Chapter 4

Hey? They call me a genius. Splash- Splash- The sound of something trampling through water echoed. The location was a church—a space in this northern region. But it was far too dark and murky to be a place that worshipped any god. On top of that, the fishy stench filling the interior carried an intensely unpleasant odor.

Over it all...

"Heh heh hum. Hng~."

One woman walked through the water, crushing it underfoot. Moonlight trickled in from outside bit by bit. In that light, the true nature of the pooled water on the floor was revealed.

Blood. It was all blood. The narrow church floor was filled with it, and the woman passed over it without a care.

"Wh.... Why...."

Someone clung to the wall. Their white robes were stained red with blood. This person, who should have been peacefully serving as a priest of the Holy Kingdom, trembled in terror.

"Why are you here...!"

"Why? Because I had business here, obviously."

Laziness dripped from her voice.

"You.... You shouldn't be here...! What about the World Tree—why come here!"

"That's what I'm saying."

Squish-!

"Gaaahhh!!!"

The man's arm was torn clean off. Blood sprayed like a fountain from the socket. A scream of agony burst out.

"See? Why'd you have to go and do something pointless?"

The woman just stared at him with utterly indifferent eyes.

"If you lot hadn't crossed the line, I wouldn't have had to step in."

"Hic... Guh...."

A face twisted in fear. Then the priest laughed.

"...Heh... Heh heh heh."

"Oh? Laughing? Have you lost your mind?"

"...It's already too late. The Saintess isn't here...!"

There was no one left to protect. Dying here? He didn't care. With that resolve, the priest spoke.

"I know."

"...What?"

"I know. The Saintess isn't here."

"...What...!"

"Normally, I'd have already slit her throat and sent her head to that Pope you all revere so much. But I had some business come up."

Business. Her voice carried a spark of interest absent before.

"I found something way more interesting than your little Saintess."

"What do you...?"

"So keep that 'heart' safe. I'll come pick it up when I need it. Consider this a warning."

A paper airplane. It flew from the woman's hand through the air. It landed on the man's stomach.

"Deliver it nicely."

With that, she turned her back. At the same moment, the blood filling the church floor surged upward.

Sizzle-!!!

The rising blood all evaporated. Every corpse inside burned to ash and vanished. The only survivor was the one-armed priest.

"Ah.... Aah...."

In that fantastical scene, the priest let out a groan. Like a madman.

"Hng~."

The woman who stepped outside hummed again. Normally, she'd be in a foul mood. And so...

'I might've burned this whole town down.'

She hated the night. She might've torched the entire city. That's how crazy people were. She'd been bored out of her mind and pissed beyond reason. Any other woman might've just snapped and done it.

But luckily, she hadn't this time.

'Cause I found something fun.'

The heart harvested for the Saintess could wait. Something far more intriguing. Recalling the brat who'd begged her to save him, the woman smiled.

"Ahh."

Nice. Good thing I came.

'Broke through the mana barrier and grabbed me.'

No less than a 6-circle mage. Anyone short of a high mage called a 6-circle couldn't even catch her.

'And he saw the stars.'

The rings around his heart and the galaxy. No one was supposed to see that. And mentioning half of the eighth...

'Means he saw my circle properly.'

Eight rings, with half the eighth filled—that was unknown to the entire continent.

Yet a kid in his early teens saw it?

"Hahaha."

Did that even make sense? The woman didn't believe it. But reality said otherwise. And...

'Mana sickness for a whole month?'

The pain and duration of mana sickness depended on one's mana limit and vessel capacity. Even she had suffered for half a month, bedridden with a brutal fever.

'To the brink of death.'

A month. Nearly dying. Could anything be more absurd?

'Impressive.'

How far would he grow if raised right?

'Such a shame.'

If she wasn't so busy. She'd have taken him along and run all sorts of experiments.

But she couldn't.

'So, second best.'

She'd dump him somewhere visible and raise him. The woman steeled her resolve.

'Wonder what he's up to?'

She returned to the room. The business wrapped up quicker than expected. Hours until morning.

'Might as well help a little?'

She'd left instructions on forming circles, but he'd said he was illiterate. He was probably banging his head right now.

