The Beginning of the Memory

My school days.

The world of memories usually begins with the catalyst of an event that reveals how a person’s personality was formed. However, looking at this scene, it didn’t seem like the fundamental catalyst for understanding his essence.

Kaits said indifferently.

"No, seriously, pfft. That’s, that’s so funny~"

In contrast, Raeband was holding her stomach, laughing hysterically. The Scholar watched Drae without much reaction.

"Ugh. Ugh. Ah, damn. That hit the bone, fuck."

"Fuck? Fuck?"

"Yeah! That’s right! Fuck. Fuck!"

It was truly like Yeodre to not stop his mouth even while getting beaten up.

"So you were a loser in your school days~ That’s a rare case among Outsiders, isn't it?"

It was certainly a rare case. Usually, Outsiders were people called to Elynar because they were recognized for some 'talent' or 'aptitude.' While original Elynarians shouldn't know about parallel worlds, the Hero's party, including Raeband, had observed many worlds thanks to the power of a singularity named Kaits. And among them, there had been no one this much of a loser.

"Pfft!"

Raeband mocked him once more, wondering if he was really the same person as that bastard who had been angry at her before.

And then.

"..."

Though he seemed as emotionless as usual, it was clear he was rarely angry. Raeband quickly shut her mouth.

"Still, for someone getting beaten, he’s avoiding the vital points quite well, isn't he? Or am I wrong?"

"It’s clumsy, isn't it?"

Raeband replied to the Scholar’s words. This time, it wasn't sarcasm, but pure fact. Even while being beaten, he was desperately avoiding dangerous vital points, but it was so clumsy that he was barely missing them.

"No, it’s not that it’s clumsy, it’s that he’s doing it on purpose..."

Kaits started to say something but closed his mouth. He felt it was useless to say it out loud.

"Raeband. It seems we started from the scene where Yeodre is being lynched because of your hostility. From now on, restrain your emotions."

"Yes, sir."

This memory space is influenced by the emotions of those peeking into the memories. Also, it is not necessary for all entrants to see the same memory; each can scatter to see memories of different times. This is because some creatures live for thousands of years, so they must collect information efficiently.

Raeband thought there would be no need to go through such trouble this time.

"I guess there's no need to move separately this time. It’s like, the past is clearly visible, isn't it?"

"We are moving."

Immediately after Kaits finished speaking, the world shattered with a crack, and the scenery changed. The people who had been lynching Yeodre were gone, and the space had changed into a spacious interior. They had arrived at a memory from before the lynching. This place was...

"A dojo?"

It was Raeband’s words. As she said, this place looked like a dojo. A space with nothing but a polished wooden floor. There were no exercise machines, decorations, or people, so it might not have been a dojo. But Kaits was certain that this quiet, unique atmosphere was that of a dojo.

"Hmm."

It wasn't that there was no one. There was a boy lying spread-eagled in the middle of the dojo. It was Yeodre, with almost no difference in appearance from now.

"Ah... this is tough..."

The mutter dissolved into the air in vain.

"I’m gonna die..."

Seeing him continue to grumble even though there was no one to listen, Raeband laughed, "Pfft," but quickly checked Kaits’s expression. Sure enough, Kaits was frowning, and Raeband cleared her throat and decided to be careful with her mouth.

"I should just hurry up and hand over this damn dojo..."

While grumbling, he got up and started mopping again. Raeband said:

"Shall we fast-forward?"

"No. We watch."

"Eek."

This space supports fast-forwarding and rewinding. Raeband wanted to skip this scene that was obviously going to be boring, but Kaits stopped her, and Yeodre really just cleaned in a mundane fashion.

"This is boring."

"Raeband. Stop whining."

"Aren't you bored ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠too, Scholar?"

"......"

The Scholar did not answer. Yeodre, having finished cleaning, stood up, stretched his back with a groan, tidied up the cleaning tools, and walked somewhere.

