Fortunately, my hunch was off the mark this time.

It was a very pleasant train journey.

We didn't see a single terrorist and arrived safely at our destination.

It was a very long day.

As soon as we returned to Miss Rubia's mansion, I lay down on the plush, luxurious bed and fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke up refreshed, a smile naturally formed on my lips.

'Truly, there was no better decision than this.'

It seemed almost inevitable.

This trip to the black market was nothing short of a monumental success.

Originally, it was just a place to shop for a few artifacts.

But it turned into so much more, like giving the empire a massive snub or forging a good relationship with the Black Fangs.

Even setting aside these additional benefits, there were direct gains right before my eyes.

Though it was split in two, the holy sword still shone brilliantly.

And then there were the heaps of artifacts.

There were also gold coins provided by Asher and materials joyfully supplied by the merchants of the black market.

But none of that caught my eye as much as the dazzling array of items before me.

I looked at the mountain of artifacts and, satisfied, quickly began the selection process.

Of course, as expected, it was impossible to view item descriptions through the status window.

The path of fate is being reset.

...The twist in your fate is severe. Unable to navigate the path of fate. Searching for a solution.

The status window, which used to be merely annoying, now seemed to have given up on its job altogether.

'What the hell is it even doing?'

It would be better off not existing at this point.

It's not like I exploited some cheat or bug. I just diligently carried out the quests given to me, and yet it malfunctioned on its own.

It's beyond ridiculous.

'Well, fortunately, I'm managing fine without it.'

I'm doing well on my own, without the convenience of such status windows.

Gathering allies and acquiring the holy sword, I'm indeed following the textbook route.

Besides, these artifacts are all from a previous work. It doesn't matter whether the item descriptions are visible or not.

I've memorized all their effects.

'Honestly, it would be strange if I didn't know them, having invested so much time.'

Thousands of hours spent on the previous game.

Naturally, I could recite the game item descriptions perfectly without missing a beat.

Twenty-five artifacts in total.

Of these, three were equipped on the groaning Siel, making it precisely twenty-two artifacts categorized.

The sorting was done in a flash.

The artifacts, which had been piled up like a mountain, were now neatly organized by purpose.

Thirteen for offense.

Seven for defense.

One for support, and one that was hard to classify.

Each artifact was quite useful.

An armor that increases defense by 10%, or a staff that can shoot fireballs three times a day without consuming magic power.

However...

'Still, I'm oddly not drawn to the offensive and defensive stuff.'

It was a thought that naturally occurred to me.

Of course, artifacts are artifacts.

Each one possesses truly exceptional capabilities.

But... from my perspective, they felt somewhat like a mixed blessing.

The reason is quite simple.

'My guys are way more overpowered than I expected.'

In fact, when I think about it, I might already be one of the top overpowered characters in this world.

Though I'm still somewhat lacking in brute strength.

Essentially, I'm something akin to a summoner now.

A situation where a genius wizard and a god-like warrior would do anything I ask.

At this point, it would be no exaggeration to say I've formed contracts with two spirit kings. Actually, my situation might even be better than that.

They are bound by contracts and must offer something in exchange for their power.

On my side, it's a relationship cemented by friendship.

Asking a friend for help doesn't involve expecting anything in return.

'Really, I'm so lucky to have such allies.'

Just thinking about how I managed to gather such companions makes me feel grateful.

Anyway.

Because of this, the offensive and defensive artifacts didn't seem like attractive options for me.

Lien's punches are stronger than fireballs.

That's no exaggeration, it's the truth.

When we infiltrated Miss Rubia's mansion, I saw her counter a fireball the size of a car with her fist.

Similarly, Siel's shadow is more effective than most armors.

It's much better to simply swallow the attacks with a shadow than to increase defense to block them.

'What should I do with these troublesome artifacts?'

They're too precious to sell.

But wearing them all seems cumbersome and the performance might not be that impressive.

As I was pondering this... I suddenly realized something.

'Could there be another way to utilize them?'

The essence of the holy sword is mystery.

Likewise, the essence within the artifacts is also mystery.

So... could it possibly be feasible?

'Repairing the holy sword.'

There was no such feature in the original game. Naturally, there wasn't a route where the holy sword would break.

Now that the game has become the reality.

Beyond just having a high degree of freedom, this situation where anything could be tried might just be possible.

'It's definitely worth a shot.'

A smile naturally formed on my lips.

The holy sword, split into two and even cracked.

Would I have to endure the tremendous hassle of roaming around collecting pieces like gathering Dragon Balls?

In the midst of such thoughts, this alternative appeared.

'Extracting the mystique to repair the holy sword might be a bit difficult.'

But there was a solution of sorts.

The many masters I encountered while playing the previous game.

I could just contact them.

They are the kind of people who would calmly accept such an absurd request and likely manage to fulfill it.

A smile naturally formed on my lips again.

Well, it feels a bit like counting chickens before they hatch, given that this might not even be possible.

But haven't I been incredibly lucky lately?

It seems like nothing I do could possibly fail.

Maybe I could not only repair the cracked part but also make the now almost dagger-like holy sword look decent.

With that hopeful prospect in mind, I turned my eyes towards the remaining artifacts.

Having decided on the disposal of the offensive and defensive artifacts, two remained.

A special artifact and a support artifact.

I quickly recalled the item descriptions I had seen in the previous game.

'Whispering Earrings, enhances intuition. Increases speed by 20% upon dodging.'

An item that was a dud in the original game.

