episode_0005

A 2nd year aspiring wizard.

An incompetent superhuman who failed the 10th temporary hero promotion test.

Vivian.

She learned to fail before she learned to walk.

He was abandoned before he could walk, and lived a life of begging, moving from place to place under other people’s roofs.

It was nothing short of a miracle that she accidentally woke up as a ‘superhuman’.

But that miracle led her into a deeper abyss.

‘What would you do if you knew how to use magic? ‘I can’t guess!’

‘Shoot at the enemy! ‘Not our allies!’

‘I guess there’s nothing special about being a wizard. Even an idiot like that wants to become a wizard.’

It was my first luck, but it wasn’t happiness.

Her talent only caused harm to others.

I even failed the temporary hero exam several times.

She became a celebrity.

In a bad way.

‘Isn’t that it? Asshole wizard? Are you still trying this?’

‘If you don’t have talent, try harder. If you’re not going to even try, don’t do it. ‘Do you want to have results without putting in any effort?’

‘Why not sell your body instead? With that face and body, it looks like you have more talent in that area. ‘Would you like to sell it to me?’

It was a humiliating comment for her, who had nothing to do with men other than public affairs.

Still, Vivian could not refute.

I always bowed my back and said I was sorry over and over again.

Because it was her fault.

Finally, a manager’s words pushed her off a cliff.

‘Please, you have no talent as a warrior. Get over it and find another way. ‘You are not Sylvia.’

The coming-of-age story of beggar girls Sylvia and Philip was Vivian’s favorite story.

A fairytale-like story about a beggar who used to beg on the roadside and rises to become the most revered wizard of the party.

Not only her, but anyone who dreams of becoming a warrior is bound to be fascinated by the story.

I envied Sylvia’s portrait on the bulletin board and made a promise.

He said he would be like that too.

But a manager’s words woke her up from her dream.

Vivian turned her back on her dream and ran away again.

At the end was the village of Arche.

The peaceful rural residents accepted themselves as losers.

At first, I was surprised to hear that I had failed several times as an applicant, but it only lasted for a moment.

In that village, Vivian found a second path.

There was an orphanage in Arke Village.

Although the environment was not good, all the residents worked hard to take in the orphans and take care of them.

That in itself was a great emotion for Vivian.

She became a teacher who managed an orphanage.

While educating children, he also told them fairy tales using minor magic.

Seeing children grow and be happy.

Being recognized by the village residents as a teacher was the first happiness of my life.

That happiness didn’t last long.

The village chief visited the appropriately aged children several times.

It was for training to forcibly become a superhuman.

Vivian realized this late and tried to run away with the children.

However, they were held hostage by taking the remaining child in the village hostage.

Vivian eventually continued to be a teacher despite her unwillingness to do so.

They couldn’t resist because the children were held hostage.

Sometimes the only hope was to help a few children escape.

Help them escape at the right time.

If you are caught, you will be beaten to death by the security chief or the village chief.

Days like that repeated over and over again and became a daily routine.

The more violent their violence was, the more devoted he felt to his children.

The miserable days of surviving and avoiding sexual violence under the promise of children receiving superhuman training.

She was thin and broken and exhausted.

To the point where I feel like I want to quit everything.

To the point where I feel the urge to send the children away and erase this village entirely.

“You fucking bitch! How many times has this happened?”

That day too, he was being beaten by the security chief for stealing a child.

“Tell me right now where you sent it!”

boring.

It wasn’t that it was hard and painful, it was that I was tired of this kind of life.

“What are you doing to Vivian?”

Just look at Emma falling over while fighting for herself.

There was nothing I could do.

While my sense of reality is fading.

“So, you came to look for this woman, right?”

“I think so. If Vivian is right.”

An unfamiliar voice caught her.

Who is looking for him?

Even if I look up, it’s a face I don’t recognize.

A sturdy physique visible even under a wide cloak.

A sharp look that makes you look a little tired and irritated.

“I don’t know what you want to do with picking up this trash, but I can’t give it to you.”

“Hmm. Did you need your permission?”

“This cocky brat-!”

He spoke as if he wanted Vivian.

Who is it? Who is it.

After a few moments of thinking, I arrived at a clue.

List of aspiring warriors.

He erased his name when he ran away to Arche Village, but re-registered it without the residents’ knowledge in order to escape here.

[Help me.]

