord. Even if you want to give this servant the death penalty!"


    Vice Knight Captain Trusty didn''t even dare to look up to stare in the direction where Baron Warwick was. He could only surrender because of his ipetence. While waiting for Baron Warwick''s response, a little sweat dripped down his forehead.


    "They say someone helped the Mesties escape, is that true?"


    "That''s right, my lord. I didn''t recognize him at first. But then I learned that it was the Head of the ck Box organization named Gilbert."


    "...."


    "Do you want us to arrest the man, My Lord?"


    "No need."


    Vice Knight Captain Trusty''s head began to spin. He was confused by the reaction shown by Baron Warwick.


    He was aware that Baron Warwick still asionally used a group called the ck Box organization. For this reason, he felt that he was still a less reliable knight.


    "In that case, I will deploy troops to chase after and track down Young Master Mesties."


    "That''s also unnecessary."


    "...Eh?"


    Upon hearing Baron Warwick''s baffled answer, Vice Knight Captain Trusty subconsciously looked up and saw Baron Warwick.


    Baron Warwick''s back was visible. It appeared that Baron Warwick was staring far out the window.


    "Just prepare for Daniel''s funeral."


    Vice Knight Captain Trusty was speechless. He didn''t dare disobey Baron Warwick''s orders, so he prepared to resign. He could only indulge what the people he served wanted. A servant may not argue with his employer, that''s the principle he has.


    But just as he was about to head out, Baron Warwick suddenly changed the order he had previously issued.


    "Wait. You can track down the Mesties secretly. Also, make an announcement on my behalf that Daniel''s death was an ident after he entered a Dungeon! I must uphold the good name of my nobility."


    "As you wish, My Lord."


    ***


    "How did he respond?"


    While walking down the hall, Vice Knight Captain Trusty encountered someone he didn''t want to see at all.


    The man leaned against the wall as if he had been waiting for him to pass.


    He is a Knight Captain under the noble household of Warwick. The reason why Vice Knight Captain Trusty felt irritated and was reluctant to meet the Knight Captain, who should be his superior, was because of the Knight Captain''s personality.


    In contrast to his loyal nature, the Knight Captain is rebellious,zy, and never takes Baron Warwick''s orders seriously. Such was the look of Vice Knight Captain, Trusty.


    ''How can someone like him be my superior?''


    He could only wonder in his heart.


    "Hey, hey. Despite this, I am your superior. Wouldn''t it be fine if you told me how the senile old man would respond?"


    "What? How can you call the noble you serve a senile old man?!"


    Vice Knight Captain Trusty was about to draw his sword from its scabbard when he heard the Knight Captain insult those he served. His captain''s attitude is what makes him really dislike, or even hate the captain.


    "Do you dare to draw your sword?"


    The knight captain''s hand patted Vice Knight Captain Trusty''s shoulder. Just like that, Vice Knight Captain Trusty returned to sheathing his sword.


    It was not just a question, but a threat. That''s the reality that happened.


    The difference in position as knight captain and vice-captain is not just rank, but the position of knight captain and vice-captain also symbolizes the difference in their strength.


    Thus, all of that cannot be separated from the absolutew of this world, where the strong are always above the weak.


    ''I will definitely be strong enough to defeat you.''


    Vice Knight Captain Trusty could only bury his determination in his heart.

 Chapter 49 Change Of Fate

    ?Some time had passed in the blink of an eye.


    After hastily traveling, we finally arrived at our destination.


    With slightly heavy breathing, Anas and I stopped at the foot of Fier Mountain.


    Before we enter Fierce Mountain, we need to be in the best state possible. That''s why I decided to take a break.


    Especially for myself. Not only to restore my stamina and relieve the fatigue that had umted in my body, but also so that the mental fatigue I had experienced could be fully recovered.


    ''Looks like the sun is about to set.''


    When it was already nighttime, the two of us made a bonfire to warm our bodies and also to dispel the darkness of the night.


    That way, we can rest in peace. Of course, we have to take turns standing guard, so that we''re ready when monsters or beasts suddenly attack.


    "You can sleep first."


    Anas nodded and did what I asked. He immediately cut a leaf wide enough to serve as a base. It was clear that he was quite used to sleeping outdoors like this.


    After seeing him roll himself into a ball shape, I prepared to meditate.


    I closed my eyes and began to channel the Mana contained in the Stigma of Darkness throughout my body. Origin Cultivation, that''s the name of the cultivation skill I''m currently using.


    ''I didn''t expect that the speed of recovering depleted Mana could be so fast.''


    Along with replenishing the Mana in the Stigma of Darkness, I also felt that the upper limit of the Mana capacity in the Stigma of Darkness was also gradually increasing.


    [Your Mana increases periodically.]


    [The Mana Capacity in the Stigma of Darkness has increased.]


    [....]


    And so on.


    Even though it looks very easy, it turns out that doing meditation like this also drains mental energy. Forced, I had to stop meditating.


    Who said that meditating is just enough to close your eyes like someone who is sleeping and time suddenly flows, if you think meditation is an activity like that, then you are wrong.


    Meditating requires you to focus on flowing Mana through the magic circuits throughout your body. That way, the results of your meditation can experience a significant increase.


    At least, that''s what I learned from Cornelia. Even if using the same technique, if the way of using it is different, the results will also be different.


    I don''t know how other people in this world do it because the book Demon Lord and the Hero of Light doesn''t mention trivial things like how people do their meditation techniques.


    Somehow I started thinking about the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light. What you need to underline is, the novel only amounts to one book. Whereas it only focuses on stories about Jullian Arkie.


    If it''s only in one book, of course, the story content in it won''t be much. Indeed, the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light has very thick pages. However, not everything in this world is written in the novel.


    Like all the experiences I had gone through for 11 years in my previous life. Which led to me finally being killed by Jullian''s sword. There were many things I saw in my previous life that were not recorded in the novel.


    The point is, I can''t blindly use the information in the Demon Lord and the Hero of Light novel. Instead, I have to use the information from my previous life as well. Bybining the two of them, I''ll be more confident when nning things.


    Especially considering I had met Jullian earlier. Until I believe there will be big changes in the future.


    But I''m happy because now I''m free from the clutches of Baron Warwick and the ck Box Organization.


    Next, I just have to do¡­. I failed to express my thoughts when there was a notification window in front of me.


    [Congrattions! You have managed to avoid the unfortunate fate that previously haunted your mind.]


    [Rewards will be given to you for all the things you have done.]


    [Strength has increased from D to C.]


    [Speed ??has increased from D to C.]


    [Endurance has increased from D to C.]


    [The stat increase reward is based on what you''ve done.]


    [Your achievement record has been added to your life story bio.]


    [Congrattions! You have opened a new path in your life. Face the dangerous future with courage if you want to achieve your wish.]


    What a surprise. I didn''t expect to receive a notification bomb from the World System.


    I was happy, but I was a little worried that thest notification wasn''t what I was used to. Even so, there was nothing I could do about it.


    To convince myself of the sudden stat increase, I checked my status window.


    "Open status."


    [Status Window:


    Name: Mesties Warwick


    Title: Poor Noble, Regressor, Transmigrator, ??


    Stats:


    (Strength: B) (Speed: C) (Endurance: C) (Agility: D) (Reflex: F) (Mana Core: -) (Active Mana: -)


    Skills:


    Strengthening, Hear of Everything, Poison Resistance, Swordsmanship, Memorize, Inventory, Amplification, Origin Cultivation, Mind''s Puppet.


    Stigma:


    The Stigma of Darkness.]<novelnext></novelnext>


    Some have changed, but not much.


    Now that I finished opening my eyes and stopped meditating, I saw that the moon in the sky was right above my head.


    It''s Anas'' turn to stand guard.


    ***


    I remember that I was asleep earlier.


    Before I fell asleep, I woke Anas and told him to be on guard.


    And after that, Anas, rubbing his eyes, woke up. The two of us took turns watching the night. At least that''s thest memory I remember.


    But what is this? Because my eyelids still felt heavy, I still closed my eyes. But I felt something gripping my body firmly.


    I also feel a strange scent through my subconsciously active sense of smell. The scent wafted through my nose.


    With a bit of struggle, I opened my eyes and gathered my consciousness only to see something shocking.


    Anas''s face was right in front of mine. So, as soon as I opened my eyes, I was immediately surprised by his sleeping face.


    He sleeps curled up against me. I felt like a doll one used to cuddle with when someone was sleeping.


    Our faces were so close that I could kiss his regr breaths without difficulty.


    Not that I''m a weirdo who likes to inhale other men''s breath, but I didn''t do it on purpose, ok. I even felt ufortable when I realized he was hugging me tightly while sleeping.


    If possible, I want to vomit too.


    So when I realized that Anas was hugging me, I immediately rebelled to free myself. But when I did, I could feel a soft bulge hitting my arm.


    The soft bulge wasing from his chest area.


    ''What''s this? Do men really have this?''


    I subconsciously started to feel curious. To that end, my other hand started exploring the mysterious area I sensed.


    When my hands started to press against the mysterious bulge, I started to realize a reality that I should have realized from the start.


    ''So, she is a girl.''


    I started to believe that after feeling the thick, taut fabric binding the soft bulge against her chest.


    "Erm."


    A small voice appeared and woke me up. My hands stopped exploring the area she was hiding. It didn''t take long for her to wake up and open her beautiful eyes.


    "Are you awake? I hope you release me."


    At first, she was confused, but it wasn''t long before she finally realized that she had hugged me in her sleep.


    "W-what are you doing?"


    "Isn''t that my question?"


    She asked without a guilty face as if I was the one who had done something indecent to her.


    "A-A..."


    "Why are you sleeping when you should be on guard? What if a wild Magical Beast attacks?"


    "D-Don''t change the subject!"


    "Isn''t what I said true? Ok, regardless, why are you so hysterical like that?"


    "How could I not be hysterical? Even though you hugged me when we fell asleep together like that? What have you done to me?"


    "Firstly, it wasn''t me, but you, who hugged me. Second, I did feel disgusted when I was hugged by a man while I was asleep, but there''s no need to be hysterical like you, right."


    "H-How..."


    Finally, she could only stutter without being able to refute my words. But I don''t think this is the right time to argue with her.


    While my consciousness had quickly gathered, Anas was still panicking without being able to pay attention to what was happening around her.


    So I decided to move straight away without speaking again.


    [Skill Inventory - Active.]


    I took out a sword from the inventory.


    In an instant, I pushed Anas away.


    Because she was shocked and didn''t expect that I would push her away, she didn''t have the chance to fight back.


    As a result, she was pushed all the way to the ground.


    I''m just sorry inside, but if I don''t, she''ll be in danger.


    "Wh-why so sudden?"


    Even though she would get angry over what I did to her, she immediately fell silent when she understood why I was pushing her away.


    Bang!


    Above the ce where she had previously stood, something mmed into the ce causing billows of smoke.


    If I don''t push her, she will get hit by that attack.

 Chapter 50 Handmade Skill Book

    ?All around us, there were magical beasts ready to attack.


    They clung to the tree trunks and were ready to pounce on both of us.


    The magical beast looked like a cute squirrel but its size was huge, exceeding the size of any normal squirrel I knew. Its tail was also veryrge, shaped like a stick ready to hit and destroy anything.


    They are Magical Beasts called Batting Squirrels.


    They are referred to as Batting Squirrels because of their tails.


    Actually, those Batting Squirrels weren''t strong at all. They are only ssified as D-rank magical beasts. But the problem is, they always cluster together.


    Just like those in front of us.


    There were a lot of them clinging to the tree trunks all around where we were.


    In short, we have been surrounded.


    "Have you ever heard the proverb that as good as a squirrel jumps, they will eventually fall too?"


    "This isn''t the time to be spouting useless proverbs, sir. Shouldn''t we fight them first? Besides, I''ve never heard of them."


    "Whose fault is this? Isn''t it the fault of someone who has neglected his guard duty?"


    "O-okay. I was wrong sir. Regardless, we haven''t even entered Fier Mountain yet, but we''re already surrounded by magical beasts. If we continue into Fier Mountain, it will definitely be more dangerous there. Do you want to keep going?"


    "Of course."


    I answered confidently.


    The main reason why I wanted to go to Fier Mountain was actually to retrieve a sword that was somewhere inside Fier Mountain.


    Sword of Fear.


    That''s the name of the sword I want to get.


    At this time, people didn''t know about the existence of the Sword of Fear, but in the future, everyone on this Averus Continent will know about that.


    All people will be terrified by the power of that sword.


    The reason is, there will be someone who obtains the Sword of Fear and spreads fear everywhere using the Sword of Fear.


    Even without the Memorize skill, I still remembered the words in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light that told the story of how someone who was originally weak suddenly became strong after obtaining the Sword of Fear.


    The Sword of Fear, which that person used, came from this mountain.


    How am I supposed to know? Of course through the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    For those of you who are wondering, what is the fate of that person, the true wielder of the Sword of Fear, I will tell you.


    Like most of the stories, Jullian killed him after he became arrogant about his power.


    By defeating someone who brought fear everywhere due to gaining the power of the Sword of Fear, the hero, Jullian Arkie, gained more admiration. In doing so, Jullian also gains more power.


    What a ssic plot.


    That''s how the story of the user of the Sword of Fear ends.


    Finally, the Sword of Fear fell into Jullian''s hands.


    Rather than having that sword taken by an idiot and ending up bing Jullian''s meal, it''s better if I take that sword for myself, right?


    After all, I''m already in a lot of trouble because I have to change swords all the time. That makes me want that sword even more. That''s why I have to get the Sword of Fear soon.


    "First, I have to make the Batting Squirrels fall to the ground. Then I''ll be able to kill them faster."


    I activated all thebat skills I had. And in an instant, I jumped and attacked the Batting Squirrels on every tree trunk.


    ***


    "Are you awake?"


    After eliminating the Batting Squirrels, I went to Anas. She looked like she was tidying up because I had pushed her upside down.


    When she saw that I finished taking care of the Batting Squirrels without difficulty, she looked confused.


    "I knew you were strong, but I didn''t expect you to be that really strong."


    The words he had spoken were a little ambiguous. I have no idea what the difference between strong and very strong is.


    But to be honest, I was also a bit surprised because the improvement in my body is really very noticeable.


    After resting and replenishing Mana in Stigma of Darkness, I felt refreshed. In addition, some of my stats had already increased by one level. The difference was really felt in my body.


    The result was a rain of Batting Squirrels.


    The Batting Squirrels that were previously attached to the tree trunks have now be fertilizer for the nts. They had died, and their bodies had be corpses. Their blood soaked the grass. Pieces of their bodies were scattered around.


    "I will fulfill the promise I made to you before."


    In the previous vige, I had told Anas that I would give her the meditation technique that I felt suited for her.


    I took out a book and gave it to Anas.


    "All the things about meditation techniques that I think are suitable for you I''ve written there. You just have to read and study it."


    The book I gave Anas was written by me. I used the nk book I got from the ck Box organization''s storage. Meanwhile, I used the previous Vige Chief''s ink.


    What''s more, I made it in a hurry. So, I hope she understands if the writing and drawing in the book will look messy.


    "In that book are not only meditation skills. But there are also exnations for other skills. How far you will be able to master all the skills in this book all depends on your talent and effort."


    She epted the book I gave her with trembling hands. The reaction from the previous incident just disappeared. Now there was only a respectful eye looking at me.


    "Thank you very much, sir!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Fine. You can train here. I''ll leave you then."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You don''t need to follow me to the top of the mountain. You just need to train by defeating the magical beasts that are here."


    I''m afraid that she will be a burden.


    Even though it was already morning, it wasmon knowledge that the terrain on Fier Mountain would always be covered in thick fog. Even during the day, Fier Mountain''s face was never seen.


    ording tomon knowledge, people have gone mad after entering into a thick fog. Some people have disappeared into the fog forever, while others have made it out but never regained their sanity.


    The only one who managed to get out and get his sanity back was the obtainer of the Sword of Fear. But even that hasn''t happened in the current timeline. So you could say that no one survived when someone stepped into the fog.


    For that, I n to leave Anas here. If she keeps her guard up, I''m sure she''ll be fine.


    I don''t know how long I will leave her. But I gave her some food just in case.


    Even more...


    "T-This is ... Did you write this yourself, sir?"


    My thoughts were interrupted by Anas''s words.


    Anas opened the book and her eyeballs tried to pop out of her eye sockets. She asked me with great confusion on her face.


    "Yes."


    I answered briefly.


    ''If she''s that surprised, I''m sure now that she understands thenguage I''m writing.''


    Themonnguage that the people of the Averus Continent spoke was the Averus Language.


    Regardless of the race or region where everyone had been born, if all those people had been born on the Averus Continent, they would be able to understand the Averus Language.


    A long time ago, the Averus Continent was ruled by only one Empire. Thus, Averus Language became anguage that everyone on this continent could still speak until this day. At least, that''s what historians had spected.


    Apart from that, not only did Averus Languages ??exist on this continent, but several factions still spoke their ownnguages.


    So, Anas stammered when she saw that what I had written was not Averus Language, but anothernguage.


    Even though in my previous life I was only focused on escaping or finding a way to survive, during the period I was moving between battlefields, I didn''t forget to learn everynguage on this continent.


    For example, when I participated in the war in the Anster Kingdom, while waiting for the war preparations, I was always prepared while learning about everything I could learn, including the localnguage there.


    Who knows, I could use all that information in the future so that I could avoid life-threatening situations.


    But, who would have thought that I would be using what I had learned back then for now?


    Suddenly, a question-thought hase to my head.


    I frowned while holding my chin.


    ''Come to think of it... How have I been able to use the Averusnguage?'' Such a big question had been on my mind from the past until the present. Still, it had been a mystery.


    When I woke up for the first time in this world, I subconsciously could already use thenguagemonly used in this world.


    If I think about that, that''s indeed a strange thing, something that has gone beyondmon sense, even now I was confused.


    But I don''t want to mess with that.


    I shook my head and raised my face again.


    "Then I''ll be going first," I said to Anas.


    "Ah..."


    I left Anas just like that.


    Even if she was still confused, I didn''t look back.


    ***


    "What should I do?"


    Anas stared at Mesties''s back which was slowly disappearing. She was still confused by the book Mesties wrote.


    Obviously, it was the writingmonly used by people from her hometown.


    ''Is he also from there?''


    There is no other answer than that.


    ''Moreover, what is this? How could he write techniques like this?''


    Anas''s confusion has not subsided. She was even more confused as she read page after page. Her eyes read one word after another. As she continued to read, she became even more confused. Even a line started to appear swirling in her eyes.


    Eventually, the confusion she experienced became respect. She felt even more amazed after reading what Mesties had written.


    But, she began to reconsider that respect after feeling the cloth wrapped around her chest loosen.


    ''Eh?''


    She began to wonder if the Mesties knew that she was actually a girl.


    ''What has he done to make the cloth wrapped around my chest loosen like this?''


    She had been screaming in anger and confusion in her head.


    Her face turned red.


    Tears began to well up in her eyelids.

 Chapter 51 Fier Mountain Investigation Quest

    ?It''s not easy to walk around exploring Fier mountain. I can''t just go anywhere, but I have to be on guard against the magical beasts that live here.


    asionally I see hordes of magical beasts. When I encounter many magical beasts, I tend to walk around in circles. But if there''s only one, I''ll take them down quickly.


    Most of the magical beasts outside the fog are only level E and D. So it''s not difficult to kill them.


    Thus, from time to time, many low-level people would frequentlye here. After all, this was still at the foot of the mountain, not really in Fier mountain. itself.


    But so far I haven''t seen anyone else. It was quite strange, but I wasn''t surprised that there weren''t many benefits that could be drawn at the foot of this Fier mountain.. There are many other hunting grounds.


    What''s more, when youe to the foot of the mountain, you will be provoked to continue climbing up. At least, that''s what the rumors on the street say.


    ''Hopefully, Anas is not provoked toe to the top of this mountain.''


    As I continued to step up and kill the magical beasts, I suddenly started thinking about Anas and his true identity. It''s not about the truth that she''s only a woman, but about the truth about her background too.


    At first, I thought that Anas was an ordinary kid who had the talent to be an Assassin. But after seeing the corpses of the Wild Boars he defeated in the vige, I changed my mind.


    The corpses of the previous Wild Boars appeared to have been heavily poisoned.


    I remember that in the description of the Snake Saliva Dagger that I gave him, the poison that the Snake Saliva Dagger could emit was not that strong, to the point where it could kill a bunch of Wild Boars.


    But when I recalled Anas'' background, I became convinced about Anas'' ability to amplify poison''s effect. That ability came from his background. Or it could also be referred to as Innate Ability.


    It was because of that that I gave him a book containing cultivation techniques rted to poison. There were also several magic techniques regarding poison control, skills to increase poison efficiency, and other magic techniques rted to poison.


    I don''t need to learn all that because I already have the Poison Resistance skill. What''s more, everyone who wants to learn all those techniques must have another requirement, that is, they must have Innate Ability.


    By the way, I found all that information from my previous life.


    Those techniques were useless things as they were ineffective against demons. It was for that reason that the cultivation technique would be a trash technique in the future.


    And the people who use it. Of course, it''s extinct.


    But right now, the people who specialized in poisons were still living somewhere. And Anas likely came from there.


    When I meet Anaster, I will ask him a few questions to confirm my suspicions.


    ''If only the World System could see the status window of someone other than myself, I would know whether or not he truly possessed a poison-rted Innate Ability. Moreover, I won''t mistake Anas'' identity.''


    Yet everyone I meet is a figure of influence. Starting from Jullian, rista, Callie ws, and even Wi herself have their secret.


    It would be an advantage if I could see their status window. I will also be able to gauge the power gap between us. But it''s a pity that the World System can''t do it.


    As you know, what the World System can identify is only weapons.


    Well, it''s useless if I get my hopes up too much. Expectations that are too big will only lead to greater disappointment.


    [You got the Quest!]


    [Name: Fier mountain Investigation.


    Description: You must unravel the mystery of Fier mountain.


    Completion conditions:


    1. Find or take the Sword of Fear.


    2. (Locked)


    3. (Locked)


    4. (Locked).]


    [Other clearing conditions will be unlocked by themselves if your state meets the criteria.]


    [Main prize: Skill Appraisal.


    Additional rewards: Rewards will match your achievements.]


    [Rewards will be given after the quest ends.]


    Just when I was questioning why the World System couldn''t see someone''s status window, a quest suddenly appeared. And the reward that the World System offers is the Appraisal skill.


    Since I haven''t gotten it yet, I don''t know the skill description yet. So I''m not sure whether the effect of the skill will be the same as I imagined. ording to its name, it is what I expected, but who knows what its function will beter?


    Because the goal is well-nned. It''s time to seriously explore Fier mountain.. Slowly, the more I walked, the fog around me also became thicker.


    During the trip, I asionally opened the map I received from the previous vige chief.


    The vige chief said that he couldn''t afford much, so he could only give me this map when he found out that my goal was to go to Fier mountain..


    This map was made from a collection of the experiences of the people who went to Fier mountain. before. Before people disappear or lose their sanity, they always make maps first. And then the map was collected little by little and became the map that is in my hands now.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Of course, this map is iplete. But this has been a big help for me.


    Without hesitation, I kept walking even when the thick fog had swallowed my whole body. The sights I could see started to shrink. My eyesight began to shorten.


    And as a result, I started having trouble taking directions. I couldn''t tell which way was north, south, east, or west.


    [You entered a Dungeon.]


    [Name: Fog Dungeon


    Description: A Dungeon that can make anyone lose their way.


    Completion condition: Defeat the Boss Monster.]


    [You have been affected by the confusion effect.]


    A notification about what I suspected started to appear.


    A Dungeon is a ce where Demonic Beasts reside. They were different from the magical beasts that were outside the Dungeon. If magical beasts would still share characteristics with some of the animals on earth, Demonic Beasts werepletely different creatures.


    Demonic Beasts are more like fantasy monsters that often appear in fictional stories on earth.


    Examples like those whoe to me now.


    There are three of them. Their shape is like a child''s. Their bodies are the same color as the grass around them. With their long ears and bloodshot eyes, they came at me like a predator approaching its prey. They even drooled.


    They are Goblins,mon monsters that are always present in all kinds of dungeons.


    "Kkkiieekk!"


    "Kkreekk!"


    "Kkrekkrekk!"


    They let out sounds that I clearly couldn''t understand.


    As soon as I saw them, I immediately attacked without letting them prepare their weapons. Of course, their weapons weren''t anything extraordinary, but just amon club.


    There wasn''t much resistance when I shed their heads. They never even had time to swing the crappy club they were holding.


    [The Stigma of Darkness has sessfully absorbed Death Mana.]


    Mist-shaped ck energy flowed into the Stigma of Darkness.


    Apart from killing people, I can also get Death Mana by killing dungeon monsters, huh?


    But, why doesn''t the Stigma of Darkness absorb Death Mana when killing magical beasts?


    Regardless¡­.


    ''I can''t believe that I used to have such a hard time fighting them.''


    In my previous life, I had nearly died fighting them in a low-level dungeon.


    Well, at that time I was really having a hard time.


    In order to survive, I was forced to enter the dungeon.


    Because the dungeon is not only a ce where adventurers die but also a ce to seek fortune.


    In contrast to other people who are looking for luck or fame so they are willing to throw away their lives. In the past, I entered dungeons just for a decent bit of food to fill my stomach and afortable bed to rest my body.


    The reason why the dungeon is a ce to try one''s fortunes lies in the palm of my hand. After slicing up the goblin''s corpse, I took out something that looked like a crystal. And those are Magic Crystals.


    Magic Crystal is a multi-functional item.


    If Ipare it with goods on earth, it will probably be the same as petroleum. As you know, petroleum has many uses in various sectors, such as fuel for vehicles or electricity generation.


    But if petroleumes from the process of depositing hydrocarbons and other organic materials, then Magic Crystales from Mana deposits in the bodies of monsters in dungeons.


    Only dungeon monsters have Magic Crystals in them.


    Thus, it was only natural that people with strength would try to go to the dungeon.


    I quickly stored the Magic Crystal in the Inventory.


    Actually, the Magic Crystals of ordinary goblins, like the ones I defeated before, are not valuable at all. But since I''m a person who''s used to living hard, I''ve never let anything go to waste. Even if it''s useless, I still keep it.


    "I think it''s already close.''

 Chapter 52 Svangur Sword

    ?I continued exploring the Dungeon.


    I had a map in my hand. I didn''t draw this map myself, but it was a gift from the vige chief.


    With this map, I was at least able to narrow down my search area, so I could find what I was looking for faster.


    What I was looking for was arge boulder with a sword sh mark in the center.


    I was looking for it because the Sword of Fear was hidden beneath that boulder.


    In the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, it was told that before the inventor of the Sword of Fear found the sword, he felt frustrated because he was trapped in the Fog Dungeon.


    Whether it''s trees, reeds, or even rocks lying in the middle of the road, he destroyed them. In essence, the person destroyed everything.


    Of course, by destroying this mountain terrain like crazy people, he would have to face many monsters. However, thanks to that indiscriminate attack, he identally smashed a strange boulder, which had the Sword of Fear underneath it.


    I didn''t need to attack everything in this Dungeon, as that guy did. If I did that, I''d be exhausted fighting all the extra monsters that would appear.


    With enough information, I would only need to find the boulder ording to the description in the novel.


    ''Is it here?''


    Finally, I found the boulder that I had looked for.


    Before I found this boulder, I had to pay attention to every boulder I encountered.


    Like a thief looking at their stolen goods, I had to pay close attention to each boulder that I saw.


    It was quite tiring, but the important thing was that I managed to find it.


    If you had stuck your sword into a boulder, the imprint would have remained when you pulled it out. That was the kind of boulder that was in front of me.


    For some reason, when I saw the boulder in front of me, it reminded me of the story of a hero who started his heroic story by pulling a sword out of a rock.


    Luckily, the Sword of Fear wasn''t that kind of sword. Maybe because the Sword of Fear wasn''t a sword for a hero, that''s why it was ced under a boulder.


    When I smashed the boulder with all my might, a dark de started to appear little by little. Starting from the sword hilt, then the tip of the sword, and then finally, the sword waspletely freed from the boulder that was restraining it.


    I removed all the boulder fragments. Then I held the Sword of Fear with my bare hand.


    The ck color of the sword de was very intense. Not only was the de ck, but the hilt was also ck.


    The overall length of the sword was probably about 85 cm. The shape of this sword itself was like a cross. And this type of sword is a double-edged sword.


    [Name:


    Grade: Low (?)


    Description: A sword was imprisoned in a boulder because it once caused fear throughout the continent of Averus. After being cooped up for a long time, the abilities suffered many setbacks. However, you can improve the performance of the Sword.


    Special Ability:


    Fear: You can give your opponent the fear effect. The more blood this sword absorbs, the greater the fear effect it can give.


    Note: Some abilities are still locked.]


    Judging from the description shown by the World System, everything was still in line with what I expected.


    Even though some of the abilities have been locked, this sword was still very extraordinary. Perhaps, what makes this sword extraordinary was that there were still other special abilities.


    What''s more, even though the Grade was only Low at the moment, this sword could still be upgraded.


    ''If I could improve it, wouldn''t that be great?''


    In my previous life, after this sword was taken by Jullian, it was never used by Jullian at all. This sword was reced by the Sword of Light.


    Like dust blown by the wind, this sword was never heard of again, neither in the novel nor in my previous life.


    Well, apart from that¡­


    ''With this, I was semi-sessful in clearing this dungeon.


    Because the original inventor of this sword found this sword before confronting the boss monster, he was able to get out of this dungeon even though he was by himself. Otherwise, that person could never get out of this ce.


    [Congrattions! You havepleted the first Fier Mountain Inquiry questpletion conditions.]


    [Clear Condition 2 has been unlocked.]


    [Completion Conditions:


    1. Find or retrieve the Sword of Fear (done).


    2. Finding or clearing the Fog Dungeon.


    3. ?


    4. ?]


    Apart from the notification about the mission I had, I was more concerned about the other thing.


    While stroking the Sword of Fear in my hand, I thought that I should give the Sword of Fear a name.


    The name Sword of Fear was a nickname, so wouldn''t it be strange if I called this sword by its nickname?


    It wasn''t that I had a diseasemon to middle school kids, a diseasemonly called chuunibyou or something.


    There was a reason why I had to give the Sword of Fear a name.


    In the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light, the sword''s original inventor also gave the Sword of Fear a name.<novelnext></novelnext>


    But he was toote to give a name.


    It happened during the scene of the Sword of Fear wielding against Jullian.


    Have you ever heard of a plot twist? That was also the case when the inventor of the Sword of Fear gave the name Sword of Fear.


    Shortly, before defeat came to him, the holder of the Sword of Fear gave a name to the sword in his hand.


    After giving the Sword of Fear a name, it was said that the Sword of Fear became a scarier weapon. But still, the wielder of the Sword of Fear lost.


    However, it was said that Jullian had to fight back desperately.


    "I will give you the name Svangur, whiches from a sparsely popted country on earth. Svangur which means hungry. In that way, you will be known as the ever-hungry sword."


    [You have seeded in naming the Sword of Fear Svangur.]


    [The sword grade has increased.]


    [Name: Svangur Sword


    Grade: Middle (?)


    Description: A sword was imprisoned in a boulder because it once caused fear throughout the continent of Averus. After being cooped up for a long time, the abilities suffered many setbacks. However, you can upgrade the performance of the Sword.


    Special Ability:


    Fear: You can give your opponent the fear effect. The more blood this sword absorbs, the greater the fear effect it can give.


    Note: Some abilities are still locked.]


    ''Straight up one level, huh.''


    [Congrattions! You have be the owner of the Sword of Fear.]


    [If you can''t feed your sword, you will likely lose the qualification as the owner of the Sword of Fear.]


    Even though I was pleased with my sess in obtaining the Svangur Sword, my enjoyment had to stop there for the moment.


    ***


    Some time has passed.


    I''m currently in a sad state. I had a hard time determining how long I had been in the Fog Dungeon.


    Day and night make no difference because light cannot enter into the fog.


    Don''t forget that this is a Dungeon.


    Some say that the Dungeon is a world separated from reality. It is only natural, then, that we should put aside our general knowledge of general matters.


    At first nce, anyone who saw me would feel very sorry. Because I just sat quietly leaning against a tree. Also, I didn''t forget to hug the Sword of Fear for safety''s sake.


    In one nce, I would have looked like someone who could no longer fight. But, when you look into my eyes, you will know that I am not in a rxed position. I was just pretending to be in a near-death state.


    It''s only natural that I look rundown and pathetic. While I was in this dungeon, I neither ate nor slept.


    So, I was really hungry and sleepy. My eyelids begged me to close my eyes. My stomach rebelled,manding me to fill up immediately.


    ording to what I know, one can only survive without food and water for about a week. But, I guessed that probably almost three days had passed because I felt like I was starting to go into a state of ketosis.


    However, I had to endure it so I could meet the boss monster of this dungeon.


    Fog is a very easy ce to hide. Even small children know that. And that''s what this boss monster dungeon did.


    For the sake of pulling that boss monster out, I have to be in this miserable state.


    It was the custom of this dungeon''s monster boss that he would wait for the people who entered the dungeon to be in this miserable state. Only then will he appear and eat us.


    What made others disappear or die and never get out of the fog was because of this boss monster that was always hiding.


    Then why didn''t I look for it?


    It would be a different story if arge army was deployed toplete this dungeon. With arge army, it will be easy to find it. Even to kill the boss monster. But ¡­


    In the past, there was once arge army that was mobilized to explore this Fier Mountain. But they failed. Since then, there has never been anotherrge army roaming this ce.


    Though, ording to what was written in the novels, one only needed to defeat this dungeon''s boss monster to exit.


    However, the question of how one could go insane after exiting the dungeon had yet to be answered. It is not told in the novel at all.


    I''m sure I''ll find outter myself.


    Crackle!


    Crack!


    Creek!


    Finally what I was waiting for came too.


    [Skill Hear of Everything - Active.]


    A very clear sound of movement rang in my ears. The sound came from the tree I was leaning against. His voice indicated that the tree I was leaning on started to move causing the leaves on the tree to fall.


    Noticing a strange movement in the tree I was leaning against, I immediately kicked the ground and stepped away. When I turned around, I could see that the tree I was leaning on earlier had moved like a living thing.


    "A surprise attack, huh? It''s a natural thing for monsters who like to hide."

 Chapter 53 The Big Treant

    ?I felt the movementing from the tree branch that attacked me. After attacking me, the branch waved as if it couldn''t wait to attack again.


    I stared at the tree where I had been leaning before. Now, the tree looks very different from ordinary trees. The tree has eyes and a mouth. It was obvious that the tree was a monster.


    Treant.


    Treants are monsters that have a tree-like shape. They often disguise themselves as ordinary trees so that they can catch people off guard.


    Just like what happened to me.


    sh!


    With one sh, I managed to split the monster in half.


    [The Stigma of Darkness has sessfully absorbed Death Mana.]


    Of course, the monster I shed wasn''t the boss of this dungeon. But since a Treant-type monster had appeared, that meant a boss monster would appear soon.


    Not long after that, a horde of Treants began to enter my line of sight. Of course, they didn''t forget tounch an attack.


    While dodging their attacks, I stared at the singlergest Treant monster. The monster was in the middle of a horde of other Treant monsters.


    Exactly, the biggest monster is the boss of this dungeon.


    "Did youe rollicking cause failed to do the surprise attack? How pitiful."


    I mocked him.


    The Svangur sword with the dark-colored de is in my right hand. Due to the dark color of the hilt and de, it made me feel as if I was holding a shadow.


    This sword doesn''t have a scabbard, so I can''t put it on my waist. With the Svangur Sword not having a scabbard, I always hold it at the ready state.


    ''I think I''ll make one when I get to townter.''


    I kept holding it in anticipation of a situation like this.


    After all, this is Svangur Sword''s first debut in battle with me.


    But it was a pity that the Treants didn''t have any blood in their bodies. So the Svangur Sword couldn''t absorb anything. If they had blood, the Svangur Sword would drink their blood away.


    However, there was a clear advantage with me wielding the Svangur Sword. I don''t have to worry about the Svangur Sword breaking.


    Unlike the swords I used before, even without the inherent power of the Svangur Sword, it was obvious that the Svangur Sword was sturdy and sharp.


    sh!


    Stab!


    Tsuk!


    One by one I cut down the Treants.


    This time it wasn''t blood that was sshed everywhere, but a tree sap that got under theyers of their bark. Sometimes there are ones that I don''t manage to cut cleanly so I just scratch the surface of their bark.


    Nevertheless, they fell one after another.


    The suspect who had benefited the most was the Stigma of Darkness.


    Even though the Svangur Sword didn''t benefit anything, the Stigma of Darkness managed to eat the Death Mana of every monster I killed.


    Regardless, the more I killed the Treants, the closer I got to the dungeon boss monsters.


    Behind the sluggish face that I currently have, I can still fight well.


    The strings of attacks from the Treants, where they attack by extending their limbs, I dodged with minimal margins.


    Sometimes, I go forward and backward to separate them and kill them one by one.


    And then finally there were only dungeon boss monsters left.


    The Big Treant was thrashing around like crazy. The attacks came faster and stronger. It might be dangerous if he''s still hiding in the fog, but since he''s appeared, there''s nothing for me to be afraid of.


    As usual, I had activated all the fighting skills I had, without them, I wouldn''t have managed to defeat the guards so easily.


    That''s the basics.


    When I was about to charge forward, something unexpected caught my attention.


    [Due to the continuous usage of Swordsmanship Skill, coupled with your qualified experience, an additional option has been given to Swordsmanship skill.]


    [Would you like to check the skill description right now?]


    Seriously, why do notifications like that always pop up when I''m fighting? I started to suspect that the World System wanted to distract me.


    I was forced to ignore the notification first because my feet had been entangled by tree roots that suddenly appeared from the ground.


    As soon as it got to my feet, The Big Treant immediately lifted my body into the air.


    I know that he was going to m me until my body sank to the bottom of the ground.


    But I didn''t let him just throw me away.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I immediately shed at the tree roots wrapped around my feet.


    As soon as I was freed, my body slid down. I twisted my body andnded with both my feet on the ground. I''m not wasting time. As soon as I hit the ground, I pushed my body hurtling towards The Big Treant.


    sh! sh! sh!


    Crack!


    My clean sh managed to scatter The Big Treant''s tree trunk.


    I need a lot of attacks to be able to destroy The Big Treant''s giant body. Even so, I managed to do it.


    Not long afterward, all the leaves on The Big Treant''s body began to fall like a tree in autumn, while his torso began to scatter like dust in the wind.


    After defeating them all, I didn''t forget to take the Magic Crystal and put it in the Inventory.


    ''Is it really this easy to fight a boss monster from a dungeon known as one of the 7 mysterious ces on this continent? If it''s like this, won''t everyone who hase here be able to get out of this ce without going crazy?''


    Inevitably I began to suspect.


    ording to the novel, the inventor of the Sword of Fear managed to survive without losing his mind thanks to the Sword of Fear. What kind of enemy, and how the Sword of Fear helped him, were none of that mentioned.


    It turned out that I didn''t have to wait long for an answer to my question.


    [Congrattions, you have sessfullypleted the second stage of the Fier Mountain Inquiry mission.]


    [Clearing condition number three has been unlocked.]


    [Completion Conditions:


    1. Find or retrieve the Sword of Fear (done).


    2. Find orplete Fog Dungeon (done).


    3. Explore the cave in the Fog Dungeon.


    4. ?]


    Do I just need to explore a cave in this dungeon? Should I look for a cave now?


    I was confused when I read the information. I didn''t think that the third stage would be that easy.


    But not long after, what I feared happened.


    Suddenly, the fog around the ce where I was standing started to fade. The result was that the corpses of the monsters I had killed were exposed instead. But I was more focused on a cave that suddenly appeared from behind the fog.


    Something that did not exist before, now really exists. Has the cave been there all this time? Or did it appear out of thin air? This fog might have been purposely keeping people from seeing the cave.


    Maybe the fog around me seemed to fade, but that only happened around that mysterious cave.


    Somehow, my survival instinct made me feel an ominous energying from within that cave.


    ''Should I enter that cave?''


    I don''t want to be a fool who directly enters a mysterious ce. At least I want to get a little information about the cave.


    [Skill Hear of Everything - Activated.]


    I hoped to get some additional information when using the Hear of Everything skill.


    It didn''t take long before I regretted activating the Hear of Everything skill. I widened my eyes and immediately covered my ears as tightly as I could.


    It''s because I can hear the sound of something that I can''t describe. The sound that entered my ears couldn''t be called a sound. I can''t describe it very well, but you could tell it was hitting my eardrums.


    Could that be called the sound of a beast''s roar? No, it''s more than just a roar.


    My whole body started pouring cold sweat. My hands hit the ground along with my feet. Goosebumps ran down my neck. Behind my back, I felt a vertical eye staring at me. Those eyes are as big as a mountain, while I am as small as an ant.


    Those eyes are the same as those of a predator when it stares at its prey.


    ''... Ah, this feeling!''


    It''s the same feeling when I''m facing an opponent I can never beat.


    Feelings of helplessness, pressure, oppression, and humiliation. All those feelings congregate into one.


    [You are affected by Debuff Magic, Fear.]


    All kinds of negative thoughts suddenly came into my head. Fear spread through my body until it reached my head and started messing with my brain.


    Dizziness and nausea spread through my upper and lower brain. The upper brain is my mind, while the lower brain is my stomach.


    ''Is this the reason why everyone whoes to Fier Mountain is going crazy?''


    Even I, who had faced the pressure of a countless number of devils, felt that the pressure of a countless number of devils was still better than this pressure that I was feeling.


    "Hosh~ Hosh~ Haaa¡­"

 Chapter 54 A Cave Inside The Fog Dungeon

    ?My sanity abruptly returned just before my awareness vanished as a result of the horrifying image I saw behind my body.


    All of a sudden, the sweat on my body stopped flowing, the goosebumps on my neck stopped halfway, and I no longer copsed on the ground as if helpless.


    Was it a result of my extensive experience with this particr feeling? So that I can restore myposure andmon sense?


    At first, I thought so, but I was wrong.


    Apparently, there was another reason why I sessfully overcame the magic debuff, Fear, that attacked me.


    [Svangur Sword''s locked special ability is now unlocked]


    [A special ability called Dispel Fear is now avable for you to use.]


    [Dispel Fear ability has activated at your will.]


    [Sessfully neutralized Fear''s effect.]


    [Congrattions, you seeded despite the effects of Fear.]


    [Name: Svangur Sword


    Grade: Middle


    Description: A sword that once caused fear across the continent. Having been forgotten for a long time, the ability of this sword has suffered a lot of setbacks. However, you can upgrade the grade of this sword.


    Special Ability:


    Fear: You can give your opponent the effect of fear. The more blood this sword absorbs, the greater the fear effect it can give.


    Dispel Fear: You will be temporarily immune to the effects of fear.]


    Is this the reason why I have to take the Svangur Sword first?


    I gripped the Svangur Sword tightly.


    Although I could still feel the slight effects of fear, I managed to keep my mind clear.


    Now, should I take the risk toplete the quest from the World System? Or give up and take a step back like what the owner of the sword of fear in the novel might do?


    ***


    Magical Beasts. It ismon knowledge that the closer Magical Beasts are to the dungeon, therger their size bes.


    Likewise with a Wild Boar.


    At the mouth of the Fier Mountain, there is arge Wild Boar


    Nom! Nom! Nom! ¡­.


    Despite hisrge size, he looks like he is eating grass with gusto like a small animal.


    When the Wild Boar ate food, it wasmon knowledge that they would let their guard down.


    Swoosh!


    Crock!


    When he was happily eating grass, the Wild Boar was suddenly startled by a sharp object. The sharp object suddenly stuck into his buttocks. Incidentally, his butt was a weak spot where long thorns did not grow.


    "Oink!"


    The Wild Boar screamed loudly. He was about to run away, but before he could escape, much foam suddenly came out of his mouth.


    And finally, he just fell.


    It was obvious that he had fallen because of poison.


    The cause of the Wild Boar''s unfortunate fate appeared from behind the Wild Boar''s body.


    And it turned out that the person who had stabbed the Wild Boar''s butt was Anas.


    Anas was still holding the dagger that she had thrust into the Wild Boar''s buttocks. She did that to see the effectiveness of the poison she used.


    "Hehe~ The effect is faster than usual. Even though this Wild Boar is bigger and stronger than the Wild Boar I fought in the previous vige, and despite I''ve only been practicing for a while, I didn''t expect that the technique Master gave me wasn''t a fake one."


    Anas was talking to herself.


    She looked at the Wild Boar''s state and was satisfied.


    Once she was sure that the Wild Boar was dead, she drew the dagger at the Wild Boar''s ugly and smelly rear.


    After killing the Wild Boar, she climbed a tree. Arriving at the top of the tree, she confirmed her surroundings. Once certain that she had cleared the Magical Beasts around her, she sat down on the branch of therge tree.


    Then she opened the book that Mesties gave her.


    She read it again.


    ''How does he know all of this?''


    Once again, the question popped into her head.


    The book she held had secret techniques from her hometown.


    Her hometown is a ce where everyone must learn about poison. When children could awaken their Mana Core, they would be given a cultivation technique rted to poison. With that cultivation, they would automatically be immune to poisons.


    Of course, one''s level of poison immunity was greatly affected by their poison cultivation level.


    Poison cultivation techniques also have many kinds. And the cultivation technique held by Anas was the most formidable poison cultivation technique in her hometown.


    The name is wless Poison Cultivation.


    Regardless of the prowess of poison cultivation techniques. In truth, on the Averus continent practicing poison cultivation was taboo. Thus, her hometown was in a very hidden ce.


    ''But how did those bastards find out?<novelnext></novelnext>


    Anas''s hands clenched tightly. She bit her lip until it bled as she thought of the past.


    Recalling what happened in her hometown before she left, she was deeply moved that Mesties would give her a book containing secret techniques from her hometown.


    Regardless of the motive or how the Mesties got it, Anas is still touched.


    ''I don''t care how he finds out all this, but seeing as he''s willing to give this to me, I''m sure he''s not a bad person.''


    If Mesties was connected to them, she was sure that Mesties wouldn''t give something of value like a secret technique to someone he just met. That''s what she thought.


    She shook her head to clear her mind. Nothing would change if she continued to reminisce about what had happened.


    She looked at the instructions in the book and started putting them into practice.


    ''But, will that person be okay in there?''


    Before she continued her training, she looked towards the peak of Fier Mountain where the Mesties were.


    Then she closed her eyes and meditated.


    ***


    [Dispel Fear ability of the Svangur Sword sessfully resists the effects of fear attacking your mind.]


    [Dispel Fear ability of the Svangur Sword sessfully resists the effects of fear attacking your mind.]


    ? [.....]


    A message kept shing before my eyes.


    What came to my mind was that I decided to continue the Fier Mountain Investigation quest ording to the instructions of the World System.


    For that reason, I am currently holding onto the cave wall and walking slowly.


    The walls of this cave are not the same as the walls of caves in general. The surface of the wall is made of brick and very neatly arranged. I feel that this ce is almost the same as an alley of a mansion.


    Who would have thought that the entrance to this ce is an old and ugly cave, but the interior looks very clean and tidy?


    There was lighting radiating from the torches on the wall. The torch illuminates the path I walk. That makes me not have to worry about my visibility.


    The longer I walked, the more curious I was about what was at the end of this cave.


    But the more I stepped forward, the fear effect that was attacking me also became more and more intense. That is evident from the notifications that appear more frequently.


    ''To what extent can the Svangur Sword resist the effect of fear?


    I still hold the Svangur Sword to give me protection against the fear effect that attacks me. If there was no Svangur Sword, I would have gone crazy.


    Even though the Svangur Sword already had the Dispel Fear ability, I couldn''t let my guard down.


    "Hm?"


    I looked at my right foot which had stepped on something. As you can see, what I stepped on was a trigger for a trap.


    !!


    Even though this ce is a cave, don''t forget that I''m still inside a dungeon. Dungeons weren''t just ces where monsters roamed, but also ces where traps abounded.


    And again, unlike the walls of the cave in general, the floors and walls of this cave look very smooth. It''s not to make the mouse slip, but it''s very difficult to distinguish which floor is safe and which floor surface is the trigger for a trap.


    "Unlucky!"


    I cursed my bad luck.


    [Skill Hear of Everything - Activated.]


    I immediately focused on listening to the mechanism of the trap. Apart from the Fear attacks, which became very annoying when I used the skill Hear of Everything, I was forced to use it.


    Even though the trigger of the trap I stepped on was on the floor, it didn''t mean that the trap''s location was also on the floor.


    A trap must have a mechanism in it. But it''s different from the one on earth, where the trap is one hundred percent made of lumps of machinery. If it''s a trap here, of course, there will be Mana involved.


    After listening carefully, I could hear the movement of Mana beside me. I heard the movement of the trap mechanism within the dungeon walls. And without warning, the surface of the dungeon wall suddenly opened and took out a lot of bows.


    Automatically, the bowsunched a lot of arrows simultaneously.


    Shoot! Shoot! Shoot ¡­.


    All the arrows were moving very fast.


    I''m sure that anyone who doesn''t know where the attack ising from could die instantly. Even if one knew the direction the arrow wasing from, one would have a hard time dodging it.


    That''s what happened to me too.


    I jumped forward and rolled a few times.


    "Ugh!"


    Turns out I couldn''tpletely dodge the arrows. I noticed that my thigh had been scratched by an arrow and was bleeding. Not only that, but a green liquid also melted above my wound.


    It became clear that it was poison.


    [Poison Resistance - Active.]


    [Poison Resistance sessfully neutralized the poison that attacked you.]


    Luckily I still have the Poison Resistance skill. As soon as I channeled Mana ording to how to use the Poison Resistance skill, the green liquid above my wound immediately evaporated.


    Seeing that the traps in this dungeon are still active, there are two scenarios that I think of. Either in this ce, there is still a figure who takes care of these traps, or this cave really has never been explored by anyone else.


    I hope my second guess is the correct one. If the correct one is my first guess, then it''s probably the real boss of this dungeon.


    And seeing that the traps here were meticulous, it was likely that it could be a monster with high intelligence.

 Chapter 55 The Title

    ?Sure, there were lots of dungeons that had a trap, but the traps in most dungeons were very simple, examples include pit traps, leg-hold traps, or rock avnche traps. But this dungeon is different, there is a unique mechanism in it.


    I tried my best to bandage my body''s wounds. After I finished, I got up to continue my exploration.


    Several times, I touched the trigger of the traps. Whether it was the trigger of the trap on the floor or on the cave wall, I identally pressed it. There''s even a trigger ced on the ceiling as well.


    I identally hit the trigger on the ceiling after I dodged the active trap on the floor. At first, I jumped and was about to stick my sword into the ceiling to hang on there. But it turned out that the ceiling I was aiming for was the trigger for another trap.


    Somehow I was able to avoid the ceiling that was spewing rock and the floor that had spears shooting up.


    Because I''ve tried so hard, I really hope to see the end of this cave.


    However, I received a notification that made me have to leave this cave immediately.


    [The Svangur Sword''s Dispel Fear ability has reached its limit.]


    [The Svangur Sword''s Dispel Fear ability will no longer be able to withstand Fear''s attacks.]


    Somehow I can feel the vibrations on the Svangur Sword. Maybe the Svangur Sword was shaking because he couldn''t use the Dispel Fear ability anymore.


    Previously, the Dispel Fear ability attached to the Svangur Sword did manage to resist the effects of Fear attacking me, but that was only a temporary defense.


    ''Where did that attacke from?''


    I couldn''t help but frown.


    Magic debuff fear still attacks me non-stop. A feeling of fear is still pounding on my mind, forcing its way into my brain.


    I think it''s a miracle that I''ve survived this long.


    Is this the end? If I go back, won''t I lose the opportunity to gain more power? Is this really okay?


    I, who in my first life couldn''t increase my power even if I trained very hard, would give up the chance to gain more power just like that?


    I, who was aware that the enemies I would face in the future would possess extremely terrifying power, would I give up here without taking the risk?


    I gripped the cave wall firmly.


    My mind began to ask what reason did I have to put so much effort into the quest given by the World System.


    Do I absolutely just want power? It would be a lie if I said no, but I realized that wasn''t my real reason. Power was not my main reason.


    In my previous life, at some point in time, I felt disgusted while living a life full of dangers in this world.


    It was from there that I started to think about what I really wanted to achieve in this world.


    Only one thought popped into my head.


    I actually just want to live ''Safe'' and ''Comfortably''.


    As simple as that is my wish.


    Don''t confuse the words'' safety andfort with something as trivial as living idly in a small corner of the world.


    First, the meaning of ''Comfortable'' in my opinion is where all my wishes cane true easily.


    In other words, if I wanted to enjoy all kinds of luxuries in this world, I would be able to easily make that happen. Or even if I wanted to turn the world around the axis, I would be able to do it easily.


    Whereas the meaning of ''Safe'' life to me is where every other life form I know wouldn''t have the guts to fight me.


    And to be able to live a ''Safe'' and ''Comfortable'' life, it''s clear that I need a power that can stand above thews of this world. Thew where the strong eat the weak.


    I decided to surpass the main character, not be his subordinate. Even if I''m just an extra character.


    In order to make up for the miserable and wretched life I had lived, both on earth and in my previous life, I had to at least have a very greedy desire.


    ? That was the reason that drove me to keep fighting.


    But the reality is different from what we always imagine. Reality is not always as sweet as our dreams.


    Without realizing it, I''ve returned to feeling fear all over my body.


    [You are starting to be affected by the magic debuff - Fear.]


    I bit my lips tightly, and after that, I tried to get up and prepared to escape from this cave.


    I didn''t have to worry about getting hit by the same trap while running away since the traps that were already activated didn''t seem to be active any time soon.


    When I took one step back, a system message stopped my footsteps.


    Indeed, the reality is not always as sweet as our dreams, but when we see it from another perspective, it can also mean that reality can be sweeter than our dreams.


    I smile.


    [In response to your situation, your locked title is automatically unlocked.]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Title ''The Soul of a Regressor from Another World'' - Unlocked.]


    [Due to the Title The Soul of a Regressor from Another World, you will be immune to all kinds of mental attacks.]


    [Title name: The Soul of a Regressor from Another World.


    Description: You are the only owner of a soul from another world that has regressed in this world. Due to various causes, you managed to survive. Your synchronous soul and body have seeded in giving you very strong mental immunity.


    Effect: You will be immune to any kind of mental attacks.]


    I remember that previously there were two question marks behind the title I had.


    "Open status."


    When the status window appeared, I just focused on looking at my title.


    [Status Window:


    Name: Mesties Warwick.


    Title: Poor Noble, Regressor, Transmigrator, The Soul of a Regressor from Another World, ?.


    ¡­.]


    It turned out that there was only one more question mark.


    Apart from the curiosity I have about the title that is still a question mark, do other titles also have their own effect? Same as the Title The Soul of a Regressor from Another World?


    Then I tried looking at the descriptions of the various titles I had.


    [Poor Noble: This title is proof that you are famous as a pitiful noble in the Misonia Kingdom. This title also makes it easy for you to ept insults from everyone.]


    [Regressor: This title is only obtained by people who have returned to the past with their memories intact.]


    [Transmigrator: This title indicates that your soul has traveled between worlds.]


    It turns out that other titles only have a description without any inherent abilities.


    Only the title of Poor Noble has the effect of baiting people to insult me.


    At first, I didn''t pay much attention because I didn''t think it was important, but who would have thought that titles also have their uses?


    After a series of thoughts, it''s time to walk deeper inside.


    ***


    Due to the sudden appearance of the title effect, I continued to step deeper into the cave.


    There is arge door measuring 5 x 2 meters square blocking the way. There are no special carvings on the surface of the door. Not even a ce to put the key. This is usually what the door to the boss room looks like.


    I can imagine that inside this big door, I will fight Boss monsters.


    Crack!


    Ba-dum!


    I wonder why this door is so heavy. Only when I strengthened my body did I manage to open the door. Even the sound of the door opening was thunderous.


    Opening the door, I held the Svangur Sword as if I were a soldier ambushing a drug dealer''s headquarters.


    But I was really surprised by what was behind the iron door.


    "Why is there nothing here?"


    There are no monsters in the room at all. It wasn''t even an arena-like ce where boss monsters should be.


    The first thing that caught my interest was the shelves of cabs, where there were a lot of things that should be in theboratory.


    Chemical beakers, pipettes, petri dishes, spirit burners, and so on. There were also many test tubes strewn across the tables.


    Indeed, the tools here are somewhat out of datepared to modernboratory equipment on earth. Even so, it already came as a surprise that there was aboratory in a dungeon.


    The spections in my head started running wild.


    If there is aboratory, there must be someone doing research in it. And if it was in the Dungeon, who would do the research?


    It was obvious that what was in Dungeons were usually monsters.


    Then, did the monsters do the research?


    ''Is that possible?''

 Chapter 56 The Fallen Lich

    ?[Congrattions, you have sessfullypleted the third stage of the Fier Mountain quest.]


    [Number four''s clearing condition has been unlocked.]


    [Completion Conditions:


    1. Find or retrieve the Sword of Fear (done).


    2. Find orplete Fog Dungeon (done).


    3. Explore the Cave in the Fog Dungeon (done).


    4. Defeat the creature who ims to be the owner of Fier Mountain.]


    So I have to defeat the boss monster or something like that, right?


    But the problem is¡­


    ''Where is he?''


    Even when I looked around the room carefully, I couldn''t find the creature that the World System was referring to.


    This ce should be the innermost room right, why didn''t I see the appearance of the boss monster that the system message referred to?


    Finally, I stopped looking around for the boss monster''s whereabouts.


    I focused my attention on something right in the middle of the room.


    There stood a storage tube made of transparent ss. Inside it contains water. And in the water, there is an eyeball floating.


    The eyeball is only one, not a pair. A normal person would turn their head away in fright when they saw those eyeballs. But I can''t hide my face.


    The instant I saw that eyeball, I immediately widened my eyes and almost dropped my jaw.


    That''s because when I looked at the eyeball, the Fear effect that I felt earlier seemed to be even more pronounced, whereas I didn''t feel the Fear effect anymore.


    Indeed, that eyeball gaze has something inmon with an eyeball gaze that I felt before.


    ''Is that the source of Fear''s attacks that drive people crazy?''


    [The Soul of a Regressor from Another World is strongly blocking Fear''s effect.]


    Now, I was certain that the issue that led to people bing insane and being stuck on Fier Mountain was caused by that eyeball.


    Unlike when I felt it from a distance when my eyes looked directly into that eyeball, I reflexively took a step back.


    ''Even though it''s only an eyeball, how can it give off such a terrifying aura?''


    Is it just my imagination, somehow, I can see something around the tube that holds the eyeball. There was darkness, anger, and all sorts of other terrible emotions mixed.


    One thing for sure is, that eyeball must be a very important or valuable object.


    I slowly got closer to get a better look. But, before I could touch the tube that contained the eyeball, I felt a sense of danger.


    My hand was about to reach for the tube, but I had to stop what I was about to do.


    I stood like a hunk of rock.


    "Hohoho, I''m surprised. This is the first time anyone has been able toe all the way here. How are you holding back your consciousness?"


    A voice suddenly came from behind me.


    I felt a touch on my shoulder.


    The touch was slow and smooth, but it was enough to make anyone''s heart jump out of its ce.


    I turned my head like a robot full of rust.


    When I shifted my gaze slightly towards my shoulder which felt the touch, I could see the head of a person covered in a ck cloak right.


    He was right beside me


    His face is really close to my face.


    Because of the dim lighting, I couldn''t see his face.


    I didn''t notice because I was too focused on staring at the eyeball in the storage tube.


    So, I immediately pushed myself away just like that.


    Tap, tap¡­


    Both my feet managed tond on the floor.


    We were now quite far apart.


    I managed to keep my distance.


    "Ahahaha, why are you jumping like a rodent? How funny."


    "I really couldn''t detect your presence. How could you suddenly appear behind me?"


    "Are you curious, my dear guest? Then I will tell you as a reward foring here."


    He lowered the hood that covered his face.


    At that instant moment, I actually saw something that was so shocking.


    The face that was under the cloak was not a human face.


    On his face, he had no skin, nor did he have eyes, a brain, or even flesh, something that a human should have.


    Behind the cloak that covered his face was only a white skull. Not only the face but also the whole body. If he wasn''t wearing a cloak, his skull would be exposed.


    The organs that should be there are not there.


    Even so, he could still speak and move.


    Normal people will not know how a skeleton like him can live.


    There was no mistake, he was¡­.


    "Undead, huh."


    "Hey, hey, hey. Please don''tpare me to low-level beings like the undead. That''s rude. If you say that one more time, I''ll be mad."


    Behind the eye sockets that were originally only filled with emptiness, now a faint red light was visible as if reflecting his anger.


    Okay, I had to go with the flow of the game.


    "What should I call you then?"


    "You can call me Nya Nu, The Lich. I am the ruler of this ce. Ho ho ho."


    I don''t know how he''sughing or making any other sounds, but I understand that he''sughing arrogantly. His skull teeth kept shaking with joy. His hands rose as he introduced himself.


    "That exins everything then."


    Liches are high-level undead creatures.


    They''re not just monsters. They are creatures that have intelligence simr to humans. Some say that they were once great magicians who turned into undead monsters.


    But what mattered was not only his awareness and intelligence, Liches were also famous for their strength.


    It ismon knowledge that Liches have great magic power. They were already almost on par with a magician at the Supreme realm. So, I have to be prepared for the worst scenario.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''It is clear that his level is higher than that of Vice Knight Captain, Trusty.''


    Somehow, I''m starting to not believe I can beat him. Why did the World System create such an impossible mission?


    "Phew~"


    I can only sigh.


    However, one strange thing about this Lich is¡­ He talks too much.


    "Strange, when did a Lich start enjoying long conversations like you do?"


    "Hey~ Don''t be stupid, dear guest! So, what if a great Lich like myself talks so much? After all, this is the first time someone has been able toe here. Consider it an honor to be able to talk to a great Lich like me, my dear guest."


    At the end of the long sentence he spat out, he turned his face to the side and said quietly, "It''s not that I''m lonely."


    I managed to eavesdrop thanks to the Hear of Everything skill, but I wanted to vomit when I heard that from the skeleton''s mouth.


    "So, now that I''ve introduced myself, you can now answer my question. How did you get here and withstand the mental effects of Fear? I believe that any living creature would go mad upon receiving that attack."


    "Isn''t a Lich famous for their cleverness when ites to magic? Why don''t you know?"


    Perhaps because he was feeling increasingly upset, he shut up for a moment and looked at me.


    Finally, he shouted something.


    "Kehihihi¡­ I like your enthusiasm. Then, I will force the answer out of your mouth."


    From his previously empty sleeve, a wand suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The lich then held the wand and began to chant.


    He cast a spell.


    I wanted to stop him, but I couldn''t move.


    ''Since when?''


    I looked down.


    There was a magic circle under my feet that kept both of my feet stuck to the floor. It felt like there was glue on the surface of my feet.


    In the blink of an eye, the magic circle glowed and started to engulf me.


    "Dimensional Magic - Teleportation."


    I can hear the Lich chanting his incantation.


    So, the magic circle under my feet is a trap to restrain me, whereas he used teleportation magic, huh?


    Blink ¡­


    ***


    When I opened my eyes, I was suddenly in another room.


    It only happened in the blink of an eye, but everything around me was different.


    Theboratory room where I was before was no longer around me.


    My eyes, which I opened slowly, began to wander around the room where I was moved.


    This room is very spacious, the ceiling is also very high.


    The decoration that apanies the walls of the room is also very beautiful.


    Antique ornaments stuck here and there.


    Even the lighting here was supported by Magic Lamps, which made the entire room very bright.


    ''I didn''t expect a Lich to create a room like this.''


    The ce I was in now was almost simr to a banquet hall. However, there wasn''t any furniture in this room. As far as my eyes could see, there was only a in floor.


    Of course, in front of me, there is still a Lich.


    "Don''t admire this room too much, my dear guest. You look like a vige boy."


    He mocked me tantly.


    Even I, who used to be patient, can frown.


    "Phew~ So, what do you want from me?"


    I don''t know why, but he was standing there while wiping his skull.


    "Haaa¡­ Even though it was tiring when I used teleportation magic, I was forced to use it. You should be honored to have experienced the legendary teleportation magic, O my dear guest."


    "I just found out that a Lich can be as expressive as you."


    Despite the yful nature he disyed, the Teleportation Magic he spoke of was indeed a very powerful magic.


    Teleport Magic.


    It was a high-level magic spell


    Even people have considered that Teleportation Magic has disappeared and is considered Legendary Magic. How could a Lich that hade from nowhere be able to use it?


    Simr to the greatness of the Teleportation Magic, Mana''s consumption when using it is also very high. Moreover, Lich used it not only on himself but also to teleport me.


    Even if he was a Lich, he would still consume a lot of magic power.


    Other than that, a Lich did not specialize in Dimensional Magic.


    ''He must have really appreciated theb room before.''


    If we had fought in theboratory earlier, I''m sure the ce would have been destroyed.


    "I haven''t fought in a long time. Hope you will cheer me up a bit, my dear guest! Xixixixi."


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The sound of Lich''s teeth grinding was annoying.


    So, I just need to do what I need to do.


    [Skill Strengthening - Active.]


    [Skill Amplification - Active.]


    [Swordsmanship Skill - Active.]


    I activated all of my skills.


    And then, I rushed forward to attack without warning.


    The Svangur Sword in my hand was also ready to cut that Lich.


    But, unfortunately, he was one step faster than me.


    "Summon Magic - Undead Resurrection."


    I was surprised by how quickly he finished his chant. Unlike the teleportation magic that required him to cast spells for a long time, now hepleted them very quickly.


    I knew that wasmon for a Lich to specialize in Summoning Magic - Undead. Even Lich has the nickname The King of Undead. But, I was still surprised by how fast he cast the spell.

 Chapter 57 Three Sword Paths To Heaven

    ?When the Lich finished chanting, he raised his wand and intense magic power began to radiate to every corner of the hall.


    The spreading of magic power began to create magic circles.


    Numerous magic circles appeared on the floor. The magic circles that appeared were so numerous that they almost filled the floor of this ce.


    Not long after, various undead monsters started appearing from the magic circle.


    The first to be seen are the hands, followed by the head, until the rest of their body starts to show little by little.


    ck! ck! ck! ¡­


    Whenever the skeletons move, they make a sound simr to that of bones breaking.


    When theplete bodies of all the skeletons surfaced, I could slightly identify what kind of skeletons they were.


    Skeletons of Goblins, Wild Boars, and even a skeleton made of Batting Squirrels exist. I identified them by the size and shape of their bones.


    They all appeared from the magic circle that was on the floor. There was also one that appeared from the ceiling.


    Judging by the army of Undead he put out, it was clear that he had made them from monsters that were within Fier Mountain.


    I, who previously rushed forward to attack, immediately stopped halfway. It was clear that I would never reach him. So I gave up on directly attacking that Lich.


    I realized that I wouldn''t be able to fight against that Lich while there was still a horde of skeletons behind me.


    But there was something strange.


    Even though their numbers almost filled the room, I didn''t feel intimidated in the slightest. Strangely their movements look like babies who are just learning to walk. One step at a time they took with difficulty


    I could see the nervousness starting to show on the face of the Lich named Nya Nu. Even though he doesn''t have sweat nds, I can see he''s sweating profusely.


    "Shit!"


    Apanied by Nya Nu The Lich''s annoyance, I started dancing amidst the crowd of skeletons.


    I wasn''t really dancing, but I said dancing wasn''t just for figurative purposes either, but because I cut down the skeletons so easily.


    sh!


    Crack!


    Tasyuk!


    Crumbles!


    Every time I swing my sword, I manage to take down a row of skeletons. Rather than fighting living monsters, I found it easier to fight them when they were skeletons.


    Of course, I attacked with all my might, but I also felt that the main reason wasn''t because of my skills, but because these skeletons were so easy to beat.


    "I don''t mean to be insulting, but aren''t these guys too easy to be my opponent?"


    "Hehe, let''s just say this is the opening menu."


    The lich attempted to answer in a cocky tone and confident posture.


    ***


    "Tch! You useless ant."


    The Lich continued to grumble. He was irritated when he saw the abilities of the skeletons he had summoned.


    In fact, he realized that the reason why the skeletons'' skills were poor wasn''t because the skeletons were weak from the start, but because the summoner himself couldn''t keep up the soldiers'' strength.


    Summoning Magic is not just about summoning a creature, but also controlling what we summon and guarding the creature we summon. Of course, not all summoned creatures are like that. But if it was a low-tier Summoning Magic like Undead Resurrection, then all that was needed.


    In other words, it was Nya Nu''s own fault.


    "Is it because I haven''t fought in a long time?"


    Right, Nya Nu was a Lich who had been cooped up in the Fog Dungeon for a long time. And during his confinement, he never found a single human who made it into the cave where he was. On average they will go crazy before entering the cave. So this is his first fight in a long time.


    He saw that the humans he had looked down on earlier were now continuing to sh the Skeleton Soldiers he had summoned with the ck-colored swords.


    When he saw that the humans who were underestimated at first actually had high abilities, he then prepared another magic spell.


    "It''s good that you survived this long. But I will make you experience a different level of difficulty. Prepare to feel the true despair¡­ Appear, O servant who has served me faithfully for a long time. Summoning Magic - Death Knight."


    A single magic circle appeared in the center of the hall. But unlike the previous magic circle which was small in size, this time it was veryrge.


    What emerged from the magic circle was high-level Undead called Death Knights.


    Even though they were the same size as a normal human, the magic power emanating from the Death Knight was enormous.


    Unlike the skeleton soldiers who didn''t have any equipment, the Death Knight had armor covering his whole body. There is a helmet that covers the face. There was also arge sword hanging from his back.


    A dark aura that was even thicker than the skeleton soldiers continued to emit from the Death Knight. Even the dark aura around him almost matched the aura of the summoner himself.


    After surfacing, the Death Knight knelt before Nya Nu and saluted.


    "It''s been a long time since you summoned me, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    His voice is heavy. Even so, the words he spat out were filled with the spirit of a knight facing his master.


    "Beat that human!"


    Nya Nu immediately ordered those Death Knights to attack Mesties.


    ***


    I did say that fighting a bunch of skeleton soldiers was easy. Even though it''s true that it''s easy. But, if the number of skeletons doesn''t decrease too, over time I''ll definitely run out of stamina.


    I need to quickly make my way to that Lich.


    Every swing of my sword managed to blow away a bunch of skeletons. They fly left and right haphazardly and irregrly, like waves in the ocean.


    I had the feeling that I was creating a scene like when Moses parted the sea.


    But in the middle of the wave, something came to me. He came from above my head.


    "Enough of that, Human!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    His sound is too heavy.


    Instead, what appeared was a skeleton wearing full body armor.


    Not only his appearance, but the aura he gave off was also different. It was as if he was shouting that he was special.


    He attacked using the great sword.


    Ka-nk!


    I managed to withstand his attacks.


    "Another skeleton that can talk huh."


    "I am Lord Nya Nu''s loyal servant. Even though I am now known as a high-ranking undead monster, Death Knight, I will still serve my lord, Nya Nu, with all my heart."


    "I don''t care about your intro."


    He introduced himself while holding his chest as if he was doing a knight''s greeting before going into battle. But as soon as I insulted him that he was nothing more than an undead, he immediately lunged forward to attack me.


    "Groaaa!"


    We continued by exchanging blows. I''m not pushed at all.


    Somehow, I feel that my movements have be very light. I feel as though I can sh anything now.


    "What are you doing? Are you only able to use basic moves, Lowly Human?"


    "So what? Are youizens, why do youment so much?"


    "Stupid. Your attacks are very monotonous. It makes it easy for anyone to read your moves. Prepare to suffer defeat in front of the esteemed Lord Nya Nu."


    I don''t care whatments he makes.


    I was still going to attack using the basic moves he disdained, however, this time I added a lot of Mana to mine.


    [You have sessfully activated the Additional Option on Swordsmanship Skill: Three Sword Paths to Heaven.]


    [You are using sh''s basic move.]


    [The First Paths: sh (Beginner) - Active.]


    ''What''s that?''


    I didn''t have time to read the System Notification.


    I''m even more focused on the results of the sh that I did.


    When I shed my sword, I felt that my attack was very light. However, the visible result of my sh wasn''t light in the slightest.


    Bang!


    The Death Knight flew backward from taking my sh. He fell to the floor.


    Crack!


    The armor does look fine though. But I can hear the sound of bones cracking from within the armor.


    I''m sure his body isn''t fine.


    "H-How could a lowly human like you take down a Death Knight?"


    The lich stuttered as he saw his servant slumped on the ground. He swears a lot too.


    Even though I managed to take down that Death Knight, I also sacrificed a lot of stamina and mana.


    ''Since when did I have such a powerful shing skill? Come to think of it, I previously received a Notification System that there was an additional option for Swordsmanship Skills.''


    I tried to confirm it and checked the Swordsmanship Skill description. If I think about it, I didn''t read the Swordsmanship skill description from the start. So I''ll check it out.


    [Skill Name: Swordsmanship


    Description: When the Swordsmanship Skill is active, your swordy skills will increase. Every sword strike youunch will have a greater impact.


    Note: Due to the limitation of your physical abilities, the skill effect drops drastically.


    Additional Options: Three Sword Paths To Heaven


    There are many paths you can walk to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship, but the World System has detected that you have forged three major paths.


    The First Paths: sh (Beginner)


    The Second Path: Stab (Beginner)


    The Third Path: Parried (Beginner)


    Reach a higher level of swordsmanship by forging the foundation of swordsmanship.]


    ''Hmm??''


    A big question mark appeared over my head. I tilted my head to digest the information above.


    If I recall, after I regressed, I really only focused on practicing those three basic movements.


    I can indeed practice other moves, such as feints or other moves. But training on anything else is a waste of time.


    Following Cornelia''s instructions from my previous life, where she ordered me to focus on basic movements, it seemed to be the right thing to do.


    "You don''t have the talent to learnplicated sword moves. So just practice those basic moves until you die!"


    Those were her scathing words that still ring in my head until this day.


    I ruffled my hair so as not to get too caught up in the past.


    While I finished looking at the description of the Swordsmanship Skill, the Lich was still speaking about his shock.


    Now... I was sure that Lich loved to talk. It reflected as if he never had the chance to talk to anyone before.

 Chapter 58 Dragon Eye

    ?"D-Don''t get excited, Human. I did lose just now, but I didn''t lose because of your great strength. The reason is that I just haven''t fought in a long time. Moreover, my skill is not fighting!"


    The lich spoke as he continued to step back.


    When his back reached the wall, only then he stopped.


    Even though it looked like I had cornered him, my body wasn''t feeling well either.


    "Sigh! Ptooey!"


    I kept breathing heavily as a sign of exhaustion. The clothes I was wearing were tattered. Cut wounds are all over my body. I spit my saliva on the floor. Then I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.


    When the Death Knight fell before, I took advantage of the time by approaching the Lich. By utilizing the Three Sword Paths to Heaven, I managed to defeat him after he used various other moves.


    The biggest reason why I was able to defeat him was because of the effect of the title The Soul of a Regressor from Another World.


    "H-How did you survive all the debuffs I gave you? Only one answer makes sense. But there''s no way a mere human like you would have such a strong soul."


    "It''s a shame indeed, but I''m not an ordinary human like you think."


    "Hehe, it''s fine. Hurry up and just kill me!"


    "I''m not that stupid to fall for your provocation. I know that I can''t just kill you. I don''t know where this ce is anyway. I guess that I can only get out of here using teleport magic."


    "Hup!"


    "Oh. Seeing your reaction. Then my guess is right, huh."


    I see no exit from this ce.


    I''m guessing that this ce is somewhere underground. It would be troublesome to find a way out on your own. So I need to find another alternative.


    From the back of my left hand, I cast Death Mana toward the Lich.


    [Skill Mind''s Puppet - Activate.]


    ck energy started to swirl around the Lich.


