“Mage.”

The woman stared at him. Only after putting the bread in her mouth did she speak.

“Can I become like you, Master Mage?”

“Like me?”

“I, I overstepped, didn’t I? Please forget what I just said.”

The woman bowed her head deeply.

She was smaller than the protagonist.

Her voice was also youthful. It reminded him of the protagonist from long ago. The woman looked even more troubled than the protagonist had back then. It wasn’t just an impression; it was true.

“You can be.”

“Really?”

“I was nothing special back then either.”

He bought another loaf of bread.

And he told her a story. It was the protagonist’s old story. The woman ate the bread and listened to it.

Even if it was cheap pity, it was fine. Even if it was a momentary whim, it was fine.

Words the protagonist said without much thought could be a great help to others in the Capital City.

The woman right in front of him was proof of that. Her face was incredibly bright.

Her life must have been nothing but a murky, swamp-like darkness.

It was certain no one had ever said anything kind to her. In that situation, the small kindness the protagonist showed must have felt incredibly significant.

The woman glanced at him. Then she asked if she could bring her younger sister. It seemed she had a younger sister. He nodded.

She left, saying to let her know anytime if he needed her. He felt good that she seemed to have cheered up a bit.

He walked down the street.

Lately, he hadn’t been able to train. Training in advanced magic required a calm mind. His mind was unsettled. It was because of Lorina.

He decided to look for Charlotte when he returned to the inn. She would probably know when the banquet was being held. He hadn’t seen the Count’s face in days.

He had to find the alchemist, even if it was through him. In this vast city, that was the only way. He wanted to see Lorina again.

As he walked, thinking such thoughts, he saw a familiar face.

It was Chloe.

‘What’s going on?’

In front of her was some man. He was a young nobleman.

Chloe shook her head at the man. The man then forcibly grabbed Chloe’s wrist and tried to drag her away.

The Knight behind them drew his sword. The Noble’s Guard was also ready to fight. The atmosphere was tense.

He didn’t know what was happening, but he knew one thing: Chloe was in a difficult situation. He had to help her.

He chanted a spell and fired an Ice Arrow. Only one of the five was launched. The opposing Knight’s face paled when he saw the Ice Arrow whiz past his eyes.

“A-a Mage?!”

The Knight flinched. He flinched even more when he saw the Ice Arrows still hovering in front of the Protagonist, not yet fired. Even one hit would be dangerous.

“What are you doing! Have you forgotten why I pay you so dearly to accompany me!”

Even when the Noble man shouted, the Knight didn’t budge.

The tension was palpable. The Protagonist was unfazed. He had killed Orcs to his heart’s content in the North.

Perhaps the opponent also sensed that he was not ordinary. He had heard that those who fought wars as if it were a daily meal reeked of blood.

When the Knight didn’t move, the Noble man tried to pull the woman’s arm and leave. He didn’t forget to yell at the Knight to block the way.

Seeing that, the Knight struck with his gauntleted fist. This was the same Knight who had told the Protagonist not to harbor any improper feelings for Lady Chloe.

The Noble man tumbled to the ground.

The opposing Knight looked back and forth between the two sides, then went to help the Noble man. The Knight took him and fled the scene as if escaping.

His judgment of the situation was good.

If they had fought, he would have been frozen to death with holes all over his body.

The Noble man didn’t forget to utter words of warning towards him. He considered killing him but held back.

Killing a Noble, let alone a Beggar, would lead to a trial. Since the Protagonist was still a commoner, it would be troublesome.

Above all, there were too many Nobles gathered in this City, and too many eyes watching. He wanted to avoid doing anything conspicuous if possible.

Still, something felt unsettling.

He felt like he had intervened unnecessarily.

The Noble might seek revenge. He hoped the other party wouldn’t get involved. The Noble man had already disappeared.

The Knight looked at him. He mumbled something and then stepped back. It seemed he had wanted to say thank you but held back.

It seemed he was displeased with the Protagonist and couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Chloe approached.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Who was that just now?”

“Oh, I don’t know him well either.”

“For someone you don’t know well, he was quite persistent.”

“He said he fell in love at first sight. There are so many nobles in this place that it’s hard for me to deal with them if I don’t know their family. My guard also hesitated because he couldn’t easily draw his sword.”