It was a rescue signal heading out of town.

It’s been quite a while since I sent it, but no one has come to visit.

I expected it.

In my second year as an aspirant, I failed the registration exam 10 times.

So I forgot, but I guess… .

“This bastard-!”

The security guard rushed in angrily.

I was ready to stab him with my sword, but the man didn’t move.

Could it be that my body has stiffened?

This may be the case if you are not familiar with combat.

It was too late for Vivian to step forward.

The man waved his hand.

-Kak!

The sword broke when it hit my palm, and the blade became embedded in the floor.

The man then punched the security guard in the chin, knocking him out, and then turned to the children.

“Uh… . Guys. I’m not that bad of a person. Could you please stop looking at me like that?”

He broke the sword with his bare hands and knocked the giant unconscious with one blow.

I have a hard time with kids.

He’s a strange man.

Vivian bowed her head to him who walked forward.

“Thank you… .”

“Vivian?”

Vivian nodded.

Could it be that he is really the manager who came to see him?

“I… .”

I was going to ask.

“Are you hungry?”

That one word turned my mind upside down.

Sylvia and Philip, their impressive first meeting.

‘Are you hungry?’

The section that Vivian had read over and over again played in my head.

It has now been overlaid with reality.

‘Let’s eat first.’

“Let’s eat first.”

My heart is racing.

That feeling was unfamiliar.

It feels like a heart that wasn’t there before has finally appeared.

I know it’s a ridiculous imagination.

I know, but maybe this person… .

“Well, maybe… .”

At that time, it became noisy outside.

***

It’s noisy as if there’s a crowd of people outside the orphanage.

Vivian looked at the door with anxious eyes.

“Stay here.”

I tried to leave her behind, but the door wouldn’t open.

“Why don’t I open this… . Kati, it’s me.”

Only then did the door slowly open.

I thought so.

They must have blocked it completely to prevent anyone from entering.

You said that before too.

When I came out, something rattled next to me.

‘Oh, what a surprise… .’

The unconscious security guard was hanging upside down.

It seemed like Katy had done it.

I look ahead, following the rumbling sound, and see numerous people.

The entrance to the orphanage was surrounded like a fan.

Everyone has a grim expression.

Some people are armed.

I tried to take the sugar bar out of my pocket, but nothing came out.

… When did you finish eating?

“Kuhm… .”

The village chief in the middle came forward.

A child was held in his hands.

Is this the kid who made Vivien run away?

“Manager. Why are you here and not in the hall?”

“There is someone looking for me.”

“You are too involved in village affairs.”

“Well, that’s how it happened.”

No matter how you look at it, that’s it.

Now that I know the secret, I can’t let him live, something like that.

“I can’t just send it to you like this.”

I thought so.

“I’m just curious. If I don’t send it to you, can I go out?”

“Then, would you at least try to break through these many people?”

You have great confidence.

I think Katy could do it alone.

What should we do with them?

Since he is directly connected to the imperial family, killing civilians is difficult… .

The answer came quickly.

You can press it with power.

“Mercy, please write me a letter.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Mercy, who was sitting on Kati’s shoulder, came down and humanized her.

The crowd was excited to see her appear as if by magic.

The village chief was also shocked by the sudden situation and could not say anything.

“Who will you use it for?”

Mercy asked, holding up a piece of parchment and a quill.

The bottom is covered with a wooden board for writing.

“Chief of Military Police.”

The village chief’s face crumpled.

People who sensed something unusual rolled their eyes.

“Arke Village, northeast of the capital. Allegations of illegal training and abuse under the pretense of training aspiring warriors.”

Mercy quickly wrote down my words.

“What is the sender’s name?”

“To Ian. Please write two more of the same thing.”

“Yes.”

While Mercy wrote two more pages, she took out an item from her subspace pocket.

The people in front stepped back, as if they thought they were going to take out their weapons.

After mentioning the military police commander, their mood softened significantly.

What I took out was a seal.

I handed it to Mercy, and she stamped the three documents.

“A manager mentioning the head of the military police… . You are bluffing a lot. Do you think you are Philip?”

The village chief’s voice trembled.

Meanwhile, Mercy summoned a bird, tied up the letter, and sent it flying.

The two remaining letters came to me.

“Kathi, tell me.”

“Yes.”

I handed one to Kati.

She walked over and handed the letter to the village chief, and I explained.

