“Mage!”

Three days later, a Guard Soldier urgently came and asked for help in a fight. He said they had found Skeletons nearby.

“What is it this time?”

The Protagonist merely turned their head and responded. They had already fought several battles, and there didn’t seem to be anyone particularly impressive around.

Fighting for the past few days, they realized that the evil Mage encountered in the common Cemetery was unusually strong. In comparison, the Mages controlling Skeletons in this area were incredibly weak.

“The people who left the lodging this time haven’t returned. It seems there was a problem while bringing in nearby citizens.”

“But I dealt with all the Skeletons nearby, didn’t I?”

“Are you saying you won’t help us?”

The Guard Soldier’s eyebrows twitched.

“Why? I’m not your errand boy, am I? Are you perhaps giving me orders?”

At that, the Guard Soldier flinched.

They must have taken them lightly because they had been moving without complaint for several days. To give orders to a Noble, no matter how young they were.

“It’s about saving people.”

“So?”

“…We need your help, Mage.”

The Guard Soldier made an unpleasant face.

The Protagonist had been helpful until now. But suddenly refusing made them seem to think the Protagonist was being troublesome.

They understood why Nobles behaved so arrogantly. It was because the lower ranks tried to overstep their bounds.

“How many enemies have appeared?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“I am a Noble. If I am to move at your word, shouldn’t there be justification? If you’re calling me, it must be something you can’t handle, right?”

The Guard Soldier fell silent.

From that reaction, I realized it was nothing important. Yet, the reason they wanted to drag the Protagonist along was simple.

It was because it was convenient. If the Protagonist, a Mage, cast just one or two spells, most Skeletons were easily destroyed. They wouldn’t even need to fight, so the Protagonist just had to put in a little effort.

But that only benefited the Guard Soldier. The Protagonist had no reason whatsoever to step up and do such a thing.

The Guard Soldier knew that fact. Instead of asking for help and bowing his head, he shouted, bringing up an old incident from just a few days ago.

“Don’t be like this, just help us. Haven’t you helped us well until now! Although the number of Skeletons is small, couldn’t more appear in the Capital City at any time? But you’re saying you won’t go because it’s bothersome. That’s not right.”

“I decide my own actions. So shut your mouth. If you say one more word, I’ll pull out your tongue.”

The Guard Soldier trembled at the change in tone from earlier. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing my expression, he quickly closed it.

What the Protagonist said was not an empty threat. It’s foolish not to wield power when you have it. Even more so if the opponent looks down on you.

As the Guard Soldier retreated, Mordon approached. His expression was bright.

“You did well.”

“Why didn’t you step in just now?”

Mordon did nothing.

It was different from usual.

If he had stepped in, the opponent would have retreated long ago.

“I could have resolved it, but in the long run, it’s not good. It’s not me, but the Baron, who needs to maintain dignity.”

“Is that necessary?”

I didn’t quite understand. There were also Nobles who dragged people around and boasted despite having no ability themselves. Mordon didn’t explain.

“Anyway, you should do as you just did. The common folk tend to get arrogant if you treat them too well. When they treat favors as rights, it’s important to firmly cut them off.”

I nodded. What he said this time made sense. It was something I had been feeling for a long time. The Protagonist also thought that if I continued to act like a Castle manager, others might disrespect me.

My appearance was the problem. My young and easygoing impression kept causing trouble. I wished I looked more intimidating, like the Mercenaries. They were never looked down upon anywhere.

That day, I stayed still. Looking out the window, the sun was setting. The Guard Soldier who had left the Lodging with a flushed face and the Protagonist had not returned.

I went outside and asked the Soldier who was on guard duty at the Archives.

The Soldier, who initially wore an annoyed expression, saw the burly man behind me and, completely intimidated, answered everything he knew with certainty about the Castle.

Knowing that I was a Noble, he became even more deferential. I couldn’t understand why the other person didn’t recognize the Protagonist.

The Protagonist wore a Robe and carried a staff embedded with a Magic Stone. Most Mages were treated as Nobles, so he should have bowed his head.

But he didn’t see me that way. When I asked why, it seemed he mistook me for an Assistant because of my young age. It was absurd.

As I sighed, a commotion arose in the distance.

A wounded Guard Soldier came running, shouting.

The Soldiers in the Lodging, who were Gnolls, held him so he wouldn’t fall.

There were over ten Soldiers mixed in the group that had left earlier in the day, but only three of them returned.

Rael found the face of the Guard Soldier he had seen earlier in the day.

Whatever battle he had been in, the man had one arm severed and severe wounds all over his body. His fingers on the other hand were cut off, making it seem difficult for him to live a normal life.

The Guard Soldier, supported by his comrade, walked and looked at me. His eyes were full of resentment. It was as if he was saying that his injuries were the Protagonist’s fault.

I didn’t feel much guilt in my conscience book.

If the other person had apologized and asked for help with a proper attitude, I would have helped.

