The rest of the journey I spent thinking about what had happened not long ago. I don't know if it was the night that made me reflect more, or if it was the solitude of the trip that kept me stuck in my own head—maybe both together kept me recalling how I had just killed other human beings. I look at my hands again and let out a sigh.

I don't feel guilty for killing those people; their bloodlust toward a child was enough to tell me this wasn't the first time. They had surely murdered many others before. They were nothing but scum of society that deserved to die. What feels strange is simply that it was the first time I killed another human being.

Thanks to Glia I managed to feel better. Her voice in my mind helped me not to judge myself solely by my actions. It had been a case of "me or them," and I simply survived because I was stronger. "It's better that I killed them." In the end, I reached that conclusion—if I had left them alive, they might have killed more people. I just put an end to that filth.

My Frozen Core helped me think things through; I'm always grateful for my mental ability. It doesn't just keep my thoughts clear during battle and dull the pain of wounds, it also helps me in moments like this, when my mind could otherwise become clouded.

I detect a monster ahead and send my small Joyeuses to pierce it; the poor beast dies without knowing what struck it. The blades return to me as soon as they finish the job. Keeping them with me at all times had made it easy to deal with those bandits. On this dark night they're hard to detect and serve well as a surprise attack.

The sun begins to rise, and with its rays I can see the city of Marril in the distance. The journey really did take less than a day. I slow down, watching how the sunlight gradually illuminates everything, a beautiful view from the driver's seat.

This time I decide to enter through the commoners' gate. I could avoid trouble by going through the noble entrance, but I want to see the city waking up. The first thing I see is a pair of old women walking, carrying what looks like bags of sweets.

"Good morning, do you need help?" I stop beside them. At first they're confused by my sudden offer, but after a bit of talking they accept. On the way to the city center where they sell their sweets, they tell me about their lives.

They're sisters and live with their older brother, who worked tirelessly for decades to put food on the table. But recently he fell ill with a severe cold, and that's why they've come out to sell candy—to cover the cost of medicine.

"If you're looking for work, you can come to my villa and ask for a position." They don't quite understand at first, so I explain the situation slowly. It takes several minutes to convince them—older folks can be stubborn about their ideas.

By the end of the day they'll go to my house to request employment. The head butler will handle the paperwork and find a role for all three. What they don't know yet is that I'll also instruct him to buy proper medicine for their brother. Anyone who worked for decades to support his family deserves the best treatment I can provide within my means.

I know how to use Life mana, but I don't know how it would work against a common cold. Sometimes medicine is better; magic is more suited for physical injuries.

"Should I build a home for the elderly on my family's land?" I'll need to discuss it with my family and with the Baron first. Next to our property in Marril there's a small forest; perhaps I could get permission to build there, so as not to use our occupied land.

When I arrive, I'm greeted by the elderly couple I helped months ago. They look happy in their new jobs as watchmen/caretakers. I ask about their work: they just patrol the property's perimeter, cleaning weeds and litter while keeping an eye on things. They even have a button to alert security if needed.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

They're happy with the job. The walking keeps them active, the light cleaning isn't tiring, and Marril is a safe city anyway. At least they have a way to call for help if something happens.

"Good morning, how's everything, Tom?" I meet the head butler as I enter the house. We catch up on how things have been these past months, and apparently everything is in order.

I tell him about the three new hires. For now there's no problem, but he points out the difficulties of bringing in more elderly workers—there aren't enough tasks in the household, and some are reluctant to accept charity.

"I'll think of a solution. If you find one, let me know." Tom is right. If I manage to get approval for a home, I'll need to ensure it runs on its own. In the future, I won't always have time to check on it myself.

I take a bath, get dressed, and sit down for breakfast before heading to the Solar family mansion. I'll use the visit to ask the heads of the noble house some questions. I can't get my mind off potential businesses I could start. This world is so different from mine—magic has outpaced technology, and people rely less on their minds to invent new advances.

I have revolutionary ideas, but the problem is: I lack the technical knowledge. I don't know how to build a smartphone, a washing machine, a television—nothing like that.

All the way to the Solar mansion, I keep thinking of possible businesses. None seem viable yet; all my ideas are impossible without technological knowledge. Maybe I need to change my focus.

I stop my thoughts at the mansion's door. Time to focus on other matters. A servant guides me to the Baron's study. I knock, and a voice grants permission to enter.

"Hello Uncle Camux, how have you been all this time?" I approach, and we share a firm embrace.

"Good, Maki. Things have been improving these past months. How have you and your family been?" I tell him a bit about our situation, and we spend a while talking about family matters before calming down. Then I bring up my request.

"Uncle, I want to ask you something." I explain my idea about building a home for the elderly near my family's land, about giving out jobs, and all the related details. He stares at me the whole time without a word, just listening until I finish.

"Yes, Maki, you can build a home in that small forest." His confirmation makes me sigh in relief. "I can't deny a request that is purely a good deed. I must indulge the Hero of Azurri Village." Hero of Azurri Village? I did help in the invasion, but I wasn't the only one—everyone fought.

My face must have twisted oddly because my uncle bursts out laughing. "That's how they know you in Azurri. Or maybe you prefer your other nickname: The Fearless Boy." I feel embarrassed at both. I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to digest these ridiculous titles.

"Why do they call me that? I wasn't the hero, everyone helped—even you, Uncle." Now I can't even imagine visiting that village without feeling awkward if they start calling me that.

My uncle laughs harder. "You're a hero to them, Maki. Everyone might have died if you hadn't been there. Don't worry—they don't know your identity. Only a few saw you run into that tide of monsters without fear. That's why they call you their hero."

I let out a sigh, accepting reality. "Nothing to do about it. At least I can still visit as long as they don't know who I am." It feels good to be recognized for my actions, though it feels even better when you're not overwhelmed by attention.

"By the way, something happened on the road…" I tell him about the attempted robbery and murder, since the route is shared between our territories. My father and uncle need to be aware. I explain what it felt like to kill someone for the first time.

"First, thank you for dealing with it. We've received some reports of robberies lately. Apparently it was a small band that moved into that area. At least now there are three fewer scumbags." So others had nearly died—or had died—because of them. That makes me feel more at peace with what I did. "Don't worry too much about killing, Maki. When you grow older you realize some people simply don't deserve to live. Just be careful not to cross the line between killing out of necessity and killing for pleasure." His face is deadly serious, which is unusual.

"I've known you long enough—you're mature, Maki. You'll never cross that line. You were raised by great parents and a wonderful grandmother, and in the future Sol will be by your side to remind you." His smile turns mischievous, and I feel my ears burn red at the last part.

"Thank you, Uncle. I really appreciate your words. By the way, where's Sol?" I haven't seen her yet. Surely the servants already spread the news of my arrival, and still she hasn't come.

"She left for Primaver a few days ago. Arisa asked her for help with some preparations for the party." So that's why. I'll see both of them together when I arrive in Primaver tomorrow.

"I see. By the way, Uncle, I need to ask Aunt Liza something. Is she here?" The Baron points me toward her office, and we say our goodbyes. He's busy, after all—being the head of a noble house always keeps you occupied.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.