Chapter 1

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"Slain, you are a wise child."

Mother said this while stroking Slain's head.

Slain looked up at her face. In the memory of the past, the mother appeared much younger than the last face he saw, and the Slain who looked up at her was much younger than he is now.

"That's why, use your wisdom for the world, for this society... for this country. My beloved Slain."

At the time, Slain did not fully understand the meaning of her gentle words.

However, he clearly remembered that she often used the phrase "this country."

Mother loved this homeland.

"..."

There, Slain woke up.

He sat up and looked around the room, which was the same as always.

The small country of Hazenvellia, located in the western part of the Sarestakia continent, with a population of about 50,000. This is his home in the small city of Lutware, which is part of the royal domain, currently ruled by the fourth-generation king, Frederick.

However, there is one difference from before.

Mother is not here. She is no longer in this world. She, who had not been particularly ill, suddenly collapsed four days ago and passed away.

Slain's father, as Mother had told him, was a soldier in the kingdom's army. He died in battle against a monster while Slain was still in her womb.

And now, the only family member, Mother, is also gone. He held her funeral yesterday.

Slain is alone.

"..."

In the small but neatly built house, where no one else lived, Slain got up from the bed.

It was late winter. The early morning air was still cold, and the wind that blew through the gaps in the window made him shiver.

He approached the fireplace and used a 'kindling' magic tool to light the firewood, then went to the kitchen and used a 'boiling' magic tool to heat the water.

He steeped the herbs that Mother had grown in the garden in the hot water to make tea, and after blowing on it, he took a sip. Since there was no one to talk to, he had been silent since he got up.

Silently, he took another couple of sips of the herbal tea and opened the window on the front door side. The wind that blew in was even colder than the draft, but the morning sun, unobstructed by the wooden shutters, somewhat alleviated Slain's loneliness.

"..."

Slain sighed.

With Mother's funeral over, he was truly alone from today on. He had friends and acquaintances in this city where he grew up, but at least there was no family he could unconditionally rely on anymore.

Just as he was about to turn fifteen this year, his new life began in an unexpected way. There was a lot to do. He needed to secure a job for the future, and although Mother's funeral went smoothly, he had not yet started sorting through her belongings.

What should he start with? Slain thought.

......

"Hey, Slain. You there, right?"

Just as he finished his breakfast of bread and cheese and got dressed, a voice called out, knocking on the front door. He knew who it was without asking. It was Elvin, a boy his age who lived next door.

"I'm here. Wait a moment, I'll come out right away."

"Hey! Are you still sleeping, Slain!"

"I'm up! I said I'll come out right away! I'll open the door, so wait a moment!"

Slain got up from the bed he was sitting on and opened the door. The familiar face of his childhood friend, with a sun-tanned and cheerful expression, was slightly higher than Slain's line of sight. Elvin was tall, and Slain was short.

"Oh, you're up."

"I answered when you called the first time."

"I didn't hear you. Your voice is still so small."

Shaking his head exaggeratedly, Elvin said, and Slain felt annoyed.

"It's none of your business... So, what's up?"

"Nothing much. I just came to check on you, to see if you're not too down after losing your parent. Did you eat breakfast?"

"Thanks. I just had it... The funeral was yesterday, but Mother passed away four days ago. I'm getting used to being alone, so I'm fine."

Slain answered with a calm expression, trying to appear composed. It would be a lie to say he wasn't putting on a brave face.

"I see, that's good... By the way, I didn't ask you yesterday, but what are you going to do from now on? About work and all. If you want, I can get you a job at our trading company?"

Elvin, the only son of a trading company that operates a store in Lutware and engages in trade within the royal domain, smiled in a way that was typical of a merchant.

"Hehe, thanks, but I'm okay. I've been helping Mother with her work all along, and I was planning to start on my own in a few years anyway... I'll talk to her clients and see if I can take over her work a bit earlier."

Slain's mother was a scribe—she copied books to create manuscripts.

He learned reading and writing from her and often helped with her work. Delivering the finished products to clients in the capital was Slain's responsibility, so he was familiar with her clients.

