episode_0031

As I was walking down the street, bickering with the nameless man for a while, the atmosphere around me gradually began to change.

The sounds of people talking gradually grew fainter, and instead, a stench that stung my nose grew stronger.

“I think we’re about to reach the slums.”

“Yes, before that, Master.”

“Huh?”

Anonymous stuffed my right arm, which I usually keep open, into his half-off clothes and wrapped my body tightly, smiling contentedly as if he was satisfied.

This is inconvenient… .

Since my clothes were made a bit too big because I measured them wrong when I was making them, they were always in my way if I didn’t take off one side of them that I used to hold the sword.

Since then, some have insisted on this style.

“Why are you suddenly doing that?”

“People living in the slums probably have nothing to lose, so they may rush to the Master without fear just by seeing his appearance.”

Hmm, my complexion isn’t that great… .

I stuck out my lips in protest and looked at the nameless person, but seeing the serious expression on his face, I couldn’t refuse, so I just nodded.

The anonymous man smiled brightly when he saw me not rejecting him.

After walking like that for about three minutes, I started to shake my eyes at the sight I saw.

“This is… .”

It’s a slum.

Dirty and polluted streets.

An unpleasant smell was rising from the wells where people were drinking, and rats that should have been hiding away from people’s eyes were roaming the streets without any problems.

People with emaciated bodies and wearing tattered clothes had scars all over their bodies, perhaps because they had not received proper treatment, and in the sky, crows kept cawing as they waited for them to become food.

He frowned.

It was not because of the stench or the filth, but because it was painful to look straight at this sight.

“…”

I visited the slums with a somewhat light heart, hoping to help those who were moderately struggling, but the people’s conditions were so bad that I felt disillusioned.

There is no light in their eyes, or in other words, they are the eyes of those who have given up everything.

Even those who seem to be in relatively good condition have eyes full of poison. Even if I help them here, will they be able to change?

My motivation was dampened from the start.

I turned my head to take a quick look at Anumyeong, wondering what he was like, and he was surprisingly indifferent.

… Is it because I am used to seeing scenes like this that I feel indifferent?

He shook his head.

Now is not the time to think about an anonymous past.

When I took my gaze off the nameless man, I looked into the distance again.

Even the disciple is so calm, so I, the master, must not be shaken.

“After… .”

After taking a deep breath, I patted her cheek.

“Master?”

“Okay, let’s give it a try.”

I took a powerful step forward.

…

Although we discussed it for quite some time with Anmyeong, nothing was decided.

Actually, I don’t have any talent for this, and I’m only 19 years old, so how would I know how to form an organization?

So the method we decided on was to create an environment where those who harbor hatred for life can escape from that hatred and follow me, which I called anonymous volunteer work.

This is the slum I came to, so from now on, my goal is to gain popularity among them.

Well, that doesn’t mean we’re going to help everyone in the slums.

I will help you by selecting people appropriately.

I don’t believe in things like the theory of human nature being evil or the theory of human nature being good. I’m someone who believes that one’s personality changes depending on the environment in which one is born and raised.

Of course, there are exceptions, but from experience, I think most of what I say is true.

Those who live in the slums have probably been here since they were born and raised there, so what could they possibly see and learn?

No matter how much a dragon rises from a small stream, a small stream is still a small stream.

If I had to describe this place….

Could it be mud mixed with dirty sewage?

Well, even in the mud, flowers bloom, so I won’t give up on rehabilitating them.

Maybe someday they will be the ones to help me.

Hmm, maybe I’m being too systematic about helping people.

A bitter smile formed.

As I once explained, I am not good.

He always thinks of his own safety first, and is naturally timid, so he is unable to step forward.

Isn’t the reason we came to the slums this time simply to gather souls, to use them for my own personal greed?

Of course, they may use different methods, but the point is that their intentions are impure.

A sigh escaped me.

Taking advantage of such a poor person… .

Originally, I thought I was on the good side, but what I’m trying to do now is clearly evil.

“Tsk, my thoughts just keep going.”

He shook his head.

For the sake of my goals, it’s time to get to work.

-Cheonmu-myeong

To be honest, I didn’t want to come here.

Look at this very moment, aren’t there those who dare to cast disrespectful glances at my teacher?

I wanted to go to them and gouge out their eyes, but I was sure that the Master would be disappointed in me if I did, so I didn’t do it.

Because I’m afraid of being hated by my teacher.

He stopped growling at those disrespectful gazes and looked at his master.

The master kept rummaging through a bag larger than his body, as if he was looking for something.

“Umm, I brought some food with me… Ah! Here it is.”

Indeed, it is food.

Of course, people living in slums would probably come here as if they were possessed, as they have never seen proper food before.

But, if you ask me, is that a good choice?

well.

Those living in the slums must have been born here, but most were driven out here after failing miserably due to greed beyond their means.

Do such people really have no greed?

Even now, there are those who approach slowly with poison in their eyes because they smell food coming from the teacher’s bag.

“Tsk.”

If you cross the line, I will cut you down without hesitation.

Since it’s a wooden sword, you won’t really die, so I’m sure the Master will understand.

As I was placing my hand on the wooden sword and looking around cautiously, something touched my side.

I lowered my head slightly and looked at my teacher.

“Nameless, put the wooden sword away.”

“Yes.”

He immediately took his hand off the wooden sword and adjusted his posture.

There is no need to question it.

The Master always makes the right choices, so I just have to follow His words.

The teacher took out a large handful of bread and scattered it on the floor.

As if forcing them to compete.

“Those who want to eat, eat.”

After saying those words, the teacher stood next to me with his hands behind his back.

As soon as the Master finished speaking, the people of the slums, without exception, rushed towards the scattered bread.

However, compared to the number of people rushing in, the number of breads is woefully inadequate.

I glanced at my bag and saw that it was still full of bread.

Could it be that the Master is too small to spread it all at once?

“Master, it seems like there aren’t enough breads for the number of people rushing in.”

I asked a question with such a doubt in mind, but the teacher just looked straight ahead and opened his mouth.

“I did that on purpose.”

Am I still lacking in learning?

I thought hard about trying to understand the teacher’s intentions, but nothing came to mind.

I overcame my shame and asked my teacher the reason.

“Hmm, what would happen to those who have been starving for a long time if they saw food?”

I turned my head away from the teacher and saw people fighting over a piece of bread as if they were going to kill each other.

I wasn’t impressed because it was an expected scene, but was this what the Master wanted?

He shook his head.

That’s not likely.

However, I was still lacking in understanding the Master’s intentions, so I just said what I saw.

“… Wouldn’t you be rushing to the food like this?”

The teacher answered my question without hesitation.

“That’s right, being true to your desires.”

The teacher nodded and then opened his mouth.

“People tend to reveal their true nature when faced with their desires, and this tendency is especially severe among those at the bottom.”

“Nature…is that what you mean?”

“Yes, I want to see their true nature.”

The teacher pointed to a place with his finger.

“Take a look over there.”

As I followed the Master’s finger, I witnessed a scene that made my eyes widen.

“Do you see? There are definitely people who have been starving for days themselves, but give their food to others.”

The teacher smiled brightly.

“The person receiving the food may be his family or a dear friend, but their relationship is not important.”

The teacher looked straight ahead, then smiled and looked at me.

“But the important thing here is that you shared what was yours.”

Oh, I see.

“He is a person who knows how to care for others more than himself.”

The Master tried to roughly distinguish the tendencies of people living in slums using this simple method.

“I want to gather only those with good natures like those people, and help them get rid of the hatred that doesn’t suit them.”

The teacher I serve is, as expected.

Truly, he was a man worthy of respect.