Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: A Character with Autonomy
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A sharp stone had smashed into the back of his head, but it lacked the force to do real damage.
Blood trickled down, but even at a glance, it didn't look like a serious wound.
I suddenly resented Rie for hitting that attack option.
My hand trembled around the stone.
What now? If I dropped to my knees and begged forgiveness right away, would he accept it? It wasn't like I wanted to do it. My body had just moved on its own, against my will.
If I came clean and bowed my head, maybe he'd let it slide?
My legs shook.
As I staggered back, the guy came charging at me, his flesh jiggling with every heavy step.
I didn't have time to figure out what was happening and make a judgment call.
"I'll chop off your limbs and sell you to some cheap brothel!"
The Pig bellowed something repulsive as he lunged to grab me.
Begging and admitting I was wrong didn't seem like it would work.
And fighting? No way I could win.
So there was only one thing I could do right now.
I whipped around and bolted.
No matter how frail this body was, everything was relative. If I was determined to run, that lump of fat couldn't keep up.
[...You attacked first, so why run?]
Why run? Hearing that from the culprit behind all this made something boil up from deep in my chest, but I barely held it back.
My emotions surged, my breathing grew ragged in an instant, and as my breath faltered, my lungs squeezed like they were in a vise.
"Haa... haaak......"
Clutching my chest, I tried to flee as far as possible.
Everyone who saw me scowled like I was something filthy and stepped aside, letting me escape more easily than expected.
[Is it because of the trait I gave you?]
Trait... huh.
Something flashed in my mind.
Hiding in a dank alley, I recalled something that just might work.
'Status Window'
"...Huh."
I hadn't been sure it'd work, but it did.
I calmly began reviewing what I had.
You are a filthy orphan in the slums—no one takes kindly to you making your presence known or strutting about boldly. To avoid those hateful stares and the suffering they bring, you have learned to walk in silence.
Silent Steps came with that kind of backstory.
Setting aside how pathetic the description was, being able to walk without making a sound seemed surprisingly useful.
Next up...
Constant abuse and torment have made you exude a gloomy aura.
This aura, beyond your control, gives people every reason to shun and despise you.
A completely useless trait.
Was that why everyone had avoided me while I was running?
Moving on for now.
B-rank.
This must be the perk from Rie's Ultimate Eternal Package.
If the character feels intense resistance to the player's command, it will not carry out the order properly.
"...What?"
All the trait descriptions up to now had referred to "you" while narrating my story, but this one suddenly mentioned "character" and "player" directly.
I bit my lip and sank into thought for a moment.
Something was definitely off.
[I told it to fight, but it just hunkered down in a corner... Is it a bug? Should I delete and remake it?]
Rie's voice jolted me to my feet.
It was probably just a casual remark from her, but to me, it sounded chilling.
I had no idea what deleting and remaking a character would do to me.
If deleting the character sent me back to reality, I'd gladly let her do it.
But watching her, an unfounded terror crept in—that deleting the character would kill me too.
I knew she'd really delete and restart if I just sat here frozen, so I decided to move first.
Since I'd smashed that swaggering Pig with a rock, I needed to at least escape this shantytown to be safe.
The problem was, even if I got out, I had no clue where to go.
I didn't even know why I had to go through this crap.
I felt wronged and furious, but I clearly understood what I had to do.
Move.
Anywhere—just keep moving to pique Rie's interest.
[Ooh... it's moving... But where's it going? You guys don't know either?]
Ignoring the voice, I picked a direction and kept walking to escape the shantytown.
No matter which way, sticking to one path had to lead to the end—and it did.
There was one gate out of the shantytown, guarded by two soldiers gripping spears.
As I approached cautiously, one looked down at me and pinched his nose.
"...What."
"Could I possibly pass through?"
"You got a pass?"
"......Huh."
Was there such a thing?
I rummaged through the pockets of my threadbare clothes, but all that came out was a tiny dead bug.
I had nothing.
Not even pants—just a top, and no shoes, so I'd been trudging through filth barefoot.
I'd thought the stench was from the street muck, but as I neared the gate where things were cleaner, I realized it was coming from me.
"No pass, no passage. Just seeing you slum rats makes the citizens uneasy and disgusted. You need a pass proving you won't cause trouble in the streets."
"...How do I get a pass?"
"Even the slums have a Management Office. Buy one there."
"......Sigh."
My mood sank.
I'd have to buy a pass to get through.
If I had money, I wouldn't have been sleeping on filth-strewn streets.
Plus, whatever "tribute" or whatever—I figured the Pig had taken every coin I earned anyway.
I didn't know the full situation, but I could piece it together.
I was a beggar.
Not just any beggar—an orphan beggar.
Suddenly, time froze again.
Cold sweat broke out at the familiar sensation.
What nonsense choices this time? And which insane one would Rie pick?
1. Talk.
2. Go back.
3. Attack.
[I wanna try attacking again... but with that Autonomy trait, it won't listen if I do something too weird... Let's just go with the safe option and talk.]
Talk. <
Thank goodness—really, thank goodness—she picked the most reasonable option.
Against my will, my mouth moved, and a frail voice I could hardly believe was mine came out.
"I don't have any money... but do you have any work for me?"
"Work...?"
The guard stared at me for a long moment, then tsked and jerked his chin toward the ground.
"How about cleaning? We sweep around here every day, but the slums have no sense of hygiene, so it gets filthy again in no time—real headache."
He seemed annoyed but was giving me a serious response.
"I'll do it!"
"I'm warning you upfront—the pay's not much."
"I'll still do it!"
[The guards are nice too? Giving the kid some work?]
Tell me about it.
For the first time, Rie and I agreed.
In a world like this, the default for a grubby girl reeking of gloomy aura begging for work would be to ignore or chase her off—but they'd listened to my troubles and even given me a job.
I flashed a bright smile and answered eagerly, so one of the guards went inside the gate and returned with cleaning tools, handing them over.
I accepted them with a deep bow of thanks.
"If it's not spotless, no pay—got it?"
"Yes!"
With the Pig guy working near the gate, he couldn't touch me here.
Earn money, stay safe—things were going better than expected, but thinking of my situation plunged me into gloom again.
The very fact that this was happening to me was infuriating.
Gripping the broom, I swept up the filth.
Splat! Fresh muck landed right where I'd just cleaned.
I looked up, and a second-floor window was open—someone had dumped their waste out of it.
"Fucking hell."
Even a quick glance screamed medieval—no proper hygiene or cleanliness in sight.
The injustice brought tears to my eyes.
I wiped them with my sleeve and kept sweeping.
By the time blisters burst on my hands and my legs wobbled like jelly, the job was done. I returned the tools to the guard and received two Copper Coins.
I had no idea exactly how much that was worth, but I could tell it was a pittance.