“This is a letter of accusation. One for the recipient and one for me as the sender. And you, the suspect. Three pieces like this.”

The village chief’s trembling eyes stopped at one point as he read the letter.

My hands were shaking harder than my eyes.

“This, this… . The pattern on this seal is… .”

***

The village chief ignored the manager in front of him.

I wondered where this guy who wasn’t even a member of the guild had heard Vivian’s story from.

It didn’t matter.

Vivian could not be sent, but there were children to sign on her behalf.

After promising village-level support and guaranteeing the child’s skills, a contract is signed.

If results are not achieved under the pretext of a contract, the manager can be pressured to extort money.

The village chief dragged the manager in with the intention of doing just that.

It was definitely like that… .

‘This pattern… .’

The seal on the bottom of the document was not ordinary.

It was my first time seeing it in person, but I recognized it right away.

A pattern engraved with sealing magic to prove the identity of the emperor and the Holy Emperor.

There is only one person in the world who is a manager and has this seal.

‘Philip… !’

A figure like a ghost story who is said to have established the current warrior and manager system.

The object, of which it was unclear whether it existed or not, was right in front of me.

“Phil… Oh no! Dear… !”

The village chief fell facedown on the floor.

I almost said his name.

Recognizing the person with this seal or revealing his identity would be tantamount to suicide.

“Well, I dare… ! Hey, what are they doing! Without lowering your weapons!”

When the village chief scolded them, those who had been staring at them also bowed their backs.

The people who were ready to bite immediately turned around.

“I don’t know you, and I’m sorry… ! Please, please, at least the military police… .”

Military police, a military group in charge of public security in the empire.

However, it is difficult to manage a large empire peacefully.

The method they decided on is simple.

Set an example.

In other words, if anyone is caught, they are dealt with as extravagantly as possible.

The rumor spread throughout the empire, creating the perception that if they were caught by the military police, even having their limbs torn off would be enough.

It doesn’t move easily, but once it moves, it handles it reliably.

And, the person named Philip was powerful enough to move them.

“I won’t ask you who you are! No, I have no idea! I beg you to look at the military police at least… !”

Ian scratched under his ears in response, as if he recognized him.

‘… Was the name Philip this famous?’

The manager is only one person, but there are several people in the empire who carry that seal.

Ian was a bit puzzled by this reality, recognizing that it was Philip just by looking at the seal.

‘It wasn’t to this extent.’

The village chief, who was lying flat on his face, almost crawled on the floor.

“Please, noble one… .”

The residents, who did not know why he was doing this, were confused but followed him.

Kati blocked them so they couldn’t get closer.

It seemed as if he would commit murder at any moment due to his sinister spirit.

“ How dare I… . I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… ! Please be lenient just this once! Everyone, hurry up and show respect!”

“Boo, please… .”

The residents also blindly followed suit.

Ian was a little taken aback by the action as if he was paying his respects.

‘It’s a bit burdensome… .’

Still, I said what I had to say.

“Even if you say that now, I already sent it.”

“Well, if you send me a follow-up letter… .”

“Hmm… .”

The village chief clasped his hands together and bowed his head repeatedly.

However, after thinking briefly, Ian’s expression turned sour.

“I don’t like it.”

The village chief’s wrinkled face was distorted as if it would collapse.

***

The village chief and the people who had been begging for a long time were finally sent away.

I didn’t promise to look at anything.

I just told him not to bother me, so he looked at me and walked away.

The child who was caught running away was returned by the village chief.

The village chief will probably think about it for a while.

I feel uncomfortable leaving it as is.

Threatening with force will become a new way of committing suicide.

It doesn’t matter what.

I just need to get Vivian out of here.

As promised, a meal was provided to Vivian and the children.

In addition to the food we had brought in the wagon, we also stole the emergency food stored in our subspace pockets.

It’s all food meant to be stored for a long time, so it probably doesn’t taste good.

It’s so good that I even cry while eating it.

I’m going to pretend like that.

After everyone was full, I called Vivian aside.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Yes, yes. Sure.”

We stood facing each other in a corner of the orphanage.

Katy was glaring at me from afar, so I gestured with my hand to look somewhere else.

Even though he wears an eyepatch, he can still feel my gaze.

“Stir… , by any chance.”

Vivian spoke first.

“Talk about it.”

“Philip… Is this you?”

… uh?