Chapter 3: I Want to Live (2)

- Follow me.

The nobleman gave the two men some money and said this.

Since it was the nobleman who spoke and even gave them money, there was no trouble. I obediently followed behind the nobleman.

‘Should I like this, or not?’

To be honest, I had a pretty good idea why the nobleman was taking me with him.

The nobles in this world generally learn magic or swordsmanship, so he must have felt that I was using wind.

A talented young orphan.

To the high-ups, they are disposable goods that can be used and thrown away. If you provide them with food on time and give them appropriate rewards, they will develop loyalty.

It means I am a good subject to take in and raise. Especially since such a person has fallen into my lap.

From the nobleman's perspective, it must feel like a stroke of luck.

I've had similar experiences when playing the game.

There were times when I was recruited as a commoner, and times when I took in and raised orphans.

Back then, I could see the character's traits.

When I saw a talented orphan, it felt like finding a treasure chest. I would raise them to use as a knight or as a spy.

‘Sometimes I got a severe betrayal, though.’

Anyway, because of that, I didn't ask for a reason.

Is that why? I could feel the middle-aged nobleman subtly examining me.

“...”

It's hard to describe. He was evaluating me.

Of course, it's natural. That person can't see my traits or skills like I could in the game.

“What is your name?”

“C, Calvin.”

“Where are you from?”

“I’ve always lived here... sir.”

The man frowned, so the short Q&A ended there.

The nobleman seemed to be thinking about something, and I didn't open my mouth either. I was too busy thinking.

The situation of catching the nobleman's eye seemed good, but it wasn't necessarily so.

The problem was that I chose the manipulation value.

In this world, where there are no separate stats, raising the value level is the core of growth.

And to raise the value experience, you must act according to the value you have chosen.

Once you reach a certain level, you can obtain value traits or skills, so it is essential.

It's a system similar to leveling up in other games, except for the name.

‘It’s meaningless for combat...’

As an orphan who chose the manipulation value, the best option would be to catch the eye of a spy organization.

But if the nobleman wants to use me as a combatant, my development will be blocked.

I don't know. Anyway, I couldn't run away immediately.

I should follow and look for an opportunity to act later.

In reality, now that I'm in the game, some growth is essential. You never know when you might die a sudden and violent death.

I once started with good traits but met a robber and died within five minutes.

I was really angry then.

Hmm. Thinking about it, it might be good.

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

After walking a bit, a huge mansion appeared. It looked more like a small castle than a mansion.

‘This doesn’t seem like an ordinary nobleman...’

The guards saluting the mansion didn't even glance at me.

As I passed the guards, a maid who looked to be in her thirties approached quickly.

“Your Grace, have you arrived?”

“Yes. Is everything alright?”

“Yes.”

Duke? That person is a duke?

For the same reason as before, I wasn't sure whether to like it or not. The maid's gaze lingered on me.

“This child is...”

“I found him on the way. Clean him up first. He stinks and it's unpleasant.”

His brows furrowed. It wasn't a wrong statement. I, too, felt dirty and unpleasant.

No, it wasn't just that. I was holding back nausea.

My whole body, including my mouth, felt like it was crawling with bugs.

Apart from that, it felt bad to be insulted in front of me.

‘Sigh. He's a duke, so I, an orphan, have to endure it.’

Come to think of it, there was something strange.

Even if the situation was dirtier than usual, the level of discomfort was beyond imagination.

It had only been a year since I was discharged.

I had rolled around in muddy water before, but now I felt like biting my tongue.

It was a feeling of wanting to die because I was so dirty.

The helplessness of a weak body is understandable for an orphan, but this was an emotion I couldn't even understand myself.

“I understand.”

The duke walked forward with those words. I didn't follow but looked at the maid.

She turned her body.

“Follow me.”

Without turning her head, the maid said:

“Don’t frown in front of the duke in the future. You’re being given a pass this time because it’s your first time.”

“Yes.”

I answered immediately but then thought, "Oops." I'm not in the modern world, so I need to be careful with my actions.

If an orphan behaves badly, they can lose their head at the hands of a noble.

“I’m called Lena.”

Considering I'm an orphan, it was a surprisingly warm piece of advice. Although we hadn't known each other for long, she didn't seem like a bad person.

The bathroom we arrived at was cleaner and more luxurious than I expected.

‘It’s quite nice that it has a modern touch.’

Since I couldn't check the bathroom in the game, I was quite satisfied. There was a shower and a bathtub.

Lena, who followed me in, earnestly instructed:

“You have to wash thoroughly, even if it takes time, because you’ll see the duke again later. If it’s not enough, you’ll have to do it again.”

“Yes.”

Of course, having lived in the modern world, I was confident I could wash myself cleaner than anyone.