'Even with writing, it'd take a day.'

He was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suffering, no doubt. Time to throw him a bone.

She opened the door.

Creak.

Vrrr-!

"..."

The door swung open, revealing the brat.

"Oh, you're back?"

"...You."

In her eyes, she saw one ring embedded in the boy's heart.

"Did it. Homework."

The boy said it casually.

"Ha!"

The woman laughed until her mouth hurt.

The night I completed my circle, the woman looked at me and laughed. Maybe because I'd finished my homework so well, but her grin was creepier than expected.

"Ru, Ruin...! You're really leaving...!? Just like this.... Just vanishing...?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Next up was grabbing my stuff from the orphanage. Elaine teared up watching me—the guy who'd suddenly bolted and come back with parents.

Sorry, orphanage buddy. I'm not an orphan anymore.

"Take care. You'll get good parents soon too. Hope you hit the parent gacha jackpot."

"What's gacha...?"

"It's a thing. Exists."

"D-don't go...! Ruin.... I don't need parents...! I just need you...!"

What was with this clinginess? Her grip on my wrist was iron-strong. Ow, that actually hurts.

"Ow."

"Ah, s-sorry...."

Elaine let go. I scratched my cheek watching her.

In Ruin's memories, we were close. She seemed bummed to part like this. So I patted her hair.

It's not like we'll never see each other again. We'll meet up later ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠when the time's right.

No plans to, though.

"...But...."

"Stay well. Eat properly. Let's meet again when we're both successful, yeah?"

"Ruin...!! Ruin!"

The other orphanage staff held back Elaine as she lunged. They stared at me in wonder too. The dying kid not only survived but showed up with adoptive parents.

"Let's go, Mom."

"...Sharp tongue."

"Ma'am?"

"Never mind."

Mom shook her head.

"Got everything?"

"Yeah. Nothing much."

"What about her?"

"She ain't got stuff to pack."

Elaine wasn't luggage. Just a fellow orphan buddy. But me? Ruin, 13 years old. Freshly escaped orphan with oddball parents. No need to tangle with them anymore.

"Let's head out. For new dreams and hopes."

"..."

The woman eyed me like I was nuts. Hurtful, for a mom's gaze. Gotta go full unfilial one day.

'Stuff? Pfft.'

A few clothes and Ruin's original junk. That was it. Packed up, I left the orphanage.

Couldn't have been sunnier.

See ya!

"Ruin... Ruin...."

Elaine chased the departing boy's back with her eyes. The boy who gradually shrank to a dot and vanished. The one who'd spent a lifetime by her side, saving her.

He was gone.

"N-no... No...."

Why? You promised to stay with me forever.

"Why.... Why take him away."

Bellia sis too. Peyto bro too. All the orphanage siblings vanished one by one.

She'd endured. As long as she had Ruin.

But.

"Even Ruin... Even Ruin.... Why?"

-Let's meet again when we're successful.

"..."

Ruin's parting words echoed.

Success. Was it because she couldn't succeed? Because she was weak?

That's why they took him?

"Ah... Aah...."

I see. Elaine's eyes gradually lost their spark.

"...Power.... I need power."

So no one gets taken away. Elaine murmured.

"...I need power."

Elaine's heart throbbed.

A day passed since leaving the orphanage. Now what? A month to escape orphanage life and form a circle—time for the next step.

So I asked the mom who'd birthed me with cash.

-What now? What do I do?

She replied instantly.

-Live on your own for a bit first.

-Huh?

What the fuck? Live alone? Suddenly?

Before I could freak at the nonsense.

-You're doing fine. Really.

The crazy bitch straight-up vanished. Psycho? Ah, calling Mom a psycho. Filial piety my ass.

"Crazy bitch."

Couldn't hold it in. Fuck, does leaving like that even make sense? Absurd. She said she'd really gone. Pick me up in a few years, then poof.

Not crazy? Then what the hell?

"Ha."

I exhaled frosty breath with a sigh. Day two post-orphanage escape. Felt like an orphan again. Mom gone already. Guess my pad-lip immunity kicked back in.

"Life."

I laughed hollowly and looked up. At least not the orphanage—somewhere else to crash. Thanks to the crazy bitch. No, new mom set me up with a place before dipping.

