As Its Name Suggests, the Slums

Ayato’s feet struck the hardened ground, his wooden sword slicing through the air several times. His breathing was steady, sweat dripping down his temples.

Three months had passed since Ayato accepted the offer to become Selphira ojou-sama’s personal guard.

Though doubts still lingered, the guarantees he received had been one of the decisive reasons behind his choice.

A place to live, meals assured, a place to train, and even a wage.

Once all of that had been promised by Selphira ojou-sama, Ayato resolved himself completely: “It is an honor to serve as your guard.”

From then on, his days became filled with training—not because of anyone’s orders, but because he chose to do so himself.

After all, I can’t rely solely on that ice power.

When Ayato once tried to recreate the ice bullets from before, his body was immediately drained, his breath heavy. He was baffled by it.

Upon closer observation, it seemed his mana wasn’t abundant enough to wield ice magic freely.

Of course, he couldn’t allow Selphira ojou-sama or Kaelyn to realize this. That was why he decided to train diligently—at the very least, to put up a proper fight.

That’s why…!

“…!”

Ayato suddenly threw his body forward, rolling across the ground, before springing back up into stance, the tip of his wooden blade aimed at his target.

“Hmm, good reflexes,” Kaelyn remarked, her tone sharp and biting, as she too raised the point of her wooden blade toward him.

They froze in place, glaring at each other, measuring distance with their swords at the ready.

Step by step, their feet advanced, each trying to bait the other into striking range.

SWOOSH! Both of them dashed in at once. The wooden swords collided, their thuds echoing again and again through the training grounds. Their movements sought to predict each other’s intentions, as if reading one another’s thoughts.

Every strike aimed for a vital point, but neither allowed a blow to land. Dodges, parries, counters—all unfolded in swift, efficient movements. To untrained eyes, it almost resembled a dance.

But the difference in experience was too great. Slowly, Ayato found himself cornered. Kaelyn’s movements became harder to follow, her feints increasingly deceptive, until Ayato finally lost focus—falling prey to a perfectly tempting lure.

“So, you fell for it after all!”

“Damn it!”

THWACK!

The sharp crack of wood striking marked the end of the match.

“Woooow! Amazing!”

Selphira ojou-sama clapped her hands together enthusiastically, praising the intense bout between Ayato and Kaelyn. A moment later, others followed, applause rising in appreciation of such an inspiring spar.

“Your growth far surpasses that of ordinary soldiers, V. I’ll admit as much,” Kaelyn said.

“Thank you, Head Guard. It’s thanks to your help—and everyone else’s too, especially Selphira ojou-sama. By the way, what brings her here?”

“Ah, she—”

“Hey! Who said you two could chat like that without including me?!”

“O-Ojou-sama! No! I was just about to explain the reason for your visit!”

“Still! I could’ve told him myself, you know! There’s no need to speak on my behalf! Muu~ Muu~!”

“…Muu~ Muu~?”

The three of them looked at one another, puzzled at the sweet-sounding muu~ muu~ that had slipped from Selphira ojou-sama’s lips.

“Pfft, phwahahaha!”

Selphira burst out laughing, her laughter infectious enough to pull Kaelyn and Ayato along with her.

Yes, this was who Selphira ojou-sama truly was. That’s why—even if I can no longer wield that ice power—I will fight with everything I have to protect you, Selphira ojou-sama.

…

The next day, Ayato was summoned by Kaelyn to her room.

“Excuse me!”

“Enter.”

“What did you call me here for?”

“Ah, I intended to ask about your progress memorizing the layout of the main district.” “Understood. Regarding that—”

Ayato pulled a worn slip of paper from his pocket. It depicted the layout of the buildings and routes in Lunareth’s main district in careful detail, but—

“Your handwriting is terrible! What is this scribble? You’d better practice writing more neatly!”

Hah, well, what can you expect—it’s only been three months since I started learning to write in this world’s script.

“Hmm, but it seems you’ve studied the layout well enough. Good work. As the personal guard of Selphira ojou-sama, it’s our duty to always ensure her safety within the mansion.” Kaelyn crossed her arms, resting her chin lightly on her hands over the desk.

“Still, there’s always the chance of an emergency whenever Selphira ojou-sama goes on a tour through the city. That’s why we must also familiarize ourselves with the city’s layout.”

Closing her eyes briefly, Kaelyn continued.

