The Back Alleys' People (2)
During my operator days, I had a quiet and passive vibe, but seeing him shout with such a loud voice now...
'Edith has eaten me.'
Edith's personality is fiercer, so it seems I've been devoured.
As far as I know, Marigold was one year older than me...
'Operator list. Marigold.'
Marigold's operator personal record: Reliability 50 and above is unlocked.
Type: Sniper - Spirit Archer
Health: 720 / 720 (normal)
Attack: Physical, 300 (normal)
Defense: 110 (normal)
Resistance: 10 (normal)
Against humans: Anti-air, 1 person
Return: normal
Cost: 12
Rate of fire: fast
First trait. Fairy Eye
10% chance when attacking to increase attack power by 150% and stun the enemy for 0.2 seconds.
First skill. Overdrive
Auto activation
Initial mana 0
Mana consumption 15
Duration 10 seconds
The next attack changes to 3-shot burst, and each shot deals 105% of the attack power in physical damage.
'What is this?'
On the window, it was [3★ Hood - Marigold] not [5★ New Dawn - Marigold].
Is there a case where star rarity grows as one grows up but can drop?
'Aging, illness, permanent injury. If it drops to 3★, is it a serious injury that loses the trait?'
In the illustration, the reason for wearing the mask seemed to be because of going blind.
'Then, Marigold lost the [Fairy Eye] for some reason and her star rarity dropped to 3★?'
"Marigold, you weren't told not to open your eyes that wide. Eric oppa needs to know about this poisonous thing."
"No! Eric oppa says my eyes are pretty!?"
The person speaking as Eric oppa is the [Guardian] operator [3★ Iron Wall - Eric].
'So Eric might be 3★ or higher?'
Eric had prosthetic arms on both sides, so maybe not prosthetics now.
Just in case, checked the operator list, but there was still no change regarding Eric.
'I have to check with my own eyes.'
"Someone said my eyes with bugs in them are pretty."
"Hey! You don't say even one word!?"
"Hmph. Who started the fight first."
Jade-like eyes with butterfly-shaped pupils.
Every time blinking, like wings fluttering... honestly pretty eyes.
'Edith's tongue is amazing, calling it eyes with bugs in them...'
While lost in thought, the fight between the two women was intensifying.
A scene like lightning striking without any mana flow visible.
"Alright, you two stop fighting."
Of course, from the conversation, Edith was losing unilaterally.
Since it might turn into a fight, I grabbed Edith's hand and headed toward the restaurant.
"Let's go. Edith. We need to eat lunch."
"Hey. Hand...!"
"My wrist is properly grabbed."
"But...!"
Edith's strength was stronger, but pulling was with momentum.
***
'After all that, not buying? Really.'
Seeing Kane and Edith heading to the restaurant, I was dumbfounded.
Still, heat in my head, fanning with a hand fan to cool it, sighed deeply.
"Hah... I have to endure it..."
"Marry, what are you doing here?"
Familiar voice, turned back, Eric oppa was there.
Slightly sweaty hair, muscles felt under the shirt.
The heat that raised even to the hair now flushed in a different meaning.
"Have a cold? Face is red."
"Hup... Eric, that's, um, together, that, lunch."
Unique gentleness and innocent appearance.
The charm that gaps with the body, the simple 'let's go eat lunch' didn't come out properly.
"Ah... let's go eat lunch? Has time become that already...?"
"Time to eat soon. Hehe."
"Go to the city? Or poorhouse?"
"To the city."
If I meet Edith, that blissful feeling would vanish.
'One day I'll make her pay...'
***
"Everyone's here, let go...!"
"Will I?"
Since no words on the way, good.
Entering the bustling restaurant full of orphans, warm soup smell.
Looking at the innermost table, Mor and Mote lying on it.
"Surprisingly fast!"
"Headband not buying, huh."
Both had dejected expressions looking at Kane.
"I'll buy it, so don't worry."
"Yahoo~"
"V."
Edith's gaze looking at me with a confused expression about headband.