In a world where people naturally backstab each other, the Protagonist was on the kind side.

However, the Guard Soldier acted shamelessly.

It was as if he had received his punishment.

On the contrary, he felt better.

The Soldier threatened them, saying they would all die. The expressions of his fellow Soldiers hardened. Fear was spreading.

Following the Guard Soldier, citizens also entered. Everyone’s faces lacked any ease, as if they were being chased by something.

“Hey! You, Mage!”

Among them, a woman urgently shouted. She was dressed in ordinary clothes. Her hair was messy, and her face was covered.

“Me?”

“You’re a Mage Assistant, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.”

The woman paused.

“Why are you carrying a staff?”

“Because I’m a Mage.”

“You are?”

The woman’s mouth fell open. He felt nothing even looking at her expression, which showed she was a Gnoll. Rather, he found it strange that a commoner would speak to him informally.

“If you’re a Mage, your status must be high, right? Then tell the Guard Soldier to close the gate!”

“Why should I listen to you?”

“Look behind you!”

It was absurd. The woman who had suddenly appeared didn’t seem to fear her social standing. Not only did she speak informally, but she also gave orders.

Her attire was that of a commoner, but her tone of voice made her seem like royalty.

Among the women the Protagonist had met, only Millia had been this stubborn, at most. But now his thoughts had changed. The commoner he had just met was the worst.

“Enemies, enemies are coming!”

He turned his head at the Soldier’s shout. In the distance, Skeletons were marching towards them, enough to fill a considerably large passageway.

Fortunately, the Barracks were fortified. The Guard Soldiers each climbed onto the rampart, preparing for battle. Though their numbers were far fewer, it was manageable.

He was uneasy.

The rampart wasn’t very high, and ladders didn’t seem necessary. It felt like it was built to briefly hinder the enemy.

The Deputy rushed out of the Lodging with a sleepy face, looking around. He hadn’t slept properly for days, and his appearance was a mess. Even so, his gaze immediately fixed on the Protagonist.

It seemed the Protagonist’s manipulation of the Golem had left a strong impression. In a dangerous moment, he looked to the Protagonist, not even his superior, like a dog seeking help from humans.

Not only that, but the agitated Soldiers turned their heads and looked in this direction. Their gazes were on the Golem.

There were only fifty Soldiers in this Place. Ten of them were gone, so their numbers were low. There were Mercenaries, but he couldn’t have high hopes for them. They were the type to flee if things got dangerous.

At that moment, a Soldier on the rampart shouted.

“Deputy Captain! Come up here for a moment!”

“What is it?”

“They say they have something to tell us from over there!”

A question appeared on the Deputy’s face. The difference in power was immense. It seemed like it would be easy to just push them back, so he didn’t understand why they would bother to speak.

Despite his thoughts, he moved forward. He was curious what the other side wanted to say.

Rael hesitated for a moment, then followed. The Protagonist was equally curious.

The escapees stood with anxious faces, and only a few stepped forward. Among them was someone who appeared to be a Noble. His noble bearing made it impossible to treat him carelessly.

He wore a thick Armor with an outer garment. He looked like a Knight, but the feeling of him being a Noble was strong. He thought about why he felt that way.

Even though the Protagonist looked like a Mage, he was underestimated. He didn’t know what the difference was between him and the other. It might have been due to his unconscious gestures or speech.

It wasn’t strange, as he had always lived at the bottom. The Nobles the Protagonist had seen were easily recognizable by their arrogant expressions.

The Protagonist also needed to be able to make such an expression. He needed to become an arrogant Rael. It was still too early for that. He still didn’t have the self-awareness of being a Noble.

Behind the Noble Knight was also a woman. Her clothes were fancy, making her seem very high-ranking. As he looked at her, someone tugged at his sleeve.

“Hey.”

It was the woman who had ordered him to close the door earlier.

“Why?”

“Why are you grabbing my sleeve?”

“Because I want to?”

The woman made a matter-of-fact face.

He didn’t know if she really thought that way.

This was the first time he had been so flustered since Millia had collapsed.

But now it was different. He had to say what he needed to say.

“May I shake your hand off? Just as you grabbed it without asking.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“The woman is holding on. If you’re a man, you should ask why and help her.”

I looked at the woman’s face.

Up close, her face was pretty. If she cleaned herself up and dressed nicely, she would probably be one of the prettiest women the Protagonist had ever met.

Perhaps that’s why he was enduring the situation, which would normally warrant a

“What’s the reason?”

“Because I think it’s good to be by your side? I’m great at judging people. Oh, that’s a compliment, you know? You can puff out your chest.”

“How kind of you.”

He wondered if she was doing this because she knew she was pretty. The Protagonist was weak to women. Even more so if they were pretty. It was the Protagonist’s most significant weakness.

As he climbed the Book, he saw Skeletons. Their sheer number made a corner of his chest uneasy.

He recalled the time he faced a hundred Goblins. Now, the situation was far worse than back then, and no one’s face showed any hope.