“That’s why, V, your next task is to study the layout of the slum district!”

“The slums?”

“Correct. A nest of criminals and illegal trade. For various reasons, we cannot completely eradicate that place, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore it.”

“I see. Understood!”

“Good, I like how you don’t ask too many questions. Oh, one more thing.”

Kaelyn picked up the map Ayato had made, which was sitting on the desk.

“I’ll be keeping this map in my quarters for the time being.”

“Hm? What for?”

“Mu—” Kaelyn’s cold glare cut across the table. “I just praised you for not asking too many questions. But… fine, I suppose you do have the right to know.”

She shifted uneasily, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Well, how should I put this… Your map is more complete than the one I have. So, I plan to compare them and study yours in detail. Do you mind? Though honestly, your handwriting is terrible.”

You don’t have to mention that twice.

“Haha, I’m honored that you’d say that, Head Guard. Of course, please use it as much as you like.”

“Yes. I’ll examine it thoroughly.”

“Very well. In that case, I’ll take my leave and begin preparations for the slum district.”

“Wait a moment!”

Ayato halted before opening the door.

“Is something missing?”

“Don’t forget to disguise yourself before entering the slums. It would be suspicious for a personal guard to stroll into such a place in uniform. Make sure to wear something appropriate before you go. I’ll cover the expense for the clothing.”

“Understood!”

…

The midday bustle of the city was lively. Trade carts lined the streets, merchants shouting out to lure in customers.

Ayato walked along the main road, a faint smile on his lips as he took in the bustle of civilian life. The contrast was striking compared to the forest.

He wore a tattered cloak that covered most of his body, concealing both sword and dagger at his hip. A half-mask hid his face, leaving only his mouth exposed.

The further he walked, the more the scenery changed. Grand buildings gave way to cracked, grimy walls. The colorful roads dulled to gray, littered with trash.

Upon entering the slums, the air itself shifted. Heavy, damp, carrying the stench of rot. Emaciated beggars lay sprawled along the roadsides, strewn like refuse cast aside by the city.

From behind his mask, Ayato narrowed his eyes, pity stirring in his chest at the inhuman scene. He couldn’t even force a smile if he tried; all he could do was continue walking.

Though rare, sometimes passersby crossed paths with him. Most were commoners so frail they looked as though a mere touch could topple them, their eyes stripped of all hope.

But then, as he passed by one hooded figure, Ayato froze.

This smell…

He forced himself not to turn back, continuing forward—but in his mind, a memory stirred from the forest.

The stench of death…? But how? Could it be… just my imagination?

Ayato shook his head, reminding himself that his purpose here wasn’t to play detective, but to memorize the layout of the slum district.

At each stop, he would pull out a slip of paper and sketch, marking off the areas he had passed using hiragana.

Even though he had lost his memories, it seemed he could still recall general things unrelated to himself fairly well. Only once back in his room would he then rewrite the Japanese text into this world’s script.

While passing through a dark alley sandwiched between two old houses, Ayato noticed something lying there.

That smell… a corpse?

A rotting body, now a feast for crows and maggots. Black birds tore into the softened flesh with their beaks, while maggots writhed inside the open wounds. Blood stains still marked the ground, as though the victim had been murdered—though it could just as easily have been the work of the crows tearing into the flesh.

Ayato instinctively covered his nose as he walked past, silently regretting that he had bought a mask that only covered the upper half of his face.

That corpse was a grim reminder of what became of those too weak to survive in this world—strengthening his own resolve to keep living.

The sun began to fade, blue sky shifting into orange. Just as Ayato was about to end his exploration for the day, a girl’s scream pierced the air.

Curious, Ayato cautiously peeked toward the sound.

“Not bad, boss! She’s a bit skinny, but she should fetch us some money, right?!”

“Hell yeah! We can sample her a little too, no problem!”

“But won’t that lower the price, boss?”

“Shut it! A scrawny brat like this ain’t worth much anyway, idiot!”

“You’re right, boss!”

As the thugs burst into crude laughter, the skinny teenage girl could only tremble, holding back sobs.

At a glance, she looked like nothing more than a street beggar. But her body and features were… tempting enough, especially in the eyes of these rotten men.

That alone was enough to stir their vile lust.

From afar, Ayato hesitated. There was no profit in saving some random girl. Worse, it could drag trouble onto himself later.