    He pped the Death Mana that had started to surround him.


    Did he think Dead Mana was a mosquito?


    "What is this? Isn''t this Death Mana? How can a human who is still alive like you draw out this dense Death Mana?"


    Even though he was in the form of a skeleton, I could see the panic on his face.


    [Target detected to have Devil Mana.]


    [Criteria match.]


    [Death Mana begins to eat away at the target.]


    "E-Eh? What are you doing, Human?"


    "It''s fine. Soon you will be my underling."


    "Hahaha. A mere mortal like you wants to make me a servant? What a bad joke. That''s impossible!"


    "Is that so?"


    [Death Mana consumption has reached max capacity.]


    [Death Mana senses a strong connection between the target and other existences.]


    [Death Mana starts attacking more ferociously.]


    [Death Mana manages to tear the target''s rtionship with another existence to pieces.]


    [Death Mana has managed to eat away the remaining Devil Mana on the target.]


    [Mind''s Puppet has seeded.]


    [Due to user and skill limitations, you cannot use the Mind''s Puppet skill against other targets.]


    Apart from thest system notification, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief because the Mind''s Puppet skill worked.


    I didn''t think it would work at first. Considering that the Lich is a famously powerful monster, I wasn''t expecting too much.


    "Now it''s time to try something fun."


    "What do you mean? ¡­ Eh, what happened to my body? Why is my body moving on its own?"


    "He? Didn''t you say earlier that I won''t be able to make you my servant?"


    I managed to control that Lich.


    I tried to get him to kneel at my feet.


    He tried his best to resist the orders I gave him. He moved his body in opposition to the orders I gave.


    But what he did was useless.


    I managed to get him to do what he hated doing so much.


    "Argh!"


    He knelt in front of me, almost kissing my feet while continuing to scream in panic.


    The Death Knight beside the Lich immediately reacted to seeing his master kissing the soles of my feet.


    "M-Master? What are you doing? Why are you kneeling before that lowly human?"


    He tried to wake up his master.


    The Death Knight had already lost his sword and half of his limbs, so he couldn''t fight me anymore. That''s why I let him be.


    There was no way the Death Knight''s persuasion would work.


    "Hey, human! What have you done to my Master?!"


    He shouts to me.


    Nheless, I kept the Lich from moving from his kneeling position.


    But after a while, the death knight''s shout was really annoying,


    For that reason, I had the Lich cancel the Death Knight summon. Besides, I can''t stand Lich''s skeleton face starting to turn pink. Maybe he was embarrassed to be seen by his subordinates.


    "Cancel Summons."


    Despite returning the Death Knight, I let the Lich remain in a kneeling position for the time being.


    "Spare me, Lowly Human! Don''t you know who you''re dealing with? You''ll receive the wrath of the Devil who made a contract with me! Fu*k!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    The lich continued to moan and spit out all kinds of words. I wanted to ignore it, but there was something I was curious about.


    Devil? Contract?


    "Exin everything you know!"


    "Even if I wanted to, I couldn''t just tell you."


    "Is it because of the contract? In that case, you don''t need to think about it. The contract you spoke of I already tore to pieces."


    I''m just saying what the previous system message said. The system notification said that Death Mana managed to rip his connection with another existence to pieces or something like that.


    ''So the other existence the system message was referring to is a devil.''


    As far as I know, the devil has a higher status than the demon. If the demon is subordinate, then the devil is a leader.


    If so, then I can understand why the soul of a Lich like him could be bound by a contract.


    I''m starting to understand.


    The lich then closed his eyes. Perhaps he was confirming the conditions of the contract that bound his soul.


    A few momentster¡­ I wanted to say that he looked really dumbfounded, but¡­ Sigh~ it was useless, I couldn''t read his expression. Because he was only a skeleton.


    "T-That''s right. How could that contract binding my soul just disappear? Even though it was a contract I signed with one of the 72 Demon Commanders."


    "72 Demon Commanders?"


    I was quite surprised to hear that.


    As far as I know, the 72 Demon Commanders are the ones who took the lead in the demons'' attack on thends of the humans. How could this Lich who hade from nowhere have anything to do with them?


    "Are you scared now? Even if you managed to make me your servant, he must know that the contract binding me has been erased."


    "Hmm? You''re worried about me?"


    "N-No way! ¡­. Damn it!"


    Hopefully, it''s just my feelings, but I can faintly feel the word ''dere'' in him. Honestly, it was gross to have such a traite out of a Lich-like creature.


    "S-So¡­ Master, how long are you going to let me kneel like this?"


    "...Why are you calling me Master all of a sudden?"


    I looked at him with an astonished look.


    "Hehe¡­"


    "Well, I will let you move freely after obediently answering all my questions. So, is it true that we can only get out of this ce using teleport magic?"


    "Yes, master!"


    Then he nodded so hard until his head hit the floor.


    I felt strange cause he suddenly became very obedient when he found out that he was free from the contract that bound his soul. But I know that he was insincere.


    "In that case, I''ll wait for your Mana to replenish. Then take me back to the previousboratory."


    While waiting, I rested for a while. Laying myself down on the floor full of skulls wasn''tfortable, but it couldn''t be helped.


    ''He''s different from Gilbert.''


    I looked at the Lich.


    It seemed that the result of the Mind''s Puppet skill this time was not the same as the first time I used the Mind''s Puppet skill.


    When Gilbert was under the control of Mind''s Puppet, Gilbert did not show any expression, could not think alone, and even his personality seemed to be lost in the waves.


    Although I was able to ask Gilbert and Gilbert answered correctly, back then, Gilbert was little more than a walking doll.


    I don''t know if it''s because of the medicine that Gilbert took. Or because of the skill he used? But what was clear was that Gilbert had already lost his mind before he came under the control of the Mind''s Puppet skill.


    This time, the Lich who called himself Nya Nu, was still able to think for himself. Even this Lich could still express himself and had his own personality. All of that is intact.


    ''Does the state of my puppet depend on the target''s state before being hit by the Mind''s Puppet skill?''


    One thing is for sure, I now have a Lich servant.


    Ding!


    Finally, the system message I was waiting for appeared.


    [Congrattions, you have sessfullypleted the fourth stage of the Fier Mountain Inquiry mission.]


    [You havepleted the Fier Mountain Investigation Quest!]


    [Would you like to receive your present now? Or do you want to dy giving your gift?]


    I''ve been waiting for the arrival of this system message. But after reading that there were two choices, I decided to postpone the World System''s gift-giving.


    Reflecting on the experience when I received the Stigma of Darkness reward, I chose to ept the reward until I was in a safe ce.


    [Rewards will be sent when you have agreed.]


    ***


    "So can you exin to me what this thing is?"


    In front of me was a storage canister. Inside is a floating eyeball.


    Beside me was Nya Nu who was also staring into that eyeball. He wiped his forehead as if he felt dizzy.


    "You are indeed worthy of being my servant, master. I''ve never seen a human who can withstand the fearful effects of that eyeball. Even for me, it took a lot of work to be immune to the effects of fear that kept emanating from that eyeball."


    "What is this thing?"


    "Fufufu, I hope you are not surprised when you hear where that eyeballing from¡­."


    "Enough. Tell me quickly. It''s not just about that eyeball, but you should also start exining to me how you came to build thisboratory and for what purpose. As well as about how you can form a contract with one of the 72 Demon Commanders."


    There are still many question marks in my head.


    I have to start asking one by one.


    First, I was curious about how a Lich could build a ce like this in a dungeon.


    There was even a pile of books simr to a research journal strewn across the table.


    "Ahem. Well, first¡­ that eyeball came from the eyes of a dragon. So, of course, that was the Dragon Eye." That''s what Nya Nu said.

 Chapter 59 The Devils Plan

    ?Dragons are existences that exist but never existed.


    If you think about it based on the standard mind of people on earth, then it would be incorrect to describe dragons as just a rare species. More urately, dragons are ancient creatures. Dragons are creatures whose existence has be extinct.


    They are creatures that have never been known for certain. Whether they still exist or not, nobody knows.


    Although evidence of the existence of dragons has been discovered in a number of locations across this continent, no one has ever actually witnessed a dragon.


    At least, that was what everyone on the Averus Continent knew right now.


    But here I am, finding the Dragon Eye.


    ''Is this real?''


    When I heard from Nya Nu''s mouth that the eyeball in front of me was the Dragon Eye, I began to suspect that it was fake. But looking at the intense pressure that continuously emanated from it, I was slightly convinced that it was really Dragon Eye.


    [Name: Dragon Eye.


    ???]


    And the World System also convinced me.


    "Where did you get this? And for what?"


    "That ¡­."


    Nya Nu looked hesitant.


    I forced him to tell me.


    But instead, he began a long, long story.


    I wanted to stop him, but it seemed what he said was important.


    But unfortunately, the more I listened, I knew that he could not narrate theplete story to me.


    The story that he told me was full of holes.


    He couldn''t even remember the time and ce of the events in every story he told, which was very strange, wasn''t it?


    Firstly, early in his existence as a Lich, he realized that his soul was already bound to one of the 72 Demon Commanders. That was the earliest memory he had.


    Oddly enough, he didn''t know which Demon Commander he had entered into a contract with.


    After that, he was given the Dragon Eye and told to research it. That was an order.


    "Somehow, I have a burning desire to research Dragon Eye. Maybe it''s because of the contract that binds me."


    "Then what is the purpose of your passion in researching Dragon Eye?"


    "The ultimate goal I want to achieve is to find a way to transnt Dragon Eye into the body of a Devil."


    That makes sense.


    Even though the devil''s body is powerful, they can''t just stick a Dragon Eye into their eye socket just like that.


    There were seriousplications if they didn''t do it carefully. The problem could start from the mismatch between the demon''s body and the Dragon Eye, or the mismatch between the Mana in the Dragon Eye and the Demonic Mana inside the demon''s body.


    That''s what Nya Nu said.


    "And why are you researching in this Fier Mountain?"


    "I don''t know the reason, but I was asked to do research here. What''s more, I can''t go too far from this ce. That''s what my subconscious told me to do. But now that I''m free from that contract, I was feeling so free, hahaha."


    He raised his hands to express the pleasure he had.


    What a strange sight.


    "By the way, how long have you been on this mountain? Or this cave?"


    "I don''t know because I''ve never kept track of time. For a Lich like me, the concept of time doesn''t exist."


    "I see... Then you are a true hikikomori."


    "Hehehe. Thank you for yourpliment, Master."


    I have now digested all the important information in the story told by Nya Nu.


    It''s time to do what I should have done from the start. Looting.


    Looting was the main thing that everyone should do when exploring dungeons. And that''s also what I want to do.


    Then I told Nya Nu to transfer the Dragon Eye to a smaller-sized storage tube. So that when I put it into Inventory, I don''t need to use too much Mana.


    [Skill Inventory - Activate.]


    Time to feed the Inventory with all kinds of things in theb room.


    Besides that, I also looked around in other rooms.


    What amazed me the most was the room with so many Magic Crystals in it. All of that was more dazzling than the piles of money belonging to the branch headquarters of the ck Box Organization.


    It turned out to be a Magic Crystals kept by Nya Nu.


    Nya Nu often hunts monsters to serve as experimental material in transnting Dragon Eye. And that''s where he got this stack of Magic Crystals from.


    Let''s put aside that these Magic Crystals are low-level Magic Crystals. All of that was still a number that could make anyone kill each other, even if it was their siblings.


    I immediately put everything in the Inventory.


    I also put all the research journal books into the Inventory. Who knowster it will be useful.<novelnext></novelnext>


    After plundering everything I could plunder, it was time for me to leave Fier Mountain.


    I didn''t know exactly how much time had passed since I entered Fier Mountain. But I can make a rough estimate. Maybe about five days?


    The reason I wasn''t starving was because of some of the food I stored in the Inventory. After deliberately starving myself to lure the Big Treant, I started eating before entering this cave.


    As I did just now, I took a bite of the roasted meat that I took from the Inventory. This meat came from the Magical Beast that I defeated and then cooked.


    "Master, how can you use such amazing magic? You don''t even need to cast a spell or use a magic circle."


    When Nya Nu saw me use the Inventory skill, he jumped up and down with excitement.


    The soul of a researcher inside him must have been struggling to get out.


    Grab!


    I gripped Nya Nu''s head.


    "W-what are you doing, Milord?"


    He panicked.


    I want to put him in Inventory, but it seems that it won''t work. The ck space that appeared refused to let Nya Nu go inside.


    Nya Nu looks very obedient. But I can''t get him into the City. I don''t want him to follow me all the way. If he follows me, he will be attacked by everyone. Every person who looked at him would think that Nya Nu was a monster. Although that is also true.


    Most importantly, I don''t want to cause unnecessary trouble.


    [The Stigma of Darkness can store creatures under your control.]


    [Would you like to save the creature called Nya Nu?]


    Oh, what a very helpful feature.


    Without much consideration, I immediately kept Nya Nu.


    "I will call you when I need you."


    "W-What is this? Milord???"


    Before he could even sulk any longer, the Stigma of Darkness began to manifest over the back of my hand and began to suck him in.


    After sucking up Nya Nu, the light that had beening out of the Stigma of Darkness began to dim. The ck flower image that characterized the Stigma of Darkness also began to camouge with my skin color.


    ***


    Even though the boss of a dungeon has been defeated, a dungeon won''t just disappear.


    This is also the case with Fog Dungeon.


    As soon as I came out of the cave inside the Fog Dungeon, I saw that the fog still shrouded the peak of Fier Mountain. This mist that shrouded the top of Fier Mountain was the entrance to the Fog dungeon. That meant the Fog dungeon still existed.


    Even though there was only one dungeon boss, which meant that after I was defeated it wouldn''t appear anymore, but small monsters like goblins would continue to appear. They regenerate endlessly.


    Because of that, the dungeon can also be interpreted as a Magic Crystal mine.


    For the Lords, which means the nobles'' family, most of them have dungeons that they manage in their respective territories.


    But, some regions don''t have dungeons, such as Baron Warwick''s fiefdom. Part of the reason Baron Warwick''s territory was still such a deste and impoverished ce.


    Fortunately, before I left this Dungeon in Fier Mountain, I had ordered Nya Nu to summon all the skeleton soldiers and Death Knights that were serving him.


    I ordered them to stay inside the Dungeon and prevent anyone from entering the Fog Dungeon.


    Despite having struggled for a while, the Death Knight, who had recovered his limbs, became obedient after Nya Nu said that the skeleton soldiers and the Death Knight needed the training to be ready to protect him.


    Rustle!


    I am currently walking through the forest.


    If this was my first experience, then I would be lost. But I''ve already gotten lost while entering the forest in my previous life. So I won''t make the same mistake.


    The first way I could try was to use the direction of the sun, but since I couldn''t see the sun, I chose the other option, which was to look at where the moss was growing. Moss grows by avoiding sunlight, so they grow in the west. Seeing that, I was able to determine the right direction.


    First of all, I went to the ce where Anas should be.


    Along the way, the corpses of the dead Magical Beasts were scattered about. They die in pain. That was reflected in the foam that came out of their mouths, and their eyes filled with tears.


    I could even see a Wild Boar that had a wound on its buttocks. Very sad.


    I believed that all of this was Anas'' doing.


    Once I got to the ce where Anas should be, I couldn''t find her. After searching for a while, I instead found an inscription engraved on a tree trunk.


    ''She left a message by carving the inscription with a dagger, huh.''


    [Master, I''m really very sorry¡­ But I have to leave you for the time being¡­ I promise that I will repay all of your kindnesster¡­]


    What urred to me when I read her writing was to think that she was carving a farewell letter for her lover.


    Without having to pay close attention, I could tell what she was trying to convey.


    I don''t need to think about it too deeply.


    Most likely, Anas'' goal is to return to her hometown.


    I don''t know what happened there. And why does she look in such a hurry? But I''m sure that we will meet again in the near future.


    I remembered that Baron Warwick had poisoned me. And I can guess that the source of the poison must be connected to Anas'' hometown.

 Chapter 60 Toward The Heros Awakening Event

    ?A young soldier wearing armor on several parts of his body came out from inside the city gate.


    "Hey, it''s time we changed shifts."


    The young soldier said to the one old soldier who had been standing in front of the city gate. He reminded him to change shifts.


    When the old soldier who had been standing guard in front of the city gate heard the voice of the young soldier, to take turns in guard shifts, the old soldier''s eyes immediately opened wide.


    Even though his eyes had originally been almost tightly closed due to sleepiness while carrying out guard duty, but as if hearing a voiceing from heaven, his strength came to gather in his body when he heard that his guard duty was over.


    He had the night shift, hence, it was only natural that he was already sleepy. And right now, the sun was about to force its way to the surface, signaling that his guard duty time was over.


    While yawning, he said to the young soldier who came over to him, "Hoam. It''s really cold here. I want to hurry home and hug my wife. Then do ''that'' all I want."


    "What did you say? How dare you say that. Are you mocking me, damn it."


    "Hahaha. That''s why you should find a wife soon too. We don''t know when we''ll die, so it would be a shame if we die without ever feeling the warmth of a woman."


    "I can hire a prostitute without getting married!" The young soldier who had juste to take turns guarding the city gate said irritably.


    "Ooo, you bastard..." The old soldier put the young soldier''s head in his armpit. "Wait, someone ising."


    "What? At this time?"


    The chatter of the two soldiers guarding the gate was interrupted when they both noticed the arrival of someone. There was one person who came from outside the city gates, where the age of the person seemed to be in their teens.


    ***


    I managed to leave Fier mountain.


    Continuing to walk west, I finally saw a town. At the town gate, there were two soldiers wearing full armor. They were the guards of the town gate.


    One of them was an old soldier and the other was a young soldier.


    I came walking up to them. But they immediately had strange expressions.


    They had been rubbing their eyes as if they couldn''t believe what they were seeing. Before I approached them, they rushed over to me and tapped me on the shoulder.


    "Hey, kid. Are you okay?"


    Their tone of voice indicated that they were worried about me.


    Seeing that their eyes were focused on my body and my clothes, perhaps they were worried because I was wearing tattered clothes?


    I didn''t think that I would make them react like this if only from that.


    "Hey, is it possible that this child is a kidnapping victim? Isn''t it rumored that many children have been missing recently?"


    "It''s possible."


    The young soldier had whispered something in the old soldier''s ear. Although he had whispered quietly, I could still hear what he had said.


    ''Kidnapping, huh?'' I could vaguely understand what he meant.


    However, in order to directly enter the town, I took my ID card from a pocket tied around my waist, then I showed my ID card to the two of them.


    I didn''t want to be interrogated by the two of them about the kidnapping matter they were discussing. If they interrogated me first, it would take a very long time.


    When the two of them saw myst name, which was written on the ID card, they realized that I was the son of a nobleman.


    It''s a good thing this ce isn''t Earth, where information flows slowly. If information flowed quickly, it''s likely that the lord of this town would have assigned soldiers to intercept my arrival.


    Because of my status as a noble child who had run away from home, some other nobles could kidnap me and use me as a tool against Baron Warwick.


    "By the way, I''m not a victim of kidnapping or anything. I just fell down, that''s why my body is full of wounds."


    With a makeshift excuse, I walked past the two soldiers.


    Before actually entering the town, I asked the two soldiers who had been guarding the gate about the rumor that many children had suddenly disappeared.


    But both soldiers looked stupid. "The tentative guess is kidnapping. There''s also the hypothesis that high rank beasts or monsters are running around exterminating people." That''s what they said.


    ''Hmm. It''s already started, huh.''


    ***


    The town I stopped at was called Impel Town.


    The location of this town is a little further west from Fier mountain.


    The condition of this town is very different from Ryam city. Ryam city, which despite holding the title of city, was not too densely popted. However, this town was the opposite.


    Although this town was smaller than Ryam city, I saw that the settlement here was very dense. Maybe that''s why the people look so crowded.


    People had been walking on the road which is probably the main road of this town.


    Before finding an inn, I stopped by a clothing store. I bought some shirts, pants, underwear, and some other necessities. After changing the shabby clothes I was wearing, I walked out of the clothing store.


    I walked out of the clothing store wearing a ck robe that wasn''t too shy. The robe I bought and wore was a robemonly worn by ordinary people.


    While looking for an inn, I bought some street food and put it into Inventory.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Unlike Ryam city which had only a few inns, as far as I could see, this city had several inns. Although not many either.


    After I paid money to one of the innkeepers, then I entered the inn''s room.


    Throughout my journey in this small town, many people seemed to be talking about rumors of kidnappings of children up to the teenage years.


    Although they weren''t sure if it was kidnapping or something else, it was a fact that many people, especially children and teenagers, were disappearing.


    I was also warned by the chief of the vige I stayed at before going to Fier mountain.


    He said there were many incidents of people disappearing around this area. And he had told me to be careful.


    Seeing that a small rumor about kidnapping children spread from around Fier mountain, it seemed that the beginning of the uing event started from this area.


    As I thought about the kidnapping of children, I looked at Nya Nu, whom I had just taken out of the Stigma of Darkness.


    As if he understood what was reflected in my gaze, he shook his head that only contained a skull.


    "Master, it was not my doing. I have never needed a human as an experimental material."


    He immediately denied that the rumors of people disappearing had anything to do with him.


    "Don''t worry. I know it''s not you."


    Nya Nu did not need human experimental subjects because the purpose of his research was to transnt the Dragon Eye into the body of a Demon.


    He often captured monsters for experimentation, including Goblins or others, but I knew that he had never been involved with humans on this continent.


    He is the true definition of the word hikikomori.


    Ignoring Nya Nu, Iy on the bed and stared at the ceiling while thinking, ''I know exactly what, who, and how this is going to go.''


    This case would be the main event that would make Jullian a Hero.


    If the event where the appearance of an evil character using the Sword of Fear had been an insignificant event in the novel, then the event of the kidnapping of the children would be a very important event.


    An opening event of the novel with the title, Rise of the Hero of Light, that event became a stage where Jullian was established as the main character. That''s the rough outline of the children''s kidnapping case..


    But, what would make the incident so unfortunate was that people would have forgotten about the death toll from the incident by the time Jullian rose to be the Hero of Light.


    People would only focus on the rise of a hero.


    ''Do I have to save people?''


    No, I''m not a hero who would be moved just because the children disappeared.


    I''d rather think of a way that I can capitalize on such an event.


    After all, this incident still hasn''t reached the climax. The number of victims is still too small to be heard by important people.


    ''I''ll wait for the fire to get a little bigger.''


    "Mmm... Master, what do you need from me?"


    In front of me, Nya Nu was scratching the back of his skull. His eyes kept staring at the back of my hand, where the Stigma of Darkness was. He had asked me as if he didn''t want me to get him out of the Stigma of Darkness. Was it sofortable inside the Stigma of Darkness?


    "You can use camouge magic, right?"


    "Ugh! Even though I have the title of The Great Magician, but my current strength has dropped way down..."


    "So, are you unable to use camouge magic?"


    "I-I can, Master. But the magic I can use right now can only fool ordinary humans."


    "That''s fine. Go out and listen to the rumors about the kidnapping case! If possible, you should find out about when and where each suspected kidnapping took ce."


    "Ugh! Alright, Master."


    "You don''t need to exert yourself. Remember, you only need to escape when you detect danger."


    "Hahaha. You don''t need to worry, Master. I won''t be in any danger. Even so, I am a Lich known as The King of Undead. Only you, Master, can defeat me. I''m sure all the creatures in this world will fall under the Curse Magic I cast-"


    "Nonsense."


    "...."


    Oops! I identally cut off the intro he was doing.


    He''s shocked skull face was a beautiful sight in itself.


    Without waiting for him to respond, I gave him instructions.


    "My point is, I don''t want you to start an unnecessary battle. Just focus on finding information."


    "...Yes, Master!"


    As soon as I finished giving instructions, I sent him away. Then he disappeared behind the window of the inn. Before he disappeared as quickly as lightning, he replied curtly.


    Is he cranky?

 Chapter 61 Level Up

    ?After jumping out of the window in inn Mesties'' room, Nya Nu was activating camouge magic. He had cast a spell, and after that, his body had disappeared in thin air.


    The ordinary humans, who were outside the inn, had no way of seeing him.


    The weird thing was, he felt a strange feeling when he left the inn.


    Was it a feeling of curiosity? Excited? Or some other feeling? He didn''t understand what he was feeling either.


    He was a Lich who had been living in a secluded cave inside the Fog Dungeon for his entire life.


    So, it was not strange that he was experiencing the turmoil of unfamiliar feelings because, for the first time, he was about to experience the atmosphere in the human town.


    Previously, he would not even have thought of seeing the human world. But after the contract that bound his soul vanished, he now seemed to have opened his eyes that had been closed.


    He can now look at the world as he wishes.


    When he was engrossed in the new feelings he felt, he forgot that he had been under contract with Mesties.


    He wanted toin, but he quickly changed his mind.


    If you think about it once or many more times, hadn''t the Mesties saved Nya Nu from the shackles of the devil? Just allowing Nya Nu to feel new feelings was already a blessing.


    That''s what Nya Nu thought too.


    Unlike the contract that bound his soul before, where his mind was restrained without him realizing it, now, the bond he had with Mesties felt more refreshing.


    "Hehe... Master..."


    A strangeugh escaped from his oral cavity.


    Fortunately, he was using camouge magic, so even if there were humans around him who heard the sound of his strangeughter, they would only think that it was the voice of a ghost.


    While continuing to use his camouge skill, he walked around the crowd.


    He scanned every activity performed by the humans. Starting from ordinary pedestrians, someone buying something, or people working in the morning like this.


    Without realizing it, he studied everything he saw. His curiosity also increased.


    ''Oops! I need to focus on the orders given by my Master.''


    He managed to get rid of the unnecessary things from his head, and he continued the mission he received from Mesties.


    A mission to find information.


    It wasn''t hard to track down rumors of kidnapped children. While walking, he heard someone say, "I heard that the child of the family over there hasn''t been seen in a few days. Is their child missing?"


    And then, Nya Nu visited the ce that people were referring to. He continued his search. It only took him a short while to get outside the city.


    The ce he was in was a forest.


    ording to what he investigated, the missing children werest seen entering this forest.


    "Is this the ce?"


    He continued to trace the footprints which were still left in the forest. Although the footprints were heavily camouged, he was still able to see them.


    A few momentster, he arrived in front of a cave that wasrge, dark, and full of a terrifying aura.


    As he looked at the cave, he couldn''t help but feel nostalgic. It''s just that he chose to move on from the past as a hikikomori, so he eliminated those nostalgic feelings.


    He entered the cave. Just as he had already stepped a few meters into the cave, he couldn''t help but be surprised.


    ***


    ~ Meanwhile, inside the inn where the Mesties were staying ~


    "Sir, are you inside? Is everything alright?"


    Knock, knock, knock!


    It was like I heard a knock on the door.


    There was also a polite voice that I could faintly hear from behind the door.


    But I was toozy to pay attention to that.


    I prefer to continue my sleep.


    "Sir, if you''re inside, please answer!"


    The voice of the person knocking on the door became clearer and clearer in my ears. However, I just tossed and turned on the bed.


    Suddenly, a different voice came.


    "Sir, you''ll disturb the other guests if you keep doing that. Just ignore that person."


    "I want to ignore him too. But the guest in this room is almost at the limit of his stay. How can I let him stay without paying first."


    After the person who had knocked on the door and tried to wake me up spoke, it seemed that the person had received aint from a guest in another room.


    After a while, I didn''t hear any more sounds. I could only guess that the person I thought was the innkeeper had given up.


    Without any more interruptions, I continued sleeping.


    m!


    The sound of the door banging fully woke me up.


    When I raised my body like I''d been struck by lightning, I saw that the door to the room was wide open.


    The innkeeper, who had broken down the door, started lecturing me.


    Chit chat chit chat~


    I didn''t listen carefully to his voice.


    While rubbing my ears, I threw money at him.


    After he saw the silver coins scattered on the floor, the innkeeper immediately shut up. He was leaving while slowly closing the door with his head down.


    "Have a good rest, sir?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    He left with a big smile on his lips. The annoyed look he had before seemed to be a mere affectation.


    While rubbing the back of my head, I looked outside the room. And it turned out that the sun was already shining above the sky.


    If I was not mistaken, I fell asleep at dawn. But seeing that the innkeeper forcibly woke me up, there was no way I had only slept for a few hours. I probably slept for a whole day, in other words, more than 24 hours.


    It was only natural because I had been too tired before.


    Do you know how sleepy a person gets when they haven''t slept for two or three days? That''s how I felt before, and so, I finally fell into a deep sleep.


    Iy alone on the bed.


    Honestly, I had been very sleepy.


    I wanted to fall asleep again.


    ? My eyes felt so heavy. However, the system message suddenly came, making me get upzily.


    Fortunately, the content in the system message was something I was happy about, so my sleepiness had disappeared into the clouds.


    [Congrattions, you havepleted the Fier mountain Investigation Quest.]


    [Would you like to receive your reward?]


    "Yes."


    [Calctes the usage of your base stats during the Quest.]


    [Congrattions, you have sessfullypleted each stage of the Fier Mountain Investigation Quest.]


    [The reward will be increased.]


    [Strength sessfully increased by one level.]


    [Strenght changed from C to B.]


    [Endurance sessfully increased by one level.]


    [Endurance changed from C to B.]


    [Agility sessfully increased by two levels.]


    [Agility changed from F to D.]


    [Reflex sess increased by two levels.]


    [Reflex changed from F to D.]


    I felt the changes in my body noticeably. This is greater than the improvement I previously felt.


    I felt that the muscle fibers in every part of my body were being pulled and blended together. Like cake batter, the more it is mixed together, the more resilient and hard it bes.


    "Ugh!"


    Of course, it hurts. But not as painful as when I had Body Reconstruction.


    While some sweat was still dripping from my forehead, momentster, the grand prize finally came out.


    [Since you sessfullypleted all stages of the Quest, you are eligible to receive the grand prize.]


    [Congrattions, you received the Skill Appraisal.]


    [Detect the simrity of the analysis function owned by the system with the Appraisal skill.]


    [Do you want tobine them?]


    If they have the same function, wouldn''t it be better to have just one?


    "Yes."


    [The process ofbining the analysis function with the appraisal skill begins.]


    [....]


    [Combining finishes.]


    [Congrattions, you got Skill Judgement.]


    [Skill name: Judgement.


    Description: In addition to the analysis function, this Skill allows you to make effective decisions in any situation].


    The skill description was quite ambiguous.


    So, the skill that was originally specialized in assessing an object or whatever, has be a skill that will help me make decisions?


    That''s fine. There''s no point inining.


    [Skill Inventory - Activate.]


    I took out a wooden box from the Inventory. The wooden box was small. It was only about 25 centimeters. About the size of a handheld.


    This was the wooden box that I had previously found inside the cave where Nya Nu was.


    At that time, I had finished putting all the Magic Crystals that I could put into the Inventory. I don''t know if it was because I was too excited or what, but I put in pebbles and stones as well.


    Among the items that I had identally put in, I found this object.


    I asked Nya Nu if he knew what this was. But Nya Nu didn''t even know that there was something like this in the cave where he had been for so many years.


    I opened the wooden box


    I chose to try the Judgement skill on this thing.


    [Skill Judgement - Activate.]


    Apart from the item information that appeared after I used the Judgement skill ....


    What was the fundamental difference in the Judgement skillpared to the previous system analysis function was... I had a feeling that I had to keep this item no matter what.

 Chapter 62 Slime

    ?[Item name: Slime


    Rank: Low


    Description: An item that can change into anything. Changes will adjust to what the user thinks. Shape restrictions will adjust the Rank of the item. The user must know the details of the imagined item, including theponents and how to make the item.


    Type: Growth Item].


    That was the description of the item inside the wooden box. It was quiterge. Its volume was probably about... the same as an E-cup-sized woman''s chest? Maybe?


    Slime.


    I have no idea what that was. The texture of the Slime was rubbery. When I touched it, the surface felt soft and irregr. It wasn''t solid or liquid, but more like jelly.


    Based on the description, Slime can change into anything.


    So, I immediately tried it.


    The thing I needed was... I guess I''ll start by imagining the scabbard. If it works, I''ll use it as a scabbard for the Svangur Sword.


    Holding the Slime in one hand, I closed my eyes and started imagining a scabbard.


    An iron scabbard that was cool and substantial.


    But¡­ How exactly do I manufacture an iron scabbard? Regarding forging methods, I have no knowledge. How am I meant to know how to construct an iron scabbard?


    As I was puzzled, I felt that there was a string breaking on my head. I was sure it was a sign of failure. However, in order for me to be more certain, I had to look at it.


    I opened my eyes slowly with a sense of anticipation.


    "...!"


    Apparently, the Slime in my hand had tried to turn into a sword sheath. The proof was that the slime was in an elongated state like chewing gum.


    However, as if losing its strength, the slime melted back into a round, chewy jelly-like thing.


    It turned out that I had indeed failed.


    [Item rank is too low.]


    [Slime failed to change the shape.]


    Alright. I''ll try again by imagining something else, something very simple, and easy to make.


    I''m still going to make a scabbard, however, I''m changing it to a wooden scabbard.


    This time, I started imagining from the beginning until the end. Starting from the tree that was felled, cut, sawed, sanded, and then shaped into a scabbard. I imagined a simple, patternless, and thin scabbard.


    Finally, after feeling enough, I opened my eyes.


    [Slime sessfully changed the form.]


    What was in my hand, which was originally a jelly-like slime, was nowpletely a sword sheath.


    When I focused on ying with the slime, it turned out that there was already Nya Nu who had returned from the mission I gave.


    Nya Nu had entered the inn room through the window, which was still open.


    He had used camouge magic, even so, I could still sense his presence.


    Once he had entered the room, he immediately canceled the camouge magic he had been using.


    Standing in front of me, he noticed the Slime that had turned into a sword sheath in my hand.


    "Oh, is that the thing you found from the cave where I lived before, Master?"


    He asked excitedly.


    However, I narrowed my eyes slightly when I saw him. There was something strange about his appearance that blinded my eyes.


    On his head was a crown made of nt roots, on his waist was a wooden sword, and on his chest was an enormous ne.


    The strangest thing was, he was wearing clothes that ordinary people were used to wearing, not the ck robe that he had previously worn.


    "Why are you wearing all of that?"


    "Hahaha. I didn''t expect that I would find so many interesting things along the way. I was a bit inspired by humans. So, when I got back, I was taking all of this as research material. How does it look, Master?"


    I looked at him in surprise.


    Is it because he''s been isted for too long? To the point that he was like a child who had just been brought to the big city. Somehow, the impression I had of the creature called a Lich fell apart.


    You probably had imagined that a Lich was a mysterious, frightening, or great creature, but I''m sure the impression you had will also be shattered when you see Nya Nu.


    I chose to ignore his strange behavior


    "So, did you find anything?"


    "Yes, I found something. You''d bettere with me, Master."


    "Wait a moment."


    Before leaving, I took out the Svangur Sword first.


    I put the Svangur Sword into the Slime that had turned into a sword sheath. Then I put it around my waist.


    After I put the Svangur Sword on my waist, I went to follow Nya Nu.


    We went out of the window like robbers.


    "Hey, there seems to be a thiefing out of the window over there!"


    "Idiot! Who wouldmit a robbery this early in the morning?!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    ***


    It turned out that the ce Nya Nu showed me was a cave.


    This cave is in the depths of the forest outside the town.


    Moreover, before I got to this ce, we had to cross paths with Magical Beasts.


    Luckily, with just Nya Nu present, they had all left.


    But, those Magical Beasts can certainly be a natural wall so that ordinary people inside Impel Town don''te to this ce.


    The point was that this ce was very far and remote from Impel town, making it a very suitable ce as a crime scene.


    "So, is this the ce you wanted to show me?"


    "Yes, Master."


    After receiving Nya Nu''s confirmation, I stepped inside.


    Step, step, step...


    Not far after I walked into the cave, I saw a scene that was not far from my guess. A sight that I had expected.


    The sight I saw would make anyone who saw it vomit. But not so with myself and Nya Nu.


    We both looked at the horrific scene before our eyes without blinking and frowning.


    There were various pieces of human bodies scattered about. Eyeballs were sticking out, human brains were melted, and there were hands, feet, and so on as well. Everything was lying on the ground, making the smell of blood waft strongly in the air.


    The red color of blood filled every corner of the cave.


    Although the blood in this cave had already dried up, looking at the condition of people''s corpses, I could tell that this had happened not long ago. It''s almost as if it just happened.


    Among the pieces of human bodies, I noticed something strange. There were stitches on some of the severed body parts. It was as if someone was trying to connect the body parts.


    When I ordered Nya Nu to investigate the rumors of child kidnapping, I knew that I would see a gruesome scene like this.


    What I wanted to confirm was the time of the kidnapping and massacre, not to meet the real mastermind of the massacre.


    Looking at my surroundings, everything seemed to have been abandoned in a hurry without cleaning up. It was something that the mastermind would not have done if there was no definite reason.


    ''Things are moving too fast, huh.''


    I had thought that the mastermind would still be around, hence why I ordered Nya Nu to run away immediately if anything happened. But that didn''t seem to be the case.


    Is this all rted to me?


    "Are you able to raise these corpses into Undead?"


    "Of course, Master."


    All the skeleton soldiers and Death Knight who served him had been guarding Fog Dungeon. When I recalled that, I wanted him to have new skeleton soldiers.


    ''I will make you get your own revenge with your own hands.''


    At the very least, I had some justification for allowing Nya Nu to turn the corpses of children into undead monsters.


    I wasn''t a hero, so I didn''t need to act humanely by giving those children''s corpses a proper burial.


    When Nya Nu started casting spells to turn the children''s corpses into undead-skeleton soldiers, I chose to walk out of the cave


    I preferred to wait outside the cave until the process wasplete.


    ***


    "Why didn''t Master look at me earlier when I made those children''s corpses into skeleton soldiers? Does Master feel guilty? Hahaha. Humans are hard to understand. That''s why I became more interested."


    "...."


    I walked back to Impel Town with Nya Nu trailing behind. Although I ignored him, he continued to babble during the trip.


    "Does Master not know how beautiful the scene was when the corpses turned into skeleton soldiers? Their bones were slowly fused together with magic, and the unnecessary flesh was efficiently wasted..."


    "Shut up!"


    "... oops! I apologize, Master."


    After forcing Nya Nu to shut up, the ride becamefortable again.


    We were able to get back to Impel Town without wasting much time.


    Since the sun was still hot in the sky, I decided to continue my journey straight away.


    However, before actually setting off, I needed to buy some items for camping, and some food to replenish the food supply.


    Apparently, the cooked food that I''ve put in the Inventory won''t spoil. It''s like a refrigerator or a convenient ce to store food.


    After everything was done, I prepared to leave.


    From Impel Town, the direction I was heading was to the northwest, towards where Burgenfield City was located.


    Are you curious about what I rode during my journey?


    If following the standard method of transportation in this world, I would be required to have a horse to be able to travel far. Or I could also ride in the merchants'' carriages. However, I had a more efficient alternative.


    I went to a small alley, where no one could see.


    There, I told Nya Nu to use Dimensional Magic - Teleport.

 Chapter 63 The Messages

    ?I opened my eyes.


    Standing quietly, the light from the magic circle around me slowly began to disappear. The light came from Nya Nu''s teleportation magic circle.


    To make sure that the coordinates of the teleportation magic that Nya Nu used were correct, I double-checked where we were.


    I paid attention to the ce where I was.


    Under my feet was a dirt path.


    It seemed that we hadn''t gotten lost. We were still heading in the right direction.


    "Fwaaah! This is so tiring, Master!"


    "Don''tin. We''re not there yet."


    Nya Nu whined like a baby. He pulled down the hood of the robe he had been wearing. A skull appeared from deep inside his hood. He was like a real person who was tired.


    ording to his exnation, the Teleportation magic he used had some limitations, either his spell was bad, or maybe it was because he was incapable of utilizing the spell to the fullest, one of the two answers must be true.


    Teleportation magic.


    In addition to the massive use of Mana, he also had to know exactly the purpose of teleportation magic.


    As a hikikomori Lich, there was no way he could take me to Burgenfield city because he had never been there. However, there was a way for him to know the exact coordinates.


    He used mind-reading magic on me. He saw my memory of the coordinates of Burgenfield city and the path to take, then he applied it to the teleportation magic spell.


    I wasn''t worried that he would y with fire using mind-reading magic, because he was bound to my Mind''s Puppet skill. Moreover, he only saw the memories that I pointed at, not my entire memory.


    Using the memories I had from my previous life, I managed to give him the right coordinates.


    And that''s how we both kept going from ce to ce.


    Because he could only cover the maximum distance ording to his mana capacity and spell ability, Nya Nu could not teleport directly to Burgenfield City.


    Every time he used Teleportation magic, he had to stop for a while, replenish his Mana, then use Teleportation Magic again.


    It seemed inefficient because we had to stop every time we teleported. But that way I calcted that we would be able to cover the distance that usually took weeks in just a few days.


    "Has your mana recovered?"


    "Can we rest a little longer, Master?!"


    "It''s already been a few hours."


    I forced him to get up to use Teleportation Magic again.


    Each break would take a few hours, so it wasn''t a long or fast time.


    Just like that, after performing teleportation magic several times, we were finally close enough to Burgenfield City.


    ***


    One week had passed.


    Nya Nu stopped not far from Burgenfield city, where I could see the great wall of Burgenfield city.


    I chose to stop and rest before actually entering Burgenfield city.


    The sun was about to disappear into the west. That meant it was almost night. Apart from the fact that it was about to get dark, I chose to stop because I wanted to look like an ordinary traveler.


    Just to be on the safe side, I had put Nya Nu into the Stigma of Darkness.


    Then I set up camp and lit a bonfire. I chose a ce not far from the main roads to Burgenfield city.


    Certainly not paved roads. Although the main road leads to the big city, the roads outside the city are still made of smoothed dirt.


    Sitting in front of the bonfire, I opened the Inventory and took out the Communication Crystal Ball.


    I took out two Communication Crystal Balls. One was the Communication Crystal Ball I got from the ck Box Organization headquarters, which was connected with Solemn and Gil, while the other was a gift from Callie.


    I wanted to see if there were any messages from them.


    After I took it out, I channeled Mana into the two Communication Crystal Balls. In an instant, the two Communication Crystal Balls immediately released a message.


    The first thing I saw was the Communication Crystal Ball that I got from the ck Box Organization headquarters


    First, a message came from Solemn.


    Line after line of text flooding on top of the Communication Crystal Ball was read by my eyes.


    [I organized everyone ording to what you wanted, sir.


    I was trying to build our headquarters better with the money you gave me. I also told the members to follow the rules you made earlier. It seemed that they won''t dare to defy your orders, but I didn''t know what will happenter. Even so, I will keep an eye on them.


    And as for the children who were previously kidnapped, and imprisoned, and some who are still under the influence of drugs, I had been taking good care of them, sir.


    ~Solemn.]


    I didn''t have much hope at first, but from the message she sent, it seemed that Solemn had done a good job.


    If the message he had sent didn''t match the facts or was just something he had made up, I could kill himter.


    I hope Gil would be able to make Solemn work well.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The bnce of power was important. Even though Gil had no power, he still had Baron Warwick behind him, and Solemn wouldn''t dare to mess around while Gil was watching. That was the reason why I had told Gil about Solemn.


    And vice versa.


    Gil would not do strange things when he knew that the members of the ck Box Organization Ryam City Branch were under my control.


    Then I saw the next message. This time, it was from Gil.


    [Young Master, something big happened when I returned to the mansion.


    It seems that the First Young Master has died. But I don''t know the reason for the First Young Master''s death, Daniel. People are talking that he died in an ident.


    But there is something strange. The troops have indeed been deployed to pursue the culprit. But the strange thing was, the search was carried out secretly. As if they didn''t really want to find the culprit.


    I''ll send a message back when I receive more news.


    ~Gil.]


    Seeing the message delivered by Gil, I was a little surprised. It turned out that Baron Warwick had sealed off every mouth that knew that I was the one who killed Daniel.


    I thought he would go after me openly.


    ''No. This might be a good thing.''


    This way, I can move a little more freely.


    [Keep an eye on the situation at the mansion. Keep an eye on Baron Warwick. Also, if possible, I would like you to inform me of the movements of Captain Knight and Vice-Captain Knight. ]


    I replied to Gil''s message.


    Gil was an ordinary person with no Mana affinity, hence he had a higher probability of being able to notice Baron Warwick, Captain Knight, and Vice-Captain Knight.


    The risk remained, but it was very low.


    I can only pray that he will not suffer such an unfortunate fate.


    Time to look at the other messages.


    I checked the contents of the message in the other Communication Crystal Ball. This Communication Crystal Ball was a gift from Callie ws.


    ''This is really impractical.''


    Unlike cell phones on earth, where one phone can contact multiple people, the Communication Crystal Ball can only be used to contact one person.


    ''There''s no point in meining about technology in this world.''


    Deep in the back of my brain, I ced the goal of being able to improve the technology in this world. Of course, that was just wishful thinking.


    After that, I focused on the content of Callie''s message.


    Unlike the formalnguage that Gil and Solemn used, this time I could feel the yful tone in the writing I read.


    [Hey, your half-sister is depressed you know. Aren''t you worried? ....]


    ''Does she mean Wi?''


    What an opening sentence that reflects on her.


    In the first sentence of the message, she began to exin the news about Wi.


    Daniel''s funeral had taken ce.


    Somehow, I could imagine that Wi was looking downcast while attending Daniel''s funeral.


    [... Fufufu~ But don''t worry, I''ll take care of her. You better focus on the task I gave you. It would be great if you could immediately fulfill the promise you made. At the very least, I want you to find a clue first.


    I can''t wait to receive good news from you. My boss seems to be getting impatient. I was told to work harder. Ahh~ Do you know how hard it is?


    .....


    ~Callie ws]


    Although her yful nature was still evident in the messages she wrote, she was actually threatening me.


    The promise to free every Beastman who was made a ve by humans. I remembered that I once promised that to Callie. In return, she would protect Wi.


    I hadn''t forgotten that I had promised to do that. After all, I hade to Burgenfield City not only to meet the female protagonist but also to carry out the agreement I had made with Callie.


    [Don''t worry. I''ve found a clue. I''ll give you the good news soon.]


    That''s all the reply I need to give.


    After sending the message, I put the Communication Crystal Balls into the Inventory.


    Since a horse-drawn carriage was approaching me, it would look strange if they saw me holding the Communication Crystal Balls.


    It seemed like they were an entourage of merchants.


    "May we join you, Kid?"


    "Sure."


    One of them walked up to me and asked politely. After I agreed, they stopped and rested at the campsite I had set up.

 Chapter 64 The King Of Merchant... Number Two

    ?The group of merchants that approached me was quiterge. But ording to the average merchant group in this world, their group was small. There was onerge carriage followed by three smaller ones.


    When the night came, we didn''t talk much.


    We slept in our respective tents.


    I acted as if I was wary of them because I was alone. Meanwhile, they were probably curious why I was traveling alone. So there wasn''t much exchange of words.


    Now the sun had been rising again, signaling a new day to start new things.


    As soon as I stepped out of the tent, I saw the activity of the porters who were busy running around. Some were feeding the horses, and others were starting to summarize the tents.


    The person I guessed to be the leader of the group sat down while eating dried meat. Seeing mee out of the tent, he came over to me.


    "Did you sleep well?"


    He asked me with a friendly smile.


    Now I noticed him. He was a middle-aged man who had thin and dry body features. His appearance didn''t reflect that of a merchant at all. His clothes were wrinkled and ugly, and his face was the same.


    Everyone would doubt whether he was really a merchant when looking at his body features, face, and the clothes he was wearing. He instead looked like a beggar who hadn''t eaten in a few days.


    "Did you just think that I''m like a beggar?"


    "How do you know?"


    "Hahaha. It''s obvious from your face."


    "I apologize if I was rude."


    "Hahaha, it''s fine. Don''t worry. It''s natural for you to think of me as a beggar because of my appearance. By the way, where are you from? It''s rare to see a youngster like you traveling alone."


    "I''m from Ryam City."


    "Oh. Isn''t that a very far ce?"


    As expected of the head of a merchant group. He knew the location of Ryam City even though it was a remote ce in the southern corner of the Misonia Kingdom.


    "But, how did you get here? Even though I didn''t see you carrying a horse?"


    "...."


    I didn''t answer. I didn''t need to tell my story in detail anyway.


    Perhaps he understood my meaning, he nodded silently.


    "If you don''t want to tell your story, that''s fine. Everyone has their own story."


    ''Everyone has their own story...''


    I was immersed in the words he spoke. He was an extra character in this world, just like me, but he was full of a positive aura.


    "By the way, on the way here, I heard bad rumors keep spreading. It''s said that children are starting to mysteriously disappear, I hope you''ll be more careful in the future."


    It seemed like he felt guilty so he hurriedly changed the subject. But why would he do that while continuing to chew on dried meat?


    "Thank you for your advice."


    "Ah, I had forgotten to introduce myself. Sorry, I was too engrossed in the conversation." He rubbed the back of his head.


    "My name is Burgis."


    He smiled warmly as he introduced his name.


    "...."


    [Skill Memorize - Activated]


    I was widening my eyes once the Memorize skill was surprisingly activated.


    I had felt a strange feeling from his name, but I didn''t expect that his name would trigger the Memorize skill.


    "Is there something strange? Why do you look surprised?"


    "No-nothing."


    ***


    Gallop! Gallop! Gallop!


    The sound of horse hooves continued to be heard.


    The horses'' feet continued to pound the ground in order to bring the carriages into Burgenfield city.


    Right now I was sitting next to the person controlling the horse, in the coachman''s ce.


    Although he was the head of the merchant group, the person driving the group carriage was Burgis.


    I epted his request, after offering me a ride to Burgenfield City.


    However, before actually getting into the city, I got off the horse-drawn carriage.


    "Oh, before wepletely part ways, may I know, are you nning on going to Heinsburg Capital or not?"


    "It seems so."


    "In that case, you can ask me for help if you have any problems thereter. Just look for a small shop called Minions. Although I''m just a small merchant, I''m quite confident in helping out with general matters. Although it''s short, our meeting must be fate. Ahahaha."


    Finally, he ended his words with an awkwardugh.


    "Since you have been kind enough to offer me a favor, then I will also give you something."


    I went behind his horse carriage.


    Entering the carriage, I started to activate the Inventory skill.


    [Skill Inventory - Activated.]


    I opened the Inventory skill as I reached into the pockets of every robe on my body. From inside each pocket that I reached into, several Magic Crystals appeared.


    And so on until the originally empty carriage became full of Magic Crystals.


    A littlete behind me, Burgis came and saw inside the horse-drawn carriage.


    With a gawking face, Burgis dropped his butt. He continued to point at the contents of the carriage. Inside the carriage, which was originally empty, was nowpletely filled with Magic Crystals.


    On top of the pile of merchandise, Magic Crystals were scattered like useless items.


    "W-what is this?"


    "Think of it as an investment. You can sell these at the Adventurer''s Associationter."<novelnext></novelnext>


    I smiled in response to him, who continued to stutter. His mouth seemed to want to say something, but he only opened and closed his mouth in surprise.


    It was only natural that he was surprised. It wasn''t just the quantity, but also the quality. The Magic Crystals that I gave away had an average rank of C. They were the highest rank Magic Crystals in my Inventory.


    Of course, all of these Magic Crystals are Magic Crystals that I got from the Fog Dungeon.


    I gave him all that because I knew he would be a sessful and great trader in the future. I couldn''t afford to waste the opportunity.


    Thanks to the Memorize skill. Because of the Memorize skill, I remembered that he was a great merchant candidate. In the future, he would be known as The Merchant King... but Number Two.


    Why not number one? That''s because number one was his little niece.


    "Use the money however you want."


    "Indeed, I do need investment, but... how can you-?"


    "Goodbye! I''ll see you in Heinsburg city one day. Also, I send my regards to your niece who has thest name Vaughan. Be prepared to wee her to Heinsburg city and take good care of her!"


    "Eh?"


    I didn''t wait for him to resolve his confusion. I pushed him up to the coachman''s ce.


    With a face that was still confused, I forced him to whip the horses so that the horses would pull the carriage towards Burgenfield city.


    That was how we parted ways. It was a short but meaningful encounter.


    ***


    I had been walking towards Burgenfield city.


    The closer I got to Burgenfield city, the more I could see the great wall surrounding Burgenfield city.


    If you look closely, the wall and the entrance gate of Burgenfield city both far surpass Ryam City. Both in terms of size and sturdiness are inversely proportional.


    Understandably, justparing the total area, Burgenfield City cannot bepared to Ryam City. So it was only natural that they built such a high and sturdy wall to protect Burgenfield City.


    If I had topare Ryam City with Burgenfield City, then Ryam City was a city that could be circled on foot within a week, while Burgenfield City was a city that could be circled on foot within more than a month.


    "Hey, show me your ID card!"


    The gatekeeper asked for my ID card, and I gave it to him.


    "Hmm? Eh? So you''re the son of a nobleman! Ah, I apologize for my rudeness, sir"


    "May I pass?"


    "Yes. You may pass."


    The gatekeeper let me in.


    At first, they were surprised to learn that I had a surname, aka a noble, but I quickly parted ways and left the two people.


    If they knew I was a trash noble, they wouldn''t be so surprised.


    Perhaps among the nobility, I''m considered a pitiful person, but to ordinary people... hmmm. I guess I''m still seen as a pitiful person.


    I shook my head and continued walking inside Burgenfield city.


    ***


    After a while of walking along the main street, I finally set foot in the town square.


    Then I looked around more carefully.


    The magnificent houses and lively streets added to the festive atmosphere. The cool morning air was presented before my eyes.


    I felt that this crowd was almost the same as during working hours on earth.


    But there was a very noticeable difference. If on earth people wear bags when working or doing activities, then people here wear weapons on their bodies instead.


    Most of them were adventurers. Although the job as an adventurer had a high risk of death, when they took quests that were not dangerous, then their chances of safety were almost one hundred percent.


    The sound of theirughter filled the air, that was the proof.


    "Hey, did you have breakfast?"


    "Not yet. Let''s stop by that shop!"


    I heard the voices of people.


    This was the time when people started their morning activities.


    From time to time, the square seems to get more and more crowded.


    In the center of the square was a fountain. Around the fountain, people could be seen happily ying in the water.


    They didn''t know that the world was about to be hit by a disaster, so they were still smiling.


    A random thought suddenly crossed my head.


    Seeing the smiles on people''s faces, I could actually understand them.


    Demons, monstrous existences that possess great power, would be ready to eat humans.


    Since the humans didn''t know that demons existed, they would still be able to smile.


    In the current timeline, people won''t believe you if you mention that demons really exist.


    As far as they knew, demons were creatures that only existed in fairy tale books. To them, demons are only considered creatures in children''s bedtime stories.


    Just try walking up to them, warn them that an army of demons is about to invade this Continent, and they will surely point at you and startughing at you loudly. You will bebeled as a crazy person instead.


    As a result of the poison called ''Peace'', people are bing so. The poison was spreading in human territory and began to eat away at people''s minds. Their sense of alertness had been lost in the sense of peace.


    Indeed, they still retained a sense of vignce, but it was directed toward other humans. In short, I call it an internal human conflict.


    I had been speaking not only of ordinary humans but also of powerful people, whether nobles or other owners of great power.


    In other words, all humans.


    Thus, when demons have truly appeared, only despair would be on their faces, and the greater their sense of despair, the greater their gratitude towards the one who will save them.


    When gratitude, awe, love, and such feelingse together, then they be an easy meal for the hero, Jullian.


    The easiest way to prevent that from happening was not to let humans experience despair. And that''s the n I want to execute in the future... not in the future but from now on.


    "Hmmm. I guessed it. I really don''t like being in crowds."


    I should quickly find the building belonging to the Adventurer''s Association, then enroll there.

 Chapter 65 Adventurers Association

    ?Adventurers Association.


    They were thergest association that existed on the Averus Continent.


    The Adventurer''s Association was spread throughout the human kingdoms.


    In every human kingdom, there must be an Adventurer''s Association. However, the Adventurer''s Association in one kingdom was different from the Adventurer''s Association in another kingdom.


    Each Adventurer''s Association in another kingdom had a different leader.


    Not only the leader, but the system implemented in the association must also be different, in terms of administration, regtory policies,ws, and others.


    In short, different kingdoms had different Associations. Although they all seem different, they share the name ''Adventurers Association''.


    If this was Earth, a trademark battle over the use of the name ''Adventurer Association'' would already be happened. It was a good thing that there weren''t any suchws in this world.


    In the Misonia Kingdom, the Adventurers Association''s main headquarters was in the City of Heinsburg, while the branches were scattered in every city.


    One of them was in the city of Burgenfield.


    Even though it was not the main headquarters, the headquarters building in the City of Burgenfield was veryrge.


    The size and architectural level of the building could make everyone''s eyes stick when they looked at it.


    That was why I had no trouble finding where the Adventurer Association building was located.


    Their building had a big name sign above their entrance.


    It said, [Burgenfield City Branch Adventurers'' Association] above therge door. It was written using letters from thenguage of Averus.


    I stood in front of the entrance.


    Many people were going in and out of the building. Most of them all wore armor on their bodies. Some only wore chest protectors and weapons, while others wore full armor.


    I wonder if they were overheated or not.


    Just as I was about to step inside, someone suddenly approached me.


    "Oh, who is this? Aren''t you the person from earlier? Why did youe here?"


    I looked around to make sure he was talking to me.


    "Me?"


    "Yes, I am talking to you. Ha ha ha."


    Among the crowd of people, I didn''t expect to hear the voice of the person who greeted me. He came from the side and greeted me like an old friend.


    "Who are you?" I asked calmly.


    "Ah, sorry if I startled you. Perhaps you didn''t notice me, but I was the one who was behind you when you entered the city."


    "Why are you approaching me?"


    "I just wanted to say hello. Aren''t we both new to the city?!"


    He smiled brightly. His lips widened all the way to his cheeks. The intention to be intimate really radiates from him.


    Apart from his intention to be intimate, I knew the reason he approached me.


    Most likely, he had seen me when I showed my ID card to the soldier that had been guarding the city gate. So, it''s likely that he approached me because he knew that I was the son of a nobleman.


    And so he continues to make small talk, from introductions to other trivial matters.


    "Do you want to apply to be an Adventurer?" He asked.


    "Yes," I answered briefly.


    The reason why I wanted to register and be an Adventurer?


    If you ask me, the position of the Adventurers'' Association in a kingdom would probably be the same as that of a national ministry. So, being an Adventurer would probably be the same as being an employee of a ministry.


    Indeed there were some independent aspects that the Adventurer''s Association had. Not all the affairs of the Adventurer''s Association could be meddled in by the royal family.


    Nevertheless, it was true that there were many aspects where the hands of the royal family influenced any policies or decisions of the Adventurer''s Association.


    And one of them was a policy that the Adventurer''s Association was obliged to ept Nobles who wanted to enroll. In other words, nobles were obliged to be Adventurers, regardless of their strength.


    Using the ID card, which I already had, I was able to register as an Adventurer without a hitch. That''s one of the benefits of being a noble child, being able to get an ID card and be an Adventurer.


    However, what had happened on the ground was different from what might have happened when you read the policy.


    Unlike the normal adventurers, who registered to take quests, members of the noble families mostly only registered as a form of formality. They became Adventurers, not of their own free will.


    Because after all, that was the policy of the Misonia Royal Family. They required the nobles to register as Adventurers. If they didn''tply, they would be punished.


    Of course, I didn''t mean to register just as a form of formality. I registered to be able to take one of the quests that were always there.


    "By the way, I came because I finished the quest. Then let''s go inside."


    Without me asking, he told me.


    Even so, I still followed him into the Adventurers Association headquarters building.


    Seen from anywhere, he was an ordinary middle-aged man. Though ording to what he said during the small talk, he was a B-rank adventurer.


    To confirm it, I used Judgement skills.


    [Skill Judgement - Active.]


    [Name: Fidel.


    Title: Warrior, Swordsman, Adventurer.


    Stat:


    (Strengths: B) (Speed: E) (Endurance: D) (Agility: E) (Mana Core: Low.)


    Skills:<novelnext></novelnext>


    Sword Mastery, Body Cultivation.]


    This was the first time I was looking at someone else''s status window. How could I not be surprised?


    ''From now on, I won''t be surprised anymore about what things the World System can do.''


    I continued to look at Fidel''s status.


    Fidel''s two skills aremon skills for Warriors.


    Indeed, most great cultivation techniques belonged to noble families.


    Ordinary people could only obtain their own cultivation techniques. Whether from dungeons or training by themselves and creating their own techniques, those two choices were the only choices ordinary people had.


    "Aren''t you going inside?"


    Fidel asked me who stopped halfway.


    I quickly shifted my focus from his status window.


    I walked straight into the grand building belonging to the Adventurers Association.


    The building was made up of several floors, making it look like it was looking down on the humans below.


    ''Even their entrances look really great.''


    Using the Hear of Everything Skill, I could tell that this building''s protection was thousands of times more advanced than the Barrier in Baron Warwick''s Mansion.


    ''What would happen if someone infiltrated inside?


    I could only smile when I thought of that. All sorts of calctions swirled in my head, preparing all sorts of scenarios that could possibly happen.


    In contrast to the busyness my head was, my two feet stepped into the building automatically.


    After going inside, I found a scene where a crowd of people was jostling.


    "Hey, is there an interesting quest?"


    "You''ll die quickly if you look for quests that are only interesting, sir."


    "Damn, you can''tpromise!"


    Most of them were waiting in line to have the receptionist show them the quests they could receive ording to their rank.


    There were also those who were discussing with theirrades. There was even a special seat for them. What''s more, they can also order drinks and food.


    Was this a tavern?


    "Alright. Mesties, I will go to report thepletion of my quest. See youter," said Fidel.


    I just nodded without responding too much.


    This was rare to see someone who had a personality like his, being kind to people he just met.


    But instead, I did increasingly distrust people who had such traits.


    I was more worried about the people who were kind to me than those who were hostile to me.


    As soon as I was left by Fidel alone, I started walking towards the adventurer registration section.


    I barged through the people until I finally came close to a receptionist girl. But I had to stop because of a sudden interruption.


    The person I had just broken through stopped me in the middle of the street.


    In an instant, I was suddenly surrounded by disgusting middle-aged men.


    "Oh, who is this? Why would a kide here? Are you lost, kid?"


    The one speaking was a human¡­ or a pig? I could barely tell the difference.


    "What do you want?" I replied.


    "What? Did you just ask such an obvious thing? Didn''t you dare to nudge me earlier? That means you''re challenging me. There''s no way I''m going to let you get away with that!"


    The fat pig in front of me leaned its head right into my face.


    Didn''t he realize that his body, which was fat, and his face, which was disgusting, would be an eyesore?


    He didn''t seem to realize that he had excess fat on his face and body.


    "Haaah~"


    Even if I made fun of him, it would be useless.


    More importantly, seeing as people were starting to gather around me, was this going to be a situation that was definitely predictable?


    I could only let out a vapor of annoyance.


    My current body age was indeed only 17 years old. When you see that all the people in this room are adults, it''s obvious that I stand out.


    From the moment I entered this ce, I was already noticed by a few people, but they were only female Adventurers.


    But now, I could feel the fiery gazes of many male Adventurers, as if they held a grudge against me.


    Even though I had taken precautions to keep myself from standing out.


    I had ced the Svangur Sword on my waist. The Svangur Sword was wrapped in a sword sheath that I made from Slime. I put the Svangur Sword on my waist so that people wouldn''t underestimate me.


    But the result was still this.


    On earth, I''ve heard that most stories will have a scene where a new kid was bullied by a senior.


    They call it a clich¨¦ scene.


    Was what happened to me a clich¨¦d scene that I had heard about in the past?

 Chapter 66 Receptionist Girl

    ?"Isn''t he Bubble? Is he trying to stir up trouble again?


    "It seems so."


    "I never saw the face of the little boy in front of him, is he new here? No wonder that pig dared to make trouble."


    "He likes to mess with new people who look weak. Especially if it''s a child. So we shouldn''t be surprised."


    "Yea, just enjoy the show he''s going to put on."


    The people inside the Adventurer''s Association started talking to each other. The longer it went on, the more noise could be heard.


    The noises filled my ears very quickly.


    Unlike earlier, where the noise was broken up in several ces, now people started paying attention to me, making the noise very annoying.


    They seemed to be talking about a pig named Bubble who was looking for trouble with me.


    The more people talked about him, the puffier he seemed to get. Maybe he was bullying me because he wanted to make face in front of the other Adventurers.


    Even though I''m not an official adventurer yet, why do I have to get into trouble like this?


    If I have to, I can attack the person in front of me.


    I was sure I would win. That''s because when I had activated the Judgement skill, the stats of the pig named Bubble and the men apanying him looked nothing special.


    ''Should I get rid of them?


    Before I attacked the pig and his men in front of me...


    In the smallest corner of my vision, I noticed a woman behind the reception desk.


    She was the receptionist I was about to go to, a receptionist serving in the beginner registration section.


    I should have gone straight to her, but instead, I was blocked by the pig.


    The reason why I''m paying attention to that receptionistdy?


    I realized I shouldn''t be paying attention to her, as I was currently besieged by a group of nuisance pests.


    But I can''t take my eyes off her.


    Not because I fell in love at first sight, but because of the action that she seems to be about to take.


    She was holding a quill in her hand.


    Without any fuss, without any exaggerated movements, she threw the quill in her hand.


    In the blink of an eye, the quill in her hand flew toward the pig standing in front of me.


    Ssh!


    Perhaps it was the speed of the hand of the person who had thrown it, but the flight speed of the quill was amazing.


    Like a bullet, the quill that was originally in the receptionist''s hand suddenly disappeared and flew away in a sh.


    The quill kept flying until finally, it slightly hit the cheek of the pig in front of me.


    Not stopping there, the quill traveled straight until it stuck into the wall.


    The eyes of everyone in this room could not see the quill.


    So, it was obvious that no one had noticed that the person who had thrown the quill down was the female receptionist who looked like an ordinary woman.


    After carrying out such an act earlier, she acted like she didn''t do anything.


    She just adjusted the sses she was wearing and took a breath. She looked as if she waszy to do something as before.


    As a result, the Pig in front of me could only shudder in fear.


    Without him noticing, a bit of blood from the scratch from the quill that he didn''t notice dripped down his cheek.


    He wiped a bit of blood from his cheek.


    "Oinkk!"


    He let out a typical pig''s squeal.


    His face was sweating profusely, soaking the floor. His eyes seemed to be looking left, right, up, and even back and down. He lookedpletely confused.


    "I-It seems that this ce is indeed being watched by someone very powerful!" He said it quietly and in a tone full of fear.


    His gaze then fell on me.


    "..."


    "..."


    The corner of his mouth suddenly twitched, and his forehead let out a vein.


    Was he embarrassed because he had shown an expression of fear?


    He quickly changed his facial expression and acted strong.


    "Hey, kid. I''ll teach you a lessonter. I''ve already marked your face! The moment you step out of here, you''ll be finished!"


    He left behind threatening words as he left this ce. Behind him, like ducklings, his men followed him in an orderly fashion.


    That way, the clich¨¦d plot that I thought would happen doesn''t happen. The problem is simply solved, without any further fuss.<novelnext></novelnext>


    All the people huddled around me began to disperse. They went about their business.


    So Am I.


    ***


    "Can I help you?"


    The receptionist girl who I had seen flying a quill, weed me as if the incident had never happened.


    "First, thank you for saving my life!"


    I put down the quill that she had thrown. I had picked it up earlier. The quill was firmly stuck in the wall. It reflected how strong the throw she had just made was.


    After seeing me put the quill on the reception desk in front of her, she then picked it up.


    "Hoo. So you saw what I did? Looks like you''re not an ordinary young man."


    She was holding the sses she was wearing. Behind the sses she was wearing, her beautiful eyes were staring at me. I felt like she was sizing me up.


    "Alright. I don''t care. Do you want to apply?"


    She continued doing her duties as a receptionist. I also immediately said that I wanted to register and handed over my ID card as a requirement. With the ID card in her hand, she read my name.


    "Mesties Warwick. So you are the son of a nobleman."


    She was not surprised at all.


    I was sure that ordinary people would be surprised to see a noble childing to the headquarters of the Adventurer''s Association alone.


    But, she was indifferent.


    Not that I took offense, but for some reason, from start to finish, she kept an annoyed face. It was obvious that she was in a bad mood.


    It''s not that I expected any special treatment.


    However, I still feel something strange.


    What was the reason that had upset her? Was it me? I didn''t think I had made her feel upset.


    As I watched the situation more closely, I began to understand what made her maintain an upset face. Although this was just my spection, anyway.


    The problem she had might lie in the clothes she was wearing. She was wearing clothes that were quite revealing. Especially on her chest. Her cleavage was exposed in the air.


    Meanwhile, the other female receptionists were wearing modest clothes. They all covered their private parts well, just like a nobledy.


    But the clothes she was wearing, on the contrary, she was wearing clothes with exposed cleavage. The restraint on herrge breasts looks very tempting to anyone.


    Ordinary people might mistake her for a prostitute.


    That was why, automatically, the eyes of the male adventurers are always fixed right on her cleavage, fixed firmly without being distracted.


    Even though the people who had crowded around to see me, because of the trouble with Bubble, had dispersed and were minding their own business, but for some reason, there were asionally people who turned their heads to look at the beauty of the mountains that she had.


    The reason why was probably not just because of the clothes she was wearing, but also because of her beauty. She is arguably the most beautiful of all the female receptionists.


    She has such neat eyebrows, gorgeous eyes, and lips that would make anyone want to eat them.


    Even though she wears her hair in a messy ponytail, as if she wants to lessen the beauty she exudes, it just adds to her beauty.


    Moreover, she has snow-white skin. Her white skin not only radiated from her face but also from the skin on her exposed shoulders. Her shoulders were clearly visible because of the skimpy clothes she wore as if she wanted to blind anyone''s eyes.


    ''Is she wearing that sexy outfit just because she wants to tease people?''


    "I can read your thoughts through your expression, young man. Do you think that I''m dressing like this because of my own will?"


    "Should I apologize for thinking wrongly?"


    She looked at me strangely, then she said, "Haaa~ it''s all because I lost a bet with that old fart, damn it." She said so quietly that no one could hear her except me. A warm breath also came out of her mouth.


    Although it was quiet, she put a strong emphasis on the tone of voice she let out.


    She seemed to be venting her pent-up annoyance. Or, did I just misunderstand?


    "You''re quite horrible!"


    "Why?" I asked in confusion.


    "You must have a special fascination because I almost told you about my problem. Well, there''s no point in telling you that. After all, you''re just a nobleman''s son who ran away from home, whether because you weren''t spoiled enough or what, there''s no way you can understand how I feel."


    After talking to herself, she then walked out of the reception desk and said to me, "Follow me, and I will guide you to the enrollment test room. Considering that you are a noble, you don''t need to take the test. So, just think of it as a formality."


    ***


    "Why didn''t you just finish him off?"


    Outside the Adventurer''s Association building, Bubble and apanied gathered.


    Bubble received insulting questions from his men.


    "Shut up. We just need to wait for him out. Then we can finish off that little kid. It''s not good if we do it there."


    They were gathering in a small alley to figure out how to take revenge on Mesties.


    As they were talking, an old man wearing a butler''s outfit approached them.

 Chapter 67 The Adventurers Test

    ?I had been walking behind the receptionistdy.


    Veronica was her name.


    Speaking of which, I was aware of her name when her coworkers kept calling her. But not calling her like a friend, but with an insulting tone. Theyined about the way she dressed.


    "Aren''t you angry?"


    "Why should I be angry? I knew this was the risk of having an above-average face and body."


    Her voice seemed to be holding back her irritation. However, a trace of confidence was still clearly exuded.


    What she said was not a total lie, in addition to her long hair, charming smile, and beautiful face she had, she also had charming curves.


    Even from behind, I could see her two buttocks dancing to the rhythm of her footsteps.


    I bet you will have dirty thoughts in your head when you see those two dangerous things.


    But there''s no way I would make such a stupid expression like a man with a dirty mind.


    I just focused on following her to the test room.


    I''m going to take a test from the Adventurers Association. After that, I will obtain a ranking that matched the test results


    The rank of an adventurer will determine the quests that can be taken. Therefore, the higher the rank you get, the higher the quests you can take. And the higher the rank of the quests you take, the higher the rewards you get.


    But I have no ns to reach a high rank.


    At least not for now.


    "I''ll start exining about the work of an Adventurer."


    Veronica, who was in front of me, with her usual stiff face, started exining the things that a beginner needs to know.


    First, she started exining the working system of the Adventurer''s Association.


    The work system of the Adventurer''s Association was simple. They were in charge of gathering people with powers, giving them quests, and then rewarding them ording to the difficulty of the quests.


    "Please note that you will not be able to ept quests that are higher than your rank. For your safety."


    Of course, I had to know all of that.


    In my previous life, I had also enlisted as an adventurer and had felt how difficult it was to be a low-rank adventurer.


    At that time, my rational mind realized that the Adventurer''s Association gave each quest a rank so that Adventurers could have a higher chance of survival.


    But, even so, living by taking low-rank quests was just torture. Low pay and a high risk of idents weremon urrences.


    I knew that because I had been there.


    I had been in that position.


    In my previous life, I had experienced as a low-ranked Adventurer. I often became a scarecrow for the higher-ranked Adventurers.


    Grid!


    As the memories of the past settled in my head, I identally bit my lip.


    The mes of anger seemed to still reside in my heart. However, there was nothing I could do about the past. I just need to focus on the future. Trying to reach a future full of happiness, wasn''t that was my dream.


    Veronica suddenly stopped and looked at me over her shoulder.


    "Are you listening to me?"


    "Hm?"


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Nothing. Please continue your exnation."


    "Haah... Okay. So, you probably already know this, but I''ll continue by telling you the rank order of Adventurers and Quests."


    Adventurer rank was divided into 6 levels.


    F, E, D, C, B, A.


    From F, the lowest possible rank, to A, the highest possible rank that a human can attain.


    Veronica''s exnation stopped there.


    "What about ranks higher than A rank?"


    I asked innocently.


    "Why do you think that there is a rank higher than rank A?"


    "Well, that''s just my guess."


    Behind the expressionless face she had, there were slight signs of surprise. Although small, her eyebrows seemed to be twitching cutely.


    "Sorry. I don''t have the authority to exin that."


    Then she looked straight ahead again. She walked on without exining further.


    Without her having to exin it, I knew that there was one more rank above A rank.


    The people or the general public was indeed no one who knows.


    Ranks higher than A rank were only known by a few people.


    It wasn''t announced openly because they were afraid that weak people would go crazy, crazy to reach a rank that they couldn''t reach. Or maybe people would instead be afraid of people who had reached ranks above A rank?


    And it was S rank.


    Rank S was a level that only ''Abnormal'' humans could obtain. Rank S could only be obtained if one possessed immense power. Normal people wouldn''t even be able to dream of reaching it.


    Most of the S rankers were the head of the family of a prestigious noble family. In other words, the S rank was a special title to distinguish betweenmoners and nobles.


    That''s more or less what I understand.


    "Alright. Here we are."


    When we reached the entrance of the rank measurement room, we both braked our footsteps, and simultaneously, we frowned.


    "..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "..."


    Without a signal, both of us simultaneously jumped to the side.


    My eyes and Veronica''s eyes met.


    We were not flirting with each other through our nces. But, the meaning of our eyes meeting was that we realized that each of us had power beyond our expectations.


    Boom!


    We turned our eyes towards the person who flew out from behind the door.


    We both knew that someone would fly out from behind the door, so we dodged to the side.


    The person who flew out finally hit the wall and lost consciousness.


    I turned my gaze to look at the person inside the room, to see the figure who had flown out of the unconscious person.


    He was seen carrying a sword on his shoulder. His face looks very dissatisfied.


    "Fwuhh~ why are the neers so weak these days? Don''t they realize that they are still too weak? Why do they want to be Adventurers so badly? Do they think being an Adventurer is an easy job?"


    And he turned out to be Fidel.