Chloe thanked him, saying he saved her. He felt a little better. The knight saw the scene and turned his head sharply, as if he was annoyed.

“It would have been awkward if you weren’t there.”

“I think it would have been fine even if I wasn’t there.”

“What?”

“You learned magic, too.”

“Not yet.”

Chloe covered her mouth and smiled.

Her expression, which had been a little displeased because of the man earlier, softened. He was glad that his joke worked.

“Oh, now that I think about it.”

“What is it?”

“I was going to go buy clothes. Can you come to the family head’s office with me?”

“Me?”

“I don’t know the male castle’s taste well.”

Before he could say anything, she grabbed his wrist and headed somewhere.

The knight followed.

His displeasure was palpable. He felt strongly that he was enduring it because of the help he had given earlier.

The place he followed Chloe to was a luxurious clothing store. Perhaps because it was a place only nobles visited, a beautifully dressed middle-aged lady came out to greet them.

The employees below her were also very polite.

Chloe, accustomed to such treatment, urged the protagonist to choose clothes. The knight who had followed was left outside.

But there was no way the protagonist could choose.

Everything was an experience. The protagonist had not seen many clothes. That meant he had no eye for fashion.

“How about this style?”

As I hesitated, Chloe picked up an outfit. The fabric was too skimpy. It looked like even courtesans wouldn’t wear such clothes.

I could feel my ears burning.

“Choose it yourself.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“Then aren’t you embarrassed?”

“I’m not embarrassed.”

“Please be embarrassed.”

Chloe covered her mouth and laughed.

“Didn’t you sleep with Sir Charlotte?”

“Don’t ask about other people’s private lives.”

“It’s a little cute that you’ve slept with a woman but are embarrassed by this.”

I looked at Chloe’s face. Now that I thought about it, she didn’t laugh much.

It felt like she laughed a lot when she was with me.

It might have been a pointless delusion.

After looking around the shop, there were several layers of clothes piled on my arms.

Surprisingly, they were all proper items. The ones she picked earlier seemed like she deliberately showed them to tease me. What bad taste.

She went to the counter and then stepped back.

“Buy them for me.”

“Me?”

“I’m trying to become the type of woman you like, so you should pay.”

“I didn’t choose them.”

“I bought things you’d like. So, pay for them instead.”

My jaw dropped.

Chloe spoke as if it were natural for a man to pay. I looked at the clothes. I imagined Chloe wearing them.

It might look better than I thought.

It was then.

Someone cleared their throat outside the door. It was the Knight.

“Young miss. Please come out quickly.”

The Knight called out every time this one spoke.

They did it on purpose.

It seemed they didn’t like the Protagonist being with Chloe.

“Why is that person like that?”

Chloe whispered back, as if amused.

“Because they like me.”

“You?”

“It’s unrequited love. Well, this one has already noticed it.”

“What about you?”

Her already soft voice became even softer. The Knight had sharp ears and might hear. Looking at the distance, it seemed unlikely they would hear.

“Why? Jealous, perhaps?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Don’t worry. I like you more.”

“…”

Her face flushed.

She had an expression of complete disinterest, yet her words were so overly sweet. It was hard to tell if she was being genuine.

It would be nice if she was sincere. That felt better.

“There are two kinds of women’s love. Either falling for some aspect of the other person, or seeing them as a ladder for social climbing. Which one do you think I am?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I’m both. No, three kinds.”

“Three kinds?”

“One is a secret.”

He thought about the one thing Chloe mentioned.

No matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t figure out what it was. But he did know one thing: the Knight’s unrequited love would never be reciprocated.

“I feel sorry for that person.”

“It can’t be helped. The story of a lady falling in love with a guard is old news. Now, it’s all about the princes.”

“Princes?”

“There was something like that in a book I read. A prince appearing before a powerless lady… Isn’t that a fantasy every woman has?”

“You had a cute hobby.”

“You shouldn’t call just any woman ‘cute’.”

“Why?”

“I’m telling you this because you might get into trouble. Remember that.”

Chloe said firmly. He remembered hearing that somewhere. It felt recent, but he couldn’t quite recall it.