Blood and Bone had no invincibility frames for dodging, so no one used the dodge function.

An increase in dodge speed was a function so useless it made the item the dregs of the dregs.

However, the reason I kept it was incredibly simple.

It enhances intuition.

Originally, this was just a flashy description added for the sake of appearance without any real meaning.

But now that the game has become reality, it's a different story.

Isn't it a known fact just by looking at the characteristics of a healthy body?

The text about enhancing intuition also had a high likelihood of being faithfully implemented.

Especially since I've been worried that my senses weren't quite right lately.

This artifact came just in time.

Without hesitation, I put it on my ear.

'Has something changed?'

I can't really tell.

But then again, intuition is inherently a bit of an ambiguous area.

Wearing it makes me wonder if it will prove useful someday.

I turned my attention away from the earrings and focused on the remaining artifacts.

This was where things really began.

'The Gospel of the Future.'

Its effect is to reveal the most favorable future possible for the user.

Honestly, I was shocked when I found it in Asher's warehouse.

An artifact used by a villain in the previous game for his schemes.

Who would have thought it would end up in Asher's possession through some twist of fate?

I really owed Asher nothing but thanks.

From the holy sword to the artifacts.

It was truly a generous support.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him an honorary ally.

'There was nothing more crucial for me at this moment.'

I was clueless about how to prevent the impending doom.

I was at a point where I needed proper guidance.

And just then, Asher had gone out of his way to procure and provide me with exactly what I needed.

Given Asher's goodwill, it was only right to make good use of it quickly.

I lightly nicked my index finger with the holy sword.

As a drop of blood fell onto the cover of the Gospel, it began to transform.

The Gospel emitted a strange light.

The pages flipped on their own, and text slowly etched itself onto the paper.

Soon, it formed a single sentence.

And then...

My expression quickly turned to one of perplexity.

It seemed almost inevitable.

The directive before my eyes was utterly incomprehensible.

[Sometimes, it is better not to know,

So blind your eyes until the day you are destined to understand everything.]

...So.

What in the world is this nonsense?

Chapter 40: Prove Your Resolve (2)

'What the hell did Asher give me?'

I couldn't help but think that.

This scam is unlike any other. It's called the Gospel of the Future, but it says something like that?

How is it any different from those fortune-telling apps on the application store?

It's just meaningless nonsense.

'I guess I can't get a refund...'

I wanted to lodge a long complaint right away. But nothing would change even if I did.

[Sometimes, it is better not to know, So blind your eyes until the day you are destined to understand everything.]

In the end, I sighed as I looked at that meaningless instruction again.

'Well, I kind of expected this.'

After all, this was something used by the villain in the previous work.

Used goods are used goods, and the gospel had less than half a page left.

The rest was filled with content about the plans the villain had carried out in the previous work.

So the instructions couldn't be specific.

There was only enough space for three or four lines.

If the prophecy detailed the future, it would naturally exceed the page.

'Besides, prophecies are usually vague anyway.'

At first, you have no idea what it means, but at the crucial moment, you realize its true meaning.

There's rarely a more clichéd trope.

In that sense, such vague hints and instructions are rather classic.

'So how am I supposed to interpret this?'

In the end, there was only one thing I could do in this situation.

Since I can't undo what's already written, I have to make use of it somehow.

I started trying to guess the meaning again as I looked at the text.

Sometimes, it is better not to know, So blind your eyes until the day you are destined to understand everything.

Those were the two things in the text.

......The more I looked at it, the more absurd it seemed. Especially the first part.

It's better for me not to know, so keep my eyes closed.

It's telling me that I don't know something, and that finding it out would be detrimental to me.

'What kind of situation would lead to that?'

I'm missing some crucial fact, and because of that, things are actually going better.

Does that even make sense?

I couldn't grasp how such a situation could ever occur.

'But doesn't this mean I'm not supposed to guess?'

Since it said it's better for me not to know.

In the end, my only choice was to live as if I hadn't seen this prophecy.

Eventually, if I wait, the day the prophecy speaks of will come.

And at the right moment, I'll understand everything.

It's somewhat ironic.

I used the gospel to solve my questions, but instead, I ended up with more questions.

'I guess I should just be thankful it didn't say anything ominous.'

At least it didn't say you would never achieve your goal or that the world would end and you would die horribly, urging you to commit suicide.

'That's what it said in the previous work.'

It told the villain they would die to the protagonist no matter what, and even gave instructions on how to kill themselves as painlessly as possible.

Compared to that, this is nothing.

This means my future might be more positive than I thought.

I have a slight chance to prevent destruction and reach the happy ending I want.

Just knowing that is enough.

The hopeless feeling has eased a bit.

'Honestly, it's a shame I couldn't find out the trigger for the destruction.'

Like who the villains are and that I should kill them.

Or if I kill certain people, I can deal with the final boss more easily.

I expected that kind of content, so it's hard to shake off the disappointment.

'But I did gain some valuable information.'

Obviously.

The existence of this gospel tells me another fact.

'There was definitely a previous hero.'

If you skim through the pages of the gospel, the character presumed to be the previous protagonist is mentioned several times.

However, for some reason, the name part was strangely erased.

Considering that locals like Rubia, Siel, and Lien had never heard of the previous hero...

The conclusion was simpler than I thought.

Some sort of cognitive alteration occurred.

For some reason, the hero was erased from this world by someone.

This is a timeline that doesn't fit any of the original routes.

Knowing this, it's easy to predict who is behind it.

'What the hell did the Empire do?'

