Episode 26: Everyone Heads in Different Directions

I was excommunicated overnight and thrown out onto the streets.

The circumstances were complicated, but my status as Raphael-nim’s disciple was now dead.

,What a tumultuous world.”

Events keep happening around me.

No, wait.

To be precise, I stuck my head into events that were already happening.

The events related to Black Dawn were bound to happen eventually.

I just happened to get caught up in it.

A person can’t overcome a typhoon.

All a person can do is hope the typhoon passes safely.

,I need to find a place to stay first.”

The rooms available through the Transcender Association’s support are probably all full.

Even though you have to share a room with cockroaches, it’s always fully booked.

Unless you have the new Transcender perk, they won’t give you a room.

Fortunately, Raphael-nim filled me up with plenty of money.

She also gave me books and tools related to Holy Magic.

This was only because I told Raphael-nim that she didn’t need to give me any more.

I almost thought she was telling me to build a new Holy Magic Tower instead of excommunicating me.

Anyway, Raphael-nim’s love for her disciples is something else.

More importantly, if I carry all these bags around, there’s an eighty percent chance…

,Hey.”

I’ll get caught by thugs hiding in the city.

As soon as I left the noble district, a bunch of hoodlums appeared.

They stood tall in the back alley, gesturing for me to follow them.

This uncivilized otherworld.

The public safety is for the dogs.

I sighed.

Of course, I wasn’t scared at all.

I’m the one who provoked both the Cardinal Sin of Sloth, Cosmic Zack, and the Lord of the Crimson Flames.

Street thugs aren’t scary at all now.

Especially now that I’m a Holy Magic user with proper status.

Now, thugs are!

I can’t win against them at all.

I might be able to win against one, but the win rate of a Holy Magic user drops drastically against multiple opponents.

Ah, the saddest and weakest job.

,What are you doing? I told you to come here.”

The thug’s eyes twisted menacingly.

,You come here.”

But I can confidently say that my guts are the best in the world.

I’m carrying heavy luggage, why should I go to you?

If you’re going to come, you come here.

At my words, the thug twitched his eyebrows and finally walked out into the sunlight.

His gang followed him out in a line.

Is the thug giving birth?

There were more thugs in the alley than I thought.

,I’m out. What are you going to do?”

,What am I going to do? Go back in.”

At that moment, a miraculous voice was heard.

I quickly turned my head back, and there was Aransul walking towards me.

The murderous intent emanating from her wrapped around the thugs.

Cold sweat instantly formed on the thugs’ faces.

Aransul hasn’t been able to show her full power because her opponents have been too strong.

Cosmic Zack or Black Dawn.

They were too much for rookies who were too early to debut in the world.

But Aransul was someone that mere thugs couldn’t dare to challenge.

Being a disciple of Soun-nim wasn’t just for show.

,Aren’t you going back in?”

The moment Aransul’s eyes revealed even more murderous intent.

,W-We’re going back.”

The thugs hurriedly ran away.

Even if they lacked in other areas, their ability to sense danger was excellent.

,Harua.”

Aransul, who had chased away the thugs, turned to me with a slightly smug look.

Perhaps because she had been underperforming recently, she seemed proud of suppressing the thugs with just her eyes.

She was the epitome of being tough on the weak and weak on the strong.

Ah, no, wait.

Even against the strong, she was just a headbutting dinosaur who charged headfirst.

,Thank you, Headbutting Dinosaur-isiyeo.”

,…What’s a dinosaur?”

Aransul tilted her head questioningly, but I didn’t answer.

,What’s wrong? Did you come to see me off?”

,I’m going to stay with you for a while.”

That’s unexpected.

,You’re a Holy Magic user, Harua. Won’t it be dangerous until you settle down?”

I never thought such a commendable child would be born from an uncivilized otherworlder.

The news of the Headbutting Dinosaur joining me was like a savior.

,I left a letter for Master-nim. She’ll be busy with this incident for a while anyway.”

As expected, Black Dawn didn’t just cause one incident.

They simultaneously committed acts of terrorism in various places around the world, including the Grace Magic Tower.

Thanks to that, the entire world, including the human nation of Gladion, was in chaos.

It didn’t escalate into war, but there was constant talk of wiping out Black Dawn this time.

In addition, hatred towards Transcenders also soared even higher.

The origin of Black Dawn is ultimately Transcenders.

Although there are a significant number of otherworlders who have joined them, the uncivilized otherworlders only see the Transcenders.

I am living in an era of great Transcender hatred.

,So I’m going to stay by your side for a while, Harua.”

Soun-nim was chasing after Black Dawn.

It would take quite a while to catch them.

So it was okay for Aransul to act independently.

,Thank you. Aransul is the only one who cares about me. You’re an uncivilized otherworlder, but I’ll give you a slightly higher rating.”

,If you’re going to praise me, do it properly.”

I’m a little sad that she doesn’t recognize my sincere praise.

Now my safety is taken care of.

All that’s left is money, including food, clothing, and shelter.

I have the money that Raphael-nim gave me, but I’ll need more money in the future.

To become a great Holy Magic user, the material costs are considerable.

Just as seeds need nutrients, magicians also need to eat good quality elixirs.