Picking up the bag he had left against the wall, Yeodre looked at the wall above the bag. He had thought there were no decorations, but there was exactly one. It was someone’s photograph. However, perhaps because Yeodre’s subconscious didn't want to show it, the light reflected off it, making the face invisible. The only thing visible was the large text written under the photo.

"Pwahaha! Kya-hahahaha!"

Raeband burst out again. It wasn't just a chuckle; she was roaring with laughter. She thought, "What’s so great about a guy who gets beaten up by thugs to be writing something like that?"

"I’ll be back."

He said it in a truly mundane tone and left the dojo. The door opened, and the outside world was visible. Seeing the building’s condition was quite old, she thought it might be on the outskirts of the city, but unexpectedly, it was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠close to the city center. Drae walked silently with his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing special so far."

"...I suppose so."

Kaits replied, and the Scholar glanced at his expression. The memories of a hero are always supposed to be spectacular. Although it was too early to judge, the Scholar thought this memory would not satisfy Kaits. Because no matter how he looked at it, it was just the daily life of an ordinary male student.

"But why can't we hear Yeodre’s voice?"

"It seems his subconscious is rejecting it."

In the world of memories, the owner of the memory—that is, Yeodre—would often show more detailed scenes than what he remembered, such as what he was thinking at the time. But now, Yeodre’s voice could not be heard.

Just then.

"Argh, argh!"

"St-stand. You son of a bitch. Stand straight."

"Ah! Argh! Argh! Ugh...!"

"Huh? You won't stand? You won't stand?"

In a dark alley about 15 meters away from the walking Drae, a small male student with glasses was being beaten by a large, obviously delinquent male student. Judging by his uniform, which was different from Yeodre’s, he seemed to be a student from another school. Seeing the boy being beaten, a few guys were giggling, and one was holding a wallet, counting banknotes one, two, three.

Yeodre stopped for a moment at that sight. He took his phone out of his pocket. Three button tones rang, and not long after, the other party answered the call.

"Is this the police station? There’s a high school boy being beaten here..."

The person on the other end was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a woman.

"Where was it... Hmm. That thing. I don't know the geography well, so can’t you come by location tracking?"

"......"

Drae hung up the phone. And he walked forward as if nothing had happened. Well, even if he waited for them, it was obvious that the boy would be beaten and the thugs would have gone elsewhere by then. There was no need to waste his energy for nothing.

"Wow... what trash."

"I consider the fact that he attempted to contact them as a decent sense of justice for a civilian."

Subjective evaluation versus objective evaluation. Kaits watched Yeodre’s back in silence.

"Let’s skip the memory."

"Okay."

Just then.

"No, no, no."

Drae returned at a fast pace. And after looking at the boy who was crying again after being hit, he let out a sigh and walked forward again.

"What is that ba..."

It was before Raeband’s dumbfounded words could even finish.

"No, no, no..."

He came back again. His breathing was rough, perhaps because he had returned quite quickly.

And then, he moved forward again. The three of them watched blankly. After repeating that act about three times, Drae’s voice had become almost a shout.

"No, no, no! I’m saying let’s just go, you fucker!"

And then.

"Hey. Who are you?"

"......"

"Come here."

The thugs also noticed Drae’s presence. It was natural since he had been making such a fuss. The boy who was being beaten had an expression as if he had seen a savior.

Drae, who had hesitated, let out a long sigh and walked toward the thugs. The thugs giggled, thinking he was scared. And Drae stood in front of them and waved his hand.

"Hi?"

"Hi, my ass, you son of a bitch. Who are you? Why are you loitering?"

"Well, just, exercise?"

"He says exercise lol"

"What a moron."

Umm... Drae, who had been groaning, shrugged his shoulders.

"That’s fine. You got any money?"

"I do."

"You’re quick to talk. Throw it and get lost."

Drae took his wallet out of his pocket and threw it obediently. The thug’s eyes glistened with joy as it seemed quite thick.

"Good. I won't beat you up specifically. Get lost."