When something goes wrong, nine times out of ten, blaming the Empire is spot on.

I couldn't pinpoint the method even after digging through all my knowledge of the previous work. But it was clear who did it.

'I need to investigate the Empire further.'

But... unfortunately, it was hard to find a reliable source of information.

Miss Rubia mentioned that her relationship with the Empire soured after she canceled the medicine deal last time.

She intervened and disrupted a shady deal between the Empire and the hidden forces, which left a mark on her.

And she's the last person you'd think of as a spy. Given her personality, it would be stranger if she were capable of espionage.

'Do I have to put this on hold?'

I concluded so, but...

It was strange.

I had a weird hunch.

Someone with ties to the Empire, who wanted to cooperate with me, and had some skill in acting and politics.

A bizarre intuition that this person would walk right up to me.

'Is this for real?'

I couldn't help but doubt the performance of the whispering earring. It should have a function to enhance intuition.

Yet for some reason, it didn't seem any different from last time.

I kept grasping at straws in a strange way.

Is my intuition so bad that even when enhanced, it's only this good?

It was a mystery.

*****

After finishing organizing the artifacts, I called Miss Rubia and Lien.

I didn't just get artifacts from the black market.

Thirty children.

I needed to discuss what to do with the rescued slaves.

Siel was still recuperating.

I didn't want to bother her while she was resting, so I decided to talk with the two of them.

And...

"Why are you so nervous?"

I noticed Miss Rubia looking extremely tense.

We were just discussing things over breakfast.

Anyone would think Cthulhu was sitting at the table.

"N-no, I'm not nervous!"

Miss Rubia denied it, but it was obvious.

Honestly, I can't read her at all.

'I thought she might be scared of me, but that wasn't it.'

Every time we talked, she reacted strangely, so I stupidly wondered if she was afraid of me.

I even told her I had no intention of harming her, that I was always grateful to her. I said she could tell me anytime if she felt pressured, and I'd fix anything that made her uncomfortable, swearing it on my mana.

But that didn't work either.

'Now I just hope throwing money at the problem will work.'

I don't know what's bothering her, but hopefully, she'll feel better if she sees some money multiplying.

I decided to get back to the main topic and started talking about the children.

There were a lot of decisions to be made.

I had to take responsibility for and train thirty children.

Of course, I had no prior experience with this. We had to put our heads together to make a lot of decisions.

So this might be more challenging than I thought.

That's what I thought when we started the discussion.

'...What is this?'

What followed was completely unexpected.

Miss Rubia, who always seemed clumsy and odd, suddenly laid out various plans with a sharp look in her eyes.

She seemed like a completely different person.

Everything was handled quickly and perfectly.

We swiftly settled all the complicated details, like training locations and schedules.

All I did was mention the prestigious family training methods I'd seen in the previous work.

Just that, and everything fell into place.

'...She really is a successful businesswoman for a reason.'

She may seem clumsy, but when it comes to work, she's incredibly professional.

"Th-then, is that everything?"

Miss Rubia asked me after wrapping everything up in no time.

Still in shock, I hesitated for a moment...

I quickly collected myself and spoke up.

"No, the most important part is still left."

It was only natural.

Those slave kids still thought I was the leader of the Black Fangs.

Back then, it couldn't be helped due to the circumstances, but now I had to set things straight.

Moreover, if the prestigious family training methods I gained from the previous work were leaked, it could cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

I'd prefer if no one quit halfway through, if possible.

So I had to use this opportunity to confirm their willingness to participate again.

We needed to make sure they were truly ready to join us completely and that they were prepared for it.

"We need to properly inform them about us and confirm their resolve."

Chapter 41: Prove Your Resolve (3)

I had no choice but to retract my earlier assessment of Miss Rubia.

A shrewd businesswoman? Hardly.

She was just an over-the-top noona who didn't act her age.

'If she were a YouTuber hyping up Korean culture in the modern era, she would have been a massive success. She's simply out of her time.'

It was only natural for me to think that way.

All I did was tell her to inform the kids about our identity and confirm their willingness to participate.

Her tense expression.

The sight of her breaking out in a cold sweat.

Her face seemed to scream, 'The inevitable has come,' as she swallowed nervously.

Her reactions were always so dramatic.

During that fake Black fangs incident, she fainted from fear, and on the train, she made a fuss over trivial matters.

Now, she wore an expression as if she had been entrusted with the most critical mission in the world.

"By confirming their resolve, you mean...?"

"We need to make sure they can join us, of course."

Why was she asking such an obvious question?

I couldn't understand her way of thinking.

Since we were going to train the kids, I wasn't a psychopath. Naturally, I needed their consent.

We had to explain what kind of training they would undergo and how they would live. It was essential to confirm if they were truly prepared.

"We need to explain what we're going to do and make sure the kids can follow through."

I explained to Miss Rubia once again.

Despite her fuss, it wasn't really a big deal.

When we rescued the kids from the Black Market, we already asked them once.

This was just a reconfirmation.

"If... if the kids aren't ready... will we, k-kill them?"

...I was momentarily dumbfounded.

I was grateful I wasn't drinking tea.

Otherwise, I would have spat it all over Miss Rubia.

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

I knew she was strange, but this was over the top.

Why would we kill someone just because they didn't sign a consent form?

If they didn't want to, they didn't want to.

I wasn't a crazed psychopath.

Kidnapping kids and forcing them to fight would make me a madman, a human piece of trash.

This had to be done with their agreement.

