Chapter 7: Imperial Terrorist Denif (2)

The older children, Rekon and Mohen, were 16 and 17 years old. After a brief introduction, we headed to the dining hall.

The short greeting was all that was exchanged.

Rekon smiled, but Mohen seemed a bit sharp.

His stiffness reminded me of Marhan.

Was it because of that?

Judging from his demeanor, Mohen didn't seem to be particularly close to the other kids my age.

Perhaps it was due to the age difference. At that age, some kids don't like mingling with younger ones.

Denif shrugged beside me, as if sensing my gaze.

"I get it, he's sensitive because he's about to graduate. Plus, his personality is pretty rough, so it's best not to provoke him."

I didn't bother asking what graduation meant. It probably meant leaving this place to become a full-fledged spy.

The kids my age had a different aura altogether.

I was more surprised by Denif's rough language. He was the same age as me, 13, after all.

Indeed, imperial terrorists are different from the start, aren't they?

"Uh-huh."

If his personality is so bad that he's described as a "piece of shit," then...

Given my situation, it's probably best not to get involved with Mohen.

Denif led the conversation as we headed to the dining hall, which surprised me a bit.

It's not important whether he's infamous, was infamous, or will be infamous.

In any case, this future imperial terrorist was more approachable than I imagined.

Should I say he has great social skills? He would definitely get an E on the MBTI test.

'He was definitely quiet when we played the game.'

Even considering that Orhen, the girl, is quiet, he was quite sociable.

It was evident even now.

"Did you know? I was an orphan too."

Denif suddenly whispered, as if he had already heard my story yesterday.

His genuinely friendly expression made me a bit flustered.

"Really?"

"Yeah. How did you survive on the streets?"

"Just, you know, pickpocketing, begging, and stealing food."

"Me too! Sometimes I'd get caught and get beaten up badly, right?"

"Right."

"Did you ever break a bone?"

Break a bone from getting beaten?

Indeed, it was a good thing I ran from that muscular guy. I recalled my Earth memories and answered.

"Here. I broke my left arm."

"Exactly! Seeing that you broke a bone, you must be a true orphan."

What does "true orphan" even mean? The conversation was so out of context that I was at a loss.

It seemed that this familiarity was partly due to our shared background as orphans.

I just smiled and nodded along.

I didn't have direct experience, and I wasn't used to talking to kids as an adult.

'It's also tiring because of my characteristics.'

We quickly reached the dining hall. Denif plopped into a chair, and Orhen sat beside him, a bit wary.

She seemed more introverted than hostile.

Before sitting down, I didn't forget to clean the chair and table with wind.

The two in front of me widened their eyes, noticing the wind's effect.

"What? Is that a mystery?"

Denif shouted loudly. Kids eating nearby glanced over.

I tried to ignore their gazes.

"Yeah."

There was something odd.

Denif was more surprised than I expected. The imperial terrorist I knew definitely had a mystery, right?

The possibility of this being a different Denif was extremely low. Was it because his unique characteristic was so rare?

Or maybe he hadn't manifested his mystery yet.

"There was a reason Father brought you here. You'll soon become a disciple."

"Disciple?"

When I asked, Denif nodded.

"Father takes in talented children as disciples."

Disciple and master. I chuckled inwardly.

After all, when there's no blood relation, what better way to strengthen the human bond?

"You're not surprised? Not everyone can become Father's disciple. Even Rekon and Mohen couldn't."

Denif whispered as if sharing a secret.

I understood why Denif became an imperial terrorist.

'If the duke died during the fall of Haisen, it makes sense.'

While thinking about whether I should protect the duke, I felt a sharp gaze on me.

It was Mohen, whom Denif had warned me about. His eyes held a hint of hostility.

'I didn't notice this level of animosity earlier.'

Denif's voice was loud when he asked about the mystery.

Hmm. I could guess the situation.

Was it because of the relationship Denif mentioned?

Mohen, being older, wasn't chosen as the duke's disciple, while a younger child was.

Still, considering he's 17, it's a reasonable level of jealousy.

Of course, judgment is a different matter.

'Is he stupid?'

Showing such obvious signs won't benefit him.

I thought kids raised by the duke would be a bit different, but they're still kids.

Or maybe his talent doesn't match his character.

It wasn't a big deal, since he's graduating soon.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Only Rekon and I became disciples. I've heard there are two more, but it's been a while."

I pretended to be surprised to avoid looking too calm. And Orhen being a disciple meant she had talent on par with Denif.

Soon, the food arrived. There was no ordering; it seemed there was a set menu. After all, they were growing kids.

But it wasn't meager. It was quite abundant, though not as much as yesterday.

The conversation continued during the meal, mostly with Denif talking and me responding. Orhen just listened.

I was cautious with my questions. For a newbie, it's best to keep a low profile.

When the plates were mostly empty, I thought I should get up to brush my teeth, as afternoon training would start soon.

But...

"Father will observe the afternoon training. Everyone, gather in the training ground."

My expectations were shattered by Marhan's announcement.

"Yes!"

The kids responded loudly and immediately stood up. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor was sharp.

I reluctantly stood up, frowning.

I want to brush my teeth...

