Chapter 5

After legally obtaining supplies at the bald man’s shop, we returned to the shantytown near the garbage dump.

Perhaps because the large bundles we two were carrying are not something one often sees around here, everyone—whether it’s the emaciated man sitting by the road, the grimy children, or even those hiding their eyes—were all staring at us.

Right as that gaze began to make me slightly uncomfortable, Sita and Mili stopped their steps. And before me appeared a ramshackle house.

Its windows were covered with several layers of wood and tightly wrapped in cloth, bluntly demonstrating the almost non-existent law and order of the Outlands as well as the life these two had led—without sparing any details.

“Here?”

“Yes. Sorry, it’s not… a very clean building.”

“That’s fine. As long as there’s a roof, it’ll do.”

“…Let’s go in quickly.”

Perhaps also nervous about the surrounding gazes, Sita glanced around threateningly before entering first. Mili followed afterward.

Inside the house was small and lacking in many ways, yet it was adequately furnished with its own set of furniture and supplies.

Chairs made from signposts, storage boxes repurposed from ammunition crates, wooden tableware… Compared to the life Fangju led as depicted in the AOE or the one I lived in Korea, it was undeniably bleak. But given that I had faced tough times as a child myself, I didn’t feel any repulsion.

To begin with, I hadn’t reincarnated as the son of a tycoon or noble, and simply securing a place where I wouldn’t get rained on was already good luck.

“Hmph…”

While I was lost in thought, Sita and Mili lowered the bundles into the center of the building.

Sita, soaked in sweat and clearly exhausted, was in stark contrast to Mili who looked as if she hadn’t even been carrying anything, despite having carried both the items and me.

So strength really does exist, huh?

“E-excuse me…”

“Hmm?”

Mili looked at me cautiously as I turned my head toward her.

“S-shall I help you down? Or-”

“Yeah, I’ll get down.”

“O-okay.”

With Mili’s help, I slid off her back and sat down immediately.

“I’ll turn on the light.”

“Um, yeah. I’ll check the windows and door.”

The two naturally split their tasks.

A small light appeared in the dark room, and Mili covered the wall nails with cloth to prevent anyone outside from peering in.

On the other side, Sita slumped down on the floor while Mili sat close to me carefully.

As if by mutual consent, silence followed. After catching her breath for a while, Sita looked at the bundle and then turned her head toward me.

“Even though we’ve done as we were told, is it really okay?”

“Are you worried?”

“…Because we are the rats, aren’t we?”

An answer loaded with multiple meanings, but Edu shook her head in disapproval.

“You don’t need to belittle yourselves like that.”

“What?”

“You both have names—Mili and Sita. The term ‘rats’ is just a lowly word others use to look down on you and make you feel inferior.”

“But…”

Somewhere in their reaction lay incomprehension. Of course, Edu also knew that a single word wouldn’t heal the long-standing wounds in their hearts.

“Then, what have you brought?”

In an attempt to naturally shift topics, Edu asked the aforementioned question. Mili responded first upon hearing it.

“That’s right.”

Mili unwrapped the bundle, revealing clothes, a few tools, and a package of something roughly wrapped.

“What’s that?”

“It’s jelly bread.”

“…???”

Jelly and bread? I tilted my head in confusion over the mismatched combination. On the opposite side, Sita also unwrapped her own bundle.

“…I have this.”

The contents were similar, clothes, tools, and a few appliances at a glance. However, the three dark lumps of metal stacked up at the top of the bundle drew one’s attention.

Though crude, resembling scrap metal and screws roughly processed, their overall structure unmistakably took the form of guns.

“Huh? Are those guns?”

“Yes.”

“Did you need weapons?”

“Yes, because the master will soon go to the Fangju, if we’re to protect ourselves, we’ll need something like this…”

“Hmm?”

Confused by my furrowing brow, Sita seemed taken aback.

“Um, isn’t that right?”

“Not quite. While it’s true I’ll go to the Fangju, it feels like you two are staying here.”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Hmm?”

“Isn’t it?”

The conversation crossed paths, but Edu had no intention of giving up the vehicle she’d only just warmed up to. It’s also safer to have fewer people aware of her weaknesses.

“Nope, I’m taking you two with me to the Fangju.”

“G-goodness me?!”

Mili’s startled question echoed, clearly indicating that the suggestion of bringing them into the Fangju came as an unexpected surprise.

“Yeah, as long as you both don’t mind accompanying me… What do you think?”

“We don’t mind!”

“Me, me too!”

Before the question was even fully voiced, Sita and Mili responded.

Though there was no real pressure from my end, Edu detected a sense of desperation and anxiety in the glances directed at her, causing a slight twinge of guilt.

…Should I comfort them with a stronger word this time?

“Don’t worry so much; I didn’t bring you this far just to abandon you.”

After hearing this, the urgency and fear disappeared from Mili and Sita’s faces. But there was still a question lingering in Sita’s expression.

“Sita? Something on your mind?”

“No, it’s not… not a big deal.”

Startled, Sita waved her hands dismissively. Yet, the very act indicates that there was indeed something she was contemplating.

“If it’s something I can reveal, I’ll tell you. Go ahead.”

“Um… I’m just curious.”

“Curious?”

“Yes, why are you helping us so much?”

“Hm.”

As Edu briefly glanced in Mili’s direction, Mili appeared to share the same sentiment and nodded in agreement.

Given their perspective, I suppose I probably look like a prince on a white horse who suddenly appeared and has been guiding them.

Despite being grateful for the assistance, it’s an entirely understandable source of curiosity.