"Umm..."

But Drae didn't get lost. He just stood with his arms crossed, tilting his head to the side.

"? What is it?"

"I thought about it."

"What?"

"Why do you guys always gather to do this and giggle?"

"...What?"

"I don't think I’ve ever seen you guys even laugh when you’re alone, let alone extort money."

At the voice that was too calm for someone who should be scared, the thugs who had been sitting started to get up one by one.

"You guys. Are you actually scared when you’re alone?"

"...Hey. Catch that bastard."

As soon as the thug’s order fell, Drae dropped the bag he had been wearing onto the floor and cracked his neck. The thugs flinched at that momentum. Now that they looked, he was a guy with quite a bit of muscle on his arms and legs.

"Did you work out a bit?"

"It’s not working out... Hey. You there."

"Y-yeah?"

"Get lost. Before I beat you up too."

At Drae’s fierce tone, the small male student who had been sniffling checked the situation. The thug, perhaps feeling that Drae was not ordinary, clicked his tongue and kicked him.

"Hey. Get lost."

"Th-thank you!"

Saying a thank you to someone unknown, the student limped away. Unexpectedly, he was fast at running, and in an instant, he was far away, out of sight.

"I don't know what you learned, but do you think you can win against this many people?"

Heh.

Drae laughed. That laugh was so eerily chilling that it caused tension not only for the thugs but even for Raeband and the Scholar. And Drae opened his mouth.

"No, I can't win."

"...?"

A question mark appeared over the thugs’ heads, and Drae laughed, "Haha."

"So, can’t you just let me go?"

"......"

Naturally, it was a refusal. And then, the scene they had seen earlier played out.

"...It’s not that I particularly wanted it, but I see this scene was indeed the introduction."

"It may have your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠influence, but... still, his sense of justice is thorough."

Raeband, with a look of disbelief, and the Scholar, sending a fairly favorable look.

"Kek! Keck! Ah, you bastard! Don't hit the bone! The bone!"

"Stop acting like a jerk!"

"It hurts, so I’m acting like a jerk, fuck."

"Block it? You’re blocking it? Isn't this your body? Huh?"

"Fuck!"

"Argh..! This bastard raised his arm and hit his bone against my fist...!"

Huff, huff, huff.

A while later, the thugs gasped as if they were out of breath. Their expressions were triumphant.

"You endure well, you son of a bitch."

"What do you mean. He can’t even stand now..."

"..."

Only the thug who seemed to be the leader had a somewhat bitter face, but soon he showed a sneer and grabbed Yeodre’s hair.

"Hey. Hey. A man grabbing hair like a girl..."

Whoosh!

A strike with a sound different from anything before. And Yeodre was not in his grasp.

"...?!'

"You startled me."

Drae, who had escaped from him and kept some distance. The leader thug looked at him blankly, and a moment later.

The voice echoed through the world like an echo.

"Oh, it finally appeared."

"His first line."

One more convenient thing about the world of memories. It also shows the memories of third parties that Drae wouldn't know, or their thoughts at the time, intermittently. They say it’s a function possible because the existence Kaits contracted with is an existence that also influences parallel worlds, but even they didn't know the details. They only knew it was convenient.

This voice belonged to the leader thug. He felt a sense of incongruity.

"Hey. Bring a square timber."

"Huh?"

"I said bring a square timber, you fucker."

The thug who hurriedly handed over the timber at the leader’s words.

"That’s not right. You guys aren't minors protected by law. You’ll really regret it later?"

"Let’s see if you can keep blabbering after getting hit in the head with this."

A brief confrontation. Drae, who had no sign of being intimidated even after being beaten like that, stared at the leader thug who was flinching, then raised his head.

Huff.

Yeodre, who let out a sigh that seemed to sink the earth, said quietly.

"Hey."

"What."

"What do you think it’s like to live kindly?"

"What do you mean, what’s it like? If you get beaten by me, you’ll become kind!"

