As I turned around, I saw a slender boy running toward us. He was holding a naked sword, trying to look like a proper fighter.
Behind him were two others, following closely.
I remembered now. They were the ones who had been crouched in fear behind Filoé earlier. They seemed about the same age as her.
I noticed that all of them looked a little thin. Were they eating properly?
They were quite different from the orphanage children I remembered, just like Filoé, who once lost the will to live.
Had something happened to their teacher…?
“Narg,” Filoé muttered as she looked at the boy with the sword.
She was afraid. The lively sparkle that had been in her eyes just moments ago was now clouded over.
“Hey, Filoé. What’s the big idea? Letting some random old guy snatch away a monster like that. Did you forget what I told you?” the boy shouted.
“I haven’t forgotten. But…”
“Don’t talk back to me! I ordered you to lure the monster, didn’t I? I even went out of my way to speak to you, and you’re still useless! Well… I didn’t expect a huge one like that to show up, but still.”
Whoa, hold on there, kid. That’s quite the attitude.
Wasn’t it you who was trembling in fear at the back earlier?
“You should be grateful, you talentless idiot. The fact that someone as worthless as you gets to be around someone with skills like mine is already amazing. Got that?”
“…”
“Doesn’t look like you do. Looks like I’ll have to teach you a lesson again.”
Filoé’s shoulder trembled.
As I watched the girl’s eyelashes quiver as she stared at the ground, I concluded, “This is beyond just a childish quarrel.”
“Hey, kid. Narg, was it? That’s going too far. She’s from the same orphanage as you, isn’t she?”
“Shut up, you bastard! Get lost, trash! Dirty old man!”
Wow, seriously? What kind of education are they giving at that orphanage?
The extreme reaction left me stunned, my anger momentarily forgotten.
But this kid was serious. His bloodshot eyes and tense shoulders, along with the nervous behavior of the two behind him, made it clear.
“Get away from Filoé right now, you piece of trash. If you don’t, I’ll kill you with my skill, Full-Power Attack. I’ll show you how much stronger I am.”
Hmm. Full-Power Attack, huh?
That’s a basic skill for people with warrior aptitude, something they learn early on.
Basic skills are learned through simple level-ups. So, this Narg kid’s level is probably around five or six.
Even so, if I took a hit from his sword, I wouldn’t get off unscathed.
I was completely baffled by his constant stream of insults. It seems he really didn’t like seeing me with Filoé.
Could it be that he’s head over heels for her?
No, no.
Even if that were the case, using the girl you like as bait for a dangerous monster is a huge red flag.
In my experience, people like him are the first to lose trust and find themselves in dire straits in a party.
“Take this! Skill Full-Power Attack!“
Without hesitation, the boy slashed at me.
I had no choice. I dodged for now, ready to teach him a lesson with a good punch…
“Gifted Skill: Flash Thrust!“
A swift strike and a beautiful blade of light passed just inches from Narg’s body.
The boy himself was unharmed, but his clothes were not so lucky. His raised sword froze mid-swing as his upper and lower garments disintegrated into mere scraps of fabric, falling to the ground.
Next to me, Filoé stood still, holding out a wooden stick.
Was it my imagination, or did her long hair look like it was standing on end?
“Unforgivable.”
Her voice, now filled with intensity, contrasted sharply with how she had sounded before. Her eyebrows drew a sharp angle, and her fierce gaze pierced through Narg.
“I’ve been listening to you insult Isto-san… and ridicule him.”
“W-what…?”
Narg seemed to finally realize what had just happened to him.
His clothes were in tatters. He must have realized that, had things gone differently, it could have been his skin or flesh scattered across the ground. His legs buckled, and he collapsed where he stood.
With the tip of her stick pointed at his forehead, Filoé declared boldly.
“Narg, I will never forgive you! I won’t obey you anymore! I won’t be scared of you!”
“Uwaaahhh… Nooo…”
The shock of being rejected by the girl he liked.
The fear of nearly facing death.
The confusion from the sudden reversal of roles.
The humiliation of having his prized skill completely overpowered.
All of these emotions overwhelmed Narg, and he began to cry openly, snot running from his nose. To make matters worse, he even wet himself.
Truly pitiful.
But Filoé showed no sign of pity, her expression remained harsh.
How much had Narg tormented her? Perhaps this was simply karma at work.
“Isto-san,” Filoé said, still glaring at Narg cautiously.
“Thanks to the example you showed me with Flash Thrust, I now understand that I can use a gifted skill as well. I will use this power for you, Isto-san.”
She declared this with the resoluteness of a knight. Perhaps she had a natural affinity for such a path.
I steeled myself. If Filoé held me in such high regard, I would have to take responsibility.
As her new guardian, I would take her under my wing.
I also needed to talk to the head of the orphanage.
And then there were living expenses, a base of operations… Ugh, just thinking about it made my head feel like it was going to steam, but I’d do my best.
“Oh. The head of the orphanage,” Filoé muttered. Likely alerted by the commotion, the person had rushed outside. The timing was perfect.
As I turned to look at the man emerging from the orphanage, my smile faded. Something felt off.
Was the head of the orphanage always that fat? I remembered him being much leaner.
“Hey, Filoé. Are you sure that’s the head of the Elpida Orphanage?”
“Yes, that’s Mr. Gabi,” she replied.
A different person.
The head I knew must have already left.
The new head—Gabi—arrived, out of breath, and smiled warmly as he addressed me.
“Well, well. What brings you to our Elpida Orphanage today?”
His tone was gentle.
But something felt… wrong.
I wanted to think it was just my imagination, but…
