Chapter 6: Imperial Terrorist Denif (1)

“Guh!”

“Stop whining.”

I clenched my teeth and extended my arms. Even though it was just a simple push-up, my weak muscles screamed in protest.

The man who introduced himself as Marhan stood in front of me, observing me.

The simple physical training had started at dawn. Although it was difficult for me, the intensity wasn't too high.

The purpose seemed more to assess how much I could do physically rather than to push me to my limits.

‘Just from what I did earlier, right?’

He had thrown a small bag of rice, which didn't hurt much even if it hit me, and told me to dodge.

He even said I could try to catch it, but as the speed increased, I could only focus on dodging and still got hit.

Being hit by the dirt-covered bag of rice was unpleasant, but I couldn't say I didn't want to do it.

Even touching the dirt on the ground was uncomfortable.

“Stop.”

At Marhan's command, I almost fell to the ground but quickly regained my balance and stood up.

The sand on my hands and the sweat made the situation very uncomfortable.

Marhan, with a slightly complex and dissatisfied expression, greeted me as I stood up, my legs and arms trembling.

Hmm, did I do something wrong? After catching my breath, he spoke.

“The morning training is over for now.”

Morning training?

Actually, it was closer to dawn, but the thought of having to do this again in the afternoon was more disheartening.

Even though the training wasn't intense, it was too much for my body as an orphan.

‘Sigh. Still, I have to do it.’

The discomfort and pain would ultimately become nutrients for my survival.

I needed to approach it diligently for my own sake.

“Yes.”

“However, you need to continue observing. Since you're a bit late, go have breakfast first.”

“Observing...?”

In response to my question, Marhan nodded toward my back. Four people were walking toward us from the direction of the dining hall.

Two of them looked about my age, and the other two looked around 18.

‘Of course, the kingdom's intelligence chief wouldn't just have me alone.’

Given his extensive network, it would have been easy for him to bring in talented children.

The voices I heard last night weren't just a dream.

The approaching children of my age looked at me with curious eyes. Fortunately, there was no hostility or aggression.

The possibility that the duke treated his subordinates with respect increased.

“Is this the new kid?”

“Yeah.”

One of the older kids looked at me with a meaningful gaze, as if evaluating me.

The other one didn't seem particularly interested.

I was an outsider, so I stood quietly, feeling their gazes.

Hmm, one of the kids my age seemed strangely familiar...

Just as I was thinking, Marhan continued.

“Introductions can wait. Kalin, go have breakfast quickly. The rest, get ready.”

“Yes!”

“Yes.”

I followed the other kids' loud responses a beat later and headed toward the annex.

There were still too many unfamiliar things.

* * *

“There's nothing particularly suspicious. The child first appeared 9 years ago.”

The duke pondered as he listened to the report.

The child claimed to be 13, so if that was true, he was abandoned here at the age of 4.

“He's not a mentally armed spy.”

“No, it doesn't seem so.”

Of course, the age of an orphan can't be accurately determined, but even so, he's too young. It's safe to say he's not a spy from another country.

The duke felt a sense of satisfaction at finding a raw gem that came to him on its own. The man standing before him continued the report.

“The child didn't show his abilities to others, as he claimed. The rats were surprised when you took him in.”

“Lucky, I suppose? Even if he recently awakened his mystic power, one or two should have noticed.”

“He was more of an outsider among the orphans.”

The duke's brow furrowed slightly. Even orphans have their own social structures.

Being an outsider means lacking social skills, which isn't a good trait.

But it wasn't a major issue, as it could be addressed through education.

After all, acting is an essential skill for a spy. Faking social skills isn't difficult.

“The rats' evaluation and his behavior yesterday were a bit different...”

“What did they say?”

“They said he was quiet and had a sinister side. Even if you showed interest, he ignored it and didn't engage in human interaction.”

A young wolf, perhaps?

The duke chuckled, recalling the child who seemed fearless but also knew his limits.

“Did he get a bit excited at being noticed by a high-ranking official?”

“Yes. Considering his precocious nature, it's even more likely. People are shaped by their circumstances. He might have become more positive after seeing hope.”

“Hmm.”

The duke hummed softly. While it seemed overly positive, there was no negative possibility.

Proper ideological education for a 4-year-old was impossible even for him.

“Of course, we need to observe the situation a bit more, but personally, I don't see any problems.”

“I agree. You've worked hard.”

“No, not at all.”

As the man stepped back, the duke added,

“What did Marhan say?”

“I talked to him briefly, but he's still unsure. He says the talent is considerable, but the movements don't meet expectations.”

“Marhan's intuition has never been wrong...”

Marhan was a talent the duke had taken in over a decade ago.

His ability to sense the magnitude of someone's talent showed a natural aptitude in 'training.'

“The orphan's life might have had a negative impact. It could improve over time.”

“Yes. He might have been malnourished, or just nervous.”

The duke nodded.

“In any case, it's a passing grade.”

“Yes.”

“Lucky. Even if he failed, I'd have to raise him since he has mystic power.”

The duke stood up.

“I'll observe him myself this afternoon, so prepare him.”

“Yourself?”

The duke nodded.

“Yes. He has mystic power.”

To the duke, people were tools. He wasn't a spy master because of this; he was a spy master because he was this way.

And useful tools needed to be well-maintained.

* * *

After eating breakfast and brushing my teeth, I returned to the training ground.

I wanted to shower, but I left quickly to avoid drawing attention.

The children were warming up, either lightly swinging their swords or stretching.

Seeing Marhan gather the children only after I arrived, it was clear they were waiting for me.

Marhan looked at me with a slightly uncomfortable gaze.