Chloe ordered something else at the counter. The server brought clothes from the back. He was speechless when he saw them.

It was an outfit that only covered the shoulders, arms, and legs, with the rest completely exposed. It had something like rabbit ears on the head.

Chloe said that men really liked things like this. He swallowed hard.

The total bill came to over ten gold coins. He wondered several times if it was right for the protagonist to buy this, then squeezed his eyes shut.

The protagonist took the rabbit ear costume.

He wondered if Charlotte and Amelin would actually wear it. He thought he’d be lucky if he didn’t get punched.

He parted ways with Chloe and returned to the inn, carrying a leather bag containing the rabbit ear costume. His heart pounded.

He had spent some gold coins, but he didn’t feel bad about it.

Being with Chloe made him feel at ease.

It was a relief.

He could train again.

Lately, he had even felt a sense of wandering. Perhaps buying the rabbit ear costume had put his mind at ease. He thought he should try it on soon.

On his way, he passed the area near the bakery.

It was where the beggars were. There were many beggars today too. When they met the protagonist’s gaze, they turned their heads or lowered their eyes.

He called a beggar and asked.

The beggar whose leg he had broken last time was dead, they said.

It wasn’t a fatal wound, but it was strange. From what the beggar said, it seemed he had a few coins.

It seemed the beggars, realizing this, ganged up to steal the money and killed him. The beggar with the broken leg couldn’t resist.

The beggars’ lives were not easy. In fact, being at the bottom made them even more desperate.

I bought bread at the bakery.

The 10 copper coin bread I bought last time was originally worth 5 copper coins.

It was definitely overpriced. I realized it after watching customers buy things. When I pointed it out, the shop owner gave me a little more bread.

I turned my head.

The female beggar was not there.

Perhaps she had died in the capital city. No, she must be living well. Just as I was thinking that and about to walk away.

Someone appeared in the distance.

It was the female beggar. Today, she had a companion.

She was even smaller than the woman. She looked very young.

It seemed to be her younger sister.

The female beggar’s gaze shifted. She saw the bread I was holding and swallowed hard.

“Could you, could you give me one piece of bread?”

“You’re not going to eat?”

“I’m fine. My younger sister has been hungry longer.”

“I’ll buy you one more.”

“Really? I’ll let you do it once.”

The woman lifted her clothes. I frowned.

“Don’t do that in front of me.”

“Y-you don’t like it, do you? I’m too skinny… I’m so-sorry.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Her younger sister coughed.

She looked frail at a glance.

Her eyes were lifeless and filled with the smell of death.

The older sister even gave her protagonist’s bread, feeding her carefully, all the while wiping away tears.

It was even sadder to hear her repeatedly say, “If you eat this, you’ll feel better,” as if she knew the shadow of death was falling over her younger sister’s face, trying to deny it.

I found myself tearing up too. At this point, even a potion wouldn’t help. Potions were meant to draw out life force to heal wounds.

It was of little use to the old man.

The same went for a girl like this. I wished the girl would recover. I took her nearby and fed her some soup.

I didn’t take them in.

I didn’t think the protagonist was someone who could take responsibility for someone else’s life. I wished for them to live. That was the least kindness the protagonist could show.

My heart grew heavy.

I gave the female beggar some bread, trying to soothe my guilt, but now I found myself worrying about her. I had grown fond of her.

It was troublesome.

I decided not to pass by the bakery anymore. If I didn’t encounter the female beggar, I wouldn’t worry. I had to harden my heart.

Thinking that, I focused on my training. Perhaps because my mind had cleared up quite a bit during that time, my training went well, just like before.

However, advanced magic was still difficult.

It seemed it would take several years to cast Ice Spear almost without failure. Memorized Magic was the same. I had to break through the wall.

I took a deep breath.

I thought it would be best to get used to the Goddess’s Blessing-enhanced Ice Arrow spell first. I decided to keep practicing it for a while to master it.

I chanted the spell.

It seemed to be easier to memorize than before. It felt like it was due to the weather.

When I opened the window slightly, a fierce wind blew in. It was a cold wind, as if cutting with a knife.

The weather was getting colder.

It suddenly occurred to me that a lot of time had passed. It was winter when I left Langs Castle. And now, winter had come again.