    As I watched him, he also watched me. Perhaps he could read my confused face, so he started talking.


    "Hahaha, I didn''t expect us to meet again."


    Without me asking, he then started telling me why he was here.


    I heard that he received an offer from the Adventurer''s Association to test people who want to register as Adventurers. And of course, it can be called a quest too.


    Given that he was ranked B, he was already qualified.


    After telling me the story, he told me to go inside.


    "Then, I''ll excuse myself." Veronica resigned.


    Before she walked back to the reception desk, our eyes met once again. And right at that moment, I felt something.


    "...."


    "...."


    For now, I''ll let this feeling pass.


    A small smile identally appeared on my lips.


    On the other side, Veronica frowned.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No. Nothing. See you soon."


    I walked into the rank measurement room with Fidel, ignoring Veronica who walked back to the reception desk.


    ***


    There was a veryrge arena inside the rank measurement room, but before going there, I was guided by another Adventurer Association staff to take a Mana Core measurement test.


    It reminded me of the Mana Core measurement test that I did during the Maturity Ceremony. And the results were still the same as back then. When I ced my hand on the Crystal Ball, there was no reaction at all.


    "Heh, who would have thought that there are also children of nobles who don''t have Mana Cores, just likemoners? And there are even manymoners who have Mana Cores like me. So sad."


    Fidel, who was watching from the side, made his scathingment while rubbing his beard. His attitude was inversely proportional to the friendly demeanor he had previously shown.


    As I suspected, he knew that I was the son of a nobleman.


    But I ignored it.


    Generally, people who weren''t had a Mana Core wouldn''t be able to register as an Adventurer, unless they had special skills in a certain area, such as an expert in finding medicinal herbs, an expert in determining the direction of exploration, or other skills.


    But seeing that the Adventurer''s Association staff didn''t stop my registration progress, it seemed he was considering the matter of my identity as a noble''s child.


    ''I had expected the identity of a noble child toe in handy.''


    Without much consideration, I was told to proceed to the next stage.


    He told me to do a sprint. It was to test how fast I could run.


    Then I was told to hit the scarecrow using full strength.


    The scarecrow was not a normal scarecrow, but a magical device to test how strong the applicant''s punch was.


    Actually, any tests I took would be useful for determining my position when I entered a Party.


    The Adventurer''s Association will rmend a suitable position for me.


    Whether it''s as a Scout, Tanker, or Attacker, will be decided after the tests I''m currently doing arepleted.


    In my previous life, I always became a Porter. Because it was only in the Porter position that I could enter a Party and could take on quests that had more pay.


    Back then, when I showed my adventurer card, which contained my adventure rank information and the position that suited me, which was the position rmended by the Adventurer Association, then everyone would tell me to be a Porter if I still wanted to join the Party.


    ''What an unpleasant experience.''


    I shook my head to banish the nostalgia from my mind.


    "Are you ready to be beaten?"


    Fidel grinned in my face.


    Fidel and I stood in the arena in the center of the room.


    After undergoing a series of tests, I was left with one more.


    The martial arts skills test.


    The opponent I had to face was Fidel, a rank B Adventurer.


    Of course, Fidel''s face looked veryzy. I could already guess that he wanted to throw me into the air like the person I saw flying out of the room earlier.

 Chapter 68 Honey Bee

    ?I say again, I was once a low-ranking adventurer.


    In my previous life.


    It happened after I left Ryam City, after being homeless, and after I was tired of scavenging everywhere for food to survive.


    At that time I already understood enough about this world. Which was the world of the novels I had read. So, I tried to be an adventurer in a city that I thought was safe.


    I was active as a low-ranked Adventurer probably around the year 993 to 997 of the Sovereign Calendar. I''m not sure.


    With my dexterity, I finally became an Adventurer. However, instead of the hope of achieving happiness, what I got was another suffering from what I usually experienced.


    Because I was weak and didn''t have Mana Core, again, suffering had be my daily meal.


    Especially those, high-rank Adventurers who were arrogant and liked to intimidate low-rank Adventurers.


    I was sure Fidel was included in the category of arrogant high ranked Adventurer. So, when I remembered all my suffering, I felt a little anger that I unintentionally directed at Fidel.


    Moreover, Fidel obviously had a hypocritical nature, a trait that I hated the most.


    "Come forward!"


    Fiel spoke casually and in a dismissive tone. His mouth wobbled as he spoke, clearly indicating contempt.


    His hand movements, which were like a master leading a pet, clearly belittled me.


    He was trying to provoke me.


    First, I picked up the sword that was on the edge of the arena. It''s an ordinary iron sword. I decided to borrow this sword instead of pulling the Svangur Sword from its sheath.


    [Name: Iron Sword.


    Grade: Trash.


    Description: Mass production item. Has average sharpness and durability. Suitable for average people].


    Why did I was feeling like the description by World System was telling me that this sword was more suitable for me?


    "Don''t you already have a sword? Why don''t you use it?"


    "This is enough."


    There were no rules prohibiting the use of personal weapons on the Adventurer enlistment test. However, I felt that it would be too much if I had to use the Svangur Sword.


    It would be a different story if I had been consumed by the anger in my heart like a child. If so, I would definitely sh him blindly, so that the Svangur Sword could drink blood.


    However, I don''t want to create a mess here.


    ''The first thing I want to do is, confirm the level of power I have.''


    Fidel only had one B stats. Only his strength was already at B level ording to Skill Judgement. Even so, he was already qualified as a rank B Adventurer.


    ''Can just one stat with rank B makes one get rank B as an Adventurer as well?''


    Without taking much more time, I advanced, attacking Fidel selflessly.


    "Ugh!"


    "Hm?"


    Surprisingly, I was able to push him away with a single strike.


    He resisted my sword attack with difficulty.


    Seeing him change his expression so quickly, from one of disdain for me to one of surprise, I had already confirmed what I wanted to confirm.


    It turned out that my guess was correct. Even though I didn''t use any skills, I could still corner him. Looking at the difference in stats that I have with him, I''ve guessed enough.


    Even though he was a Rank Master Warrior and a Rank B Adventurer, I didn''t find it difficult to fight him.


    In my previous life, at a point in time, even though I had practiced very hard, I would never be able to corner a rank B warrior.


    A high-rank Adventurer is like a cloud in the sky.


    ''At least, that was before I met Cornelia.''


    By the way, I fought Fidel without using Mana. Whereas he seems to have used Mana.


    I didn''t expect that I would be able to push him a bit even without using Mana or any skills.


    Maybe it was because I had undergone Body Reconstruction? But to be honest, I can clearly feel that my body''s pure strength has increased a lot.


    Or maybe it was just Fidel''s utilization of Mana that was like trash? Who knows?


    Little by little, as my stats increased, my physical strength also increased. ''If my stats continue to increase, it might not be long before I can match my physical strength in my previous life, perhaps.''


    "Kuh! Where does your strengthe from, when you obviously have such a small and muscle-less body."


    "Are you curious?"


    Unintentionally, I imitated the expression that Fidel had previously shown.


    An expression of disdain for the opponent. My mouth was wavy, and the look on my face expressed that I was bored. All of that was clearly reflected on my face.


    "You forced me to do this!"


    He took some distance from me.


    Thick mana seemed to start gathering into the sword in his hand. Then the sword he was holding began to glow.


    Sword Aura.


    This time I was able to see that skill again.


    It hasn''t been long since I fought Vice Captain Knight Trusty who used the Sword Aura skill.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Granted, his wasn''t as thick as Vice Knight Captain Trusty. But it was still a Sword Aura.


    He must be very confident in the skills he unleashed.


    The look in his eyes returned to a haughty look.


    "Hehe, eat this!"


    The sword that he had coated in Manaunched itself at me.


    Right before he shed at me...


    Clung!


    "Okay. I give up."


    I dropped the sword to the ground and raised both my hands as a sign of surrender.


    "W-What?"


    He stopped in the middle of the road.


    When he saw me give up so easily, he couldn''t help but be stunned.


    "H-how can you just give up like that? Didn''t you have to fight hard for your evaluation score to be good? Don''t you want to rank high as an Adventurer?"


    He looked very angry.


    Even though I had already admitted defeat, he seemed to want to attack me.


    I nced at the staff of the Adventurer''s Association holding the scoring paper beside the arena. Then the staff gave Fidel a death re.


    From the lip movements the staff showed, I could guess that he was giving Fidel a stern warning.


    "Once again, if you do so, this time you will be considered as notpleting your duties as an examiner, so you will not get any payment!"


    That''s more or less what he was saying.


    Eventually, Fidel stoppedpletely.


    I lowered my hands as I watched Fidel step down from the arena while continuing to grumble.


    ***


    [Adventurer Card.


    Name: Mesties Warwick.


    Rank: F.


    Position: Attacker.]


    In my hand is an adventure card.


    Above the adventurer card in my hand, my name and the adventurer rank I had earned were written.


    Rank F. The lowest rank. That''s the rank I got.


    Even so, I was d I managed to be an Adventurer. Even though it was rank F, I was already qualified to take the quests I aimed for.


    Rank F was a natural thing for me to get considering I gave up on the martial skill test.


    The reason I gave up wasn''t because I couldn''t beat Fidel.


    The real reason was because of what I had learned from my previous life.


    Extra characters may not show off their full strength. Once an extra character unts his strength, that person will die at the hands of someone stronger than him.


    That''s what I learned.


    Extra characters were not the same as the main characters.


    If the main characters would always get an injection of strength from nowhere, then the extra characters can only ept the situation.


    Once an extra character has a strong enemy, there would be no chance to fight back.


    The main characters were different. The main character would be able to survive against stronger enemies, even if it happens hundreds of times. Because they will continue to get stronger as the enemy gets stronger.


    In my previous life, I had seen too many scenes like that until I was sick of it.


    After all, there was nothing to be gained from beating Fidel. Whether I lose or win, obviously I can still be an adventurer.


    I put my adventurer card into my Inventory.


    Then I returned to the front hall.


    Once I got to the front hall, I saw that there was amotion. People were crowding around in a circle.


    This kind of scene was already amon thing. So I wasn''t surprised to see it.


    I broke through the crowd until I could finally see the center of the stormy crowd.


    I couldn''t help but retract my words. I wasn''t surprised at first, but I became a little shocked when I saw that the center of the crowd was Veronica.


    She had made people notice her from the start because of her sexy clothes and pretty face, just like a honey bee, but this time it seemed that the reason was different.


    There was an old man with a beard who was in front of the reception desk where she was serving as a receptionist.


    The bearded old man did not look like an Adventurer. He was wearing a ck suit and a bow tie. Since he was wearing the typical clothes of a Butler, of course, he was a Butler belonging to a nobleman.


    ''So, what''s his problem with Veronica?''

 Chapter 69 The Superiority Of A Nobleman

    ?"Are you sure you don''t want to ept the invitation from the Young Master?"


    "I''m sorry, sir. I already told you that I don''t want to ept it."


    The bearded old butler asked Veronica in an arrogant tone. His head was slightly turned up like a fool, looking down on Veronica like he was looking at the dirt on the street.


    Veronica, on the other hand, politely declined. A professional smile still remained on her pretty face. She also bent her head down slightly.


    The attitude shown by Veronica was inversely proportional to the attitude had been shown by the old butler.


    In response to Veronica''s polite and professional demeanor, Old Butler instead brought his eyebrows together, making the wrinkles he already had on his forehead be very thick.


    He automatically pointed at Veronica with his index finger, and then spoke in a loud voice.


    "Do you dare to refuse an invitation from Young Master Yary? Don''t you know who he is? He is the son of Marquis Stronghold, the noble who manages this territory. If you dare to refuse his invitation, you will definitely regret it. You must be prepared to ept the consequences."


    The old butler insisted.


    As Old Butler had said, there would be consequences if Veronica dared to refuse an invitation from a nobleman''s son.


    Her identity as a reception girl was not enough to protect her.


    When hearing what the old butler said, everyone in this Adventurer''s Association hall, including the Adventurers and the reception girls, immediately nodded up and down several times simultaneously.


    They agreed with the old butler in unison.


    In Burgenfield City, who didn''t know about the Young Master Yary that Old Butler was referring to? Even the people in the entire kingdom must have known.


    He was not known to everyone for his greatness, so everyone had to obey him out of respect, but he was famous for his vices.


    I was sure everyone would be familiar with the name Young Master Yary.


    But it seems to be different for Veronica. She doesn''t seem to care at all. Instead, she twitched her eyebrows. But only one of her eyebrows twitched which I thought was very funny. But I know that she looked about to be annoyed.


    And sure enough, Veronica''s angry outburst came after she seemed to be trying her hardest to contain her anger.


    "Hey, do you think I care about that? Get out of here! I''ve had enough of your patience. Don''t interfere with my work, ok!"


    Veronica''s rude reply triggered a dangerous snarl from Old Butler.


    Everyone had the same look in their eyes. They were incredulous that Veronica did not know who Young Master Yary was, whom the Old Butler was talking about.


    "Is she new people in this city?"


    "It seems so."


    "No wonder she dared to refuse Young Master Yary''s invitation. She doesn''t know that the custom of Young Master Yary, the son of the Lord here, is to gather the beautiful people in this entire region. But if anyone refuses, then they will be corpses the next day."


    "Uhhh. I remember some time ago. Where the corpse of a woman whose body looked really gruesome suddenly appeared in the middle of the street."


    "Yes. I heard that the corpse looked like it died in great pain. People said that the dead woman had refused Young Master Yary''s advances."


    "That receptionistdy would definitely not dare to refuse if she knew all that."


    I heard everyone''s murmurs.


    They were looking sorry for Veronica who had been targeted by Yary, the son of the region''s lord.


    Of course, I knew the root of the problem.


    Marquis Stronghold.


    He was the Lord of the Stronghold territory.


    The center of the Stronghold territory was Burgenfield City.


    Considering that the Marquis was the upper noble rank, the territory of the Marquis Stronghold was naturally veryrge. And to manage such arge territory, arge force was needed as well.


    Unlike Baron Warwick who had mediocre physical strength and magic, Marquis Stronghold was a figure famous for his Magic prowess.


    In other words, he was a genuine Magician.


    He was trusted to be the Lord of the territory bordering the Varmint Association''s territory, which was the territory where the Beastmen were, because of the power he possessed.


    The problem was, people like Marquis Stronghold only have one child.


    It was well known throughout Marquis Stronghold''s fiefdom that the Lord, Marquis Reynold Stronghold, was very indulgent to his son.


    Therefore, no one found it strange when people saw the Old Butler forcing Veronica toe to the Marquis Stronghold''s son''s residence.


    They had already known the behavior of this region''s Lord children.


    Finally, the Old Butler lost his temper as well. He looked at the crowd of Adventurers. Then he ignited the mes of themotion.


    "Hey, all of you, capture this woman and drag her to Young Master Yary''s residence. Whoever seeds, they''ll get a huge reward. I can guarantee that."


    Hearing that, the adventurers looked left and right. They were exchanging nces. And finally, images of gold coins seemed to radiate out from their eyeballs.


    The greed for the reward promised by the Old Butler managed to take over the rational thoughts from their brains.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Buhihi. I''ll get that reward."


    The first person to surface from the ranks of the Adventurers was Fat Pig who I had a conflict earlier.


    Behind him were still hordes of his men.


    Even among the crowd, I could still recognize him. Especially his characteristic fatness and the fat that bubbled up all over his body.


    I didn''t expect that he would dare toe back here again and be the first toe forward.


    It seemed that he was no longer afraid to cause trouble here.


    Previously, he believed that this ce had a mysterious figure that prevented trouble. But why did he immediately dare toe here and join themotion?


    At first nce, what he does will make you wonder how he has no shame.


    However, when you looked at it from another angle, it was clear that the reason why he was so bold was because of Old Butler''s presence. The same goes for the other Adventurers.


    They all obviously wanted to get Old Butler''s attention by being the first to catch Veronica.


    The superiority of a nobleman.


    It was demonstrated by the Old Butler of the Marquis Stronghold household perfectly.


    The superiority of a noble has also bemonce. So no one dared to argue.


    The influence of a noble in the eyes of non-noble people was very high.


    So, the foolish Adventurers must have thought that they were safe. Regardless of the extreme measures they would take.


    Even if they were tomit violence at the Adventurer''s Association headquarters, they seemed very confident that they would be protected.


    They were to the extent of losing their sanity to the fact that they were adventurers.


    They looked exactly like true sycophants in front of the old butler.


    Seeing that Old Butler, I remembered Gil.


    ''When can Gil have the aura of a perfect butler like that.''


    I became pessimistic about Gil''s development as a servant.


    And finally, all the Adventurers who were already crazy about the gift from the old butler started to really go crazy.


    They swarmed Veronica like wild animals.


    As soon as Fat Pig and his gang came forward, the other Adventurers also came forward.


    When I was looking at the scene in front of my eyes, I felt as if I was looking at a running event.


    Amidst the Adventurers'' eagerness to attack Veronica, Veronica looked calm.


    But I knew that she was holding back her anger with all her might.


    I was not a fool, so I knew that Veronica''s temper was on fire. Maybe I was the only one who knew.


    Evidence of her anger was that the quill in Veronica''s hand had be a white powder.


    Perhaps, most people who saw Veronica standing still without moving were because Veronica was scared, but I knew that she was standing still because she was restraining herself from killing everyone.


    Don''t forget, she had a strong power.


    I sensed Veronica''s murderous intentions that she directed toward the Adventurers.


    "Haah."


    Lately, I''ve been sighing a lot.


    ''What should I do now?


    My life motto in my previous life was always to be ignorant of all things that endangered my life. But I realized that I couldn''t continue to maintain such an attitude.


    I realized that right now, I had to do something. I was also still thinking about the strange feelings I had toward Veronica.


    What''s more, if I just let the drama flow. I think I''ll see a river of blood here. And of course, the ending will beplicated.


    Old Butler and the Adventurers did not realize that they would end up being ughtered by Veronica. That was the obvious scenario. That''s why they did something careless.


    And as for the reason why an ordinary receptionist has such great strength, but wants to be an ordinary receptionist? On top of that, she''s forced to wear sexy clothes?!


    Questions like that were still lingering in my head, and questions like that I thought were enough to move my body.


    Although I had lived in this world twice, I didn''t know everything. Furthermore, the Memorize skill was also inactive. This indicates that there was no information rted to Veronica in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    Thus, I made the decision to intervene.

 Chapter 70 The Main Heroine

    ?Have you ever experienced something valuable stolen from you?


    When something of value that belonged to you was stolen, you would be very angry.


    Why would I say something like that?


    Because I had beenmitting theft.


    But I didn''t steal things, I stole the start. I stole the start from the Adventurers who were preparing to advance on Veronica.


    Breaking out of the crowd, I moved faster than everyone. I swerved to avoid the bodies of several Adventurers.


    In the blink of an eye, I was already in front of the reception desk, where behind the reception desk was Veronica.


    I did it as naturally as possible as if I had originally been near the reception desk.


    "Can you show me the list of quests I can take?"


    I ced my adventurer card in front of Veronica.


    Since I was still doing my own thing, and ignoring themotion, it was obvious that I would be everyone''s focus. I became a conspicuous person.


    Inevitably, people started to stop in the middle of the road and started to notice me.


    The gaze of everyone''s eyes from behind my body was piercing. However, I tried to endure.


    ''It''s useless if you were ring at me like that. I won''t leave.''


    How should I put it... was this the nature of Individualism in modern terms? Maybe that''s the right name for what I did. I was self-centered and became the one who stole the start.


    Ignoring everyone''s reactions, I was still waiting for a response from Veronica.


    Amidst the frozen situation, I felt the most hostile gazes from the people behind me.


    Of course, the one who showed the most emotion of anger was Old Butler.


    "Who are you? Get out of here if you don''t want to catch that woman!"


    When he asked me, he looked very angry. Obviously, he was very disturbed by my presence.


    "And if I don''t want to?"


    "Then I''ll make you regret interfering, Young Kid."


    I saw a horde of Adventurers ready to take orders from Old Butler.


    "Are you going to tell them to attack me? Don''t you dare to do it with your own hands?"


    "Ahaha. Are you trying to provoke me? A child who only has a pretty face like you? It''s useless. Since you''re already so bold, I''ll be sure to make you kneel."


    I knew the reason he was so confident.


    The average adventurer here, who was ready to take orders from the old butler, was a low-ranked adventurer.


    That was one of the reasons why he was so confident.


    If it was those high-ranked Adventurers, then there would be no one willing to follow the old butler''s persuasion.


    It was an unwritten rule that the affairs of Adventurers and nobles should be kept separate. Because they thought that Adventurers were not the dogs of nobles.


    Only low-ranking Adventurers could be blinded by the lure of an old butler''s reward.


    And the second reason, as well as the most important reason, was that the leader of the Burgenfield City branch of the Adventurer''s Association was on his side.


    From behind, Fat Pig suddenly came and whispered something in the old butler''s ear. "If you want to get rid of him, I can do it for you. I happen to have a problem with him."


    Old Butler smiled.


    "Remember, little one. This is called noble supremacy."


    He proudly said.


    "Okay. Finish him off! I''ll take the responsibility."


    As soon as Old Butler gave the order, the Fat Pig was ted. Now he had support behind him. It was clear he wasn''t afraid anymore.


    The fat pig immediately drew the sword at his waist.


    "Buhihi. I will make you a cripple."


    Fat Pig advanced slowly to attack me.


    Every step he took made the fat in his body tremor.


    Even though I knew I would be attacked, I just stood in front of the reception desk without moving.


    Veronica, who saw that I was about to be attacked by Fat Pig, was about to shoot an ink bottle at Fat Pig''s head.


    From the look in her eyes, she was already aiming for Fat Pig''s round head.


    When she raised the ink bottle, I stopped what she was about to do.


    She was confused because I didn''t want her to help. Not because I wanted to defeat Fat Pig and be the main character of this incident, but because I was waiting for someone to arrive.


    I told Veronica that someone else would be the main character in this incident.


    Surprisingly, Veronica seemed to understand what I meant.


    ''When will shee?''


    Actually, I had been waiting for someone to arrive. I was just stalling for time.


    That person will be the one who will solve the problem here.


    Just when I was hesitating whether or not I should interfere in this matter, I could hear footsteps and the distinctive flow of Mana from outside. It happened when I used the Hear of Everything Skill.


    And at that moment, I realized that, with her presence, the problem here could be solved.


    I was worried that the person I was referring to would bete. But that didn''t seem to be the case.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The person came from the front door.


    She came just as Fat Pig was about to attack me. The sword in Fat Pig''s hand was already floating in the air, ready to sh at me.


    Jumping from the entrance, in the blink of an eye, she was already in front of me and sessfully blocked Fat Pig''s attack.


    Ka-nk!


    ***


    A few minutes earlier.


    In the street, there was someone heading toward the Adventurers Association headquarters building.


    On her back was an enormous shield.


    The clothes she wore looked like the clothes worn by poor people. Her clothes are shabby but still worth wearing.


    Walking with a sack on her shoulder, she seemed to be in a pretty good mood.


    She had justpleted a hunting mission inside a dungeon near Burgenfield city.


    Therefore, in the sack that she carried on her shoulders, there were many Magic Crystals.


    By selling Magic Crystals at the Adventurer''s Association headquarters, he would earn a lot of money.


    Money always manages to put one in a good mood.


    "With results like this, the kids will be happy."


    She couldn''t remove the happy smile from her mouth.


    It was only natural that she could get a lot of Magic Crystals. Because she was a famous adventurer in this city.


    The Adventurer''s Card that showed her rank hung clearly around her neck.


    [Adventurer Card


    Name: Jeanne


    Rank: B


    Position: Tanker.]


    Rank B.


    For a seventeen-year-old youngster, that was a very high achievement.


    Even though she could earn a lot of money every time she finished a quest, she still wore ordinary clothes.


    She had never invested money in equipment. Hence she still wore ordinary clothes without any armor.


    Perhaps she would only spare a little money to buy a shield, which was her main weapon, but other than the shield, she had no other equipment.


    "Hehehe, I can''t wait to see the kids'' reactions. Should I buy them somethingter, before I meet them? But first, I have to go to the Association and exchange all these Magic Crystals."


    She was already thinking about how she would spend the money.


    If you were asking where all the money she was umting all this time went until she never took care of herself? Then as she said, she used most of the money she had earned to support the children in the orphanage.


    It was her nature to help children who were in trouble.


    With a smiling face, she entered the headquarters of the Adventurers'' Association... Only to see an unpleasant sight.


    Inside, she saw people milling around and making a mess.


    The good mood she had earlier disappeared when she discovered the chaos inside the Adventurer''s Association.


    At the center of the chaos, she saw a young boy around her age, with his face as a plus point, being attacked by someone who looked like Fat Pig.


    Seeing that, she immediately dropped the sack she was carrying and took out the shield on her back.


    She ran and managed to withstand Fat Pig''s attack. She managed to protect the young boy who looked very weak.


    Ka-nk!


    Fat Pig''s sword flew away as soon as it encountered her shield.


    ***


    The sound of hard objects hitting echoed.


    Fat Pig''s sword was stopped without difficulty by her.


    The shield that she used to withstand Fat Pig''s attack was very enormous.


    But I was more focused on seeing her.


    She was a beautiful girl.


    Her short hair seemed to dance before my eyes.


    Her body was slim and her height was almost the same as mine.


    Even though I saw her from behind, I clearly recognized her very well. The crumpled, shabby, dusty clothes that hugged her were her trademark.


    Her red hair color and thunderous aura match the description in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    Although in the current timeline, she looks very young, and the aura she has was still not very thick, you would know that she was not an ordinary person at one nce.


    Her name was Jeanne.


    The main heroine in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    ''Finally, the main actresses in this drama appeared too.''

 Chapter 71 The Unexpected Scenario

    ?Ka-nk!


    "Buh-hi!"


    Bubble or what Mesties called Fat Pig, involuntarily let out a disgusting sound when the attack heunched was failed.


    Bubble found it very difficult to grip his sword due to the impact that had urred.


    His sword, which was moving to attack, had a higher speed than Jeanne''s shield, which was standing still in response to the attack, so kic energy was transferred from his sword to Jeanne''s shield.


    In such a case, the one that gets the most impact was of course the Bubble sword that had attacked, because it has a speed that increases the momentum value.


    As a result, his sword trembled violently. The vibrations in his sword traveled to his hands. When he felt that he couldn''t hold the sword in his hand anymore, he let go of the sword and it flew into the air.


    At first, he wanted to get angry.


    Steam of anger had billowed above his head.


    He had his hands clenched tightly.


    When someone who carried the shield suddenly appeared and blocked him, he desperately wanted to attack her.


    But he suddenly stopped.


    That was because he saw the face of the person who had been blocking him.


    When he saw that Jeanne was the one blocking him, he didn''t dare to fight back.


    As a low-ranked Adventurer who only dared to fight people who were weak and had a lower rank than him, Bubble had of course already bagged a list of high-level Adventurers.


    Not to forget, he had also memorized their faces. So that he could avoid dealing with them or not get into trouble with them.


    One of them was Jeanne.


    "What do you want by making a mess here? You''re just putting me in a bad mood. Damn it!"


    Jeanne snapped at Bubble in an angry tone. Jeanne red at Bubble with a gaze full of fire.


    "H-Hieeck!"


    Ignoring Bubble''s response, Jeanne kicked Bubble in the stomach until a tsunami wave was created on the surface of Bubble''s skin.


    His body shot up until his body hit the wall.


    The excess fat on his body had saved him from a violent collision with the wall of the Adventurer''s Association building. He did not die instantly.


    It appears as though he is embarrassing himself rather than seeding in portraying himself as a strong man.


    "Eat that!"


    A fiery temperament was disyed by Jeanne.


    Her red hair color red up as her mood became ugly.


    After disposing of Bubble, Jeanne looked around her.


    She looked at the Adventurers who were shocked by her appearance until her eyes caught sight of an old man, bearded, and wearing the typical attire of a butler.


    Seeing the presence of the old butler, she could then guess what had happened.


    Jeanne frowned.


    She already knew who the Old Butler was.


    Several times in the past, she had been visited by Old Butler. But she never responded to Old Butler''s invitation.


    Even though it was a direct order from the person the old butler was serving, the son of the Marquis Stronghold, Jeanne still tly refused.


    On several asions, she even had to use force to evict the old butler.


    Just thinking about it made Jeanne''s mood even worse.


    She became more and more upset.


    "So this is all your doing?!"


    "Tch, another disturber appeared."


    Old butler clucked his tongue.


    He was disappointed that Jeanne hade to interrupt.


    Even so, he thought that if it was just Jeanne, then he could still continue this.


    Themitment he had in carrying out the orders of the person he was serving was really very high.


    He didn''t want to fail an easy mission like this.


    ''Failure is unforgivable!''


    As he made up his mind to pursue the matter, he was about to order the Adventurers to attack Jeanne, Mesties, and attack Veronica simultaneously.


    ***


    After Jeanne''s arrival, I thought that things would get better. I thought that the old butler would step down. But I didn''t expect that he would do the opposite.


    From his expression, I knew he wouldn''t give up on Veronica. I could even see that he also wanted to get Jeanne.


    Jeanne, the heroine of the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, was someone who was already very famous from the beginning.


    So, in the current timeline, she already had above-average strength.


    Although Jeanne was still a rank B Adventurer, her abilities were already very well known in the city of Burgenfield. She already had the nickname an Imprable Tank.


    Her skills and resilience were famous.


    Even though she was still about seventeen years old, the same as me, she already had a lot of real experience and abilities.


    All of that was written in the novel called Demon Lord and Hero of Light. So I already knew either her background or everything about her.


    The potential she possessed was extremely high. In the future, she would be famous as the only person from themoner ss who was able to surpass the power of the nobles.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Stay behind me. I will protect you both."


    "Who are you?"


    "Don''t worry. I''m your ally. We can get acquaintedter."


    "And why do you want to protect the two of us?"


    She looked back. Stared at us for a while, then spoke freely.


    "I guess you must have gotten involved with that old butler because you were protecting your girlfriend. I know that old butler is the errand boy of an asshole who likes to target girls. Regardless, I was just doing the natural thing."


    Jeanne looked back to the front. With shield in hand, she was prepared to fight off the horde of Adventurers.


    Because of one of the words Jeanne said, I could feel the intense pressure from Veronica. Luckily, Veronica just kept quiet.


    Despite the chaos around me, I found myself thinking of some random things.


    I didn''t expect that I would be able to get this close to Jeanne.


    In my previous life, I would never have imagined that I would be able to talk to her. Normally, I could only imagine her from a distance.


    Something that was natural considering I was an extra character.


    I still get a strange feeling whenever I meet the important characters in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    I was unable to clearly describe what feelings I had.


    Was it like a fan seeing his idol? I don''t think it was like that.


    If I had the feeling of a fan seeing the idol, I would have rushed forward in front of Jeanne and said, "I''ll protect you." Something like that.


    Instead, I let Jeanne fight all the Adventurers.


    If Jeanne had to fight all the Adventurers here, I wasn''t really sure if she had enough strength to stop them all.


    Since she specializes in protecting, let''s just hope she can survive.


    If things go beyond what I anticipated, I''ll just have to intervene.


    And sure enough, something beyond what I expected happened.


    It wasn''t a matter of whether Jeanne would lose or not.


    Like thundering from the sky, the sudden presence of a maning from the stairs silenced the entire Adventurer''s Association hall.


    "Hoaam~ What is this? Why does it look so noisy in here?! It''s still early in the morning. Can''t you guys rx a little?"


    The person descended the stairs casually.


    He covered his mouth with his palm and yawned widely. It looked as if he had just woken up from sleep.


    The man''s upper body was naked. He is not wearing a single piece of cloth. He only wears regr pants on the lower half of his body.


    From his face, it was obvious that he was in middle age, probably around 30 to 40 years old.


    Even so, looking at his body, it was still obvious that he was an expert. The muscles on his body popped out, looking extremely terrifying. The most distinctive thing was his skin color, which tended to be pitch ck.


    A mysterious aura came from him that froze everyone.


    Only a few fools were still able to speak without fear of sin.


    "Who is he?"


    "What? You don''t know?"


    "Hehe. I really don''t know. Can you tell me, Senior?"


    "O-Okey, I''ll tell you. But remember to buy me a drinkter. I''ve seen him before. Make no mistake, he''s the head of the Adventurer''s Association."


    "Ah, how is this? If he is the head of the Adventurer''s Association? What will happen to us?"


    "Hey, calm down. Even if he is the head of the Adventurer''s Association, he won''t be able to punish us."


    "Oh, why? ... Oh... that''s right,e to think of it, we haven''t done anything wrong, right?!"


    From what the Adventurers said, it seems that he was the head of the Adventurers'' Association in this city.


    "Oho. You guys are too noisy. It''s because of you that I woke up. Yawn."


    The person who everyone assumed to be the head of the Association was still at the top of the stairs leading to the second floor earlier. But in the blink of an eye, he had disappeared and only his voice remained.


    Fortunately, I had been activating the Hear of Everything skill, so I could hear his movements.


    Although my eyes weren''t able to follow his movements, I knew which direction he was heading.


    He suddenly appeared in the middle of the crowd of Adventurers.


    The other Adventurers hadn''t realized that he was already in their midst.


    And when that person was in the center of the crowd, he used his muscr arms to nudge the Adventurers.


    Yes, it was just a nudge.


    But as a result of that nudge, some Adventurers were knocked so far that some hit the wall.


    "Gu-hack!"


    "Ugh!"


    "H-how?!"


    "?!"


    All sorts of reactions sprung up. But the head of the Association ignored them. He continued walking towards the old butler.


    "Hehehe."


    He did not say anything. He just smiled at the old butler.

 Chapter 72 Elfs Heir??

    ?"Ahahaha. Did you guys see that? He was running away. It was fun to see the old butler running with his tail between his legs."


    My ears buzzed as I heard a loud voice from the head of the Adventurer''s Association.


    His big voice matched his body size.


    The reason why he wasughing out loud was because of what had just happened.


    Just like what he said, after his arrival, the old butler simply left without muchint.


    As a result, the state of this hall was conducive. The previous chaos seemed to have never happened. Only the sound of his boomingughter could be heard.


    "Are you ready for punishment?"


    While cing both of hisrge hands on the heads of the two Adventurers beside him, he asked loudly.


    The adventurers, who previously thought that they had supporters behind them, could only resign themselves to epting the situation.


    Surprisingly, many of them were left alone by the head of the Adventurer''s Association.


    The people that the head of the Adventurer''s Association was targeting turned out to be Fat Pig and his men.


    With an order from the head of the Adventurer''s Association, the staff who had been hiding in fear began to surface.


    However, the first person toe forward was Veronica.


    "Let me handle them."


    She raised her hand and volunteered.


    As her eyes gazed at the head of the Adventurer''s Association, I could see that she furrowed her thin eyebrows strongly. She seemed to dislike the existence of the head of the Adventurer''s Association.


    "Hahaha. I''ll leave it to you."


    The head of the Adventurer''s Association responded to Veronica casually.


    ***


    "All of you, clench your teeth!"


    Still in the hall, Veronica was holding the whip that she got from nowhere.


    In front of her were the Adventurers.


    The Adventurers were resting their knees on the floor. Their hands were raised in the air, and they were lined up neatly as if they were marching to the ughterhouse.


    Most of them looked like they were begging Veronica for mercy, but Veronica smiled like a crazy person.


    I could hear Veronica muttering, "It''s time to release the stress I''ve been under from that old man."


    When all the Adventurers had their teeth mped together, Veronica began to whip them hard.


    Snap!


    "Ahh!"


    Snap!


    "Ankh!"


    Snap!


    "Uhehe."


    One by one, they began to scream.


    It was a strange sight.


    ''Did I see it wrong?''


    I averted my eyes, trying to pretend that I didn''t see one of them looking as if they were enjoying Veronica''s whipping.


    I was sure I saw that it was Fat Pig. He had been blushing from Veronica''s whipping. Unmistakably, there was a pink blush on his cheeks.


    ''He must be crazy.


    After letting Veronica punish Fat Pig and his entourage, the head of the Adventurers'' Association tried to get along with Jeanne by engaging her in conversation.


    "As expected of The Imprable Tank. Thank you for stopping that damn old butler."


    "Haha, umm. No need to thank me..."


    Jeanne looked like she wanted to deny it, but she couldn''t finish what she was saying.


    She was dragged along by the flow of the conversation.


    "Hohoho. It seems that I should give you a reward for having saved one of our staff."


    "Ah. By the way, that person also¡­"


    "Juste with me."


    Jeanne looked like she wanted to get angry, but seeing that the person she was dealing with was the head of the adventurer''s association, she could only furrow her brows.


    With the excuse of giving a gift as a form of gratitude andpensation for what had just happened, she was taken away.


    The head of the Adventurer''s Association seemed to ignore what she said.


    She just left a strange look at me.


    Of course, I knew why.


    From the start, I was just an extra character, it was only natural that the head of the Adventurer''s Association never even nced at me once, let alone thanked me.


    ''I just need to do what I need to do.''


    I didn''t think about it any further.


    Since the chaos had subsided, I could finish my business at the Adventurer''s Association headquarters.


    But there was one big question that was still on my mind.


    ''Why did the head of the Adventurer''s Association kick out the old butler? Isn''t he from the same party?''


    I frowned as I saw Jeanne being led away toward the second floor by the head of the Adventurer''s Association.


    ***


    "Haaah~ I feel more refreshed now."


    Veronica and I walked out of the Adventurers Association headquarters.


    Veronica had changed her clothes into something more modest.


    She also carried a Dimensional Pocket, which I was sure contained various personal things of hers.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Although we weren''t even officially introduced, the reason why the two of us were together like this was because she said that she wanted to treat me to a meal and a drink as a form of gratitude for interfering in the previous matter.


    Given that I had some interest in her, I wasn''t going to refuse her invitation. I wanted to confirm a few things about her. Regardless of the hidden intentions she has towards me.


    The problem was, I didn''t know how to interact with a girl.


    Even if I had already lived several lifetimes, I wasn''t good at dealing with girls.


    "Are you no longer stressed?"


    "There is no better medicine than beating up fools as a form of stress release."


    "Where are we going?"


    "Aren''t words like that not suitable for a man to say?"


    "Why?"


    "Ahh... you must be the ignorant type. Look, I''m going to teach you a valuable lesson. So remember well. A man should guide a woman when she''s walking alone."


    "Ok, ok. All right."


    As per what she wanted, I immediately took her to a ce to eat.


    I had heard that girls were very picky. Even if it was just a simple matter like when they choose a ce to eat, they would still choose it carefully.


    But I didn''t care.


    I took her to the closest eatery around me. Honestly, I was just picking and choosing. There were no specific criteria. Maybe that''s why her face looked disheveled.


    "Why is your face like that? Haven''t I been the one that guided you?"


    "Ah. Never mind."


    I ignored the sour face she had.


    In fact, the ce to eat that I chose was already good.


    Seen from the outside, the building was quiterge, there was arge ss covering the front of the building. I was sure ss like that was very expensive in this day and age.


    Perhaps because of the supply of ingredients, traffic, and profits to be made, among other factors, such eateries only exist in big cities.


    In a small city, there were no ces to eat like this, only seedy bars, so I wouldn''t hesitate to enjoy this ce.


    Of course, the quality of this ce was not as luxurious as the 3-star Michelin restaurants on earth, but as someone who had lived on earth, I think this ce was just fine.


    ''Why is she still scowling like that.''


    The ce was clean and many people were sitting and chatting leisurely. The atmosphere of this eating ce looked good.


    However, once the two of us went inside, they all suddenly sharpened their eyes to look at Veronica and me.


    "Wow. Are those two a couple?"


    "How can a handsome boy and a beautiful girl like them be together, isn''t this world unfair? Can''t god give me a beautiful partner?"


    "What? Are you calling me ugly?! Fine. We''re breaking up!"


    I wanted to retract what I said earlier that this ce was fine. For some reason, a few couples suddenly started fighting each other.


    However, despite the fuss they made, Veronica and I still chose this ce.


    We both sat by the window. Then a waiter came over and asked what we wanted to order.


    "Just order whatever you want. I''ll treat you."


    "Sure."


    As per her wish, I told the waiter who came over that I ordered a good meal.


    After the waiter came with our order, we started the conversation with an introduction.


    First, I was about to tell her my name. However, she quickly followed up with a guess of her own.


    "From what I''ve seen from your ID card, aren''t you a noble child? Why did youe alone?"


    "So what?"


    "Do you really not know? If you bring a servant or something like that, you will definitely receive preferential treatment when applying to be an Adventurer."


    Even though I knew that, it didn''t mean I could do that.


    "Let me guess. Are you perhaps a runaway noble child?"


    "...."


    "Looks like my guess was right."


    She adjusted her sses. Has that be a habit of hers? She was acting like a veteran detective.


    But she frowned as soon as she realized that I wasn''t paying attention to her.


    "Why?" I asked.


    "Haaa. You don''t need to force yourself to act polite. Just eat. No one will take your food."


    I was indeed resisting the temptation of the delicious food and drinks in front of me.


    Even though she told me not to be shy, I still tried to restrain myself. However, since she allowed it, I started touching the food in front of me.


    While eating, I then looked at Veronica and asked,


    "Isn''t it your turn to introduce yourself?"


    "Hmm. My name is Veronica."


    "...Is that all?"


    "What else? We''re not close enough to open up to each other."


    I felt fooled that she knew about my background, while I knew nothing about hers.


    ''I guessed it. I''m not good at interacting with the opposite sex.''


    If using the normal method doesn''t work, then I just need to use another method.


    [Skill Judgement - Aktif.]


    [Nama: Veronica.]


    Title: Reception Girl, Archer, The Lost Princess, Elf''s Heir.


    ¡­..

 Chapter 73 Neglected Quest

    ?[Skill Judgement - Aktif.]


    [Name: Veronica.]


    Title: Reception Girl, Archer, The Lost Princess, Elf''s Heir.


    Stats:


    (Strength: D) (Speed: A) (Endurance: E) (Agility: A) (uracy: B) (Mana Core: High)


    Skill:


    Thousand Miles Eyes, Bow Mastery, Air Flow Cultivation.]


    "Uhuk!"


    I almost choked when I saw her status window.


    After coughing a little, I drank some water and began to watch the status window that had been floating in the air more carefully.


    "Hmm? Is there something wrong with my face?"


    Her face, which was behind the status window, tilted to the side in confusion.


    But I ignored her confusion.


    Because I myself was shocked when I saw the title she had.


    Especially her two strange titles, The Lost Princess and Elf''s Heir.


    How could a receptionist girl have such titles? The Lost Princess? Elf''s Heir? Was that even possible?


    ''Could it be that she was not human, but an Elf?''


    I gulped down some saliva on my tongue.


    I tried to calm myself down. I was also trying to digest the new information I had gotten.


    What entered my mind as soon as I saw the titles The Lost Princess and Elf''s Heir in her status window was...


    I suddenly remembered that in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, one of the women in Jullian''s harem list was an Elf, and the true identity of the Elf woman was referred to as one of the Elf Princesses.


    ''Was that Veronica? But that''s impossible. Their names aren''t even the same. How could they be the same person?''


    I remembered the name of the woman from the Elf Race who entered Jullian''s Harem Party. That person''s name was Vanessa, not Veronica.


    I had also seen the face of the elven woman who entered Jullian''s Harem Party in person in my previous life. With that information, the conclusion I came to was that the two of them were different people.


    But... when I looked at Veronica''s face more closely and took a serious look at her, I could somehow see a resemnce between the two of them.


    I only ever saw Vanessa''s face from a distance. When I was fighting on the same battlefield.


    So I couldn''t be sure. Moreover, the difference in timeline makes me even more uncertain about their resemnce.


    My eyes shifted from looking at her face to her ears.


    The biggest factor that puzzled me the most was that Veronica''s ears were just like normal human ears. In fact, if she were an Elf, her ears should be long.


    ''Is it the effect of magic? Or the effect of an artifact?''


    I thought about it, until finally ¡­.


    "Eh?"


    Smack!


    "Aw!"


    Surprisingly, Veronica''s hand pped me.


    Since I wasn''t paying close attention, I couldn''t avoid it.


    I rubbed my cheek where she pped me.


    "It hurts, you know! Why did you do it?"


    "Don''t you know the reason? I''ll give you some advice once again. Perhaps it''s more appropriate to call it a lesson."


    Once again, she adjusted her sses, and she also pushed her long hair that she had braided back.


    "Never look at girls like that. If you''re interested in a girl, use other means. Stares like that can make girls disgusted."


    Without realizing it, it seemed that I had been looking at her seriously.


    I didn''t want to argue, so I just nodded.


    ''At least, she''s not like rista, a girl who''s overconfident and likes to make strange assumptions.''


    The Elf race.


    I started thinking about it.


    After their appearance in the interracial war several tens of years ago, they had again disappeared from the Averus Continent.


    The Elf race was not the same as the association where the Beastman race gathered. If the Varmint Association had a definite territory, then the territory of the Elf race was still a secret.


    It wasmon knowledge that the Elf race was already among the fourrgest races on the Averus Continent.


    Surprisingly, no one knew exactly where the Elf Kingdom was located.


    People today only know about it from the words of their elders, who told them about the appearance of the Elf Kingdom during the war between the races decades ago.


    Surprisingly, no one knew exactly where the Elf Kingdom was located.


    People today only know about it from the words of their elders, who told them about the appearance of the Elf Kingdom during the war between the races decades ago.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''If the title Veronica had was true, then how could she be here alone and mingle with the humans?''


    Just from looking at the very hidden location of their kingdom, it was clear that the Elf Race was a very closed race. If the other Elves knew, there was no way they would let one of their race live in human society.


    ''Or, was Veronica herself unaware that she had Elf blood in her body?''


    It wasn''t a good choice to ask her about it directly. I wasn''t so stupid as to ask spontaneously.


    To find out the answer to that question, I had to ask the other Elves in the Kingdom of Misonia.


    And the only Elves that existed in the Kingdom of Misonia were the envoys of the Elf race that existed in the royal capital.


    I wonder if the other Elf races knew that their princess was in the midst of human society or not.


    After all, I had nned to go there from the start.


    ''There are so many things I don''t know. It seems that I should stop being surprised when I see something I don''t know.''


    I nted that thought in my heart.


    In the novel, Demon Lord and Hero of Light, there was no arc that talked specifically about Elves.


    I don''t know why it was only briefly mentioned in the novel. It was so short, there were probably only a few paragraphs contained in one or two pages.


    Was that what people call a plot hole? Where a story isn''t told perfectly?


    And then, would that change what I want to do? Of course, it wouldn''t. From the beginning, I''ve nned to patch up the plot holes with information from my previous life.


    This time, I won''t avoid danger anymore. I won''t just focus on surviving. I should be able to get a life that matches what I want.


    "Do you really want to know about me?"


    "Of course. If you don''t mind."


    "Umm. I''m not sure what to tell you. But, there will be amotion in the city soon. And if you show your true strength, I''m sure the old man will take notice of you."


    "Then, what does that have to do with you?"


    "If you are noticed by the old man, we will meet again. And who knows, you might receive an interesting offer."


    "Who is the old man you''re referring to?"


    ¡­


    He didn''t answer my question.


    Instead, she took a drink in front of her.


    "By the way, are you sure you want to take the quest?"


    What kind of random question did she throw out? Did she want to change the subject?


    But I still understood what she meant.


    "You mean this?"


    I took out a paper from my pocket.


    It was a paper containing the details of the requests I received. This quest paper was taken from the headquarters of the Adventurer''s Association.


    Before I left earlier, I had taken this quest.


    [Quest Rank: F


    Description:


    Protects the charitable activities carried out by Charity Hope Foundation.


    ce: Clock Tower in the Western district.


    Time: Every day. The recipient of the request cane to the ce in question anytime.]


    This quest was only a rank F quest, so I could still take it because I was also a rank F Adventurer.


    The reason why I wanted to register as an Adventurer was because I wanted to take this quest.


    "The party that posted the request is the Charity Hope Foundation, right?"


    "Why?"


    "You''d better be careful. I''ve heard a lot that Adventurers who ept this quest will never be seen again the next day. They disappear mysteriously. But ording to the report from the person who made the quest, they died because they were beaten by criminals. Even so, their bodies are never seen."


    Veronica gave me a warning.


    Actually, it was only natural that every quest had a high risk of idents.


    Even if the Adventurer''s Association had ranked the quests to match the Adventurer''s rank, the risk of danger was still present in every quest. Whether low or high rank.


    But it would seem very strange when F-rank quests can make people die when carrying them out. That''s why the quest I took was different from the usual low-level quests.


    ''Well, I know exactly the reason why this quest was different from other low quests.''


    That''s why I had targeted to take this quest from the beginning.


    I had to take this quest because this quest had a connection with the abduction of the Beastman.


    Charity Hope Foundation was a charity foundation founded by a ve trader. Under the guise of giving charity, the ver would kidnap children and make them ves.


    As for the reason why they set up quests to apany them during their charity activities, it was actually just to lure low-ranked adventurers. Just like a honey trap.


    Even so....


    ''I just need to take the honey bait and avoid the trap, right.''

 Chapter 74 Human Greed

    ?m!


    Jeanne mmed the door hard. It was the office room door from the head of the Adventurer''s Association.


    After exiting the office room of the head of the Adventurers Association, she descended the stairs and walked out of the Adventurers Association headquarters.


    "Tch!"


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    As she continued to walk, she also kicked every single thing in her path. From trash to pebbles.


    What made her stop kicking all sorts of things was when she realized that the pebbles, trash, and other items she was kicking had scared away the cats that were busy foraging in the trash.


    Meeeow!


    The cat''s growl could be heard clearly until it made her head cool down again.


    The reason why she had been in a bad mood was, she was fed up with the Adventurer Association''s head nature, where that person ignored every single remark made by her.


    She continued to try to deny that she was the only one defending the guild staff.


    She said that there was another person who had intervened first. Even so, the head of the Adventurer''s Association named Gyas always ignored her words.


    What''s more, she realized that during their meeting, Gyas'' eyes were always looking at her body with a fiery gaze, including her hands, shoulders, thighs, and all the way to her toes.


    Although it was not ascivious gaze, she still wanted to smash the middle-aged man''s head. Because that person kept looking at her strangely.


    But she realized that she couldn''t do it. If she did, she wouldn''t be able to be an Adventurer anymore.


    That was not the only reason why she could not restrain the furious turmoil within her body. The main reason why she did not go berserk was because she had been rewarded.


    "Why do I feel like a cheap chick?"


    She started to get annoyed again when she realized it.


    She walked towards a ce while shaking a bag full of money.


    The money she was carrying was abination of earnings from the sale of Magic Crystals and gifts from the head of the Adventurer''s Association.


    The ce she went to was an orphanage.


    As soon as she arrived there, she was greeted by a group of children. The children stopped ying and started crowding around her.


    Jeanne was a lover of children. So her mood instantly improved once she saw them. She felt anxious as the children swarmed around her.


    As she stroked the children''s heads, she realized there was one child who was not present there.


    "Hmmm. Where''s Colby?"


    She frowned and asked the Nanny who was in charge of taking care of the children at the orphanage.


    "Anu... Sorry! When it was breakfast time, I hadn''t seen him. So I don''t know. I wanted to look for him, but ...."


    She knew that Nanny''s worry was real. At least, that''s what she thought when she saw the worried expression on Nanny''s head.


    She could not me the Nanny for not looking for a child named Colby.


    She realized that the Nanny had to focus on watching the other children. The Nanny couldn''t go looking for the bad boy who had gone missing without giving any news.


    What''s more, the child named Colby was indeed a child known for his mischief. So it was not unusual for him to suddenly leave and cause trouble.


    ''If we had another Nanny from back then... If I had more money, I would have hired another Nanny long ago.''


    She felt responsible for not being able to earn more money.


    Then she gave the money in the bag she was carrying to the Nanny.


    "Since we have more money, hire someone else to help."


    "Ho-hoo?"


    With the money she had earned, she could now feel a little relieved. She hoped that the Nanny would hire someone else to help look after the children.


    And in terms of daily needs and other things, with the money she gives, it will be more than enough.


    Along with Jeanne''s relief, that Nanny, who received such arge sum of money, couldn''t help but drool. The drooling was a sign of greed. But Jeanne didn''t realize it.


    "I''ll go look for that brat. As usual, I''ll leave the other children to you, Nanny."


    Jeanne walked away leaving those words behind.


    Something that Jeanne didn''t expect at all to happen.


    As soon as Jeanne turned to leave, a big smile was stered on the Nanny''s face.


    The nanny pressed therge bag of money against her cheek. She felt the weight of the money bag carefully. She stroked the bag with joy.


    Especially when Jeanne was no longer in her sight, a joyfulugh escaped from the Nanny''s mouth.


    "Huhehehe-"


    She ignored the strange looks of the innocent children who did not understand her greed.


    Unfortunately, she had to stopughing when she saw a group of burly men wearing weaponsing.


    "Tch-"


    The direction the people were heading in was the orphanage where she was.


    ***


    Veronica and I came out of the eating ce.


    When we were about to part, I asked her first.


    "Do you know where the inn is that is a bit secluded and not many people pass by? The fewer visitors the better."


    "I know a suitable ce. What are you asking for?"


    "As someone who has lived in this city, don''t you already know about theyout of the city''s territory? Instead of me having to search by myself, wouldn''t it be faster if I asked you?"


    "Hm."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "It would be strange if I could know where the inn is in this city even though it''s my first timeing to this city."


    "Alright. I will lead you to the appropriate ce."


    "If you don''t mind."


    I followed her from behind.


    Among the crowd of people in this city square, I managed to focus on following Veronica because the aura she gave off was distinctive. She seemed to sparkle more than the insignificant people in the background.


    We didn''t walk too far from the city center square. We just took a short walk. Until we arrived in front of a building that looked like an inn.


    "We''ve arrived. Then, goodbye."


    When we arrived, she left as quickly as she hade.


    The definition of nonchnt she showed.


    She walked to the Adventurer''s Association again.


    Meanwhile, I started to pay attention to the inn shown by her.


    The inn''s signboard was above the entrance. But the inn''s signboard was tilted to the side. It seemed that the signboard was ready to fall at any moment.


    People would mistake this ce for an empty house.


    Even so, there were no holes in the walls or cobwebs. So I guess this inn was still habitable.


    This inn was deep in the passageways of the building.


    ess to get here requires navigating a narrow and ugly road.


    Because this inn was also far from the city crowd, a quiet atmosphere enveloped this inn. Even the area here was also very quiet.


    This ce was not very suitable for lodging.


    However, the location of this inn even matched the inn I wanted.


    The size of the inn was also quiterge. Maybe 20 square meters? So this inn would be useful for my future ns.


    I walked inside.


    But I was bumped into by a child who had juste out of the inn.


    The little boy immediately fell to the ground.


    He ran without looking ahead, it was only natural that he bumped into me.


    Then there was another person who came out of the inn. He was a middle-aged man holding a knife in his hand. He pointed the knife at the little boy who had just bumped into me.


    "How dare you steal again, little boy. Come here, I''ll skin you alive!"


    The person''s face clearly looked very angry. Perhaps he was the innkeeper, where he was chasing away the little boy who had allegedly stolen something from him.


    As for the little boy who had bumped into me, he immediately stood up and ran away. But it seemed he was out of luck today. After running a few steps, he bumped into someone again.


    When I saw who it was, I realized that the person the little boy had bumped into was Jeanne.


    It seemed that Jeanne had finished meeting the head of the Adventurer''s Association. At first, I didn''t realize why Jeanne was here, but then I knew the reason.


    Jeanne, upon seeing the little boy who bumped into her, immediately made an angry expression.


    "Colby! Where have you been? Are you making trouble again?"


    She snapped and scolded the little boy. It seemed that the two of them knew each other. From the start, Jeanne seemed to be looking for that kid named Colby.


    Was the little boy one of the children from the orphanage under her responsibility?


    I knew Jeanne was a child lover. A heroine who likes to help young children without parents.


    Well, it does fit what a main heroine should do.


    "Hey, who are you? Are you the guardian of that little boy? Do you know what he did?"


    "Sorry, sir. I willpensate you for all the harm caused by this child. So can you forgive him just this once?"


    In just one nce, Jeanne already knew that the child she was protecting had stolen some of the innkeeper''s food.


    It could be seen from the few breadcrumbs scattered on the ground when the child fell to the ground. And the little boy also seemed to shrink while hiding something under the torn clothes he was wearing.


    It was just a small loaf of bread, but the innkeeper was so intent on killing a child.


    That''s how life was.


    Jeanne bit her lip.


    The innkeeper wanted to argue, and Jeanne was ready to blow off her steam.


    It may be rare for people to know, but Jeanne''s true nature was hot-tempered. From earlier, Jeanne had seemed to be holding back anger. It was evident from the veins that appeared on her temples.


    Suddenly, Jeanne threw some coins.


    "Take these. Are you satisfied!"


    Jeanne shouted loudly.


    However, the innkeeper suddenly insisted on punishing the little boy.


    He said he was afraid that the little boy would steal again if he was not punished.


    From there, Jeanne''s anger became apparent. She kicked the innkeeper to the ground.


    The innkeeper rolled like a ball, ending up on his back on the ground.


    It wasn''t over yet. Jeanne looked like she wanted to wring the innkeeper''s neck. She had already ced her hands on the shield at her back.


    I felt like I was being sucked into a gravitational field of trouble, where the main heroine, Jeanne, was the center of the gravitational pull of the trouble.


    I felt like I had to stop Jeanne, who wanted to squash the innkeeper.


    But¡­ should I?

 Chapter 75 The Orphanage

    ?Jeanne stood over the innkeeper''s body, which had been lying on the ground.


    In Jeanne''s hand was already her big shield.


    The shield she held was ready to free fall and hit the innkeeper''s neck anytime.


    However, before she mmed the neck of the innkeeper, I managed to get close to her and caught her hand. I grasped her hand so that she wouldn''t kill the innkeeper.


    "You can stop here."


    She looked like she was about to throw a tantrum when I stopped her. However, when she turned her head and saw my face, she widened her eyes.


    "...Uh. It''s you."


    It looked like she was still recognizing my face.


    "It''s good that you recognize me."


    "What are you doing? Are you going to defend this guy?"


    "No, I''m not. You must realize that you''ll get into trouble if you get thismoner maimed or even killed, right?"


    She wanted to argue, but I simply told her that there was a child watching her, so she stopped and calmed down again.


    "Ugh! Sorry. It''s getting harder and harder to hold my tempertely."


    She put her shield back on her back.


    Jeanne had indeed calmed down, but the innkeeper was still not calm.


    The innkeeper stood up and started talking nonsense.


    While holding the stomach that Jeanne had kicked, he continued to spout words along with saliva into the empty air.


    Heined about the violence he received and he demanded that he receivepensation.


    "Alright, before Ipensate you. Feel this first."


    Pow!


    I hit him on the head until he fell to the ground and saliva dripped from his mouth. He passed out miserably.


    I rubbed my palms together as if cleaning the dirt off my hands.


    Jeanne''s eyes looked at me and the innkeeper in turn. Her eyes widened in confusion.


    "Didn''t you tell me not to hit him?"


    "I wasn''t sure if you could restrain yourself. So I just substituted you hitting him."


    "Then, what solution do you have for this problem?"


    "Of course, I willpensate him. Wait here for a moment."


    The solution I had was very easy.


    I dragged the innkeeper into his inn.


    Once inside a room, I woke him up by pping him continuously. When he came to, I gave him a chest of money.


    I had activated the Inventory skill and took out the chest of money. This was all the money I had at the moment. With this money gone, I was back to being poor.


    But it''s okay. I''ll get some more money soon.


    As soon as I opened the chest, the light from inside the chest was enough to make the innkeeper, who had previously been in a daze, instantly rise as if feeling a ray of auspicious light.


    Before he misunderstood, I told him that I was making him an offer. I wanted him to sell his inn for the money I gave him.


    I thought he would grumble and curse at me. But the opposite happened. He showed a reaction of excitement. Even though the total money I gave him would not be enough to buy an inn in a big city like Burgenfield city.


    "Hehe, I can finally be free from the misery of managing this inn!"


    He suddenly embraced, kissed, and sniffed the chest containing the money I gave him. He seemed to have forgotten the matter about the boy who stole his food earlier.


    Not to forget, before he left with the chest of money, he handed me a paper document on the ownership of the inn and thend here. And we both signed the deed of sale of thend and building.


    After the exchange wasplete, the innkeeper ran off carrying the chest of money. He kept swearing as if the bad luck he had from managing this ce was finally over.


    Speaking of this inn, his reaction seems to be a natural one.


    After I entered this inn, I began to realize that there wasn''t a single person renting a room. It was only natural for him to be happy when someone came and bought this inn that had been losing money for who knows how long.


    I stood up and put thend and building ownership documents into Inventory.


    Not long after, Jeanne and the child who had previously caused trouble arrived.


    "Hey, what are you doing, quickly thank him!"


    She whispered to the kid hiding behind her, she told the little kid who had previously made the trouble to thank me.


    Following her instructions, the little boy bowed 90 degrees, and said, "Thank you, sir" in a small voice.


    After the little boy, she now stepped forward and spoke to me.


    "Ahahaha. Thank you for stopping me. I''m a little embarrassed to say this, but I actually have a little problem controlling my emotions."


    She ced one hand on her waist and scratched the back of her head with the other.


    She looked shy.


    "By the way, I saw the innkeeper running away with a chest. Did it contain the money you gave him?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes. I just bought this inn."


    "Uh, is it because of me? I apologize again for that."


    What I did was only buy the inn because I wanted to buy it in the first ce, not because of Jeanne and the trouble she brought.


    "It''s okay. I didn''t do it for you."


    The main reason why I bought this inn was to prepare a ce for the Beastmen I was going to rescue.


    In ordance with what Callie ordered, which was to rescue the Beastmen who were made ves, I bought this inn to serve as a ce where they can stay temporarily.


    Because I couldn''t tell her my reasons, she seemed to misunderstand.


    "...You seem like a good person."


    While saying that, she scrutinized my face carefully.


    At first, she was just rubbing her smooth, pointed chin, as if she was thinking about something while observing me. But then, she suddenly offered a handshake with a faint but bright smile on her face.


    "Aren''t we acquainted yet? I''m not sure if you already know, but my name is Jeanne. As you might have guessed, I am an Adventurer."


    I took the hand that she extended to me. Just like her, I also introduced myself,


    "Mesties. I''m also an Adventurer... Rank F."


    She was surprised when I told her that I was just a rank F. But she soon shrugged it off as if she didn''t care.


    "Come with me. Let me offer you a cup of tea. That is if you want, hahaha."


    "Sure."


    "Don''t you want to take your girl?"


    "Who do you mean?"


    "You know, the staff of the previous adventurer''s association."


    "Don''t get me wrong, she''s not my girlfriend."


    "Ahaha, I thought you guys were dating because you dared to protect her from the hands of that old butler-"


    I frowned slightly as I heard her annoyingughter.


    "Oops! My bad."


    Without much more talking, I was led by Jeanne to the ce she was referring to, where she nned to offer me a cup of tea.


    Exiting the inn, we continued to walk together.


    While looking at Jeanne''s back which was partially covered by the shield, I asked her a question that I had wanted to ask from the start.


    "Have you ever met someone named Jullian?"


    She stopped midway. While ncing back, she spoke, "Who is Jullian?"


    "Huuu. Nop. Just ignore my question."


    Looking at the reaction she showed, it seemed that Jeanne had not yet met Jullian.


    That meant, Jullian was still contractually bound to stay in his territory so he couldn''t go anywhere.


    If I''m not mistaken this was the 20th day, 3rd month, and 990th year of the Sovereign calendar.


    Unmistakably, by now she should have interacted with Jullian and started unraveling the mysteries of this city together. But that didn''t seem to be happening.


    Am I allowed to feel relieved?


    "By the way, where are we going?"


    I changed the subject to keep Jeanne from asking more questions.


    "To the orphanage. I hope you don''t mind the noise of the kidster, hahaha."


    I had guessed that the ce Jeanne was going to was the orphanage.


    When I had juste to this city, I had actually nned to look for Jeanne in the ces that had the highest possibility of where she might be.


    In the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, Jeanne was told to frequently visit the orphanage in the center of Burgenfield city.


    I had originally nned to go there, but instead, I had met her by ident.


    As I was thinking about this and that, I almost bumped into Jeanne''s back. She suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. It''s a good thing I stopped in time. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been her soft body that I would have hit, but rather a cold and hard shield.


    "Are we there yet?"


    "...."


    I tried to ask, but there was no answer from her.


    I was surprised to see the reaction she showed after standing still all of a sudden.


    It was a look of shock at first. In the middle, she rubbed her eyes as if she couldn''t believe what she was seeing. And then, thest expression she had was an expression of extreme anger.


    As for the reaction shown by the child beside her, the child''s leg seemed to be suddenly deformed, causing him to sit still on the ground, staring in shock without being able to speak.


    I tried to look at the same scene that Jeanne and the little boy were looking at. I felt curious as to why they could show such a reaction.


    And in the end, I understood after seeing what happened.

 Chapter 76 Childrens Despair

    ?~Some of the time before Mesties and Jeanne came to the orphanage~


    The bright sun in thete afternoon illuminated the orphanage that Jeanne was in charge of.


    Like the story in the picture book, the children were still ying happily in front of the orphanage.


    A famous painter might get inspired when he saw that happy scene.


    The green grass was stepped on by the girls. They were running and ying chase.


    The tree in front of the orphanage was climbed by the boys. They were hanging on the tree.


    While some of the slightly older ones managed to keep the children from getting too excited.


    What they all had inmon was that they looked very happy.


    Unfortunately, their happiness had toe to an end.


    They could never have guessed that they would experience a horrific event not long after.


    The story begins with Jeanne''s arrival.


    As usual, Jeanne came and gave money to their nanny to use for their needs.


    But, from the moment Jeanne left, their nightmare began.


    "Who are they, nanny?"


    The children who had gathered as a result of weing Jeanne''s arrival pointed at the horde of burly men holding various weapons in their hands.


    "Children, let''s go inside."


    Without giving an exnation for the children''s curiosity, the nanny who was guarding them gave instructions to go inside.


    Once they had all entered the orphanage, things got even more confusing.


    "Stay here, okay."


    Their nanny said in a tone full of nervousness. It was different from the happy faces that their nanny usually showed.


    It''s just that none of the kids noticed their nanny''s nervousness. They just nodded obediently.


    After giving instructions to stay put, the nanny left as fast as lightning through the back door of the orphanage.


    Due to the innocence of the children, they could only follow their nanny''s instructions, which were instructions to stay still.


    They stood up and stared at the friends beside them with confused faces.


    Until¡­


    Crash!


    Bam!


    Crack!


    The front door of the orphanage suddenly shattered. Arge hole formed in the wooden door. After the hole formed, the entire door copsed as dust flew out.


    Not only the front door of the orphanage, but the wooden windows of the orphanage were also suddenly shattered.


    The people who caused the chaos were burly men carrying various weapons such as swords and whips in their hands. They were the ones the children outside had seen earlier.


    As soon as they smashed the entrance, they entered the orphanage.


    As the well-built men walked in, the children could see their appearance more clearly.


    The most striking thing was that their clothes were so revealing. They wore strange clothes that were not suitable for normal men.


    Their bellies, chests, thighs, and some other body parts are visible. Only underwear and a few pieces of cloth wrapped their bodies.


    It was very scary in the eyes of the children. The children immediately shuddered in fear. They gathered around and embraced each other.


    Although most of the children in the orphanage just cowered in fear, one of the children tried toe forward and ask a question bravely.


    "Who are you? Why did youe here?"


    The one child who dared to stand alone in front of the other children was a child who looked the most mature of all the children. Even so, she still looked like an ant in front of the elephants.


    Despite being an ant, she still stood up and even dared to re at the one person who stood at the very front of the line of burly men.


    The person the child was ring at was an old man. The man was holding a waist-high stick in his hand. The stick was simr to amand stick. There was also a beryl ssess and old hat that he wore.


    Looking at the old man''s distinct appearance alone, it was obvious that he was the one leading the burly men behind.


    "What''s your name, Kid?"


    "I won''t tell my name to a stranger."


    That kid managed to checkmate the old man''s words. With just that one rebuttal, she won the psychological war.


    However, the other innocent children did not understand that there had been a psychological war.


    "Hey, what are you doing, Nina?"


    The kids behind her called out to her.


    Eventually, her name was recognized by the old man because the children behind her said her name.


    The little girl named Nina red at the other children, but she couldn''t do anything about the innocence of the children.


    "Oh, so your name is Nina, huh. Have you seen your nanny?"


    "...."


    "If you don''t say anything, then you''ve been dumped."


    The old man smiled slyly. It was obvious that the old man already knew that the children''s nanny had disappeared somewhere.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "W-what do you want from us?"


    Nina was clearly confused.


    Was there any connection between these peopleing to the orphanage and the nanny?


    She began to wonder inwardly.


    Only she could think of suchplicated things. The other children still couldn''t possibly understand what had happened.


    Finally, Nina''s confusion could not be answered.


    "Hehe, from now on, you''ll be my merchandise. Just obey, I''ll treat you well until you find your owner."


    Nina, who heard the old man''s words, immediately realized the situation they were in. She was about thirteen years old. An age that was enough to know one''s evil intentions.


    From the words she had just heard, she realized that the old man in front of her was a ve trader.


    Only a ve trader would say that he would hand over the children to the owner.


    A ve trader was not amon profession, but she had heard stories that there was a ve trader who liked to kidnap children.


    Thus, she strengthened her resolve to fight back.


    She bit her lip hard and whispered to the children behind her.


    "Hey, I''ll distract him. You guys should run away while he is busy with me, ok!"


    Indeed, not all the children understood that they were about to be made ves. However, they all realized that they were in danger due to Nina''s words.


    They were soon so encouraged by Nina''s heroic actions that they stopped shuddering in fear. At least, that''s what some of the older children experienced.


    While helping the younger children, they prepared to move. They waited for Nina''s signal to move.


    "One, two..!"


    Nina started counting the signals. She counted quietly so that only the children could hear.


    "...NOW!"


    Nina screamed as loud as she could.


    The children, who had gathered their courage, immediately stood up and encouraged the other children who were still frightened to run away.


    At the same time, Nina ran as fast as she could to the ve trader. She opened her arms wide and immediately hugged the ve trader''s stomach.


    "What? How dare you rebel!"


    Perhaps because the ve trader didn''t expect Nina to dare to fight back, the ve trader didn''t have time to dodge when Nina came forward and embraced him suddenly.


    Instead of an affectionate embrace, Nina embraced with hatred. She strongly embraced the ve trader''s body as if she wanted to squeeze the ve trader to a pulp.


    She was smart for just hugging the ve trader. If it was to buy time, then it was the right course of action rather than throwing an uncertain punch.


    "Hey, let go of me!"


    "I-I''ll never let you go!"


    Although she looked so serious when she said that, she had to suffer as she was continuously beaten by the ve trader using amanding stick.


    "Hey, what are you guys doing? Hurry up and help me. Get this kid off me!"


    The ve trader asked his men for help.


    His face looked pale and pitiful.


    Pow!


    Ssh!


    As soon as some of the ve trader''s men helped beat her up, bright red fresh blood came out of her nose and mouth.


    They continued to beat and pull her.


    Despite the difficulty, she managed to still stick like glue.


    However, it didn''tst long.


    Thwack!


    Suddenly, one of the ve trader''s men hit her back using a wooden block. As a result, she was able to let go of his two hands that had been hugging the ve trader.


    On the other hand, the ve trader red at his men, who attacked using arge wooden beam.


    "W-What if your attack hits me too, dammit!"


    "S-sorry, boss. But, shouldn''t we hurry up and catch up to the kids who ran away?"


    "What? Did you just teach me? Are you smarter than me now?"


    Despite the ve trader''s awkward outburst, he still ordered his men to catch the kids that ran away.


    "If they resist, feel free to use force. Although their grades will drop, it''s better than us wasting time here."


    On the cold floor, Nina was slowly losing consciousness.


    A river of blood continued to flow from the wound on her back. She could only pray that the other children would survive.


    The situation she was in now was simr to a dog that was no longer wanted by its master. Thus, the prayers she said unknowingly, were onlyughed at by the ve trader and his men.


    However, before Ninapletely lost consciousness, she managed to smile. That was because, through the door that was opened wide, she caught a glimpse of someone who hade here.


    The person she saw was still far away, but she was sure that the other children would be safe thanks to that person''s presence.

 Chapter 77 The Anger Of The Main Heroine

    ?I was sure this ce was supposed to be the orphanage that Jeanne wanted to go to. It was evident from the signboard that had the words orphanage outside the front yard of the building.


    Everyone would imagine that a ce called an orphanage was heaven on earth for children. Orphanages are naturally filled with theughter of children. Unfortunately, this was not the case with the orphanage in front of me.


    The scene in the front yard of the orphanage looked quite gruesome. I could see what was happening clearly.


    Many children seemed to be the residents of the orphanage being disorganized in the front yard of the orphanage. Most of them were children less than 10 years old.


    They were not ying. Some children were standing crying bitterly. Some of them were bowing down and screaming in fear. Meanwhile, some were curled up like a ball on the ground.


    Their bodies kept shuddering as if there was a beast in front of them ready to eat them at any moment.


    Indeed, what was in front of them was not really a beast, but perhaps what was in front of them was even worse than a beast.


    What caused their fear was the burly men who wielded swords, whips, and other gruesome weapons. They also wore strange clothes that were very revealing.


    When I saw the disgusting clothes of the men, I wasn''t sure whether the children were scared because of the weapons they were using or the disgusting clothes the men were wearing.


    One thing was for sure, the treatment that the children were receiving was the problem.


    If you can''t bear to look at it, you can just look at my eyes. Because in my eyes, a horrific scene was reflected.


    The burly men were trying to forcefully tie the children''s hands with a big rope.


    Among the children who had been caught, some children had tried to escape.


    It was fortunate that not all the children had been caught. Some were still trying to escape even though they had been caught. And there were also those who were still running with all their might towards where Jeanne and I were.


    The expressions of some of the children who were still trying to escape looked very desperate. Therefore, they did not see us.


    "Run faster! We have to run as hard as we can."


    "W-what should we do?"


    "F-first of all, we should ask people for help. And if that''s not enough, we should call the knights."


    Their naive thoughts had taken over their brainspletely.


    It was only natural that they concluded to ask people for help or to ask the knights belonging to the nobility of this region for help since they were so desperate.


    Their efforts will be in vain.


    From the beginning, all of this was nned.


    When they kept shouting, they finally realized that their cries of despair were useless.


    They need to ept the situation and get out of theirfort zone of thinking that makes them think so naively.


    Even though their screams echoed through the neighborhood, not a single person came to their rescue. It''s very strange that such a horrific scene can still happen even in the city center.


    When they started screaming, the local knights should have heard and saved them, but what happened was the opposite


    "Hahaha, it''s useless for you to scream like crazy. Even if you scream and ask for help, no one will help you. You better stop running away ande here obediently. That is if you don''t want to get seriously injured."


    Far behind the children who were still running, the old man with themand stick was shouting at the children who were still trying to escape.


    "Hey, hurry up and catch them!"


    That person was still shouting. I could hear his voice.


    From his words, it was clear that he was the boss of the burly men with weapons.


    Neat clothes, fashionable hats, and old-fashioned-looking sses. Such traits already clearly reflect that he was a high-status person.


    Although his body was shorter than the disgusting burly men around him, his status was higher.


    He ordered the few people behind him to chase after the few children who were still trying to escape.


    As a result, several burly men did as he said and chased after the children.


    They seemed ready to attack with whips in their hands, so the children who tried to run away failed to escape.


    Among the children trying to escape, there was a girl who was the smallest. She was running while hugging a handmade straw doll very pitifully.


    Perhaps because she was panicking, the little girl who was running while holding the shabby doll tripped and fell to the ground.


    The older children tried to help her, but a whip suddenly came and wrapped around the little girl''s legs.


    At the end of the rope binding the little girl''s legs, burly adults looked ready to devour them.