“Time is a limited resource. Use it wisely.”

It was a polite way of asking why I was so late.

I ate quickly, but brushing my teeth took a bit longer.

I cleared my throat and acknowledged his words.

The training that started was a light sparring session among the children.

‘No introductions?’

I had a brief thought, but this wasn't a school. It might have been skipped because I was late.

In any case, I watched the sparring from beside Marhan.

It wasn't simultaneous. The two 18-year-olds went first, and the other two waited.

It felt like watching from a closer vantage point.

‘Hmm.’

There was something that had been bothering me.

One of the boys my age seemed strangely familiar. I was sure I had seen him in the game, but I couldn't quite remember.

It wasn't unusual. After playing for over 1,000 hours, I had encountered most characters.

The metallic sounds rang out in succession.

The sparring between the children, who had adult bodies, was quite intense.

When the two finished, Marhan called the names of the two waiting children.

“Denif. Orhen.”

“Yes!”

The two children responded loudly and stepped forward. But I was taken aback.

Denif? Denif?

I finally understood the source of the déjà vu I had felt earlier.

Imperial Terrorist Denif.

A name impossible for a player of Valhol to not know.

A figure who could be a player's nightmare or a helpful ally, depending on the situation.

To me, he was a double-edged sword.

I had lost my life to Denif's terrorist attacks on the empire, but I had also benefited from them.

The uncertainty was due to the random nature of Denif's appearances and locations.

Whether to prevent players from exploiting this knowledge or due to the butterfly effect of player actions, I wasn't sure.

In any case, he was an enemy to players, often hindering their efforts to unite the empire.

Denif didn't hesitate to ally with demon worshippers.

That wasn't the important part right now.

The probability that this was the Denif I knew was higher than it being a coincidence. The déjà vu I felt was the basis for this.

After hearing the name, I confirmed that he looked quite similar to the Denif I had seen on the monitor.

The likelihood that this Denif, under Duke Haisen, and the Denif who terrorized the empire, leading to Haisen's decline, were different people was extremely low.

‘Wait a moment.’

Denif's build was similar to mine. Since I'm 13, he's likely between 11 and 15, considering a margin of error.

That means this is a long time before the game's main story.

In the game, Denif's appearance marked the start of the main story, and he was 27 to 29 years old.

Creating a character and reaching the start of the main story usually took 4 to 6 in-game years.

‘The minimum character age was 13, so...’

Assuming Denif is my age, it means at least 10 years until the game's starting point.

14 years until the main story.

‘I thought it was around the game's starting point, but it's at least 10 years. If I do this well...’

My mind raced.

Growing up under the spy master and befriending Denif, and forming a connection with the princess...

I could prepare a lot before the game's starting point.

Of course, there's the risk of the demon's blood, but I have more time than I thought.

Maybe I can prevent Haisen's decline with the information I have.

I thought it was impossible, but it's much earlier. If I can do this, things will be easier.

Of course, I need to investigate whether preventing Haisen's decline is possible.

Being under the spy master, I might learn how things unfold.

‘I can think about that later.’

The future, which was once blurry, became a bit clearer. Now, I have two priorities.

First, gather information about the demon's blood, and second, prevent Haisen's decline.

My mind was sharper and more focused than ever.

I needed to get as close to Denif as possible.

If I can't prevent Haisen's decline and Denif becomes an enemy of the empire...

It would get quite complicated. If persuasion fails, I'd have to fight Denif.

Considering the Denif in the game, it might be better to deal with him preemptively.

I was startled by my own chilling thoughts.

Indeed, the spirit in this body still didn't feel like mine.

My thoughts were interrupted by a voice becoming clearer.

“...Lin! Kalin!”

“Huh? Oh, yes!”

It was Marhan. When I snapped back to reality, he was frowning at me, his suppressed anger evident.

“Focus. Even if you know nothing, just watching can be helpful.”

His voice was cold. If it weren't the first day, I would have been in trouble. I needed to apologize.

I deliberately slapped my cheek.

“I'm sorry! I got sleepy.”

The big kids next to me were surprised, their eyes wide. Marhan was the same.

He didn't expect me to slap my own cheek.

“...Focus.”

His voice was low, but his expression was more lenient than before.

He must have considered that I was a new orphan and it was early in the morning.

“I will focus.”

I deliberately widened my eyes.

Marhan was likely one of the duke's subordinates. As a new arrival, I was a subject of interest to everyone here.

In the spy master's mansion, I would naturally be evaluated.

I needed to make a good impression on the duke, Marhan, and people like Lena.

‘And while future plans are important, I need to get stronger first.’

Marhan turned his gaze back. The sparring among my peers was sharp, despite the morning training and my poor condition.

‘I need to be like them.’

It was hard to focus, but I tried not to miss any of the sparring.

Soon, the sparring ended.

The children warmed down again, and Marhan gave feedback to each one.

“Why did you move like that?”

“I was planning to block and counterattack by twisting my body.”

“Dangerous. If you think your opponent will feint an attack, you might not block it. Even if you do, the opening is too large.”

I listened, thinking there was something to learn, but I was more surprised.

He remembered all those small movements?

The sparring wasn't short, but everyone seemed to remember the details, which was quite impressive to me.

After that, the sparring continued with different pairs.

By the time all the sparring and feedback were over, the sun was high in the sky.

Marhan announced the end of the morning training.

He led me to stand in front of the children. Four pairs of eyes scanned me, with the children my age showing more interest.

Especially Denif, who was looking at me with a smile.

How should I introduce myself?

While I was thinking, Marhan spoke in a flat tone.

“Introductions. This is Kalin. Build your camaraderie in the dining hall.”