Fortunately, Raphael-nim wrote all the Holy Magic books for me.

I thought she was staying up all night because of work, but she was actually taking the time to write them in anticipation of this incident.

With this, I could grow as a Holy Magic user step by step.

But regardless, buying elixirs will cost a lot of money.

Raphael-nim gave me some, but I can’t live on that for the rest of my life.

I have to make money.

A lot of money.

And I know how to make that kind of money.

,Aransul, have you ever been to the 2nd World?”

This world is divided into two.

1st World, Astrape.

2nd World, Urzea.

The 1st World is where Transcenders are born and otherworlders live.

The 2nd World is where mythical creatures live.

The resources of mythical creatures are useful resources in the 1st World.

From magic stones to their materials, they are used in everything from clothing and equipment to elixirs.

So there is a constant demand for Pioneer work.

It’s a good way to make a lot of money because it’s more risky than other jobs.

However, that’s only the story for Pioneers who are somewhat established.

The reality is that low-level Pioneers barely make enough to live day by day.

,I’ve never been to the 2nd World.”

Aransul also looked a little interested.

It must be a new feeling for her, who only trains every day.

,That’s good. Let’s do Pioneer work together.”

I have a great vanguard now.

I’m also a formal Holy Magic user now, so I’ll be somewhat helpful.

All that’s left is to find one more vanguard to protect me and one rear guard, and the team composition will be roughly complete.

,I should ask Bulldog Ahjussi.”

There’s no one better than that Ahjussi when it comes to Pioneer work.

He’s graduated from being a Pioneer now, but he should still be able to recommend someone.

I heard his son’s wedding is soon, and I haven’t heard from him since.

I headed to his house for the first time in a while to meet him.

It’s a bit far from the noble district, but it’s a middle-class residential area.

As such, the roads are somewhat well-maintained.

After walking down the road for a while, I saw a familiar house.

It was a familiar house because I often went there for dinner.

Aransul looked around with interest and followed me with quick steps.

As someone from another country, it must feel like she’s sightseeing.

,Bulldog Ahjussi, are you there? It’s Harua.”

When I knocked on the door, I heard a voice from inside.

I stepped back, expecting Bulldog Ahjussi to come out soon, and the door opened shortly after.

But it wasn’t Bulldog Ahjussi who came out.

A woman I had never seen before suddenly popped out.

,…Who are you?”

,Who are you?”

She and I blinked at each other.

,Isn’t this Bulldog Ahjussi’s house?”

It’s definitely Bulldog Ahjussi’s house.

That slightly sunken roof part that’s been like that for months was Ahjussi’s trademark.

,It is, but that man has been missing for a long time.”

,Huh?”

My eyes widened.

Bulldog Ahjussi is missing? What the hell is this?

,W-What about his wife?”

,I heard they went missing on the same day. I’m the housekeeper hired by his son. I come here to clean every now and then.”

She must have been cleaning until just now, as there were cleaning tools inside.

,I heard his son was about to have a wedding, but it’s a shame. His son canceled the wedding and is busy looking for his parents.”

My vision blurred for a moment.

Bulldog Ahjussi was the Pioneer I had formed a bond with in this world.

For him to suddenly go missing with his wife was no ordinary matter.

What happened while I was gone?

I couldn’t think of anything that would cause this.

,…Thank you. If you see his son, could you tell him that Harua, a friend of Bulldog Ahjussi, came to visit? If he needs any help, please ask him to find me at the Pioneer Association.”

,I will. There have been a few people like you, so it won’t be difficult to tell him.”

Bulldog Ahjussi was a well-respected man.

It seems there were a few more people like me.

I left Bulldog Ahjussi’s house with a complicated expression.

I owed him a lot in many ways.

As such, I hoped he was safe.

,Harua, it’ll be okay. If you want, let’s go look for him together.”

Aransul comforted me from the side.

In this harsh otherworld, people die every other day.

I’ve become too jaded to be swayed by every little thing like this.

,…Yeah, it’ll be okay.”

Those who lack ability can only hope for the best.

Knowing that fact, I could only hope that Bulldog Ahjussi was safe.

In the end, I shook off my thoughts about Bulldog Ahjussi.

That Ahjussi would be able to live well no matter where he went.

His son must have requested a search from the regular army as well.

It seems okay to wait until I get a separate call.

,Let’s go to the Pioneer Association and then find a room.”

I want to store my belongings at an inn, but then they might get stolen.

It’s a hassle, but the safest place to leave my belongings and money is at the Pioneer Association.

So I decided to head to the Pioneer Association first.

That’s when it happened.

In front of the Pioneer Association, I saw a familiar back.

Red hair tied back with a bird-shaped pin.

I knew who she was right away.

Babiyen Astria, the disciple of the Lord of the Crimson Flames, whom I had encountered at the Star Cluster Society a while ago.

For some reason, she was packing her bags and lingering in front of the Pioneer Association.

,It’s Babiyen?”

Aransul tilted her head as soon as she saw her.

Still, she’s the daughter of a Baron family.

Why is she looking so haggard like that?

The answer came more easily than I thought.

,She got kicked out.”

Babiyen was kicked out of the Baron family.