Ch.6Reincarnator

As Saeeorin surveyed the city landscape, she witnessed a strange sight. Armored soldiers were leading a boy bound in iron chains toward a wide plaza.

“L-let me go! Do you, do you even know who I am? I’m here to help this world…!”

Despite being dragged away, the boy wouldn’t stop talking. He rambled on about how he shouldn’t be treated this way, how they would regret it, and how a great evil would resurrect in the future, putting the world in danger. The boy was babbling like a senile shaman from the White Frost tribe.

People around seemed accustomed to such scenes. None of them even spared the girl a glance. Not even the soldiers dragging the boy away.

Saeeorin grabbed a man passing by and questioned him.

“Excuse me.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yes, you. What did that boy do wrong to be dragged away like that?”

“Ah… that thing?”

Saeeorin’s eyebrow twitched. He referred to the boy as “that thing.” A tone that treated him like an object. The man didn’t regard the boy being dragged away as an equal human being.

The man looked at the boy with a deeply contorted expression.

“Obviously because he’s a reincarnator.”

“Re-reincarnator…? That boy?”

Saeeorin was shocked by the man’s answer. Until now, she had thought “reincarnator” was the name of the man who had destroyed her tribe.

Saeeorin acquired new knowledge.

She realized that “reincarnator” wasn’t referring to a single individual but was a term for multiple people.

“So reincarnators aren’t just one person… It wasn’t just his name…”

While Saeeorin was surprised by this new revelation, the soldiers dragged the reincarnator boy onto an execution platform in the central plaza of the village.

Saeeorin looked up at it and asked, “What are they going to do?”

“Execute him, of course. Because he’s a reincarnator.”

Execution. It meant killing. Saeeorin stared blankly at the platform. Even as his body was secured to the execution platform, the boy shook violently in resistance.

“L-let me go! I’m the protagonist who shouldn’t die!”

Those were the boy’s last words. With a thud, a massive blade fell and severed his head.

Along with a quiet breeze came the pungent smell of blood. Residents walking around the plaza whispered as they looked at the execution platform.

-Another reincarnator execution?

-That’s what they say. Probably the fifth execution this year?

-I heard he went to a merchant claiming he developed mayonnaise. If it weren’t for that merchant, they wouldn’t have executed him so easily.

-It’s fortunate he died before he grew up…

Saeeorin listened to the voices around her. Though some words were difficult to understand, she could tell that the civilized people harbored great resentment toward those called reincarnators.

Saeeorin turned to look beside her, intending to ask another question to the man who had just answered her.

However, the man was nowhere to be seen. He had left while Saeeorin was closing her eyes and focusing on the surrounding sounds.

Eventually, Saeeorin continued walking. She didn’t have a particular destination. She just wanted to see more of these unfamiliar sights.

As Saeeorin explored the city, she noted suitable places in her mind. Places where she could sleep tonight.

It was a narrow alley with little foot traffic.

Saeeorin began learning the culture of civilized people while living on the streets. The first thing she learned was the concept of currency. To obtain necessary items or borrow someone’s labor, one needed something called money.

She also learned that to earn money, one had to sell their own labor.

Saeeorin wandered around the city, hunting wild animals, skinning them, and selling the hides. With her expert skinning skills, Saeeorin’s hides sold for quite a high price.

The second thing Saeeorin learned was that living on the streets attracted negative attention. So she tried to build her own house in a corner of the city.

Of course, she was caught by the guards and her plan was thwarted. Saeeorin had no choice but to spend her hard-earned money on renting a room at an inn.

***

A week passed.

Saeeorin headed to the blacksmith with her now-bulging money pouch. Her new hobby, since she started earning money, was buying second-hand swords.

She would pay money to purchase swords that others had used. By reading the memories contained in these swords, Saeeorin acquired various knowledge.

Of course, there wasn’t much improvement in her swordsmanship. Swordsmen who used cheap swords rarely employed proper techniques.