    Especially the one who managed to entangle the little girl''s legs. He held the whip as if he had gotten a good catch.


    He would pull the whip in his hand as if he were fishing.


    However, before he could drag the poor little girl away, he had to deal with someone first.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Jeanne, who had been pumping up the anger in her heart, finally exploded the rage in her heart.


    All around Jeanne''s body, there was already a reddish color that seemed to burn like a fire enveloping her. Even the beautiful hair on top of her head was floating in the air. It looked as if her hair was dancing to the rhythm of the anger in her heart.


    She released a very concentrated Mana from inside her body. I was sure she had released a certain skill. If I was not mistaken, she had a skill that could increase her strength when she was angry.


    The more sad and desperate she was, the stronger her power would be. Those are some descriptions of her powers that I''ve read.


    To confirm this, I activated the judgement skill.


    [Judgement Skill- Activated.]


    [Name: Jeanne


    Title: Imprable Tank, Child Protector, Madwoman.


    Stats:


    (Strength: C) (Speed: E) (Endurance: A) (Agility: E) (Immunity: C) (Mana Core: Middle)


    Skills:


    Berserk, Shield Mastery, Defense Cultivation.]


    Looking at the stats that she had, I was sure she would be able to take care of them.


    Moreover, as I suspected, she had the Berserk skill. That skill was what she was using. The Berserk skill could only be activated when the anger emotion of the skill owner exploded.


    That was what I had read from the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    Even without looking, I was sure Jeanne''s eyes were now burning with anger.


    She picked up the shield hanging on her back. Kicking the ground beneath her, she leaped high into the sky in the blink of an eye.


    Not that she could actually reach the sky. However, even with the huge shield in her hand, she managed to reach where she wanted to go in just one jump.


    Kaboom!


    Coming from above, shended right between the little girl holding a shabby doll and the burly man who was about to pull the little girl''s legs off with a whip.


    Shended right on the whip. Using the bottom of the shield in her hand, she managed to cut the whip to shreds.


    That way she managed to prevent the girl holding the seedy doll from being pulled by the burly man using the whip.


    As the whip in the burly man''s hand snapped surprisingly, he almost fell to the ground.


    "What?"


    "Eh?"


    Everyone''s gaze right away fell on Jeanne. Whether it was the shocked gazes of the burly men holding various weapons or the teary-eyed gazes of the children.


    As people were just staring in confusion,ing from the back row, an old man who seemed to be a leader said loudly to Jeanne.


    "Who are you? How dare you interfere in our business! Move aside and don''t dare interfere if you don''t want to get hurt!"


    "Those are the words I should have said. What makes you guys dare to do all this?"


    From the voice Jeanne let out, I could feel the great anger behind her tone of voice.


    Not just me, everyone who had heard it also quickly shook violently. I was sure their hair was standing on end all of a sudden.


    However, that didn''t seem to be the case for the old man who looked like a boss. The old man was instead engrossed in observing Jeanne for a while. And finally, he seemed to have recognized the identity of the girl in front of him.


    "Oh, are you Jeanne? A famous teenage girl who had be a B-ranked Adventurer? It''s a pity you came here. This is a bit out of the n. Even so, I''ll catch you too as a souvenir."


    "...."


    Jeanne stopped responding to the old man''s words. She seemed to think that arguing further would be pointless.


    Well, that was just my guess. There was no way I could read what she was thinking.


    She was just focused on looking at the children.


    With her arrival, the burly men, who had been focused on capturing the children, now began to focus on her.


    At some point, she looked at me. Her eyes seemed to be pleading with me to keep the children safe.


    It seems that she hasn''t beenpletely swallowed by the berserk skill. The proof was that she could still give me that look.


    "Yes. Please go on a rampage as you please."


    That was all the reply I needed to give. With that answer from my mouth, she right away focused on fighting the surrounding hordes of enemies.

 Chapter 78 Berserk Skill

    ?The short old man, the boss of the disgusting gang of men, began to tremble.


    His hands were clenched into fists and his partially gold-ted teeth began to chatter.


    He was annoyed to see his men standing still while receiving the pressure exerted by Jeanne.


    "What are you guys doing? Don''t be afraid! Just follow my orders and capture her! We''ll gain a lot if we can capture her."


    He gave the order loudly.


    The ears of his men were even stretched wide because of the loudness of his voice. They covered their ears with their hands.


    That was why his men regained consciousness.


    One of the short old man''s men who was holding the whip also came to his senses. He was the one whose whip had been cut by Jeanne''s shield.


    When he regained consciousness, he readied the whip in his hand.


    He prepared to attack Jeanne.


    Although the whip in his hand had already been cut off, when he randomly pulled and whipped at the ground, it suddenly returned to its original size.


    ''That must be a magic item.


    [Name: Whip of Lizard


    Grade: Low


    Description: When the whip is cut off, you can grow it again by using your Mana. Due to the low grade of the magic item, durability and attack power are the same as regr whip].


    Looking at those who used magic items, it was obvious they weren''t ordinary people.


    They must be very wealthy, so they can unt magic items as if they weremonce.


    It would be a different story if the adventurer was low-rank. If a low-rank adventurer or an ordinary person dared to walk around carrying magic items carelessly, they would be extorted by fools on the streets.


    Although most adventurers had their magic items, no one dared to show them off.


    After whipping carelessly into the air, he threw his whip with all his might toward Jeanne.


    His whip, which came back to normal again, attacked Jeanne like a snake pegging a little frog.


    Despite his vigorous efforts, his attacks aimed at Jeanne came to nothing. His attacks became useless.


    Grab!


    The end of the whip he threw was caught by Jeanne with her bare hands.


    "Eh? How did you catch my attack?"


    Even though he asked with a stupid expression on his face, he still did not get an answer to his question.


    Instead, he had to respond to Jeanne''s counterattack.


    As soon as she caught the whip that intended to strike her, Jeanne immediately pulled the whip with all her might.


    And the result was, as if the man''s body was falling from a height of thousands of feet, his body simply floated forward. Heunched like a rocket in a horizontal line.


    On the other hand, Jeanne prepared her shield.


    She prepared to greet the man''s arrival with a rousing wee.


    Swoosh!


    Crack!


    Weing the man''s arrival, Jeanne pushed the shield in her hand with all her might.


    The shield hit the man in the face, turning the man''s face into mush as it hit Jeanne''s shield.


    "Kkiiekk!"


    A strange sound came from the man''s mouth.


    I''m sure it was very painful.


    Was it the nose bone, cheekbone, or some other internal part of the face that caused him to make such a strange sound? What was clear was that whatever it was must have been crushed when it hit Jeanne''s shield.


    I was sure that even a cat would run away in fear at the sight of his mangled face.


    Considering that there was no stic surgery in this world, I was sure he would have days of torture because people wouldugh at him.


    After finishing off that one person, Jeanne immediately ran like crazy. She ran to attack the other enemies.


    Like a raging bull, she charged at them one by one using her shield. All of them who were hit by her were instantly knocked off their feet and fell unconscious.


    It wasn''t like her enemies were just standing by. They also didn''t remain silent when they were rammed. They also attacked using weapons in their hands. Even so, their attacks did not cause any impact on Jeanne''s body.


    Ching!


    Cha-nk!


    Their attacks could not even touch her body because they were blocked by the shield she was using.


    Pathetic! That was the only appropriate description to reflect their struggle. Their abilities were miles away from Jeanne''s.


    The reason Jeanne could easily fight them was that Jeanne had activated her Berserk skill.


    Berserk skill.<novelnext></novelnext>


    It wasn''t just an ordinary skill like the Rage skill of the leader of the ck Box Organization in the city of Ryam that I had fought.


    Although the two skills could both increase the user''s power instantly, however, the level of increase was very different.


    Moreover, even though Jeanne was ovee with anger, she did not lose consciousness. She could still distinguish between opponents and allies. Evidently, she only attacked the enemy without harming the children.


    If left unchecked, of course, the children would have been hurt indirectly. That''s where my role was. I had to secure the children. At least keep them away from Jeanne''s battle arena.


    One by one, the burly and disgusting men let go of their attention to the children they had tied up. They focused on defeating Jeanne.


    There were approximately 30 of them.


    The more enemies Jeanne faced, the more children I could save.


    Amid the chaos caused by Jeanne, I focused on escorting the children away from Jeanne''s fight.


    At first, they were confused about my identity. However, they finally obeyed me after they were convinced by the little boy who hade with Jeanne and me. If I''m not mistaken, Jeanne called that little boy Colby.


    "Your name is Colby, right?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Does the number of children here include all the children in the orphanage?"


    "Emmm."


    He began to watch the children''s faces closely. At some point, he began to look very nervous. It was as if the person he was looking for was not in the line of children.


    "Hey, have you seen Nina?"


    Colby asked the children who had moved away and were in a safe ce.


    "A-Ano..."


    One of the children tried to answer. But he hesitated as if he felt very guilty. However, with Colby''s insistence, the kid finally told the story


    The child named Nina, who was wanted by Colby, turned out to be the first and only child who dared to fight against a group of burly and disgusting men.


    "I-I don''t know how she is now, but she sacrificed herself so that the other children could escape."


    After hearing what that kid had to say, I understood the reason why he was so hesitant when he was about to tell me.


    I felt bad seeing Colby and the other kids'' expressions. They looked at me as if they were kittens begging to be rescued.


    "Hmm?"


    ''It''s useless. I''m not someone who will be moved when you see me like that.''


    Yes, I ignored the pleading gazes shown by the children.


    Actually, I had my own n to solve the problem here.


    I turned my gaze towards Jeanne''s fight with that group of burly and disgusting men.


    ''It looks like Jeanne can finish them off with her own hands.''


    I''d better let Jeanne unleash her tantrum.


    She had to let out the emotions in her heart when she activated the Berserk skill. Moreover, she could get stronger by facing them with the Berserk skill. So, there was no reason for me to interfere.


    Amidst the chaos caused by Jeanne, I walked into the orphanage. I held my chin and ignored all the noise around me.


    Even if there were some burly and disgusting men flying around with blood oozing from their faces, I still walked casually. Of course, every now and then, I dodged so as not to disturb the fight.


    There was more and more dust in the air. There was also the smell of blood, but it was very faint.


    While the chaos was still all around me, I kept walking like a person focused on the exam.


    In that strange scene, I started to think about some things. I started to think about the cause of all this.


    Vaguely, I could guess why these people dared toe and kidnap the children so openly.


    They must have powerful people behind them. Or, they already had the power to back up what they were doing.


    Looking at the outline, I was starting to feel nostalgic feeling about this incident.


    Maybe this looked a bit different.


    However, I was vaguely feeling as if I knew some things about this incident.


    I scratched my hair a little, removing some twigs that were blocking my thoughts.


    "Hmmm?"


    Finally, what I was waiting for came too.


    [Memorize Skill - Active.]


    Suddenly, the Memorize skill activated after I felt that faint feeling earlier.


    In fact, I was just roughly groping for my memories. However, it turned out that the events happening now were indeed connected to the events in the novel.


    Well, let''s just say that I was fishing for the Memorize skill to activate. Who would have thought that it would actually activate?


    Slowly, the memories I had of the events around me became clear. I started to remember every detail of the events that might have a connection with the events around me. Where the events happened in the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light.


    So that you can be more understand better, let me tell you how the story happened in the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light, in the proper chronological order.

 Chapter 79 The Story In The Novel

    ?The story was started when Jullian felt bored with his daily training routine. He wanted to go out into the world and seek real experience.


    Using the Gryphon he had, he flew and left his residence. Until finally he identally came to Burgenfield city.


    The first action that he took was, to meet the main heroine.


    He identally met Jeanne while he was on an adventure to defeat monsters around Burgenfield city.


    Jeanne was carrying out hunting requests from the Adventurer''s Association, so she was also hunting monsters.


    With Jullian''s narcissistic, extroverted, and overconfident nature, he introduced himself and suddenly insisted on inviting Jeanne to exterminate monsters together.


    Sort of like, "I''ll help youplete the request you took!"


    Jullian said so shamelessly.


    From there, the development of the rtionship between the main character and the main heroine was starting to form.


    They were getting closer after doing various missions together.


    One day, trouble suddenly came to Jeanne.


    When she returned to Burgenfield city, she was in for a big surprise. She received a letter containing terrible information.


    The letter said that the nanny she trusted ran away with the money she had been given.


    Not done with that horrible surprise, there came another even more horrible surprise.


    To make matters worse, the nanny had sold all the children in the orphanage to ve traders.


    Upon reading the news, Jeanne automatically went berserk like a crazy person.


    She threw away all thoughts of who the person who had given her the letter was. Since the orphanage she had returned to waspletely ttened to the ground, she became certain about the contents of the letter.


    In the novel told, Jeanne was out having fun with Jullian when the children were kidnapped. They were having fun eating, snacking, and doing various other activities that were usually only done by lovers.


    While they were having fun, the children at the orphanage were suffering. That reason made Jeanne even crazier.


    Truly, a story filled with tragedy.


    However, behind the bleakness of the tragedy, there was a light that began to shine. That light was the luck behind the misery.


    The first light of hope came from within Jeanne''s body.


    As she went on a rampage by shouting incoherently and began to tear down the stalls of merchants on the streets, who had no sin, Jeanne''s abilities began to increase with her rage.


    In other words, her true potential was revealed when she was faced with the horrific ordeal. Until it was said in the novel that she would undergo a major change in a little while.


    Jeanne just needed to rage blindly a little longer for that to happen.


    Unfortunately, she was calmed down by Jullian, who also became the second light of hope-at least for Jeanne.


    Only with the capital of speech,


    "IT''S OKAY. I WILL DEFINITELY SAVE THEM!"


    Jeanne was sessfully calmed down.


    ''Had she been allowed to run amok, isn''t it likely that her strength would have increased quite a lot? It''s a pity that she was calmed down by Jullian so that she could only unleash a fraction of her original power''


    Well, that was what the author of the book Demon Lord and Hero of Light said.


    After Jeanne was calmed down by Jullian, the two of them then began to investigate the child abduction case in a more organized manner.


    They began to look for information about where the ve traders who had kidnapped the children were hiding.


    With Jullian''s connections to the local nobles, it was not too difficult to gather information. Using the noble surname Arkie, he was able to scare the local nobles into helping with the information.


    After he got the information, it was the main character''s turn to start shining brightly.


    As the old saying goes, if there was ever a big event, the hero would surelye and shine.


    As if that old saying hade true, the hero came and saved everyone.


    Of course, the hero was the main character in this world. And that person was obviously Jullian.


    The way Jullian solved the problem was simple. Just break through and destroy everyone in the way.


    He broke through the very headquarters with Jeanne, the main heroine.


    The two of them immediately attacked the ve trader''s headquarters using the information that Jullian had gotten.


    Long story short, the ve trader who kidnapped the children from the orphanage was killed by Jullian. After that, the children managed to get their freedom.


    Together with Jeanne, Jullian managed to save the children and other ves, including the beastmen who were made ves.


    As he rescued the victims of very, news of his heroic deeds spread throughout the continent. By doing so, he had officially taken the first step towards being recognized as The Hero of Light.


    And the first chapter of the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, which was about the event of the hero''s emergence, ends there.


    ***


    ''Since when is there a cupboard here?''


    There was a cupboard that had blocked the entrance to the inside of the orphanage.


    It seems that originally there was a regr wooden door here, but it had been smashed to pieces. Instead, there was a cupboard blocking the way.


    Break!


    I broke in by kicking the cupboard with my foot.


    At first, I thought that just a kick would make the cupboard pushed back. But apparently, my guess was wrong. The cupboard still stood firmly.


    I was forced to mobilize the Mana inside me. Channeling it at the tip of my foot, I kicked the cupboard with all my might.


    Crack!


    Kaboom!<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Ahh!"


    The cupboard was finally pushed backward and made a crashing sound as it hit the floor.


    I failed to focus because of the strange sound that apanied the crashing sound from the cupboard.


    It looks like someone deliberately blocked the entrance to the inside of the orphanage to make it difficult to open.


    When I went inside, I found quite an interesting sight.


    It turned out that the short old man, who was the leader of the disgusting men, was hiding inside the orphanage.


    He must have been worried about the strength Jeanne had shown.


    Earlier, I was sure he had immediately run into the orphanage, then tried to lock the entrance by blocking the door using the cupboard.


    ''He''s quite dexterous.


    To be able to push therge cupboard must not be an easy thing. Especially since he had a small stature.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t hurt you. Let alone attack recklessly like those women outside do, I won''t do it. You can rest easy."


    I tried to calm him down. He looked so nervous. I''m sure he tried to shout and tell his men toe here. But he didn''t dare.


    He backed away until he was pressed up against the wall like a lizard.


    "D-do you think you''ve managed to defeat me? You and that woman outside will surely die for daring to mess with us. You must not know who you''re dealing with..."


    , , , ¡­


    I stopped listening to his ramblings because I was afraid that my ears would get an infection from the wordsing out of his mouth.


    Walking straight into the orphanage, I stopped at the end of the room. I bent my knees and muttered, "Inventory", in a low voice.


    After that, I picked up the Recovery Potion in a secret way.


    Without waiting any longer, I poured the low-level Recovery Potion onto the back of someone who was lying limp on the floor.


    Yes, when I first entered the orphanage, I didn''t focus on the short old man at all. But instead, I focused on the condition of the child lying on the floor.


    The wound on the child''s back looked particrly gruesome. It tore through the clothes the child was wearing. Blood flooded the floor of the room.


    When I put my finger under the child''s nose to check whether she was still breathing or not. And as a result, I breathed a sigh of relief because she was still breathing.


    "Hufft."


    I don''t know what would happen if this child died here. Jeanne and the other children would definitely be sad.


    If this was a story in a novel, Jullian would haveforted Jeanne like a couple when this child died. However, I can''t do such a disgusting thing.


    I prefer to prevent it by treating this child.


    After all, if I saved this child, it would already make Jeanne indebted to me. That way, half the n I had to get Jeanne on my side was fully realized.


    Once I felt that the Recovery Potion had done its job well, where the wound on the little girl''s back started to stop bleeding, I was able to immediately move on to other matters.


    "Are you the one who made this little girl get hurt so badly like this?"


    "Heh. So what if I did? Are you upset?"


    I didn''t know where his confidence came from when all his men were being beaten up by Jeanne outside.


    He still seemed very confident that he could beat Jeanne and me.


    I''m sure he just thought that I was an ordinary Adventurer. That was why he could still be a little calm here.


    I was curious about the old man in front of me, so I saw what information I could get from him.


    "Judgement."


    [Judgement skill - Activated.]


    [Name: Pavlova


    Title: ve Trader


    Stats:


    (Strength: F) (Endurance: F) (Intelligence: D) (Mana Core: -)


    Skills: - ]


    So that''s how the window of someone''s status as amoner looks!


    "So, you''re a ve trader, huh?!"


    "Uh, how do you know?"


    Even if I didn''t use the Judgement skill, I already had that guess in my mind.


    It would be strange if someone didn''t know about that when he himself shouted out loudly that he was a ve trader. I mean, look at the men he brought and his interest in children.


    In fact, just by looking at his appearance, which was stylized as if he was a genuine nobleman, I could tell that he was a ve trader. Of course, my assumption was corroborated by his status window.


    Surprisingly, he even looked very proud of his identity that had been discovered.


    "Ahahaha, do you now know who I am? Let me introduce myself in full. I am thergest and only ve trader in this city...."


    ¡­.


    I couldn''t stand watching him open and close his mouth. I just let his wordse in through my right ear and let them go out through my left ear. I didn''t listen carefully to any of his words.


    "Stop. I''ll just get to the point. Let''s make a deal."


    "???"


    Threerge question marks appeared above his head. He stopped speaking in an instant. Putting the brakes on his words, he opened his eyes wide.

 Chapter 80 Falling Into Anger

    ?I patiently waited for the ve trader''s response.


    He was still widening his mouth in surprise at my words.


    Looked like he didn''t expect that I would give him the option to bargain.


    Although his face looked foolish, since he''s a merchant, I''m sure he wouldn''t do something stupid like rejecting my offer out of hand.


    At the very least, he should first hear what I would say next.


    Suddenly his face was filled with pride again.


    "Cough! You seem to be a smarter person than you look. In fact, other people will definitely think that you only have a handsome face to live. However, I didn''t expect that it''s not just your looks that support your existence, it turns out that your brain can still function properly."


    The way he spoke began to return to being very fast and fluent. Because it was too fast and fluid, his words kept slipping like skis sliding down a snowy mountain.


    "So, do you agree to listen to my offer?"


    "As a veteran ve trader, of course, I must know when to use my brains and when to use brute force-"


    "The sooner you make a decision, the sooner your people will stop getting beat up by Jeanne."


    "Heh. Did you just threaten me? Alright. First of all, let me hear what offer you''re going to make me first. So,... Eh?"


    He stopped talking midway abruptly.


    His head rolled back.


    I also followed the direction of his gaze.


    Emerging from the entrance, Jeanne, who still maintained an angry look in her eyes, began to look at what was inside the orphanage.


    Her eyes scanned the corners of the room.


    First she saw me, the ve trader, and finally she found a little girl that had copsed on the floor. Her eyes were fixated on the blood of a little girl on the floor.


    The fire of rage in her eyes burned through her body.


    And then, he stormed into the orphanage at lightning speed.


    The goal she was aiming for was the ve trader.


    She immediately tried to attack the ve trader.


    The ground she was on was nothing but dust. She attacked the ve trader by surprise.


    The way she lunged was strange. She attacked in a stance simr to a superhero who wanted to fly, where one fist thrust forward and the other was folded.


    After she took aim at her target who was the ve trader, she managed to close the distance in an instant.


    Once the distance was just right, Jeanne drove her fist straight into the ve trader''s stomach.


    Ka-Pow!


    "Ku-hoek!"


    Ba-dum!


    I''m sure the blow was very strong.


    So much so that the ve trader''s back poked out as if he had a hump on his back. The hump was formed by Jeanne''s punch on the ve trader''s stomach.


    The ve trader''s mouth reflexively opened.


    And, "Hoeeekk!"


    As a result of Jeanne''s punch, the contents of the ve trader''s stomach all came out. First, the contents of his stomach passed through his throat until they came out past his mouth. In other words, he vomited his guts out.


    It didn''t stop there, as a result of Jeanne''s killing blow, he flew until he crashed into the wall.


    The wall he crashed into broke because it could not withstand the weight exerted by the ve trader.


    And that''s how he flew while spewing his guts in the air.


    Surprisingly, I could see a rainbow when he was spewing his guts in the air.


    Roll, roll, roll...


    Finally, the ve trader''s body was lying on the ground after rolling several times outside the broken wall.


    With such an ugly face, he was unconscious. Fortunately, he only fainted. I knew it from looking at his body that kept twitching.


    I turned my gaze to Jeanne.


    ''Has she taken care of the people outside?''


    I focused on Jeanne who was still burning with emotion.


    Seeing that she had already gotten inside the orphanage, I was sure that she had cleaned up the people outside, in the front yard of the orphanage.


    At a nce, I could see the scene in the orphanage courtyard from where I was standing when I looked over there.


    It turned out to be true. I saw many of the disgustingly dressed men lying on the ground unconscious. Some even had their heads stuck in the ground.


    ''I guess I have no other choice now.''


    I can''t let Jeanne kill that ve trader. The ve trader was still something I had to use, so she had to live a little longer.


    Looking at Jeanne, I was like looking at a bull that was still thirsty to butcher the bullfighter. She seemed still very thirsty for a fight.


    If I let her, then I was sure the ve trader would have been killed by her.


    Normally, the ve trader would have died with her first attack.


    Seeing that he was still alive, there must be a magic item on the ve trader''s body that could neutralize Jeanne''s attack. That''s why he survived. But I''m sure the magic item protecting him isn''t absolute.


    ''It looks like it won''t be easy to subdue that bull of a woman.''


    What I meant was Jeanne. I had to be a bullfighter in ce of the ve trader if I wanted to save the ve trader.


    "Inventory."


    I took out the Svangur Sword.


    I was still coating the de of the Svangur Sword with a Slime that transformed into a scabbard.


    There''s no way I''m going to pull the Svangur Sword out of the scabbard. I don''t want to hurt her anyway.


    With that, I went straight ahead until I arrived in front of her in the blink of an eye.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I hit her using the Svangur Sword that was still in the scabbard.


    Swoosh!


    Du-kwack!


    The sword I was shing at stopped midway as it hit, making a loud noise.


    What held back my attack was the shield she had. She managed to survive using the shield in her hand.


    As quickly as my attack came, just as quickly her shield blocked my attack path.


    All of that she did with not many free moves, so she managed to stop my attacks with almost no effect.


    "Hey, can''t you recognize me?"


    Judging from the look in her eyes, she hadpletely lost her mind. She had already fallen too deeply into the vortex of anger.


    It was fine at first, where she could still recognize which was her enemy and which was her ally, but she gradually began to lose consciousness.


    With the power increasing too drastically, there would definitely be a price for that.


    But, it''s not as if it was bad.


    She would not be in danger even if she fell deeper into the emotion of anger.


    As long as she was releasing her anger in the form of actions such as hitting, kicking, and so on, she would be fine. She had to move her body as she fell into anger in her heart.


    In the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light it was said that if she continued to rage until the deepest abyss of anger in her heart, she would gain enlightenment.


    I wonder what she will get when she reaches the bottom of the anger in her heart. Especially in the timeline where she shouldn''t have gotten enlightened.


    Because Jullian stopped Jeanne''s anger by force, she failed to have an epiphany in the early chapters. However, I won''t do the same thing.


    Ka-nk!


    ng!


    Duk-wang!


    ''It turned out to be quite difficult.


    I continued to fight against her. I served all her attacks. However, I didn''t fight seriously. I defended and attacked as necessary. Thus, I found it very difficult to regte the rhythm of my power expenditure.


    If I attacked too strongly, I could hurt Jeanne. However, if I didn''t attack strongly, I could end up getting hurt myself... or even die.


    It felt like I was practicing Mana control again.


    At first nce, it might seem like I was ying around. However, the power released by Jeanne was very strong and not suitable for a game.


    We continued to fight until at the end, I sensed something strange inside her.


    She suddenly stopped without moving.


    I also stopped the attack I wanted to carry out.


    "Huuff. I guess it''s about time."


    My energy had been quite drained.


    I stopped when I felt that she had reached the deepest abyss of anger in her heart.


    I took a step back and kept my distance from her.


    "Uaaarrggghhh!"


    Suddenly, she roared angrily.


    Her voice echoed until it made the orphanage building tremble violently.


    Apparently, it didn''t stop with just vibration.


    The skin of the walls of this building also began to peel off suddenly. Wooden debris began to fall from above. And the dust from the dirt in this building also began to billow in the air.


    "I think this ce is going to copse."


    I can''t just stay here.


    I didn''t stay still like an idiot, I picked up the little girl named a little girl who was still unconscious on the floor. Then I approached the ve trader who was still convulsing on the ground.


    While I carried a little girl on my shoulder, on the other hand, I dragged the ve trader mercilessly on the ground.


    sh!


    As soon as I set foot outside the orphanage, an explosion of light suddenly shot out from inside the orphanage. The center where the light appeared came from where Jeanne was standing.


    Because the light was too strong, I covered my eyes so as not to go blind, as did the other children outside the orphanage.


    Rumble!


    Soon, not only did the exploding light illuminate everything, but there was also a powerful Mana explosion. The explosion caused the orphanage building to copse.


    With the sword in my hand, I deflected the building debris from hitting the children.


    "M-Mister, what happened? Is sister Jeanne okay?"


    Colby, who was still busy escorting the children, asked me. Perhaps he was asked to represent the thoughts of the other children.


    "Don''t worry. She''ll be fine."


    I was saying that not because I wanted them to worry. In fact, I''m not so confident in myself.


    ''The thing is, this happened faster than the original story.''


    "Judgement."


    I used the Judgement skill to confirm my guess.


    The target of the Judgement skill was not to see Jeanne''s status window but to see what phenomenon was happening to Jeanne.


    Don''t forget, the function of the Judgement skill was to judge what I wanted to judge. Don''t make the mistake of thinking that the Judgement skill was only for looking at other people''s status windows.


    [An Enlightenment phenomenon is happening.]


    [Further identification is possible if you approach the target.]

 Chapter 81 A Blessing Phenomenon

    ?[An Enlightenment phenomenon is urring.]


    [Further identification is possible if you approach the target.]


    I strengthened my body with Mana.


    Slowly but surely, I walked closer to Jeanne''s body.


    The Mana Explosion from Jeanne''s body was still emitting strongly.


    Even with Mana enveloping me and strengthening my body, I still had a hard time getting close to her.


    With every step I took forward, the more the clothes I was wearing slowly began to tear. The more the clothes I wore were torn, the more the bare skin on my body was exposed to the air.


    I was putting my hands in front of my eyes so that no excessive light would interfere with my vision.


    Each person''s enlightenment process was different. Some seemed ordinary, but there were also those who created amazing phenomena.


    It seems that her enlightenment process was the category that created amazing phenomena.


    I still remember that the Enlightenment process I experienced in my previous life was just an ordinary Enlightenment process. I just felt as if I had woken up from sleep. There was nothing else.


    Unlike me, considering that she was the main heroine, the creation of a powerful phenomenon when she experienced Enlightenment, was a natural thing.


    Not long after, I managed to get close to Jeanne.


    The first thing I did when I saw Jeanne was a surprise. I was surprised by the sadness that radiated from her.


    Drip!


    She appeared to be kneeling with her face up. Tears of sadness seemed to be escaping from both of her eyeballs. The tears flowed heavily from her cheeks, then evaporated in the air due to the explosion of Mana in her body.


    Her gaze looked very empty.


    [Would you like to see the system messages rted to the target''s state?]


    [Yes/No.]


    "Yes."


    The moment I touched her shoulder, a system message like that appeared.


    [You will receive system messages rted to the target condition.]


    [The target''s consciousness is in past memories.]


    [If it continues, potential damage to the brain will be very likely.]


    As I expected, her consciousness had really flown into the past. Hence she had been kept shedding tears from both eyeballs.


    I could slightly guess the meaning of the tears that came out of her eyes.


    Although it was told briefly, I still remember that she was the character who had the most tragic past among the other characters in the novel.


    I guess that her consciousness was now in a tragedy that had happened in her past.


    ''What should I do to restore her consciousness?''


    As I wondered, it turned out that the system message that had appeared earlier was not yet over. There was still another series of system messages that appeared next.


    [Potential target being eyed by God of Wrath.]


    [The process of granting God of Wrath''s blessing is in progress.]


    [The target body''s eptance limit is almost reached. If the blessing process continues, the target''s body will most likely explode.]


    System messages are bing increasingly aggressive.


    Instantly, I widened my eyes as I read what the system message said.


    Things seem to be getting more and more dangerous. I didn''t expect that her situation would be like this.


    At first, I just thought that she would increase her stats. But who would have thought it would turn out like this?


    ''Do I have to take responsibility now?''


    Regardless of her circumstances, I had other things to worry about.


    A message saying that the blessing was rted to a god made me worry even more.


    God of Wrath.


    "...."


    When I read that name, I was speechless.


    Subconsciously, I looked at the back of my left hand, but I quickly shook my head.


    God.


    Was there not only a God of Light in this world but there were other gods as well?


    There was no information regarding the existence of gods, even in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    Removing the context of the existence of gods that there was no information about, there was actually the phenomenon of giving blessings in this world.


    A blessing could be obtained by all of the creatures, including humans, elves, dwarves, beastmen, or other creatures.


    Including Jeanne as well. She would indeed get a blessing someday, but that would only happen in the future. I didn''t expect that she would get a blessing now.


    In the story of the novel Demon Lord and the Hero of Light, Jeanne was depressed because she felt like helping Jullian more.


    Therefore, when facing despair due to herck of strength she had, she suddenly received a blessing.


    However, the timeline where she got the blessing was when she had increased her physical strength.


    Whereas, currently, the stats she had were clearly very lowpared to the timeline where she should have gotten the blessing.


    A blessing was a blessing given to those who were chosen. Only when a being experienced a special event would they receive a blessing. However, because it was so rare, there was no term to describe the phenomenon.


    In fact, it had been told that Jeanne had misunderstood. She thought she had experienced ordinary Enlightenment for the second time. Only the narration in the novel mentions the word blessing.


    From the outside, the blessing did not have much difference from ordinary Enlightenment. Blessings could increase one''s strength. They were also sometimes in the form of skills.


    I didn''t know why the narrative in the novel used the word blessing itself. However, looking at the system''s message, it seems that it was rted to gods.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''What should I do to ovee this?''


    [The Stigma of Darkness began reacting to the Mana explosion that overflowed from the target''s body.]


    [Do you want to let the Stigma of Darkness absorb the Mana st that overflows from the target''s body?]


    [Yes/No.]


    Huh?


    I suddenly felt a nostalgic feeling.


    ''Isn''t this case almost the same as the time when I first killed people? Where the Stigma of Darkness absorbed Death Mana?''


    Without waiting, I agreed.


    "Yes."


    After I gave my answer, suddenly, the petal-shaped symbol of the Stigma of Darkness, which was on the back of my hand, began to glow.


    Duun duun duun...


    Was it just my imagination? I thought that something was creeping out from inside the Stigma of Darkness.


    I didn''t know what it was. Not long after the light came out of the Stigma of Darkness, I could feel Mana, who had been exploding in the air, slowly calming down.


    I felt that the Stigma of Darkness had begun to suck up the Mana in the air.


    [The process of absorbing the excess Mana in the air is in progress.]


    [The target''s consciousness is starting to travel back to reality.]


    [The potential danger to the target''s mentality is starting to diminish.]


    [Potential harm to the target''s physical body begins to decrease.]


    As if things were getting better, the system message reported that Jeanne was no longer in danger. I saw that her expression became calmer. The tears that had been flowing had also stopped.


    "Fuhh."


    This way, I can be a little calmer.


    I didn''t want the main female character in this world to die at the beginning of the story. Especially if it''s just because of my careless actions.


    [The target''s consciousness has returned to reality.]


    [All potential danger from the target''s body has disappeared. The target is asleep.]


    "Hm?"


    Suddenly, her body fell right into my arms.


    It seemed that her body rxed so much that she dropped her body unintentionally. Well, she was sleeping, so it was a natural thing.


    Since things were getting better, I started to pay attention to my surroundings.


    Slowly but surely, the light from the Mana explosion that was so bright earlier began to subside. Finally, all the blinding light disappeared.


    All that was left around me was the ruins of the building. The roof of the orphanage had broken through the clouds.


    I wanted to put her body on the floor, but I heard something suddenly.


    S-tep¡­ s-tep-


    The sound of little ttering footsteps could be heard entering the inside of the orphanage. From their footsteps, they must be the children who were outside earlier.


    "Hey, is this okay for us to go inside?"


    "Stupid. We should at least confirm their situation, right? If possible, we should also help them. Moreover, aren''t you guys worried about Sister Jeanne''s well-being?"


    "T-That''s true, anyway. But, what if-"


    "Stopining."


    I started to see their faces as they went inside.


    The boy in the front row was Colby.


    I understood that they were anxious, and that''s why they dared to go inside.


    Because I looked at them, they also looked at me.


    However, after their anxious faces, they suddenly changed their expressions into embarrassed expressions. Their faces turned as red as a tomato.


    "What''s going on with all of you?"


    "A-Ah, sorry to interrupt."


    They covered their faces with their palms. When they did that, they were sopact and simultaneously together.


    Some of them opened the gap between their fingers to peer at me.


    "Oh."


    Did they misunderstand what I was doing?


    I guess their education about rtionships between men and women was too high for children if they could feel embarrassed just from seeing me and Jeanne in a hugging pose.


    Naturally, they misunderstood because I was hugging Jeanne with my upper body almostpletely exposed. The clothes or robe that I wore before was almost left only very little.


    Meanwhile, Jeanne still had an expression of sadness on her face. The remnants of tears that evaporated were still in her eyes.


    ''Hah. Let them think what they want to think.''


    [The process of sucking up the Mana that exploded in the air has beenpleted.]


    [The Stigma of Darkness can only suck in Mana that the target''s physical and mental body cannot withstand. Therefore, the process of granting God of Wrath''s blessing will not be interrupted.]


    [The process of granting God of Wrath''s blessing to the target has beenpleted.]


    [Due to various factors, the power of the blessing has been reduced.]

 Chapter 82 Time To Replenish The Inventory

    ?The electrifying sounds of destruction had disappeared into the air. The atmosphere in the orphanage became calm again.


    Building debris dotted the vicinity of where I was. Only Jeanne and I were spared from the debris of the orphanage.


    A few centimeters beside me, there was many building debris scattered around.


    Roof tiles, logs, building stakes, and the debris from building walls were piled up haphazardly. All the signs of destruction that I mentioned earlier made this ce look really depressing.


    This ce could no longer be called the orphanage, but a historical ruin. Especially historic for Colby, Nina, and the other orphanage children.


    I was wondering how the children would feel when they saw the devastation of the orphanage where they grew up together.


    Those who previously lived here must have hadplex feelings when they saw the ce in ruins.


    I saw Colby and the other children.


    "What are you worried about?"


    "Ah- nothing, sir."


    Colby and the other children who had broken through the rubble of the orphanage just to see the condition of me and Jeanne were now making worried expressions.


    Their eyes kept looking towards all sorts of debris in the orphanage. Their anxious faces could not be faked. Especially for children who were still very young, a little teardrop cannot be blocked from their eyelids.


    I''m not good atforting children. So, even though some children''s noses turned red, their eyes shed tears, and some children kept shaking their heads like they couldn''t ept reality, I could only sympathize in my heart.


    "Why are all of you like that? Shouldn''t you be grateful that none of you died or were made ves today?"


    My words were cruel, but it was also a logical reason for them not to be sad anymore.


    Then I told them to take care of the ve trader''s men in the front yard of the orphanage. At the very least they should have some things to do so that they wouldn''t be stuck with sadness.


    Since the ve trader''s men were unconscious, then I was sure they could handle them. I only told the children to secure them, nothing more.


    After that, because I can''t let Jeanne lie in this ce full of ruins, I put her on my back. Then I stood up.


    I approached the body of the ve trader who had copsed on the ground not far from the center of the orphanage ruins.


    It was fortunate that he was outside the orphanage, otherwise, he would have been buried by the orphanage building.


    I looked around and saw that he was still unconscious in a pitiful state.


    I put Jeanne on the ground for a while.


    The ground outside the center of the ruin didn''t have too much debris, so it was still better than in the ruined center of the orphanage. Even so, there were still fragments of wall debris flying out here. I can only pray that her back can hold out for a while.


    I quickly disassembled the ve trader''s body to find out what magic item he used to survive Jeanne''s blow.


    I didn''t want to linger by undressing him neatly, so I simply tore off the neat robe he was wearing. Speaking of which, he no longer had the elegant appearance that he had previously maintained.


    The beryl sses he was wearing were already shattered into pieces. The hat that was on his head had flown somewhere due to Jeanne''s punch. And themand stick he was holding earlier had also been broken in half, lying on the ground beside him.


    Without further ado, I immediately stripped him of his clothes. Until finally, I found what I had been looking for.


    "Looks pretty good."


    I smiled when I saw something that was attached to the ve trader''s body.


    ***


    After taking care of what I needed to do, I quickly met the children in the front yard of the orphanage.


    When I got to the courtyard, I could see that the children had almost finished taking care of the ve trader''s men.


    Some of the children were still trying to pull out the head of one of the ve trader''s men who was buried in the ground. Looking at their painstaking struggle, it seemed that the head of the ve trader''s men was buried very deep in the ground.


    After being satisfied seeing the struggle of the children who were finally able to pull out the head of the ve trader''s men, I told some of the children to retrieve the ve trader''s body that was in another part of the orphanage ruins.


    "Where are we going?" Colby said. He asked a little nervously. Or rather, he seemed to be asking himself, not me.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll go to my inn. That''s the ce you stole from earlier."


    "Is it okay?"


    "Where is your rebellious nature that Jeanne once said? Weren''t you a troublemaking child? Why did you suddenly be polite?"


    "Um. I actually did that because-"


    "No need to tell me. I know why you did it."


    There was only one reason why he stole, and that was that he and the other children were not being fed enough.


    So, was the destruction of the orphanage the fault of Jeanne, who had destroyed the orphanage identally while receiving the blessing?


    No.


    It''s their nanny''s fault.


    After everything was done, I took the children to the inn.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Of course, it was the inn that I had just bought.


    I walked while carrying Jeanne on my back. Earlier, I had been carrying her on my back.


    Although she was not in a conscious state, her hands were holding onto my shoulders. And for some reason, every few moments, she would grip my shoulders a little more firmly.


    I thought she was still experiencing the side effects of diving too deep into her past.


    It wasn''t like I minded or anything, about her gripping my shoulders, instead, I feltfortable because my back was being pressed by soft foam. It felt like I was in heaven.


    Her weight wasn''t too heavy either, so I felt fine carrying her.


    If you were imagining that I was making a lewd face, then sorry, you''re wrong. Even though my back felt like it was in heaven, I still maintained a straight face.


    "??"


    "Hup!"


    When I turned my head, the children immediately covered their mouths and turned their faces to the side quickly.


    "Hey, it seems that spring has arrived for Sister Jeanne?"


    I don''t know how those kids can already say such things.


    Scratch, Scratch...


    The sound of something being dragged through the streets was heard.


    When you were looking at the origin of the sound, it came from what the children were dragging in their hands.


    What they were dragging of course was the bodies of the ve trader and his men.


    Perhaps it was because the people they were dragging were the ones who had hurt them, so the boys dragged them without mercy.


    Two children held one leg of the ve trader''s men. Then they dragged the ve trader''s men away.


    Due to the difference in body size, the children struggled a bit even though they were dragging them by holding the ve trader''s feet or hands.


    Even so, they looked excited while doing so. Moreover, this was a good time for revenge.


    "Die!"


    "Hit hard!"


    "Ah, this is our revenge punch!"


    They continued to shout as if they were ying. They continued to beat up the ve trader and his men. Of course, the person they hit had already lost consciousness so there was no reaction that the ve trader''s men showed.


    Apart from the other kids who were busy taking revenge, I paid more attention to Colby who was walking beside me.


    He carried Nina in his arms. Nina was a severely injured child that I managed to heal. Colby held Nina in a position simr to how I held Jeanne. However, he seemed to be having a hard time holding Nina''s weight.


    "Do you need help?"


    "Uuhhh! I-I... Strong."


    "Okay."


    ''Is he in love with that child named Nina?''


    That was the only conclusion. That was the reason why he didn''t feel like he needed my help.


    He wanted to do things his own way. Or perhaps, did he want to make the most of the opportunity at hand?


    When I saw the struggle he was making, somehow, I suddenly remembered a moment I had on earth, in my previous world.


    Both orphans, both at that age, both girls and boys, and both helping each other in trouble.


    ''...''


    "Tsk."


    What was I just thinking? I must have gone crazy. I shouldn''t be thinking about it. I quickly pushed the thought to the back of my head. I bit my lip and shook my head.


    Keep yourself busy when distractionse into your mind. I heard that quote a lot, and it didn''t seem wrong.


    Not long into our walk, we arrived at the inn.


    However, I soon left again. I left Jeanne in the hands of the children. I let the children take care of her. Of course, I gave them ess to all the rooms in the inn.


    I also gave them the rest of the money I had to buy food. It was only a little and not much, but it was enough to keep them all full.


    It was already gettingte. Despite today''s chaos, they still had to fill their stomachs. In fact, because of this tragedy, they had to fill their stomachs quickly so that they wouldn''t get sick.


    ''It''s time to replenish the money in my Inventory.''


    There was another money mine that I had to dredge up. I had to grab it quickly before the gold mine escaped.

 Chapter 83 Depraved Nanny

    ?Step! Step! Step¡­.


    The sound of someone''s footsteps could be hearding from the floor. When you hear the sound of these footsteps, then you will know that the person was running as hard as she could.


    That person was a former nanny from an orphanage.


    When you saw her, I''m sure you would be very annoyed. You would be annoyed by her behavior.


    Because she was a nanny who was supposed to take care of the children at the orphanage, but instead she sold the children at the orphanage to Pavlova, the ve trader.


    She had been running without regret after leaving the children.


    Every single step she took, a single sound she produced. The sound produced by her appeared and hit the surroundings of the ce she was in. The sound swirled and bounced in the air because the ce she was in was quite narrow.


    The ce where she was running was a culvert. Next to her was a stream where all the garbage from Burgenfield city gathered and flowed.


    The width of the culvert was only about two to three meters and the height of the ceiling was not much different. It was probably only about three to four meters high.


    Although she did not have to bend over while inside the culvert, the distance of her head from the ceiling of the culvert was not too far.


    She ran until the sweat on her head was drenched in sweat.


    While running, she was carrying a chest box in her arms. She embraced the chest box with all her might. The size of the chest box could be said to be small because she could embrace the chest box and carry it while running. The reason why she was sweating profusely was also because she was running while carrying the chest box.


    You might have guessed that inside the chest box was all the money she had collected. You''re right if you guessed so.


    It was all the money she took from mortgaging the orphanage, the umted money given by Jeanne over the years, along with the money she borrowed from ve traders.


    The total amount of money that she kept in the chest box was not a small amount, it was almost equal to the entire treasury of a medium-sized criminal organization. The small size of the chest box did not reflect the amount of value of the money stored. Because the coins stored in the chest box were a collection of gold coins.


    Her happy face couldn''t escape as she ran. Even though she was exhausted, she was still happy because her mind was busy imagining all the things she could do with the money in her hand.


    However, when she felt she had run far enough, she stopped for a while.


    She looked back, in the direction from which she hade. Since she had just left the orphanage, naturally the ce where she came from was the orphanage.


    "Is it over already?"


    In this dark, silent and smelly culvert, she muttered under her breath. Since there was no one else here, she was talking to herself. She wondered if the chaos in the orphanage was over.


    This culvert path that she passed through was a path that she kept special without the knowledge of others. In other words, a secret escape route.


    Earlier, when she saw the group of ve traders, she took the chest box containing the money and went straight to the entrance of the culvert she had hidden.


    "Hehe, I didn''t expect them to do it so rudely."


    As she ran away from the orphanage, she could hear the sounds ofmotion indistinctly. She could hear the screams and cries of the children in the orphanage at a nce. But she ignored all of that.


    "All of you are finished! You annoying children. I''ve suffered enough from taking care of you so far."


    The cursed word came out of her mouth without restraint.


    It seemed that she had misunderstood. She thought that all themotion she had heard was just the ve trader''s men ying with children. Her mind imagined that those children were being mercilessly r*ped.


    She didn''t know that the orphanage had copsed. In fact, if she had any brains, she should have been able to guess that the orphanage had copsed. Because even the hidden path that she passed through had trembled violently a moment ago as if there had been an earthquake.


    "Time to move on."


    She got up and continued running again.


    This time there was only silence. The sound of the soles of her feet and the sound of the murky water flowing against each other.


    The destination she wanted to reach was the door leading out of the culvert.


    A few moments after she ran, she saw adder that led to a round metal door in the ceiling. That was the way to the top. She had already marked the spot, so, despite the many turns in the road, she managed to get to where she needed to go.


    The reason why she chose that exit was because outside the door it was safe to escape. Behind that exit was a poor people''s district with many abandoned buildings.


    Without much ado, she quickly climbed thedder, opened the round metal door, and quickly exited the culvert.


    At least, that''s what she wanted to do, but...


    "Eh? Why can''t it open?"


    De-dug! De-dug! De-dug!


    She kept trying to push open the round metal door that should be very easy to open.


    Previously, she had prayed the bolts off the round metal door so that it could be opened and closed at will.


    However, as if her efforts were in vain, the door would not open.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She began to panic. Cold sweat began to break out all over her body, mixing with the normal sweat that came out of her pores. Her hands began to shake violently.


    Negative thoughts began to creep into her head, taking away all the happy imaginations she had previously envisioned.


    ''What will happen to me if this goes on?''


    If it continues like this, she''ll die like a rat caught in a trap.


    ''Damn! I haven''t had a chance to taste the money I saved. Am I going to die like this?''


    She stopped her hand from trying to open the round metal door. She instead started grabbing her hair like a madwoman.


    She could have gotten out, but she had to go through another exit. The nearest other exit was connected to the major roads in Burgenfield city. If she exited through there, it would be the end for her.


    Just imagine if she came out of a culvert in the middle of a major highway. She would automatically be a spectacle to the citizens. And if the news of her whereabouts was heard by the ve trader, her history would be over.


    What''s more, the other exits were definitely locked.


    Perhaps she would really go crazy if she continued to be trapped in the culvert.


    After all, she already had a lot of money waiting to be spent.


    ''I have to get out of here, escape this kingdom, and live in luxury in another kingdom.''


    With enough money, she could hire a top-ranked Adventure, bribe the corrupt soldiers at the kingdom''s borders, and safely leave the kingdom of Misonia.


    However, all of that was just distant wishful thinking if she couldn''t get out of the hole she had dug herself into. Even the rats wouldugh if they saw the state she was in.


    Once again, she struggled to open the round iron door. She struggled desperately trying to open the iron door until her hands bled. And finally...


    "Eh? Opened?"


    Creaaakk... Boom!


    As if she had just received a miracle, the door that she had been trying to open half to death suddenly opened.


    "Peek-a-boo!"


    "Eh?"


    However, she did not expect that the door opened not because of her efforts, but because of someone who had just opened the door from outside.


    The person who opened the door was a young boy around the age of sweet seventeen.


    When she saw the face of the young boy who opened the door, she was almost hypnotized by his appearance.


    Thus, she ignored all the irregrities surrounding the situation. And she even thought that the young boy had identallye and found her.


    "Haha. Thank you, boy. Did youe here to help me?"


    "Hm? Are you crazy?"


    With that response from the young boy, she finally realized the situation she was in.


    "Eh? H-how did you find this ce?"


    "Well, it wasn''t hard to find this ce. Your footsteps sound really loud, you know!"


    "What? So-"


    "Yes, I''m holding the exit for you to struggle through. Sorry about that. Regardless, I was able to easily find this ce thanks to the existence of the magic barrier covering the entrance to this culvert. Isn''t it quite suspicious when you see an entrance to a culvert covered with a magic barrier?"


    Yes, she had spent quite a bit of money to buy a Magic Scroll - Barrier, so that her escape route was safe from ordinary people.


    Using his keen sense of hearing, the young boy could easily find this ce, because he was a Mesties. By using Hear of Everything, the sound of her footsteps, and the sound of the mana flow from the barrier would be clearly heard.


    "If I look around, you must have tried very hard to keep the entrance to this culvert very hidden."


    Hup!


    The Mesties jumped into the culvert where the nanny was.


    ''This ce is indeed simr to the sewage dumps of old.'' Mesties thought as he looked around the contents of the culvert.


    "Well, let''s get our business done."


    He smiled looking at the nanny attached to the stairs leading out.

 Chapter 84 Rat Monster

    ?I''ll tell you how I had to find where the nanny was.


    After I came to the orphanage and I had remembered the fate of the orphanage, I immediately searched for the nanny''s whereabouts using the Hear of Everything skill.


    The first thought that entered my brain was to take all the money that she took away.


    But I couldn''t leave right away because it would look suspicious in Jeanne''s eyes. I just marked the direction she was headed and waited for things to calm down. Only after I took the children to the inn did I go to meet her.


    Since I had marked the direction she was headed, I didn''t lose track of her.


    Using my body-strengthening skill, I ran and managed to reach a round metal door on a deserted street with no other people in sight. The round iron door was an entrance to the culvert which was she chose to escape.


    I first shed and destroyed the barrier blocking the metal door. Then I waited for her arrival. When she banged on the metal door to escape, I smiled as I held the metal door open so that she couldn''t open it.


    And that''s how I found her.


    Inside a culvert illuminated only by the dim light from a few holes in the ceiling, I stood while engrossed tossing gold coin up and down.


    The light of the gold coin managed to illuminate the darkness of the culvert.


    "Let me count. One, two, three... looks quite a lot."


    In my hand was a chest box.


    I had to open and count the gold coin inside the chest box.


    I took this chest box from the nanny''s hand.


    While ying with the gold coins, I watched the nanny who was lying on the floor unable to do anything.


    Of course, she didn''t hand over the chest box without putting up a fight. She had insisted on keeping the chest box in her arms earlier, but I pped and kicked her without any guilt.


    Perhaps because she had sensed the gulf in power between us and knew that her struggle was futile, she stopped trying to w and bite me.


    She ended up just biting her lip on the floor.


    "G-GIVE IT BACK TO ME!!!"


    Holding the cheek that I had pped, she screamed loudly.


    Even though she knew her body was unable to fight me, her mouth was still able to yell at me.


    She was like a wife who had just been divorced by her husband.


    It''s sad to see a middle-aged woman in that state. But that''s only if it''s an ordinary middle-aged woman. Since she was a disgusting middle-aged woman, I didn''t pity her at all.


    Reap what you have sown, maybe those are the right words for her.


    Ignoring her, I closed the chest box and threw the chest box into the Inventory.


    Before I opened the Inventory, I kicked her until her head entered the water flowing in the culvert. She managed to prevent her entire body from entering the dirty water. Only her head sshed into the water.


    Blurp!


    "Kargh!"


    She immediately lifted her head up. Her hair and entire face were wet with water filled with dirt. As she wanted to take a breath of fresh air, she quickly covered her nose.


    "Blergh!"


    She vomited. The contents of her stomach poured out.


    When she stopped vomiting, there was something strange in the dirty water flow in the culvert.


    A water bubble slowly formed above the dirty water stream. One by one, the bubbles formed and burst. It seemed like there was a creature breathing from inside the water, which caused the creature''s breath toe out of the water and form bubbles.


    And sure enough, not long after, something appeared and caused the water full of filth to rise like a waterfall.


    It was a monster.


    A monster suddenly appeared from the water full of dirt.


    Did it appear because of the nanny''s vomit?


    The monster had the shape of a mouse. But, it was the same size as a human. The ck fur that covered the monster''s body blended in perfectly with the dark color of the culvert. The monster''s eyes were bright red, highlighting me and the nanny.


    The moment the nanny saw the monster, she released the hand that was holding her nose. She took a deep breath and ignored the pungent odor she smelled.


    Surprisingly, she no longer vomited. Her body shuffled backward slowly. She dragged her butt to move away from the rat monster as quickly as possible.


    If I didn''t move, she would be eaten by the rat monster.


    The monster''s sharp teeth were ready to eat her.


    The rat monster put its feet on the floor and tried to get out of the dirty water.


    ''Should I let the nanny get eaten by the rat monster?''


    No, I can''t allow that.


    I must leave the nanny to Jeanne.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Looking at Jeanne''s perspective in the current timeline, she doesn''t know that she had been betrayed by the nanny.


    That was why I wanted the main heroine to learn what the word naive was. Jeanne had to realize that she had been betrayed by the nanny. So that she can grow up without easily trusting someone.


    That way, the possibility of her being instigated by Jullian someday could be reduced. It was just a precaution in case the scenario I didn''t want happened.


    My choice of movement was to approach the nanny, grab her by the cor, and throw her away.


    As I threw her, she rolled around on the floor like a snowball. But she made it to safety, so she should be thanking me.


    ''How can I defeat that monster?''


    With the current situation, I couldn''t pull out the Svangur Sword from the Inventory. There were the nanny''s eyes red at me.


    Fortunately, I managed to find another way to defeat the rat monster. In my hand, there was still one gold coin. This was the gold coin that I used to y around with earlier.


    Using the one gold coin, I shot the rat monster in the head by shooting the gold coin using my thumb and forefinger.


    [Amplification skill - Activated.]


    [Strengthening Skill - Activated.]


    Of course, I didn''t forget to use my skill.


    As a result, although this was just my feeling, the speed of my coin shot can be as fast as a bullet.


    Syuuu-


    Thwack!


    The coin that I had fired sessfully pierced through the rat monster''s head from end to end. The gold coin that I had fired stopped only after prating the culvert wall.


    In the blink of an eye, a small hole was formed in the rat monster''s head. Just that small hole was proof that my attack had sessfully hit its target.


    My attention shifted in an instant. From initially looking at the rat monster, it shifted to the gold coin I threw.


    ''It would be a pity to leave that gold coin stuck in the wall of the culvert.''


    I jumped up and picked up the gold coin. Then I grasped the gold coin tightly.


    ''Before heading back to the inn, it looks like I''ll have to buy a new robe.''


    My attention came back to the rat monster.


    The rat monster, which tried to get out of the dirty water stream, limped back into the dirty water stream. It didn''t even have time to put up a fight.


    He became a corpse without even realizing it.


    Floating on the water, her body flowed with the dirty water in the culvert.


    Before the rat monster''s body disappeared from my sight, I could see a stitch in the monster''s skin. More precisely on the hand.


    ''If I''m not mistaken...''


    The stitches were the same as those on the corpses of the children in the cave found by Nya Nu, the kidnapped children.


    I frowned when I saw that. A coincidence? No, it wasn''t. The two things must be rted.


    In the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, the kidnapping of children would stop after Jullian attacks the very headquarters in the city of Burgenfield.


    Thus, everyone assumed that the ve traders were the masterminds of the kidnapping of children.


    When they connected the very case and the child kidnapping case, automatically people''s admiration for Jullian grew.


    Initially, I also thought that the mastermind behind the kidnapping case was the ve traders in Burgenfield city.


    The ve traders that I mean are not only Pavlova but all the ve traders in Burgenfield city. Including their big boss.


    But I immediately changed my deduction when I found the bodies of the children in the previous cave.


    When I was thinking about it, why would ve traders kill children and leave a stitch mark on the children''s bodies?


    Step! step! step!


    My thoughts were interrupted by the nanny''s footsteps trying to escape. I was forced to stop thinking and immediately catch the nanny.


    I came from behind her and caught hold of her by the shoulder. I grabbed her shoulder so she couldn''t run away.


    With her shoulder that I hold, she thrashed.


    "LET GO OF ME!"


    "You must meet with Jeanne first. She will determine your punishment. Just pray you will be forgiven."


    Instantly, her face turned pale blue. When her pale face was mixed with the dirty water on her face, she became a woman that no man would look at.


    It was time to bring her to Jeanne''s presence. I wonder what Jeanne was doing now. I mean, was she already conscious?

 Chapter 85 Dissociative Amnesia

    ?"Urk!"


    On the bed in one of the Mesties'' inn rooms, the sound of Jeanne moaning in pain could be heard. She formed a circr position unconsciously on the bed.


    Her hands hugged her body unintentionally. Her embrace grew stronger along with the dream that urred in her subconscious.


    "So-Sorry..."


    She was delirious. She uttered an apology in an earnest tone.


    Judging from the way she said the apology, it was clear that she felt very guilty. Who she was apologizing to, you wouldn''t know because you can''t dive into her head.


    What kind of horrible past might she have? Only she herself knows.


    After a while, her expression became calm again. Her previously furrowed brows had returned to their original shape. The wrinkles on her forehead had disappeared.


    And not long after, she immediately woke up.


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    After she was able to open her eyes, she raised her body slowly. She took a breath for a moment. Her breathing still felt very heavy. She had to hold her head to calm the dizziness in her head.


    Then, she remembered the reason why she felt dizzy.


    ''Was it just a nightmare?


    A dark past. A past filled with bitter memories and so many regrets that she had about the past.


    It was as if she had just dreamed of that past. The dream felt very vivid. She felt as if she had juste from that dark past.


    Actually, she had often had nightmares, however, the dreams that used to haunt her would not be as severe as what had just happened.


    Unfortunately, once she woke up, she unconsciously forgot about the past.


    Dissociative Amnesia.


    It was a symptom of memory loss that she had. Therefore, she immediately forgot about the painful past. In order for one to live on and look forward to the future, sometimes it was unconsciously done.


    Before she was trapped in her thoughts, she managed to regain her senses. The first thing she noticed was to look at her surroundings.


    Coming from the open window, rays of morning light came through the room.


    When she was looking at it, she immediately realized that she had lost consciousness for quite a while.


    Then she continued to look around the room with her eyes.


    ''An inn room? How can I be here? And where is this?''


    As she looked up and down then right and left, she realized that she was not alone.


    "Oh, big sister, are you awake?"


    By her bedside, the children of the orphanage were already crowding around.


    Some of them were holding cloths forpressing, some were holding bowls of food, and some were just standing around like fools.


    And when they realized that Jeanne was awake, they immediately hugged Jeanne simultaneously.


    "Eh? You guys... are you okay?"


    "Yes, it''s all thanks to you, Big Sister."


    "G-d you''re safe."


    Ensuring the safety of the children was the most important thing to Jeanne now. Despite her shocked and happy expression, she hugged all the children back. She was already like a mother cat when nursing baby kittens.


    After a while, they just let go of each other.


    Unable to help it, Jeanne shed tears of joy. She patted the children''s shoulders and ruffled the hair on their heads.


    "By the way, can you guys tell me about what has happened and where this ce is?"


    She asked while wiping away a few tears on the tips of her eyelids, she smiled at the children.


    After she wentpletely berserk, she couldn''t remember what had happened. Hence she asked.


    Suddenly, the children''s faces lit up. Their eyes shone with excitement. They seemed impatient for their turn to tell the story.


    "Ah! Ah! Ah! I saw how Big Sister defeated those bastards. Uwaaa that was so cool. Pow! Pow! Pow!"


    "Yes, that was really cool. Especially when Big Sister attacked them using the shield. Muwahh! Hahaha."


    The children began to imitate what Jeanne had done. They began to run around in circles in the room. Their noisy voices filled the small inn room.


    Soon, they stopped and murmured.


    "Oh, but, when big sister entered the orphanage, we didn''t know what happened."


    "Hmm? Can you guys exin it?"


    "That..."


    "Let me tell you about it."


    Colby, who was standing at the back, began to move forward and took over the children''s part. He began to tell Jeanne what had happened better.


    First, he told her about the Mana explosion that destroyed the orphanage.


    But he didn''t know that Jeanne was the cause of the Mana explosion. So, he only told her that she was trapped inside the orphanage during the Mana explosion, then Mesties entered the orphanage to save her.


    "When we went inside the orphanage to see what happened, we saw..."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What did you see?"


    Colby tried to tell the story casually, however, the other children started covering their mouths as if they wanted tough.


    Seeing the children''s strange reactions, Jeanne felt that there must be something they were hiding. She held both of Colby''s shoulders and looked at Colby with narrowed eyes.


    "O-Okey. I''ll tell you. I saw you cuddling with Big Brother Mesties."


    "Uh, Big Brother Mesties? Cuddling?"


    Jeanne''s brain started to vaporize.


    "It''s okay, Big Sister Jeanne. I will support your rtionship."


    "Stop talking nonsense!"


    Pow!


    Jeanne hit Colby on the head in annoyance. Of course, it was only a soft blow. Even so, arge bump still appeared on top of Colby''s head due to Jeanne''s fiery punch.


    "Hurry up and continue."


    "O-Okay."


    Holding his head, Colby recounted that Mesties brought everyone into his inn, gave them money, and allowed them to stay at the inn.


    "So, this ce is Mesties'' inn? Is that why you all call him big brother?"


    Nod! Nod!


    And that was the end of Colby''s story.


    Among all the things that Colby and the other children had told, there was not a single thing about the identity of the perpetrator who attacked the orphanage, or the reason why the orphanage was attacked.


    She didn''t even have time to think about that because she was too happy that most of the children were able to survive unharmed.


    In her subconscious, she thought that the ve trader and his men were the bad guys who attacked the orphanage for trivial reasons.


    "Do you know where the nanny is?"


    "We don''t know. She left just before the criminals came. Strangely, the criminals had asked about the nanny too."


    She pondered for a while but did not draw any conclusions from Colby''s words.


    "Then, do you know where the Mesties are?"


    "He said that he would be gone for a while. We don''t know where he is at the moment. I think he''ll be here soon."


    Her face was downcast. She clenched her teeth and thought. She had to meet Mesties to talk about some things.


    After she heard from Colby that the orphanage had been destroyed, she realized that another disaster awaited them. Without a ce to take shelter, their future looked very bleak.


    It was a miracle that Mesties let the children stay at the inn for free. Even gave them money.


    However, Jeanne felt bad if she had to continue to trouble the Mesties.


    On the other hand, there was no way she was going to let the children live on the side of the road without a ce to shelter from the rain and heat.


    Indeed, the children still looked very energetic. However, she knew that they were trying hard to hide the sadness in their hearts.


    Especially Colby.


    Colby''s eyes kept falling on the person who was currently still asleep on the bed next to the bed where Jeanne was.


    He only said that Nina had been injured and Mesties had treated her, so Nina''s condition could be confirmed to be fine.


    At the thought that a child had been seriously injured, Jeanne felt even more guilty.


    Colby didn''t say it clearly, but Jeanne managed to catch the strange expression on Colby''s face.


    The possibility that Nina had been injured to the point of endangering her life was very high.


    Although Nina was currently breathing regrly, she was still unconscious. If it was only a minor injury, she would have regained consciousness.


    Some children were still taking turns taking care of Nina.


    Perhaps it was because a lot of blood had been spilled or other reasons, so Nina had not opened her eyes.


    Although it was very faint, Jeanne managed to hear Colby''s mutterings that he wanted to be stronger in order to protect the people he loved.


    ''I also need to be stronger to...???''


    The moment she heard Colby''s mutterings, she suddenly got the motivation to be stronger. However, she felt strange because she did not know why she felt so motivated. Her dissociative dementia prevented her from getting the reason why she was motivated.


    Puw!


    Finally, she pped her cheek to keep her mind from going too far.


    Suddenly, a voice interrupted her thoughts.


    The children in the inn room were also confused.


    The disturbing sound came from the lower floor of the inn.


    "Le-Let me go! Get your hands off my body! Let me go. I still haven''t used all that money. Shit!"


    As a result, she ran to see what was happening.

 Chapter 86 Annoying Scenario

    ?It looked like I had chosen the right inn. The area around where my inn was located was still quiet. Even though it was morning, no one seemed to have started their activities yet.


    But that was good news.


    If there were people who came out and saw me now, they would have immediately shouted that I was a kidnapper.


    I walked towards the inn.


    However, I was currently carrying the nanny on my shoulders.


    I gagged her mouth using a torn piece of cloth so that she could not scream. Both her hands and feet were bound using a torn piece of cloth as well so that her movements were restricted.


    Originally, if she had calmed down from the start, I could have carried her more gently.


    However, since her mouth wouldn''t shut up and her hands and feet wouldn''t stop moving, I had to put her in this situation.


    "Hmb! Hmb! Hmb!"


    She tried to speak but she couldn''t.


    It was only her two eyeballs that she could use tomunicate with me. She looked at me with bulging eyes as if she was telling me to let her go.


    Because she was on my shoulders, her gaze was only a few centimeters away from my eyes. However, even if her eyeballs fell out, I still ignored her.


    It wasn''t just her gaze, but she was also moving her body, trying very hard to get off my shoulders. Her legs were kicking and her hands were hitting my body.


    "If you really want me to put you down, then I will do that."


    Roll!


    She fell miserably as I threw her to the ground.


    Anyway, by this time I had already arrived in front of the inn.


    First I removed a torn piece of cloth binding her hands and feet. Then I removed the torn piece of cloth that gagged on her mouth.


    As I grasped her hands and intended to drag her into the inn, that was the time she took the opportunity to scream loudly.


    "Le-Let go of me! Get your hands off my body! Let me go. I still haven''t used all that money. Shit!"


    I wanted to tell her that her efforts were in vain. No one woulde to her aid. However, I couldn''t say that when I saw movement from inside the inn.


    Not long after, when I had just opened the inn''s entrance, something appeared from inside the inn.


    What came from inside the inn was not the appearance of a person, but the fleeting appearance of an item. The item floated from inside the inn and continued to fly straight at me as if someone had thrown the item at me.


    It turned out that what was flying toward me at high speed was a shield.


    As fast as the shield was heading towards me, I operated the Mana inside me and activated the body-strengthening skill. As a result, my body was able to respond to the attack.


    I quickly ducked down and managed to avoid the path of the flying shield.


    Fwush!


    The shield just passed through me and stuck in the ground.


    After I managed to dodge the attack, I could see who threw the shield from inside the inn.


    That person turned out to be Jeanne.


    An angry look was on her face.


    She seemed to have juste down the stairs with all her might as if she had been waiting for me to arrive. But I knew that wasn''t the case.


    "What are you doing?"


    "..."


    The one who asked first was Jeanne.


    Was it because I was dragging the nanny that she looked so angry?


    She even looked at me like I was a criminal.


    "Can''t you answer that?"


    She asked me in an angry tone.


    With just a nce, I became more certain that she was angry that I had dragged the nanny.


    She must be thinking, how could I treat the woman she trusted to take care of the children in such a brazen manner?


    Indeed, because the nanny had juste from the culvert, her appearance looked very disgusting.


    The cor of her shirt was ripped until it exposed the skin of her shoulders.


    Her current appearance could very easily make people misinterpret that I had just r*ped her.


    Perhaps because of that, when Jeanne had seen me dragging the nanny, she had immediately thrown her shield with all her might.


    Before I could reply, suddenly and with very quick movements, Jeanne approached the nanny.


    She had pped my hand that was holding the nanny''s hand. So I was forced to let go of the nanny''s hand. Therefore, she was able to stare at each other with the nanny.


    "Are you alright?"


    Jeanne ced both her hands on the nanny''s shoulders and asked the nanny in a worried tone.<novelnext></novelnext>


    I found it strange at first when I saw Jeanne''s reaction, but I could understand it because she probably didn''t know the reason why there was a ve trader attacking the orphanage.


    In fact, she probably didn''t know that the people who attacked the orphanage were the ve trader and his men, who were ready to kidnap the children.


    Without being able to answer Jeanne''s question, the nanny was just confused. She probably never thought that she would receive such kind of treatment from Jeanne.


    It seemed that Jeanne misinterpreted the nanny''s silence as fear. Jeanne suddenly turned to me and wore a wild animal-like expression.


    "Why are you treating this person in such a rude manner? Don''t you know that she''s the one I''ve trusted to take care of the children?"


    "...Yes, I know that she is the children''s nanny."


    "If so, why did you do it? For what reason? I was originally very grateful to you for helping the children! However, I can''t forgive you if you end up hurting the person who took care of the children!"


    Jeanne kept yelling at me.


    Hiding behind Jeanne, the nanny seemed to be smiling broadly as if she was an innocent woman.


    I realized that I shouldn''t have any bad feelings toward what Jeanne was saying. I should have tolerated her. I''m not a child who would get angry just for being used of a crime despite not actuallymitting one.


    ''Should I tell her that the woman she has been trusting as the children''s nanny is the one who caused the disaster for the children in the orphanage?''


    I knew she had a very affectionate nature for someone who had been considered a close person due to her dark past, but I didn''t expect her to be this stupid.


    Indeed, she was not one hundred percent hostile toward me.


    Maybe she was just thinking that all of this was just a misunderstanding.


    From what I know about her nature, she would probably think so. The anger she was directing at me now was just her nature, where she has a fiery nature.


    Even so, why do I still feel something stirring in my heart?


    Unconsciously, I frowned.


    "Huuft~"


    I tried to calm myself down.


    Come to think of it, I had just gotten to know her, so it was only natural that she would be more likely to defend the nanny, someone who had lived with her for a long time.


    ''Even so...''


    I actually wanted to use the incident at the orphanage to make Jeanne be closer to me. At the very least, I wanted her to be my ally. However, that seems to be very impossible now.


    I was not a stupid person who would force her to trust me. Who am I? Right.


    I also couldn''t expect there to suddenly be a scenario that would bring us together. Hey, this wasn''t a novel. So I knew that was impossible.


    At this point, I gave up on making Jeanne my ally. There was no point in recruiting the stupid main heroine on my side.


    "Do you want to know why I treated the children''s nanny in such a rude manner?"


    "Yes. Answer quickly."


    "Would you believe me if I told you that she was actually the one who caused the children at the orphanage to be attacked?"


    "How could that be!"


    "See. I knew you wouldn''t believe me."


    "So you''re saying she''s the reason why those disgusting people attacked the orphanage? Why would you think that? Ah, I remember that the children had previously caught the orphanage attackers. How about we ask them? I''ll prove that your assumption is wrong."


    She said in a smoldering tone.


    She should already know the answer if she saw the nanny at this moment.


    It seemed that the nanny wanted to refute Jeanne''s idea, however, facing Jeanne''s burning passion, she could only tremble violently.


    I''m sure the inside of her head was experiencing an earthquake that might have reached 9.1 magnitudes.


    What if the people who attacked the orphanage told Jeanne the truth? Her mind must have been there.


    "No need."


    I answered briefly.


    There was nothing to rify.


    Ipletely ignored Jeanne.


    I focused on staring at the nanny.


    [Body Strengthening skill - Activated.]


    [Amplification skill - Activated.]


    My body was filled with Mana quickly. The effect of the body-strengthening skill was felt in the blink of an eye.


    As for the Amplification skill. I didn''t have anything in my hand, but I could still apply the amplification skill to something. That was my nail. The purpose of me activating the amplification skill was to increase the sharpness of my fingernails.


    The reason I activated those skills was to kill the nanny.


    With thebination of the strength in my body and the sharpness in my fingernails, I moved to kill the nanny in an instant.

 Chapter 87 Act Like A Villain (1)

    ?Ssh!


    The sound of blood sttering was heard.


    With my open palm, then using my five fingernails that had be extremely sharp, I attacked the nanny''s chest.


    In the blink of an eye, my hand managed to pierce the nanny''s chest.


    Not only did I pierce the nanny''s chest, but my hand also managed to prate the nanny''s body from end to end.


    I managed to pierce the nanny''s chest until my hand came out of the nanny''s back as if I was piercing an animal meat for me to roast.


    As my hand pierced through the nanny''s chest, it was inevitable that her blood spurted into the air.


    Drip!


    From her chest that I pierced, her blood flowed out down my hand in a very heavy stream.


    I had been lifting the nanny''s body that I had stabbed up until her feet did not touch the ground.


    The nanny''s eyes were wide open staring at me. Her mouth was wide open as if she wanted to say something, but only blood came out of her mouth.


    Both of her hands had been holding my hand, which was still stuck deep in her body.


    "Le-let¡­ m-me.. go!"


    "Okay."


    Thud!


    Her body fell to the ground miserably.


    There was nothing she could do.


    Although she tried to block the wound on her chest with both hands, it was all useless.


    It was even a miracle that she didn''t die right away. Perhaps her spirit still wanted to live so badly that it was still attached to her body, otherwise, she would have died.


    Not long after, she closed her eyes and her breathing just stopped. That was how she died right in front of Jeanne.


    "Sigh~"


    I sighed as I finished finishing off the nanny in front of Jeanne.


    Jeanne was still standing still.


    Her gaze was still nk.


    Her brain seemed to be still trying to process the events recorded in her eyes.


    She couldn''t move to block me because she probably never thought in her head that I would kill the nanny immediately.


    The same reason you could use when you wonder why she still didn''t move even though I had finished killing the nanny. Maybe she still doesn''t want to ept reality?


    I was worried that she had really be a statue. Only the sound of her very slow breathing indicated that she was still alive and well.


    As I was eagerly waiting for Jeanne''s response to the big surprise in front of her eyes, I suddenly felt distracted by something else.


    I suddenly got a bad feeling.


    [Hear of Everything Skill - Activated.]


    The first thing I did was activate the Hear of Everything skill.


    And after I scanned my surroundings, I could sense the Mana fluctuations in the air that began to increase unnaturally.


    The Mana in the air began to fluctuate. At first I could hear the sound of the Mana fluctuations in the air like water flowing slowly and regrly. However, in a way slowly the Mana fluctuations in the air became increasingly swift.


    There must have been a center that made the Mana fluctuations in the air be more and more swifter.


    After I tried to focus my hearing on the center of the Mana fluctuation, finally, I could tell where the center of the Mana fluctuation came from.


    "..."


    I focused my eyes and looked with the naked eye towards the center of the Mana fluctuation.


    The Mana fluctuation center wasing from a person. And he was not far away. He probably appeared from the winding road to my inn. And right now he was already in front of my inn.