But after witnessing the filth of the slums today, his resolve began to waver.

He was but a stranger in this world, with no choice but to fight for survival. Every action he took had to be grounded in logic—so that he might still welcome the coming day.

But if he followed that logic, it would only prevent him from doing any good. Yet as his hand brushed against his waist, he suddenly remembered something.

“Alright then! Time to feast, boys!”

“Oi!”

“Hah?”

The thugs all turned around at once.

“The hell you want, punk?”

“Maybe he wants a round too, boss!”

“Hoooh? In that case, he’d better pay up first!”

The leader rubbed his fingers together—the universal sign for money—before jerking his chin at Ayato, ordering his men to collect.

But as they approached, Ayato’s answer came swiftly: a brutal strike that sent one of them flying, coughing blood.

“B-bastard!”

The gang stiffened, then charged Ayato together.

His eyes locked onto every movement. One thug took an elbow to the gut. Another’s jaw snapped back from an uppercut. A third’s teeth cracked from Ayato’s knee slamming into his face. The fourth reeled as a hook crashed into his cheek.

One by one they dropped, leaving only two conscious.

Ayato advanced slowly toward them. They lunged, but he deflected their strikes outward, countering with a crushing blow from his left hand. Grabbing the leader’s arm, Ayato pulled, twisted, and slammed him hard into the ground before flinging him aside like trash.

In mere moments, only two remained conscious in that narrow alley—Ayato and the girl.

I thought they’d put up more of a fight… but they’re nothing compared to the forest. Or Kaelyn.

The teenage girl looked on in horror as Ayato walked toward her slowly. When he stopped before her, his words dropped like a blade.

“Strip. Now.”

“H-huh…?”

Her tearful eyes widened, trembling as despair replaced what little hope she had left.

Powerless to resist, she began to remove her clothes, until only her bare skin remained. She tried to cover her chest and lower body with shaking hands, glancing at Ayato in terror.

Skin and bones… bruised… battered… and yet they still tried to defile her? Savages…

As Ayato reached for his waist pouch, he felt a faint killing intent from behind.

He already knew—it came from the gang leader, who had drawn a weapon sharp enough to take a life.

This bloodlust… it was entirely different from the forest. But of course—this time, it wasn’t a monster. It was a human.

Ayato steadied his stance.

Still, I don’t think I need to kill him now… there’s no gain in it, only waste. But… I’ve only ever killed monsters before, and even then, my hands trembled so violently from the unfamiliarity.

His grip tightened around the hilt of the sword hidden beneath his cloak.

In the future, it won’t just be monsters threatening Selphira ojou-sama. There will be plenty of humans intent on harming her. And if I start trembling then… would I truly be fit to be her personal guard?

The gang leader suddenly froze as he felt a killing intent far stronger than his own—just before his head was severed from his body.

That is why… you wretched human, become my sacrifice.

Ayato swung his blade, flinging off the fresh blood before wiping it down with a cloth from his pouch.

He then approached the girl, who had wet herself in terror after witnessing the scene.

“P-Please… spare me…”

Ayato’s cold gaze fell upon her as he pulled out a magic stone, raising it over her head.

The girl could only squeeze her eyes shut in resignation—until a cool, greenish water suddenly poured over her naked body.

The sensation stung slightly, cold and sharp, but she endured it, fearing to anger the man before her.

Only after a moment did she realize what had happened.

“My body…! The pain is gone! I feel… refreshed!”

The wounds across her body slowly faded, leaving her whole once again.

GROWL—her stomach rumbled once her mind eased, the pain washed away. She had even forgotten, for a moment, that the man before her had just slaughtered the gang that surrounded her.

Before she could react further, Ayato took her hand and pressed a silver coin into her palm.

“This…”

“Consider this a stroke of luck that won’t come twice.”

Ayato offered a faint smile, met with the girl’s flood of gratitude.

Clutching the coin, she dressed herself and departed, waving back toward him.

But Ayato did not return the wave. He stood there, silent in thought.

Truly… I am despicable.

He had turned everyone in this alley into test subjects—for testing his will to kill another human, for testing his fear, and for testing the effect of the magic stone he had purchased for twenty silver coins, leaving him with only ten from his wages.

I truly am… disgusting.

Ayato whispered to himself, just as the sun sank and night fell upon the city.