The protagonist seemed to have grown taller too. He was growing. The protagonist had grown even more through the war in the North.

It felt like he had taken another step towards becoming a proper man. Even if his face wasn’t as rough as the mercenaries, I hoped he would have a more dignified look.

There were things I couldn’t have imagined when I left Langs Castle. I wondered what kind of expression Dorian would have when he saw the protagonist after his title conferment ceremony, having become a noble.

For him, the child he had seen off without much thought had become a formidable Mage.

It was at that moment, as he was thinking such thoughts.

Someone knocked on the door from outside.

“What is it?”

“A guest has come. They want to meet you.”

“A guest?”

“A certain Beggar came and was practically begging, you know. They were so annoying.”

“A Beggar?”

“Anyway, I told them.”

It was the Middle-aged Man’s voice. He was the Innkeeper. He thought as he listened to the footsteps gradually fade away.

It seemed a female Beggar had come looking for him. He considered not meeting her but went downstairs anyway. He had tried hard to forget, but she had come to find him.

“Rael? What’s going on?”

Perhaps sensing the commotion, Amelin from the next room came out. When he told her someone had come to see him, she followed. She seemed to have the curiosity typical of a Mage.

He went down the stairs.

He wondered what on earth was happening.

“Master Mage!”

Outside the inn’s entrance was the female Beggar. As soon as she saw him, she burst into tears and pleaded.

“What is it?”

“My, my Younger Sister is sick.”

“Younger Sister?”

“There’s nowhere else to ask for help… you’re the only one I could think of, Master Mage. I’m sorry. I’ll repay you somehow, please save her.”

“…I can’t.”

“Why not? I heard Mages conduct research. You can use my body as experimental material. I’ll do anything. Please save my sister.”

“That child is dead.”

“Huh?”

“I can’t bring a dead child back to life.”

“Uh…”

The older sister stared at the younger sister she was holding in her arms. She only made strange noises, like a broken doll.

“She was alive just a moment ago. We even talked together. So why?”

The woman burst into tears, and then her body collapsed.

I quickly caught her. The woman had fainted. It seemed she had fainted from a great mental shock. I sighed.

After a moment of thought, I brought her into the inn.

The innkeeper was angry, but when I gave him a silver coin, he shut up. I gave him another and asked him to remove the corpse outside as well.

The innkeeper nodded and went outside. He seemed to be going to ask a guard soldier to remove it.

Amelin watched all of this. I told her the whole situation. She listened silently and then asked the waitress to bring a large basin.

“Let’s wash her first.”

“Me?”

“Why would you do it? I’ll do it.”

Even so, washing an unknown woman’s body was awkward. Fortunately, Amelin stepped up and did it. The protagonist only made hot water in the basin and poured it in.

The woman lay on the bed in the room as if dead. Her clothes were different. It seemed Amelin had washed her and changed her clothes.

Amelin, looking down at the woman, spoke with a heavy heart.

“You said her younger sister died, right?”

“Yes.”

“This person doesn’t seem like she’ll last long either.”

“What should we do?”

We had to send her out when morning came.

But the female beggar was so pitiful that I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Then Amelin said something unexpected.

“What if we take her in?”

“This girl?

“I did need an assistant.”

“Will it be alright?”

“You can’t send her to the Capital City now. You’re not that heartless anyway.”

Amelin sighed.

The Protagonist also nodded. It seemed like the right thing to do. She was older than the Protagonist, so it was right to follow her words.

They discussed what to do with the woman they had laid on the bed with Amelin. Then, the Protagonist turned her head. The woman was staring intently at them.

“Mage.”

“Are you okay?”

“What about my younger sister?”

She fell silent.

The woman shed tears again. She asked again, even though she knew her sister was dead. When asked if she was interested in learning magic, she almost wailed this time.

“Why, why are you crying?”

“I heard what you two just talked about.”

The girl lying on the bed whimpered. Hearing her words made even less sense.

“Then shouldn’t you be happy?

“I was thinking I wish my younger sister was here too.”

“…”

“I know my sister is dead. But she was the only one I could rely on in that bottomless pit. Even though she was a burden to me, my heart could endure it thanks to my younger sister. Now I’m alone.”