    ''Since when did hee here?


    Was it because I was too focused on killing the nanny that I didn''t notice his arrival?


    The man who was the center of the Mana fluctuation was seen standing up and wearing a robe that was very familiar to my eyes.


    With just a nce, I could tell who he was. Unmistakably, he was a magician.


    In his hand, he held a magic wand. He pointed the wand upwards, and while doing so, his mouth was chanting a magic spell.


    I was sure that the magic spell he was chanting was what made the Mana fluctuations in the air be so swift.


    "Tch!"


    It seemed like it was toote to thwart the magic he was casting.


    A magic circle had appeared in front of the wand he was holding. The magic circle was red in color and veryrge in size. It was obvious that the magic he was about to cast would also be very dangerous.


    "Burn everything that stands in your way, Fireball!"


    He shouted loudly.


    The temperature started to rise a few degrees. I could already feel the heat on my skin. All of that happened because a ball-shaped me suddenly came out of the magic circle that had been formed by him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The light from the fireball was so bright that it illuminated everything around. The fireball''s light was reddish-orange in color and made the surrounding color also turn orange.


    Even though it was toote to prevent the magic he released, I was sure I could still block it.


    My eyes looked around. And I identally saw the shield that Jeanne had thrown earlier. The shield was stuck on the ground.


    I ran to pick it up.


    After picking up the shield from the ground, I immediately applied the amplification skill to the shield that I was already holding with both hands.


    My body was still strengthened with the body-strengthening skill that I had activated earlier.


    Without saying much, I immediately moved to prevent the magician''s attack.


    I spun around once before I threw my shield at the fireball.


    Have you ever heard of a sport from athletics called discus throw? That''s exactly how I threw the shield.


    Swirl!


    As soon as the shield I threw took off, it sliced through the air until it reached its destination.


    The destination of the shield that I had thrown was a fireball.


    The fireball was already flying,ing, and attacking.


    What the fireball was targeting was the inn. Clearly, the magician wanted to destroy the inn.


    Fortunately, before the fireball actually hit me and the inn, the shield I threw managed to hit the fireball.


    Kaboom!


    A huge explosion urred.


    The explosion was simr to a giant firework.


    It would look very beautiful if you saw it while you were enjoying a festival event with your beloved, but because the atmosphere created by the explosion was tense, it would naturally create an eerie atmosphere.


    Along with the mes flying through the air, I couldn''t see Jeanne''s shield that I had just thrown. Most likely, it had already be dust in the air.


    Along with the background full of embers flying in the air, I stared at the figure of the magician.


    My mind gave me a clue as to the reason why he came here¡ªwhy there was a magician who suddenly came to attack this ce.


    In just a few seconds after I thought of the incident where Pavlova and his men had attacked the orphanage, my head already managed to urately analyze the situation.


    As quickly as lightning shed, my mind began to understand what was happening.


    I''m sure he was a magician who came here because he had a connection with Pavlova and his men who had been captured.


    Even though Pavlova had just been caught, the magician had already been dispatched in less than 24 hours.


    What a quick response.


    If that was the case, I guess the magician was the backup n of the person behind Pavlova.


    In other words, the people supporting Pavlova must have anticipated that Pavlova and his men would fail to capture the children.


    Pavlova had previously said that he had people supporting him from behind the scenes. And of course I knew who he meant.


    That person must be someone from Marquis Stronghold''s residence. More precisely, it was the only son of Marquis Stronghold named Yary Stronghold.


    When it came to a noble supporting a ve trader, which was a big secret, it would be natural for Yary to send a magician here to clean up.


    If necessary, I''m sure the magician was already prepared to erase all evidence of Yary''s involvement with Pavlova.


    Hence, he would not hesitate to directly attack using dangerous spells like Fire Ball.


    And when he saw me sessfully deflect the magic he fired, of course he would be shocked until his mouth hit the ground. Even so, he immediately put his usual arrogant expression back on again.


    He prepared to chant the magic spell once more.


    The reason why he could still be so calm when casting spells without fear of me disturbing him was because he didn''t juste here alone. He came with one other person.


    The person who came with him and stood beside him seemed to be wearing armor. On some parts of his body that weren''t covered by the armor, arge muscle could be seen. It was clear that he was a warrior. He also held a sword and shield in his hands.


    Actually, it wasmon for a magician to carry a warrior.


    How was it possible for a magician, who specialized in ranged attacks, to go into battle without bringing someone who would protect him.


    In fact, it wasmon for a magician to have a warrior by his side.


    However, I know that the warrior beside him was his ve, a living shield.


    ? Although there was no visible cor shackling the warrior, I was sure he was a ve of the magician when I considered that he was a ve of the magician from the marquis'' stronghold residence.


    As the magician cast the spell, the ve was seen standing in front of the magician. He looked ready to be a disposable shield for his master.


    Before that magician actually starts using other magic, I intend to approach him.


    However, before that, I looked at the notification window that had appeared in front of my face.


    A reason for the action I had taken earlier.


    [Quest: Act Like A Viin.


    Description:


    You must act like a viin in front of the heroine. The level of the action will determine the reward you will receive. The more your actions resemble a viin, the better the reward you will receive.]

 Chapter 88 Act Like A Villain (2)

    ?The first thing that crossed my mind when I got the quest to act like a Viin was.


    I felt weird.


    Why did the quests that I had received tend to force me to antagonize the important characters in this world? First Jullian, and now Jeanne. Does the World System hate them?


    My head had finished processing what I should do about the quest that had suddenly appeared.


    An extra character who was forced to do the same actions as a viin, that was the conclusion of the quest I received.


    I didn''t think much before I epted the quest.


    Considering that every quest I had undertaken so far had a great reward, there was no reason to refuse.


    Just expecting the rewards that the World System would provide was more than enough reason to ept.


    My loss would only make me be an enemy of Jeanne, who had already obtained the blessing of the God of Wrath.


    But since I was already thinking of not bringing her to my side, I didn''t have to hesitate anymore to antagonize her.


    My original n was to ally with Jeanne and attack the ve trader headquarters, then uncover the veil of evil in this city, just like what Jullian did in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light. Too bad that didn''t work out.


    Because I had received the quest to act like a viin, I was forced to change my original n.


    Don''t get me wrong, I''m sure the decision I made wasn''t because I was hurt by what she had done earlier.


    With the choice that I had made to act like a viin, the arrival of the magician could be an advantage for me.


    When you ask what choice should I make as the viin when an enemyes against the main heroine?


    My answer was I chose to pretend to be the enemy''s ally, that was the magician.


    Just pretend to be the magician''s ally and fight the main female character of this world. Then, wouldn''t I already be the viin?


    With the information that I had, I''m sure I wouldn''t have any trouble pretending to be an ally of Yary''s envoy magician.


    But there was one thing I was curious about.


    When I saw the magicianing, I wondered how he knew that Pavlova was at my inn.


    Was there something on Pavlova''s body that indicated her position or something that the magician could track?


    ''Well, that''s not important.''


    I walked slowly towards the magician as if I were walking without fear. I didn''t have any hostile intentions toward him either.


    "You''vee."


    I smiled as I spread my arms, where it appeared that I was weing him.


    Of course, he was surprised when I said that casually as if I had been waiting for him toe for a long time.


    Perhaps because he detected that I had no intention of fighting, he canceled the magic he was about to cast.


    "Who are you?"


    "Let''s just say I''m one of the people who have business with the person who gave you the order."


    "You mean?"


    "I am your ally. Aren''t you someone sent by Yary Stronghold?"


    "How do you know?"


    "As I said, I''m your ally. I knew that Yary would send a magician here."


    "Okay. Let''s just say what you said was true. Then, if you''re on the same side as me, what are you with her for? You must know that she''s the young master''s target, right?!"


    "I''m just pretending to be on her side. I''m here to prevent the worst-case scenario."


    "Pfft, in other words, you want to say that you are the backup n prepared by the young master? But why are you suddenly telling me that you''re on my side? That''s really funny. Did you think I would immediately believe your words?"


    "Then, aren''t you afraid of the risk you might take for misrecognizing me?"


    "Hmm...."


    At first, he looked incredulous.


    However, he was forced to think about my words carefully.


    If what I just said was true and he still wanted to use force on me, then he would receive severe punishment from the people he served.


    Surprisingly, he began to look at me more carefully. His eyes traveled over every inch of my body, starting from my feet, then continuing to travel slowly up my body.


    Automatically, the longer he scanned my body, the more my goosebumps stood up. I got goosebumps when he scanned my body. Was this how women usually felt if they were being stared at by a man?


    He had stopped scanning my body. But strangely, he focused instead on looking at my face for a long time.


    And then he started nodding incoherently.


    Did my face look so convincing? Or was there another reason why he became convinced?


    Suddenly, he monologued quietly, "At the very least, his face looks suitable for a nobleman''s son. Seeing that he managed to deflect my magic, his strength is also suitable for a nobleman''s son. It is not strange that he is the young master''s friend."


    Ignoring his monologue, I told him,<novelnext></novelnext>


    "If you don''t believe me, I can prove to you. You just need to stand there quietly. Let me solve the problem here."


    "You mean?"


    "I''ll take your ce."


    "Hahaha. That''s fine. I''ll dly ept your offer."


    I knew he would agree.


    There was no reason he would refuse my offer since it worked in his favor.


    However, I was sure that if I did something that deviated from what I was supposed to do, he would definitely shoot out his magic suddenly to destroy me.


    ''Well, that''s if he can do thatter.''''


    Now, I just have to prove that I was his ally, just like I said before.


    Twisting my legs, I turned away from the magician.


    Then I walked back towards Jeanne.


    I didn''t forget to narrow my eyes and put a sly smile on my face.


    I don''t know if I''ve sessfully imitated the expression of a viin or not. At least I had tried.


    ''I hope I''ve done well.''


    When I looked at Jeanne, she was already moving. She was no longer standing still like a stone by the roadside.


    She was sitting and hugging the nanny''s corpse. Both of her hands were stained with blood as she touched the nanny''s dead body.


    Her eyes were no longer nk. But she still didn''t show any sign that she was angry. In fact, she should have exploded in anger.


    More like, she was too calm.


    I felt that the demeanor she showed was like the silence thates before a storm.


    Without looking at me, she said, "So, you know who the magician was and why he came here?"


    "Yes. I know. If you weren''t stupid, you should''ve been able to guess that he didn''te here with good intentions."


    "Ha-ha-, if so, didn''t I hear wrongly that you''re actually his ally?"


    It seemed like she had heard everything I said to the magician.


    It was only natural that she looked so angry. Perhaps now she wasmenting the fact that I had just betrayed her.


    Looking at it from her point of view, it''s not quite right to say that I betrayed her. Perhaps it would be more urate to say that I had ''fooled'' and ''yed'' her.


    After pretending to be calm, Jeanne suddenly gritted her teeth. The way she gritted her teeth could have made a bear run away in fear.


    "ANSWER ME!"


    She yelled very-very loudly.


    "Was everything you said to that magician was the truth? Are you really his ally?"


    Finally, she let out her anger.


    The wrinkles on her forehead tried to form with all their might. However, due to the white and smooth skin of her face, the wrinkles only looked dim even though she was obviously very angry.


    "So what if it''s true?"


    "How dare you¡­ So, you nned this from the start? Even when we first met at the Adventurer''s Association headquarters, were you just pretending to help the receptionist when she was being harassed by the servant of the Marquis Stronghold''s son? Did you do all that to get close to me?"


    How could she suddenly be so good at making deductions on inappropriate matters? I didn''t think she woulde up with such a surprising deduction.


    I didn''t deny or justify her deduction.


    After shouting incoherently, a normal person would calm down as they managed to let out the frustration in their mind. But that was not the case with her. Instead of calming down, she became even angrier.


    Perhaps the anger she let out and showed to me was an umtion of anger due to me killing the nanny and because she felt I had been yed.


    If you think of it that way, then you would definitely think that the anger she showed me seemed very reasonable.


    ''Or, is the anger she''s showing just a side effect of what happened before, where it''s still affecting her?''


    The previous incident I am referring to is where she was immersed in her bad past due to the process of receiving the blessing from the God of Wrath.


    As I thought about that previous incident, I was suddenly curious about something.


    ''Did her abilities change much after experiencing Enlightenment and receiving the blessing?''


    [Skill Judgement - Activated.]


    The first thing I wanted to see was her stats. I wonder if her stats are different from her previous stats.


    Therefore, while looking at her who kept getting angry at me, I used the Judgement skill.


    Before I fought against her directly, analyzing her abilities first was much more important.

 Chapter 89 Heroine X Extra

    ?[Status Window - Open.]


    [Name: Jeanne.


    Title: Imprable Tank, Child Protector, Madwoman, Adventurer Rank A.


    Stats:


    (Strength: B) (Speed: C) (Endurance: A) (Agility: E) (Immunity: B) (Mana Core: Middle)


    Skills:


    Berserk, Shield Mastery, Great Barrier, Defense Cultivation.


    Blessing:


    God of Wrath Blessing: Skill Emotional Fuel.]


    [The Great Barrier skill has been added to the target''s Status Window. It was identified that the skill came from the Enlightenment that the target experienced earlier.]


    Not only did her skills increase, but her stats also grew at a terrifying rate.


    If it was just from Enlightenment, it was impossible. Then, the increase in stats she had experienced must have alsoe from the blessing process.


    [Comparing the target''s stats with the stats she had before.]


    [Strength had increased from C to B.]


    [Speed had increased from E to C.]


    [Immunity had increased from C to B.]


    Indeed, I was really surprised because not only did her stats increase, but her skills also increased.


    Nheless, it wasn''t just her who benefited from the previous events.


    I have also benefited from helping her achieve Enlightenment and assisting her in the process of granting the God of Wrath''s blessing.


    You must not forget that the Stigma of Darkness had absorbed the Mana that exploded from Jeanne''s body earlier when she obtained the Blessing from the God of Wrath.


    And because the Stigma of Darkness had absorbed that Mana, I was able to gain additional benefits.


    "Open Status."


    [Status Window:


    Name: Mesties Warwick.


    Title: Poor Noble, Regressor, Transmigrator, The Soul of a Regressor from Another World, (?), Adventurer Rank F.


    Stats:


    (Strengths: B) (Speed: C) (Endurance: B) (Agility: D) (Reflex: D) (Mana Core: -) (Mana Aktif: 475)


    Skills:


    Strengthening, Hear of Everything, Poison Resistance, Swordsmanship, Memorize, Inventory, Amplification, Origin Cultivation, Mind''s Puppet, Judgement, Emotional Control.


    Stigma:


    Stigma of Darkness.


    (Mana stored in Stigma of Darkness: 600/600.) (Puppet stored in Stigma of Darkness: Nya Nu, The Fallen Lich.)]


    Although my stats didn''t change, I managed to obtain the Emotional Control skill because the Stigma of Darkness had absorbed the Mana that overflowed from Jeanne''s body.


    I haven''t told you guys yet, but, when the Stigma of Darkness absorbed the Mana that had overflowed from Jeanne''s body, the Stigma of Darkness was also absorbing some of the Blessing that Jeanne''s body was unable to contain.


    In other words, the Stigma of Darkness had managed to eat the scattered crumbs that were not consumed by Jeanne''s body.


    To make it easier for you to understand, I''ll show you the notification that I got earlier, It was roughly like this.


    [Stigma of Darkness sessfully absorbed the blessing piece from God of Wrath.]


    [Started to convert the blessing piece from God of Wrath.]


    [Congrattions! You have sessfully obtained the Emotional Control skill.]


    [Name: Emotional Control Skill.


    Description: When you activate the Emotional Control skill, you will be able to regte your emotions better. Controlled emotions will improve your thinking ability so that yourbat ability will also improve].


    What I caught from the skill description was, Emotional Control skill is a buff-type skill.


    Maybe it was a bit simr to Jeanne''s Berserk skill or Gilbert''s Rage skill, but the skill description did not list any side effects. Instead, there were only good effects, where I could control my emotions.


    ''But I didn''t know how strong the buff would be just from looking at the skill description.''


    Of course, since it came from the crumbs of Mana eaten by the Stigma of Darkness, the resulting buff effect would likely be very low.


    Very different from the actual recipient of the blessing.


    When I had finished analyzing Jeanne''s and my stats, I went back to listening to her tantrum more intently.


    "...You should be prepared to pay for everything you''ve done to me!"


    Her words were short but very fitting for her to say now.


    She really intends to kill me.


    After I had made her experience Enlightenment to the point of receiving a blessing from the God of Wrath, I now had to fight her instead.


    My feelings are probably the same as yours when you get a pet, but when your pet grows up, it suddenly tries to kill you.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She was already taking a stab at attacking me.


    The sound of Mana''s movement around her was getting noisier. Until finally, I could see a form or manifestation of the Mana she had. An image resembling the image of a monster formed around her body.


    [Target has activated the blessing of the god of wrath: Emotional Fuel Skill - Activated.]


    [Target had been starting to activate berserk skills.]


    [Due to the blessing of the god of wrath, the effect of the berserk skill that can make the user lose sanity is now gone.]


    [ording to the target''s current emotion, it was identified that the duration of the Emotional Fuel skill can onlyst for one minute.]


    ''Thank goodness if it''s only for a minute.


    Regardless of the duration of Emotional Fuel''s skill, she had not advanced to attack me.


    Even though she was so angry that she had unconsciously activated the Berserk skill and Emotional Fuel skill.


    Was there still a hesitation in her head to attack me? Since I couldn''t tear out the contents of her head, I don''t know what she was thinking.


    Seeing her standing still without attacking me, I felt strange.


    Even though she was full of anger, she stood still without moving.


    She should have just attacked me as if she wanted to kill me, that way, I couldplete the quests of the world system more perfectly.


    I had no other choice at this point.


    It looks like I''ll have to pull the trigger, which was to provoke her into attacking me.


    Isn''t that also part of something a viin always does, provoke the MC and get killed like a bug?


    "Aren''t you going to kill me?"


    "Grrrr!"


    She growled like a beast.


    Ignoring her growl, I continued to speak while demonstrating the stupidity she possessed.


    "I''ll tell you something. That magician came here to capture all those children. That goal hasn''t changed. And regarding the identity of the people who attacked the orphanage, that person was a ve trader."


    I paused to let the atmosphere be even more tense.


    My eyes met hers with a disdainful re.


    "Do you know what happens if those children be ves? ...Yes, they will be yed with by the local nobles. There are also those who will be used as sex ves depending on their future masters-"


    Finally, I managed to squeeze the trigger on her head.


    "Aaarrhhh!"


    Without giving me time to finish my sentence, she attacked me blindly.


    Since the shield she had was destroyed, she attacked me with her bare hands.


    That was the same with me. I didn''t want to take the Svangur Sword that was in the Inventory because there was a magician there watching.


    Therefore, our fight became a pure hand-to-handbat.


    Our fight was not a good fight because we were not hand-to-handbat specialists. So, Jeanne''s punches and the parries I made all looked disorganized.


    If there was a modern martial arts instructor here, he would cry when he saw our fight.


    Nevertheless, I still tried my best to deal with Jeanne''s barrage of angry punches.


    "Ugh!"


    I didn''t expect every punch she threw to be so deadly.


    Maybe she herself didn''t realize the power she was unleashing. I was feeling that her strength was already beyond her normal strength.


    However, this superpower she unleashed made perfect sense. Although our power stats were the same, but because she activated the Berserk and Emotional Fuel skills, her attacks were already on another level.


    [It was identified that the target''s attack was already one level above normal stats.]


    The World System confirmed my guess.


    As a result of her strength being greater than her stats, of course I was having great difficulty keeping up with her movements. Even though I was really serious about fighting her. Even so, I couldn''t see any loopholes at all.


    I stand corrected. I had seen many loopholes in her attacks. However, I felt that I would bepletely ruined if I forced myself to exploit the loopholes that she created.


    Moreover, she has a high defense. What aplete package. Isn''t her character too overpowered? I don''t know who I canin to about that.


    I could only endure the pain from her iing punches that hit my stomach several times.


    Are you asking what the secret was that I was able to survive when Jeanne kept hitting me? It was because of the chainmail underneath the robe I was wearing.


    This chainmail was a magic item that sessfully absorbed Jeanne''s attack. I hope you won''t be surprised, but this chainmail was Pavlova''s chainmail.


    I don''t think I need to tell you how I stripped this chainmail from the ve trader''s body.


    Regardless, almost 70 percent of Jeanne''s attacks managed to hit my body. It was a good thing that this was not a boxing match that used iing punch points as an indicator of defeat.


    Moreover, since it was not a boxing match, we were not in the ring. In other words, I was free to run away from her attacks.


    I preferred to run even though I was wearing chainmail on my body.


    I couldn''t run with my back to Jeanne like someone running away while being chased by a wild animal, if I did that, I could end up K.O. in one attack due to not paying attention to her.


    And that''s how our fight continued.

 Chapter 90 Emotional Fuel Skill

    ?Not far from the battle area between Jeanne vs Mesties, there was the magician watching. He seemed to be watching the fight between Jeanne and Mesties carefully.


    He rubbed his chin with his hand, and one eyebrow furrowed. He felt astonished as he watched Jeanne''s fight against Mesties. There was already a transparent question mark above his head.


    He did not expect that Jeanne and Mesties'' fight could be so violent that it caused wind and dust to fly and the ground to crack and scatter in the air. All the phenomena he saw happened just from the two people''s footsteps.


    The wind that arose as they moved right and left while exchanging blows was also very powerful. The wind in the air was probably crying because it was disturbed.


    Of course, if only normal human strength was used, all the fighting effects like in the animated movie would not be possible.


    But since they were both experienced Warriors who fought using Mana, they could certainly cause powerful battle effects.


    The magician''s mind knew very well about what great Warriors could do. However, the magician had never seen a battle between Warriors that was that fierce in person. That was why he was a little astonished.


    Because he was too carried away when he saw the fight between Mesties and Jeanne, unknowingly, his mouth looked very wavy. He felt unhappy.


    "How can lowly people like them have so much power? No wonder the young master told me to personallye here. Especially that girl."


    He slightly ground his teeth. A saw-like sound could be heard as he did so.


    "Hmm."


    As he looked at the strength disyed by Jeanne and Mesties, he couldn''t help butpare Jeanne and Mesties'' strength to that of the Warrior ves he had.


    He nced at his ve who was standing beside him.


    Of course, the ve was not only standing like a fool but was also standing by to protect his master so that his master would not be hit by the waves of the fight between Jeanne and Mesties.


    However, as the ve received his master''s gaze, he rxed his guard and focused on listening to what the magician had to say.


    "Hey, can you fight them?"


    The master asked in a dismissive tone.


    "M-m..."


    That ve... He hesitated for a moment.


    Not just hesitated, but he became nervous when he heard his master''s question. His eyes danced irregrly and his body twitched slightly.


    He thought about what the right answer to give to his master would be.


    And finally, even though he had been thinking with that stupid brain installed inside his skull, he managed toe up with a reasonable reason.


    Because he wanted to look good in front of his master, he decided to lie.


    His eyes stopped dancing and went to watch the fight. He saw that Mesties were in a bad position, where Mesties were just running scared while avoiding Jeanne''s attacks.


    With his stupid brain, he managed to make a reasonable conclusion despite having to lie.


    "I-that... maybe if I fight one of them, I''ll be able to win against him. Umm, it''s more like that young man, anyway."


    "Really?"


    "I believe so."


    His master, the magician, was well aware of his ve''s power specifications. Thus, he knew very well that his ve was lying.


    Nevertheless, he let his ve make up excuses as he pleased.


    If his ve was unable to perform well, he would simply discard him without much consideration. Thus, he would never be impressed even if his ve managed to give a reasonable excuse.


    "What a useless ve. It''s useless that I bought you at such a high price if that''s all you can do. Do I have to buy a new ve after this?"


    He ignored the ve beside him who returned to trembling after hearing his words. He refocused on watching the fight between Jeanne and Mesties.


    To be honest, he didn''t care whether Mesties who referred to himself as the young master''s friend was really the young master''s friend or if he was just lying.


    What he did feel was that he felt a little annoyed because Mesties had usurped the task that he had.


    ''It''s a pity that I can''t take them out... well, it''s not bad to let them exhaust themselves first.''


    In his mind, which was already fragmented with the pride of a magician, he was confident that he could defeat Mesties and Jeanne easily.


    Especially since he had just learned a new magic spell. He came with enough preparation. He felt a little disappointed that he couldn''t show off immediately.


    ''Soon.''


    ****


    Pow!


    Bboom!


    The curtains opened with a huge bang. Clouds of dust rose into the air and broken pieces of wood fell to the floor.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The person who caused the explosion of destruction was me.


    Earlier, my body had been sent flying by Jeanne''s fist.


    As a result, my body shot out like a bullet and broke through the wall of a nearby building.


    Since I wasn''t paying attention, I didn''t know whose wall I had broken through. However, I soon realized that the wall of the house I had broken through had led me to someone''s bedroom as I stood up and took stock of my surroundings.


    "Ahhh! Who are you?"


    The scream of the owner of the house whose wall I had broken was heard. She screamed until her scream could break everyone''s eardrums.


    When I looked at her, I saw why she, the owner of this house, was screaming so loudly. It turned out that she was doing something that an ordinary housewife shouldn''t be doing.


    It was only natural for her to scream so loudly.


    On the bed alone, she was seen wearing only a shirt and no pants. The upper part of her body was covered, however, her lower body was wide open.


    With her lower body exposed, her hand can be seen entering the valley between her legs.


    However, I quickly averted my eyes from the forbidden sight.


    I was forced to ignore the owner of the house because I had to go back to exchanging blows with Jeanne. If I stood looking at the forbidden scene for long, I would be approached by Jeanne and be her boxing sack.


    Kicking the ground beneath my feet, I exited the house whose walls had fallen down because of me.


    However, my fate was repeated once I went outside.


    Pow!


    My body took flight again.


    Crash!


    The sound of the building walls crumbling was heard again.


    With just a few moves, Jeanne was able to instantly make me break through another building wall.


    "Ugh!"


    I whimpered in pain while holding my back.


    Dust flew around my body.


    I closed my eyes to prevent the dust from entering my eyes.


    "Caugh!"


    However, because I couldn''t close my mouth and nose at the same time, some of the dust in the air managed to sneak into my nose. That''s what caused me to cough.


    I realized I had to get up quickly. So I ignored the grains of dust in the air and started to refocus. My eyes looked around to find out who else in the house had been victimized.


    Looking at the interior, it looked like I''d been blown through the wall of my own inn.


    It would have been nice if I''d broken through the wall of anothermoner''s house. I mean, if it''s my own inn, shouldn''t I repair itter? It''s not as if I want to see another forbidden scenery.


    Without giving me time to mourn the broken front wall of the inn, Jeanne came crashing down on me without waiting for me to go outside.


    You might be wondering, how long do I have to put up with all her attacks?


    It wasn''t that I couldn''t counter Jeanne''s attacks at all.


    Speaking honestly, although I seemed to be in a state of distress, I wasn''t really in a state of distress. I was just acting like a viin who was being beaten blindly.


    Don''t all viins have to experience being beaten up by the main character?


    ''Why is that one minute so long?!''


    I was waiting for Jeanne''s Emotional Fuel skill to end. After that, I nned to turn the tide. Of course, after turning the tide, I would do thest thing a Viin must do before I could finally end it all.


    However¡­ Although the World System said Jeanne''s Emotional Fuel skill would onlyst for a minute, but why did I feel like her skill had been active for more than a minute? It felt like hours of time had passed while I was being beaten up by her.


    [Emotional Fuel skill was a skill that burns the user''s emotions. The higher the emotion, the more power the user gets, however, the duration would be shorter. Conversely, the weaker the user''s emotion, the weaker the power the user gets, however, the positive side was, the skill''s active period will be longer.]


    ''Wow. You mean her emotions aren''t as big as they seem?''


    I was surprised by the detailed exnation of the World System.


    So it''s like that. No wonder. Was that the reason why the demonic image manifestation effect seemed to fade behind her body, a sign that her Emotional Skill effect had weakened?


    Just as Jeanne and I were about to exchange blows again, suddenly someone came to disturb us. The intruders came from the upper floor of the inn.

 Chapter 91 The 3rd Class Magician

    ?Step! Step! Step!


    The sound of footsteps could be heard from the stairs inside the inn. The stairs connected the lower and upper floors of the inn.


    From the sound of the footsteps, it indicated that the person making the footsteps had been going downstairs.


    It turned out that they were as I suspected.


    They were children from an orphanage.


    I could see that the children from the orphanage wanted to go down the stairs toe downstairs.


    Like a horde of chicks, from the top floor, they descended the stairs together with every footstep they took.


    They crowded downstairs no doubt to see what was going on. What they were doing was perfectly natural considering I had made so much noise. It would be strange if they stayed hidden inside the inn after hearing themotion outside.


    Unfortunately, curiosity can kill you. Their arrival was not a good thing for them.


    Their arrival triggered a signal for me to do what a viin should do.


    Perhaps because they realized that the situation downstairs could be dangerous for them, most of the children immediately headed back upstairs. Only their heads poked out to look down from upstairs.


    But not all children made it back upstairs. There were two children who had reached the lower floor from the upper floor first. The two children had alreadye down and set their feet on the lower floor.


    It''s okay if not all of them. I had already made up my mind that I should target the two children who had already descended to the lower floor.


    They were the additional actors that I needed to include in the acting game that I had been ying right now.


    It turned out to be them.


    I recognized both children''s faces.


    One of them was a boy named Colby, while the other was the girl I helped with the recovery potion earlier, her name was Nina.


    Looking at Nina''s state and the way she was limping, it seemed that she had just awakened from her consciousness.


    One of Colby''s hands was holding Nina''s hand and the other was holding Nina''s waist as if he was helping Nina walk.


    Did they realize that what they were doing was a romantic scene? At first nce, I could see the color of pink on both of their faces. But it didn''tst long.


    When they saw what was happening in front of their eyes, they immediately opened their mouths and pulled away from each other.


    They finally came out of their imaginary world and saw what was causing themotion at the inn.


    They looked at me. Then looked at the surroundings.


    I realized why they opened their mouths and eyes so wide.


    I stood surrounded by the dust that was still flying in the air. The robe I was wearing had holes here and there... again. Wooden debris was scattered under my feet. The debris came from the front wall of the inn that had now turned into a wide open.


    Due to the dust in the air, my eyes were still a little blurry from earlier. However, my eyes had found a reason to ignore the dust in the air.


    All of a sudden, my eyes lit up. The reason was that my eyes were looking at Nina and Colby.


    Maybe I looked like a pedophile viin who was being served a sweet dish. But the truth was I just wanted to involve them in the act I was ying.


    If I didn''t move quickly, Jeanne would thwart me in involving Nina and Colby.


    Without waiting for Jeanne to attack me, I moved and sped up my footsteps. I managed to approach Colby and Nina in the blink of an eye.


    They were startled and were about to retreat when I was suddenly in front of them.


    In a lightning-fast hand movement, I immediately grabbed their necks. Both of my hands managed to grasp the neck of each of them. I managed to grasp the skin of their necks.


    Unable to respond to my hands grabbing their necks, they could only give me a frightened look.


    Even though they were looking at me with such pitiful gazes, I still did not let go of them. I ignored their stares and continued to grip their necks.


    The two of them did try to break free from the grip of my hands, but their efforts were in vain.


    In that position, I nced at Jeanne who had stopped just before entering the inn. She was about tounch an attack on me, but stopped after seeing that I was gripping Colby and Nina''s necks.


    Stopping in the middle of the road, she put on an angry face mixed with fear.


    "What are you doing? Let them go!"


    "Why are you still asking? Isn''t it obvious that I''m holding them hostage?"


    "H-how dare you!"


    She stammered.


    It was obvious she didn''t know what to do.


    If she was still like she was before, she would be consumed by berserk skills. If she was consumed by berserk skills, it would be useless even if I used hostages. But she was no longer the person she was before. She will no longer be consumed by berserk skills.


    That thing could be her advantage, but it could also be her disadvantage.


    Because she was still holding onto her sanity, she became easier to deal with by holding people she cared about hostage.


    In the midst of the tension between me and Jeanne, a stupid magician suddenly came to interrupt.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He walked over from behind Jeanne''s body that I saw from inside the inn.


    How dare he disturb me and Jeanne without receiving an invitation.


    As if he couldn''t read the atmosphere, he was suddenly raising both hands. Then he was pping his hands incoherently.


    p! p! p!


    The sound of pping that he made was really annoying to my ears.


    Even though it''s good that he''s only watching from the side, why does he have toe to interfere? Though I don''t think I need an extra actor in the act I''m ying now.


    "Sigh~"


    I could only let out a long sigh.


    I had to pretend to be on her side, so I kept quiet and let her do what she wanted.


    Including letting her make an expression of admiration as she looked at me. Even though I knew that it was a lying expression.


    "Wow. I didn''t expect you to use such a cunning method. Truly worthy of being a young master''s friend."


    I was quite upset when I heard his words. The tone he gave off was as if he was someone who was ying me and Jeanne in the palm of his hand.


    I knew about the pride of a magician in this world, so I wasn''t too surprised when he acted like an asshole. Maybe that''s why I was able to remain calm and unaffected by what he said.


    Instead of dealing with his strange behavior, I''d rather look into the details about him.


    [Skill Judgement - Activated.]


    [The target''s status window has opened.]


    [Name: Duster Billington


    Title: Magician 3rd ss, Beginner Magician.


    Stats:


    (Strength: F) (Endurance: F) (Agility: D) (Intelligence: B) (Magic Power: B) (Mana Core: Middle)


    Magic Spell:


    Fireball Level 1, Fire st Level 2, Fire Cyclone Level 3].


    So he was not an ordinary person. Seeing as he had a surname, he was definitely not an ordinary citizen you could meet on the streets.


    That answer must be correct.


    Most likely, he was a distant rtive of Marquis Stronghold.


    Seeing as he used a fire elemental spell instead of the lightning that characterized the Marquis Stronghold''s noble household, he was definitely not someone who bore the Stronghold surname.


    The rest of the information was not important.


    I already knew that he was an average magician from the moment I first saw him. Even so, the reason why he was still so arrogant was probably because he was a distant rtive of Marquis Stronghold.


    That fact is indeed quite reasonable.


    Even if he was not someone who bore the name of Stronghold, that was the great noble who controlled this Burgenfield City, he would still obtain immunity or freedom in doing as he wished just by having a rtionship with the Stronghold household.


    The immunity he had included when he stirred up chaos in the middle of the city like this or even did something worse.


    I looked at him. A frown started to form slightly on my forehead.


    His gaze was also focused on me. From the look in his eyes, he was looking at me as if he was disgusted by my presence.


    "What do you want to do?"


    He didn''t answer my question.


    Maybe this was just my random guess, but, did he feel like he was being rivaled by what I was doing that he suddenly barged in and pped like a clown?


    "I think you have shown me enough proof that you are our ally. Let me end the show you put on personally."


    ''What nonsense is he spewing out of his mouth?''


    Without waiting for a response from me, he suddenly began to prepare the magic wand in his hand.


    Does he want to shoot magic again?


    I was even more sure of my guess when I saw his expression which was like a child who was in a hurry to show off a new toy.


    Slowly but surely, a magic circle came out in front of the wand he was holding.


    "This must be your first time seeing a high-level magic spell. This is the new magic spell that makes me a 3rd ss Magician. Take a good look at it. Scorch and be dust in the air..."


    As he chanted, a cyclone-shaped whirlpool of fire began to emerge from the magic circle in front of him. Indeed, the wind-like me was small at first, but, when ites outpletely, I''m sure it will be huge.

 Chapter 92 Great Barrier

    ?Just as warriors have a rank structure, in this world, magicians also have their own rank structure.


    Adjusting the abilities of the magicians, the magician ranks were divided into this:


    1st ss to 3rd ss Magician - Beginner.


    4th ss to 5th ss Magician - Intermediate Magician.


    6th ss to 7th ss Magician - Advanced Magician.


    One of the standards used to determine the high or low rank of magicians was how many magic spells the magician could master.


    The more magic spells the magicians mastered, the higher their rank would be. The higher their rank, of course they would be more powerful and respected. But to be a high-rank magician was difficult.


    When talking about magic spells, magic spells also have their own levels. Magic spells are divided ording to level. From levels 1 to 7. Maybe the division was adjusted to the rank of the magician.


    The higher the level of the magic spell, the greater the power that the magic spell would produce, but mastering high-level magic spells was also very difficult. That was what often hindered the growth of magicians.


    If someone wanted to be a 2nd ss magician, then he had to master a 2nd level magic spell after having mastered a 1st level magic spell. One could not master a 3rd level magic spell when he had just be a 1st ss magician.


    To master a new spell and move up the rank was not easy, so I can understand why the magician wanted to show off what he had mastered.


    When I saw his status window earlier, where the magic spell Fire Cyclone level 3 was written there, I became convinced that he was chanting to cast that magic spell.


    I could indeed understand when he wanted to show off the magic that he had mastered so hard, but I would not understand him if he was going to actually cast that magic.


    ''If he really casts level 3 fire cyclone magic which was likely to have arge power output, he must be crazy.''


    Was it possible that he didn''t realize where we were?


    This was still in the center of the city. Although this area was quiet, there were still houses of ordinary people here and there were also many ordinary people''s lives that could be affected by the magic he released.


    Was it because he was immune to thew that he didn''t seem to hesitate when he had been chanting spells using his mouth?


    The first fireball magic shot he had done earlier did not produce much damage because it was weak, but it was a different story if the magic that he would shot would produce arger scale of destruction.


    ''I won''t let him destroy the inn that I''ve bought.''


    If left alone, not only will the inn I bought be destroyed, but this entire area will also be burned to the ground.


    Especially if you see that he had a fire element of magic.


    It wasmon to know that most magic spells mastered by a magician would cause extensive damage, regardless of the element.


    Because all magic spells have very destructive and wide-ranging effects, rules were made to restrict the use of magic in the city.


    The rule was made by the Kingdom of Misonia and was supposed to be implemented by the nobles in all areas of the Kingdom of Misonia. If not, then the punishment could be given. Even if it was the nobles.


    That''s what should be done.


    However, it was obvious what the end result would be. Suchws end up on paper without ever being realized.


    The main reason was that all magicians were affiliated with nobles. There was no way the nobles would impose punishment on magicians under their control.


    Another reason was that everyone thought that power was thew.


    Such rules restricting the use of magic ended up only calming down themon people. It did not prevent the magicians from rioting in the center of the city.


    Even if he wiped out the area here, he would still be free from the punishment.


    I noticed the extent of the magic circle he had created.


    Fwsshhh! Sizzle!


    As more and more mes appeared in the magic circle he had created, the more intense the movement of the mes in the magic circle in front of him looked. The sound produced by each movement of the fire was also heard more clearly.


    It seemed like he was really going to do it.


    The target that he targeted was Jeanne.


    Jeanne had been standing still staring at me. Her eyes were so sticky on me. Clearly, she was looking for an opportunity to free Colby and Nina, whose necks I was still holding.


    That''s why she realized it toote.


    Perhaps because she felt the heat approaching her from behind her body, she immediately removed her gaze from me.


    Too bad she was toote.


    The magician had already finished reciting the magic spell he had been chanting.


    ".... Fire Cyclone."


    As the magician spoke the keywords of the magic spell he had cast, a ze of fire erupted from the magic circle in front of him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Was she going to have time to avoid it?''


    The Fire Cyclone spell cast by the magician was very simr to its name, which was simr to a hurricane. Only, the cyclone consisted of a ze of fire, not just wind.


    Slowly but surely, the mes began to swirl in the air forming a huge cyclone.


    Swirl! Fwssss!


    As the magic got closer to Jeanne, it became bigger and bigger. Like a snake opening its mouth more and more when it was about to eat a frog, the magic also adjusted its expansion rate as if it was ready to eat her alive.


    When I saw a huge fireing as if to devour her body, I thought she would be eaten raw until she was gone.


    Perhaps because of the wide scope of the fire cyclone attack, I suddenly made such an assumption.


    But that was not the case.


    She had not received any burns. Although the area effect of the Fire Cyclone spell was huge, however, I clearly saw that she was still standing and was fine. She had received no damage at all.


    There was no need to rub my eyes to convince myself that I wasn''t mistaken.


    Jeanne''s reaction when she realized that she had attacked by the fire cyclone was, she put her hands in front of her face to protect her body, and immediately, she was not hit by the fire cyclone.


    Now she held her hands, body, and face in confusion.


    Her reaction indicated that she had been shocked.


    After the sparkling light from the fire cyclone spell appeared, Jeanne seemed to fall silent as she knew that she was still fine.


    It wasn''t just her who was surprised, I was surprised too.


    In order to ovee my curiosity, I used the Judgement skill as usual. And the result was...


    [The target had been using the Great Barrier skill.]


    Without her realizing it, it seemed that she was using her newly acquired Great Barrier skill.


    No wonder she was still fine.


    I suddenly thought about how someone in this world knows what skills they have.


    The way a person knows their skills in this world was the same as what Jeanne experienced.


    Unlike myself who could know what skills I had using the help of the World System, people in this world tended to have to go through various scenarios on their own in order to know what skills they had acquired.


    Apart from Jeanne''s surprise at the new skills she had acquired, I marveled more at the effects of the skills she had.


    The skill she cast produced a transparent wall simr to ss. The transparent wall stood majestically in front of her. It stretched from end to end. Its diameter was probably around 10 meters.


    Amazing result, the barrier sessfully prevented the fire cyclone from hitting her.


    The barrier not only protected her but also managed to protect my inn. As a result, the children and I managed to survive unharmed.


    But the good news didn''tst long.


    "Kugh!"


    Jeanne suddenly dropped her knees to the ground. She half knelt down.


    It seemed that maintaining the Great Barrier skill required a lot of energy and Mana.


    She seemed to be struggling to maintain the barrier.


    I saw that she was stretching her hand forward with all her might.


    But she failed to persevere.


    Crack!


    The sound of something that would be destroyed could be heard.


    Sure enough, a crack suddenly appeared in Jeanne''s barrier. The crack was small at first, but as time went on, it became bigger and bigger.


    Not long after, the barrier broke into pieces.


    Fortunately, the barrier did its job well to save Jeanne, the children, and my inn, so everyone was still safe.


    However, Jeanne''s barrier couldn''t protect all the areas around the inn.


    Look at the situation around the inn, everything was destroyed.

 Chapter 93 Low Mana

    ?When the fire cyclone hit the great barrier, the defeated fire cyclone instantly spread everywhere. Fire droplets spit over the area around the inn. Some of the fire plumes hit the houses of ordinary citizens.


    As a result, many ordinary people''s houses were burned down. Because some houses were burned down, many screams suddenly came rushing into the air.


    "Ahhh!"


    "Arkkhh!"


    "Arfgh!"


    The terrifying screams flowed from one house to another like a musical orchestra.


    Momentster, ordinary citizens who knew nothing were seen running out of their homes. They panicked for a while before they finally began to gather.


    Perhaps it was because this area was quiet, so there were only a few people gathered.


    Some were holding their children and some were just crying on the spot.


    Was the person that was crying because his house was on fire? Or because a family member was burnt inside his house? I didn''t know which was the right answer. All I knew was that most of them were panicking.


    Only a few people still havemon sense.


    And they started chattering.


    "What was happening? How could there be any big fire that suddenly caught and burned our house?"


    "I don''t know what the real reason was. But I think it was because of the magician over there."


    One of them pointed towards the magician who had the name Duster.


    When one of that people pointed at him, everyone else instantly realized what was happening.


    "Isn''t there already a prohibitionw to prevent magicians from fighting in the middle of the city?"


    They muttered while looking at Duster.


    From the look in their eyes, they recognized Duster''s identity through the robe and staff he had used.


    Although he was being noticed and gossiped about by the ordinary citizens, he ignored them.


    Duster focused in another direction.


    Duster was busy opening his mouth and eyes wide like an idiot while watching Jeanne stickily.


    "H-How can you resist my amazing magic spell?"


    He unintentionally spoke with a stutter.


    The target he spoke to was Jeanne.


    However, seeing Jeanne put her knees on the ground, he immediately changed his expression. Her furrowed brows returned to their original position.


    "Sigh. Even so, you must have run out of Mana. Although I slightly, very slightly, admire you, I should end this soon. But before I do that, I seem to have to clear the pebbles that were blocking the way first."


    He nced at the ordinary citizens who were gathered in a fairly safe-looking area, away from the mes and destroyed houses.


    Looked like he finally got fed up too after hearing people chattering about him.


    He flicked his ear as if it was tingling.


    Probably because he was toozy to do it with his own hands, he had his stupid ve do it.


    "Kill them all!"


    The moment themand came out of his mouth, his ve should have obeyed hismand without arguing, but instead, the ve shook his head.


    "I-I can''t do it, sir. I''m willing to buy you as your ve not to kill innocent people, but to protect you."


    "Are you a fool? Since when does a ve dare to disobey their master''s orders?"


    "E-Even though I''m a fool, I''m sorry that I can''t do it, sir!"


    "Hooo. You dare to argue?"


    A frown appeared on Duster''s face.


    Suddenly he cast a magic spell. His spells were short, so he was quick to do so.


    "...Fireball."


    The magic he used turned out to be a fireball.


    Sizzle! Boom!


    He fired a fireball at his own ve.


    The ve did not have time to respond properly. He only had time to put the shield in front of his body. But because he was so close, his shield was immediately thrown in the air. Then his body was thrown far back. His body was charred into charcoal with smoke billowing from his body.


    "You stupid ve. If you obey my orders, I won''t have to kill you. And I will also be able to save my Mana."


    He continued by muttering, "This was the downside of having ves in this day and age. In the past, a ve would have been automatically killed if he dared to disobey his master''s orders."


    "There was no other choice. I had to get my hands dirty to get rid of the gravel blocking the road over there, shit."


    Without another word, Duster was ready to scorch the ordinary citizens.


    Meanwhile, the ordinary citizens could only be frightened. Except for one fool who didn''t understand their situation.


    "Hey, he looks like he would be attacking us? What should we do?"


    "You idiot! I''ve learned about thews of this kingdom. It says that a magician cannot fight in the city. Moreover, if he dares to attack us, he will receive severe punishment."


    One person from the crowd of ordinary citizens said with his chest up.


    He calmed the others down


    Wherever it was, there were bound to be people who boasted of their superficial knowledge. Without knowing that their knowledge was still shallow, they proudly show off what they know.


    One of them had that trait.


    He still believed that a magician would obey thew to not harm ordinary citizens.


    Even though it wasmon knowledge that a magician was very arrogant, so they would do crazy actions and dare to defy the writtenws of the kingdom.


    Those ordinary citizens probably didn''t know how bad most magicians were.


    Indeed, almost no magician wants to deal with ordinary citizens because of their pride, so the response of one citizen was natural.


    As a result of one citizen saying something about thew, other citizens also started muttering scornfully at the magician.


    As a result of their foolishness, they had to face disaster.


    "Fireball!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    A fireball flew towards them.


    "Ahhhh! Stupid! Didn''t you say the magician wouldn''t attack us?"


    "I-I don''t know either, dammit!"


    Theirst sounds left in this world were just stupid words like that.


    Slowly but surely, the fireball approached them.


    Although they tried to run, the fireball''s speed was faster. Had they not provoked the magician, perhaps they would have survived.


    However, due to their stupidity, they had to ept their bad luck already.


    Before they could run, the fireball hit them.


    Kabooom!


    As the fireball consumed their bodies, they burned violently. Embers engulfed their bodies without them being able to extinguish them.


    Their screams echoed everywhere.


    It was certain that their history was over.


    However, their deaths did note at the same time.


    Somested for a long time, but others immediately fell silent as if their lives had been lost.


    That''s how easily human lives in this world are lost.


    "Ahhhhh! He-help!!!"


    "Arrgghh!!!"


    The desperate voices of the few surviving ordinary citizens still echoed.


    Anyone who hears their voices can definitely rte to their pain. Especially if you see them in person, not just through hearing their voices, you will also be concerned.


    I was sure Jeanne also felt the same way.


    I could faintly hear her sobbing voice. I could hear her slightly sobbing voice as she took a breath from her nose.


    If you look from the front, you might be able to see that she had been shedding tears.


    Was she going to save them?


    However, I only saw her punching the ground without moving.


    Was she unable to rise to her feet?


    "W-what... happened to my body?"


    I heard her mutter.


    I could guess what was going on with her.


    She couldn''t move for sure because she had activated her new skills by ident. Berserk, Emotional Fuel, and Great Barrier skills.


    As a result, when all the skills he had identally used had disappeared from his body, he was in that state.


    All the skills he had activated must have consumed all the Mana in his Mana Core.


    From behind, I could see sweat pouring out from the parts of her body that weren''t covered like her neck and hands.


    I can even see that the color of her skin, which was originally a smooth and beautiful white, has now be pale white. That was a sign that she had experienced the early symptoms of running out of Mana.


    No matter how hard she tried to stand up, she still failed to do so.


    She ended up just watching Duster.


    He could hear Duster''s mutterings of annoyance.


    "Tsk! I didn''t expect that it would expend quite so much Mana. What a waste of energy."


    It turned out that it wasn''t just Jeanne who was dripping with sweat, Duster over there was the same.


    After muttering in annoyance, he spoke to Jeanne.


    "Hahaha. Don''t worry. Even if you stare at me with such a horrible gaze, I still have enough Mana to defeat a woman like you."


    That''s what he said.


    But what I thought all along, which was I thought Jeanne wouldn''t be able to stand up, turned out to be wrong all along.


    As if the gods were giving Jeanne luck, she managed to convert the remaining Mana in her Mana Core into power for her body.


    At first, Jeanne was seen getting up with her hands on her knees, but then she suddenly darted forward andunched a punch at Duster''s face.


    Pow!


    Jeanne''s fist hit him right in the face.


    With that punch, she knocked him to the ground.


    "Ku-thwack!"


    Duster had blooding out of his mouth as his head hit the ground.


    "HOW DARE YOU KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE!!!"


    With a horrifying look in her eyes, Jeanne screamed at the top of her lungs. Her eyelids widened until her eyeballs seemed to pop out of them.


    "Wa-wait!"


    Duster tried to say something.


    However, Jeanne did not give him time to speak. She raised the fist that was originally nted on his face and once again delivered a powerful blow to his face.


    Pow! Pow! Pow!


    Faced with Jeanne''s barrage of punches, Duster, whose eyelids were swirling incoherently managed to raise his hands subconsciously to prevent Jeanne''s punches.


    At that moment, I, who had not been moving decided to make a move.


    "That''s enough. If you kill him, I''ll kill these children too."


    I tried to speak as calmly as possible.


    The moment she heard my voice from behind her, Jeanne automatically stopped the barrage of punches on Duster''s face.


    Finally, Jeanne turned her head like a robot. And she managed to see me.

 Chapter 94 Acting Isnt My Talent

    When she was hearing my words, Jeanne finally stopped beating Duster. In a clenched position, her hands stopped in the air. Her face looked at me with her head slightly tilted.


    The look in her eyes was full of hatred.


    Suddenly she got up while still looking into my eyes.


    Her lips suddenly bled when she was biting her lip so steadily.


    "Wha-?"


    !!


    When she wanted to say something to me, she had to stop halfway. Her words were cut off and she failed to say them. The reason was because something had hit the back of her head.


    She must have let down her guard against other things around her so that she was easily hit on the back of her head.


    What had hit the back of her head was a magic staff.


    The magic staff belonged to Duster. Then of course the person who mmed the magic staff into the back of Jeanne''s head was him.


    When he had the chance, I saw that he had suddenly risen like an undead.


    With a face that was already full of dents, he, who was originally lying on the ground helplessly, suddenly crawled to pick up the magic staff that had fallen not far from him.


    He crawled pitifully, but he managed to reach his magic staff.


    After that, he got up using his hands and feet.


    With his back bent and a horrible smile fixed on his face, he hit the back of Jeanne''s head as hard as he could.


    His attack was not powerful, but itnded smoothly on the back of Jeanne''s head.


    Perhaps because Jeanne''s stamina and Mana''s energy were already drained, she immediately fell down even though she only received a gentle blow from Duster.


    That was making Jeanne''s body instantly in a prone position. There was no other movement from Jeanne''s body, indicating that she was about to faint.


    Her eyes began to close slowly.


    Finally, the curtain came down on the show with Jeanne fully unconscious.


    There was no blooding out of the back of her head. Because of that, I wasn''t sure if she fainted due to the blow from Duster or if she was just too tired.


    "Hosh~ Hosh~ Arghh! This was so annoying, shit, f*ck, bastard!"


    Duster mmed the magic staff to the ground while continuing to say words that no child should hear.


    He was still swearing even though his face was covered in bruises. In addition, there was blooding out of his nose and mouth. Anyone wouldugh when they saw him.


    When he finished mming the magic staff, he ced his hands on his knees. The rhythm of the breathing out of his mouth and nose was also very fast and messy.


    Suddenly the system notification window came again in front of my eyes.


    [Congrattions! You have sessfullypleted the Act Like A Viin quest.]


    [The World System begins to assess your performance.]


    [Results have been obtained. The World System has judged that you are not good at acting like a viin.]


    [However, you still deserve a reward for doing the quest.]


    [Rewards are being given.]


    [Congrattions! You got the Shadow Mask and ck Robe.]


    [Those items have been transferred into your Inventory.]


    ''Shadow Mask, ck Robe?''


    The reward I got this time was different from the reward I had gotten so far.


    This time I got two magic items.


    ''I''ll see youter.''


    Regardless of the reward I got, I sighed as I finished reading the system notification window.


    "Sigh~"


    The system notification telling me that the quest waspleted finally appeared and I was able to read it smoothly.


    However, when I read the system judgment, I felt disappointed.


    ''What else did I have to do to be judged maximally?''


    Did I have to kill Jeanne?


    Of course, I wouldn''t.


    I didn''t want to be a ve of the World System anyway.


    So, regardless of the World System''s judgment, I was quite grateful to be able to get a reward.


    ''As expected, I was not good at acting and didn''t have the talent to do acting.''


    I guess it was time to end this useless charade.


    With the appearance of the notification window from the World System, I could stop acting now.


    I could do what I wanted to do from back then now.


    "Urk!"


    "L-Let us go!"


    The voices of Colby and Nina who were still struggling to break free from my grip were heard.


    In case you forgot, I was holding Colby and Nina by the neck. Of course, I hadn''t lifted their bodies up so that they wouldn''t die of asphyxiation.


    "Do you guys want me to let go?"


    "I-isn''t it obvious?"


    "Sure."


    There was no longer any reason to torture small animals like them.


    My two hands, which had been tied to the task of holding Colby and Nina''s necks, were nowpletely relieved of their duties because their job was done. In easier words, I set Colby and Nina free.


    Once Colby and Nina were free, they took a deep breath.


    Huuup~


    Haaa~


    Their mouths are like fish that want to return to the ocean, opening and closing irregrly.


    When they had calmed down a little, their eyes suddenly looked at me as if they couldn''t believe that I had actually let them go.


    "Do you want to save your Big Sister?"


    Their eyes suddenly fell on Jeanne''s body, so I made such a conclusion.


    Gasp!<novelnext></novelnext>


    They suddenly held their breath.


    "There is no need to be afraid. I have a task for you. If you drag the captives--the people who attacked the orphanage that you locked up in the inn-here, I will ensure your Big Sister''s safety."


    "H-how can we trust-"


    The one who protested to me was Colby.


    However, he was forced to stop talking because Nina suddenly stabbed him in the waist.


    Nina whispered then, "Shut up and do what he has ordered!"


    "Why should we obey his orders?"


    "I don''t know why. But clearly, I know he''s not a bad guy. Don''t you realize that he''s not really gripping our necks seriously?"


    "Eh. You''re right too. But why-"


    "Because you said that he was my savior. Ah, never mind. Let''s go to where those people are being held, then bring them in front of him."


    It seemed that they had made up their minds.


    I did notment at all on their whispers.


    After they whispered among themselves, they then went deep into the inn.


    Now...


    "Inventory."


    [Inventory Skill - Activated.]


    I took the Svangur Sword from the Inventory.


    When it came out of the Inventory, the Svangur Sword was still wrapped in a scabbard made of Slime. Then I immediately drew the Svangur Sword until the pitch-ck de felt the free air.


    On the other hand, I didn''t immediately put the scabbard made of Slime into Inventory, instead, I turned the Slime into earrings.


    [You have sessfully turned the Slime into an earring.]


    It turns out that it''s not difficult to turn it into an earring.


    When I imagined small earrings, the scabbard in my hand automatically transformed into what I imagined.


    Next, I put them in my ears.


    I turned the Slime into earrings so that, when I needed something, I could easily turn the Slime into the thing I needed.


    Finally, holding the Svangur Sword, I walked out of the inn. I walked while stepping on the rubble of the inn''s walls.


    With an extremely firm grip, I dragged the Svangur Sword across the floor.


    I focused on Duster.


    "Ptooey~ Haa~ f*ck!"


    He spat blood from his mouth.


    "You stupid bitch. How dare you make me like this!"


    He suddenly lifted his right leg up. He did so with difficulty. He took a stance as if he was trying to kick Jeanne''s body lying on the ground.


    His face was mixed between happiness and anger. As proof, he was smiling. But there was a vein protruding at his temple.


    Scratch!


    The Svangur Sword''s scream echoed as it rubbed against the ground.


    In the blink of an eye, I advanced with the intention of attacking. Before he actually managed tond his rotten soles on Jeanne''s smooth body, I pushed my body forward with all my might.


    [Strengthening Skill - Active.]


    [Amplification Skill - Active.]


    [Swordsmanship Skill - Active.]


    [You sessfully activated the Additional Option on Swordsmanship Skill: Three Sword Paths to Heaven.]


    [You used the basic move sh.]


    [The First Paths: sh (Beginner) - Active.]


    As if my body had been possessed by a demon, I attacked with all thebat ability I had.


    Blink!


    Step!


    I stopped my steps the moment I finished attacking. It happened in less time than the blink of an eye.


    Huh?


    He made a confused face when he realized that I was near him.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t keep that confused face for too long.


    Suddenly, his face became extremely distorted.


    That was because his right leg, which was raised slightly into the air, was suddenly cut into two pieces.


    The part that had already been cut off was his thigh. His thigh was suddenly cut horizontally.


    As a result, his right leg, starting from the knee to the sole of his right foot, fell to the ground andy in a horrible way.


    Yes, I was the one who had cut off his leg.


    A waterfall of blood poured down from his severed limbs.


    It took a few milliseconds for him to realize that he was being injured. However, the moment he realized it, he ended up screaming in pain.


    "Ah~ Aaarrrggh!!! M-my l-leg!"


    Because he lost his leg, he could not maintain the bnce of his body to stay standing. As a result, he could only scream while rolling on the ground.


    His hands tried to grab his leg, trying to convince himself that his leg was fine.


    Unfortunately, the reality was cruel.


    He could only continue to moan in pain.


    Indeed, when a person was unaware of the wound on their body, then that person would likely not feel pain. However, when they see that their body was injured, then, instantly, the pain would run through their body.


    That was proof that the human mind has to realize that its body has been injured in order for them to feel pain.


    I speak through my experience.


    When I went into battle and was wounded, I tended to ignore the wound until I managed to kill the enemy in front of me. Otherwise, my mind would be distracted by the wound on my body and I would feel a nagging pain.


    "Now, are you ready to die?"

 Chapter 95 Mana Deficiency

    Thick steam came out of my mouth.


    I felt a little relieved now.


    Thefort that I had seeded in doing what I should have done in the first ce was sweet.


    There was an unusual scene in front of me.


    Writhing like a caterpir on the ground was Duster.


    I enjoyed watching the sight of him writhing in pain.


    Forgive me if I was happy on top of someone else''s suffering.


    You too would automatically be amused when you see his suffering face.


    His mangled face couldn''t mask his anxiety and agitation. The anxiety and fear of death were clearly reflected in his bulging eyes and chattering teeth.


    His eyes saw the wounds on his body, which continued to bleed.


    I could understand what he was feeling. But it wasn''t a feeling ofpassion that I had for him, but rather just an unfeeling gaze that I had to give him.


    A pool of blood soaked the ce where he rolled.


    I think he had lost about 15 to 30 percent of the total blood volume in his body. People said, when a person had lost 50 percent of the total blood volume in the body, that person would die.


    Maybe he was scared because of that? His hands were shaking as he reached into the pocket of his robe. Then he suddenly took something out from there.


    I saw that it was a recovery potion.


    While he was holding the recovery potion in one hand, his other hand was reaching for the piece of the leg that had been lying on the ground.


    After reaching his piece of leg, surprisingly, he tried to attach the piece of the leg back to his body.


    He was seen trying to pour a recovery potion over the joint of his severed leg with great difficulty.


    Did he think his leg could be put back together in an instant?


    [Judgement Skill - Activated.]


    I decided to judge the recovery potion in his hand.


    [Name: Recovery Potion.


    Grade: Middle


    Description: Could heal moderately severe physical wounds. There was a small chance of being able to connect two severed body parts, but on the condition that the wound was not too old and the healing process would be very long.]


    When I looked at the description of the recovery potion that he was holding, it turned out that it was a recovery potion that had a middle grade. So, it made sense that he was trying to reattach his leg.


    Of course, I wouldn''t let him do so regardless of whether he would be able to reattach his leg or not.


    I squatted in front of him and took the recovery potion in his hand.


    His face grew panicked. He tried to take the recovery potion from my hand. His hand iled wherever I pushed the recovery potion. Left, right, swirling around, he kept trying to reach the recovery potion until he got fed up.


    "Argh! W-why are you doing this?"


    "I don''t have a reason. Just... because I want to."


    "Hahaha. Yes, I was wrong for thinking that you were dancing on my palms. In fact, who would have thought that I was the one dancing on your palms."


    Heughed madly.


    "Maybe."


    I pretended to understand what he meant even though I had no idea what he meant.


    While continuing to y with the recovery potion, I asked, "Do you want this?"


    "O-of course."


    "What a pity. I have no ns to let you use it."


    "H-Hurry up and give it back to me! ...P-please!"


    He tried to plead.


    The skin on his face became paler and paler as blood continued to ooze more and more from his body. Thus he was in a hurry.


    Unfortunately, I put the recovery potion into Inventory instead.


    "Eh!" He was shocked to see the recovery potion disappear into the darkness.


    "Oops!"


    "How dare yoouuu!"


    I was sure he didn''t know why the recovery potion disappeared, but he didn''t seem to care. He was just acting like a person who had almost lost his mind. He was no longer pleading. Only anger was on disy.


    How could he not lose his mind when he was about to die? Of course I realized that his reaction was a natural one.


    But...


    I immediately raised my sword into the air. My sword prepared to parachute attack him.


    I did that before he would have a chance to yell more, cuss at me, or perhaps scratch my body.


    His hand was already holding the cor of my robe as I had raised the Svangur Sword into the air.


    But I pped his hand away and stood up while holding the Svangur Sword.


    [Svangur Sword started drooling.]


    I did not understand what the notification system was for.


    However, Duster''s reaction suddenly changed several degrees.


    [The Fear Effect on the Svangur Sword was active.]<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Enemies near you will receive the Fear effect.]


    Had his survival instinct suddenly been activated? Trembling was felting out of his body. He shuffled backward, trying to get away from me. He was clearly trying to avoid the range of my sword.


    His eyes trembled as he stared at my sword. The only clue I had to determine that he was under the effects of fear from the Svangur Sword was that.


    "Eeek! F-Forgive me!"


    Obviously, he was scared. His hand told me to stop. However, I kept swinging my sword.


    ''Enjoy your first course.''


    I spoke silently to Svangur Sword.


    Finally, a pitch-ck sword de plunged freely and shed through his body.


    Since he was already helpless from the start, he could only ept my sh without being able to dodge it. As a result, my sword was sessfully lodged in his body.


    My attack made his body kiss the ground.


    Hisst breath signaled that he had lost his life.


    Even though he was dead, I still let my sword lodge in his body.


    I didn''t immediately draw my sword, but instead, I let the Svangur Sword perform its final task.


    Slowly but surely, the blood that should have been spurting from the wound on his body was sucked into the Svangur Sword.


    Not only did I kill him so that I could reduce my enemies, but I also killed him because I wanted to feed the Svangur Sword.


    [Svangur Sword sessfully absorbed the target''s blood.]


    [Fear effect sessfully increased slightly.]


    After Svangur Sword did his job, I pulled it out.


    I took in the scenery around me.


    The mes continued to soar into the sky. Thick ck smoke was getting thicker through the clouds. The hot vapor spread and attacked the oxygen in the air.


    The sounds of burning wood continued to be heard. The destruction continued to spread as the fire spread.


    Against the backdrop of chaos, where houses were burning, I crouched quietly.


    Before my eyes, Jeanne''s bodyy limp on the ground. I had been approaching her.


    I watched her.


    ''There''s no mistaking it, she''s experiencing Mana deficiency symptoms.''


    The irregr rhythm of her breathing indicated that she was not in a good condition.


    The pale white color of the skin on her body had not faded. Traces of the whitish-yellow skin color, like the normal skin color she had before, were not visible at all.


    Seeing her like that, I felt sorry for her.


    Was there anything I could do to help her?


    I had heard that the phenomenon of mana deficiency was almost the same as the phenomenon of poisoning.


    Although the cause of Mana deficiency was the use of Mana which reached its limit, the cause of someone''s body being weak and suffering was because the mana core that had dried up had not a single drop left. In that situation, various toxins in the air could enter the Mana Core.


    The Mana core that had been empty automatically absorbed the mana in the air in order to survive, even though it would cause symptoms of poisoning to the user''s body.


    The normal thing was to do meditation using meditation techniques so that no poison would be absorbed or experience other deviations. That was the importance of meditation techniques.


    While the symptoms of mana deficiency could be alleviated by resting and eating regrly, it takes a very long time. Almost a week or more. And during that time, people with mana deficiency symptoms would lose their appetite, which can lead to death.


    ''If it''s the same as the symptoms of poisoning, then maybe...''


    First of all, I turned her body that had been faced down.


    Next, I ced my palm over her lower abdomen. The skin of my palm managed to feel the softness of her soft skin.


    I did this not because I wanted to harass her, I did this to help her ovee the Mana Deficiency she was experiencing.


    After I touched her lower abdomen, I started to activate my Mana.


    Luckily, because she was in an unconscious state. Automatically she did not reject the Mana that I flowed to her body.


    Her body openly epted my Mana''s visit.


    [Poison Resistance Skill - Activated.]


    Slowly, my eyelids closed tightly as Imanded so.


    I concentrated on flowing my Mana into her body.


    Slowly but surely, the flow of Mana began to flow from inside me, moving all the way to Jeanne''s body.


    A little time had passed.


    ? I opened my eyes when I felt that I had sessfully gotten rid of the poison content in her Mana Core. When the poison content had disappeared, the Mana that was in her Mana Core was reced with natural Mana.


    Little by little, the pale color on Jeanne''s body disappeared and was reced with a bright white color like her previous healthy skin tone.


    Her hair was disheveled as it mixed with the dust on the ground and the sweat from her body.


    I pushed away her short red hair that was sticking to her forehead due to her sweat.


    Then, I ced the palm of my hand on her forehead. And it turned out that her body temperature was no longer hot.


    I opened my robe and covered her body.


    When I felt that I had done enough initial handling, I stood up.


    Before Colby, Nina, and the other children came with the ve trader and his men, I had to do something. Especially about the corpses.

 Chapter 96 Love-Hate Relationship

    I had been standing in front of the mes of the burning houses. The color of my face became reddish-orange as the fiery red color of the mes reflected on my face.


    My body felt warm through the senses on my skin. The warmth embraced my body. However, my lips remained in a neutral position as I noticed something in the mes.


    I had thrown the dead body of the nanny in the mes at one of the houses that had caught fire.


    The first thing that caught fire was the nanny''s clothes. After that, the hair on the head of her dead body began to burn, then the entire skin on her dead body had been burned also little by little.


    When the mes ate her dead body, the color of her dead body had changed topletely ck.


    Her dead body was perfectly camouged with the wood that had been burning, helping the mes to keep burning. I was sure her insides would also burn until her dead body became ashes.


    I continued to pay attention to what was in the mes, until finally the arrival of the children inside the inn distracted me.


    Colby and Nina came dragging Pavlova and his men with the help of the other children.


    Pavlova and his men were still bound hand and foot.


    The children stopped dragging Pavlova and his men as they came toward me.


    I was a little astonished when I saw Pavlova and his men. Except for Pavlova, they were in a state of unconscious.


    It seemed that they had bumps on their heads and bodies.


    One of the children said that they had to beat them unconscious in order to drag them here. That was why they took so long.


    Being in the front row, Colby grabbed Pavlova''s shoulders. Then he pushed Pavlova''s back, causing him to fall down.


    "This is enough, right?" Colby asked sarcastically.


    "Yes, you cane over to Jeanne."


    Colby went straight to Jeanne who was still unconscious on the ground. With a worried face, he touched Jeanne''s hand.


    Like a flock of ducklings approaching their mother, the other children also came to Jeanne and also held Jeanne''s hand.


    Unfortunately, I couldn''t give them time to y out the lowly household drama.


    This ce would soon be surrounded by soldiers who noticed themotion here.


    There was no way such a bigmotion here would remain a secret.


    Especially when people have seen the smoke soaring in the sky, they will automatically swarm this ce soon.


    So, there''s not much time left.


    I took a bag of money from my pants pocket.


    There was only Nina who hadn''t approached Jeanne yet. She was still standing in front of me.


    I forced Nina to ept the bag full of money.


    She was confused at first, but I ced the bag in her hand forcefully.


    The money in the bag would be enough for them to livefortably for some time.


    "Take good care of Jeanne and the other children. For the next few days, you''d better find another inn. Only after the situation here is conducive, you can stay at my inn again."


    I was afraid that this area would be closely watched by Yary and his soldiers. Either the warrior or the magician coulde here again.


    Nina''s response was a shock.


    She gaped stupidly.


    "B-but-"


    She wanted to say something, but I didn''t give her a chance to argue or refute it.


    After all, the money I gave her was the money I took from their nanny.


    So, you could also say that I was giving back the money that they should have had... although most of it was of course my own.


    Then, Nina entered the other group of children and told them to leave immediately.


    Working together, they carried Jeanne''s body. They headed in the opposite direction from where the houses were burning.


    Passing through the cracks beside the houses, they were finally lost in the darkness of the shadows of the houses.


    It was quite funny to see them struggling to carry Jeanne''s body, but I had to focus on other things.


    Pavlova, the ve trader.


    When I wasn''t paying attention to him, he was kneeling.


    "Hoek!"


    He looks like he''s vomiting.


    Apparently he vomited because he saw the dead body of Duster that I had covered with a robe. Of course that robe was Duster''s own, not mine.


    I squatted down and pulled Pavlova''s back cor. I aligned my eyes with his.


    Receiving my nce, he quickly wiped his mouth so that there were no remnants of his vomit.


    "Alright. Shall we continue our chat about our previously pending deal?"


    I asked while letting out a smile.


    ***


    On the bed of an inn, Jeanne still had her eyelids closed.


    Once again, Jeanne''s subconscious entered the darkness. The darkness was a nightmare, and the nightmare haunted her subconscious.


    Nightmares of not being able to protect the children, nightmares of being betrayed by someone, and all other nightmares began to invade her subconscious.


    Feelings of sadness, disappointment, anger, all those feelings gathered in her little heart.


    Jeanne, in an unconscious state, began to me herself for being weak. As a result of her weakness, she was unable to do anything.


    Although she often scolded the children, the sadness of losing them could be very deep.


    At least, that was how she felt.


    However, just as she was about to be trapped in the darkness of her nightmare, she felt a gentle touch on her lower abdomen. Not long after, her wrinkled forehead also felt a gentle touch.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Not long after, she opened her eyes.


    Her hand rubbed her forehead and stomach as if she did not want to lose the soft sensation she had previously felt.


    ''Did I just faint?''


    "Ah!"


    Her foggy mind began to get clearer. Several questions began to assail him. What about her fight with Mesties and Duster? If she fainted, did that mean the children had been kidnapped?


    Her negative thoughts forced her to grieve for no reason.


    Unfortunately, her grief did notst long. Her thoughts had to be dyed due to themotion around her. Her ears managed to pick up the sounds around her, which resulted in her lifting her upper body to look at her surroundings.


    "The price for one room with two bedrooms is 3 silver coins. That''s for a two-day stay. The price includes two meals."


    "What? Isn''t that very expensive?"


    "What are you saying, boy? Didn''t I tell you from the start that the price is non-negotiable? If you don''t like it, then leave! Find another inn instead."


    The noise turned out to be from Colby who was arguing with the man who owned the inn where she was.


    Nina and the other children were watching the debate between Colby and the innkeeper.


    When she saw the children around her, Jeanne automatically burst into tears.


    She quickly approached the children.


    Even if this was probably just a lie, she just wanted to follow her body''s natural reaction. That was the thought in her head. As her body desired, she immediately embraced them.


    "What are you doing, Big Sister?"


    The children asked in confusion on behalf of the other children.


    At first Jeanne thought that the children in front of her were not real, however, her head became clearer and clearer.


    "Uh, is this real?"


    Seeing their Big Sister''s strange behavior, the innocent children immediately pinched Jeanne''s cheeks vigorously, causing Jeanne''s soft cheeks to turn red.


    "Ouch, what are you guys doing?"


    Reflexively, Jeanne scolded them. She ruffled the children''s hair and pinched their cheeks back.


    "Swtop, Big Sister!"


    "Hahaha. Thank goodness you guys are safe."


    "What could have happened, didn''t you protect us?"


    "Do you know what happened after I fainted?"


    "We don''t know."


    Jeanne started to get confused.


    Why would Mesties just let the children go?


    She didn''t know the reason. ''Is there an internal conflict between Mesties and that magician?'' her mind began to make deductions.


    But clearly, there was still a sense of resentment in her heart towards Mesties.


    She bit her finger and furrowed her pretty eyebrows. The wrinkles on her forehead began to form without her wanting them to. Resentment and anger were still gathering in her heart.


    "A-and then, did you know where Mesties was?"


    "We don''t know," Nina answered Jeanne''s question suddenly. Nina reced the other confused children.


    "Ahhh~ damn it!" Jeanne shouted in annoyance.


    Her foot hit the floor hard.


    When she was acting crazy, suddenly the robe wrapped around the front of her body fell to the ground.


    It was at that moment that she realized that she had been wearing a robe that she had never worn before.


    A in ck robe without any patterns on it. A robe that could be bought easily at any store you came across.


    Without taking a closer look at the robe, she knew who it belonged to. ''Yes, Mesties.'' As his mind replied, he became even crazier.


    Just as she was about to pick up the robe, she found a piece of paper from inside the robe''s pocket. The piece of paper fell out of the pocket which she picked up and read.


    [Quest Rank: F


    Description:


    Protects the charitable activities carried out by Charity Hope Foundation.


    ce: Clock Tower in the Western district.


    Time: Every day. The recipient of the request cane to the ce in question anytime].


    After seeing that the paper was a request paper, she assumed that the request was a request taken by the Mesties of the Adventurer''s Association.


    "If I fulfill this request, I will definitely be able to meet him." She said with a face full of confidence.


    She clenched the request paper and was determined to go find Mesties. However, she had to take care of the children first.


    She was busy talking to the children, until she didn''t realize that there was someone who kept staring at her and the other children with bulging eyes.


    "You kids. Hey! Aren''t you going to pay? If not, then please leave. Don''t linger here!"


    "Prepare the amodation for all of us!"


    Nina finally intervened and threw a gold coin on the floor.


    Seeing the gold coin in Nina''s hand, the innkeeper who had wanted to chase the children away, quickly shut up and obeyed like a fed dog, who wagged his tail happily.


    A look of confusion was on the faces of everyone who saw Nina had a lot of money.


    ''Why won''t he let me tell them?'' she ended up silently receiving a flurry of questions.

 Chapter 97 A Bird That Cant Fly

    In a luxurious room, where there were vases of beautiful flowers, curtains with aesthetic shades, and chandeliers with a pearly luster, someone was lying on the bed.


