“Huu…”

Han Seoyeon took a deep breath.

She calmly looked at her status with her mind’s eye.

──────────

[Han Seoyeon]

Lv. : 75

Exp : 4578/9509

HP : 190

MP : –

[Status]

Strength : 64 (Rank : B)

Agility : 95 (Rank : A)

Intelligence : 51 (Rank : C)

(Remaining points to distribute : 5)

[Original Skill]

Unique Ability/Trait – Falling Star Sword (Rank : Ex)

[Normal Skill]

Swordsmanship (Rank : A+)

──────────

Tension coursed through her body.

“…”

The trembling wouldn’t easily subside, but she finally moved her finger.

──────────

[Status]

Agility : 95 (Rank : A) → 100 (Rank : A+)

(Remaining points to distribute : 5 → 0)

──────────

She pressed the status window and distributed the stats.

With this simple game-like action, she felt a clear difference in her physical performance.

A higher level than before.

A level raised by the experience gained from her first kill.

There was fear.

There was hesitation.

But now she had to face it.

Even if it was power gained through murder, it was for protecting what’s precious.

That day was a weekday.

A day when students had to go to school.

“…Senior, will this really be okay?”

Without a valid reason, it’s impossible for a student to skip school.

“What do you mean?”

“I can make excuses because of the aftereffects of recent events, but you, senior…”

Attendance is a crucial matter for students.

“You are more important than that.”

But for Michaela, there was something more important than that.

“Let’s go.”

“…Okay.”

Following Han Seoyeon, Michaela, known as a model student, skipped school for the first time.

The place they had to go was not easy to reach on foot.

It was far and rough.

Michaela called her personal driver.

As she wasn’t familiar with foreign place names, Han Seoyeon recited the address.

“…Um, are you sure this is the right place?”

The driver asked back.

There was a hint of bewilderment in his tone.

“Did you give the correct address?”

“Yes. At least…”

Then that’s where they should go.

Michaela nodded without hesitation.

Soon, silence fell in the car.

Unlike usual, there was no lively conversation.

“…Senior.”

As always, Han Seoyeon was the first to break the silence.

“What do you think about our country, senior?”

The first words that broke the silence were somewhat out of the blue.

A question evaluating the country, not an individual.

It didn’t quite fit with the atmosphere and context so far.

“Well.”

Koreans had strong pride in their homeland.

They considered their country to be the greatest in the world.

That was somewhat true, but sometimes it went too far, leading to discrimination or hatred towards foreigners.

“I think it’s a good country to live in. I have no other words to express it.”

Discrimination is not right.

Even considering that, Korea was a good country to live in.

“My hometown, Munich, wasn’t such a good place for people to live.”

When she closes her eyes, she can still clearly see it.

Her second hometown full of ruins and ashes.

“That place was just full of Gates and monsters, and people who had lost much because of them.”

Like a world in the midst of a war with demons.

That’s why Michaela took up the sword.

She took up the sword to save even one more person.

“They say it was very different in the past, but at least when I was born and raised there, that’s how it was.”

Europe was a hell.

It was rare to find areas that weren’t in ruins.

“But this place is different.”

Korea was different.

Its prosperity was incomparable to any region in Europe.

“Everywhere you go, smiles never leave people’s faces.”

This wasn’t simply due to the economic wealth of the metropolitan area.

It’s something beyond culture, in the spiritual realm.

“People feel hope.”

However, the reason was far from the commonly mentioned racial superiority.

“It’s because it’s safe. Because the belief that they will live to see tomorrow is taken for granted.”

There was faith.

Faith that they could spend another fulfilling day tomorrow.

“It must be because there are beings who can protect them.”

The foundation was clear.

“The existence of heroes. Along with powerful Hunters who fight monsters with them. I think the systematic military use of abilities is the reason.”

What Korea has and Europe doesn’t.

It was heroes.

Compared to her past life, it was the existence of heroes who could face the Demon King.

Europeans also yearn for heroes.

They often projected Korea’s heroes onto Michaela.

“That should be enough of an answer. Feel free to point out if you think anything is wrong.”

Han Seoyeon didn’t point anything out.

In a sense, it was an opinion within the normal range, like that of her peers.

“…”

Children of the new era after the Gates don’t know what democracy is.

“…It’s as you say, senior. Maybe our country is the best country to live in in the world.”

Han Seoyeon said.

“But maybe not for me and my siblings.”

“What do you mean…”

“We’ve arrived.”

The car stops.

Han Seoyeon stepped out of the car.

Into a dump, not a city.

“Let me introduce you.”

Unsanitary.

Filled with stench.

Without a trace of human presence.

To mountains of garbage.