The girl cried sorrowfully.

Amelin comforted the girl and gave a look towards the Protagonist, as if telling her to leave.

Leaving the girl with Amelin, the Protagonist returned to her room. Somehow, a girl younger than the Protagonist had become her assistant.

It was a strange feeling. The Protagonist wondered if Dorian felt this way when he took her in. A sense of responsibility also grew.

Once he decided to take care of her, he had to treat the girl well. He felt even more so because he pitied her. At the same time, he felt worried.

Those who lived such bad lives all had bad habits. Beggars were strong and rough-mannered. Perhaps the girl was like that too.

He fell asleep, thinking he should be a little careful. He was extremely tired. It seemed to be because he had worried too much about the girl.

He woke up a little late the next day. The sun was already high above. Amelin nagged at him.

She told him to get ready.

She said they had to go buy clothes for Lena. The clothes she was currently wearing were Amelin’s old clothes, so they were baggy. Especially around the chest.

She was somehow wearing them, tied with a string or something.

“Is her name Lena?”

“I gave her the name last night.”

“What was her original name?”

“She didn’t have one. No one called her by a name.”

Lena shyly greeted him. After she was washed and changed into new clothes, her appearance improved. Now that he looked, her face was also pretty. But not right now.

Her body was too thin and emaciated. He thought he should feed her a little.

They ate a meal at the inn first. Lena looked at the soup placed in front of the Protagonist, yet still watched his expression.

“Eat.”

“Th-thank you.”

Only then did Lena pick up a spoon and eat the soup.

She ate so quickly that it was concerning. Seeing her empty the bowl in an instant, Amelin gave Lena the Protagonist’s soup.

“Are you okay?”

“I can just order more.”

He also gave her his own.

Lena only stopped after finishing five bowls of soup. For a moment, it seemed like her body had gained some flesh. It might have been a delusion.

He turned his head this way and that. Charlotte was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Charlotte?”

“It seems she’s been busy lately.”

Charlotte seemed to be staying at her family’s estate these days. This Place had many villas belonging to Nobles. Hearing that made him think of her fiancé.

He also needed to gain approval from her parents.

It was something he had to achieve, unlike an Alchemist. Otherwise, Charlotte might be taken by a fiancé he didn’t even know.

He stood up, thinking he should visit her later.

Amelin and Lena also stood up.

He walked down the street with them. There were many pedestrians walking by.

He passed a Bakery along the way.

The girl holding Amelin’s hand looked in the direction of the Beggars. He didn’t know what she was thinking.

There were an unusually large number of pedestrians today.

It was difficult to walk down the street. Even though it was a wide path, it was still difficult.

It was when they were walking towards a clothing store.

As he took a step, a passerby suddenly pulled a Dagger from his pocket and stabbed him. The Dagger plunged deep into the Protagonist’s thigh, absorbed blood, and then was pulled out.

It happened in an instant.

If the Protagonist hadn’t twisted his body to avoid it, the Dagger would have been plunged into his stomach, not his thigh. It was chilling.

“Ugh!”

He knelt down.

He couldn’t think of anything.

It was his first time being stabbed.

There was no time to cast a spell. He couldn’t even use the Magic he had saved. He couldn’t concentrate at all.

The man tried to stab him again with the Dagger, as if he was determined to kill him.

Amelin, who was next to him, couldn’t grasp the situation. It was too sudden. She tried to cast a spell, albeit belatedly, but it was too slow.

Even if her reaction had been faster, it would have been difficult.

No matter how fast a spell was, it was slower than swinging a knife. The man’s Dagger aimed for his chest. He thought he was going to die.

It was an absurd death. To be walking down the street and be stabbed to death by someone. Anyone could die at any time. So could the Protagonist.

But he never thought of such a death.

He didn’t die even against those strong Monsters. But to be attacked and killed by an unknown assailant was absurd.

The opponent seemed strong. There was a slight amount of mana imbued in the Dagger. He couldn’t avoid it.

If the Protagonist died, Amelin would probably be sad.

“Ah…”

It was at that moment. Someone stepped forward in front of the Protagonist. It was a girl. The girl blocked the man’s Dagger with her body.