    The bed on which that person had been sleeping was also not just any ordinary bed. The mattress and pillow were made of very expensive wool, making them very soft to sleep on. Meanwhile, the fabric that covered the mattress was made of expensive silk.


    Even though the skin-stinging sunlight had already entered the room, the person was still casually sleeping on the mattress. His mouth was open as he slept. Saliva dripped out of his mouth until it fell onto his bed.


    That foolish-looking person was Young Master Yary Stronghold, the only son of Marquis Stronghold.


    He slept stretched out his body that had an average height of a young person. His body proportion was also average, neither too thin nor too fat. He had a brown color on his head. And his skin was white because he was rarely exposed to the sun, a natural thing considering he was a noble child.


    All the characteristics of his body could be said to be unremarkable.


    Seeing that he was only 17 years old, which was just entering adulthood by the standards of the Averus continent, sleeping for a long time on a soft mattress was normal.


    However, there was something that made him different from the noble children at his age.


    Noble children of his age would naturally have fun with their newly acquired powers from the maturity ceremony. They would tend to fire their powers as freely as possible, however, his funy elsewhere.


    All around him were many women. They were sprawled everywhere. Not only were they lying on the bed, but there were also some lying on the floor.


    Something that made the animals astonished was that all the women werepletely naked.


    From just looking at the scene in Yary''s bedroom, one would assume that he had just had some fun with thedies. But you''d be wrong to think so.


    In between his legs, there was one woman who was already awake.


    She was kneeling before Yary''s supine body.


    Twitch!


    "Wow. This is real. Why isn''t it waking up?"


    The voice of the woman reached Yary''s ears and finally woke him up.


    He opened his eyes.


    He was sure that the voice belonged to the woman he had just yed withst night. When he heard her wake him up, of course, he would obey her.


    Rubbing his eyes, he opened them wide. He stretched his arms for a while as he said, "Ugh! Is it noon already!"


    "Yes. Why not wake up?"


    "Okay, okay. I''ll get up."


    "Ah, it''s not you I''ve been talking about. But what I mean is this little-"


    Oops!


    Thedy identally spoke truthfully.


    He had a moment of confusion, but he soon understood what she meant when he saw that she was ying with the small bird between his legs.


    The woman was not speaking to him, but rather to the small object between his legs.


    The woman seemed to wonder why the little bird wouldn''t wake up even though she had moved it around.


    The moment Yary understood what was happening, the fuse of anger in his mind was sessfully ignited. As a result, the anger in his heart exploded violently.


    "How dare you! Bitch!"


    He lifted his upper body and instantly grabbed the woman''s hair.


    "Ouch!"


    "You must be the new woman here. How dare you say that!"


    p!


    He pped the woman hard.


    The woman''s body flew to the bedroom floor.


    Immediately, the other women woke up and came to the aid of the thrown woman. They also whispered to warn her that saying something about Young Master Yary''s impotence was taboo.


    "Ah. No wonder he didn''t do that all night."


    With an innocent face, the woman said a very cruel reality.


    Upon hearing that, Yary became even angrier. He advanced, strangled the woman, and was about to kill her.


    Luckily for the woman, the door to the room suddenly opened and saved her.


    Reluctantly, Yary stopped strangling the new woman.


    "Hey, who came to interrupt? How dare you!"


    It turned out that it was an old man wearing butler''s clothes. It wasn''t just the clothes he wore, he was a real butler. The mustang mustache under the old man''s nose was his trademark.


    If you look carefully, he was the old butler that Mesties saw at the Adventurer''s Association headquarters.


    "Sorry to disturb your pleasure, Young Master."


    The tone of the old butler sounded like a harbinger of bad news.


    Seeing the serious expression on the old butler''s face, Yary realized that he couldn''t keep getting angry like a crazy person.


    "Oh, Winston. What''s wrong?"


    Yary stood up and faced the old butler named Winston more seriously.


    After receiving a serious response from the person he was serving, Winston sent the women away.<novelnext></novelnext>


    And then, Winston dressed Yary in pajamas to cover up the ugly little bird who was notorious for not wanting to get up.


    While putting on the pajamas, Winston said, "Do you remember the ve trader named Pavlova who we told to execute on our n?"


    "Of course! He had just failed in his task of kidnapping the children at the orphanage. Even though the mission was nned very carefully, he still failed. What a fool."


    Yary was indeed the one who had the n to kidnap the children at the orphanage.


    The n to kidnap the children had been in the works for a long time and had been carried out slowly until finally the n was carried out.


    This was done so that he could get the woman he had been aiming for, Jeanne.


    The n had been made very carefully.


    First, he told Pavlova to give money to the nanny who took care of the children. This was done to make the nanny drunk with money.


    The n worked. It was not difficult for Pavlova, as a veteran ve trader, to do so.


    Once hooked on money, the nanny could easily be ensnared in high-interest debt.


    After that, all that was left was to execute the final step. That was making the children the ransom for the nanny''s debt. Making the children the ransom could be said that the nanny was sacrificing the children.


    It was ording to Yary''s wishes and ns.


    If the children had been kidnapped, Jeanne would have automatically gotten involved.


    Yary had memorized Jeanne''s nature.


    Jeanne would most likely be willing to sacrifice herself if given the choice of whether or not to give up her body as a ransom for the children''s freedom.


    With that, his wish would be fulfilled after all this time, which was to get the woman who had the nickname as the Imprable tank.


    That''s how it should be....


    However, Pavlova was defeated by Jeanne and failed to kidnap the children.


    "Since there was no time left, we forced him to kidnap the children even though Jeanne wasn''t on the mission, damn it!"


    It would have been perfect if the n had been carried out while Jeanne was out of town. It was just that the n had to be done sooner rather thanter.


    Fortunately, Pavlova had been given a detection magic item, so his whereabouts could be found quickly.


    "Didn''t we send a magician named Duster as reinforcements? What else could happen? I was sure Duster could defeat Jeanne."


    Yary snorted.


    Then he sat down on a chair and drank a ss of wine that was already avable on the table.


    "Since I couldn''t get him by gentle means, I had to get him by force."


    Yary gritted his teeth, then he muttered softly, "That way, I can show him off to that bastard Gyas."


    "...young master!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    He wanted to say that he had brought Pavlova. It was just that the ve trader named Pavlova was hidden in a corner of the room, thus making Yary unaware of his existence.


    "That..." Winston pointed in the direction Pavlova was.


    Only after he told Yary did Yary realize Pavlova''s existence.


    Pavlova then came in front of Yary with a body full of cold sweat. His legs became limp as if they had turned into jelly.


    It turned out that not only did hee with nothing, but he also brought a souvenir. The object he was carrying was wrapped tightly in cloth.


    Tuk!


    "Eh!"


    However, due to the nervousness he felt, he fell over instead. As a result, the item he was carrying slipped out of the bundle of cloth and fell rolling down.


    Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a human head.


    Fresh blood had been dripping down from the cut on the head''s neck.


    Although the face of the severed head was destroyed, the eyes of the severed head were ring, depicting how much he suffered at the time of his death.


    Upon seeing the chunk of head on the floor, Yary immediately spits out the wine in his mouth.


    "Kough!!!"


    Not stopping there, he also quickly squatted down and vomited the contents of his stomach. All the food he had eatenst night just came out.


    "Blerrggh!"


    "Are you alright, Young Master?"


    Quickly, Winston held the back of Yary''s head.


    It was only natural for him to vomit because it was something so disgusting.


    After vomiting, Yary cleaned his mouth and shouted, "A-are you crazy? How could you bring such a horrible thing here?"


    "B-But... young master. That was the head of the magician who came to help me."


    "What nonsense is that?"


    Yary did not believe it at first, but then he became convinced after looking at the face of the severed head more closely. There was no mistaking that the severed head was Duster''s head.

 Chapter 98 Captured

    After Yary became convinced that the severed human head brought by Pavlova was Duster''s, he told Winston to cover the head with a cloth.


    Then he ced his feet on the shoulders of Pavlova who was resting both knees on the floor and was looking down listlessly. He said arrogantly, "Quickly exin what the hell is going on!"


    "Ah! Yes, young master."


    Although still with a nervous and scared expression, Pavlova began to exin what had happened.


    ".... And that''s how it was. After fighting with the woman named Jeanne, the magician you sent had to die there."


    As Pavlova felt a little relieved that seed told everything well, Yary began to frown. He was not a fool who would be fooled by such a nonsensical story.


    "There''s no way that woman can defeat Duster who is already a 3rd ss Magician. If you''re lying, I''ll cut off your head!"


    "Kuhik!" .... Erm... But I''m not lying, young master. Believe me!"


    The ve trader pleaded desperately. Nevertheless, it was true that he was lying. Even so, there was no way Yary would find out.


    What he had told was just a story made up by Mesties.


    Previously, he had made an agreement with Mesties. He had to lie a little about Duster''s death.


    If he didn''t, he would be viting the contract he made with Mesties. But if he did, it was likely that he would be killed by Yary.


    The reason why he lied even though he knew that he could be killed by Yary was because Mesties had been providing another way for him to stay alive.


    When Yary asked Winston for a sword to cut off his head, he quickly spoke up.


    "Aaahh... please don''t kill me. It''s true that he died because he was killed by a woman named Jeanne, but that woman was able to do so because she received help from someone."


    "Carry on."


    "Yes. Luckily, although my men and I failed to capture the woman named Jeanne who was the young master''s target, we seeded in securing the person who helped the woman."


    Hearing that, Yary lowered his foot from Pavlova''s shoulder.


    "Where is he? It depends on how useful the person you brought is. If that person turns out to be just a useless weakling, then I can conclude that you''re just making excuses. I will make your fate the same as that!"


    Yary pointed at Duster''s head which was already covered by the curtains.


    Pavlova shivered with fear at his threat. Until he replied with trembling.


    "H-He''s in the detention room, young master."


    He led Yary and Winston to the room where the man he had brought was being held.


    ***


    I was currently sitting on a chair in a room.


    With my face downcast, my eyes began to take in the details of the ce where I was.


    Dust was everywhere, covering everything inside this room. The floor of this room had be very dirty due to the dust rusting on it.


    The walls of this room were also very dull, looking like they had not been maintained for a very long time. There were cobwebs in every corner of the room.


    Saying this room was just a shabby room might be inurate. It would be more urate to say that this was a detention room.


    This room was a room inside the Marquis Stronghold residence.


    Previously, I had made a deal with Pavlova.


    I had promised to let him live if he would cooperate with me.


    The result as you can see right now, I seeded in getting into the Marquis Stronghold''s residence without having to put in any effort.


    Of course, I didn''te here as a guest, but rather as a spoil of war. So I obviously didn''t get favorable treatment.


    I sat on the ugly chair that was ready to break at any moment. The clothes I was wearing had also changed to a tunic. Both my hands were handcuffed as if I were a criminal. And all around me were several soldiers standing guard.


    Indeed, I was here as a prisoner of war. Despite this, I still rxed without bending my face.


    Instead of being distressed like a prisoner, I was thinking about something else. I began to recall the moment when I had entered the Marquis Stronghold''s residence. I had walked into this residence with my hands handcuffed like a souvenir.


    ''This ce is too spacious and very differentpared to Baron Warwick''s residence.'' That was the first thought I had when I entered this residence.


    Although they were both residences of a nobleman, in all aspects such as luxury and size, they were very different.


    The difference was very evident between nobles from remote areas and nobles from strategic areas.


    If Baron Warwick''s residence was just a Mansion, then Marquis Stronghold''s residence was a castle.


    ''I think it will be difficult to explore this ce thoroughly.''


    During the time I was escorted into this detention room, I scanned the contents of this residence as much as I could. Starting from the structures of the buildingyout in this residence. As well as the level of security in this residence.


    Therefore, a little bit of the purpose of meing here had already been achieved. However, that was not the only reason I came here. The biggest reason I came here was to see Yary Stronghold, the Marquis Stronghold''s only child.


    ''Looks like they''ve alreadye here.''


    As I was busy thinking, I heard the sound of several people stepping into the room I was in.


    "Is the person you''re referring to inside?"


    "Yes, young master."


    The door opened and several people walked in. One of them was Pavlova. He looked nervous as he entered the room.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Meanwhile, there were two more people around him.


    The one standing at the front was the old butler that I had previously seen at the headquarters of the Adventurer''s Association. Servant clothes and a mustang mustache characterized him.


    When the old butler saw me, he narrowed his eyes slightly. That was a sign that he recognized my face. However, he still maintained the calm demeanor of a servant.


    Right behind the old butler was a young man who was probably around my age. He stood in an arrogant manner while holding a ss that probably contained wine.


    Although he was male, he had the pure white skin of a corpse, a physical trait that is typical of a nobleman. Although his skin was white, I thought his face could be ugly.


    I believe he was Yary Stronghold, the only son of Marquis Stronghold.


    As soon as he saw me, he said arrogantly to Pavlova, "Oh, so he''s the one who dared to interfere by helping Jeanne?!"


    "Yes, young master. He was the one who helped the woman named Jeanne in killing that magician."


    Pavlova nodded and sped his hands together.


    After receiving confirmation from Pavlova, Yary began to scan my body and face thoroughly.


    As he looked at me, he suddenly frowned.


    I didn''t know why, but he seemed to be instantly annoyed when he saw my face.


    "Tch."


    He suddenly threw the ss filled with wine at my face.


    Of course, I didn''t just stand there and take it like a fool.


    I stood up and dodged to the side. Although it was just a little dodge, I seeded in not getting sshed by the wine from the ss he threw.


    "Damn. Your face was irritating me. Hey, answer quickly! Who are you? What rtionship do you have with Jeanne? Why are you interfering?"


    "...."


    "Oh. Wait!"


    Before I could answer, he moved closer and snatched the adventurer card hanging around my neck.


    He stared at the adventurer card for a while and said, "Mesties Warwick. Rank F adventurer? Bwahaha. Even so, looking at yourst name, you must be a noble child?! No wonder you still have enough power to interfere and..."


    He paused.


    Looking back, he spoke to the old butler.


    "Have you ever heard of the surname Warwick before?"


    "Hmm. It seems to be a noble family with the rank of Baron in the southern tip of the kingdom. I remember a bit because we received information yesterday regarding a mysterious incident where there were many people who disappeared suddenly from there."


    "Ah. Yes, yes. I don''t care about those boring reports about themoners. Most importantly, it''s certain that the Warwick family is a secluded family, right?"


    "Yes, Young Master."


    "Hahaha. That''s good. Then we don''t need to set him free. I can do whatever I want to him, right?"


    "Of course, Young Master. Even if you kill him, I''m sure it will be fine."


    After receiving the opinion of the old butler, he looked back at me.


    "I think you''re a noble child who ran away from home. That''s not umon. ording to royalw, I should send you back to where you came from and receive a reward from your family, but..."


    Suddenly, he patted my cheek while continuing to speak.


    "Unfortunately you''re a noble child from the middle of nowhere. So, it''s okay if I kill you here, right?! Hahaha."


    It was so disgusting.


    I furrowed my brows deeply and looked back at him coldly.


    "What the hell is that look in your eyes? Don''t you realize what kind of situation you''re in?"


    Suddenly, he raised his right leg as if he was a ser yer ready to kick the ball into the opponent''s goal.


    ording to the look in his eyes, he was definitely intending to kick my most prized possession which was right between my legs.


    ''Does he have a grudge against me?''


    I knew he was impotent, but that doesn''t justify making others impotent too.


    With a happy face, he unleashed a kick with all his might.


    "Bwahaha. Eat this! Since you''ve interfered with this young master''s ns, you must suffer the consequences!"


    Swush!


    His kick was as slow as a child''s.


    That''s why there was no difficulty for me in avoiding being attacked by him.


    I didn''t need any exaggerated movements to dodge, just facing to the side was enough.


    However, the two guards who had been silent suddenly began to join in holding my body. They grabbed my shoulders so that I would stay still without being able to dodge.


    Was I about to lose my most precious treasure?

 Chapter 99 Make Me Your Slave

    The grip that the armored soldiers exerted was extremely strong. However, it wasn''t enough to hold my movement back.


    With just a slight snap I did to my shoulder, the warrior''s grip loosened a bit. Then I took one step back and immediately spun to avoid Yary''s kick.


    "Oh, shit!"


    Thud!


    Because Yary''s body was not strong enough to hold his own leg swings. Finally, his face kissed the floor tenderly.


    He ended up face down on the floor for failing to kick me.


    So pathetic.


    I looked at him with narrowed eyes.


    The position he disyed didn''t match the arrogant attitude he had been disying all along.


    It was natural for him to continue to be arrogant since this was his residence, but, with his arrogant attitude, I was sure he would explode his anger in a more grandiose manner after being put in such a pitiful position.


    "Ouch!"


    He held his bleeding nose. And then, he got up and started screaming at me.


    "H-How dare you to dodge my attack! I will definitely kill you!"


    See, right? As I had predicted.


    I didn''t want to be here for too long.


    It seemed that I had to take care of his arrogant attitude first in order for me to have a chance to speak. If that''s not the case, then I won''t have a chance to speak.


    Maybe he didn''t realize it, but he kept talking to himself from before.


    I let out a gust of breath because of the annoyance in my heart.


    Even though I was upset, I still tried to calm him down.


    "Don''t get angry first. Please listen to me for a moment. If you don''t hear what I''m about to say, I''m sure you''ll regret it."


    "Shut your fucking mouth! Since you seed in making me angry, I will kill you in a special way. I will kill you with the Stronghold family''s signature magic. Get ready!"


    He suddenly wanted to cast magic. If it was the Stronghold family''s specialty magic, then what he would cast would definitely be a lightning attribute magic spell.


    If he really would attack, of course I can''t stay still.


    ''Will I end up having to use violent means too?''


    Both of my hands were currently handcuffed. So, at first nce, I was in a miserable position.


    Moreover, the handcuffs in my hands were not just handcuffs. These were handcuffs that had the function to suppress the Mana inside me.


    [Name: Suppressor Handcuffs.


    Grade: Low


    Description: Can suppress the Mana of someone with a Mana Core Low level.]


    Sounds pretty awesome, right?


    I should be dead without being able to put up a fight with these handcuffs that suppress the Mana in my hands.


    Unfortunately that the function of these handcuffs, which was written in the item description, was useless for me.


    These handcuffs on my hands only function to someone who uses Mana from Mana Core, whereas I don''t have Mana Core.


    Since there was no obstacle for me to use my power, I could fight back if I wanted to.


    It''s only, I was aware of where I was, so it would be a pain to forcibly escape from this ce.


    I also had other considerations.


    tantly antagonizing the Marquis Stronghold''s family using my identity as a noble child was not good.


    If so, I will be troubledter. I was still nning to utilize the noble status I have. Thus, I wasn''t nning to openly antagonize Yary.


    It''s a good thing that I haven''t had the chance to show any resistance yet.


    Suddenly, someone arrived.


    The sound of the footsteps of the person outside the door became clearer.


    The pounding of soldiers'' feet also reached my ears. They seemed to be escorting people who were about toe inside.


    Not long after, the door to the torture chamber opened majestically.


    As soon as that person arrived, everyone immediately opened the way.


    The old butler, Pavlova, and other soldiers also stepped aside. They let the person enter the room grandly.


    Seeing everyone''s reactions, I recognized who he was. The white robe with luxurious blue webbing that the person wore told me his identity.


    Unmistakably, he must be Marquis Stronghold, the father of Yary, the lord of Burgenfield city, or the one known by the nickname The God of Lightning.


    His face looks very old. The wrinkles on his face were clearly visible. On his chin, stretches a patch of grass¡ªI mean, his beard was very bushy. Not only his beard, which was white, but the color of his hair was also the same.


    His facial appearance does not reflect the noble figure who has the nickname The God of Lightning. All I could see from his outward appearance was the appearance of an ordinary old magician.


    Fortunately, the way he walked managed to get rid of the negative impression I saw on his face. He walked with a firm and confident stride. Pride was evident in the way he walked.


    On the other side of Marquis Stronghold''s arrival, there was Yary who was staring in shock.


    Even though he was chanting a spell to attack me, but now he was immediately petrified when he saw his father.


    The magic circle he had drawn broke apart in midair, failing to form.


    "What''s all themotion about?"


    "D-Dad? Why did youe here?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Who wouldn''te when you''re making a fuss like this?"


    "I will definitely exin all of this, dad. Please let me sort this all out! You just go back out, okay."


    Strange.


    That''s the impression I got when I saw the interaction between the two of them.


    Indeed, the initial interaction between them seemed very normal.


    The Marquis came and asked angrily. He did what a father who caught his son misbehaving would do.


    Yary was nervous, looking as if he was a child who had just been caught misbehaving.


    It was only natural for the Marquis to get angry and stop his son. That''s how it should have happened. But what happened next was not.


    Marquis Stronghold suddenly frowned when he saw Yary''s bruised and nosebleed face.


    Even though his body was already very vulnerable, I wonder why Marquis Stronghold''s movements could be as fast as lightning when he approached Yary.


    "My dear! What happened to your face?"


    "Ah, dad. I''m fine. Please stop treating me like a child!"


    "How can you say it''s fine? Why does your nose keep bleeding if you''re fine?"


    "I told you to stop."


    "Alright alright."


    Disgusting!!


    I felt like throwing up when I saw their behavior. How could they have shown such an unashamedly indulgent scene.


    Marquis Stronghold was holding Yary''s cheek and had spoken sweet words.


    On the other hand, there was Yary who had shyly responded to his father''s affection as if he was cranky.


    It was a good thing that it only happened briefly, if it had continued, I''m afraid I would have really thrown up.


    It wasn''t just me who felt disgusted, the other people who saw them had the same thing.


    Pavlova and the soldiers also turned their heads to the side.


    I was sure they couldn''t stand the scene in front of them.


    "Can you tell me about what happened here?" Marquis Stronghold said that to Yary.


    "So it''s like this..." Perhaps because Yary felt embarrassed, moments after he yed the drama with his father, he told him about what happened.


    About the failure of the n to kidnap Jeanne, about myself helping Jeanne, and about myself still fighting back even though I was caught.


    While telling the story, Yary pointed at me as if to show his father that I was the viin here.


    "Hoo, I see."


    "That was why, let me kill him, dad!"


    "Haha. Calm down, my dear. We have to let him speak first. Maybe you have been consumed by your emotions, but I wonder why he can still be calm even though he will surely die here."


    Marquis Stronghold got up and shot me a threatening look. Not forgetting, he also stroked his white beard.


    "B-but, daddy¡­"


    "Don''t worry. We can kill him when he''s done talking, okay."


    "Tch! All right."


    The first reaction I had was¡­


    Wow.


    A surprise.


    The conclusion was they both still wanted to kill me in the end, didn''t they?


    Excessive love that was too much tantamount to poison. I''ve heard a saying like that before.


    Marquis Stronghold, who indulged Yary too much, was probably the same saying.


    "Do you have any words you want to say?"


    "Can I speak now?"


    "Sure. Say whatever you want. Before I kill you for giving my dearest son a nosebleed."


    "Don''t worry. If you give me time to talk, I wille up with such a good reason that you will be forced to let me live."


    "You are quite confident, kid."


    I stared at Marquis Stronghold with a gaze full of confidence.


    Suddenly and with a quick movement, I immediately knelt in front of Marquis Stronghold and Yary.


    My one knee kisses the floor and my other knee I use to support my hand.


    I acted like I was his obedient subordinate.


    And then I shouted out loud. "Don''t you want to make myself an asset of young lord Yary? O Lord Burgenfield, Marquis Stronghold."


    "W-what? Why so sudden?" He was startled by my sudden shout.


    Luckily, my face was facing downwards. So, when I identally smiled, the two of them couldn''t see my expression.


    "I heard that there will be a ve auction soon. Wouldn''t it be better if you took me as a ve and sold me there? I''m pretty sure of my selling point."


    I had fixed my face so that I had a pitiable expression. And then, I raised my head.

 Chapter 100 Marquess Stronghold

    Yary and Marquess Stronghold''s response was interesting to see.


    They raised their eyebrows in unison. Their eyes met each other as if they were confirming to each other that they were both equally surprised.


    Since I was able to find out a piece of information that I wasn''t supposed to know, it was only natural that they were surprised.


    The ve auction.


    The main reason for organizing the ve auction was to sell premium quality ves.


    Most of the ves that were auctioned off were ves from the beastmen race.


    The bidders usually called the auction a special auction of the beastmen race.


    Beastmen were premium quality ves. Apart from their uniqueness, they were a raremodity also because there were no more wars on this continent. Therefore, it was not easy to obtain ves of the beastmen race in this era of peace.


    Although the Marquess Stronghold territory was adjacent to the Varmint Association territory, the ve hunters had to conduct all very-rted activities ndestinely.


    Thus, if they only sold directly, then they could lose. Since many people were fighting over them, the ve auction was the best way to get the maximum profit.


    Actually, not only beastmen but other premium quality ves were also sold there, just like humans.


    That was the reason I volunteered to be Yary''s asset or ve.


    "Pfftt." A muffledugh escaped from Marquess Stronghold''s mouth. "In other words, you want to be a ve instead of just getting killed?"


    "That''s right, my lord. I''m confident enough to fall into the premium ve category." I said confidently.


    I wasn''t talking nonsense.


    Just by my identity as a noble child, I think was enough to add to my marketability.


    Marquess Stronghold continued to watch my face, "Hm-" while looking at my face, he seemed to be thinking hard.


    "I think what you said is quite reasonable." Finally, after touching his beard for a long time, he gave a positive response.


    There was no reason for him to reject my offer.


    Moreover, I knew that Yary was willing to go to great lengths to capture Jeanne because he wanted to keep her as a ve, and he intended to auction her off there.


    For the sake of enlivening the ve auction event, more quality products would be better.


    "D-Daddy, are you serious?" Yary shouted.


    My assumption was not one hundred percent urate. A rejection response had been issued by Yary. He had gritted his teeth in annoyance.


    "Think about it once more with a calm head, my dear. You should always be able to weigh the gains and losses. This can be a valuable lesson for you as the future leader of this region."


    "You mean, I''m stupid? So that I have to learn again, is that it?! I also agree, but that''s if it''s before he''s insolent to me."


    The fight between father and son seemed about to begin. However, after Marquess Stronghold embraced and patted Yary''s head, the tension seemed to subside.


    "Oh, my dear. Calm down. Making a decision for something more favorable can make you more able to exploit your big foster brother," Marquess Stronghold whispered softly in Yary''s ear.


    Perhaps you''re curious about who the big foster brother they''ve been talking about was.


    It hasn''t been publicly announced yet, but Marquess Stronghold has actually adopted a child.


    It would be inurate to call that person a child because that person was already a middle-aged man.


    Since Yary was impotent, it was obvious that he could not have children.


    Perhaps that was why he was allowed to fool around with many women, which Marquess Stronghold probably hoped his son''s impotence could cure.


    I spoke a little out of context.


    My point was, because Yary was impotent, the Marquess Stronghold adopted someone else. And that other person was Gyas Stronghold. He was the same Gyas who became the Head of the Adventurer''s Association of Burgenfield city branch.


    "By the way, how did you know that there was going to be a ve auction in this city? I''m sure any information regarding the auction has been kept secret," asked Marquess Stronghold with a serious expression. His gaze was menacing despite his old age.


    It was only natural that he looked at me with a menacing gaze. In general, very activities, such as buying and selling ves, disying ves in public, and so on were ssified matters.


    It was usually done by ve sellers secretly. However, people in general can still get information with a little effort.


    In contrast to ordinary very activities, all information about ve auction events was kept tightly under wraps. Only a select few nobles, wealthy merchants, and other important people knew about ve auctions.


    Not even the slightest rumor was allowed.


    The reason was...


    In public, while the sale and purchase of ves and all very activities would normally be conducted by the ve seller, the ve auction was conducted by the person who controlled the ve market in this city.


    Should we call him the boss behind the scenes?


    Therefore, all information about the ve auction was kept secret because the boss would be present at the event.


    He didn''t want to expose himself to people from the royal family faction who strictly adhered to the royalw.


    Are you wondering how the boss managed to hide such information so well?


    Understandably, the person behind the scenes of the event was not a random person. He had so much power and influence in the city that he was able to hide the fact from the general public that there had been a silent ve auction.


    There was only one person who fits the above description. Who else if not Marquess Stronghold himself the boss was?


    In the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, it was mentioned that the real masterminds of very activities were the ve traders.


    Indeed, it was not wrong. The ve traders were arguably the ones who ran and were actively involved with very activities, but they were not the real masterminds.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Perhaps Marquess Stronghold used his men as sacrificialmbs when Jullian and Jeanne attacked the very hotbed area in this city, so that only the ve traders were exterminated by Jullian?


    ''In the novel, it has been told that Jullian learned the information about the very den from the ck market. So, it looks like Jullian was fooled.''


    I had heard about Marquess Stronghold, who was the boss of all very activities in this city, through the mouths of the people who participated in the war. That was after the mes of war had spread across the continent. So, there was no reason to doubt the source of the information I had.


    ''Another secret that is not recorded in the novel, huh.''


    I''d better think of a reason that I can give him, about why I know about the ve auction that will be held soon.


    With a t face, I said firmly.


    "Because I''m a former noble. I happened to meet a wealthy merchant in this city, so with a little effort, I was also invited to attend the event. It''s a pity that I meddled in young lord Yary''s affairs unintentionally, resulting in me being in the current state."


    "Hmm. I''ll investigate thatter. By the way, why did you run away?"


    I wonder why he wants to know about that matter.


    "Your background story is important if we want to sell you at a high price." Marquess Stronghold told me.


    ".... The main reason I ran away was because I had been humiliated by Jullian Arkie."


    "Oh, you mean the eldest son of Duke Arkie?"


    "I think so."


    "Ha ha ha. What a good story. Well..."


    Marquess Stronghold took out a paper from beneath the pure white robe with blue lines he wore.


    What he took out was a paper.


    I can guess what it is.


    [Name: Agreement Paper.


    Grade: Low


    Description: A paper mass-produced by a magician. It contains a magic that prevents people from hurting and harming the user. Once active, the user can hand over their Agreement Paper rights to another person.


    Conditions: The designated party must agree of their own ord.


    Note: Effects may disappear at any time].


    I thought he was going to use Magic Contract Paper, but that doesn''t seem to be the case. If it''s just Agreement Paper, then it''s just to prevent ves from hurting their masters.


    Moreover, it was a mass-produced magic item, so the effect might be ambiguous.


    Magic items do not alwayse from dungeons, there was also a category of general magic items that could be mass-produced by some skilled magician.


    Usually, the magic contained in mass-produced magic items was very poor. Even though they are in the same category, the effects were can be very differentpared to magic items found in a dungeon or other ces. For example, potions or magic scrolls.


    After taking out the Agreement Paper, Marquess Stronghold then recited a magic spell. Then the Agreement Paper that he held began to emit light.


    "...You will never harm me in any form. Do you agree?"


    "I agree."


    Marquess Stronghold had told me to agree. So, I answered in the affirmative as instructed.


    With me having agreed, the conditions for activating the Agreement Paper seemed to be active.


    A strange energy entered my body. But I resisted the arrival of that strange energy.


    [Agreement Paper fails to affect your soul.]


    ''This is the same as what happened when I used Magic Contract Paper.''


    I smiled in my heart.


    "Please use me as you wish."


    I said while kneeling in front of Marquess Stronghold.


    Seeing me obey, Yary suddenly came forward and wanted to kick me again.


    However, suddenly a report came.


    A soldier came from the front door and reported to the old butler. He reported in a whisper in the ear.


    After that, the old butler ryed it to Marquess Stronghold. What a structured reporting sequence.


    Was that what you called hierarchy?


    "We have confined the fox to the Nest of Darkness, My Lord."


    Marquess Stronghold clicked his tongue when he heard the report.


    In contrast to Marquess Stronghold, I let out a bright smile in my heart.


    ''I finally know where she''s been locked up.''


    The Real Viin.

 Chapter 101 Clock Tower

    I was escorted out of the Marquess Stronghold residence by two soldiers wearing full body armor with spears in their hands.


    Every time they walked, their hands that weren''t holding spears would inevitably push my body.


    They both forced me to walk faster.


    The way the two soldiers walked was very arrogant.


    They were already acting like kings even though they were both useless soldiers.


    Their attitude must be because they both were the soldiers of this territory lord.


    Every time I received a push on my back from the two of them, I acted as if I was going to fall down from losing my bnce.


    I had to do that until we came outside the Marquess Stronghold residence.


    After we passed through a gate that led out of the Marquess Stronghold residence, we literally left the magnificent Marquess Stronghold castle building behind our backs.


    There was something that had been waiting for us outside the Marquess Stronghold residence.


    There was a horse-drawn carriage. The horse-drawn carriage was waiting patiently in the middle of the road leading towards the city.


    Although I had left the Marquess Stronghold''s castle building, I wasn''t directly in the center of the city. There was still arge park that I had to go through to reach the cityter. And that''s where the horse-drawn carriage was.


    the horse-drawn carriage that was waiting for me was not like an ordinary horse-drawn carriage.


    Apart from the fact that there was a horse ready to pull the carriage in front, what differentiated it from the usual horse-drawn carriage was the shape of the carriage.


    Where the stately and ornate carriage should have been, there were big iron bars that had reced the normal carriage.


    Rust had clearly eaten away at the surface of the iron bars carriage. The big iron bars carriage was clearly visible to everyone''s eyes as a ce that was usually used to transport ves.


    "What are you waiting for, hurry up and get in!"


    The soldiers behind me pushed me hard. They forced me to get into the iron bars carriage after they opened the door of the iron bars carriage.


    With my hands still handcuffed, I struggled to get on top so that the two soldiers would get even more annoyed.


    Eventually, they both threw me into the iron bars carriage by force.


    My body rubbed against the surface of the carriage''s iron bars, which were made of wood. Only the sides and top have iron bars.


    When I got inside the iron bars carriage, the two soldiers immediately closed the door of the iron bars carriage and locked it. Then they covered the entire iron bars carriage with a ck cloth.


    The two of them could be heard immediately getting on the horses that had been provided at the side, they were escorting on the right and left of the horse-drawn carriage.


    Inside the iron bars carriage, I sat alone. My face and body were covered in dust spots. I''m sure I was horrible looking. It was enough to make anyone believe that I was a ve, I think.


    The light from the sun that should have cast a glow around me became lost when the thick andrge cloth covered the carriage.


    Only the sound of a horse''s footsteps could be heard. Signaling that the horse-drawn carriage was starting to move. The urge on my butt was also getting tighter as the speed of the horse-drawn carriage elerated.


    When the horse-drawn carriage was still walking, the coachman who was moving the wheel suddenly said something to me.


    "How did you feel now?"


    He asked with a tone of mocking.


    When I heard his voice, I knew who he was. It turned out to be Pavlova who was the coachman of the horse-drawn carriage.


    "What do you want?"


    "Nothing. I just want to mock you for getting caught on purpose. I think you''re too stupid. From now on, you will be a ve for the rest of your life."


    "I don''t care about your opinion."


    "Tsk! Do you know where we''re going? We''re going to a ce where ve races like you will be gathered. In that ce, don''t expect to feelfortable."


    "Are we going straight there?"


    "Of course. Do you regret letting me go and getting caught on purpose?"


    "No."


    "I believe you have regre-"


    He was silent after I answered strictly.


    "Y-you-" He uncovered the ck cloth covering the iron bars carriage and looked at me with an angry face. However, he could only be angry without being able to do anything to me.


    the horse-drawn carriage continued walking for a while. Until finally around the horse-drawn carriage it suddenly became crowded. There was a crowd around. I heard the sound of people shouting loudly and very noisy.


    I tried to peek out. Luckily there was a small tear in the cloth so I could peek out.


    Looking at the buildings around, it seemed that this was a ce in the city. In other words, the horse-drawn carriage carrying me had arrived in the center of the city.


    It wasn''t the sight of people walking or shopping that I saw as I peeked out, but rather a line of children and underprivileged people waiting in line. They were lined up like a snake on the side of the road.


    From the small gap where I peeked, I couldn''t see the top of their queue.


    There were some adults who were securing a line of children and the underprivileged.


    They were wearing normal clothes so as not to scare the children and the underprivileged.


    However, some have spears on their backs, while others wear swords around their waists.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Some of them kept shouting.


    "Please queue up to take your share."


    "Hey, you guys over there! Don''t push! If you keep doing that, you won''t receive your share!"


    "Those who engage in fighting will be cklisted immediately and will not be able to participate in this charity event anymore."


    The shouts of the adults who were securing the event continued to be heard.


    If you took a quick nce, it was obvious that there was an event going on in this ce.


    I shouldn''t have known the reason why those children and underprivileged people were lining up. However, I could guess the reason why they were lined up.


    They must havee here and queued up to get a parcel of food, clothes, or whatever it was.


    I suddenly remembered a request that I originally wanted to do from the Adventurers Association. A neglected quest that no one wanted to take. An event held by the Charity Hope Foundation.


    And... A trap to capture children and underprivileged people so that they can be used as ves.


    I suddenly heard the muttering of Pavlova who was in the coachman''s seat,


    "You annoying pest. Laugh while you can. You may not realize it, but you are being screened for very."


    He muttered condescendingly.


    But, in fact, what he had said was true.


    Some children would be caught immediately and quietly, and there were also children who would be allowed to live a little longer.


    If I had a heroic spirit, I would definitely rush forward and eradicate the perpetrators, but I have no intention of doing that.


    I remained inside the iron bars carriage.


    The horse-drawn carriage continued to make its way to the front of the queue of children and the underprivileged. Not long after, we finally arrived.


    An adult man was sitting at a desk. He was taking notes on each child who queued up.


    "Next, pleasee forward!"


    He was someone who had some sort of authority to move the queue.


    Every child he called came forward.


    Surprisingly, the child did not immediately receive a parcel of food or clothing. Instead, the child was told to enter a building behind an adult man.


    The building was a clock tower.


    A clock tower towers high into the sky. The clock tower stands out from the other buildings around because of its height and architectural splendor.


    At the top of the clock tower, there was clearly a giant clock installed. It was the only clock in Burgenfield city.


    The ce where the clock tower was built has six crossroads.


    Perhaps it was done so that people could see the beauty of the only clock that shows the specific time in the city.


    Underneath the clock tower building, there was a door. It was a door that could only be passed through when a charity event was being conducted. Ordinary citizens are forbidden to enter the clock tower building.


    Thew of the city reads thus.


    It was done so that Marquess Stronghold''s secret of very could remain in the shadows.


    While my mind was upied, Pavlova suddenly spoke,


    "Pfft. Are you curious why we have to stop here?"


    "No."


    "I will tell you. Only inside this clock tower building can we reach the path to the ce we''re going to. So that-"


    He stopped talking.


    the horse-drawn carriage also suddenly stopped.


    Then, the iron bars carriage, which I was on, shook violently.


    "You bastard! Can you listen to my exnation until the end?"


    He shouted loudly.


    From the image of him, I knew the shake that happened was because he was kicking this iron bars carriage.


    Because he was doing something so conspicuous, he automatically became the center of attention. The children and underprivileged people who were waiting in line must have been looking at him.


    He must be embarrassed.


    He sat back down and said, "Hyaaa!" while whipping the horse.


    The horse-drawn carriage finally entered the clock tower through another door, different from the entrance of the children and underprivileged people who were waiting in line.


    Inside the clock tower was a Teleport Gate that would take me to the ce where ves were gathered before being sold.


    The ce was called The Nest of very.

 Chapter 102 The Slave Audition

    Ka-nk!


    The door of the iron bars carriage opened.


    "Down!"


    Pavlova''s voice was very harsh when he had told me to get down.


    ording to what he wanted, I immediately got down and stepped onto the floor where the horse-drawn carriage had stopped.


    When I was down, the horse-drawn carriage was immediately taken out by another person who suddenly appeared from inside the clock tower.


    There was only Pavlova and two soldiers who seemed ready to guide me. While following them, I paid attention to the inside of the clock tower.


    The first thing that caught my attention was, the amount of light inside the clock tower. That was a very small light.


    I had been sure there was very bright sunlight outside. But why was the inside of the clock tower was so dark? Not much lightes in. The light only came from a few small air ducts in some ces which had been installed.


    It was like being in a different world.


    Not only was there limited visibility due to theck of light, but the inside of the clock tower was also very soundproof.


    There was no noise sound from outside sessfullying inside. I wasn''t sure if the clock tower had used the concept of soundproof room technology. I had been more convinced that this ce used some kind of magic scroll.


    I started looking at the interior of this ce.


    There should be arge machine or pendulum in the middle of the clock tower building so that the clock on top of the tower can keep ticking. However, I didn''t see it.


    I just kept walking in a small alley.


    Could it be that parts of the machine have been reced using magic technology in this world? Or perhaps the core of the clock tower is in another ce or room?


    Since this clock tower had to be veryrge, bigger than some of the famous clock towers on earth, I didn''t know the exact answer.


    "Hmm?"


    I stopped when I found a tall, perforated wooden nk that looked as if it were in charge of separating the hall I was in from another room.


    Is this ground floor some kind of maze? I became very anxious.


    I nced at what was in the other part of the room through the cracks in the wooden nks like a stalker.


    Even though the light here was minimal, I could still clearly see what was there.


    ''Oh¡­''


    It turned out that there was arge room without any furniture there. The main entrance hall leads into the clock tower there, it seems.


    And¡­ there was an entry hall for children and underprivileged people who were participating in charity activities.


    I knew because there happened to be a face I saw outside that had juste inside. He was a thin, shabby old man.


    He was greeted by several men that had been already waiting inside. Some of them sat on chairs, but some of them stood so that they formed a line like the judges.


    "You already know the rules, right?! If you want to take this wheat, you have to take off your clothes!"


    They told the slum old man to take off his clothes. Not only clothes but also pants and all the things that stick to his body.


    Not waiting long, the manplied with the request of the judges in front of him and took off his clothes. He waspletely naked in front of the judges. There was no hint of embarrassment on his face.


    "Hmm. Fine. Give him his share."


    One of the judges ordered the person beside him and the person beside him immediately gave something to the seedy old man.


    What was given to the shabby old man was a grain. I saw that there were already many small grain sacks neatly arranged at the sides. The gaps in the sacks revealed that the contents inside were a piece of wheat.


    "This is your share. Pleasee out."


    "Thank you, sir."


    One person had gotten his share and had been told to leave.


    Then, another person entered. This time it was a woman. He seems to have a standard face.


    "Wasn''t she a prostitute, why is she here?"


    "You know her?"


    "Yeah, that''s it. I tried her before."


    "All right. Take care of her immediately."


    This time, unlike the shabby old man before, the woman was immediately approached and caught just like that.


    The woman''s hands were handcuffed without her having the chance to refuse.


    "W-what are you doing? Don''t I just need to undress to get food?"


    The woman screamed in confusion. Even though her hands were originally in the position to undress her clothes, instead, she was immediately arrested.


    It was a pity that the man prevented the beautiful sight from appearing.


    The woman keeps trying to rebel. Her feet continue to be forced to step back and go out. But her efforts were in vain. Her hand was gripped tightly by the man firmly.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Even so, she tried another way, namely by screaming at the top of her lungs.


    "H-Help meeee!"


    "It''s useless for you to scream."


    Obviously no one would go to help her.


    Even if she screamed loudly, there would be no one outside who could help her, since this ce was soundproof. Herst attempt failed and she ended up being dragged up a flight of stairs. The stairs lead to the top of the clock tower.


    And that''s how the ve traders secured their supply of goods.


    It was clear that the fate of women would be very.


    As I focused on peeking, I felt a touch on the top of my head. My hair seeded to identify that someone''s hand was holding my head.


    Turns out it was Pavlova''s hand.


    "What are you doing? Quickly follow me!"


    He tried to turn my head so that my face could look back at him. However, I immediately brushed off his hand.


    I smiled disdainfully when I saw his arrogant behavior.


    "Do you want to die right now?"


    "Cough!"


    He coughed instead of maintaining an arrogant expression.


    Maybe because we were in a rush, he ignored my attitude and told me to focus on following him.


    I continued to follow him and ignored the ongoing ve selection auditions.


    Leaving the hall, I was led to climb the stairs leading up.


    Pavlova took the lead in front of me and two soldiers followed me from behind.


    The more I followed in Pavlova''s footsteps, the farther I went up. We climbed the stairs simultaneously. Until finally, we reached the top of the stairs.


    As I reached the top of the stairs, there was another person who had juste up from the other stairs. It turned out to be the woman I had seen earlier.


    She came by a different flight of stairs from me, but our destination seemed to be the same room.


    When we both reached the top of the stairs, we found a door to a room.


    The room we were headed for had two soldiers guarding the door who had been standing to the left and right of the door while holding spears. When they saw us, they opened the door.


    We entered the room together.


    I remained still and calm as I entered the room.


    Meanwhile, the woman who had just graduated from auditions to be ves continued to rebel and scream incoherently. However, when she looked inside the room, she immediately froze. Astonishment was evident on her face.


    It was not the darkness that greeted us, but sunlight from the sky.


    It turned out that the ce was an observation room.


    I entered with a slightly amazed face.


    There was arge and majestic ss covering the entire ceiling of the observation room.


    The existence of the ss, in addition to preventing strong winds in the air, can also make people who enter the observation room can see what is outside directly.


    The entire contents of Burgenfield could be seen from the observation room.


    This kind of scenery, in this non-modern era, if you are not a person with many privileges, then it is impossible for you to see it.


    Unfortunately, the feeling of having received special treatment had to end when the woman and I saw what was in the observation room.


    There were already a lot of people there.


    They all wore shabby clothes, had faces full of dust, disheveled hair, and emitted a foul odor into the air. Another thing they had inmon was that their hands were handcuffed.


    They were clearly ves.


    In addition to the human ve candidates, I could also see that there were some beastman ve candidates there. The animal tails and ears on their bodies made them very recognizable.


    And... right in the center of the observation room, there was a device called a teleportation gate.


    In addition to vehicles like horse-drawn carriages that everyone used to move from one ce to another, there was another alternative that could be used by certain people.


    The special ones are for magicians and nobles.


    People like them would want a way to travel to distant ces with something more special than having to use the same methods used by ordinary lowlifes.


    The special way I''m referring to is by using a teleportation gate.


    And in front of me right now there is already a Teleportation Gate.

 Chapter 103 Nest Of Slavery (1)

    There were many reactions shown by people in the observation room, which has been covered with arge ss dome.


    Among all of them, no one has a calm face other than me. Most of their faces were annoyed, angry, and many were sad.


    Along with my footsteps, I paid more attention to the atmosphere in the observation room.


    There were one or two people sitting on the floor hugging their legs with their handcuffs. Their positions are scattered, not in one group.


    My ears began to listen to what came out of their mouths.


    "What will happen to us? Will we be killed? Or maybe even given to the monsters as food?"


    Their negative thoughts gush out of their heads as their mouths continue to speak negative words. They kept muttering imagining the bad scenario that might happen to them.


    I ignored the purple steaming from them, which was starting to fill the room. The direction of my eyes shifted to another ce.


    "Hwaa~ dad~ mom~"


    There were some children who were crying and calling their parents.


    They were crying and whining on the floor. Their tears of suffering spilled onto the floor. They must be confused and frightened.


    ''Target market for child ves¡­'' My misguided thoughts were surfing somewhere.


    I''m not sure if they actually had parents or not, but they were likely children who had been abandoned by their families.


    If they were from affluent families, then they wouldn''t being to a charity event and getting kidnapped here.


    ''It won''t be long until their innocent cries leave their faces.''


    At another ce¡­


    "You damn human! I will definitely kill you if I get out of here!"


    A dangerous mutter escaped from the mouth of one of the beastmen.


    "If it wasn''t for our negligence while patrolling the border, we wouldn''t have been able to kidnap you using some sneaky means!"


    While continuing to utter the sighs that had been in his heart, he mmed his feet against the floor as hard as he could.


    Despair, crying, and anger filled the entire observation room.


    Among the would-be ves, there were herders. I called it that because they were soldiers who were tasked with securing the crowd of would-be ves.


    "Hey, let me go! This is kidnapping! You will receive punishment if you don''t let us, the royal family!"


    An example was one of the people trying to rebel. The man was immediately secured by the herders.


    Pow!


    Argh!


    He was punched in the stomach and he fell face down. His back was then stepped on like a cockroach. He was forced to wriggle on the ground to the extreme of misery.


    The other would-be ves who wanted to rebel also froze in ce and sat quietly as they watched that person''s fate.


    While stepping on the back of the would-be ve who had rebelled earlier, the herder tried to say something, not only to those who had tried or had rebelled, but also to everyone in the observation room. Especially to humans, not beastmen.


    "Keep quiet! Stay calm! It''s useless if you rebel, your fate is already decided from here. There will be no one to help you. From the start, you were poor people who would not remember you even if you had disappeared. "


    Just like that person said, the thing that should have happened was, people would start to feel that something was off about the charity event when a few people had disappeared inside the clock tower.


    But nobody cares.


    The proof is there are still many people who queue to get food.


    Getting the chance to be able to live a little longer is better than dying miserably on the side of a slum road.


    ''I also have that experience¡­''


    I frowned as a sad vivid memory hit my head.


    As I was thinking boring thoughts in my head, suddenly there were several figures of peopleing from the entrance.


    "Get out of the way, all of you! Make way, dammit!"


    They turned out to be magicians. Cloaks were applied to their bodies and magic staffs were held in their hands. And, there is something else they are carrying.


    Those are the things that grab my attention the most. The goods were collected in severalrge sacks that they dragged. The top of the sacks was wide open so I could see what was inside.


    Magic Crystals.


    There are a lot of them.


    ''It must be to activate the teleportation gate.''


    They continued walking while dragging the magic crystals in the sack towards the center of the room, where the teleportation gate device was.


    The teleportation gates device in the center of the room had a horizontally coiled structure. In an easier way, maybe you can call it a round disk, big, wide and thick. Like an altar where heretical beliefs perform rituals? Maybe so.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Regardless of the shape of the teleportation gates device, I know why magicians woulde carrying magic crystals.


    Magic crystal was the main power source to activate the teleportation gate.


    And the arrival of the magicians was because they were the people in charge of activating the teleportation gate.


    Without the presence of magicians or without magic crystals, the teleportation gate will not be active for use.


    The teleportation gate device requires a special incantation to be activated. The incantation was obtained from the moment when someone found the teleportation gate device.


    There was no way a magician could create teleportation gates. Such an amazing device one could only obtain from a dungeon of near-impossible difficulty.


    It took extraordinary strength to get it. Thebined forces of several famous noble family heads might just be able to get their hands on one. That is if a dungeon with a teleportation gate is found.


    In the past few hundred years, there hasn''t been a dungeon that has a teleportation gate device.


    Actually, it wasmon for nobles to travel using teleportation gates.


    Although teleportation gate devices only exist in big cities, their existence itself is not a secret.


    It should be noted that all teleportation gate devices in major cities should have been registered and supervised by the royal family.


    How could Marquess Stronghold get one and store it here? That was the question.


    How Marquess Stronghold managed to get to the teleportation gate and managed to keep it a secret is a mystery.


    Perhaps, the existence of the teleportation gate ced by Marquess Stronghold in this secret ce is what allowed very activities in Burgenfiled city to continue to exist even though the royal family had banned very activities.


    When the magicians were standing in front of the teleportation gate device, several herders approached them and asked, "Is it time yet?"


    "Yes, herd them in!


    Magicians tell the herder to herd people in or stand on the teleportation gate.


    Then, several people were brought in.


    There were about 5 people who were herded first.


    They looked confused and wanted to rebel. Then the holder told them that they would receive a full exnation when they were on the other side of the teleportation gate.


    Too bad, there is one person who still insists on rebelling.


    sh!


    Without saying much more, the holder immediately shed the person''s head.


    The atmosphere which was already full of tension became even more tense and frightening.


    The holder then takes one more person so that the number entering the teleportation gate bes 5 people. This was done because in one activation, the teleportation gates device can only transport five people.


    Without waiting for long, the magicians immediately chanted a magic incantation in unison as five people were standing where they should be.


    They had finished cing several magic crystals on top of the teleportation gate device. The magic crystals then evaporated into the air as a magic circle appeared above the teleportation gate devices.


    Colorful light started to cover the entire top of the teleportation gate device. The light devoured the five people who had been standing in fear. As the dazzling light faded, the existence of the five people just now hadpletely disappeared.


    Five people were then herded in.


    Then they disappeared.


    And so it goes.


    The more people transferred, the fewer magic crystals that were brought by the magicians.


    One of the reasons why magic crystals were always sold was because magic crystal was a tool to activate the teleportation gate.


    And there was no way Marquess Stronghold would be willing to spend as much capital as buying magic crystals if he didn''t profit from the ve business.


    When I daydream unclear, it was time for my turn. I am standing above the teleportation gate.


    "Goodbye. May you suffer, hahaha!"


    A happyugh came out of Pavlova''s mouth when he saw that I was already standing above the teleportation gate.


    His job to guide me was already done.


    It wasn''t a sweet farewell he gave me, he instead reminded me that Yary had prepared a present in another part of the teleportation gate.


    "Don''t worry. I''lle back and kill youter. Just enjoy the rest of your life!"


    I said goodbye with a smile to Pavlova. My hand waved in the air, until finally, the colorful light obscured my view.


    Syyuuuttt!


    Clip!

 Chapter 104 Nest Of Slavery (2)

    The white light wrapped around my body. My eyes began to feel very dazzled.


    It was exactly at that moment that my mind began to wander.


    I started to close my eyes. Not only so that I wouldn''t feel too much re, but also so that my brain would travel more smoothly.


    ***


    Demon Lord and Hero of Light.


    That was the title of the novel. The words were clearly written on the cover at the front. You would be able to read the title of the novel without difficulty in just one nce.


    What did you think when you read the title?


    For me, when I was reading a title that had the word Hero of Light, the figure that Hero of Light refers to was definitely the figure that would be the main character.


    And sure enough, when I read it, the Hero of Light was indeed the main character, that was Jullian.


    Then, who was the Demon Lord figure written in the title of the novel?


    From the moment I read the word Demon Lord in the title of the novel, my mind automatically guessed that the Demon Lord would be the final boss that the main character, Jullian, would fight.


    But it turns out I was wrong.


    I read word after word and paragraph after paragraph. I also went back and forth page by page to find out who the demon lord character was.


    Maybe I had missed the part that told the demon lord''s character. That''s why I was confused.


    But when I finished reading the novel until the Epilogue, I still never found the Demon Lord character.


    Even though the word Demon Lord was clearly disyed in the title of the novel.


    How did that happen?


    In the novel, it was only told that the Demons who invaded the human world were led by 72 Demon Commanders from the demon world.


    There was no story about who the real Demon Lord was.


    I couldn''t possibly doubt my memory because I had read the novel over and over again.


    Then, if the demon lord character didn''t exist in the novel, then, who was the main viin in the novel?


    A story will never beplete without the main viin, right? It was like eating food without salt, something that is quite impossible to happen.


    If there is no main viin, or maybe low-level viins, then a novel will never sell.


    Who will read a story if there is no viin? Are you willing to read it?


    I would even be confused to imagine how a story could continue to flow if there was no viin in it at all.


    At least there should be a low-level viin, even if there is no main viin, then a story can develop.


    If the author wants their book to be very popr, then they must create at least one main viin.


    Despite the absence of a Demon Lord character, fortunately, there was a main viin in Demon Lord and Hero of Light. Yes, even though the novel wasn''t popr and I was the only one who had it.


    Are you curious who the main viin was in Demon Lord and Hero of Light?


    You might have guessed that one of the 72 Demon Commanders was the main viin, but you were wrong.


    In the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, the 72 Demon Commanders are just low-level viins.


    They were just fuel for Jullian to continue growing. Let alone their men, the low-level demons. Obviously, none of them have the potential to be the main viin.


    Then who the main viin was?


    There was another figure who bes the main viin. That figure wasn''t from the pure demon race, rather, she was from a different race.


    Beastman race.


    How can someone who has animal ears and a tail be the main viin?


    The first time I read it, I was confused. Inside my head, I keep asking, is this really the case?


    But after I had read the story until finished, I came to know that it was real.


    The beastmen race that became the main viin? Even though the title on the front cover alone has the word Demon?


    I hope you won''t utter cursed words. Because even if you utter dirty words against the novel, you won''t be able to change the ink strokes that have been etched on the paper.


    The name of the main viin was Reine Rosewood.


    She was a beastman from the nine-tailed fox tribe.


    It was said that she became the leader of the demons who attacked the human world.


    She led the demons and fought with Jullian. The fight takes ce right before the epilogue, which you could call it the main battle of the story.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Just like most of the viin characters out there, the fate of Reine Rosewood was the same, she was dead in the hands of Jullian.


    And after her defeat, Jullian betrayed humanity and killed members of his harem.


    Whereas¡­


    She was the only character who has animal ears and a tail among creatures that have dark reddish skin.


    Can you imagine how strong one must be for a beastmen to be the one leading the demons that invaded the human world?


    It wasmon knowledge that the demons would not ept a leader who was weaker than them.


    Therefore, it was clear that she was a very strong character, stronger than the 72 Demon Commanders.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t be the main viin character in the first ce.


    But that''s only when the story ends.


    Like most characters, she was initially a weak character. But she climbed up to the top.


    In the current timeline, where I''ve regressed, I believe she hasn''t yet acquired the power to be the main viin.


    This was the opportunity. My opportunity was wide open to get a potential character.


    What if I get a character that has the potential to be so strong that it bes the main viin and makes her by my side? Just imagining it is amazing. The road to afortable life will definitely be wide open.


    If I didn''t do anything to her, wouldn''t it be a shame if she met the fate that was her path, to just die at Jullian''s hand?


    There''s no reason for me not to think about it.


    Especially when I know her background.


    There was enough information that I can use and exploit.


    How did she be the main viin?


    Why would she want to fight Jullian in the fight that happened right before the epilogue?


    I know all the answers to that question.


    ording to the current timeline, she is not yet the main viin.


    She also doesn''t have enough strength to be the leader of the demons yet.


    Because¡­ she was currently being confined within the Nest of Darkness.


    The Nest of Darkness was a ce that was included as one of the 7 mysterious ces on the Averus Continent.


    The Nest of Darkness was different from the Fier mountain which you can see or visit as you please.


    No one knows for sure where the Nest of Darkness is actually located. Only a few people know. Among those people, Marquess Stronghold and his men knew about it.


    How do they know?


    Of course it was because that ce was connected to the Nest of very, a ce where ves to be auctioned or traded were being ced.


    The only way to get to the Nest of Darkness is through the Nest of very.


    The main reason I came to Burgenfield city wasn''t actually to meet Jeanne¡­ Although mostly it was to see her, but that wasn''t really what I was after.


    If I came to Burgenfield city just to meet Jeanne, then I would try my hardest to make her my ally.


    But I instead let her hate me, right.


    That''s because I''m actually aiming for the real main viin. The main reason I was deliberately caught and willingly made into Marquess Stronghold''s ve was to be able to get to the Nest of very.


    The Nest of very was a top-secret location.


    I did know roughly where it was, but I didn''t know exactly.


    I only know that the Nest of very was located west of Burgenfield city.


    I knew that from the novel.


    Since I didn''t bother to find out exactly where the Nest of very was, I was willing to be turned into a ve and experience the unfavorable treatment of Marquess Stronghold.


    Only by being made a ve can I be escorted to the Nest of very through the Teleportation Gate.


    I could have rummaged through the western part of Burgenfield city to find a ce called the Nest of very, but I didn''t want to waste my time and energy.


    And here I was, in the Nest of very when I opened my eyes. The colorful beam of light that enveloped my body from the activation of the teleportation gate has disappeared.


    Slowly but surely, my eyes began to gain the ability to see what was around me.

 Chapter 105 Nest Of Slavery (3)

    My skin feels the moisture in the air. The very humid air managed to attack my body''s skin.


    My sense of smell also manages to catch the smell of earth that is everywhere.


    Not much wind movement was in the air. The air cirction around me seems really bad.


    How else, because the ce I was at when I opened my eyes was a ce that looked like a cave.


    However, even though this ce was a cave, there was a bright lighting from above. I squinted my eyelids to see the top of the cave.


    There is a clear sky there.


    A round crack formed in the ceiling.


    I can see the sky even though this ce was a cave.


    This cave has a conical upward shape with a round shape.


    It will be easier for you to understand if you imagine a mountain where the top is cut off, then all the inside of the mountain is a huge space.


    And that''s where I am right now.


    Even though there was lighting from above, it didn''t manage to make the inside of the cave bright.


    My eyesight is still limited.


    Even though my visibility was limited, I could see the ceiling of the cave very high above. Looking from the ceiling and walls of the cave that looks so far away, the diameter of this cave is also very amazing.


    The term cave is not suitable to describe this ce.


    Using the size of a mountain as a metaphor is appropriate.


    Almost a few kilometers just by my rough calctions.


    This ce might be able to amodate thousands or even tens of thousands of people?


    Regardless, I became convinced that this ce was a ce I wanted to go.


    The Nest of very.


    That''s the name of the ce where I''m at.


    In front of the teleportation gate where I was standing there were already two soldiers. They seemed to have been waiting for us. Their clothes looked very shabby. The te armor covering their chests already looked unkempt. The spearheads in their hands were already full of rust.


    The point is, they don''t look like soldiers. The suffering they suffered from serving in the Nest of very was evident from their appearance.


    "Down!"


    The two of them ordered the five of us, who had just arrived, to get off the teleportation gate device that we stepped on.


    Moments after we descended, light returned to cover the teleportation gate.


    Then two soldiers appeared along with three prospective ves. The two soldiers wore full body armor with a shiny glow.


    Ignoring their luxurious armor, I recognized the faces of the two soldiers. They were the ones who escorted me from the Marquess Stronghold''s residence.


    When the two of them got off, they said to the two soldiers who had been waiting in front of the teleportation gate device.


    "This is thest item of the day."


    "Oh, we''ve received a report on today''s item count. So we already know."


    "How dare you object!"


    "S-excuse us. Anyway, if I may ask, why did you twoe here?"


    "We have something to do. Lowly soldiers like you who are only serving in this hell don''t deserve to hear it. One thing is for sure, we take orders from the young master. Just know that."


    There seemed to be a level among Marquess Stronghold''s underlings.


    ''Maybe I''ll be able to put it to useter.''


    When receiving the unpleasant treatment from the two soldiers who had just arrived, the two soldiers who seemed to have been cooped up in this ce for a very long time let out angry expressions. Their hands clenched tightly and they bit their upper lips.


    But they only dared to put out an expression. They did not dare to express their anger.


    ''Looks like it will be easy to detonate a bomb in this ceter.''


    "Very well. We will go to the Master''s District first. Do your duties properly."


    Two soldiers in luxurious armor walked past the two poor soldiers. They kept walking until they had almost left this ce.


    The ce where this teleportation gate device was located had been confined by arge wooden fence. The fence is made of logs that are about 4 to 5 meters high.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The end of the fence is made sharp as if the teleportation gate device is made of a fence so it won''t be damaged by the people in the Nest of Darkness.


    The two soldiers with shiny full body armor were about to pass through the gate that was already open.


    However, they stopped and looked at me with evil smiles on their faces. Their eyes seemed to be telling me to get ready to receive a surprise from them.


    They surely wouldn''t prepare a birthday surprise, would they?


    After they were satisfied looking at me, they continued walking until their figures were out of sight.


    On the other hand, there were people who stared at them leaving with looks of annoyance, they were the two poor soldiers.


    The two poor soldiers stamped the spears in their hands on the ground and they started to open their mouths to express their irritation.


    They did it in unison while looking up.


    "Aaaahhh! This is so annoying! Until when do we have to work here?"


    "Right, right. Being cooped up here really sucks. We can''t go outside at all. There''s no entertainment here."


    "Speaking of which, since when have you been on duty here?"


    "I''ve been here a few years. I''m only given the opportunity once or twice a month to see the outside world, shit. I hope new soldiers will be recruited, so we can escape from here and get better assignments."


    "But that''s impossible if we don''t have power! Aarggh, shit!"


    Cries of annoyance were voiced by the two poor soldiers. They only dared to shout in annoyance when there were not two soldiers wearing shiny armor anymore.


    Their minds are as weak as the strength in their bodies.


    When they are cool talking among themselves. There was one would-be ve who walked up to the two of them and innocently said, "Sorry, how long are you two going to talk amongst yourselves? Can you tell us what we should do?"


    He spoke while bending his back slightly down, as if he was trying to be polite. A smile also appeared on his face.


    However, he was massacred by two poor soldiers instead. He was punched, kicked, and spat by the two of them until he could only hold his stomach on the ground.


    It seemed that the two poor soldiers immediately vented their anger on the innocent and stupid would-be ve.


    When they finishedmitting a violent crime, they looked at their other potential victims, who were worried about us, would-be ves.


    "Have you guys seen?"


    They still looked annoyed and started to look like they wanted to vent their anger on other prospective ves.


    However, because the other would-be ves had seen their friend''s battered fate, they couldn''t help but remain silent.


    "Follow me! I''ll take you to where you should be!"


    The two poor soldiers escorted us outside. We walked out of the room that housed the teleportation gate device.


    When we had passed the door of the teleportation gate device room, one of the poor soldiers locked the door of the room where the teleportation gate device was stored.


    He ced the key on his waist without much weight on his mind. He seemed to have no worries that the lock on his waist would be snatched away by someone else.


    ''Not for the moment.''


    I don''t intend to make a fuss right now.


    I still have to find the ce called the Nest of Darkness which is connected to the Nest of very, where Reine Rosewood is being confined there.


    I also have to gather as much information as possible within this Nest of very.


    I haven''t forgotten my minor purpose foring here, which I had a request from Callie to save people from the Beastmen race.


    In order for me to save them, I need to know theyout of this ce urately. I couldn''t just casually kill the two poor soldiers in front of me and grab the keys on their waists.


    If I did, I''d be causing unnecessary fuss. If I make a fuss, there''s a possibility that the people from the beastmen race will get caught up in the fight and die one by one like flies.


    Although it was indeed quite important to take the key that was on their waist because...


    The two poor soldiers started talking,


    "I''ll tell you something, just take it as my good intentions, but, unless you can tear this ce down, you won''t be able to leave. Because the only way was the teleportation gate device you came from! Remember that carefully."


    Then, his friend who was beside him said, "In other words, you have to obey us if you don''t want to suffer in this ce!"


    As they say, this ce really has no other way out.The only way was through the teleportation gate device. Therefore, the ce was surrounded by a fence and locked up.


    Not long after we walked, we arrived at a ce that had a lot of people. They were the would-be ves who hade before me.


    They stood adriftly watching the person standing on a stage in front of them.

 Chapter 106 The Mini Concert

    I felt like I was standing at the back of a mini music concert field. Because in front of me, there are already people clustered. They focus on looking ahead.


    But instead of a cheer of joy that sounded in the air, instead, the silence of the impending storm filled the air.


    They silently stared ahead.


    In front of the crowd of people, there was a wooden stage applied to it. The wooden stage was neither wide nor high, maybe only about 30 meters wide and 1 meter high.


    Think of it as a stage y that you usually see.


    However, the wooden stage was a very suitable ce for making announcements, not for staging ys.


    I followed everyone''s gazes, where they were focused on looking ahead.


    Not the wooden stage, but the existence of the poor soldiers on the wooden stage that made me and the others focus on the future.


    There are about 30 soldiers up there.


    Their appearance is the same as the two poor soldiers who led me here.


    Even though their appearance was still above the standards of the slum area residents, they all looked very shabby for Warrior soldiers.


    In a faint way, I could see that the clothes beneath their te armor were very wrinkled. Chest armor tes, leg, shoulder, and hand tes, all of them in their body have many dents and look very old.


    Not to mention their weapons, some spears in their hands that I can see, all of their weapons are very old. Perhaps they were never given weapons by Marquess Stronghold.


    I''m worried that their weapons will break if they collide with rocks or even just hard ground.


    Having a shabby appearance, their faces looked very dark. It wasn''t dark because of the light in here or because of their dark skin, but because neither of them smiled.


    Not long after, there was one person who walked up to the wooden stage. He stood at the very front of the line of soldiers on the wooden stage.


    I knew who he was when I looked at him.


    From his body size and face, I absolutely remembered him.


    He was Bubble, the man who insisted on making a scene with me in the Adventurer''s Association.


    He seemed to be trying really hard to act like a boss.


    Only he himself was wearing shining chest armor tes, leg, shoulder, and hand tes. The clothes beneath his te armor were also very sleek and ssy.


    Even though his body is very wide, his appearance is sessfullyplemented by everything he wears.


    Suddenly, he drew his sword.


    He plunged his sword into the wooden stage and started acting impudent.


    His face was very brightpared to the other soldiers behind him who wore dark faces. Moreover, he suddenly raised his lips and showed a disgusting smile.


    I''m a little curious about how he got here. But I immediately made a guess that he was sent here by the old butler.


    I remembered that he had previously tried to lick the old butler''s feet really hard, so it was natural for him to be one of the old butler''s errands and be ordered here.


    I don''t want to go negative thinking that his being sent here had anything to do with me. It would make more sense if the old butler just wanted to get rid of a loathsome sycophant like him here.


    Only, he didn''t seem to realize that having him sent here would cause him much sufferingter.


    He probably thought that this ce was a soldier''s paradise. It became clear when I heard him mutter,


    "Hehe. I heard that this ce was a super-secret ce belonging to Marquess Stronghold. If I perform well here, perhaps I will be an exclusive Warrior belonging to the Stronghold family, xixixixi."


    He covered his mouth with his left hand which wasn''t holding the sword as he finished muttering.


    His eyes focused on the group of people in front of him.


    He didn''t realize that the soldiers standing and lined up behind him were talking about him.


    "Is he new here?"


    "Yes. He was sent by Winston''s butler to be our leader here."


    "But why does he look so happy like that?"


    "Maybe he doesn''t know that this ce is like a prison. We used to think that too, didn''t we? We thought that if we were here, we could be confidants of Marquss Stronghold. But, it''s not like that."


    "Okay. Let''s let him be our leader here and see how he will feel the suffering that we''ve been through too."


    They make a deal among themselves. Their eyes on Bubble were full of pity. Their eyes narrowed and they exhaled small air from their mouths.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Suddenly Bubble received a whisper from the two poor soldiers who had led me here earlier. The two of them had stepped onto the stage. They whispered into Bubble''s ear that everyone was here.


    With everyone present, Bubble started to speak.


    "It seems that everyone is already here. Alright, I''ll give you an exnation of the reason why you guys were sent here and exin what kind of ce this is."


    A wave of question marks started popping up over people''s heads.


    Without waiting for a long time, Bubble began to spit out words that became bombs in the heads of people who had put out question marks.


    "Firstly, I want to congratte you guys for being ves from now on!"


    That brief exnation prompted the crowd to attack Bubble with a question.


    Questions started flowing from the mouths of the people who heard Bubble''s words.


    In fact, they have been asking questions. But I bet they didn''t dare pop the question in their head.


    They could only be confused while looking right and left like people who were lost. However, once the bomb had been thrown by Bubble, the crowd responded with an onught of questions.


    "What do you mean by saying that?"


    "Quickly exin to us?"


    "Arkh, ptooey~ Are you crazy? How can we stay silent when you want to make us ves? I''d rather die here than be a ve and be tormented for the rest of our lives, shit! Don''t you think so too?!"


    One of them threw out a very exaggerated protest. He was also spitting out spit as he headed toward Bubble. It just doesn''t arrive.


    Bubble, who seemed to want to speak up to exin further, suddenly stopped. He nced at the person who had asked impudently. his eyes narrowed for a moment, then he smiled.


    Bubble turned his gaze to one of the soldiers behind him. He gave a wink and said, "Finish that person."


    Coming down from the wooden gate, the soldier holding the spear immediately approached the person. Rotating the spear in his hand, he pointed his spear at that person''s head.


    In a very fast movement, he threw his spear toward that person''s head.


    Shuut!


    It wasn''t too fast for a trained warrior who used Mana, but the soldiers'' attacks strangely seeded in piercing that person''s head very smoothly.


    Crock!


    The sound of a spear ripping into a human''s head was extremely crisp.


    As a result, that person''s blood and head contents were scattered on the ground. The sight of brains, eyes, and other head insides were strewn across the ground was beyond disgusting.


    The spear managed to hit its target although not too quickly because that person was handcuffed.


    I''m sure the handcuffs were also the handcuffs that prevented Mana usage. That''s why that person failed to avoid the soldiers'' attacks.


    By the way, that person was a human male.


    I''m sure, if he was from the beastmen race, he wouldn''t be killed right away. In fact, there were several people from the beastmen race who also shouted for exnations while cursing.


    But not noticed by Bubble. Bubble instead chose a human male whose price quality was below that of the beastmen race.


    It was clear that he had been given instructions to kill one of the male humans from the start so that people would be afraid to argue again.


    As expected, after the people saw the bloody scene in front of them, they became silent. They were silent with the darkness covering the tops of their heads.


    Looking at the people who had be calm again. Bubble returned to continue his exnation.


    "You don''t need to worry. I will also give you good news. The good news is, you won''t be killed. Hahaha."


    Hearing Bubble''s perfunctory remark, everyone muttered in unison, "A bad dark joke. Whether he''s stupid, we know that too. Isn''t that why we''re going to make you ves!"


    "Akhem. Before I exin about where you are right now, you have to do something."


    There were several soldiers who suddenly came carrying lots of papers.


    The papers turned out to be Agreement Papers.


    I know where this is headed.


    "As you can probably guess, you must agree from the bottom of your heart to be ves. Otherwise, we will kill you on the spot in a painful manner."

 Chapter 107 Slave District

    No more words of protest came out of the mouths of the people listening to Bubble''s words.


    They were all silent and did not argue anymore.


    It seemed that Bubble''s little show was working.


    Bubble then ordered people to go up on the wooden stage one by one.


    When they got on the wooden stage and stood in front of Bubble, they were presented with an Agreement Paper in front of their faces.


    Bubble then activated the Agreement Papers and made them ves.


    No one dared to argue when asked, "...You will never harm me in any form. Do you agree?"


    Their only choice is to die on the spot or be ves. So they just said agree without much ado.


    All of them, one by one, climbed onto the wooden stage and became ves. Then they came down again.


    Only I myself have never gone on stage because I have officially be a ve.


    When everyone had be ves, Bubble continued to exin about this ce.


    "This ce is called the Nest of very."


    Bubble''s exnation of this ce started.


    I''m not going to tell you every word that Bubble said because he said it wasn''t very clear.


    Especially with him always holding the fat on his stomach and asionally pointing at people and telling them to shut up and listen.


    I will just summarize his exnation.


    Within this Nest of very, the number of people is estimated to be in the thousands including us, the ones who just came here.


    With such arge number of people, starting from ves and soldiers, it''s clear that everyone will need a ce to live, right.


    Especially for the soldiers. There was no way they could live without sleeping, eating, peeing, pooping and so on, without a ce to live, they would be the same as animals in the wild.


    Therefore, had made two residential districts in here.


    Indeed, I and the people gathered here can see that there are two rows ofrge wooden fences that taper at the top standing firmly and stretching from end to end.


    One is to the north and the other is to the south.


    To the north, Bubble said that there was a residential district devoted to soldiers and the people who ruled this ce.


    Within the settlement, the inside described Bubble as extravagant, but, since I couldn''t see the ce, I couldn''t confirm Bubble''s words. It''s just that, I can see a slightly towering building.


    Because the height of the building was higher than the fence covering the residential district, I could see it.


    That building was a building where the boss of this ce resided.


    There are hierarchical levels for the soldiers or people who rule this ce. Starting from the poor soldiers who have the duty to take care of the ves directly. Then there are the leader soldiers who lead the poor soldiers. Andstly, the person whopletely manages this ce, that person is usually called the boss.


    And that''s where the guy lives.


    The residential district where the boss and the soldiers live is called the Master''s District.


    And on the south side, there is a residential district that is devoted to ves.


    The district was called the ves'' District.


    ***


    Right now everyone and I are being led into the ves'' District.


    Our hands are no longer restrained by handcuffs.


    But that doesn''t mean we are free.