"Well, that makes sense. But can you really do the work on your own? You're short and look like a kid... and your voice is so quiet."

"Height and appearance don't matter for a scribe. Besides, my voice isn't that quiet."

Slain's face turned annoyed again. His mother had often told him, "It would be good if you could speak a bit more clearly," but his voice wasn't so weak that it would hinder his work. He was a bit short, so his voice was a bit quieter. That was all.

"Haha! I see... By the way, your mother's clients are in the capital, right? Like trading companies and churches? I'm going to visit a craftsman in the capital who I do business with. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, so you can ride in our carriage."

"Really?"

"Sure. You were probably planning to take the stagecoach next week or walk alone, right? The stagecoach costs money, and someone like you walking alone on the road might get mistaken for a girl and kidnapped. So don't be shy."

Slain smiled wryly at his childhood friend's words.

Indeed, as Elvin said, he was small, slender, and had a childlike face, with black hair that reached his shoulders, making him look like a delicate woman.

However, crimes rarely occurred on the roads within the royal domain, especially between the capital and satellite cities. In fact, Slain had walked between the capital and Lutware several times and had never been in any danger.

"Alright, I'll take you up on that offer."

Still, Slain answered. He decided to accept the kindness of his childhood friend, who was trying to stay with him as much as possible now that he was alone.

"Great, do that. We'll leave the day after tomorrow. Take it easy until then. You have to sort through your mother's belongings and all."

Leaving those words, Elvin went home.

"Day after tomorrow..."

Slain muttered. In two days, he could probably finish sorting through his mother's belongings.

And he could also sort through his own feelings. This floating, dreamlike state of mind would likely settle down to some extent.

Two days was just the right amount of time for a mental break. Slain was grateful to his childhood friend, who had probably considered this when he offered.

......

After Elvin left, Slain spent the day sorting through his mother's belongings. His mother had preferred a simple lifestyle, so her belongings were not numerous.

A small amount of clothing and accessories, none of which were expensive.

A few books. As a scribe, she had read many books and had bought a few academic and historical books that she liked. Books were expensive, but they were practical items, fitting for his mother.

Writing tools and plant paper, which would be used by Slain if he took over her work.

A vanity table. The only luxury item among her belongings. It was not flashy but of high quality. It could fetch a decent price if sold, but it was a keepsake from his mother. Fortunately, he had enough savings to last for about a year, so he had no intention of selling it.

Finally, a cabinet that Slain was forbidden to open. Inside, there were private letters from his mother. There were dozens of them, organized by sender.

His mother, who had grown up in an orphanage in the capital, had learned to read and write there and worked as a junior clerk in the royal castle in her youth. He had heard that she met his father, a soldier, there.

The letters seemed to be from her former colleagues. They were all former clerks or servants of the royal castle, now retired and living at home, as he had heard from his mother. Some of the senders were people he had met himself.

"Of course, they're not here..."

Feeling guilty to his mother, Slain quickly scanned the contents of the letters and sighed.

What he was looking for was a letter from his father.

His mother had received several marriage proposals in the past but had never remarried. Occasionally, she would show a look of longing or secretly write letters that she hid from her son.

She might have been thinking of her deceased husband and writing to his family. However, something felt off.

To Slain, it seemed that she was thinking of someone who was still alive somewhere, not just a memory of her husband. It was also strange that she had never introduced him to his father's relatives.

So, Slain had always been suspicious about his father's death. He wondered if his father was still alive somewhere, unable to reveal himself, and secretly exchanging letters with his mother from time to time.

"..."

But there was no letter from his father. Had his mother disposed of them all, or was she sending letters one-sidedly without receiving any in return? Was it all just Slain's imagination, and his father was truly no longer in this world?

Slain thought it didn't matter if there were no letters.

He had lived without a father until now. Whether his father was alive somewhere or dead, if he could not meet him, it would not change anything in his life.

Just as Slain was thinking this and trying to completely erase the existence of his father from his mind, the door of the house was suddenly knocked on.