I nodded confidently, and Lena, who couldn’t hide her uneasy gaze, turned and left.

I stood in front of the mirror. It was the first time I saw the face of this body, and I was slightly impressed.

Although young, it was a rather handsome face.

“Hmm.”

Even with the dirt, it was a better face than my original one. The physique wasn't bad for an orphan.

Suddenly, a scary thought came to mind.

‘Surely that duke isn’t a pervert, is he?’

Random events involving perverts usually involved a fetish for animals, the same sex, or cute children.

Hmm. No. Surely not.

This is an excessive worry. It’s not a happy circuit. The duke was examining me, but it was closer to curiosity than desire.

I put my thoughts aside. The discomfort from the dirty body of the orphan was unbearable.

* * *

The Duke of Haisen, Haban, sat in the reception room, tapping his fingers on the desk. His thoughts were very complicated.

The orphan he brought in was different.

He clearly tried to grab the confidential document even though there was a money bag next to it. At first, he thought it was a spy sent from somewhere else.

But that was unlikely.

First, the strength he possessed was far too weak compared to his skills. Pickpocketing is a physical job, and naturally, it requires physical talent.

The hand that delved into his body, upon reflection, was in the realm of innate talent.

With that level of talent, it would be much more beneficial to use him as a combatant or an assassin.

Moreover, what kind of crazy spy organization would send such an inexperienced spy to a kingdom's spy chief?

Of course, it could be a mentally armed but physically weak person sent by an enemy force. The child said he lived here, but it was unknown if it was true.

The habitual, conscious suspicion troubled the duke, but he shook his head inwardly.

‘That’s unlikely.’

Apart from the child’s talent, there was a clear piece of evidence. Haban vividly remembered the wind that wrapped around his hand.

The magical effect was extremely weak.

It meant it was an innate power, not magic. The implication was clear.

Mystery (神祕).

In this vast continent, those who possess a mystery are extremely rare.

‘The possibility of a mystery manifesting in an orphan...’

It’s not impossible, but it’s almost impossible. Even the nobles who have used magic for generations find it hard to manifest a mystery.

There would be no madman who would use a child with a mystery in such a way.

In that sense, the orphan was a rare gem.

A very precious gem, too precious to be in the hands of the rats gnawing at the city.

And for such a gem to roll into his lap was a stroke of luck beyond measure.

It was a stroke of luck so great that he, who didn’t believe in gods, wondered if it was a divine arrangement for Haisen.

“His name is Calvin, I think.”

As he recalled the orphan’s hand flinching and letting go of the document, he remembered the rare talent.

Being able to sense threats is a very important skill for a spy.

Despite feeling good, he was also a bit annoyed. When did he subdue the rats of this city?

The fact that such a gem was there and no report was made was a matter that required reprimand.

Apart from that, an investigation was a necessary procedure.

Not all orphans have dead parents. There could be unnecessary problems later.

Even if it’s a street orphan, with the power of the kingdom’s spy chief, something would come up.

If the parents are already dead, at least the original personality or behavior.

That would also be an asset.

Because in the process of winning people's hearts, information is the foundation.

“Bring all the information as quickly as possible, even the smallest details.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

A young man walked out of the darkness of the office and bowed.

The duke added:

“Also, crack down on the rats. I’m disappointed.”

“Yes.”

Since he had followed the duke from the street and observed the entire situation, no additional words were necessary.

The man, pondering how to catch all the rats spread throughout the city, disappeared back into the darkness.

* * *

I washed my body thoroughly and got into the bathtub with bath salts, once again realizing how grateful it is to have a modern touch.

I know nothing about the medieval era, but if it were truly medieval, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy such luxury.

Thanks to this, the strange discomfort that had been clouding my mind disappeared.

Although the feeling of being drained remained, my mind was calmer, and my thoughts were clearer than before.

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

It seemed to be the consideration of the entity that sent me here.

‘Hmm. The Duke of Haisen...’

The Haisen Kingdom, where I am now, was a quiet country marked by the empire before the main story began and remained quiet throughout the game.

It was a flow that the player couldn’t stop.

In other words, from the player’s perspective, it was a place where no benefit could be gained no matter how much effort was put in.

Naturally, there wasn’t much left in my memory.

Although it was connected to an important character, the princess, even she didn’t pay attention to the kingdom.

No, she left the empire like she was fleeing, so it was closer to intentionally keeping her distance.

‘I don’t know what time it is now.’

It might be the same time as the start of the game, but I couldn’t be sure.

However, whichever it was, it was a problem.

Can I prevent the fall of the Haisen Kingdom? It seemed impossible, having played the game.

And if it has already fallen, the background isn’t good for me to do anything.

‘Sigh, what should I do?’