    There are still objects that make our movements very limited.


    Our right legs are handcuffed with a big iron ball. With a leg cuff with a big iron ball straddling our feet, we trudged on.


    We have to walk while continuing to drag the iron ball.


    Apart from changing handcuffs with leg cuffs, we were all currently holding the steamed parsnips we had been given. The warmth from the steamed parsnips made our hands melt.


    The hot steam from the food in our hands made us want to eat it immediately. However, a word from the poor soldier who was leading us stopped us.


    "You can eat them now if you want. But this was your meal for today. There will be no dinner for youter. As you have heard earlier, here, you have to work to earn more food."


    Like he said, the ves here weren''t just locked up like that.


    ves were also employed here.


    From Bubble''s previous exnation, this ce was connected to a dungeon. And in the dungeon there are many minerals that must be mined.


    Especially magic crystals.


    Magic crystals can not only be obtained from killing monsters.


    In some dungeons, magic crystals are in them. You can mine it using gancu. Hitting and hammering the magic crystals that stuck to the dungeon walls became a natural thing.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Dungeons in which there are magic crystals that can be mined are usually called mine dungeons.


    Of course, the magic crystal that will be produced is also different from the magic crystal from killing monsters.


    However, if one could mine all the magic crystals in a mine dungeon, then one would have no trouble surviving a luxurious life for several centuries.


    ''Marquess Stronghold was lucky enough to get a mine dungeon.''


    My thoughts got there.


    Is it possible that the mine dungeon was the way to the Nest of Darkness?


    I seem to have to dig up more information.


    Apart from some ves who were ordered to work to mine, there were also some ves who were ordered to fight the monsters in the mine dungeon.


    Like most dungeons where there are monsters that keep appearing, it''s the same in mine dungeons.


    Therefore, the ves were ordered to fight the monsters.


    Of course, this only applies tobat ves.


    It''s impossible for ves who only have sexy faces and bodies to be ordered to fight monsters. In that case, they would die and Marquess Stronghold would be at a loss.


    However, if it was thebat ves, then their added value would increase as well.


    After hearing what the poor soldiers said, I''m sure the people around me holding parsnips also remember everything about the work they''re about to do.


    Some people, who had bitten off half of the parsnip, stopped in their tracks and avoided eating the parsnip in their hands.


    Finally, we arrived in front of the ves'' district.


    The wooden gate of the ves'' district was unlocked. We all go inside.


    However, everyone stopped their footsteps suddenly. Yet they only go one step at a time.


    Even if you just set foot in here. They were all stunned when they saw the amazing view of the ves'' district.


    Me, too.


    I could tell from Bubble''s previous exnation that this ce would be terrible. But I didn''t expect that it would be this amazing, bad ass.


    Not houses made of wood or even stone, but only a rundown tent was inside here.


    Slum tents dotted as far as the eye could see.


    I remember the scene when I joined the war in various ces. I used to live in simple tents made of animal skins or woven cloth.


    During military campaigns, tents were often used as shelters for soldiers and their equipment.


    It''s just that all the tents that were set up in front of me were very weathered with age. I don''t think humans can live there.


    Even so, I''m not too concerned about it.


    I''ve lived in even more disgusting ces.


    Most people whoe here must be the same way. Since most of them were people from the slum area, they must have gotten used to living in disgusting ces.


    Even so, they stillin.


    "It''s crazy, do we have to stay here? And how long?"


    The answers to their questions they already knew because Bubble had previously exined them.


    They will stay in the Nest of very until they are sold. If they want to get out of the hell called the Nest of very, they must quickly have a master willing to buy them.


    If not, they will have to live here forever.


    "Because this was your first day here. You don''t need to work. You will start work tomorrow. So, see you soon." One of the poor soldiers who had guided us said so.


    Then, they went out from the ves'' district. But, before they left, they said something.


    They told us to choose our own tent. But they told us to be careful.


    He said that if we were unlucky and chose a tent that was already owned by someone else, we might be in big trouble.


    Therefore, they told us to choose a tent where no one was living anymore, which was a tent belonging to a ve who had been sold.


    But, how should we choose an empty tent? Only with luck?


    By the way, all the tents looked empty because everyone had been working in the mine penitentiary.


    So only neers like us here are in the current ve district.


    And so we were just left with no clear instructions.


    We immediately chose our own tent.


    Me too.

 Chapter 108 S-Rank Intelligence

    [You have extracted Nya Nu from within the Stigma of Darkness.]


    The rose pattern that was the mark of the Stigma of Darkness on the back of my hand had been lit up and gave off a dark light. However, the light slowly began to dim again when it finished doing its job.


    I had operated the Mana that was within the Stigma of Darkness to push away someone who was continuously sleeping within.


    I forced him out.


    From within the Stigma of Darkness, Nya Nu shot into the air without warning.


    Vapor darkness rises from the Stigma of Darkness until the figure of himpletely emerges from the Stigma of Darkness and is visible to my eyes.


    Kretek!


    The sound of his bones rubbing against each other as he moved continued to be heard. Especially when he just came out he immediately stretched his body as if he was someone who had just woken up from sleep. His hands stretched straight up in the air.


    Was he not afraid that his joints would break?


    "Hoamm!"


    He then opened his jaw and let out a sound simr to a yawn.


    His appearance was still the same, where he wore a shabby ck robe.


    I didn''t notice any of the strange essories he had previously worn all the time. Had that weird essory left inside the Stigma of Darkness?


    When he just opened his eyes, he started to look around.


    I knew that he had just opened his eyes when in his eye sockets, which were empty at first, suddenly appeared a me.


    "Where is it, Master?"


    "It''s in the tent. Just one look, shouldn''t you already know."


    I am currently inside the tent that I have chosen. I don''t know if this tent already has one or not because there''s nothing in here. There was only a slightly thicker cloth on the ground. The cloth was a ce to sleep.


    I took Nya Nu out after I entered and closed this tent. So no one will be able to see. And to be safer, I chose a tent that was quite far from the other tents, far behind.


    "But why is this ce so rundown? Even the cave I came from is cleaner than this. How can you live in a ce like this, Master? This ce isn''t even suitable for animals, let alone humans."


    As usual, he immediately spoke at length.


    To keep him from talking or asking more questions, I immediately exined to him how I got to this state.


    I exined why I wear a leg cuff with an iron ball.


    I said that I was pretending to be a ve. And this ce was a ce called the Nest of very, where ves were raised before being sold.


    "Speaking of which, have you had your fill of sleeping within the Stigma of Darkness?"


    "Hehe. Very satisfied, Master! As usual, it was veryfortable there. And maybe you haven''t realized it, but I have already started recovering my powers too!"


    While talking profusely, he hugged his own body. The mes in his eyeballs also shifted upwards.


    He looked like the crazy lich.


    If I remember correctly, I''ve never seen his status window. So, so that I could better understand his abilities, I immediately tried to look at his status window.


    [Judgement skill - Activated.]


    [Starts showing the Status Window of the target you have selected.]


    [Name: Nya Nu.


    Title: The Fallen Lich, Hikikomori Lich, The King of Undead, ves of Mesties.


    Stats:


    (Strength: F) (Endurance: F) (Agility: E) (Intelligence: S) (Magic Power: B) (Mana Core: Middle)


    Spells:


    Mind Reading, Summoning Undead, Teleportation, Shadow Camouge, Interpretation, Research.]


    ??


    ''His intelligence stats are already at rank S?''


    I was surprised to see it.


    I thought he was a stupid lich because he kept acting like that.


    But who would have thought that he had an S rank intelligence stats?


    Even though his strength and endurance stats are at the lowest stats level, I can understand this because his stats are suitable for magicians, not warriors.


    "What are you doing staring at me so seriously, Master?"


    "Hmm. Nothing."


    "Are you peering into my body, Master? I feel you have looked deep into me. Uhhh."


    I slightly squinted.


    It wasn''t because he was the one who let out a strange sigh at the end of his words, but because he said that he felt something when I used the skill Judgment on him.


    ''Is it because he has high Intelligence stats?''<novelnext></novelnext>


    If someone with high stats can sense something when I use the Judgment skill on them, shouldn''t I be even more careful in the future?


    "By the way, what is Master calling me for? Do you want me to use the Teleportation skill? If so, I won''t be able to if we''re in here."


    "No. I just want you to investigate this ce. Is your Shadow Camouge skill still that weak?"


    "Eh, how did you know that the name of my camouge skill was shadow camouge skill, Master?"


    "Ignore that. Just answer my question!"


    "Erm. After I stayed inside," He pointed at the ck rose tattoo on the back of my hand, "My skills have gotten a little stronger. I won''t be easily detected by others now, I think."


    But he added that even though his shadow camouge skill had be more useful, he couldn''t attack while activating the skill.


    This is different from the skill of a real assassin like Callie''s.


    But I don''t mind that.


    The thing I want him to do is just investigate this ce. So, I immediately started giving him orders to which he responded by taking what I was saying seriously.


    He listened to what I said while keeping an upright posture.


    Even though I just told him to investigate this ce. First, starting from the Master''s district to the Mine Dungeon connected to this ce, I want him to go there.


    I didn''t tell him to explore the Mine dungeon fully or to the bottom of it.


    I just want him to tell me the exact structure of the Mine dungeon. Or, I want him to map mine dungeons, list monsters that are there, and other things.


    "Very well, Master. I shall depart at once."


    He immediately activated his shadow camouge and disappeared, vanishing from my sight.


    ***


    In the opposite direction from where the Mesties are located, there is a district called the Master District as you already know.


    The Master District''s appearance greatly differed from that of the ve Districts.


    Buildings made of stone are neatly arranged around the road. Although not big, it is enough to keep the moist air in the air from entering.


    Not only is there a building that is used as a house, but asionally there is also a building that is used as a food and drink shop.


    This ce was already simr to a normal vige out there.


    Of course, the streets in this district weren''t made of leveled stones, but just in dirt.


    And on that road, there were two soldiers walking towards thergest building within the District Master, where the Boss of the Nest of very resided.


    Obud and Hory, that was their name.


    The two of them were the two soldiers who previously escorted Mesties from the Marquess Stronghold''s residence, until they finally arrived here.


    They both received orders from Yary to make the Mesties suffer while the Mesties stay in the Nest of very.


    At least until the uing ve auction is held or until the Mesties are sold.


    "Young master must be very angry to order us to do all this."


    Theyughed at each other as they continued walking.


    As they walked, they kept running into poor soldiers watching the two of them.


    Maybe because of the difference in the armor they wore, the poor soldiers who passed each other always furrowed their brows when they saw Obud and Hory.


    However, Obud and Hory ignored everyone''s stares. They both just kept walking.


    When they reached thergest building in the center of the Master District, they rushed inside.


    Inside the building, the two of them coincidentally saw a poor soldier dragging a ve.


    The ve looks very old.


    At the ve''s feet were leg cuffs and iron balls, so the sound of iron scraping against the floor also reverberated.


    Taking a closer look, the ve didn''t seem to have any wounds or anything on his face, but he was in an unconscious state. His eyes closed and surrendered as he was dragged across the floor.


    "Hah. The boss'' hobby has gotten worse recently." Comints arose from the mouths of the poor soldier.


    "Can we meet your boss?" Obud and Hory said to the poor soldier.


    Obud and Hory asked for a meeting with the boss from this ce to the poor soldier.


    "Wait a minute," the poor soldier put the ve he had dragged to the side of the wall of the room. "Follow me!"


    He then led Obud and Hory to the top floor where the boss of this ce was.


    "Do you know the name of our boss?"


    "Does it really matter?"


    "Of course it''s important. Because he likes it when someone calls his full name, including his family name. Even though he''s under the orders of the Stronghold family, he was someone who was proud of his family name."


    "Then what''s his name?"


    "The name of our boss is Rafferty Billington."

 Chapter 109 How Hatred Is Formed

    Whish!


    Snap!


    The sound of the whip flying andshing something was very clear. The sound came from inside the room in front of Obud and Hory. Not only once, but several times the sound was heard.


    "Is he in here?"


    Obud asked the poor soldier who led the two of them while pointing at the surface of the door. The ornament on the door was full of pointed metal, which made both of them hesitate.


    However, the poor soldier only nodded and allowed the two of them to enter inside.


    Without much debate, Obud and Hory went inside. They didn''t realize that the poor soldier who was leading him immediately ran away with a grin.


    When they were only halfway through opening the door, they received a great shock. A loud, ear-shattering scream emerged from within the room.


    "Hey, didn''t I tell you not toe in before I told you toe in?"


    identally, instead of closing the door in surprise, Obud and Hory opened the door wide open.


    They looked at the person who had just shouted at them.


    That person had long hair, but he wasn''t a girl. The red robe he had he didn''t wear properly. He slung a robe over his shoulders and only wore the usual in clothes on his body.


    From his face, he was a middle-aged man. His height is also very in the average height range. About 68 inches.


    He was Rafferty, the boss of the Nest of very.


    The screams that Obud and Hory heard clearly came from Rafferty.


    Rafferty had an appearance simr to that of a true magician. However, it wasn''t a magic staff he was holding, but instead a whip. A very long and thick whip he held in his right hand.


    Since he raised her whip in the air, it was obvious that he had just whipped.


    The object he was whipping was right in front of him.


    Not an item or a beast, but he had whipped someone from the beastmen race.


    Both of the man''s hands were bound by a rope. The rope that tied his hands was hanging from the ceiling, that''s why, that person was hanging from the ceiling too. None of the man''s feet touched the floor.


    The person''s upper body was wide open. It caused the wounds all over the person''s body to be clearly visible. The wounds were clearly a wound from the whippings carried out by Rafferty.


    The fresh wound is clearly visible. A very red color is visible from the new scar. And from the surface of the new wound, fresh blood managed to drip little by little.


    However, it wasn''t just the fresh wounds on that person''s body, many of the old wounds were also clearly visible.


    It was questionable how a beastman could be the object of violence by the boss of this ce. At the very least they shouldn''t be hurting their faces when someone wanted to hurt each other in this ce.


    But¡­


    Whish!


    Snap!


    Rafferty proceeded to whack the person right into the person''s face.


    When Rafferty''s whip finished hitting the person''s cheek, that person spurted a bit of blood into the air and made a sound of pain afterward.


    A reddish color appeared on the person''s cheeks, not because of embarrassment, but because the skin on his cheeks was slightly torn and there was blood flowing.


    That person was an old male beastman. A frown was already on his face. Because of that, the wound on his cheek mixed with natural wrinkles made him look even more pitiful.


    Looking at the round ears on top of his head, he was a beastman bear. Moreover, the thick muscles on his old body, it further emphasized that he resembled a bear.


    The sound of whipping continued to echo.


    Obud and Hory can only wait.


    They saw what the room they were in looked like.


    There is the rack, the liquid of torture, and the iron maiden or something like that. Various tools for torturing people were scattered about. This confirms that this room was a space to channel Rafferty''s hobbies.


    Finally, Rafferty stopped. He ced the whip on the whip hook on the wall of the room and approached Obud and Hory.


    "Who are you guys and why did youe here? Judging from the armor on your bodies, it seems like you guys are new here?"


    "Are you Rafferty Billington? We are here on Young Master Yary''s orders to make one of the newly sent ves suffer before being auctioned off."


    "Hmm. It''s the rule here that no one is allowed to damage the merchandise here. I''ll get angry with the Marquess if I let his son wreak havoc here."


    When they heard Rafferty talk about the rule not to damage the merchandise here, their eyes immediately caught the beastman he had just tortured.


    However, Rafferty immediately said that the ves he tortured to give vent to his hobby were ves who had expired.


    The meaning of expiration he said was when a ve went unsold for a very long time, automatically the selling price had fallen to the brink.


    Therefore, Rafferty chose to use them as a tool to vent his hobby rather than selling them for a small profit.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Dropping prices too far can ruin a business, so not selling expired ves can also keep the business ecosystem more awake.


    Hearing Rafferty''s defensive exnation, Obud and Hory couldn''t help but blink their eyes.


    "Ahem. I understand what you mean by you being in charge of the rules here. We were told not to create a mess here. That''s why we came here and were told to meet you first."


    "So?"


    "Firstly, do you know which ve the young master is targeting? And what reason does the young master have for wanting to make that person suffer?"


    Rafferty started to squint when he heard Obud and Hory acting mysteriously. He warns them both that he doesn''t like it.


    Therefore, Obud and Hory immediately said what they wanted to say.


    "That person''s name was Mesties. And he was someone who had just killed a witch sent by the young master to do something."


    Obud stopped there, then Hory continued, "And that wizard''s name was Duster Billington."


    Instantly, the two of them immediately received a gift from Rafferty. The prize was in the form of a grip on the neck of both of them.


    Grabbing Obud and Hory by the neck, Rafferty said, "Is that true?"


    "Y-Ye-s?!"


    They both answered with difficulty.


    "You mean Duster is dead?"


    Upon hearing Rafferty''s conclusion, the two of them immediately realized something.


    !!!


    Exmation marks appeared above their heads.


    ''Surnames between Duster and Rafferty turned out to be the same.'' their minds rang loudly.''


    ''Is that why young master told the two of us toe here and tell the boss of this ce? That is so that the n to make the ves suffer be sessful by using Rafferty?''


    They had not been told by Yary before, but now they have realized.


    Then again, when the two of them headed into this room, they heard that Rafferty liked it when he was called by his full name.


    So it''s clear that Rafferty really upholds his family name. Including perhaps taking great care of those with the same surname as him.


    Obud and Hory didn''t know what kind of rtionship between Duster and Rafferty, but they seemed to get along seeing Rafferty''s anger.


    Even though Rafferty''s anger was still burning, Obud and Hory managed to escape from Rafferty''s clutches after trying hard.


    However, not only because of their hard work, but also because Rafferty had loosened the grip on their necks.


    Hot steam came out of Rafferty''s body, but with his old age, he managed to cool down his mind.


    "Looks like you guys shouldn''t bother making him suffer here. I guess I should just kill him. Wouldn''t that be better?!"


    "Cough! You can''t do that, sir. That person has already signed the Agreement Paper with Marquess Stronghold himself. So you could say that person was a special product."


    "Tsk!"


    Rafferty clicked his tongue.


    Will heply with this?


    The answer is an obvious no.


    The old brain he had been thinking of came up with a way so he could kill the Mesties. Until finally he managed to get an idea.


    "Do you have anything to prove that you were the young master''s men?"


    From inside the pocket of one of them, a letter came out.


    Rafferty grabbed the letter and it turned out that there were words in it. Those words were words of order to him so he would keep secret what he wanted to do. There was also the promise that he would be rewarded.


    Beneath the letter was Yary Stronghold''s signature stamp.


    With that letter, what he needed was enough.


    He ns to pretend to help Obud and Hory in a n to make the Mesties suffer.


    Later, while the two of them were busy making the Mesties suffer, he was able to stage an ident where it would appear that the person causing the Mesties was killed by Obud and Hory''s wasps.


    If that was the case, then the person Marquess Stronghold would me would be him, but by bringing evidence that the two of them were Yary''s men, then he could be safe.


    A terrible smile appeared on Rafferty''s face.

 Chapter 110 Pathetic Old Beastman

    Obud and Hory walked out of the room where Rafferty was doing his hobby.


    Smiles spread across their faces as the deal they made with Rafferty worked out well.


    However, they didn''t know that they would be made scapegoats by Rafferty.


    When Obud and Hory had left, a few momentster, another person came.


    The person entered the room walking as if innocent.


    The fat on the person''s body kes as he continues walking.


    That person was Bubble.


    In his hand was a lot of paper. The papers were Agreement papers. He was carrying a stack of Agreement Papers in front of his pot belly as he walked.


    Seeing Bubble enter without speaking or asking permission to enter first, a frown started to form on Rafferty''s temples.


    At first Obud and Hory, and then a pig-like human, it made him angry enough that he raised his voice.


    "Since when did this room be my office room?!"


    "Buhi!"


    Bubble was surprised and made a strange sound.


    The top of the pile of Agreement Papers in his hand fell to the ground.


    He tried to bnce himself so he wouldn''t drop the entire Agreement Paper. However, due to his fat body, he failed to do so.


    Spreads!


    As the Agreement Papers scattered in the air, Bubble tried to apologize. Then he immediately said that all the new ves who hade had finished signing the Agreement Paper by agreeing to the terms and conditions of being ves.


    The reason he came to deliver the Agreement Papers to Rafferty was to transfer ownership of the ves.


    As you know, the person who has used the Agreement Papers, or the user, cannot be harmed by the target of the Agreement Papers, which was the ves.


    So, automatically Bubble was the one who had been the master of the newly arrived ves, until now.


    However, he had to transfer the ownership of the ves he held to Rafferty, the boss of this ce.


    All the ves in this ce had be Rafferty''s ves on paper.


    They wouldn''t and couldn''t hurt Rafferty. Only when the ves are sold, will Rafferty transfer the ownership of the ves he holds to the ve buyer.


    Such was the system of very that had formed.


    Bubble hurriedly collected the Agreement Papers on the floor and handed them over to Rafferty.


    p¦Á§ád¦Á-¨¾?¦Í¨º|¡¤§ã¨®§® With the reading of the spell to transfer the ownership of the ves, now the owner of the ves has officially moved.


    People who had previously agreed not to hurt Bubble were able to hurt Bubble.


    With such a very system, which only prevented the ves from harming Rafferty, the chance of rebellion was very high.


    The ves actually could still hurt the poor soldiers and people who ruled this Nest of very if they wanted to.


    However, because Rafferty''s own strength is veryrge, the chance for a rebellion to ur is very small.


    ''I heard he was a 5th ss Magician! Hehe, I won''t waste the opportunity to lick him off.''


    Bubble''s mind which always wanted to cling to someone or wanted to be a parasite started to activate.


    Thus, he started to put his hands together and let out a loathsome smile.


    "Is there anything I can help you with, sir?" He offers help without shame.


    Rafferty, who had just put all the Agreements into his Pocket Dimensional, started to look closely at Bubble.


    As someone with experience in being the boss of this ce, he knew Bubble''s nature from just one nce.


    Then he ordered Bubble to take down the ves hanging from the ceiling.


    Obediently, Bubble began to untie the ropes that bound the ves. With great difficulty, he finally managed to free the ve and put the ve down.


    Finally, he dragged the ve out and left the torture chamber.


    With hisrge pig-like body, he had to sweat profusely from all over his body while dragging the ve.


    Until finally, he arrived at the exit of the building. He threw the ve out like he was throwing away a bag full of trash.


    Once he had disposed of the ve, he closed the door as he reentered the building.


    Roll!


    The ve''s body hit the ground as Bubble had been throwing him.


    Hey face down on the ground like a piece of trash.


    The dust on the ground managed to stick to all the wounds on his body. Both from the wounds on his body, to the torn skin wounds on his cheeks, all of them were sessfully stuck by the dust on the ground.


    Thecerations on his skin were wide and bleeding slowly. Automatically the wounds on his body were very watery. When a wound like that hit the ground full of fine dust, then the pain he will experience will be very painful, right?


    A normal person would scream in pain the moment the wounds on their bodies were touched, let alone be covered in dust. However, the ve didn''t even show any response indicating that he was in pain.


    Even during the process of his being previously tortured by Rafferty, he had never shown a single weakness that a normal person would show.


    Indeed, his desire to survive sessfully ounted for arge part of the result of his not shouting. However, there was another reason why he remained silent withoutining.


    Not because he was afraid that he would be killed immediately, but because he did have another reason just now.


    His name was Ragnar, he was one of the famous ves who became Rafferty''s lust in the hobby of torture.


    It wasn''t anger or hatred that he had right now, he instead remained calm and showed a serene look on his facial expression. Only the asional twitch in his eyebrows shows that his body''s response to pain is still normal.


    The reason was, he was looking for something, something very valuable to him. Something tucked away neatly inside the building where Rafferty lived. At least that''s what he believed.


    Hence, even though he was dragged continuously from the ve district to this ce, he never had any grievances in his heart.


    A few moments had passed as he continued to slump on the ground. Because he was a person of the beastmen race of the bear tribe, the injuries on his body were slowly getting better.


    The bleeding he was experiencing had started to slowly close in and prevent his fate of death from massive blood loss.


    Although the wounds on his body did not get worse despite being peppered by thick dust, the wounds on his body also could not heal in an instant.


    And even that would stop healing quickly when the wounds on his body reached a state that was not life-threatening.


    Slowly but surely, he began to move his fingers. And finally, the energy that had been used up in his body, now he managed to collect again.


    Although he was old with many wrinkles on his face, he still had a lot of strength. You would know when looking at his body that he was neither too thin nor too fat.


    He got up and stood.


    With an undead-like gait, he continued to spur his footsteps toward the ve district.


    He wanted to go back to his tent and sleep to rest.


    The poor soldiers in the master''s district had recognized his face as one of Rafferty''s treasured toys, so as he continued walking, no one stopped and beat him.


    Even the district gatekeeper let him out just like that.


    And finally, he returned to the ve district.


    He had expected that the ve district would still be quiet since everyone was working in the mine dungeon. However, he saw that many people were fighting over the tents.


    They pushed each other, and imed that the slightly nicer tent was theirs.


    ''They must be the newly arrived ves.''


    He could only pray that they would all be okay when all the working ves returned.


    Letting the new ves argue, he dragged his feet towards a tent that was far away from the other tents.


    It was his tent, a tent that was quite far back from the other tents.


    His tent wasn''t very wide and probably could only amodate two people at most. The cloth from which the tent was made hadrge holes in the ceiling.


    What''s more, the ropes that anchor the tent are also not properly connected to the ground, which makes the tent look as if it is ready to copse at any time.


    Therefore, he was sure that no one would choose his tent.


    However, this is not the case.


    When he pushed open the tent door which was closed for some reason, he was surprised to find that there was a young boy inside.


    The young boy was standing and looking up at the ceiling, as if he had just released a bird to take flight.


    Blink-blink!


    Ragnar''s eyes looked at the youth for a moment.


    The young man''s appearance could make anyone stop breathing for a few seconds.


    His face was handsome with very rare ck hair on top of his head.


    The first thought that entered Ragnar''s mind was, ''he must be expensive.''

 Chapter 111 Unexpected Plot

    I didn''t think that the tent I had chosen, which was in a very remote ce from the other tents, would already be upied by someone. And it turns out that person was an old beastman.


    The first thing that caught my attention was not the two small round ears on top of his head, but I was surprised to see the wounds all over his body.


    The way he walked into the tent also looked pathetic, as he limped along with a slight bow.


    When he saw me, he first blinked his eyes, then he just kept his eyes calm and didn''t make any extra movements.


    Though I expected him to immediately put up a stance as if he was ready to fight. Because I heard from the poor soldiers that the people here are sensitive. But he kept hisposure.


    Was he the only one who remained calm when someone else entered his tent? I''m sure if it was someone else, they would directly attack me.


    "Are you new here?"


    "Yes, like that."


    "Are you nning on choosing this tent? If so, then I don''t mind sharing space in this small tent. However¡­"


    He stopped talking and suddenly picked up a wooden box that was in the corner of the tent. He gave the wooden box to me. Then he slept on his back on the surface of the cloth spread on the floor.


    While looking at me, he said, "Quickly help me treat the wounds on my body!"


    I quickly opened the wooden box he gave me. And it turned out that there were several items to treat wounds. A kind of first aid box. There were bandages, cotton, and some leaves of herbal nts for treatment.


    ''No modern medicine, anyway.''


    Because I already had experience in my previous life with various medicinal nts, I could tell what the function of the leaves inside the medicine box was without the help of the Judgment skill.


    There was a time when I was injured in the middle of the forest. As usual, at that time I was running away from the chaos caused by war.


    Because it was far away from viges, towns, cities, or ces where people gathered, I was forced to rely on myself without being able to expect help.


    In a state of injury all over my body, especially the severe wound on my leg, my only choice was to treat the wound on my leg first.


    Luckily I was reading a book about herbal nts at that time so I could choose the herbs around me and could relieve the wound on my leg.


    ''I remember having to save a very long time to be able to buy the book.''


    When my legs'' ability to walk quickly returned, I quickly stepped away and managed to get to a safe ce.


    "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and do it! I will kick you out if you don''t."


    The old beastman forced me to quickly treat the wounds on his body.


    With that, my mind managed to return to its original ce.


    Without much argument, I immediately put the herbal leaves into my mouth. I kept the herbal leaves in my mouth as I continued to chew them.


    I can grind the herbs, but I prefer to chew them. Apart from being practical, saliva can also help heal wounds.


    Then I sat beside his body.


    First, I cleaned the thick dust that had stuck to the wounds all over his body. Then I took the herbs that I had chewed in my mouth.


    Ptooey!


    I spouted a few pieces of leaves onto the floor.


    Then, I immediately put the chewed herbal leaves on the parts of his body that were injured.


    Honestly, it''s kind of disgusting.


    I was not disgusted because I used to treat my own body. But, right now I''m treating an old beastman. So, it was a different experience.


    "O-ouch! Could you be a little slower while doing this?"


    He suddenly tilted his body slightly and acted as if he was in extreme pain. His two hands seemed to be trying to protect the wounds on his body. His eyes stared at me with death stares.


    When he also tilted his legs to the side, I could see his tail. There was no mistake, he was a beastman from the bear tribe. A tribe that has great endurance abilities.


    Seeing him acting in pain, I immediately looked at him as if I was looking at Callie, a beastman who likes to y with other people.


    "Don''t act like you''re in pain, old man. Seeing you''re a beastman from the bear tribe, you can''t possibly feel such agonizing pain."


    "Where did you hear about that?"


    "Well, I have a beastman acquaintance too. And she also likes to y like what you just did."


    "Ohh. It''s rare to see a human having a beastman friend."


    "Let me be clear. She is not my friend."


    "If I may ask, what is your friend''s name?"


    He returned to his original position.


    I took the bandages in the aid box. While covering his body with bandages, I replied, "Her name was Callie."


    When I said Callie''s name, he grabbed my wrist in a sh. His eyes suddenly became very serious.


    "Callie ws?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He said in a heavy tone.


    He lifted his upper body and tried to bring his face closer to mine.


    However, I pped him directly on his injured right cheek.


    I freed my hand from his grip, so my hand could p his cheek without hindrance. After all, my hands had finished bandaging the wounds on his body.


    He pressed his cheeks together and made a face as if he was a grandpa who had been pped by their grandson.


    He wanted to spit out the words at me. But, I managed to ask first.


    "How do you know her name?"


    "How could I not know? She was someone who was very famous among the beastmen race. I''m sure everyone from the beastmen race recognized her."


    "Oh. I didn''t expect that she was someone famous. I only knew that she was someone who liked to y."


    "Perhaps you don''t know this, but even before I was cooped up here, I had heard rumors that she was the one who wouldter lead the beastmen race. Even then she was still a child."


    ''As expected of a character who would guide the hero in this world from behind the scenes.''


    While continuing to talk about Callie being from the cat tribe or the cat tribe''s assassination abilities, he put the back of his head back on the floor.


    His face suddenly changed to that of an old man missing his family, as he stared nkly at the ceiling.


    "By the way, what''s your name, sir?"


    I stopped his story midway.


    "Ragnar. And you?"


    "Mesties."


    "If I may ask, why did you end up as a ve here?" he asked.


    Do I have to tell him?


    Maybe it wouldn''t hurt to tell him a few things, considering he was someone who knew Callie.


    At least I''m pretty sure he''s not one to side with the rulers of this ce.


    After all, I''m not going to be specific or detailed. I''m just telling him about me receiving orders from Callie to free the beastmen who were kept as ves here.


    I didn''t tell him how I met Callie or what the deal got me to free the ves.


    However, a strange conclusion was actually reached by Ragnar on his head.


    "Do you want to win her heart? To the point that you are willing to disguise yourself as a ve here and n to free the beastmen?"


    He pointed his finger at my face and kept saying, "I was sure she''s a popr woman now, so she could drug a human like you!"


    "Stop making weird assumptions. Then, can you tell me your story?"


    Iy on the other side of the tent.


    Laying down my body, I intend to sleep while listening to his story.


    However, he never spoke.


    "I can''t tell you."


    "Ohe on. I''m not going to let you out with the other guys if you don''t tell me. Are you sure you don''t want to tell me now?"


    "I don''t know whether you''ll be able to free the people here or not, but I don''t want to leave here before I find the people I serve!"


    He said this in very strong words. Full of pressure. He clenched his fists so tightly. A resolution radiated from his eyes.


    "Is he also a ve here?"


    "You could say that."


    "Shouldn''t I just release him with you?"


    "Unfortunately, the ce she''s been locked up in is different from ours. Even though I''m sure she''s locked up in this Nest of very, I can''t find her. That''s why, I deliberately became the toy of the boss of this ce so I can go to the district master and look for her. But sadly I couldn''t find her."


    "How long have you been cooped up here?"


    "About 14 or 15 years."


    "And you haven''t found her in all that time?"


    "Yes."


    "If I may ask, who are the people you serve? It''s fine if you tell me her name, right?!"


    "Her name is Reine. Reine Rosewood."


    When I heard the name, my eyes automatically widened.

 Chapter 112 Confusing Fight

    ng! ng! ng!


    A loud noise came from outside the tent.


    The sound was simr to the sound of metal striking each other.


    The sound seeded in making my eyes open wide.


    I woke up from my sleep and uncovered the tent entrance cloth to head outside.


    Once I was outside, I could see where the noise wasing from.


    It turned out that the loud noise wasing from some poor soldiers mming their swords against the trays they were carrying.


    They were walking around the tents in the ve district to wake up the ves.


    "Hurry up and get up! How long are you going to sleep!"


    Many of them were shouting.


    I saw them walking around until I noticed that some poor soldiers suddenly entered a ve tent.


    Soon, they were seen grabbing the ves by the neck and dragging them out of the tent.


    Not long after, the poor soldiers were spanking, punching, and beating up the ves.


    "Hehe, be our stretching aid! Don''t make sad faces! Show us your happy faces!"


    Their faces looked like they were having morning entertainment. Smiles broke out on their faces.


    Of course, they hit the body, not the face. And the ones being beaten were low-quality ves.


    It''s strange, isn''t it. There were some ves left. And among them was me.


    When the poor soldiers saw me, they ignored me.


    They clicked their tongues and turned to ignore me.


    ''Even in this world, appearance is still a very important factor.''


    "Hoam!"


    I yawned and stretched my body. My muscles felt very hard because my current body had not really adapted to the ce where I had sleptst night.


    Especially coupled with my difficulty in sleepingst night.


    Even though my eyes had managed to open, they were actually still heavy to open.


    I found it very difficult to sleepst night. I ended up opening my eyes longer than closing them.


    Whenever I tried to sleep, I always overthought what Ragnar had said.


    Coming from behind, Ragnar came out from inside the tent. He had taken off the bandages on his body because I didn''t see him wearing bandages like a mummy anymore.


    Although it had only been one night, the torn skin on his body hadpletely healed.


    Only the addition of thin wound marks on his body was evidence that he had been injured.


    So was the wound on his face.


    The thin scratches managed to camouge well with the wrinkles on his face.


    As I stared at him, he suddenly patted my back and acted like an old man. "What are you looking at, kid?"


    "Can you say once again the name of the person you had been serving? Who made you willingly not want to leave here before finding her?"


    Suddenly, I felt a strong push on my back.


    He pushed my back hard as if he wanted to plunge me to the ground.


    But, I managed to resist the pushing force he triggered with my legs. So I didn''t end up tumbling to the ground.


    Maybe he was too annoyed with the same question I asked him again and again.


    Last night, every time I had trouble falling asleep, I would wake him up and ask him the same question.


    Apart from the fact thatst night he wanted to tear down the tent while ring and gnashing his teeth in anger, he still gave the same answer.


    ''Am I remembering wrong? Isn''t Reine Rosewood cooped up inside the Nest of Darkness?''


    "So, how can you be sure that she is still inside this Nest of very? Isn''t there a possibility that she has already been moved to another ce?"


    "Do you really not know? Or are you just pretending not to know? If you were Callie''s friend, then you would know that beastmen have a special skill where they are able to make other people their masters, right?"


    As he said, every one of the beastmen race did have a special skill.


    There are several benefits that the master can have when there is a beastmen willing to serve.


    Aside from absolute loyalty, the beastmen who became servants could detect the master''s presence subtly.


    "Looking at your expression, I guess you must have known. Then you also know that I can guess where she is, right?! ...Although not urately."


    The round ear on top of his head twitched slightly.


    He originally spoke with confidence. However, I could feel the bitterness at the end of his sentence.


    Judging from the frown on his face, he clearly didn''t want to talk about Reine Rosewood anymore.


    He walked over my shoulder.


    However, I stopped him unintentionally with a word, "Then, who is being confined in the Nest of Darkness?"


    I only muttered under my breath. But I''m sure he heard my mutterings.


    Turning my body, I stared at his back. Apparently, he had stopped walking. His body seemed to have been paralyzed.


    Was it because of my muttering?<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    His head suddenly turned 90 degrees backward.


    The way he turned his head to look at me was simr to the movement of a rusting machine.


    I met his gaze.


    To my surprise, he was actually shedding tears.


    It wasn''t much, but I could see beads of tearsing out of his eyelids.


    His nose also suddenly turned red, along with his face turning red with anger. He knitted his eyebrows together as he said,


    "H-How...-"


    "...."


    He looked confused at first.


    But his next response left me dumbfounded.


    Without waiting for a reply from me, he suddenly attacked me.


    This time not only his head, but his body also spun towards me.


    Before spinning, he raised his right leg as if he wanted to take a kick to the goalkeeper''s goal.


    He wanted to attack me using his right foot. A kick in the air. He wanted to kick me diagonally. The part he was after was my head.


    It turned out he wasn''t joking.


    He was serious about attacking me.


    Seeing that what he was aiming for was my head, there was no mistaking if I said he was trying to kill me. Moreover, his movements were very fast. Fast enough to call his kick a kick that exceeds the kick speed of the best yer on earth.


    My head would be like a ball flying into the clouds if I stayed still without fighting back.


    I retreated backwards to avoid his attack.


    "Ou, shit!"


    Turns out I wasn''t lucky enough.


    I was indeed able to avoid his kick because I retreated backwards. I had also managed to get out of range of his leg attacks.


    But I forgot something.


    It turned out that he had a leg cuff on his right leg. On the chain connecting the leg cuff, there was arge round iron ball. And it was that ball that was flying toward my head.


    I wouldn''t have time to dodge the iron ball''s attack. So, I protected my head using my left hand.


    Smack!


    The big iron ball hit my left hand very hard.


    Luckily, I was able to use Mana even in a situation where my leg also had a leg cuff that obstructed the flow of Mana.


    So I could minimize the damage to my body.


    If I were to take his iron ball attack head-on, my body would be destroyed because my current body is not strong enough. The muscles in my body were still too bby to withstand the huge iron ball that was attacking.


    At least, in the best scenario, my left hand would''ve been broken.


    However, since this was in a crowded ce, I didn''t use Mana prominently. I only strengthened my left hand. As such, the impact on my body was still very harsh.


    My right leg, which was tasked with bncing my body so that I wouldn''t fall, had failed to do its job. My right leg lost its bnce. It sent my body flying.


    My body fell to the ground.


    Indeed, the beastmen race''s physique was very strong. Especially a veteran from the bear tribe like him.


    I was sure he only attacked me using his brute strength. Not full strength. But, his attack was already very heavy.


    Lying on the ground, I looked up at him.


    "Arrgghh!"


    He screamed like crazy and was ready to attack me again.


    He also had the eyes of a madman.


    Above his head, I could see a puff of smoke due to his chaotic thoughts.


    It was just my imagination, but I could imagine that there was thick smokeing out of his nose and mouth as well.


    ''What''s wrong with him?''


    While wondering, I rose to my feet and prepared to receive his attack.


    Luckily, when he wanted to attack me again, there were already many poor soldiers who took notice and started trying to deal with his madness.


    They all rushed to stop him using the various weapons they had.


    Without hesitation, they ced spears and swords around Ragnar''s body.


    With spearheads and swords, or spearheads and swords surrounding his body, he was automatically injured when he tried to advance on me.


    His skin was automatically dripping with blood as it began to be torn by the spearheads.


    Luckily, his consciousness returned not long after, before he was injured further.


    As his features of madness faded, his eyes stared in confusion at his surroundings for a few seconds. However, he immediately lowered his face.


    And he was apparently crying.


    "Sniff"

 Chapter 113 The Pieces Of The Story

    ?


    After making a mess by attacking me, I didn''t see Ragnar. He was captured by some poor soldiers and dragged out of the ve district.


    It was likely that he would be taken away to the master''s district.


    From what he said before, he was often taken to the master district and received violence there. In short, he was used as an object of lust by the boss of the Nest of very.


    But, I heard that he wasn''t brought there every day, so perhaps he was brought there again for making a scene.


    Although I was part of the people who had made trouble, fortunately the poor soldiers knew that I was the victim. So, I wasn''t harmed.


    After Ragnar disappeared, I followed the directions of a few poor soldiers and walked towards the entrance of the ve district. I left my isted shabby tent behind.


    There were already many ves lined up. I, too, marched straight like a snake. Behind me, one by one, the ves who had juste out of the tent entered the line.


    Surprisingly, all the faces of the new ves who arrived here yesterday at the same time as me had bruises on their faces. The bags under their eyes also looked very dark ck.


    "Hey, is the tent you chose yesterday a tent that has been upied?"


    "No. Damn. After they suddenly camest night, I was beaten up and kicked out of the tent. I was forced to find a new tent."


    "I''m the same way. Why won''t they share the same tent!"


    They were talking amongst themselves. One person held their cheek, and the other walked hunched over as if their back was suffering from osteoporosis.


    "Next!"


    I averted my eyes because of a loud voice from the front of the line of people.


    The voice came from a ve girl in her mid-20s. She was holding some sort ofdle.


    In front of her, there was a pot filled to the brim with parsnips. Warm steam was billowing out of the pot. She had just steamed the parsnips.


    Following her directions, one by one the ves came forward and received the parsnips that she had just cooked. She was a ve in charge of distributing food to the ves.


    I was no exception.


    However, just as I wanted to take the warm parsnips from her hand, she suddenly lifted them up.


    Her eyes stared at my face for a few moments. Her eyes narrowed and she suddenly smiled.


    Slurp!


    She moistened her lips with her tongue as if she was thirsty.


    Her eyes seemed to be staring into the face of easy-to-catch prey.


    I didn''t like the look in her eyes.


    I immediately snatched the parsnip in her hand without waiting for her to give it to me.


    "Hehe. It seems that you were the new ve. I will visit your tentter tonight, young boy. Can you tell me where your tent is? I''m sure you''ll like what''s going to happenter tonight."


    She blinked one eye.


    Indeed, her body was not too bad for a woman living in the slums. Looking at her tworge breasts and small waistline, I believe she was a former prostitute.


    She was probably a ve who belonged to the sex ve category. However, I ignored her and walked forward until I was out of the ve district, following the other ves.


    "If you won''t tell me, I''ll find out myselfter. See you tonight, young boy!"


    Her loud voice echoed from behind me.


    Grumbles began to emanate from the mouths of the other ves.


    They stared at me with evil looks while gnashing their teeth.


    However, I ignored all their res and focused on what I was going to do next.


    Without any exnation from the poor soldiers walking around watching me and the other ves, I knew that we were being led to work in the mine dungeon.


    After receiving warm parsnips, we were given a pick by the other ves in charge of distributing picks.


    The pick was the only tool for mining in this era. There were no drills or heavy machinery that made it easier for people to mine.


    The pick had two sides that were each sharp, suitable for mining magic stones or other minerals.


    During the food distribution, perhaps the potential for riots was so high that many poor soldiers were watching. But when distributing the picks, I didn''t see many poor soldiers.


    Though there could be ves who suddenly attacked because they had gotten something like a weapon. But strangely there were no ves who were stupid enough to do what I imagined.


    Finally, I also received the pick and walked into a cave that was located in the eastern part of the Nest of very.


    This cave was the cave that would lead me into the mine dungeon.


    As I continued to walk, my mind began to go elsewhere.


    I''m still thinking about the reason why Ragnar was so angry.


    And... Regarding Reine Rosewood''s actual whereabouts.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Indeed, as I recall, she was during the Nest of Darkness ording to the current timeline. But, how could she not be there, and instead be somewhere in the master district?


    Was the entrance to the Nest of Darkness somewhere in the Master district?


    I''m sure it wasn''t.


    Because in the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light, Jullian had destroyed the entire contents of this Nest of very to the ground.


    In the process of destroying the Nest of very, he did not find a ce that could be used as a path to the Nest of Darkness.


    Only the Mine Dungeon, a ce that Jullian did not explore thoroughly.


    In the novel, we are told that Jullian only focused on saving ves and children from the orphanage, he was not told to explore the mine dungeon thoroughly.


    From there, I made the conclusion that the path to the Nest of Darkness was somewhere inside the Mine Dungeon.


    And inside the Nest of Darkness was where Reine Rosewood was... right?


    Then, you probably already know where my assumption came from regarding Reine Rosewood''s whereabouts. From within the Demon Lord and Hero of Light novels, of course.


    Just as my mind began to insist on the existence of Reine Rosewood, who was in the Nest of Darkness, a system message suddenly appeared before my eyes.


    My left hand was carrying the pick on my shoulder, while my right hand was about to stuff parsnips into my mouth. But when the message appeared, I didn''t put the parsnips in my mouth.


    [Memorize skill - activate.]


    It was because of the dizziness that suddenly attacked my head.


    The dizziness caused by the memorize skill activating made me drop my warm parsnip in my right hand. My hand switched to holding my head.


    Slowly but surely, my memories that had been locked away began to open up. My open memories were memories of Reine Rosewood.


    Letter after letter dan word by word from the novel Demon Lord and Hero of Light seeded blossomed in my mind.


    I stringed every letter that appeared in my head into a sentence structure. Sentence after sentence formed until it finally became a paragraph that told the story of Reine Rosewood.


    The story was about her motivation to kill Jullian. Where her motivation turned out to be hatred. The hatred arose due to Jullian''s sense of heroism.


    Because of this hatred, she was willing to join the ranks of the demons.


    The scene took ce during the final battle.


    Reine Rosewood, as the beastman of the nine-tailed fox tribe, she was standing floating in the sky. All nine of her tails were dancing beautifully in the air.


    She was face to face with Jullian.


    The one who first started the conversation was Reine.


    "It''s useless for you to act like a hero by saving people here and there. In the end, you can''t save everyone, right?!"


    "Isn''t that obvious?! I''m not a god who can save everyone?! At the very least, I''ve done my best to save everyone."


    "How disgusting. You''d better shut up and let the wheels of everyone''s destiny run and roll on their own paths."


    "What do you mean by saying that?"


    "Do you remember the ce called the Nest of very where all the ves were locked up? I''m sure you don''t really remember because it was just one of the ces you acted to save people."


    "Then what''s wrong with that ce?"


    "Inside there is a ce called the Nest of Darkness. And inside there, there was one person who was cooped up. Why didn''t you save that person?"


    "How could I possibly know?"


    "Haaa~ You''re good at making excuses. It''s obvious that you just want to save a lot of people. If it was just one person, you would never want to save that person."


    After a few exchanges of words between them, the fight began.


    War broke out.


    When I reread my memories, it was not exined in detail about Reine Rosewood being cooped up in the Nest of Darkness.


    She only said that she knew that there was one person cooped up in the Nest of Darkness.


    Therefore, I made a wild assumption that the person cooped up in there was her, Reine Rosewood.


    Then, the reason why she hated Jullian so much was because she was not rescued by Jullian.


    Seeing that she was able to get out of the Nest of Darkness or Nest of vry, I could only make the assumption that she got out by utilizing the mess created by Jullian.


    It''s not for no reason that I made that assumption.


    There is no specific scene that tells about how she got out of the Nest of Darkness or the Nest of very, but, there is one scene that tells that there is one beastman from the nine-tailed fox tribe who got out of the Nest of very without being rescued by Jullian.


    It happened not long after Jullian freed the ves.


    ''If she wasn''t cooped up in the Nest of Darkness, but somewhere in the master''s district, then it makes sense for there to be a scene like that.''

 Chapter 114 Mine Dungeon Exploration (1)

    ?


    Ka-nk!


    The loud voice continued to echo.


    I was now inside the mine dungeon.


    My hand held the pick very firmly. Then the muscles in my body began to contract. After lifting the pick high enough, I dropped the pick onto the magic stones in front of me.


    Ka-nk!


    A loud sound echoed out again.


    Sweat drenched my entire body as I continued to mine.


    Drip! Drip! Drip!


    One-two-three, drop after drop of sweat poured out of the pores of my skin. My sweat dripped onto the dungeon floor.


    I continued to hit the chunks of magic stone stuck to the dungeon wall using my pick.


    Along with my efforts in hitting the magic stones with the pick, the sweat on my body also flowed more and more.


    It wasn''t just me, the other ves were also doing the same thing. There were already many ves around me who were mining with picks in their hands.


    You could hear the effort they were putting in from the number of hard-hitting sounds they were making.


    With every loud crashing sound, the light from the magic stones alsoes out.


    In addition to the light moss that helps illuminate the dungeon, there was also light from a magic stone that gushed out and illuminated the entire dungeon. So, even without a shlight, the lighting here was very adequate.


    ng!


    The sharp tip of the pick in my hand struck the magic stones and made them shake slightly.


    If it''s just one hit, the magic stones won''t be cut right away. I have to do it several times if I want to cut the magic stones.


    Magic stones are the same as magic crystals.


    However, magic stones are used to refer to magic crystals that are obtained by mining from mine dungeons, while magic crystals are used for those obtained from killing monsters.


    However, the level of hardness between magic stones and magic crystals is the same.


    The hardness of magic stones was very hard. It was already amon story. The hardest mineral on earth, as far as I know, was diamond. And the hardness level of magic stones was also like that.


    Even though the level of strength possessed by the ves mining here is different from the strength of ordinary humans out there, but, we still have to try very hard just to mine a few magic stones.


    If diamonds can only be cut using other diamonds, then magic stones was same.


    Therefore, at the end of the pick that I and the other ves were held, there was a shard of magic stone applied.


    Of course, there are some cases where magic stones can be destroyed using external forces that exceed the durability limit of magic stones. But it is not easy to do so.


    For example, one would have to use a magic spell that consumes a lot of Mana, and then split the magic stones.


    Instead of using the hard way, Marquess Stronghold used ves as free mining tools.


    Therefore, it was inevitable that there would be some ves who wouldin. Especially if it was a new ve.


    One of the ves near me stopped mining. He looked right and left to see if there were any poor soldiers watching.


    When he saw that there were no poor soldiers, he let go of the pick in his hand so that the pick fell to the floor. He also dropped his butt to the floor and sat down just like that.


    "Hey, do you know why there are no monsters here? Isn''t this inside a dungeon?"


    He suddenly asked me.


    Unlike him, I was still mining.


    When I heard his question, I looked up as if I was thinking hard to find an answer.


    "Maybe because we''re still at the mouth of the dungeon?"


    Like I said, we weren''t currently mining too far into the mine dungeon.


    Even so, we were split into groups to mine in several ces at the mouth of the dungeon.


    That was the underlying reason why there were no poor soldiers here. Because they were watching elsewhere. Only asionally did they walk over to see if we were working properly or not.


    "Is that all?"


    "Another reason? Probably because the monsters in this ce are always cleared by the raid team."


    At least that''s what I heard from Bubble before.


    He said that every day there would always be a raid team consisting of magicians and warriors from outside who would attack the monsters inside here.


    Unexpectedly, the people I had been talking about showed up.


    The ves who had been busy mining magic stones stood still.


    They stared at the figures of the people who had juste from the entrance of the dungeon.


    This dungeon, from the mouth of the dungeon entrance to this ce, was very simr to an ordinary cave.


    Most mine dungeon concepts are like this.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Just an ordinary cave.


    Most mine dungeons had no entrance. It was as if the mine dungeon was just a closed cave.


    This mine dungeon was the same. The entrance to this mine dungeon was also made manually. But, the inside of this dungeon had no trace of human intervention. Except for some magic stones that were mined.


    "Tsk! This ce still stinks as usual."


    "Just endure it for a while. How long are you going to keepining?"


    "I hope we finish our task soon!"


    I saw that there were a few people from them who came here. There were approximately ten people. There were men and women.


    Interestingly, they were all wearing veryplete equipment. On the bodies of some of them were full body armors that hugged almost all of their bodies.


    The light from their full body armor almost seemed to rival the light from the magic stones and light moss in this dungeon.


    In their hands were various weapons. Some held swords, shields, and magic staffs, and some held daggers. Theirposition as a team wasplete.


    Unmistakably, they were a party of adventurers who used to explore dungeons. There were those in charge of taking the position of Tank, Magician, and Swordsman, and there were those who held the position of Assassin.


    They were clearly an adventurer party under the Marquess Stronghold, not an adventurer party that was purely affiliated and working for the Adventurer''s Association.


    The one who was alwaysining was the one holding the sword at his waist. He was someone who filled the Attacker position as a Swordsman.


    "What are you looking at!? Get to work!"


    He shouted and scolded the ves.


    I also went back to pretending to mine while still asionally watching him.


    Swoosh!


    Suddenly he kicked a small pebble on the dungeon floor.


    The target he aimed at was the ve beside me who was still sitting. He didn''t have time to stand up when the party adventurer arrived.


    As a result, he was rewarded with a hard pebble kick to the temple. A red color burst out on his temple. Not because he was frowning at his temple, but because blood was dripping from it.


    "Kuh!"


    He only endured the pain. He then managed to stand up with difficulty and continued mining magic stones without daring toin.


    At least he didn''t fight back like a fool.


    After finishing taking care of the ve beside me, that person strangely walked up to me.


    At first, I thought he wasing to the ve beside me and was going to chew him up, but I was wrong.


    He was clearly looking at me. His mouth opened slightly as if he had just found the item he had been looking for.


    "Hmm. Are you the ve named Mesties?"


    "..."


    "Oh, seeing that you''re silent, it looks like I was right."


    I stopped mining.


    Putting the pick to the floor, I looked at him with a small smile. I tried toe up with the same expression when I was dealing with my boss at work.


    "Is there anything I can help you with?"


    "As per the information given to us, you look very conspicuouspared to the other ves. It was not difficult to identify you. As expected of a noble child."


    He smiled and looked at me, but then he added, "Oops! I meant former noble child since you have be a ve now. Isn''t that so?!"


    He covered his mouth as if he had blurted out inappropriate words. But, from the look in his eyes, I could already tell that he was insulting me.


    "Hohoho. Are you curious who gave us that information?"


    Actually, I wasn''t curious.


    I could already guess that he received the information about me from the two soldiers who came to the Nest of very with me from Marquess Stronghold''s castle.


    "Then, let''s wee the person who gave us the information about you!"


    Coming from behind the crowd of the adventurer party, there were two soldiers in sight.


    They appeared from the entrance of the dungeon.


    My guess was correct.


    They were the two soldiers who had escorted me to the Nest of very.


    When I activated Judgement Skill on both of them, I was able to find out their names. The two of them were Obud and Hory.


    However, what made me a little confused was that there was one more person who seemed to appear. I was familiar with his face. After a little effort, my brain managed to remember him.


    His name was Fidel, a rank B adventurer who I had fought in the Adventurer''s Association.

 Chapter 115 Mine Dungeon Exploration (2)

    ?


    Fidel, the one who once fought me in the adventurer registration test, now appeared before me.


    Hees off with confidence in every step he takes.


    When he saw me, he smiled.


    "We meet again, Mesties."


    He acted like we were best friends from the start. His hand waved slightly upwards.


    Judging by the sly smile on his lips, He didn''t seem surprised to see me here.


    "Don''t make such a questioning face. Just so you know, I''ve been an underling of Marquess Stronghold from the start."


    "And then?"


    "Haha. If you''re really curious. I''ll tell you. Do you remember that when we first met, I said that I was in a hurry to finish a request? Well, do you know what request I received?"


    He approached me and put his arm around my shoulder. Then he whispered in my ear, "The truth was, I was given the task from the beginning to look for people who could be used as ves by Marquess Stronghold. Especially neers to Burgenfield city."


    My eyes shifted to his face without me having to turn my head.


    Finally, he let go of the hand he was holding onto my shoulder, saying, "But who would have thought that you would already be a ve without me having the chance to report to Marquess Stronghold."


    I want to thank him for bothering to exin all of that. However, I don''t really care.


    In my eyes, he is still someone who is not important.


    "By the way, why did you guyse to me? Is there anything I can help you with?"


    I ignored Fidel and asked the rest of the crowd.


    They looked like they were holding backughter. Maybe because I had neglected Fidel.


    Before Fidel could go into a rage, where he was already gritting his teeth and wanting to punch me, one of them exined to me why they wereing at me.


    That person was a swordsman who seemed to be the leader of the petnt party.


    [Name: ude.


    Titles: Warrior, Swordsman, Adventurer, Attacker.


    Stats:


    (Strengths: A) (Speed: C) (Endurance: D) (Agility: E) (Mana Core: Middle.)


    Skills:


    Mountain-splitting sword, body cultivation¡­]


    His name turned out to be ude.


    Looking at the stats he had, his strength was at a fairly high level for a warrior. If for the size of an adventurer, maybe he is in rank A.


    Apart from his fairly high ability, his appearance looks very average.


    But what made me feel a little worried, he stopped Obud and Hory from speaking. It''s as if he told the others that he was the leader.


    "We''re in need of additional Porters. Can youe with us in today''s raid?"


    "Why should it be me?"


    "Then, should I offer this thing to someone else?"


    He looked at the other ves and said, "Is anyone here willing to be our porter today?"


    No answer.


    They just kept mining and pretended they didn''t hear him scream. Their eyes asionally nced at me.


    From the look in their eyes, it was clear, they were telling me to be the one making the sacrifice.


    Being a porter for a raid monster team is not easy. I am aware of that. Even if it was out there, being a porter was a life akin to hell.


    Unlike being a porter out there who can work for days, from what I''ve heard before, this monster raid team will onlyst for a short while.


    Even though it was only for a short time, they could be used as sacrificialmbs if something unexpected happened. So, it was only natural that many ves would refuse.


    "Phew."


    I pretended to try to make amends.


    I gave him a look that said, ''This time, I''m sacrificing for all of you, remember!''


    And then they nodded as if they understood what I meant.


    It''s not bad to make them owe me. When I release themter, they can be even more obedient.


    Even though I knew that these people, Party Adventurer, Obud and Hory, and Fidel, had wanted to target me from the start.


    "See! No one will, right?! So are you going to reject our offer as well?"


    "Very well. I ept your offer."


    As soon as I agreed, they immediately smiled. Especially ude, Fidel, Obud, and Hory. It''s just that, the meaning or motive behind their smile looks different.


    They handed me several bags full of food. They told me to bring it all.


    Automatically, on my shoulder full of bags full of food. I saw some warm wheat bread and some dried meat in there.


    To be clear, all the food had been wrapped in leaves so it wouldn''t get dirty anyway.


    It doesn''t stop with bags full of food. They also gave me various backup weapons.


    With the punk holding the weight of the bag full of food, both of my hands were holding various spare weapons. Then we went deeper into the mine dungeon.


    When we had been deep enough, no further mining activity was detected.


    Chunks of magic stones became more and more visible with our footsteps.


    Previously, at the entrance to the dungeon, there were only magic stones after walking a few tens of meters. Now, after just walking a few meters, you will already be standing in front of the magic stones.


    While they haven''t made any moves yet, I take advantage of this time to look at all of their status windows.


    The first was Fidel. Has his status window changed in thest few days?


    [Name: Fidel.


    Titles: Warrior, Swordsman, Adventurer.


    Stats:


    (Strength: B) (Speed: E) (Endurance: D) (Agility: E) (Mana Core: Low.)<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Skills:


    Sword Mastery, Body Cultivation.]


    Turns out his stats are still the same.


    ''He''s still at rank B as an Adventurer, huh.''


    Then I looked at Obud and Hory.


    [Name: Obud.


    Title: Marquess Stronghold Soldier.


    Stats:


    (Strength: C) (Endurance: E) (Agility: E) (Mana Core: Low.)


    Skills:


    Spear mastery.]


    [Name: Hori.


    Title: Marquess Stronghold Soldier.


    Stats:


    (Strengths: D) (Endurance: D) (Agility: E) (Mana Core: Low.)


    Skills:


    Spear Mastery.]


    It was obvious that the abilities of the two of them were below average.


    The two of them were clearly just acting tough on the outside.


    With the abilities they have, it''s clear they''re participating in this mine dungeon raid not to defeat monsters. But they must mean to mess with me.


    I''m a little dizzy about the reason why I''m so easy to be hated by other people. Seeing that Fidel, Obud and Hory, and even ude were included, they clearly wanted to harm me.


    Why can''t one person support me in this condition?


    Is being liked by many people just a privilege for the main character in a story?


    Well, not that I hope so. Let''s just say I''m just thinking randomly.


    One rank A adventurer, one rank B adventurer, and two insignificant soldiers.


    If it''s just them, I''m sure I can win easily.


    The problem is, there are still some people who have above-average abilities.


    First, he was a tank who had a well-built andrge physique.


    [Name: Raiz.


    Titles: Warrior, Tanker, Adventurer.


    Stats:


    (Strength: E) (Speed: E) (Endurance: B) (Agility: E) (Vitality: B) (Mana Core: Low)


    Skills:


    Shield Mastery¡­]


    Even though his highest stats rank was only at rank B, it was clear he was an opponent that would be very troublesome.


    Vitality rank B, whenbined with Endurance rank B, it will make him a very shing tank.


    Even if arge truck were to crash into him, he would most likely survive.


    That kind of feeling I got from the Judgment skill.


    Next was an Assassin. He was wearing a veil that covered his mouth. His appearance was thin as if he had deliberately lost weight so he could move quickly.


    "Why did I have toe here, dammit. I won''t be of much use against the monsters here. I''d better kill him and get out of here."


    He muttered so.


    A killing aura radiated out from within his body and spread all around.


    Automatically, ude who realized his killing intent gave him a death re to stop him from emitting killing intent.


    But he btedly withdrew his killing intent.


    I had realized that the killing intent he was emitting just now was aiming at me.


    ''So, these people do intend to kill me, huh.''


    If so, I''d better vibrate right away before they move.


    Especially since there are existences that would annoy me greatly. If she hadter joined to kill me, I''m not sure I would have survived.


    It would be toote if I waited for them to move first.


    Of course, the existence that bothered me the most was the magician.


    She was the only woman in the adventurer''s party. She was already holding the magic staff with both of her hands. However, her hands were still slightly shaking. Her eyes were also a little blurry.


    She was definitely no match for the ranks of those rascals around her.


    When I saw her, it was as if I was looking at a duck surrounded by lions.


    She had a not-so-attractive appearance. There are some small freckles on her face. She was only about 160 cm tall. Maybe that''s why she was still okay around assholes.


    [Judgement Skill - Activate.]


    [Name: Sharon McBridge.


    Title: Magician 2nd ss, Beginner Magician, Runaway noble daughter.


    Stats:


    (Strength: B) (Endurance: C) (Agility: D) (Intelligence: C) (Magic Power: C) (Mana Core: Low.)


    Spells:


    Ground shaking, Ground spikes.]

 Chapter 116 A Rock-Hard Monster

    ?


    "Sharon McBride."


    I muttered her name.


    McBridge. I remembered that surname.


    It was the surname of the fat noble who had attended the maturity ceremony party at Baron Warwick''s residence.


    Count McBridge.


    That person was the only old noble whoughed at me very loudly when I epted defeat against Jullian.


    If she has the same surname, does that mean she was his daughter? Looking at her teenage age, the highest possibility is so.


    She already has an appearance that is not very attractive to men. That makes her a nuisance to men, but in my point of view, her not-so-beautiful appearance is an insurance policy for her safety.


    ''If she is indeed Count McBridge''s daughter, perhaps I don''t need to kill her.''


    My mind was traveling at the speed of light as I thought.


    Without realizing it, I had been staring at her from the side for a long time.


    As if she could detect that I was stealing nces at her appearance, she waved her curly hair, which was back-length, to the side. Her face, which had been staring anxiously at the surroundings, now turned to stare at me.


    I also returned my gaze to her.


    Although she continued to stare at me, I did not make a shy expression like a main character in a fictional story.


    What I found a little strange was that she seemed to be giving me a pitying look. She seemed to know that bad luck was about to befall me.


    "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me..."


    Words like that kepting out of her mouth and floating up to her head.


    Why was she mumbling apologies to me? I think I can slightly figure out why.


    However, I just need to focus on thinking about what I need to do.


    Should I also apologize to her first since I had decided to hold her hostage?


    That was what I had decided to do. Instead of immediately killing her along with the others, I will try to take her hostage to make it easier for me to defeat them.


    Although I was not sure it would work on them, this bunch of bastards around me.


    Instead of letting them move first, I should move first.


    Actually, it wasn''t the Assassin, who seemed intent on killing me who would move first.


    There were Obud and Hory who looked impatient tond a blow on my body.


    The two of them had started shouting to ude for permission to make me suffer ¡ª bullying me.


    Since we were already deep inside the Mine Dungeon, ude easily gave permission. He said that Obud and Hory could bully me until a monster appeared.


    Naturally, both of them were already wearing happy smiles because they couldn''t wait to bully me. They looked like little kids.


    On one side was Sharon looking at me with a pitying gaze, on the other side was the killing gaze of the Assassin, and on the other side were Obud and Hory looking at me while preparing tond one of each of their feet.


    Only ude was still focused on the surroundings.


    Just as I wanted to move to avoid the two legs of Obud and Hory that were already flying through the air to kick my body, ude suddenly raised his left hand, signaling a silentmand to everyone including Obud and Hory.


    "Silence!"


    The order was given to everyone.


    Everyone became silent. I was included.


    Just as I wanted to immediately smother Sharon''s mouth after finishing kicking Obud and Hory, the order came and I didn''t make a move to do so.


    However, I had already managed to dodge Obud and Hory''s attack and kicked the two of them.


    They automatically fell to the ground.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Because of that, they reacted strongly to ude''s order to be quiet.


    But they didn''t protest too much before a red kill was given to both of them by ude. So the two of them immediately shut up.


    As everyone was confused, they turned their eyes forward, including the assassin who was already staring at me with killing intent, or Sharon.


    Including the assassin who was already staring at me with killing intent, or Sharon.


    I also followed the direction of everyone''s gaze. It turned out that there was already one monster visible in front of all of us.


    The monster hadn''t noticed us yet. He was focused on doing what monsters usually do in Mine dungeon, which was eating chunks of Magic Stone. The monster''srge hands could easily pick up the pieces of Magic Stone and then stuff them into his mouth.


    Whereas all the ves inside the Nest of very had to go to great lengths to do so, the monster easily gouges the chunk of Magic Stone.


    The tall, wide, andrge body was not enough to describe the monster. The most prominent feature was that the monster''s body wasposed not of the flesh, but of stone.


    The undting pores on the monster''s body managed to make everyone identify it.


    Chunks of rock fused and gathered to form a monster that had legs and arms, such were the characteristics of the monster.


    The monster''s bodyposed of boulders had a color very simr to the color of the dungeon wall surface, slightly brown and mostly gray. Perhaps that was why the monster would be hard to see, disguised automatically.


    Unmistakably, it was a monster called a golem.


    [Name: Golem


    Rank: C


    Description: Golems were monsters that mostly inhabited the Mine Dungeon. They were monsters that liked to eat Magic Stone. That''s why their habitat was Mine Dungeon. They don''t like to live in groups because they are greedy for precious minerals].


    "Everyone, prepare to fight!"


    ude gave further instructions.


    Automatically everyone followed him.


    The sword that was previously sheathed at ude''s waist was now drawn.


    So did everyone else. They prepared their weapons. Then they set up their stances.


    However, I never heard the order to charge forward.


    I squinted slightly as I saw ude giving a strange look to his team members, excluding Obud, Hory, and Fidel.


    ude nodded after looking at them one by one.


    "Sharon, start chanting the spell to bind the monster. While you cast the spell, we''ll try to buy some time. As nned, we''ll use the monster as bait to create a Dungeon Explosion."


    Hearing ude''s order, Sharon raised her magic staff and began to chant.


    Although her hands were still shaking, she still tried to focus on chanting.


    When Sharon started chanting, the Golem detected our presence.


    The golem turned its gaze to us.


    Where his head should have been, round red eyes shone, staring at us as if he saw an intruder.


    He ignored the Magic Stone in his hand and started walking towards us.


    Every step that the golem monster took managed topletely shake the ce I was standing on.


    However, perhaps because of the size of the body or because the monster was made of stone, it walked very slowly.


    As the golem approached, someone shouted angrily.


    Obud and Hory, who still had their hands on the ground, started shouting simultaneously at ude.


    "What do you mean by making a Dungeon Explosion?!"

 Chapter 117 The Show Has Closed

    ?


    The Dungeon Explosion that Obud and Hory shouted together was not as if the dungeon would actually explode and fall to pieces.


    As far as I know, there has never been a case where a dungeon was destroyed or wiped out.


    The dungeon explosion they were referring to was a phenomenon where the monsters inside the dungeon came out of the dungeon in groups so that it looked like a volcano spewingva.


    Phenomena like dungeon explosion can generally only ur naturally.


    Only if the monsters in the dungeon were not regrly reduced, then dungeon explosions could ur.


    But it seemed like they had another alternative to trigger the phenomenon of dungeon explosion to ur.


    ''If he really intends to trigger it, then...''


    Did ude get the order to kill me from the leader of the Nest of very?


    There was no way they would dare to trigger the dungeon explosion phenomenon without receiving orders first.


    If they thought so, then what was their purpose?


    Seeing that the responses from Obud, Hory, and Fidel were out of sync with Calude and his party, I can conclude that they were not on the same side.


    If Obud, Hory, and Fidel''s goal was just to torment me, then ude and his party seem to have a different goal. This was just my opinion, but they probably wanted to kill me.


    I think ude and his party wanted to use the explosive dungeon as camouge in their n to kill me.


    It was unlikely that they intended to trigger the explosive dungeon phenomenon to kill the ves in the Nest of very. If so, the leader of the Nest of very, who probably gave them the order, would have received the wrath of Marquess Stronghold.


    "Shut their mouths for now!"


    Perhaps because ude was starting to get annoyed with Obud and Hory, he ordered his party member, the assassin, to shut both their mouths.


    In the blink of an eye, the assassin had already ced both of his feet on each of Obud and Hory''s backs. He stomped on their bodies until they fell to the ground.


    Then he squatted down to cover Obud and Hory''s mouths with his palms.


    Obud and Hory didn''t just stand still, they ced both palms on the ground and immediately pushed the ground to lift their bodies. But their strength was too low to get rid of the assassin who was squashing them.


    The two of them could not put up any resistance.


    Even though their hands tried their hardest to break free, they could only writhe on the ground. Thest resistance they could do was scratch the assassin''s leg.


    While all this was happening, there was Fidel who was covering his mouth like a woman who was about to be r*pe.


    Since the unnecessary distractions had been eliminated, ude and his Party could now focus on fighting the golem.


    Seeing their abilities, they should be able to quickly kill golems.


    Indeed, monster ranks are not the same as human ranks. I mean, even though they may both be at rank B, C, or D, it was certain that the abilities between humans and monsters are very different. It takes several humans to kill a monster of the same rank.


    But since the golem is only C rank, one level below their adventurer rank, it''s not a problem for them if they only fight one monster.


    I''m sure they would be able to easily subdue the golem.


    ''That''s if I''m just going to look.''


    I couldn''t shake the thought and desire to move immediately. However, I chose to watch how they fought the golem.


    There was no harm in observing their battle skills first.


    "Raiz, resist the first attack thates. Meanwhile, I''ll make small attacks while surrounding his body."


    Like an experienced adventure party captain, ude gave clear instructions to Raiz.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude was already running forward while holding his sword in the air. His eyes were focused on seeing the movement of the golem that was right in front of his body.


    When he saw the golem''s hand suddenly lift into the air, preparing to attack, he hurriedly elerated his footsteps.


    He moved to the side until he was unaware of the golem''s eyes.


    Perhaps the golem only regarded ude as a passing insect, the golem did not seem to care about ude. However, the golem''s hand, which had been raised into the air, had not yete down. The golem was still going to attack.


    The golem''s target was now the person who had been running forward behind ude. He was Raiz, an adventurer who had a position as a tanker.


    The reason why the golem was easily distracted from ude was because there was Raiz right behind ude.


    As soon as ude dodged, the golem''s two red eyes locked onto Raiz.


    He realized that he had be the target of the golem''s punching attack, so, he prepared the shield that was already in his hand firmly.


    The golem''s attack came simultaneously as he ced his shield in front of him. Luckily he had already set up a stance while holding his shield firmly. Because if not, he would have been toote.


    I expected that there would be the sound of ka-boom! But I was wrong. Unexpectedly, the sound that came out when the golem''s fist hit Raiz''s shield was the same as the sound of an ordinary stone being thrown into iron.


    Like the sound, which produced a sound that didn''t have much impact, it was clear that the golem''s attack didn''t have much impact on Raiz.


    But that was if it was just one strike. If the golem started attacking blindly, Raiz would also be overwhelmed.


    Therefore, ude did not just stand still after disappearing from the radar of the golem''s eyes. At the same time as Raiz received the golem''s attack, ude attacked the golem.


    But he only attacked with ordinary physical strength. There was no sign that he was using any skills. It was obviously because he didn''t want to kill the golem right away.


    The fight that I regarded as an ordinary show continued.


    But finally, the show seemed to be closed by Sharon.


    She had finished casting the spell and looked ready to attack the golem.


    When she was one step away from casting the spell, I decided to stop her.


    After all, I already felt like I had observed enough of Raiz and ude''s abilities. It was just unfortunate that they hadn''t unleashed their full abilities yet.


    That made me a little wary of them.


    "...The soft ground that has no shape, changing ording to my will. Ground Spi-!"


    Sharon, who was only left to say the keywords of her magic, was forced to stop reciting her spell.


    The reason was that I suddenly appeared behind her.


    I moved quickly after activating the strengthening skill.


    "Hiiieeeekk!"


    She let out a strange sound as I ced my palm on her neck from behind.


    Even though my hand was pressed against her neck, I was actually faking a grip on her neck.


    The real reason why she was screaming was because the fingers of my other hand were tickling her waist.


    Her body automatically twitched very strangely like a woman having an orgasm. Her waist went straight up. Her movements made her breasts, which have an average size, protrude far forward as if rebelling to get out of the clothes that confined them. Especially the two flower buds up there.


    Ignoring the sensual reaction she exhibited, I put my mouth close to her ear and whispered something into her ear.


    "If you don''t want to die, immediately start casting magic spells. But this time, aim your magic at the members of your party group!"

 Chapter 118 Killing Sensation

    ?


    Fwoosh!


    Warm steam came out of my mouth.


    As I spoke near her ear, the breath from my mouth automatically flew through the air until it hit her ear.


    Her ears instantly turn a reddish color as she feels the touch of my breath.


    Both of her hands hugged her stomach and surprisingly, her back flexed in a semi-circr position.


    Perhaps she had realized that she had shown a sensual reaction, which led her to try to correct her standing posture.


    Too bad the reddish color in her ears had spread to her face, so it was useless for her to try to act as if she had never shown a sensual reaction.


    After correcting her posture, she turned her head slightly back. By doing so, she managed to look into my eyes from behind her shoulders.


    I saw her mouth, which was pink in color, start to undte abnormally. It was obvious that she seemed to be trying to say something.


    But I didn''t let her do it.


    I immediately silenced her mouth using my hand, until her mouth was tightly covered by my fingers. The softness of her lips was deeply felt in my hand.


    "Eup!"


    "Just answer with a nod if you agree and shake your head if you disagree."


    Even though her eyes started to ze over, I still didn''t let go of her.


    Fortunately, she finally nodded slowly without me having to say any threatening words.


    If I had continued with threatening words, such as threatening to kill her, I''m sure she would have burst into tears or even identally copsed.


    Just as I wanted to let go of her, I felt the presence of another person behind my body.


    His movements were very fast.


