Chapter 3: I Want to Live (2)

Chapter 3: I Want to Live (2)

Follow me.

The nobleman spoke, handing money to the two men.

Since he was a nobleman and had paid them, there was no problem. I quietly followed behind the nobleman.

Do I have to like this or dislike it?

Honestly, I had some idea why the nobleman was taking me with him.

Nobles in this world generally had some knowledge of magic or swordsmanship, so they must have sensed that I was using Winds.

A talented orphan.

To the upper class, they were convenient disposable assets. If you provided them with meals on time and give them reasonable compensation, they became loyal.

It meant they were suitable to be taken in and raised. Especially since such a person had fallen into their lap.

From the noblemans perspective, I must have seemed like a stroke of luck.

Id encountered similar situations when playing the game.

Sometimes I was recruited as a commoner, and other times I took in orphans and raised them.

At those times, I could see the characters traits.

When I saw a talented orphan, it felt like discovering a treasure chest. I could raise them as knights or use them as secret agents.

Although Ive been hit in the back of the head quite hard sometimes.

Anyway, I didnt question his reason too much.

Perhaps because of that, I felt the middle-aged nobleman scrutinizing me discreetly.

.

It was like an evaluating gaze.

It was natural. That person couldnt see my traits or skills like in a game.

Whats your name?

C-Carlyn.

Where are you from?

Ive always lived here sir.

The man frowned slightly, and the brief question and answer ended there.

The nobleman seemed to be thinking about something, and I didnt feel the need to speak further. My head was spinning.

Even though the situation of catching the noblemans eye seemed good, it wasnt necessarily the case.

The problem was that I had chosen my values toward Stratagem.

Valhll, which had no separate attributes, focused on raising the value system level as the core of growth.

And to raise value system experience points, you had to act according to the chosen value system.

Once you reached a certain level, you could gain value system traits or skills, making it an essential task.

It was a system similar to leveling up in other games, with only the names being different.

But Im meaningless in terms of combat

As an orphan who chose the Stratagem value system, it was best to attract the attention of espionage organizations.

But if the nobleman intended to use me as a combatant, my progress would be hindered.

I dont know what to do. I couldnt escape right away anyway.

Id follow for now and take action when I got a chance.

Now that I was actually in the game, some level of growth was essential. I never knew when a crisis would arise.

In fact, I had started with good traits before and died at the hands of a robber within five minutes.

I was really angry back then.

Hmm. Now that I thought about it, this might actually be a good thing.

I could just learn combat from that nobleman and then run away.

After a short walk, a huge mansion came into view. It looked more like a small castle than a mansion.

He doesnt seem like an ordinary noble.

The guards protecting the mansion saluted with discipline. Their straight gaze didnt linger on me at all.

As I passed the guards, a maid who appeared to be around thirty approached with graceful steps.

Duke, have you arrived?

Yes. Is everything fine?

Yes, my lord.

A duke? That person was a duke?

For a similar reason as before, I couldnt grasp whether I should like or dislike this situation. The maids gaze lingered on me.

The habit of constant, deliberate suspicion tormented the Duke, but he inwardly shook his head.

It cant be true.

Apart from the childs talent, there was one clear piece of evidence. The Duke vividly remembered the winds that wrapped around his own hands.

The effect of magic was extremely weak.

It meant that it was not magic but an inherent power. The implication was clear.

Mystic.

Even on this vast continent, those with mystic abilities were extremely rare.

The possibility of a child manifesting mystic abilities

It couldnt be denied entirely, but it was close to impossible. Nobles who had used magic for generations found it difficult to break through the barriers of mystic abilities.

It was unimaginable that someone who possessed mystic abilities would exploit a child like this.

In that sense, the orphan was an exceptionally rare gem. It was too precious, too valuable to be in the clutches of the little rats plaguing the city.

And for such a gem to roll into his possession was an unparalleled stroke of luck.

Even though he did not believe in God, he was so lucky that he doubted that God had arranged it for Heisen.

Carlyn, was it?

As soon as the thought of the child dropping the documents entered his mind, the Duke also recalled the rare talent the orphan possessed.

Being able to sense threats was crucial for a spy.

Despite feeling good, he also felt a bit annoyed. When was it that he had managed to capture the little rats of this city?

The fact that there had been no reports of such a gems existence was a matter that needed to be addressed.

Aside from that, an investigation was necessary.

Not all orphans had deceased parents. There was a possibility of unnecessary trouble arising later on.

Even if they were a street orphan, with the spy masters resources, something should come up.

If their parents were already deceased, at the very least, their original personality or behavior should be known.

That too was a valuable asset.

Information was the foundation when it came to winning peoples hearts.

As quickly as possible, gather all the information, no matter how insignificant.

Yes, Your Grace.

A young man emerged smoothly from the darkness of the study and bowed his head.

The Duke added a remark.

Also, crack down on those little rats. Its a big disappointment.

Yes.

Having observed the situation from a distance, following the Duke, there was no need for further words.

The young man, pondering how to catch all the scattered rats in the city, disappeared once again into the darkness as if blending in.

* * *

As I entered the bathtub, where I had thoroughly cleaned myself and sprinkled bath salts, I once again realized how grateful I was for the scent of modernity.

I knew very little about the medieval era, but if it were truly the Middle Ages, one could not enjoy such luxuries.

Thanks to this, the discomfort that had been overwhelming me to an abnormal extent dissipated.

Although I still felt exhausted, my mind became calm, and I felt that my thoughts were flowing more smoothly than before.

There were some clear and faint memories. Basic knowledge of the language, culture, and the geography of this place.

I wondered if it was the consideration of the entity that sent me here.

Hmm, the Duke of Haisen

The Haisen Kingdom I currently found myself in was a quiet country that had been oppressed by the Empire before the main storyline began. It was a flow that the player couldnt stop.

Simply put, from the players perspective, it was a place where no matter how much effort they put in, they would gain no advantage.

Naturally, not much remained in my memories either.

Although the Haisen Kingdom was connected to an important character, the princess, she didnt even pay much attention to the kingdom.

No, she had intentionally distanced herself, fleeing the empires power struggle.

I have no idea what time it is right now.

I thought it might be around the same time as the starting point of the game, but I couldnt be sure.

However, one thing was certain: it was a problem regardless of which scenario it was.

Could I prevent the downfall of the Haisen Kingdom? It seemed impossible, considering that I had played the game.

And if it had already fallen, the setting was not favorable for me to do anything.

Hmm, what should I do?This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.