“This is my hometown where I grew up, the slum.”

“What─”

Michaela couldn’t continue speaking.

It was not much different from Europe.

…No, perhaps it was an even worse place.

A hero is essentially a superhuman on a white horse.

Not just abilities, but single-handedly handling all state affairs, alone processing all tasks infinitely close to the correct answer.

Therefore, heroes are busy.

That’s why they couldn’t immediately respond when terrorism occurred.

So heroes decided to prioritize.

It remained unchanged that they would save everyone eventually.

It was just a matter of order.

This is what happened while that order was pushed back.

Based on economic principles, the weak were weeded out.

To places that had already been devastated by monsters.

Criminals, elderly living alone, orphans without any ties.

This was a place where the powerless eked out a living by eating the city’s garbage.

“Surprised? That such a place exists in our country.”

“…”

To the stiff Michaela, Han Seoyeon spoke jokingly.

“All places where people live are similar, senior.”

Is that really so?

Can this be called similar?

Europe was in ruins.

The people living in those ruins all worked together to build their settlement.

In contrast, Korea was divided.

Despite brilliantly reviving from ruins, part of it was still in ruins.

The state had abandoned them.

“You…”

In Michaela’s opinion.

In a sense, this place was more miserable than her hometown.

Because it wasn’t that they couldn’t do it.

It’s because they chose not to do it due to low priority.

“…Were you okay?”

“Well, I even got into the Academy, didn’t I? I’d say I’m quite successful.”

Don’t they say a dragon rises from a small stream?

In this case, should we say a dragon rising from a garbage dump?

“That’s not what I meant.”

Michaela felt a bitter taste in her throat and a sensation like burning.

“…It must have been painful. It must have been a hard life. The daily life in such a place.”

“Well, yeah, it was.”

Looking back, Han Seoyeon at that time was reckless.

She had never made a proper plan.

She had no strategy other than her own arbitrary determination to help her siblings.

She went through hardships.

Having grown up in one of Korea’s leading chaebol families and suddenly being deprived of basic necessities, it was only natural.

Fortunately, she had power.

The Ex-rank ability called the Falling Star Sword.

Criminals who tried to lay hands on a child just abandoned in the slums had long since received their lessons.

“It’s okay. At least I didn’t suffer any severe ordeals.”

Han Seoyeon was undoubtedly a virgin.

She was able to protect her chastity because she had power.

This wasn’t just empty words; she really was in a better situation comparatively.

“Come on, don’t just stand there. Let’s go quickly.”

“…Alright.”

There aren’t many good memories in the slum.

Even though there weren’t many, there was a reason she had to visit.

Michaela walked following Han Seoyeon.

“It should be around here…”

After walking a bit, a somewhat street-like area starts to appear.

Of course, it only had the form of a street.

Fundamentally, the buildings were dilapidated, and the fact that it was full of garbage remained unchanged.

“…Huh?”

A voice was heard.

It was a clear child’s voice.

“Big sister…?”

Beyond the street of garbage, children appeared.

“It’s big sister…!”

“Kids! Big sister is here!”

“Really? Wow, it really is big sister! Big sister has come!”

It doesn’t fit with the garbage piles and stench.

Cheerful voices and bright eyes.

“I’m back, kids.”

Flowers blooming in a garbage dump.

These were the reason Han Seoyeon had to return.

Because according to the original story’s progression, they would soon be massacred.

The slum.

A shadow abandoned even by the great hero.

The sun doesn’t shine there.

Yet there were seeds.

Even without receiving the sun’s light.

Seeds trying to take root, even if not in the sun but in the shade.

Flowers wanting to bloom someday.

To the original protagonist, these were the reason to live.

In the lonely daily life of the slum.

It was the innocent children who brought light.

For the children.

To provide even a little more financial help to the children.

To show the children that even those born in the slum can succeed, the original protagonist tried to enter the Academy.

And it was the same for Han Seoyeon.

The children’s well-being was included in her goal of saving the world.

Even after more than a month of Academy life.

This was also why she still ate bean sprouts.

Because she had to save money.

Because she had to save money and send it to the children.

Because she wanted to protect these smiles.

“Have you all been doing well?”

But to reiterate.

[The Academy’s Falling Star Swordsman] is a ruined world novel.

According to the original story, they don’t receive salvation.

“Yes!”

She couldn’t accept that.

She won’t let them wither.

She will definitely save them.

As a munchkin protagonist, Han Seoyeon couldn’t forgive innocent children being murdered.

She will create a happy ending where everyone is happy.

Like a Japanese light novel.

That was undoubtedly the reason why Han Seoyeon was born into this world, to replace the protagonist.