But with the duke coming, it would be insane to ask.

I followed Denif, resolving to eat faster in the future.

It might seem trivial to others, but it was a significant matter to me.

* * *

When we arrived at the training ground, the duke was already there. We lined up in front of him under Marhan's supervision.

Although it's been a while since I was in a similar situation, it felt oddly uncomfortable.

"Everyone, how have you been? It's been a while."

"Yes!"

"Did you have a good trip, Duke?"

After the kids' loud response, Denif smiled warmly. It's been a while. After all, he's the head of a nation's intelligence service, so he can't stay in one place.

The duke chuckled.

"Yes, it was good."

Judging from Orhen's well-behaved demeanor and Denif's personality, it seemed the duke and Denif were quite close.

Still, he wasn't called "master" in the presence of others.

'Hmm. Did I worry too much about the negative aspects?'

The duke seemed quite different from what I imagined. I thought he would be cold and sharp, being the head of a nation's intelligence service.

Whether intentional or not, he was very human to the kids.

In any case, there was a bit of a coincidence. He picked me up on his way back from an external assignment.

Was it intentional, or just a coincidence?

In the silence, the duke continued.

"As I always say, versatility is the most important quality for a spy. Having one outstanding skill is good, but you must be able to handle all situations."

Though it seemed a bit random, the duke's gaze was on me. He was speaking directly to me.

He wouldn't say it for no reason. It was probably because I had a mystery.

'Don't put too much faith in your mystery or focus only on its development.'

I pondered his words.

They weren't wrong.

It was also why I found intrigue gameplay difficult.

Intrigue required combat, intelligence, and charisma. Gaining experience was hard, and growth was slow.

"Yes!"

The duke playfully frowned at the kids' response.

"You guys are already bored. Let's stop talking and see each of you one by one. Rekon, you first."

As soon as the duke finished speaking, the kids made space. I followed Denif's lead.

The morning sparring session turned into a demonstration.

The duke lightly sparred with each child, but he made sure to bring out their full potential.

He was definitely not threatening or violent, which was good for me.

"Kalin."

"Yes."

Finally, it was my turn. I walked to the duke, scratching the back of my neck.

I had nothing to show, as I hadn't learned anything.

"Are you satisfied with your life here?"

"Yes. Even though it's been just one day, it's much better than my previous life."

I changed my tone and tried to look satisfied, as I had noticed yesterday.

Pretending wasn't hard, as I was genuinely satisfied.

The duke didn't seem to care much.

He just nodded and smiled.

"That's good. You didn't do anything yesterday, but I'd like to see what you can do. Is that okay?"

I hadn't learned anything, but there was no reason to refuse and risk looking bad.

"Yes."

"Attack me."

I immediately took a stance. Without a sword, I mimicked the stance I saw the other kids use.

It was somewhat similar to a taekwondo stance.

Left foot forward, left shoulder facing the opponent, hands in front of the chest.

I felt a bit awkward. Not just awkward, but clumsy.

As I moved, the heaviness of my body became more apparent.

It was due to my poor condition.

'I can't exert as much strength as I think I can.'

Even lifting my arm required more effort than I expected.

It would take some time to get used to.

"Hmm."

With no weapon, just my fists, I felt lost. But even with a weapon, it would have been the same.

Still, it was time to move. The duke was waiting.

'If I don't know much, it's better to not waste time and get a good evaluation.'

I generated a wind. It wasn't grand, just enough to make my movements slightly faster.

However, the mental fatigue from using my mystery was intense.

Sucking in a breath, I suddenly pushed off the ground. The distance closed. What should I do?

Would a kick from this small body be effective?

I hadn't planned it out, so my mind was a bit chaotic.

'I need to consider the height difference.'

Instinctively, I threw a punch. At the side of the ribs. My right hand, less affected by wind resistance, lunged forward.

Thud— As expected, it was easily blocked.

The duke didn't grab my fist, as the purpose was a demonstration. I moved around, relying entirely on instinct.

I didn't think deeply. There was no need to.

A gap, a place to hit. If it felt right, I threw a punch.

I didn't forget to kick.

Despite the pain in my muscles from the morning exercise, I did my best.

Everything would reflect on my evaluation.

Still, my attacks didn't land.

During the repeated, futile attacks, a chill ran down my spine. My vision turned black and white, with a red tint.

It was a warning of imminent death.

"Ah!"

I rolled on the ground, letting out a strange scream. It was an instinctive reaction.

Somewhere, a snicker was heard.

From the big guys. Probably Mohen. But I didn't have the energy to care.

Looking up hurriedly, the duke was smiling at me.

'What? He was definitely trying to kill me just now.'

It was a death warning, so I was sure.

Before I could think deeply, the duke approached and offered his hand. I took it and stood up.

His expression was extremely satisfied. The threat was clearly intentional.

The duke whispered.

"Your sense of danger is good. It's a valuable talent for a spy."

Indeed.

"...Thank you."

I bowed slightly.

He brushed the dirt off my shoulder.

"Keep improving. I'll visit again soon."

"Yes."

"I'm looking forward to it."

The duke turned and left. Hmm. Looking forward to it?

It felt like a sudden burden.