We wouldn't make the kids do anything unreasonable, and we'd ensure their safety as much as possible.

But their will was paramount.

"We just need to make them swear by mana not to disclose anything about us, and then we'll let them go."

Miss Rubia looked at me with a shocked expression.

As if she truly thought I would kill those kids.

...Just what kind of person did she take me for?

There was something vaguely unsettling about this, but I couldn't argue since I had my own reasons for feeling guilty.

I had been pushing my limits lately.

Impersonating the Empire's most villainous terrorist organization.

Killing and robbing Black Market operators.

Flooding anti-Empire propaganda videos. (This one is still being diligently distributed daily like a daily quest.)

It would be strange if someone doing all this didn't come off as crazy.

For me, in a situation where the world was on the brink of destruction, I figured there was no need to hold back.

But Miss Rubia wouldn't understand those circumstances.

In the end, it was my own karma.

So, I opened my mouth again to provide a detailed explanation.

"We're just confirming if they're ready to join us. Even if someone isn't ready, we'll support them; we won't kill them."

They were all young children, after all.

If we abandoned them and they got captured as slaves again, it would certainly haunt my dreams.

As for food expenses, the gold coins Asher gave us would last us thirty years without any problems.

Even if we had deserters, we could still take care of them.

"Oh, I see!"

Miss Rubia responded cheerfully.

She looked visibly relieved.

As if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

'So, her strange reactions were because of this misunderstanding.'

She had clearly misunderstood something about me.

I still wondered why she hadn't believed it when I offered to make a mana vow.

Well, at least it seemed she cleared up the misunderstanding now, so that was a relief.

"I completely understand! Indeed, we should confirm their resolve for the children's safety."

Miss Rubia said this and then left.

Why was it?

Her words, "I completely understand," were strangely bothering me.

I couldn't quite figure it out.

*****

Rubia felt as if she could fly at any moment.

Lately, she hadn't been able to sleep properly due to worry.

Finally, she had alleviated her biggest concern.

'Indeed, the captain is a bit scary, but...'

It was clear he wasn't a bad person.

Anyone could tell just from his reaction just now.

Despite his overwhelming strength, capable of killing a Archmage without batting an eye and disregarding a mana vow,

his heart seemed surprisingly warm.

'The Black Fangs themselves are quite a peaceful group.'

They pursue a peaceful revolution, aiming to hold hands with the nobles rather than killing them outright.

They didn't harm civilians.

For a revolutionary group, they were quite gentle.

'Maybe that's why he got angry before.'

The Black Market incident.

When the Archmage running the fake Black Fangs and the Black Market was wiped off the face of the earth in an instant.

She was only human, so she couldn't help but be terrified of a leader who could commit such acts without batting an eye.

In hindsight, though it was frightening, it was undoubtedly the right thing to do.

After all, he severely punished the Empire's knight who was massacring people and killed the dark mage who was running the Black Market.

The reason for such a harsh punishment at that time must have been due to his warm heart.

He couldn't stand by and watch evil deeds, which is why he was so furious.

'There were many other unsettling incidents as well.'

It would be stranger if someone with a sense of perception far beyond that of ordinary humans behaved the same as a normal person.

With that thought, many things began to make sense.

Losing his sense of the value of money.

Making bizarre jokes about making a mana vow even though he could ignore mana vows.

If you consider that an extraordinary being might behave that way, it starts to make sense.

Suddenly, she felt as if all the burdens on her heart had lifted.

When you think about it, this wasn't a bad situation at all.

An unimaginable strength, a presence that seemed invincible.

And this person was treating her more favorably than she had expected.

His personality seemed better than she thought too.

Rubia thought about this and smiled brightly... then quickly snapped back to reality.

It was a natural reaction.

She wasn't a successful businesswoman for no reason.

There's no poison more deadly than complacency and overconfidence.

Even if such an extraordinary being showed her favor, it was crucial not to become overconfident.

'He is kind to his own people.'

Which, in other words, means he could be incredibly cruel to his enemies.

Moreover, she was, after all, someone who had been his enemy.

The magic addiction cure.

It was she who had tried to supply it to the Empire.

The leader spared her life as an act of final mercy.

To not let her guard down and to prove her usefulness.

That was the optimal choice for her to make now.

She needed to use all her abilities to help the Black Fangs.

'There's something that comes to mind.'

Lately, more and more nobles were trying to make contact with the Black Fangs.

Given the intent behind those videos, it was clear that the leader was looking for new talent.

So, she would carefully select trustworthy and capable individuals from among them and bring them in.

That should be enough to earn her some credit.

'First, I need to do what the leader instructed.'

Tell the children about the true aspirations of the Black Fangs, their noble goal.

Make sure they are truly prepared to dedicate themselves to this cause.

She fully understood the leader's instructions.

This was also something Rubia wanted.

Even if she knew the leader was kinder than she thought, it didn't eliminate her discomfort.

Living with someone who seemed capable of destroying an entire country with a mere gesture was naturally nerve-wracking.

But... what was even more unsettling was the leader's followers.

Especially that kid, Siel.

The leader's fanatic.

Whenever she talked to Ian, that child's gaze was fiercely intense.

As a businesswoman adept at reading people's emotions, she could tell.

That twisted possessiveness in her eyes.

It was worse because the girl herself wasn't even aware of it.

If she's this intense now without being fully aware, what would happen if she truly became obsessed... she didn't even want to imagine.

She wanted to prevent thirty more such fanatics from emerging.