To be honest, the primary reason I reached out to these two was due to the negative attributes—my physical incapabilities being far more severe in AOE than expected. But that wasn’t the entire reason.

The other, more significant reason is that I had a thought of preemptively establishing allies who could cover for a Summoner’s weaknesses.

In AOE, Summoners are characters who manage a large troop of summons in combat, functioning in a commander style.

However, maintaining summoned creatures requires a continuous drain on MP, which is why most Summoners do not keep summons active outside of combat.

The problem is that summoners in non-combat situations are far more vulnerable than those in other roles.

Certainly, there were Summoners who always brought one or two summoned creatures along to prepare for such vulnerabilities, but this was inefficient, to say the least.

So, in AOE, I used to complement the Summoner’s weaknesses by always bringing along both melee and ranged characters who could immediately enter combat to cover the notorious warm-up time Summoners often experienced.

The problem is I can’t just straightforwardly express this. I need to say it in a way that they’ll both understand and find reassuring, but my way with words is…

Eh, damn it.

“To be honest, I had already planned to welcome you two as comrades.”

“Excuse me? Us… as comrades?”

“Yep, you two have proven your abilities here in the Outlands by surviving and growing on your own, and you haven’t lived a life like that bald man, right?”

“…”

“…Isn’t that right?”

“Ahh… yes, that’s right.”

Possibly emboldened by the second questioning, Mili responded in a small voice.

“Exactly, I need strong comrades like you. We have bigger things to accomplish ahead.”

“What bigger thing do you intend to do…?”

“Of course, it’s correcting the wrongs of this Fangju and, might as well, saving the world.”

Cough, has my robotic enthusiasm already dipped? My words are coming out all wrong again.

“Really?”

“The world…?”

Sita and Mili looked at me in surprise, and then their faces lit up with laughter.

“Hehe. What’s this ‘might as well’ business? And isn’t it usually the other way around?”

“Setting overly ambitious goals usually leads to unnecessary exhaustion, so this world-saving business is just a bonus.”

“…Do you really believe you can save it?”

“Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have uttered such an embarrassing statement.”

While I may seem like a child with lofty ambitions and the world-saving talk may sound like a bedtime story that kicks me awake, it’s an essential part of the goal if we’re aiming for a happy ending. Hence, there’s no plan to back away.

Though ambitious goals can harm one’s mental health, so let’s call it a bonus.

“An amazing person…”

“Hmm?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

A small voice drifted over, and Edu turned to see Mili frantically shaking her head in denial.

“Ah? Anyway, here’s the reason. Will you lend me your strength?”

“We may not be very useful, but… yes.”

“I’ll work hard!”

“Good, then Sita, Mili, let’s cooperate from now on.”

After saying this, Edu extended a closed fist. After some hesitation, Sita and Mili mimicked the motion, and soon their fists lightly collided in mid-air.

Following this rather simple ceremony, it was Sita who spoke first.

“So, what’s the next move?”

“Hmm, we should visit the Academy.”

The Academy – Starry Dawn.

The single educational institution in Fangju and a powerful group aimed at reclaiming the earth, also serving as the main stage for AOE events, and thus a place we must visit.

“Academy?”

“Can we… go there too?”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

The Academy, as a stage for AOE events, is in poor condition and its influence within the Fangju has significantly dwindled, necessitating some preparation for this.

Moreover, if we’re enrolling anyway, aiming for impact might yield benefits and privileges over enrolling as an ordinary student.

With that thought in mind, I announced to Mili and Sita.

“So, let’s head to the Explorer’s Guild tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“T-the Explorer’s Guild?”

…

In the Outlands, there is a section densely built with buildings called the Ruins Belt.

This area, nestled right against the wall, boasts a few tall buildings not seen elsewhere in the Outlands, a rare district that truly lives up to the term urban.

Among the neatly lined buildings, a man rushed into a particularly splendid one in haste.

“Boss, Boss!”

Without a pause, the man climbed the stairs and violently swung open the door. Beyond it sat a young man, lounging in a chair with an air of ease.

“What’s gotten you all ruffled up?”

Slipping down his sunglasses, the young man named “Boss” irately spoke.

“Haven’t I told you repeatedly? In this business, it’s all about image and guts. When there are eyes watching, actions like-”

“Boss! This isn’t the time! You know that bald merchant, right?”

The man’s sentence was cut off before he finished, causing the young man who was filing his nails to halt his movements, likely sensing something amiss, but he did not interrupt.

“Did someone mess with the one who knows how to deal with rats?”

“Exactly, the bald merchant was robbed by someone!”

“What? The bald one got robbed?”

The young man, who had been answering indifferently, adjusted his posture after hearing that sentence.

“Yeah, Boss.”

“Wasn’t that bald man dealing in weapons too? What kind of guy is that?”

A basis for why merchants can wield power in the Outlands, one of the reasons is their possession of real force.

Thus, it was incomprehensible to this young man that someone could steal from someone who possessed such force while they had their eyes open.

“Apparently, it’s an Awakened person from Fangju!”

“Huh? An Awakened person?”

“Yeah, Boss.”

After hearing this, the young man lapsed into silence for a moment before slowly raising his sunglasses. The gleam in his eyes was filled with greed and desire.

“…You don’t understand, that rat dealer does everything well. Get everyone together and go find information on this so-called Awakened person now. Check with the bald one too.”

“Yes, Boss!”

The man responded with a crisp salute and exited the room. The young man left alone, known as “Boss,” lightly smiled as he tapped his fingers on the table.

“An Awakened person… can’t just let fortune knock and walk away, can we?”