Naturally, went among the little ones and stroked their heads.
"Little ones, what are we having for lunch today?"
"Soup, bread, and cultured sausage! There's beans in the soup."
"Carrots too!"
"Without beans and carrots, right?"
"..."
"..."
"I said not to be picky. Mor, Mote?"
"Tasteless..."
"Carrots are gross."
In such minor scolding, I stepped back and watched.
Reason: thought about the flower sister... no, Marigold.
'Marigold. Hmm...'
One reason I didn't know she was from the poorhouse was because her appearance in my memory and in the game were too different.
'Covering the entire face with a mask, how could I know.'
Like a 3★ character, has skills but no traits, hard to use.
If early story, but in later, can't use at all.
'Some tactics use for early wave, but not main.'
With [operator personal record], can know when accident happened, but without reliability, not reliable.
'Skill and trait look like almost 5★ drop, but how...'
Most likely victim of nightmare manifestation or sacrifice for nightmare lord.
If body part with mana, nightmare bishop can eye it.
In story, mad group causing large terror for 'holy blood'.
But not half fairy eye for eye.
Can summon up to [urban legend] level nightmare using fairy eye.
'So... victim of [nightmare manifestation]...'
Nightmare manifestation is phenomenon based on local fear.
Fear from folklore and legends becoming physical.
Fog killer, lake monster, headless knight, apocalypse white dragon etc.
In Britannica, among [urban legend] level incidents, the private citizen serial killing incident is famous.
'From hell Mr. Lusk.'
Fog night killer.
Appeared as humanoid enemy, stealth, jump, conditional ultimate, difficult elite monster.
'Stealth alone makes it easy...'
But the problem is I can do it alone.
Operators with stealth detection can't meet now, and without me, if accident, 3★.
'Not 6★ is a pity, but where are the 5★ powers. Have to do with mind to save people.'
Even if distant contact with Kane, same poorhouse, unchanged.
Lost in thought, received soup, bread, sausage and sat down.
"Thinking long since when?"
"Details about the signal flag operation I mentioned in the room earlier?"
'Skill copy. Hero's cultivator.'
Mumbling to change skill. Now turn to head.
Replaced trait is one of passive skills from [6★ Hero's Mentor - Kaelon].
[First skill. Mercury Veil
Always active
Initial mana -
Mana consumption -
Attack +50%, defense, resistance +10%.
Hero's cultivator (afterimage): Within attack range, all stats +2(-18)% effect for allies, when ally's HP below 30%, max +4(-36)% buff applied.
Unlike inherent traits, skills are a type of experienced technique.
Countless tactical knowledge from [Kaelon] began to be engraved in head.
"So how is the signal flag operation planned?"
"Since only the two of us can do limited, preparing for later, thinking about about 6 people."
"6 people? You, me, flower sister, Eric oppa. Other kids are too young..."
"Mor and Mote are also thinking."
"Hmm... including Mor and Mote?"
There is 2 years of grace period, so can raise to usable level within that.
'Not learning from Robert, so growth won't be that much...'
5★ Marigold and Eric will be about that level.
"Since not trying to use right now."
"Looking long term."
"Correct."
"But weren't you trying to learn tactics to use in training? The other 4 aren't even training?"
"Why do you think we are training?"
"Answer question with question?"
"Wow!"
Got arm hit again by Edith.
This time, real bone break feeling.
"Exaggeration is... um... yeah. Didn't think of that..."
"Maybe dangerous thing might happen in near future. Training is focused on survival and combat."
"Indeed... but why only the two of us?"
"Well. That needs to be thought later."
I know the answer, but Edith doesn't.
Not necessary to tell, and knowing doesn't prepare.
"Our talents are outstanding?"
"Maybe?"
Edith, rival to final boss, and me with charisma trait.
Two people pulling up the poorhouse average.
Charisma character's tragedy.
"Formation will mix numbers and letters. First..."
"I don't know letters."
"Ah."
Right. Our orphans?
Where to start teaching...