The moment he saw the Dagger plunged into the girl’s abdomen, he became angry. Anger preceded the pain that made his head go blank.

The Protagonist didn’t trust the girl.

He regretted having thought that. The girl repaid his favor. She threw herself. It was an act of throwing away her life.

The man was flustered. He created an Ice Arrow and shot it at him. It was a Magic he had memorized as Memorized Magic.

It didn’t work before, but it did now. He could overcome the pain. He forced himself to concentrate.

But he couldn’t concentrate properly, so his aim was off. Only one shot flew towards the man. Even that only hit his arm.

The man looked at his freezing arm, gritted his teeth, and cut it off with his Dagger. His arm fell to the ground. The man grabbed his severed elbow and disappeared into the crowd.

He didn’t go after him. There was something more urgent.

“Rael! You can’t die. If you die…”

Amelin hurriedly supported him. She was crying. She seemed quite startled by what had just happened.

She had experience in combat. Even she was distraught. It was because she had seen the Protagonist get stabbed.

“Do you have a Potion?”

“J-just a moment. I always carry one.”

“Look at her first. She might die from the stab wound to her stomach.”

Amelin seemed to finally remember that the girl had protected him. She laid the girl on the ground and took a Potion from her bag, pouring it on the wound.

The girl looked at him. Her eyes were lifeless.

“A-am I going to die?”

“No.”

“P-please tell me honestly.”

“You won’t die.”

“They said I’d die if I was stabbed. Still, I feel at peace dying after doing a good deed. I also wanted to see my younger sibling’s face again.”

“Don’t say such unlucky things, I’m going to save you.”

The girl smiled silently.

My heart felt heavy.

The girl could have died in the Capital City.

A Potion didn’t guarantee survival.

The girl closed her eyes and didn’t move. She was still breathing. She had fallen asleep. But I didn’t know. Only after today passed would I know if she would live or die.

I also poured a Potion on the Protagonist’s thigh.

As the pain gradually subsided, anger surged.

The man who tried to kill the Protagonist was highly skilled.

He was at least Knight-level.

It was truly lucky that I survived being stabbed by such a man. If the girl hadn’t thrown herself in the way to save me, I would have died.

The more I recalled what had just happened, the more bewildered I became.

I thought I had become stronger, but I almost died.

It wasn’t even a battle. I almost got assassinated. I didn’t know who sent him, but I was both dumbfounded and furious.

Looking at the girl who was sleeping as if dead, my hands and feet trembled.

I had to get revenge. I had to kill the person who tried to assassinate the Protagonist.

There was a way to find them.

I saw the mana lingering on the man’s Dagger. Its traces were still there. I thought I could follow it to find the man.

There were also bloodstains, so if they weren’t erased, it would be even easier to find him.

The Guard Soldiers rushed over belatedly, asking what had happened.

The Guard Captain was also there. I asked him how much I would have to give him for him to overlook the disturbance.

The Guard Captain shook his head with a bewildered expression.

It seemed to be because the Protagonist’s words were too direct. I showed him a Gold Coin and asked if he could overlook whatever happened.

It wasn’t a gold coin, but a large gold coin.

Normally, this wouldn’t be used for such a thing. But right now, it seemed like smashing everything would be the only way to vent the anger.

The Guard Captain’s gaze was fixed on the large gold coin for a long time before he nodded. He left, reminding them to keep their promise.

While he was at it, he didn’t forget to tell the Guard Soldiers to protect Amelin. He didn’t know what harm might come to her on the way back.

He went near the City Gate.

There was an Ice Golem there. It had never caused a disturbance within the Castle. But this time, he decided to start one.

He activated the Ice Golem and climbed onto its palm.

When the Golem walked, there was a tremendous commotion. The Guard Soldiers didn’t try to stop it. They merely controlled the people around them.

He kept his promise. If he hadn’t, he would have dragged the Golem and killed him. It was a relief.

Right now, the Protagonist couldn’t see anything else.

He moved the Golem by following the mana left by the man at the previous location. The man’s mana was special and easy to find. The bloodstains along the way also helped.

At the end of it, he saw a wooden sign with a hooded head drawn on it.

It was the Thieves’ Guild.