So, explaining the meaning and risks of joining a revolutionary group to the children again, and if they got scared and gave up...

That would be quite convenient for Rubia.

'They're just kids. If I scare them, they'll probably give up quickly.'

With this thought, Rubia entered the room where the children were.

Why was it?

She had a sense of foreboding, but...

It was surely just her imagination.

No matter how monstrous the leader's abilities were.

Could he really have swayed those kids' hearts and turned them into his followers in such a short time?

Chapter 42: Prove Your Resolve (4)

There is one unchanging law of the universe: bad premonitions always come true.

Rubia was feeling this more acutely than anyone else right now.

'Why on earth?'

The children were all steadfast in their resolve.

Despite the warnings about the dangers, they were still determined to join the Black Fangs.

Setting aside the issue of not wanting to deal with thirty more zealots, this was a significant problem.

"Do you all even understand the situation properly?"

Rubia sighed as she spoke.

Well, to some extent, she understood why these kids made such a choice.

Their lives, marked by being captured as slaves and enduring all kinds of hardships, were nothing but a wait for death.

Then, suddenly, a savior appeared.

It wasn't strange for their young hearts to yearn for such a figure. Wanting to repay a favor was only natural.

However, this wasn't something that could be decided so easily.

As the leader said, this was an incredibly dangerous matter.

A revolutionary organization openly defying the Empire.

Joining such a dangerous group of their own accord.

It wasn't a choice she wanted to recommend.

'Of course, originally, joining the Black Fangs wasn't such a bad choice.'

Of the slaves rescued from the black market, those who had somewhere to return to were released after making a Mana Oath to prevent leaking information.

The ones left here were children with no means of survival or places to rely on.

Naturally, the chances of such children surviving on their own outside were slim.

They would probably be captured as slaves again, live as pickpockets and get caught, or worse.

Nine times out of ten, that's how their stories would end.

So, it was reasonable to follow someone who promised to take care of their basic needs.

However, the current situation was very different.

The leader was more noble-hearted than she had expected.

Ian offered them another choice.

They didn't need to join a dangerous group like the Black Fangs. They could stay here as dependents until they reached adulthood.

Looking at the children's future, this was a much more rational option.

In every way, this was the better choice.

There was no need to choose the dangerous path.

Despite explaining this thoroughly, the children remained stubborn.

"You don't know when or how you might die. You have to risk your life at every moment. Do you truly understand what that means?"

Even as Rubia said this, the children nodded.

That look.

It was clear what was happening.

They still didn't grasp the weight of risking their lives.

Rubia pondered for a long time.

She didn't want to resort to such forceful methods. She didn't want to resort to threats either.

However, what if—

If someone were to die in the future because Rubia didn't stop these kids now?

If lives were lost because she didn't emphasize the danger strongly enough here.

She didn't want that.

She wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.

She had to prevent such things from happening.

Rubia's expression suddenly turned cold.

Lately, there had been so many peculiar incidents that she rarely had to act and judge so coldly.

In the end, her essence was that of a businesswoman.

If it meant achieving her goal, she was prepared to use somewhat extreme measures.

-Whoosh!

The artifact the leader had given her for self-defense.

The sword sliced through the air at her command.

With a whistling sound, the sword brushed past one of the children fiercely.

The child, startled, collapsed onto the floor.

It was only natural.

If the direction had been slightly different, the child's head would have been severed.

"You will face this kind of situation dozens of times... no, definitely more than thousands of times from now on."

Rubia felt the atmosphere in the place change in an instant.

It was only natural.

Being prepared and actually experiencing it are two different things.

No matter how prepared one thought they were, when actually faced with the fear of death, everyone would react with such alarm.

The children probably realized it too.

The weight of this choice.

The true meaning of dedicating oneself entirely to the Black Fangs.

'I didn't want to go this far, but.'

Still, it was better than having these kids die because of her.

If they encountered such situations in actual combat, it would be too late to regret. Now was the only chance to turn back.

This was probably the reason why the leader insisted on confirming their resolve.

Rubia thought this as she looked at the children. And then...

Her face filled with surprise.

A girl caught Rubia's eye.

Amidst the confused group, one girl was standing proudly, looking straight at her.

That little girl was slowly walking towards her.

"Please, do it again."

Saying something incomprehensible.

*****

'Maybe I'm already dead.'

While being held captive by that dark mage, the girl had such thoughts.

When did it start?

The moment when she no longer screamed even as her limbs were torn apart.

Days when her limbs were dismantled and healed repeatedly, as the mage claimed to need to collect the sensation of pain for his research.

At some point, she stopped crying.

Even when the children in the same situation, those who could be called her comrades, had their limbs swapped and sewn back together like toys for the dark mage's amusement.

Even when they were forced to surrender their right to see the world at the whim of a demon.

Even when she eventually lost her sight.

She just stared blankly.

Living without any thoughts.

Thinking was too painful.

It was better to be dead. It was better to have no thoughts at all.

At least that way, she wasn't tormented.

It was a life no different from being a corpse.

A life where being alive didn't mean living.

But then—

That person appeared.

As if by magic.

A knight straight out of a fairy tale came to her.

He showed her a miracle.

The shackles that seemed like they would bind her forever disappeared.

Even that demon-like human who seemed invincible was defeated.

She gained the freedom to live a new life.

A second chance in a life she thought was over.

However, the girl couldn't be happy.

She couldn't possibly be happy.

'I'm not worthy of such a miracle.'

She wasn't the heroine of a fairy tale.