The memories contained in cheap swords were rough and crude. They lacked refinement and were sloppy. There was no precision to be found, just something close to pretentiousness.

Most of them were like that.

Today, too, Saeeorin rummaged through the second-hand display shelf to pick a new sword.

“Hey, Saeeorin. You said you were gathering information about reincarnators, right?”

The one addressing her was the blacksmith. Despite his muscular build and fierce appearance, he had a warm heart.

Saeeorin nodded. There was no reason to hide it, and he was a benefactor who had shared food with her.

Saeeorin never forgot the names of people who shared food with her.

“That’s right, Puark.”

“It’s Puhark…”

Close enough. Saeeorin ignored Puhark’s words and continued rummaging through the display. Puhark persisted with his questions.

“Why are you gathering information about reincarnators?”

“…For revenge.”

“Revenge?”

Saeeorin nodded. Puhark nodded along as if he understood something.

Those harmed by reincarnators were numerous. There were countless people with stories similar to Saeeorin’s. That’s why Puhark could vaguely understand her feelings.

“You said you know how to use a sword, right?”

Puhark felt sorry for her. It’s good to burn with vengeance against reincarnators. But there’s a limit to what a small girl can do alone.

“Then how about going to the Karma Empire?”

“Karma Empire?”

“Yes. Cross over to the Karma Empire and join the Blue Wing. It’s a group with the same purpose as yours.”

Puhark briefly explained about the Blue Wing. It was the name of a knightly order formed by the Karma Empire. They had only one purpose.

To capture and kill reincarnators born in this land. The Blue Wing was a knightly order created solely for that purpose.

“You know, right? There’s a limit to what you can do alone.”

Saeeorin nodded. There was nothing wrong with what Puhark said. Saeeorin already knew from experience that many are better than one.

‘When hunting difficult prey, I was always with my brothers. This is no different. If this Blue Wing group has the same purpose as me, I could receive great help…’

Saeeorin wasn’t foolish. She didn’t harbor the idiotic notion that revenge must be achieved by one’s own strength alone. If she could avenge her tribe with the help of others, that was enough.

“How do I get to this Karma Empire?”

In response to Saeeorin’s question, Puhark brought out an old bundle of papers from inside the blacksmith shop.

“It’s a map showing the areas near the Karma Empire.”

Saeeorin took the map and tucked it securely into her bag. Then she observed Puhark’s demeanor. She had a vague idea why he was being so kind to her.

In the White Frost tribe, when men found a woman they liked, they would show kindness to express their interest. If the woman accepted that kindness and gave permission, a relationship would form.

The courtship methods of these civilized people weren’t much different. This man named Puhark was probably the same.

Saeeorin brushed her forehead. Her younger sister’s body was too beautiful. Despite her young age, she was already attracting men, making her fear for the future.

Saeeorin said, “Puhark. I’m sorry, but this body is too young. I can’t accept you.”

“What…?”

“I appreciate your kindness, but you should look for someone else.”

With those words, Saeeorin handed over five small coins. She was paying for the second-hand sword she had just picked.

“W-wait, what are you talking about?”

“I’ll be going now. Don’t be disappointed and I hope you find a partner. If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

After returning from the blacksmith, Saeeorin immediately packed her belongings. There wasn’t much: a few changes of clothes in her bag, a money pouch, three second-hand swords, and one sword that the chief had used. That was all Saeeorin had.

Her destination was set. That day, without hesitation, she left the city.

***

About two months after leaving the city.

Saeeorin finally reached the territory of the Karma Empire. Due to the hardships she had endured, Saeeorin’s appearance was no different from a beggar’s.

She had encountered bandits and been attacked by monsters. She had faced death several times. Over the past two months, Saeeorin had learned about the cruelty, vileness, and ignorance of civilized people.

As Saeeorin was reflecting on her experiences with a long sigh, a boy emerged from the bushes beside the road. A long sword hung at his waist.

Saeeorin’s gaze met the boy’s in mid-air. Silently, she placed her hand on her sword. Five swords hung from the scabbard on her back.