But.

"But why here of all places."

I gnawed my lip staring at the towering walls. Not just any walls—the northern frontlines.

"...Hailron Count Family Manor."

Home of the winter knights guarding this land. Rulers of the North.

The Hailron Count Family of the North guarded the Lehart Empire's frontiers. Barren, frozen land. Close to the old demon king's demon realm, so monsters swarmed constantly.

Monsters battered the walls nonstop, howling to invade the empire. They fought them daily on the edge of life and death, protecting the nation.

'Fuck. Novels never mention that shit.'

Happy-happy romance fantasies obsessed with bliss ignored the North. All that soft mochi drama in the capital: "Hmph! I have no interest in the likes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of you!" or "This rude sub-male! So handsome yet that personality—my heart wavers a bit?" Pure cringe.

No word on the North's harsh lives ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or others'. Much less the Hailrons.

Empire parties and socials? They couldn't attend, busy monster-slaying. Poor bastards.

That's why.

"A mage?"

"Yep."

I'd been dragged here by my cat-like owner's hand. The North needed mages. Monsters outnumbered everything. Mages dominated there. Knights might win one-on-one, but for 'monster hunting', mages excelled.

In a world where even 1-circle mages were rare, and those snobs shunned this wasteland...

"...A mage?"

"Yes."

That badass mage. (Ex-)orphan (current) odd-parent spawn. Me.

"You?"

"Yep. I'm the mage for hire. Impressive, right?"

"..."

The guard eyed me dubiously no matter what. Fucker. Don't believe me? I'm a mighty...

'1-circle mage.'

Great 1-circle mage (day 2).

'Should be grateful I graced you.'

Mages were usually nobles. Even commoners who awakened mana and circles got noble treatment. Supposed to leverage that for a super status-up.

'...Life's fucked.'

Why was I here? Should be baron-level luxury by now. Why join monster hunts in this freezing hell?

Utter bullshit. Eyes nearly welled up. Held it in. Transmigrated at 13 with a dick—no crying here.

Staring contest ended with the guard sighing.

"Kid. Go prank somewhere else. You could get wrecked—."

"Here's my recommendation letter."

"...Huh?"

Knew he wouldn't buy it. Ragged early-teen claiming mage? Pointless. So I'd prepped.

-Take this to the Count's place.

Illiterate me couldn't read it. Seal suggested recommendation.

-Show it and you'll get in.

Crazy bitch. No, esteemed mother said so.

-Bit of a shithole, but the Count's trustworthy. Stay a few years. I'll fetch you when done.

Abandoning me outright. Then why the collar?

-Gift. Read it there.

Tiny bag got some books. Told her I couldn't read, but she just said learn there.

'Should've bolted.'

When she said go alone, should've ditched. Seemed smart then.

'Nah, couldn't.'

Knew it was a joke. Mom wasn't normal. Treated Count like a pal, Pope like scum, Empire dismissively. Who was she?

She'd predict my bolt. Probably rigged it.

'Got ways to drag me back.'

Looked the type.

'What's her deal?'

Asked, but.

-You'll find out when you should.

Just smiled it off. Ugh. Stuck with a weirdo.

Sighed. Guard spoke.

"Th-this script.... Wait here. N-no, please wait, sir."

Shocked eyes, rushed inside. Speech flipped. Minutes later.

"I'll escort you in."

Way politer now.

"Alright, onwards?"

"...?"

"Ah, not this?"

I matched his tone, but he gave me a weird look. What? I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

Whatever. Followed. Manor huge, sturdy. Northern guardians. Monster-slayers protecting the land. Hailron Count Family. Felt their fame.

'...Place I'd never enter, even dead.'

Orphan trash couldn't glance. Just bow thanks from afar.

Now strolling in easy.

'That auntie—.'

All thanks to the letter. Find out her identity someday? Thought it'd take ages.

"You're... the adopted son of Elise Sethris, the 8-circle archmage whom even His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and the Pope of the Holy Kingdom fear, the one no one dares keep close? The only two on the continent?"

"...Plot speed what the fuck?"

Took five minutes flat. No ages needed.