She wasn't a good enough person to deserve such a miracle.

When the children, numbered 1201 before her, died.

In truth, she felt a bit relieved.

She had said she wouldn't think, that her life was no different from death.

But in reality, she felt joy.

She ended up feeling joy.

It wasn't her.

That she survived. She smiled with that lowly joy.

The ugliness didn't end there.

Even after receiving such great help from that person.

Even after receiving the undeserved gift of a new life. At the critical moment, she turned away from him.

During the fight between that person and the dark mage.

In that situation, she ran away.

She ran away, leaving behind the person who risked their life to save her.

There are limits to how disgusting something can be.

There are limits to how repulsive something can be.

There's no way such a terrible, lowly person deserves salvation.

She shouldn't be allowed to live a happy life.

And yet—

That person said.

It's okay. It could happen to anyone.

He forgave her so easily.

That kind of unbelievable luck, that miracle, was given to her.

1201.

The countless people who sacrificed themselves before that number.

Among them, she was the one who was saved by luck.

She got a new life. Even though she didn't deserve it, she survived.

So.

'I can't back down here.'

She knew that for sure.

She decided to become someone worthy of the miracle that had come to her.

She promised that one day she would help him.

She vowed to repay the overwhelming grace she had received.

Therefore.

The girl walked forward.

She felt the woman explaining the Black Fangs to her growing curious.

Even without her sight, the girl could feel it. She could sense more than she ever could by seeing.

"Please, do it again."

"What... what are you talking about?"

"The sword. I can block it."

She would prove she could be of help.

She would never back down.

"I'll prove it. That I'm ready."

"......"

"I'll stay here until you do it again. For hours, days, years. As long as it takes."

"...Are you serious?"

She could feel the woman's face filled with bewilderment.

She understood why the woman in front of her was reacting that way.

Indeed. This was a foolish thing.

By common sense, everything that woman said was right.

It would be more efficient to seek peace by relying on the warmth of that person than by doing something like this to join the Black Fangs.

But.

Precisely because of that.

"I'll never give up."

She couldn't back down.

She had promised.

Never to run away again.

Chapter 43: Prove Your Resolve (5)

Rubia felt like she was about to go insane.

'What on earth does that leader do?'

Surely, he hadn't spent that much time with the child. How on earth did he manage to make the kid so obsessed?

It was incomprehensible.

But no matter how nonsensical it was, the reality remained unchanged.

Apparently, that leader had completely bewitched this child.

'What am I supposed to do about this...?'

Rubia's anxiety was justified.

As a businessperson, nothing was more important than reading people's emotions.

The emotion reflected in that child's eyes, the firm resolve, was unyielding.

It was the gaze of a stubborn person who wouldn't compromise an inch.

Surely, just as the child had boasted, she wouldn't back down until she wielded her sword again.

'Why on earth is she doing this...?'

Logically, she could do nothing and still live a comfortable life. Why would she choose to undertake something so dangerous?

Moreover, the sword just swung was merely a threat.

It was to warn that such dangerous situations could arise. It was meant as advice not to get involved if possible.

And yet, that weakling who couldn't even fend off this threat wanted to join the Black Fangs?

'Don't be ridiculous!'

'You all are completely unqualified!'

That wasn't the declaration she intended to make.

However, the child's words made it seem like a given. This place had suddenly turned into a recruitment test site for the Black Fangs.

'I'm not even someone great enough to be doing this in the first place!'

He must be someone from another world.

That's how powerful the leader seemed.

Incredibly competent and strong, the black-haired half-elf kid seemed capable of anything.

Usually quite careless, but sometimes more frightening than anyone, that girl of monstrous strength.

Being grouped with such people was overwhelming for Rubia.

She had no talent for magic.

She couldn't even cast a Light spell, let alone Fireball.

She hated exercise.

Her fitness was so poor that even one push-up left her panting.

Controlling the sword with magic.

She had shown off a seemingly impressive ability to freely wield the sword.

'But that was only possible because it was an artifact!'

Rubia recalled the events of this morning.

-Here, take this.

-Huh?

-The mana efficiency is a bit poor, so using magic would be more effective. But for someone who can't use magic, this is the best self-defense tool.

-Tha-thanks.

-Just drop a drop of blood and chant the spell to use it. The spell is quite long, so I've written it down for you. Just recite it as it is.

-How did you even get this?

-...The instructions were written in that guy's storage.

If the original owner of the artifact knew how to use it, there's no way it would be in an unrefined state.

Such an obvious lie.

Clearly, he must have figured it out using a power that defies the laws of the world, just like when he ignored the mana oath last time.

Anyway.

The important thing was that this power was something obtained through such a process by chance.

Rubia might even lose an arm-wrestling match against that girl if she took it seriously.

That's how weak Rubia was.

But...

'In this situation, I can't just say it's impossible.'

The atmosphere here.

It was all under the control of that girl.

If the girl wasn't convinced, the other children wouldn't be convinced either.

Saying things like the mana in this sword is almost depleted after one use.

Or if I use it once more, I'll definitely be bedridden tomorrow, so can't we just call it a draw?

Such words would never work.

She'd probably get cursed at for joking around.

Since they were so serious, she had no choice but to respond seriously.

'Please hold out, my body!'

Rubia inwardly screamed as she continued the conversation.

*****

"Alright, if you insist."

The woman before her said that.

At the same time, the sword moved again.

The sword brushed past the girl in an instant.

So incredibly fast.

'I knew it...'