Crack!

The sound came from the thug’s head.

"Keu-argh...!"

Spitting out a mixture of pathetic groans, saliva, and blood, the leader thug collapsed. And the person who did that... was not Drae. Surprisingly, it was a woman.

A beauty with striking hair close to red. However, her attire was sloppy like an old man, not matching her appearance. She even had a cigarette in her mouth.

"What is this?"

Raeband muttered. Is the newly appeared woman an acquaintance of Drae? And Drae said:

"Who are you?"

"You called, didn't you? No?"

"...Ah. The police officer who took the call?"

"No, someone who was watching you guys spacing out and felt frustrated, so I came to do it for you."

She was a woman with a very husky voice.

"Who are you!"

"This bitch...!"

"I really appreciate the typical third-rate thug line."

Pow! Pow!

Thugs falling down one by one with a single blow. Because she hit them in the painful spots, they soon started groaning.

She was on a different level. It was natural by this world’s standards, and she was a person with talent who could easily become at least an ordinary knight even in the Elynar world without mana.

She admired Drae, who had endured until now with her hands in her pockets.

"Wow. You. Looking at you, you’ve trained quite a bit, haven't you?"

At the same time Raeband whistled, the woman turned around.

"Are you... okay?"

Yeodre was gone. He had been running far away.

"Thank you! I’m late for school, so I’ll be going first!"

"...Huh."

The woman snorted, rubbing her cigarette out on the thug’s clothes.

"He’s an interesting guy."

The scenery ripples. It was proof that the location was changing.

"What. Did he just run away leaving the person who helped him?"

"No. He ran after seeing that the thugs were suppressed."

"......"

Raeband, the Scholar, and Kaits each thought about what had just happened, and the changing scenery fixed itself. The fixed location was...

"A classroom?"

Splash!

Raeband was startled as water splashed suddenly.

"Don't tell me, this Yeodre bastard. Is he an outcast even at school... No, he isn't."

As she said, it wasn't Yeodre who got splashed with water. There was just someone who got hit with a bucket of water right in front of his eyes as soon as he opened the door.

"What are you staring at? Go sit down."

"......"

Yeodre watched the bullying scene for a moment and walked away, and the man who was leading the bullying didn't pay any more attention to Yeodre. He seemed to be the one leading this classroom, but seeing that he just let Drae, who had stopped his work even if unintentionally, pass by, it didn't seem like Yeodre’s image was that of a loser or an outcast. However, the man leading the bullying was a very unexpected person.

"Shin Jin-pae...? Isn't that Shin Jin-pae?"

"The director of the headquarters, which is the Outsider’s clan?"

Raeband and the Scholar were quite surprised.

Shin Jin-pae.

An Outsider super-strong person who rose to the rank of Ranker just 5 years after appearing in Elynar, and eventually rose to the top tier. He was a man who was always active, backed by his own skills and popularity, as well as the power of his faction. And... the director of 'Headquarters,' the backer of the faction currently loitering around Yeodre.

"To think he would be related to Yeodre..."

"Wasn't the reason Headquarters was making moves on Yeodre because of the Almiraj incident?"

The Scholar and Raeband muttered.

However, was he that kind of man? As described earlier, he was well-regarded. He was a man who always lived carefully, helping the weak even when Headquarters later committed atrocities, let alone bullying someone. In every turn, he showed a personality as shining as his handsome appearance... Was that all acting?

Everyone except Kaits was startled by the voice that suddenly rang out. Yeodre’s voice. His monologue had finally begun.

The field of view narrows. The surroundings darken, and the existence Drae’s gaze went to. A girl shivering while being drenched with water is zoomed in. Raeband, who has a look, and the Scholar, who doesn't care about women, were both momentarily stunned by how beautiful she was. To the point where one might wonder if only Asita Leysia could compare to her, beyond the ten great beauties of the kingdom.

Immediately after, a tag was attached above the woman named Suryeon.

It was the beginning of the true memory.