    There was no mistaking it was the Assassin. He was the only one who could respond to what I had done and moved with lightning speed to reach the back of my body.


    As I nced back, he was braking using his foot which caused some dust to rise into the air and pebbles to skitter around.


    When he was right behind me, he had a wicked smile on his face.


    Tilting his face slightly, he asked,


    "What are you doing? Are you being prematurely rebellious?! Who would have thought that you were so impatient to be ughtered."


    He spoke in a tone that would definitely scare a normal person.


    In his hand was already a sharp dagger.


    He looked ready to kill me.


    However, before heunched his attack, he shouted first to ude who was still busy fighting. He asked to make sure that there would be no problem if he killed me right away.


    ude''s reply was clear. Approval was received. Thus, the assassin didn''t need to hold back anymore.


    Shoot!


    His dagger slid towards my left back. If he managed to dip the whole body of the dagger in his hand into my body, then he would instantly kill me because that was where my heart was located.


    In this situation, I could immediately dodge away to avoid being hit by his attack. But, if I were to do so, then his attack would hit Sharon because she was still in my arms.


    Perhaps because Sharon also understood what was about to happen, her body became more and more trembling. The vibrations in her body were clearly transmitted to my hands.


    Is it okay if I say don''t be afraid in her ear? Or something like that? With me doing that, maybe I would look more like a protagonist.


    But I am not! Because there was no need for me to do that.


    Contrary to Sharon''s rmed face, my face remained straight without worry.


    I turned to look into Sharon''s eyes and ignored the assassin.


    With my gaze focused on Sharon, it was clear she thought I was crazy.


    A bubble of words, "Behind you!!!" rose from the top of her head.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    I was already paying no attention to the assassin behind me, but it wasn''t because I had given up.


    The reason I no longer paid attention to the assassin was because I was already convinced that he could no longer stab me. He wouldn''t be able to sessfully attack me anymore.


    "Eeekk! H-how... p-possible? Keohok!"


    Without me having to pay attention to the back of my body, I already knew what was happening.


    I''m sure he was standing mute without being able to move his body.


    He had clearly failed to attack me.


    Because I had sessfully attacked him first, without him realizing it.


    Earlier, just as I sensed the Assassin''s presence approaching the back of my body, I immediately opened the Inventory secretly.


    Then, very quickly, I took the Svangur Sword out of the Inventory.


    Without him even having time to notice, I had already pulled the Svangur Sword out of the Inventory.


    I held the Svangur Sword upside down.


    Taking advantage of The Assassin''s blindness to the Svangur Sword, I immediately thrust the Svangur Sword into his chest.


    Since he was right behind me, just a few centimeters away, I didn''t need to turn around to stab him. With only a slight movement, the Svangur Sword was already lodged in him.


    Crock!


    The crunchy sound of the Svangur Sword confirmed it.


    Then I immediately pulled out the Svangur Sword.


    His blood spurted unstoppably as I pulled the Svangur Sword from inside his body.


    Before I managed to pull the entire Svangur Sword out of him, I could feel the friction between his flesh and the Svangur Sword. That feeling was perfectly transmitted to me, which made me frown slightly.


    Although it wasn''t as disgusting as killing someone with my two bare hands, the moment the Svangur Sword scrambled all of the Assassin''s internal organs was still sent clearly to me, so it was urately read by my brain.


    I took a little of him''s blood that sshed on the back of my neck, and it was warm.


    Finally, the assassin''s body fell freely to the side until it mmed into the ground, attracted by the natural force of gravity.


    Although I was sessful in killing the Assassin, that didn''t mean that it was over.


    I immediately headed to my next target.


    But it turned out that some people had already noticed the Assassin''s failure to kill me.


    Especially Obud and Hory.


    Their faces were confused. Their screams echoed violently, making ude and Raiz, who were still fighting the golem, be aware of the assassin''s death.


    "Tsk!" The sound of ude and Raiz''s tongues clicking could be heard simultaneously.


    Their gazes asionally looked back while fighting the golem.


    I guess they were worried that I would directly stab them from behind. Perhaps because of that, they couldn''t kill the golem quickly, when they should have been able to kill it easily.


    "Hey, all of you. Hurry up and beat him!"


    Due to the two of them being wary of me, who was at the back, and the golem in front of them, they chose to y it safe by shouting at Obud, Hory, and Fidel.


    At first, the three of them just stood there dumbly, but they soon prepared to fight me.


    The reason was because ude and Raiz had said that the reason I was able to kill the Assassin was because I had hidden my weapons.


    Especially Fidel. The look in his eyes was already full of confidence.


    Without further ado, he straight away used Sword Aura.


    "Let''s have a rematch, Kid! This time won''t be the same as the skill test at the Adventurer''s Association. There will be no one who will stop me from killing you here!"

 Chapter 119 Skill Combination

    ?


    "Pfftt. Do you really think you can?"


    I let out a smallugh when I saw Fidel who looked so confident. His character change was too fast. I thought that he was so drunk that he changed his character drastically. It provoked me tough at him a little.


    If you look at me from the outside, I did look very dismissive of him, but that''s not the case.


    Just looking at his title as adventure rank B only proved that he wasn''t an insect that was easy to step on.


    Especially when I saw his sword that was already wrapped in an abnormal aura and defied thews of nature.


    I folded my eyebrows not out of fear when I saw him using the sword aura, but rather, what made me frown was that it made me remember a sad moment that I had recently experienced.


    I recalled the time when I fought the vice-captain of the knights, Trusty.


    Back then I had to run like a coward. Looking from the point of view of nobility, that matter alone was already a sad note to one''s life story.


    It was a good thing that I wasn''t a person who adhered to the nobility''s values of honor¡ªdespite my own current identity as a noble¡ªso I didn''t have to feel embarrassed, angry, or let out unnecessary emotions.


    Was I going to run like a coward once again?


    I hope I wouldn''t have to turn my back and run. Considering my abilities have improved a lottely, I should be able to beat him.


    ''It''ll be faster to find the answer if I confront him directly.''


    First, I distanced myself from Sharon, who had her eyes closed and was casting spells from earlier.


    I was amazed that Sharon was so quick in responding to the change of events. As soon as she saw the assassin fell, she immediately started casting spells. Aren''t smart children to be rewarded, even if it''s just a reward in the form ofpliments?


    Inadvertently, I wanted to stroke the hair on top of her head and say, "Yoshi, yoshi, good girl!"


    Of course, I didn''t dare to do that. Even so, my hand was already on top of her head. Luckily she was too focused on casting spells, so she didn''t notice.


    While I was busy focusing on Sharon, there were already people who couldn''t wait to deal with me.


    "Are you guys the first ones to fight me?"


    "Just the two of us are enough!"


    It wasn''t Fidel who attacked me first. Surprisingly, it was Obud and Hory. They were already running forward to attack me with spears in each of their hands.


    After moving away from Sharon, I didn''t wait for them to approach me, but instead, I attacked them directly.


    The Svangur Sword, which I had been holding in the opposite stance, I now held in the proper stance. Then, I approached them with a speed that they wouldn''t be able to expect.


    "Crap! How can he still move that fast when he''s still wearing handcuffs on his legs?!"


    They both shouted in astonishment.


    They were so astonished that I was still able to move fast even though there were still handcuffs draped over my right leg.


    Despite their surprise, they still managed to move the spears in their hands.


    They attacked simultaneously. Pulling their spears back in preparation, they thrust their spears with the strongest force they could muster. Looking at the sweat on their foreheads and hands indicated that they had already expended their maximum power output.


    Moreover, it was confirmed by the mana fluctuations in their bodies. So, I couldn''t possibly misunderstand that they weren''t serious¡ªthey were already in earnest.


    All I needed to do was lower my head and body so that I could sessfully dodge both of their attacks. The tips of their spears both pierced the empty air above my head.


    Being in a crouching position, I swept my legs over both of their legs. If I had only used my leg sweep, then my leg would not have reached their legs, but because I used my right leg to sweep both of their legs, it caused the leg cuff ball on my right leg to hit both of their legs.


    Like a bowling ball hitting the bullseye in the center of the pin, I managed to make a strike when the leg cuff ball on my leg hit their legs.


    They were both thrown just like bowling pins. But unlike bowling pins that just give up when thrown, they both tried to get back up.


    Unfortunately, each of their legs was broken, so they couldn''t fight back.


    sh!


    sh!


    The shing sound stopped them in their tracks.


    The spear in their hands, which they both used to help themselves rise to their feet, suddenly split into two.


    Not only did the spear in their hands split, but their bodies also began to slowly split. The right and left halves of their bodies began to separate as if they hated each other until they finally fell to the floor.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    I, who was previously in front of them, was now standing behind the two of them.


    I had attacked them in turn in a short period of time which caused them to split apart simultaneously.


    Seeing the horrifying scene in front of his own eyes, Fidel was almost too stunned to run away. But he managed to catch his breath and regain hisposure. The grip on his sword seemed to have tightened. His upper and lower teeth were also fused together.


    His gaze focused on my right leg.


    "Don''t get excited, Kid! You can beat them even if you can''t use mana, but you for sure won''t be able to beat me because you''re wearing a suppressor handcuff."


    His confident face shone brightly under the light of the sword aura he raised.


    He thought I wouldn''t be able to fight back because of the Suppression Handcuffs I was wearing, which made me unable to deploy mana at all¡ªor so it was supposed to be, but he was wrong about that.


    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I think you''ve misunderstood."


    As I told him the truth in front of his eyes, he became very surprised.


    At first, he was confused and didn''t believe my words, which resulted in him impulsively attacking me. But then he came to realize what I meant as he began to feel the flow of mana in my body. His eyes widened and became even wider as he got closer to me.


    ''Oh shit! There''s no turning back.'' It was as if I could see that kind of thoughting from inside his head.


    "How can you still use mana?"


    "Are you really curious? If you are really curious, I can tell you as long as you are willing to be my ve."


    "But still! You will never be able to withstand my attacks."


    "Is that so?"


    I was also actually very curious about something.


    If the sword aura, a skillmonly known to everyone and a skill that symbolizes one has reached warrior rank Master, faced off against the Svangur Sword that I had strengthened with the Amplification skill, coupled with the Strengthening skill that strengthens my body as the material to push my power output, would it be able to resist it?


    Not to forget the Swordsmanship skill that would be able to maximize the power of the Svangur Sword.


    I had never paid close attention to it before, but it turns out that with thebo of the three skills, the Svangur Sword also emits light. A purplish-ck colored light flew from the Svangur Sword, which would make one feel a mysterious pressure from it.


    ''Is it because the Mana I used came from the Stigma of Darkness? Or is it just because of Svangur Sword''s special ability?''


    Too bad I didn''t have time to admire the beauty of the Svangur Sword because Fidel was already attacking. He attacked diagonally, from top to bottom.


    I immediately raised my sword in an attempt to deal with Fidel''s attack.


    Crash!


    The Svangur Sword collided with Fidel''s sword which was wrapped in sword aura.


    The result was quite surprising to me, although it didn''t crack or break, Fidel''s sword flew upwards.


    Fidel''s hand, which was in a raised position, shook unnaturally. It was as if he couldn''t withstand the impact of the sword''s sh.


    I think I know the answer to my previous question.


    It wasn''t a matter of whose skill was greater, but whose body could realize or use that skill was more important. If you want great results, then your own body or yourself must be strong. Skill was just an additional factor to win in a fight, I think.


    Then I attacked Fidel who had no weapon.


    Stab!


    ''Enjoy your meal.''


    I spoke to the Svangur Sword silently as I stabbed Fidel''s body.


    A look of hatred appeared on Fidel''s face, but I ignored it and just regarded what I was doing right now as an activity that only obeyed thews of nature in this world.


    The strong eat the weak. While the weak must submit in order to survive. I don''t care if he hates me or not because the dead can''t do anything to the living.


    With that in mind, Svangur Sword began to feed on Fidel''s blood.


    In that brief moment, I heard from afar someone''s voice...


    "Mountain Splitting Sword!"

 Chapter 120 My Previous Level

    ?


    "Mountain Splitting Sword!"


    I nced at ude, who was quietly saying the name of his skill.


    It seemed that he and Raiz had defeated the golem.


    It looked like there was a pile of rocks and gravel right behind them. The mounds of rocks and gravel were just like miniature mountains. And on top of the miniature mountain, there was a brightly colored magic crystal.


    With the presence of the magic crystal and the pile of rocks and gravel, it signaled Raiz and ude''s victory against the golem.


    I was almost fooled by the sparkling light of the magic crystal.


    Unfortunately, for now, I didn''t have the time to pick up the magic crystal from the golem monster.


    Shamelessly, my poor soul kept rebelling to get out. Luckily, my poor soul failed toe out.


    The reason was ude''s attack.


    A very dangerous-looking sword attack came at me.


    It wasn''t a physical attack from a sword held by ude, but rather an attack full of aura. The attack heunched was almost simr to a magic phenomenon produced by a magician.


    It was almost the same, but I knew that those two things were different.


    All ude did was sh his sword in the air while chanting the name of his technique. He didn''t cast a spell like a true magician.


    However, a green-colored air that had a shape simr to a crescent moon burst out from his sword and continued walking towards me, ready to split my body into a thousand pieces.


    ''Aura realization?''


    I widened my eyes slightly as I saw that he could perform aura realization.


    Aura Realization.


    Or that''s what people often call it.


    Aura realization was a phenomenon that could only be done by a grandmaster rank warrior.


    Unlike a master rank warrior who can only manifest aura, a grandmaster rank warrior can go as far as realizing aura.


    The difference between these two things, between being able to manifest aura and being able to realize aura, was very, very far.


    If manifesting aura was mostly just to strengthen weapons, overall body strength, or scare people, where it could be likened to a show of strength without being able to make much use of it, a warrior who could realize aura would be able to make more use of it.


    Just like the Mountain Splitting Sword skill used by ude. He could release an aura from within his body. That already defied the rule that a warrior was only an internal mana user. Because he could clearly release power from his body.


    Actually, even grandmaster-rank warriors are not free from thew that they can only control mana internally.


    They can still only do mana control inside their bodies.


    However, a grandmaster-rank warrior was characterized by their proficiency in skills that could release mana from inside their body to form a powerful attack.


    There are also other advantages.


    Just like a magician who would learn about spells ording to their attributes from the start, a warrior who had reached grandmaster rank did the same. Their aura would also be realized in several main attributes, whether it was air, earth, fire, or whatever it was when it was released from their body.


    Therefore, a warrior who had reached grandmaster rank was a warrior who could already be considered a very dangerous opponent for a magician.


    The assumption that a magician was superior to a warrior could be dismissed if you had reached that rank.


    The main factor was that a warrior did not need to cast spells when performing skills that could realize aura. Meanwhile, a magician still has to cast the spell.


    That would be the key factor in a one-on-one battle between a grandmaster rank warrior and a magician.


    I heard a lot from people who were in the war that only a warrior-rank grandmaster could defeat a magician.


    They used to tell stories among themselves about some famous warriors who defeated magicians. Whether the opponent of the warrior they were talking about was a low- or high-grade magician, I didn''t really care.


    ''There is no time to reminisce about the past.'' <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It was indeed surprising that I would meet someone who could go as far as to perform aura realization; however, don''t forget that I was also able to perform aura realization, and I had the skill that could prove that.


    That skill was the additional option of the swordsmanship skill, Three Sword Paths to Heaven.


    Indeed, I had never said anything about why I could immediately use skills that could realize Aura. In fact, only a grandmaster rank warrior was supposed to be able to do it.


    It''s all because the highest rank I reached in my previous life was the peak rank of grandmaster.


    So, I have experience with how to operate aura, another name for internal mana.


    However, did that make me reach my full power in my previous life? Of course, it didn''t.


    Don''t get me wrong. Although the level of a warrior had been regrly divided into several levels, the true strength of a warrior could not only be seen from the general level.


    Admittedly, it was very rare, but there would always be cases where a low-ranking warrior defeated a high-ranking warrior. Of course, that was only possible if their ranks weren''t too far apart.


    I don''t want to be too arrogant, but in my previous life, I had already reached the peak of grandmaster rank, and I felt that I was about to break through to an even higher rank, a level of warrior that was outside of the general warrior rank division.


    Somehow, I felt that I had to raise all my stats in my status window to S, and then I would be able to have my powers from my previous life.


    In essence, my power level in my previous life was far different from that of ude, whom I judged to be a premature grandmaster.


    Moreover, in general, the current me can also be judged as a warrior who has reached the grandmaster rank.


    Thus, there was no need for me to fear ude.


    Even so, I can''t underestimate ude''s attacks.


    Fwoosshh!


    ude''s attack had already reached me.


    The first thing I did in response to ude''s surprise attack was to remove the Svangur sword from Fidel''s body.


    Fidel''s body was already dry. He was already as light as paper when the Svangur sword sucked his blood out. There were no signs of life in his body if you looked at his wide-open eyeballs without blinking.


    In other words, Fidel''s body was already a hunk of a corpse.


    Without much sympathy, I immediately threw Fidel''s body right into the direction of ude''s attack.


    ''As I had expected from the attack of a premature grandmaster.''


    When Fidel''s corpse shed with ude''s attack, ude''s attack didn''t manage to prate Fidel''s corpse, so I remained in a safe position.


    ude''s attack did disappear upon impact with Fidel''s corpse. However, not only did ude''s attack disappear, but Fidel''s corpse also disappeared. Fidel''s corpse scattered in the air into dust grains, merging with the disappearance of ude''s attack.


    That proved that ude''s attack was also strong.


    "Oh, good response."


    Apliment I got from ude''s mouth.


    "If you have that skill, you should have been able to finish off the golem you were fighting earlier and prevent me from killing your people."


    "Why did you wait until your people died at my hands?" Because I was curious, I asked bluntly.


    "It would be better if you looked at your backside first."


    Instead of getting an answer to my question, ude smiled and gave me a warning.


    I looked at my backside, as ude suggested. And there was already Raiz holding his shield horizontally. He intended to stab me with the pointed bottom of his shield.


    Raiz''s body and shield were already wrapped in the aura.


    He had a happy smile on his face. He seemed ready to inflict pain on me.


    However, right at thest second before the sess of his attack, a magic circle appeared under Raiz''s feet. The magic circle illuminated his face and made him cancel out the smile on his face. His mouth and eyes both widened in surprise.

 Chapter 121 The Fox

    ?


    "...Ground Spikes!"


    Sharon''s voice yelling out the magic skill sounded very loud.


    She seemed to be letting out all the annoyance in her heart rather than chanting a magic spell.


    But, the result of her magic spell shouting managed to prevent Raiz''s attack. The light that appeared from the magic circle formed under Raiz''s body immediately made the grounde alive.


    Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The ground became a mass of sharp spikes that rose upwards. The ground that had be a living spear attacked Raiz.


    However, unlike a sharp spear that would pierce its target''s body, Sharon''s magic only ended up confining Raiz''s body.


    The sharp spikes of the ground burst out and surrounded Raiz''s body like an impromptu prison bar.


    Like a snake wanting to wrap around its prey, the spikes from the ground continued to wriggle on Raiz''s skin. Starting from the feet, the body, until it towered over him.


    Sharon''s magic didn''t stop working until the spear-shaped spikes started digging into the dungeon ceiling.


    Raiz was stuck inside Sharon''s magic without being able to move his body.


    I had thought that the spikes from the ground would pierce Raiz''s body. But I didn''t expect Sharon to confine Raiz rather than attack him.


    Nevertheless, I didn''t need to take action against Raiz anymore.


    The effects of amon Ground Spikes magic spell should have prated the target''s body, but Sharon seemed to have modified her magic circle so that the effects of the Ground Spikes magic spell would only surround the target''s body. Quite impressive for a 2nd ss magician.


    As you may have noticed, the effect of the magic spell cast would depend on the magician who cast the spell. In other words, even if a magician''s spell was the same, the details of each effect would be different.


    I can presume that Sharon didn''t intend to hurt Raiz because she made the spell she cast not pierce Raiz''s body but only keep him contained.


    Was she really on my side?


    I deliberately let her finish her spell and waited to see if she would actually obey my orders or betray me.


    If she had directed her magic at me, I would have been ready to ept it, although if things turned out that way, then I would have been in a bit of trouble, where I would have to face all three of them at once.


    However, seeing that Sharon did not attack me, I could assume that she did not want me to be her enemy.


    Things became a little ambiguous as Sharon locked up Raiz.


    ude, who saw that Sharon was firing magic at Raiz instead of me, looked very surprised.


    Actually, the most likely reason why he let Sharon cast the spell in the first ce was because he thought Sharon would attack me, instead of directing her magic at Raiz.


    Otherwise, he would have interrupted Sharon from the start.


    "Why did you shoot your magic at Raiz? Did you do that because you were threatened by him? If you feel that way, I''m sure the three of us will be more than capable of defeating him if we fight together."


    "I-I can exin my reasoning. T-The point is, I didn''t do it just because I was threatened."


    ude and Sharon chimed in.


    ude looked puzzled. His rxed face that he had been showing had faded.


    ''Gosh, if shebines forces with that boy, then this will be a headache.''  That was probably ude''s train of thought. It was evident from his eyes that kept alternating between me and Sharon which were filled with wariness.


    "...Can''t you guys stop fighting!"


    However, instead of answering ude''s question, Sharon made a surprising statement.


    She shouted while bringing the magic staff she was holding closer to the center of the two small mountains on her chest.


    What made me feel strange and a little surprised was that Sharon said it to me as well. In other words, she also told me to stop fighting ude and Raiz.


    Hearing her words, it wasn''t me who reacted first, but ude.


    ude looked like he wanted to say something.


    However, as if Sharon already understood what ude wanted to say, she said something to ude first.


    "If you want to use the excuse that he killed vic, then, didn''t you dislike vic from the start? After all, vic was a new member of our party."


    Wow. Listening to Sharon and ude''s conversation, I was able to get a big picture of the internal state of their party.


    More or less, Sharon guessed that ude wanted to continue fighting me under the pretext of wanting to avenge vic. vic was the assassin that I had killed. However, it seems that ude already had a slight dislike for vic from the start.


    Most likely, that was the reason ude had let vic attack me earlier. He let vic test my ability and sacrificed vic just like that if I had enough ability.


    However, seeing as ude still wanted to continue fighting me, I guess he wasn''t good at judging someone''s strength. Or it could be the other way around¡ªI''m too good at hiding my strength.


    Regardless, I think the rtionship between Sharon and ude was quite close. If that wasn''t the case, Sharon shouldn''t have had the guts to argue with ude, who was the head of her party.


    "Alright. I willply with your wishes. I had no intention of going all out against him from the start."


    ude dispersed the sword aura on his sword and sheathed the sword into the scabbard at his waist.


    Did he really not want to continue this fight?


    I feel very strange.


    Where was the tension that peaked a while ago?


    Just when I thought that ude gave up fighting me because of Sharon, he told me something so that I wouldn''t misunderstand.


    It turned out that ude didn''t want to continue the fight with me because he guessed that I had quite high abilities. He guessed that my ability was around the same level as him. Therefore, he assumed that if we continued to fight, then his side would have a disadvantage. Especially with Sharon not wanting to antagonize me.


    "Where did you get such a conclusion from?"


    "Looking at your body movements. Whether you move your feet or your sword. That''s more than enough to judge someone''s ability, including you. Especially seeing that you didn''t look panicked when you dodged my ultimate skill and faced Raiz''s surprise attack, that''s the strongest indicator."


    As expected of an Adventurer who could unleash powerful Aura attacks.


    I felt like apologizing for thinking that she was not good at judging the opponent''s ability.


    When things became a little calmer, he let out a long breath and said that he was too drunk because he was on a mission for rank advancement.


    Things calmed down because I didn''t want to continue the fight either. There was no point in killing ude and Raiz. Seeing that vic, the assassin, did not produce any Death Mana when I killed him, I could assume that I would also gain nothing from killing ude and Raiz.


    In essence, aside from the fact that I would gain no benefit from killing them, the other reason I left ude alive was to ask a few questions. At least for now, I have no intention of killing him or Raiz.


    However, before I started asking, I had to break his mind, where he thought that my power level and his were the same.


    Before I started asking him, I had to show my strength.


    I wasn''t so naive to think that he would answer questions honestly to someone weaker than him.


    So, I directly attacked right beside him using The First Paths skill, sh.


    ***


    "Did you receive the quest from Marquess Stronghold?"


    "Yes. ...."


    I started interrogating ude.


    He started answering my questions one by one.


    I thought he would answer briefly, but instead, he answered at length.


    Was this the result of what I did earlier, showcasing my skill?


    Well, I''ll try to summarize his story a bit.


    Initially, his party received a normal exploration quest in the Adventurer''s Association.


    However, the ordinary exploration quest had many puzzles. There wasn''t much information about the quest. Even the ce of ''exploration'' in the quest was kept secret.


    The Adventurer''s Association only exined to their party that if they epted the quest, their adventurer''s party rank would be raised.


    For their party to level up soon, they were tempted to ept a quest that was quite unsettling.


    And when they had epted the quest, it turned out that the client of the quest was Marquess Stronghold. Not to forget, before they epted the quest, they made a confidentiality agreement.


    It''s very natural that things Marquess Stronghold made the monster clearing quest in this Mine Dungeon a secretive quest because from the beginning, this ce was a secret ce.


    Because the client was Marquess Stronghold, so they inevitably did the quest until the end. However, since they only epted the quest to clear the monsters in the Mine Dungeon, he had no obligation to interfere with my problems with Marquess Stronghold or join the hostilities with me.


    By the way, they only recruited vic when they were about to ept this quest, and... Well, that''s not important.


    What was important was that he replied that he entered this Mine Dungeon yesterday.


    If he entered the Mine Dungeon yesterday then he should have some information about what the soldiers in the Nest of very had done.


    I recalled that yesterday the Marquess Stronghold received a message through the whisper of a guard soldier when I was about to be made a ve. If I remember correctly, the message read that they had just finished putting the fox into the Nest of Darkness.


    At first, I thought that the person said to be the fox was Reine Rosewood, but it turned out that Reine Rosewood was still somewhere inside the Nest of very, not the Nest of Darkness, ording to Ragnar, the old beastman.


    Therefore, I was curious. Who was the person that the Marquess of Stronghold and his underlings were referring to with the Fox, who had been banished to the Nest of Darkness?


    To answer my question, I first needed to be able to find where the Nest of Darkness was.


    "Now I''m going to ask you something important. Do you know where the Nest of Darkness is?"

 Chapter 122 Last Hit Taste

    Chapter 122 Last Hit Taste


    The shape of the inside of this Mine Dungeon turned out to have a maze-like structure.


    The deeper I went, the more confusing it seemed for my mind to remember every bend in the road I had taken. There were many cuts in the path that I had taken. Sometimes there were even confusing forks in the road.


    If one were to just enter this Mine Dungeon, not only would they have a hard time facing the Golem, they would already be lost.


    It was the same for me. It was fortunate that I didn''t have to enter this ce alone. If I were to try to explore this ce by myself, although I would be able to, it would definitely take a lot of time.


    In addition to me not entering this ce alone, I had a map in my hand. This was a map that ude and his party had brought along. The map was in a bag full of food. So, I opened the bag and read it.


    ude said it was a map that had been given by Marquess Stronghold, as well as a map that had been written and developed by the people who had taken the monster-clearing quest in this Mine Dungeon.


    Therefore, ude''s party would also have the obligation to add additional details to the map if their party had, intentionally or unintentionally, explored uncharted paths.


    And it turned out that there were still many unexplored branches of the road when I looked at the map.


    "Are we heading in the right direction?"


    "Of course."


    Walking while holding the map in my hand, I asked ude who was in front of me. He was leading me toward the Nest of Darkness. He said the gate to the Nest of Darkness was inside this Mine Dungeon.


    I prevented being tricked by him by opening this map asionally.


    By the way, I was no longer the one who was the porter. The person who was the porter was Raiz. In addition to therge shield he carried, he also carried a bag full of food as well as spare weapons.


    Previously, I had gotten a surprising answer from ude when I asked him about the Nest of Darkness.


    Originally, I had only guessed that he would probably only know a little information about the Nest of Darkness through the few soldiers they had encountered yesterday. But, who would have thought that he would even know the exact location of the gate to the Nest of Darkness?


    It turned out that he had been given the assignment to deliver a ve to the Nest of Darkness yesterday, which was why he knew exactly where the gate to the location was located.


    "Once again I emphasize. I only know that that ce was the gate to the Nest of Darkness from the talk of the soldiers. So I can''t give you any assurance that it was the ce you were heading to."


    "I understand. By the way, you said yesterday that you and the soldiers of Marquess Stronghold were carrying ves there, right? Regarding that ve, was it referred to as The Fox by the soldiers of Marquess Stronghold?"


    "How would you know? ... Indeed. They called it that. But I couldn''t see directly because the cage where the ve was locked up was wrapped in cloth. What''s more, my party members and I were just auxiliary bodyguards tasked with opening the way."


    At first, I was surprised that Marquess Stronghold dared to bring in outsiders for such a secretive task. However, ude said, they were just auxiliary people, not the core people who received the task to dispose of The Fox.


    "Aren''t you afraid of breaking the confidentiality agreement with Marquess Stronghold if you tell me about your secret quest and the location of the Nest of Darkness?"


    "We are not telling you where the Nest of Darkness is. We''re just doing our quest. And regarding our quest, we never told you the exact content of the quest we received from Marquess Stronghold."


    "How could I believe that... Hmm?"


    It wasn''t ude who answered, but Sharon.


    At my question, which seemed to be trying to understand the state of their party, Sharon gave me a sharp look and answered my question with a feigned dumb face. Shrugging both of her shoulders, she turned back to the front quickly and walked with tight but fast footsteps.


    As ude and Raiz listened to Sharon''s answer, they said, "That''s it" very casually.


    Looking at their response, there were two possibilities. Either the agreement they agreed to with Marquess Stronghold was too weak, or there was no specific use regarding what they should keep secret or what they could and could not say!


    Or perhaps, they dared to tell me all that because I had the status of a ve?


    Only they knew that for sure.


    As we were about to reach a bend in the road, I came to a sudden stop as my hazard sensor suddenly went off.


    "Oh. There''s another monster around the corner ahead."


    I pointed at the dark bend ahead.


    Hearing my impromptu warning, the three of them looked at me simultaneously.


    ''How did he know?'' A question of some sort clearly rose above their heads.


    The three of them did not deny my words because this was not the first time I had told them.


    As I had been following ude, asionally a golem woulde our way.


    This was the umpteenth time.


    At first, they had ignored me. However, now they were immediately prepared to fight.


    Not long after, the enemy appeared as I had said.


    There were two golems that appeared. It was quite a surprise. This was the first time we encountered two golems at once.


    It''s not really normal.


    ude said they had also done some cleaning yesterday while escorting The Fox to be thrown into the Nest of Darkness. So, the possibility of a Golem moving simultaneously was quite abnormal.


    However, if it was only two Golems, this was not a serious enough problem.


    Raiz immediately unloaded his luggage. He immediately blocked the movement of one Golem with his shield.


    Meanwhile, ude fought the one remaining Golem. When ude finished weakening, not killing one Golem, he would help Raiz. If Raiz was left too long, he would suffer injuries that would hinder the journey.


    At the back, Sharon was in charge of supporting the two of them at once.


    Unlike when they first entered this dungeon, where they weren''t so serious that it took a long time to subvert one Golem, now they were serious from the start and could fight the Golems quite quickly.


    "Mountain Splitting Sword!"


    "...Ground Shaking! ...Ground Spikes!"


    Their cooperation was quite mesmerizing.


    Even without my help, they would have been able to defeat those two Golems.


    Are you wondering what my role was?


    Of course, I''m not just going to watch until they defeat the two Golems.


    I also wanted to help so that they wouldn''t be viewed me as a burden on the team.


    At least, that''s how it appears on the surface.


    Although in truth, I was just waiting to deliver the final blow to the Golems.


    There was nothing sweeter than the act of getting thest hit. I didn''t have to waste much energy draining the Golems'' Health Points. The three of them wouldn''t even be able toin to me because they didn''t know what benefits I could take from getting thest hit.


    The Health Point I was referring to was the state in which the Golems were already battered. Their energy was depleted and they had many attack marks on their bodies. It was only at such a time that I jumped into battle.


    Duar! Duar!


    I simply used the Amplification skill to kill the Golems.


    The two Golems exploded and turned into a pile of stones and pebbles.


    When they saw me kill the Golems, there was a look of annoyance in their expressions. I''m sure they themselves didn''t know why they were upset.


    They made the same face as someone who had just eaten a bitter meal. Except for Sharon. Sharon looked sincere, which made me feel very guilty.


    Strangely, she kept looking at my face. Over and over... she looked like she was trying to analyze my face.


    "Is there something on my face? I''ll be embarrassed if you keep staring at me."


    "...Ah! Nothing."


    She would just say that every time I asked. She had done that many times.


    I could only sigh without being able to get an answer.


    "I say again, you guys don''t mind if I take all that, would you!"


    This time, I said to the three of them.


    My eyes were focused on the Magic Crystal that was shining brightly on top of the Golem''s corpses¡ªstones and pebbles.


    From the moment ude led me to the Nest of Darkness, I was the only one who took all the loot. It was fortunate that ude kept quiet without arguing with me. If he hadined, I would have had to use force.


    I was already quite poor now. There wasn''t much money¡ªif notpletely depleted¡ªin my Inventory. At the very least, I had to get enough money to pay my debt to rista.


    ude and Raiz''s faces contorted as I shed a bright smile. They finally dared not look at me anymore and turned their faces away as if to say, ''Whatever you want.''

 Chapter 123 A Past Friend

    Chapter 123 A Past Friend


    We were taking a break on the way. We chose a ce that felt safe enough.


    We sat down to rest like people who are camping. However, unlike people who are camping and have to light a campfire, here we don''t have to light a campfire. There was already enough light in here. The temperature here wasn''t too cold either. Of course, not all dungeons had these characteristics, but the average was like this.


    The problem in exploring the dungeon, apart from the food factor, was also the time factor.


    We couldn''t tell how long we had been in here. We could only use our bodies as a guide to time. When our stomachs started to let out desperate groans indicating that we were hungry, we took a break and ate. I guessed it was already the time when we should have lunch.


    Although I was here still wearing a handcuff as a sign that I was a ve, I also ate ude''s party food supplies.


    ''I know, I know. You guys don''t have to look at me strangely like that.''


    I wish ude and Raiz could stop asking questions using their eye gaze. Just from the look in their eyes, it was clear they were wondering why I could still act like a normal person even though I still had the status of a ve and was wearing handcuffs.


    ''I can''t tell you the reason. So, can you just eat your food?''


    We then opened the dried meat wrapped in a leaf after Raiz shared it with us. Hmm. This dried meat turned out to have a good vor. Who would have thought that dried meat could have such a wet texture when it entered the mouth? Even the vor itself was quite strange as there was a sweetness to it.


    I was convinced that this was not just ordinary animal meat. This was probably the meat of a magical monster that had Mana.


    While eating our food, I broke the dark atmosphere around us by asking Sharon, who was sitting right next to me.


    "By the way, what is the rank adventure of all of you?"


    I asked Sharon just to make small talk, but she seemed reluctant to answer.


    "Mmm. B."


    She answered briefly.


    "So, you guys have the same adventure rank?"


    "Yes. Is there anything strange about it? Maybe you don''t know, but in order to advance to a higher rank, one must fulfill some conditions such as sessfullypleting quests that have high difficulty."


    "But, wasn''t ude able to release Aura attacks before? Indeed, one does not only need strength to increase their adventure rank, but, wouldn''t a warrior who has reached the grandmaster stage need to be at least A rank? Moreover, ...."


    "Stop! Stop! Can you ask slowly?"


    She suddenly waved both of her hands in front of her body while twisting her head.


    After that, she tried to exin to me as best she could. Not to forget, she also lowered the volume of her voice so that her answer could not be heard by ude. It was likely that what she was about to tell me had already entered ude''s realm of privacy. A secret known only to members of the same party, I guess.


    Her voice was so small, it was almost as if she was blowing the wind instead of speaking. Her voice was hard to hear, so I identally brought my ear closer to the source of the sound, which was her mouth, so that I could hear her voice.


    From her answer, I learned that ude''s overall strength was still at rank B for an Adventurer. And apparently, he wasn''t a Grandmaster rank Warrior like I initially thought either.


    I widened my eyes slightly and stared at Sharon as if it was hard to believe.


    As I continued to stare at her with the eyes of a child who was already curious, she immediately gave an additional exnation.


    She told me with a face that was starting to turn bright that ude could only unleash attacks full of Aura thanks to a Skill Book that he found by chance in a Dungeon. After learning that skill, he was immediately able to release powerful Aura attacks.


    Was she referring to the Mountain Splitting Sword skill?


    How powerful was that skill for a B-rank adventurer and Warrior who wasn''t Grandmaster rank to be able to unleash that kind of Aura attack? I so wanted to snatch it.


    I didn''t want to let my desire surface. If I didn''t restrain myself, I might start drooling. So, I unintentionally covered my mouth with the back of my hand while staring at ude with hungry eyes.


    ude was still focused on eating dried meat without realizing the bad intentions in my heart.


    Well, he most likely destroyed the Skill Book after he mastered it. Most people would do that because they knew that it would be very dangerous if they dared to keep such a valuable item. Unless that person has a strong background.


    So, I abandoned the idea of directlyying my hands on ude.


    "That ability was ude''s only advantage," Sharon whispered in my ear. Was it okay for her to gossip about her captain? Nevertheless, she said to me that ude was not a bad person.


    "Why would you tell me all that?"


    It was strange when I thought back on it. Wasn''t I someone she had just met from her point of view? Was there something wrong with her head to tell me the secrets of her party members? Moreover, she was previously willing to persuade ude not to fight with me.


    Many questions arose in my head. My doubts were very reasonable considering Sharon''s attitude towards me which was obviously very suspicious. She seemed to have known me for a long time.


    With a shy face, she tried to answer my questions.


    "Before I answer your question, can you tell me your name?"


    "...Mesties."


    "Your unique name is hard to forget. Then, your surname is Warwick, right?"


    "Hmm? How do you know?"


    I couldn''t help but be surprised by Sharon''s guess.


    Meanwhile, the moment after I nodded and confirmed that her guess was correct, the short hair on her head suddenly expanded along with her already widened eyeballs.


    I knew it. She smacked her own palm as she said so.


    "I didn''t realize it at first, but when I saw you up close, I became aware of who you are. Mmm, although it did take a lot of time. P-please, don''t misunderstand. It''s all because we haven''t seen each Moreover, you''ve changed a lot too... more than I expected."


    "Can you exin in more detail to me?"


    other for so long. So I have a hard time remembering you. Moreover, you''ve changed a lot too... more than I expected."


    "Can you exin in more detail to me?"


    "...."


    She suddenly fell silent.


    Blink, blink.


    Her eyelids blinked several times.


    She looked puzzled at my equally puzzled reaction.


    "...Looking at your reaction, I can confirm that you don''t remember me..."


    First, she mumbled mysteriously. Then she exined to me.


    For starters, she introduced herself that she was Count McBride''s daughter. Although I already knew, I pretended to be surprised. Unexpectedly, it turned out that Sharon had known me before¡ª


    more precisely the owner of my body.


    ording to Sharon''s story, although we were not very close, we used to go to the Royal Capital together. Either to attend tea parties, dance parties, birthday parties of young nobles, or other nobles'' parties.


    Given our simr ages and our close proximity, it was, of course, natural.


    "Why do you seem to have forgotten all that?"


    Sharon began to get suspicious as I continued to stare at her with my head slightly tilted.


    How was I supposed to react? I was really very surprised. I had not expected that I would meet the acquaintance of my previous body owner. Even more so in a ce like this.


    "I had actually forgotten all about my past when I fell into depression."


    I finally came up with a ssic excuse, amnesia.


    Please don''tin too much. After all, wasn''t the previous owner of my body a depressed person for several years? As far as I know, severe depression could also cause depression, you know.


    "Ah!"


    The instant I replied, Sharon closed her small mouth and widened her eyes. The look in her eyes clearly indicated that she was feeling sorry for me. There was even a small tear under her eyelid.


    Judging from her reaction, she seemed to already know that the previous owner of my body was someone who had long fallen into a pit of depression.


    "If you two have had your fill of questions, let''s continue our journey. We''re close."


    The awkward moment that surrounded the two of us ended when ude suddenly stood up and told us to continue our journey.


    "Do I need to tell him? ...Ugh! I don''t think so. It''s better that he doesn''t remember it." Before we actually finished resting and continued on our way, Sharon suddenly mumbled. She mumbled something that actually intrigued me, but I didn''t really want to dig deeper.

 Chapter 124 Beastmen Mark

    ?


    [Stigma of Darkness sessfully absorbs Death Mana.]


    [...]


    As I continued to kill Golems on the way to the Nest of Darkness, messages like that kept popping up that I couldn''t block. I just ignored it at first, but then I started thinking about trying something.


    I thought the amount of Death Mana inside the Stigma of Darkness was sufficiently filled. At least it was more than enough to support my control over Nya Nu.


    Since I made Nya Nu my ve, I had never used the Mind''s Puppet skill again.


    I had the thought of using my skill on ude. Maybe, if my skill worked, ude would teach me the skills he had before.


    I remember when I sessfully made Nya Nu my ve using the Mind''s Puppet skill, I received a notification from the World System.


    A notification telling me that there was a limitation, either on myself or on the Mind''s Puppet skill itself, which made me unable to use the Mind''s Puppet skill on targets other than Nya Nu.


    I didn''t know if that limitation still existed or not.


    By the way, I''ve realized something about Stigma of Darkness that the World System didn''t tell me, which was rted to Death Mana.


    [Mana Storage Limit: 600/700.]


    The Mana storage limit on the Stigma of Darkness continues to increase. Thest time I looked, my Mana storage limit was only up to 600, but now it has increased to 700.


    The Mana storage limit didn''t increase because I was doing meditation. I was sure of that. In fact, if it was the ordinary Mana Core that everyone has, the Mana storage limit would only increase when I meditate for a long time.


    Then, what was the reason for the Mana storage limit in Stigma of Darkness to increase? Even though I haven''t done enough to meditate to make my mana storage increase.


    There was only one reason why it increased. I realized that as the Death Mana that Stigma of Darkness absorbs increases, the Mana storage limit would also increase. That''s why the Mana storage limit in Stigma of Darkness was able to increase quite quickly.


    I hope, with the increase of the Mana storage limit on Stigma of Darkness, I can use the Mind''s Puppet skill on new targets.


    [You activate the Mind''s Puppet skill.]


    I immediately aimed the Mind''s Puppet skill at ude.


    [You failed to apply the Mind''s Puppet skill to the target.]


    [Advanced description of Mind''s Puppet skill added sessfully.]


    [Activation condition:


    - Skill can only affect targets that have Demonic Mana.


    - Skill can only affect targets that have intelligence.


    - The ability can only be used on targets whose power is lower than yours.]


    When I received a notification that an advanced description of the Mind''s Puppet skill had been added, I immediately opened the Mind''s Puppet skill description.


    What a surprise that there were already three points of activation requirements for the Mind''s Puppet skill to work.


    ''Why wasn''t this kind of description added a long time ago?''


    Seeing that ude was not affected by the Mind''s Puppet skill, there was only one reason. He did not have Demonic Mana inside him.


    There was no way he couldn''t be affected by the Mind''s Puppet skill because of the conditions in points 2 or 3. There was no way he didn''t have intelligence and if his strength was above mine, it was possible, but he was clearly beatable by me, so he could be said to be weaker than me.


    I then targeted Raiz and Sharon, but neither of them was affected.


    I finally gave up on activating the Mind''s Puppet skill.


    ***


    "We''ve arrived."


    ude stopped our footsteps.


    We had reached our destination.


    The Gate of the Nest of Darkness.


    Now I know why ude only referred to this ce as the Gate.


    There really was indeed a gate inside this dungeon made entirely of stone.


    It''s very strange to see it here. Let alone thevish carvings that adorned each side of the gate. Just looking at it made me imagine that I was inside a historical attraction.


    ''This gate doesn''t look like it came here naturally. Was this gate made by the people of Marquess Stronghold?''


    I suddenly remembered something about the Nest of Darkness.


    If I remember correctly, the Nest of Darkness became part of the 7 mysterious ces on the continent because the Nest of Darkness could move around and could only be found by chance.


    Misfortunees when you identally set foot into the Nest of Darkness.


    The humans on this continent said that the Nest of Darkness could be everywhere. If you were sucked into the Nest of Darkness, you were finished.


    Thus, the name Nest of Darkness began to spread to describe a phenomenon where there was a ck hole that sucked people in.


    In short, the Nest of Darkness was a ck hole. I don''t know if that description was true or not because I never saw the Nest of Darkness in person.


    However, if the Nest of Darkness was a ck hole, then this gate could have been built to cover it up. Perhaps Marquess Stronghold might use the Nest of Darkness as a trash pit? Who knows.


    "How do I open this gate?"


    When I tried to open this gate, I couldn''t move it at all. I had pushed as hard as I could. It was really annoying.


    "Yesterday, before Marquess Stronghold''s soldiers told us to stay away, I identally saw them open it using a key."


    "So we can''t enter without a key?"


    "Yes. I guess."


    I wasn''t so stupid that I had to use force to open the gate.


    I realized that my strength could not destroy arge gate made of thick iron like this.


    Only when my abilities were at the same level as my abilities in my previous life, I would be able to destroy this kind of gate.


    Moreover, this gate may have had an unusual mixture of materials, which made it difficult to destroy.


    In that case, I would inevitably have to find the key ude was referring to first. It was likely that the key was currently being held by the leader of the Nest of very.


    My eyes automatically opened wide and red at ude. I turned my head slowly like a ghost scaring the foolish humans. My eyes looked straight into ude''s eyes who still had stupid eyes.


    "Why didn''t you say it from the beginning?"


    If he had said from the start that I wouldn''t be able to get to the Nest of Darkness, no need for me to waste timeing here.


    I just wanted to quickly enter the Nest of Darkness and rescue the fox inside to confirm whether the fox was Reine Rosewood or not. If the one inside the Nest of Darkness was not Reine Rosewood, at least I could confirm it.


    "So my trip here ended in vain?"


    "That''s..."


    While facing my question, ude rubbed his temples and a little sweat dripped down his forehead.


    There was no other choice, I had to retreat first.


    ....


    I almost left this ce empty-handed. I was lucky that I didn''t forget to activate the Judgement skill.


    I managed to find out something that I shouldn''t have been able to know thanks to that.


    [Name: Iron Gate.


    Description: An iron gate specially made to be able to keep the Nest of Darkness in position].


    It wasn''t the description of this iron gate that caught my attention more, but rather a thin scratch mark on the surface of the iron gate that I noticed more.


    At first, I didn''t notice it because the scratch marks were shallow, but thanks to my Judgement skill, I managed to notice it.


    It was good that I was able to read the meaning of the scratch marks.


    "For Reine Rosewood?! ..."


    And... The scratch marks were intended for Reine Rosewood.


    [Name: Beastmen Mark.


    Description: Beastmen Marks was a custom of the Beastmen nation to make various patterns of scratch marks everywhere as a medium tomunicate. Different patterns of scratch marks and the messages contained in the Marks are also different. Beastman Marks are widely used by Beastmen who fall to their deaths during battle or war. They tend to leave Beastmen Marks when they were about to breathe theirst breath. To them, Beastmen Marks are the same as their lettering.]

 Chapter 125 Lets Blow Up

    ?


    I touched the iron gate. My hand grazed the surface of the iron gate. What I felt were thin scratch marks on the surface of the iron gate.


    Just like someone trying to solve a puzzle, I tried to trante the Beastman Marks engraved on the iron gate.


    The thickness, length of each scratch, and various other details of the pattern gradually made sense to me. Every little detail difference could mean different words to read.


    "Did the person who was thrown in here yesterday make a ruckus?"


    "Hmm. If you say so, it reminds me that there was a bit of amotion yesterday. But it was only for a moment. Anyway, I''m sure that person was restrained with a lot of Mana-blocking handcuffs."


    If this beastmen had made a pattern like this, it seems that the beastman had tried to escape quite strongly. And of course, the beastman''s strength was also very strong. If that wasn''t the case, the beastman wouldn''t have been able to scratch this iron gate with the power that was locked.


    Although I had tried quite hard, I was not one hundred percent able to decipher all of this. But I happened to be able to understand the gist of this Beastman''s Mark. Especially at the mention of Reine Rosewood''s name.


    The point is that this Beastman Mark contains a goodbye message to Reine.


    Looks like there were words like inheritance and something like that. But for me, who had only learned about Beastman Marks by myself in my previous life, I couldn''t interpret it.


    I only learned through the few Beastmen I met on the battlefield. You can imagine a scene where many beastmen died and left their Beastman Marks on a small rock on the battlefield, and I saw many beastmen reading every Beastman Mark they found.


    That''s where I learned.


    As I focused on diving into deciphering these Beastman Marks, I suddenly noticed the arrival of someone.


    ***


    "Oh, Master, you''re here!"


    A voice suddenly came right beside my ear. The voice came from an invisible being. It was good that I had known of his presence beforehand, so I didn''t jump in surprise. If I was an ordinary old man, I would have already had a heart attack.


    The voice came from Nya Nu. He wasing from an intersection and came straight to me when he saw me.


    He managed to be near me without ude, Raiz, or Sharon realizing it. However, Sharon managed to sense something.


    Maybe because she was a Magician, her sensitivity to Mana was also strong enough so that she could sense Nya Nu''s presence, though not to the point where she waspletely aware of Nya Nu''s existence.


    I mean, she seemed to be able to sense that something was approaching, but she did not actually know that it was Nya Nu.


    Perhaps because she was closest to me from the start, without Sharon realizing it, she had already wrapped her arms around me, clearly frightened.


    The reaction she had was the same as that of an ordinary woman in a haunted house.


    Swing!


    She even swung her magic staff in the air continuously. The funny thing was that her magic staff almost hit Nya Nu. That made Nya Nu lower his body until Nya Nu was forced to walk closer to me by squatting.


    Only after Nya Nu arrived right beside me did he whisper in my ear.


    "..."


    "...?!!!"


    I looked at Sharon with a questioning gaze, and she also noticed my gaze and managed to regain her senses.


    "S-sorry... I just felt something approaching..."


    She said in a low voice.


    Then she released her grip on my arm and stepped back.


    While looking shy, she seemed to be chanting, but it was clear that she was not chanting, she was just moving her thin lips randomly.


    After Sharon had moved a distance back, I asked Nya Nu, "How did youe to see me here?"


    "Didn''t you previously give me orders to explore this ce, Master?"


    "Is that so?"


    I did remember giving him the order to explore the Master District, but I had forgotten that I had also given the order to explore the Mine Dungeon.


    "H-how dare you, Masterrrrrr."


    Nya Nu''s voice trembled violently until his skeleton teeth rattled.


    "By the way, who are these people with you?"


    I squinted my eyes and said to myself. ''Doesn''t your mood change too quickly?


    "Due to certain circumstances, I had them lead me here. More importantly, can you tell me...?"


    I intended to tell him to tell me about my previous orders in detail, but I forgot that Nya Nu was a chatty and talkative person. Without me giving any further orders, he already started talking.


    "I have sessfully explored the entire ce in the Master''s district and I am exploring this ce as per your orders..."


    That was the reason why he was able to meet me here.


    Not stopping there, even though Nya Nu said that he was only exploring a safe ce, he seemed to have managed to give good details about the Master district and this Mine Dungeon.


    Nya Nu should already know the uncharted ces inside this Mine Dungeon.


    "So, you won''t get lost if you enter this ce, right?"


    "Yes, although I have not explored all parts, I have explored most of them and I have memorized all the paths inside this Mine Dungeon, including the path to the Boss room."


    Well, with the Intelligence stat he had, I believed him when he said he had memorized all the paths inside this Mine Dungeon.


    "Then, what about the Master District, did you find anything inside the Master District, especially where the building belonging to the leader of the Nest of very lives?"


    "Hehe..."


    The opening of a lengthy exnation was augh.


    Heughed restrainedly, which indicated he was very confident.


    "Although I did not dare to approach the room where the likely leader of the Nest of very resides, I managed to find out where they keep their stockpile of weapons and other valuable items, Master."


    "Is that so?"


    "Take a look at this, Master." He sounded like he was showing off the items he had taken from their storage warehouse.


    He was indeed trying to show off, but since he was still in camouge mode, I couldn''t see it. Even so, if he continued to make noise, there was a chance that he would be fully noticed by Sharon or even ude and Raiz.


    In that case, I wouldn''t be able to exin how I could have a Lich''s servant.


    That''s why I had to elbow Nya Nu to get him to shut up.


    "How were you able to take all that without being detected? Is their storage warehouse unlocked?"


    "Ugh! Their storage warehouse was locked, but I managed to get in after some soldiers entered the ce to check their storage warehouse. Surprisingly, there was another room inside the storage shed that I couldn''t enter. I thought that there might be more valuable items there, but that wasn''t the case after I heard the soldiers'' conversation."


    Nya Nu continued to give his report. Even without me asking, he continued to ramble on. Finally, I stopped what he said because he said something that made me widen my eyes in surprise.


    "What did you say?"


    "Umm, which one?"


    "The words of the soldiers regarding the secret room inside the storage warehouse."


    "They said that inside there is their leader''s favorite toy."


    "And that is?"


    "Fox race beastman?"


    ''Is that beastman what Ragnar refers to as Reine Rosewood, the person he serves? Ugh, I''m so confused. Well, I''d better get over there and rescue that beastman so that everything bes clear.''


    However, I didn''t n to go there right away.


    First, I had to make some noise to shake up the Nest of very first.


    I asked ude, "Give me the items you''ll use to create the Dungeon Explosion phenomenon!"


    This would be slightly different from my original n, where I nned to trigger conflict between soldiers in the Master District, however, the result of this new n would be much more shaking up the Nest of very.

 Chapter 126 Princess-Style Carrying

    ?


    Thwack~ Thwack~ Thwack~


    The sound of pickaxes echoed through the air as the ves continued mining Magic Stones.


    "How long have we been mining here?"


    "You''re new, aren''t you? Understandably, you don''t know the time. Once you get used to it, you''ll know it''s almost time to return to the camp."


    Conversations between senior and new ve continued.


    Unlike the neers who liked toin, the senior ves were more serious when it came to mining.


    Their seriousness stemmed not only from avoiding the wrath of the guarding soldiers.


    Most of them had heard a rumor.


    There was a rumor flying around that if they worked hard enough to build muscr bodies, they would be able to leave this ce sooner.


    Of course, they didn''t know they would be put up for auction.


    However, they weren''t foolish enough to think they would be released just like that.


    Nevertheless, they still thought it would be better to leave the life of mining in the Mine Dungeon as soon as possible.


    At the very least, they thought they might bebor ves in a trading house.


    When a senior ve whispered all the information from that rumor into the ear of a new ve, the new ve immediately became more enthusiastic about mining.


    "By the way, do you know what happens to someone brought in as porters?"


    "I don''t know. As long as I''ve been here, I''ve never seen any members of the Mine Dungeon raid take ves as porters."


    They suddenly changed the subject of their conversation.


    Their faces instantly turned mournful.


    As they let out a sigh, indicating their pity but resigned to Mesties'' fate, they heard the soldiers shouting.


    "It''s time to return to your respective tents in the ve district of the Nest of very."


    The soldiers were ordering everyone to return to the camp.


    Their work hours were over.


    They hung their pickaxes back on their shoulders.


    Slowly, they began to gather.


    A sense of relief illuminated the faces of the ves, brightening the entire ce.


    However, they suddenly heard a strange sound.


    The sound didn''te from the supervising soldiers.


    Initially, the sound was faint,ing from deep within the Mine Dungeon.


    But gradually, it grew louder and clearer.


    At first, they heard echoing footsteps, followed by heavy,bored breathing.


    At first, they thought it was the sound of a monster. Many ves suddenly tensed their bodies. Some even identally threw their pickaxes withical movements.


    The supervising soldiers quickly coordinated among themselves to prepare for the monsters. They were visibly nervous.


    Understandably, they hadn''t fought monsters in a very long time. There had hardly been any cases where monsters emerged from the Mine Dungeon during their tenure at the Nest of very.


    Fortunately, their worst-case scenario imaginations didn''t be a reality.


    "Help!"


    Everyone immediately tensed their gaze as they heard someone cry for help.


    But they couldn''t see the person yet.


    "Has anyone been mining farther than this spot?"


    "No. I''m sure this is the deepest mining spot that has been established."


    "If that''s the case..."


    There was only one answer. The person who had ventured deeper into the Mine Dungeon was an adventuring party and the ve they brought along as a porter.


    And it was true.


    Not long after, their curiosity was answered when they saw the person.


    As predicted, the person who had cried for help with a broken voice earlier was the ve brought in as a porter.


    "Help! We need assistance. The situation is dire."


    ***


    "Help! We need assistance. The situation is dire."


    I kept repeating those words as if I were in a desperate situation.


    I made sure to follow each word that came out of my mouth with gasping breaths, adding urgency to each word.


    And finally, I appeared before the ves who initially seemed to be returning to the camp.


    There were also vignt guard soldiers. However, they immediately looked puzzled when they saw me.


    Perhaps they were surprised because I not only appeared disheveled and exhausted but also because they saw me carrying Sharon in my arms.


    Yes, I was currently carrying Sharon in a princess-style hold.


    Sharon closed her eyes as if she were unconscious. However, there were asional twitches in her eyelids, indicating that she was only pretending to be unconscious.


    "Please remain silent. We will be discovered if you keep twitching," I whispered softly in her ear.


    As if tickled by my voice, her body also twitched.


    I became worried about her acting abilities. Did I make a mistake by involving her in the scenario I had devised?


    Earlier, I had asked ude about how they would trigger the dungeon explosion. It turned out they would use a magic item to attract golems from various ces to gather in one location.


    Their n was to show the gathering of golems to the soldiers and ves in this mining area and then im that a dungeon explosion had urred. However, once the ves and soldiers had returned to the Nest of very, they would disperse the gathered golems.


    The magic item they were using was a type of alchemy stone called vored Stones. It was a stone specially made to make golems crave it.


    With that stone, they could attract many golems to the desired location, like a shepherd leading their livestock.


    They nned to attract just enough golems, without actually causing a dungeon explosion. But my n was the opposite.


    So, I instructed ude and Raiz to spread the vored Stones everywhere.


    Fortunately, ude brought a lot of vored Stones, so it would be enough to distribute them in the Mine Dungeon. The vored Stones were given by the boss of the Nest of very. Perhaps the boss was worried that the given vored Stones would be ineffective or something? That''s why they gave ude more vored Stones than necessary.


    While ude and Raiz were spreading the vored Stones, I ran here while carrying Sharon. I told Sharon to pretend to be unconscious for the sake of realism.


    But I had indeed run as fast as I could to make my body sweat. That''s why I didn''t act when I leaned the upper part of my arm against the wall.


    When the soldiers saw me leaning against the wall, they ran towards me.


    "What happened?"


    "Haa... Haa... It''s an emergency. The monsters inside are gathering and starting to rampage. We noticed their movements were not normal. That''s at least my brief exnation."


    The soldiers'' eyes suddenly widened. Their hands gripping rusty weapons began to tremble.


    As their eyes met, they already concluded that a disaster was imminent.


    Seeing them all silent, I could assume that they believed everything I said. I mean, they would never think that a ve like me would dare to lie, especially since I was still wearing shackles on my legs.


    From the beginning, I didn''t want to remove the shackles on my legs because I intended to deceive these soldiers.


    "We don''t have time. I can''t give you aplete report because it would waste too much time."


    "E-Excuse me, but where are the other members of the adventurer party that went inside with you, apart from the woman you''re carrying?"


    Of course, it wouldn''t be easy to convince them.


    "I have been given orders by the members of the adventurer party tasked with exterminating the monsters inside to meet Lord Rafferty Billington immediately. They are currently trying to buy time."


    It would actually be difficult for them to believe that I was given such a task.


    They might wonder why I wasn''t sacrificed to buy time. It''s amon secret among everyone that the weak are under the dominion of the strong. Looking at it from that perspective, it should have been ude or Raiz carrying Sharon, not me, because it''s the easiest task.


    But why would they think that way? They couldn''t do anything even if they were suspicious.


    As I saw them puzzled like frogs, I wanted to shout at them. But...


    "W-What he said is... the truth!"


    Sharon suddenly opened her eyes after hearing our conversation. She said that everything I said was true. Of course, she said it with a stuttering tone, as if she were in pain.


    Not stopping there, she also angrily questioned how long they would hold us here.


    For some reason, she looked really angry. Her face even turned red.


    "Alright. We will escort you to meet him."


    Some soldiers led me.


    Then the remaining soldiers immediately urged everyone to hurry back to the Nest of very.


    As we started walking, Sharon suddenly muttered, "How long do I have to be in this embarrassing position?!"


    I wondered if she wanted me to put her down or not. But strangely, she held onto my arm tightly and hid her face in my chest.


    There was a soldier who tried to take my ce in carrying Sharon, but I refused. It didn''t matter if Sharon wanted to walk on her own, but I still needed her to be close to me, so I couldn''t let someone else carry her.


    Oddly enough, Sharon tightened her grip on my arm after that.

 Chapter 127 The Beauty Of A Plan

    ?


    Stepping out of the Mine Dungeon


    Together with me, the soldiers also emerged from the Mine Dungeon.


    lights¦­¦Ïvel We didn''t rush out. Although we quickened our pace, we didn''t flee like prey being chased by wild beasts.


    The same went for the ves who exited with us.


    The ves came out in an orderly manner. They didn''te out empty-handed; most of them carried a wooden bucket or a wheelbarrow filled with Magic Stones they had mined today.


    After handing over their mining results to the waiting soldiers outside, they immediately lined up to receive food.


    The food was prepared by the female ves.


    As the ves lined up for food, they whispered to each other. It turned out they were discussing the dungeon explosion.


    The soldiers had not previously announced to the ves that a dungeon explosion was about to ur. Perhaps they were afraid the ves would start causing chaos. However, it seemed that the ves were beginning to realize that something was happening.


    Maybe a ve identally overheard my conversation with the soldiers earlier.


    Unlike the ves lining up for food, I was guided towards the master district. Along the way, I passed by the ves in the food queue and unintentionally noticed a gaze from a woman who was distributing the food. It turned out to be the woman who had flirted with me before.


    I thought she would look at me angrily upon seeing me carrying Sharon, but she still gave me a flirtatious look. Truly a consistent woman.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Nothing."


    ***


    I arrived in front of thergest building in the master district.


    Not only was itrge, but the building was also magnificent, luxurious, and aesthetically pleasing. The pirs supporting the building were enormous. The roof tiles covering the top of the building were neatly arranged, resembling ck waves.


    The day had turned into night. There was no longer sunlighting through therge round hole in the ceiling. However, the building emitted a bright light from the magicmps ced at various points.


    Entering this grand building, I was guided further inside.


    "I can''t take you directly to meet Lord Rafferty. So, for the time being, you have to wait in a room first."


    I was not immediately taken to the room where the boss of the Nest of very was located.


    He said it was just to follow the procedure, but I was sure he was afraid of punishment if he suddenly brought a ve before the boss himself.


    ***


    Finally, Sharon and I were ced in a room. This room was simr to the living room. But this room was less luxurious than the living room I had seen on my way here.


    There was a sofa inside. Iid Sharon down on it.


    "Should I call someone to take care of her?"


    Before leaving, the soldier who escorted me made a reasonable suggestion. He wanted to call a nurse to thoroughly examine Sharon''s condition.


    I certainly wouldn''t allow him to call someone to take care of Sharon because Sharon was only pretending to be injured from a fierce battle.


    Fortunately, Sharon immediately told the soldier that there was no need to call a nurse.


    "In that case, wait here for a moment. I wille back here shortly after informing Lord Rafferty."


    And so, the group of soldiers who had escorted me here disappeared.


    I realized that the courteous behavior of the soldier was not directed towards me but towards Sharon.


    After we were left alone in the room, Sharon sat up, holding her head as if she were truly in pain.


    I also sat on the sofa.


    In front of us, on a table, were fruits and a bowl filled with cold porridge. All of it had been brought by a servant before our arrival.


    How did I know? It was because, on the way here, the soldier who escorted me ordered a servant.


    Perhaps because my footsteps were slow on the way here, the servants had time to go to the kitchen and get the food.


    Don''t be surprised, even though this ce was underground, inside here¡ªinside the residential building of the ruler of Nest of very, there were servantsplete with nurses. The nurses here were people who possessed healing abilities.


    The food here was also abundant, unlike the food given to the ves, which was only a steamed parsnip.


    "Do you already know what you need to do next?"


    I asked Sharon.


    Beforeing here, I had given Sharonplete instructions on what she needed to do next.


    Before chaos truly erupted, there was one thing I needed to ensure, and that was to save the ves.<snext></snext>


    I didn''t want them to get caught up in the chaos and potentially be sacrificial victims.


    To seed in the n to rescue the ves, I nned to send Sharon to secretly move the ves out of the Nest of very.


    Sharon nodded while reaching for the porridge that was already on the table and started eating.


    "But what about you? If I follow your n, won''t you still be here?"


    "Don''t worry, I can take care of myself. Besides, you will need a lot of time to transport all the ves, right? I will buy you and the ves enough time to escape from here."


    Sharon had previously mentioned that she could activate the teleportation gate. So, I just needed to buy time during the chaos inside the Nest of very.


    "Furthermore, if I truly want to free the ves, I have to find the very agreement papers, which are most likely kept by Rafferty."


    My n was quite simple.


    I would meet with the boss of the Nest of very to inform him about the dungeon explosion. Then, the boss of the Nest of very would mobilize the soldiers to stand guard at the entrance of the Mine Dungeon. While everyone''s attention was focused on the Mine Dungeon, that''s when Sharon could move freely to save the ves. And I would be able to search for the Agreement Paper.


    Furthermore, my task was to oversee the progress of my n as a whole.


    "Use this to activate the teleportation gate."


    I handed Sharon a bag filled with magic crystals. I had reced the previous contents of the bag, which were food, with magic crystals.


    Although the quantity was smaller than the number of magic crystals used by the soldiers who had brought the new batch of ves into the Nest of very, the high level of the magic crystals made me believe it was enough to transport all the ves inside the Nest of very.


    "Why are you doing this?"


    Sharon asked while epting the bag full of magic crystals.


    Ugh! Please don''t look at me with those sparkling eyes.


    I felt like closing my eyes because Sharon was looking at me as if I were an exceptionally kind-hearted person.


    "Don''t misunderstand, I''m not doing this because I want to be a hero, but because I have my own reasons."


    Although I answered like that, it seemed Sharon didn''t believe me.


    Even though I felt like crying when I handed over all those valuable magic crystals.


    But I managed to convince myself that I would soon receive a greater return.


    It''s the nature of poor people to always want to cry when they lose money.


    "Remember, you should only move when the circumstances allow. Don''t force yourself."


    "Don''t worry."


    "Take this too."


    I handed her the final item.


    I took off the earring I was wearing.


    It was a Slime that I had transformed into an earring. This Slime was a magic item that could change its shape ording to what I imagined.


    I couldn''t give it in the form of a jelly lump. I was afraid she would find it too disgusting. So, I immediately gave her the Slime in the form of an earring.


    "W-What do you mean by suddenly giving me this?"


    Sharon looked puzzled. It was understandable; anyone would never expect to receive a piece of jewelry in such a tense situation. However, I quickly exined that the earring was a magic item.


    "This magic item can change its shape. You just need to imagine what item you want it to transform into while channeling your Mana into it. Since you''re a magician, you can surely do it. I don''t think I need to provide an example."


    "I thought you were giving me this as a gift."


    "Do you think I intended tomit suicide and leave this as a memento or inheritance?"


    Then I exined further.


    I instructed her to transform the Slime into a key, a key that would unlock the shackles binding the ves. It would be extremely difficult to rescue the ves if they were still wearing shackles. On the other hand, it would be easier to transport them if they werepletely freed from the shackles.


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    I stopped exining to Sharon as a soldier came knocking on the door.


    For thest time, before parting ways with Sharon, I looked into her eyes, and we nodded simultaneously.


    "Don''t forget, prioritize the ves of the beastman race!"


    That was my final important message.

 Chapter 128 Psycho Boss

    ?


    "Remember, don''t take reckless actions unless you want to end up in misery!"


    I was given a stern warning by the soldier escorting me.


    Although I was supposedly granted permission to meet face to face, I was asked to only speak and convey the situation and conditions inside the Mine Dungeon. Nothing more, nothing less.


    With my head lowered, I walked slightly slower behind the soldier.


    Of course, I was only acting, but the escorting soldier misunderstood, thinking that I was suffering from some sort of psychological disturbance due to meeting the boss, the leader of the Nest of very.


    With me walking behind him, I had the opportunity to whisper to Nya Nu, who was still in camouge mode.


    There wasn''t much I needed to whisper. I simply instructed Nya Nu to follow Sharon, to stand guard in case something happened. Perhaps I was overthinking, but I couldn''t leave Sharon unattended.


    To be honest, I didn''tpletely trust Sharon, even though she had known Mesties since childhood. She could betray me if she wanted to. If she wished, she could escape with ude and Raiz without carrying out what I hadmanded.


    - Will you be alright, Master?


    - Don''t worry, if things don''t go as nned, I''m confident I can escape.


    - In that case, take care of yourself, Master.


    And with that, Nya Nu left my side once again.


    It was rare to see him speak so seriously. However, there was a possibility that he was just acting seriously because I could only hear his voice.


    "Why are you walking so slowly? Move faster!"


    Seeing me lowering my gaze and walking slowly, the soldier escorting me became angry.


    Look at the tone of his voice when there''s only me here. It''s truly annoying to pretend to be a ve. Although I had grown ustomed to being demeaned to the point where I considered it my daily sustenance, waves of anger still emerged within me.


    ''I will tear you apart into piecester!''


    ***


    I thought I would be led upstairs, where Nya Nu told me Rafferty''s room was located, but it seemed not.


    I was led downwards, descending a rather dark staircase and traversing a not-too-wide corridor. Although magicalmps were installed on the ceiling, the emitted light was dim.


    Although my description of the corridor and staircase I walked through might be somewhat negative, it wasn''t as bad as you might think. Certainly not resembling a filthy underground prison.


    "Hurry inside!"


    Eventually, I was asked to enter a room.


    As I was momentarily shocked and stood frozen, the soldier escorting me kicked my back and forced me inside.


    Was this some kind of holding cell?


    That was the first thought that crossed my mind after I entered the room whose purpose I initially didn''t know.


    I was greatly taken aback as my eyes surveyed the contents of the room.


    I had a bad feeling when I saw the door adorned with sharp spikes, but I didn''t expect to be led into a room filled with torture devices.


    What was even more shocking was that Ragnar was hanging from the ceiling.


    He looked pitiful. The wounds on his body were wide open to the air.


    I was certain that not all of Ragnar''s wounds were old, but there were new ones in addition to the ones I had previously seen.


    In front of Ragnar stood a middle-aged man. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt, but there was a robe draped over his shoulders. Initially, I wasn''t sure who he was since he held a whip, but after seeing a small magic staff at his waist, I was convinced that he was Rafferty Billington.


    I had heard that Rafferty''s hobby was torturing expired ves, but I was still taken aback when I witnessed it firsthand.


    Actually, I had heard a lot about the peculiar hobbies of nobles. Including engaging in torture. It was difficult to engage in enjoyable activities in the current era, especially in a ce like the Nest of very, but I still didn''t like such peculiar hobbies like torture.


    Psychopath? Was that the appropriate term to describe individuals like Rafferty?


    Suddenly he brought the whip to his mouth. At first, he sniffed at it, but then he licked the whip, which was full of blood on its surface.


    As if he wasn''t satisfied with the taste, he furrowed his brow and spat out the blood he had licked.


    He didn''t see me until after that.


    "So, you''re the ve named Mesties."


    That was the first thing he said to me.


    His gaze only briefly nced at me, as if he wasn''t particrly interested.


    "I feel honored to meet you in person."


    I bowed to show a form of respect to him. <snext></snext>


    "It''s rare to see a ve who can still speak fluently when meeting me. Perhaps it''s natural, considering you used to be a noble. By the way, I heard you want to report the situation inside the Mine Dungeon."


    For some reason, as he spoke, the mana around him began to surge, as if he intentionally did so to exert pressure on me.


    If I were a normal ve, I would probably be prostrating on the floor by now. However, I didn''t respond to the pressure he exerted and focused on exining what was actually happening inside the Mine Dungeon.


    Starting from the strange movements of the monsters as if provoked by something, and about the adventurer party led by ude, who intentionally dropped something along the way.


    I made up things as if all the chaos happening inside the Mine Dungeon was the fault of ude''s party, leading to a Dungeon Explosion.


    "... That''s the situation."


    "...."


    He didn''t respond to my report, which I had made as believable as possible.


    "Please put this ve down!"


    Suddenly, he asked me to lower Ragnar, who was hanging from the ceiling.


    Although I was slightly confused, I still obeyed hismand.


    I walked towards Ragnar, gripping the rusty chain lever tightly in my hand. With deliberate movements, I applied pressure to the lever, slowly releasing the interlocking links. As the metal mechanism creaked and groaned in protest, Ragnar''s body descended inch by inch.


    I couldn''t imagine the extent of the torture Rafferty had inflicted to require using chains to restrain Ragnar''s body.


    Luckily, I managed to catch Ragnar''s body before it fell to the floor, preventing it from being sprinkled with dust. Then I hung his arm on my shoulder as I helped him stand.


    "Pffftt~ you two really match. One is a former noble ve from the human race, and the other is a former noble ve from the beastman race."


    Rafferty''sughter echoed.


    Snap!


    Suddenly, Rafferty swung his whip. He aimed the whip at my back.


    Luckily, I was always alert, so I managed to dodge. The whip only struck the floor.


    Rafferty''s change in demeanor truly caught me off guard. His previously indifferent demeanor suddenly shifted to a cold and oppressive tone.


    "Why are you doing this?"


    "Why are you acting foolishly like that? Do you think I''m the same as the fools you''ve deceived before? I don''t care how you escape from the Mine Dungeon unscathed, but I just need to kill you."


    "Don''t you care about the situation inside the Mine Dungeon? If you don''t mobilize your forces quickly, everyone in the Nest of very could die."


    "Even if everything you say is true, I still don''t care too much. Do you think I would be afraid of the cockroaches in the Mine Dungeon?"


    He suddenly took an old wooden chair, previously used for torture, and sat on it, propping up his feet, just like a boss.


    "I ordered the adventuring party to clean up the ce because I was toozy to do it myself, not because I couldn''t. And what''s more? Everyone in the Nest of very will perish? Why do you care about that? Even if they die, I might only receive a minimal punishment. I can me that foolish Yary Stronghold."


    Then he proceeded to exin further.


    "Oh, is it possible that you''re doing all this to free the ves?"


    He informed me that not only once or twice, but several times there have been instances where people sneaked into the Nest of very to rescue the ves.action


    Most of them were individuals sent by nobles or traders who had attended the auction event.


    "Am I guessing correctly? Perhaps your family head was forced to send a child to infiltrate here?! That''s why you were cast aside to this ce."


    Although his guess was not one hundred percent urate, in essence, he was correct.


    "From the nonchnt reaction you disyed, I could assume that you were very confident in your power."


    "Of course. What''s the matter? Are you starting to panic because your n isn''t going smoothly? Don''t worry. It''s already an achievement that you made it inside here. I''ll make sure to take care of your corpse."


    He continued his rambling.


    Initially, I furrowed my brows because my initial n didn''t go smoothly. If necessary, I didn''t want to have to fight him.


    But it seemed I was too naive to think that way.


    Although his reaction was slightly unexpected, I could already predict that he would ignore my report and act as he pleased.


    I could only smile.


    "Why are you smiling? Are you so shocked that you''re smiling like an idiot?"


    "How amusing. From the beginning, I didn''t expect everything to go smoothly when I knew my opponent was a psychopath."


    Well then. It seems I should indeed confront him directly.


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