She clearly felt something moving.

But it was too late.

In the end, she couldn't react.

After all that bravado, she couldn't even touch the sword.

But...

"Please, once more."

The girl said.

She could feel the woman in front of her being flustered.

However, the girl spoke before the woman could open her mouth.

She couldn't give up here.

She must not give up here.

So, she had to use any means necessary.

"This is to prove my resolve."

The girl spoke confidently.

"I haven't given up yet. I won't give up yet. So please! Just a little... bear with me a little longer!"

The girl bowed her head and pleaded.

Finally, the woman sighed and declared.

"Twice. That's the maximum. No more than that."

"...Understood."

The girl spoke, focusing all her nerves.

She had to erase it.

Sensing all the extraneous things would only delay her.

So, she erased everything in the world except for that person and the sword.

Breath, muscle movements, where the gaze was directed.

Feel only what was necessary.

She had to react the moment it shot out.

Move her body before her thoughts.

-Whoosh!

The sound of the sword cutting through the air.

It flew towards her side.

The girl quickly reached out.

But...

She failed.

The sword was too fast.

With a body that had lived as a slave for so long, it couldn't possibly move fast enough to catch it.

"Really. Is it worth going this far?"

The woman in front of her asked.

It was a valid point once again.

Could someone like her really be of help to that leader?

Could an ordinary person like her?

Perhaps she was just meddling unnecessarily.

She might only be causing trouble.

But...

'I promised.'

She had promised to help that person someday.

To stand by his side.

To become someone who could do that.

"I was, luckily, saved."

"..."

"If I just appreciated that luck and enjoyed the life I gained by chance, sure, it would be easier."

As she spoke, the girl looked at the other children.

She had gained a new life.

She had gained the freedom to do anything.

Just being happy with that would make her future life easier.

There was no need to insist on joining that person's ideals.

There was no obligation to volunteer for a difficult path to create a better world.

"But that would only be easy, not right."

"..."

"I know it's foolish. To risk my life after barely saving it."

"That's..."

"But we survived because of that foolish act. We survived thanks to that foolish person who risked his life to save strangers like us."

'...So how could I ignore the right thing to do?'

The girl turned her head back to the woman.

And without a word, she nodded.

The woman, understanding the meaning, prepared to swing the sword again.

This was the last chance.

The last chance to stand by his side.

So...

'I absolutely cannot fail.'

Slower Reaction Time?

Can't reach the sword even if she extend her hand the moment it shoots out?

Then move before the sword is launched.

Don't wait to feel and react.

Move before it even happens.

The sword is launched.

No, the sword hasn't been launched yet.

She can just see its trajectory.

She can sense a future that hasn't yet occurred.

All she need to do is place her hand there.

The exact position.

The precise spot.

'Right now...!'

The girl reached out.

A perilous timing.

She definitely grasped the hilt.

But.

"Ugh...."

It felt like her arm would rip off at any moment.

Agonizing pain surged through her.

Her frail body couldn't withstand the force of the sword.

Just as her hand was about to give out and lose its grip on the sword...

She felt something strange.

Around the sword, she could feel the presence of mana gathering.

...It was the other children.

The other kids were straining to squeeze out what little mana they had to help hold the sword.

But that wasn't all.

Before she knew it, many children had gathered around her.

There was a child using all their strength to hold the hilt with her.

There was even a child holding onto the blade itself, blood dripping from their hands, clinging stubbornly.

They were all combining their strength.

To stop that sword. To prove their resolve.

Soon enough... the seemingly invincible sword lost its power. With a metallic clatter, it fell to the ground.

Her arm felt like it was going to break.

Her legs trembled so much from overexertion that it was hard to stay standing.

But even so.

The girl staggered towards the woman.

It was the natural thing to do.

She had something to say.

Something she had to convey no matter what.

She could feel the woman's face fill with astonishment. But the girl didn't care and approached right up to her.

After being caught and living as a slave for four unlucky years,

After four long years, she smiled brightly as if she was her age again.

The girl declared proudly, more confidently than anyone.

"This is our resolve."

'Don't underestimate our resolve.'

Chapter 44: Prove Your Resolve (6)

You have purchased a total of 450 items including slaves, a corrupted holy sword, elven eyes, and artifacts from the Black Market.

220,000 gold and 240,000 silver will be charged.

......You lack 220,000 imperial gold coins and 240,000 imperial silver coins. The payment cannot be verified.

You have violated the rules of the Black Market.

You have incurred the hostility of the Black Market owner.

GAME OVER. You were killed by the enraged Asher.

...Error occurred.

The forced defeat event cannot be confirmed. The bad ending did not occur.

Character 'Asher, the Archmage's son' cannot be found.

Objects "child corpse A, B, C, D, E" cannot be found.

Error details: Asher died for unknown reasons. The slaves held by Asher were revived for unknown reasons.

...Cannot correct the error.

Child corpses A, B, C, D, E and 25 unnamed slaves have become your allies.

Special Event Occurrence!

Your allies are experiencing an awakening event.

The hypersensory trait of child corpse C evolves into insight.

The insight trait of child corpse C, due to some reason, has reached the state of future vision.

An impossible achievement.

The insight trait holds the possibility to evolve into 'Eyes that Peek into All Things (Legendary)'

The twist of fate is at an immeasurable level.

System overload.

Warning! Advising the user.

Please stop twisting fate any further and accept the predetermined fate.

***

In a situation where Miss Rubia, overly excited, had bolted out of the room, I was left behind, leisurely savoring high-quality tea and a slice of bread spread with sweet jam, while frowning.

It was natural.

Weird characters suddenly appeared in front of my eyes.

'What on earth is this nonsense again?'

The status window had been playing tricks on me in very clever ways until now.

A prime example was when it bombarded me with dozens of messages in less than 0.1 seconds, making it impossible to read them.

'Is it seriously trying to mess with someone?'

I filed a complaint asking it to slow down, and this time, the status window graciously complied with my request.

■■ ■ ■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■, ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■.

The characters were too jumbled to decipher, but at least they were appearing slowly as I had asked.

I could leisurely admire those squares.

Uniform and angular, they were quite pleasing to look at.

"Ha......"

A sigh naturally escaped my lips.

I was thoroughly enjoying my leisurely meal. But somehow, this thing can't stand seeing me in a good mood.

Why on earth is it doing this to me?

'I can accept that it's not helpful.'

It's been like that from the start. It wasn't particularly surprising anymore.

But this was beyond being unhelpful; it was outright trolling.

What did I do to deserve this?

This level of bad luck was unprecedented.

In the end, after staring at those squares for a long while, I gave up and dismissed the message from my view.

I wanted to return it immediately, but that wasn't possible.

'Fine, go ahead and mess with me all you want. I've been doing fine without this crap, and I'll continue to do so.'

Ultimately, all I could do was convince myself of this.

I erased that useless status window from my mind and savored the fragrant tea again.

Maybe because it was expensive, it made me feel at ease.

I couldn't understand why Miss Rubia had left without even finishing half of it.

'Come to think of it, what is Miss Rubia doing right now?'

Naturally, the thought occurred to me.

It seemed like it had been about thirty minutes since she left.

All she had to do was ask the children if they wanted to participate, so why was she taking so long?

It was utterly incomprehensible.

****

Rubia was on the verge of losing her mind.

At first, she only intended to scare them a little.

She wanted to prevent the children from joining the revolutionary organization and getting killed without knowing the dangers.

But somehow, that led to her putting the children through an entrance test.

In the end, Rubia ended up throwing a bizarre test at the children, telling them to block a flying sword.

And the children... they succeeded.

Artifacts.

They boldly blocked such powerful items and passed the test.

They even declared victory with a triumphant smile.

'This is our resolve!' they said, full of pride.

She couldn't wrap her head around the situation.

'Weren't they just ordinary slaves?'

Moreover, how could there already be children among them who could use magic?

And what about that brown-haired girl?

The leader said she was blind, but how could she be blind when she acts like she can see the future?

'No, even setting that aside.'

She couldn't understand the desperation of these children.

Was the leader exuding some sort of drug?

It was seriously suspicious.

They hadn't even spent a few hours together, but in that short time, they had all turned into fanatics.

'Is everyone who gets involved with that leader going to end up like this? Is this going to happen again?'

A foreboding feeling crept over her.

The image of endless fanatics growing in number, with her awkwardly caught in the middle, filled her with dread.

"Unnie?"

It was the brown-haired girl's question that pulled Rubia back to reality from her grim imaginings.

Rubia quickly collected herself and looked the girl in the eyes.

White pupils.

Her pupils were trembling erratically.

She's still just a child.

Earlier, she had declared victory so confidently, but now she seemed a bit nervous.

"Did we... pass the test?"

The girl hesitated for a long time before asking Rubia the question.

Naturally, dozens of eyes focused on Rubia.

Everyone was waiting for her response.

Rubia's head started spinning again.

'What should I do now?'

She had somehow ended up in a situation where she had become the crazy woman declaring trials involving swords to the children.

If she told the truth now?

If she declared that she would lose even in an arm-wrestling match with them?

It would be embarrassing... but that wasn't the main issue.

There were other problems.

Rubia was in a position to lead these children from now on.

Who would trust and follow an idiot who had been forced into such a bizarre situation?

No one would trust or follow her instructions.

As someone who had to manage these children in the future, that was something she had to avoid at all costs.

In the end, Rubia had only one option left.

"The road ahead will be tough."

She said this with as much gravitas as she could muster.

It might have been appropriate for a high-ranking officer in a revolutionary organization shaking the Empire, but for someone nearing thirty, it was rather embarrassing.

"To change this world, you have no choice but to turn it into your enemy."

Her words made her cringe internally.

However, there was no turning back now.

"Are you prepared to walk this path?"

The atmosphere grew heavy instantly.

However, no one gave up.

Everyone nodded, solidifying their resolve.

They declared they were ready to give their lives for the Black Fangs.

"Then, if that's the case..."

With those words, Rubia walked toward the children.

The black robe she had been too tired to take off last night billowed dramatically.

"I, as the third fang of the Black Fangs, accept you."

She had no idea what the third fang was.

It sounded weird to call herself a tooth of the Black Fangs, so she made something up.

She could feel the children's adoring gazes.

...Her blanket tonight was sure to be kicked off countless times.

It was inevitable.

But she was a professional.

She couldn't stop acting just because she was embarrassed.

"Enough with the chatter..."

Rubia looked at the children again.

She held back her blush with superhuman patience.

"Well, I just want to say, let's do our best together!"

She smiled brightly as she said this.

The children's faces lit up instantly.

Thus, Rubia managed to maintain her authority at the cost of her blanket's lifespan.

As she looked at the excited children, she fought back tears.

The strict but kindhearted high-ranking unnie.

She prayed that no one would ever find out she had created and acted out this concept at her age.