CHAPTER 4: SHIN

Kondo’s ice cream slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Before he could say anything to the girl, she slapped him across the face.

Kondo froze in shock. He touched his cheek, and before the butler could intervene, Kondo raised his hand slightly, signaling him to stop.

He looked at the girl. Her face looked like she might burst into tears at any moment. Then she yelled:

“Can’t you see where you’re going?! Walking with your eyes closed?! Because of you— because of you, my mother’s medicine fell and shattered!”

Kondo thought silently,

(But you were the one running and bumped into me…)

He looked at the broken glass bottle and the scattered powdered medicine on the ground. Everything was ruined. Kondo was about to speak, but the girl shoved him and ran off crying.

Kondo continued staring at her retreating figure.

She was wearing an old yellow frock—torn in many places, patched and stitched roughly.

Still watching her, he said to the butler,

“Butler… we should follow that girl. (I don’t want to look like some greedy noble villain. Forget that— I should help her.) Let’s go.”

“As you say, young master.”

Kondo and the butler followed her quietly from a distance. The girl kept muttering angrily about him, tears still in her eyes.

“I don’t know who that boy is… because of him my mother’s medicine broke… What am I going to do now? What will I tell Mom? Because of that disgusting noble boy everything is ruined…”

Kondo could hear everything.

(But you were the one who crashed into me while running…)

The girl walked toward a quiet, deserted part of the city. A small slum could be seen nearby. She kept walking.

“I hate that boy… but what can I do now? I have no money… my sister isn’t even here… What do I do…”

She stopped beside a large abandoned shed.

“I’ll go to a noble house and beg for work… I’ll save money fast and buy the medicine again. But… what reason do I even give Mom for why it’s gone?”

She wiped her tears.

Just then, two men appeared, grabbed her, covered her mouth, and dragged her into a narrow alley.

Kondo and the butler saw everything and followed them silently.

The two men dragged her into a large broken shed.

They pulled her roughly toward a giant iron cage, opened it, and threw her inside.

One man laughed, locked the cage, and walked away.

The girl stood up and screamed,

“Who are you?! Why did you lock me here?! Let me go! I have to go home—open this! OPEN IT!”

A man hit the cage with a stick and shouted,

“Shut up, girl! Or I’ll cut off your tongue. Slaves who don’t speak sell for less, you know.”

He laughed cruelly.

Her eyes widened in horror.

“No… are they going to sell me? What will happen to me… and what about my mother…”

She looked around.

Girls of different races were trapped in cages—elves, beast-girls, little children.

Hope crumbled inside her. Tears fell.

She thought,

(Is this where my life ends? Will no one come? Who would save someone like me—someone who lives in garbage, in poverty… No one cares about us…)

She wiped her tears.

Suddenly, a man ran inside and shouted,

“Someone broke in! They knocked out two of our men!”

Hearing this, the guard left with the other man.

The girl watched everything.

Then she noticed movement—Kondo and the butler sneaking toward her cage.

They reached the bars, and Kondo said,

“Don’t be afraid. We’re here.

By the way, we knocked out two of their men on the way here… (Well, the butler did it, but I’ll take the credit… I’m so greedy.)

Anyway, move away from the lock.”

The girl stepped back.

The butler grabbed the lock with one hand and snapped it open easily.

But then the three men returned and shouted,

“STOP! You’re not escaping! After we deal with you, that kid with you will be sold at a high price!”

The butler frowned.

“Young master, please stay back. I’ll handle them.”

The men rushed forward with swords.

“Looks like you want to die, basterd ! Take this!”

One man swung at the butler’s neck.

But the butler calmly caught the blade—between two fingers.

The man froze in disbelief.

In a cold voice, the butler said,

“You insulted the young master. That was a mistake.”

With those same two fingers, he snapped the sword, grabbed the man by the throat, and slammed him to the ground.

The other two attacked, but the butler defeated them with ease.

Then he tied them up.

One man yelled,

“Hey! Do you know who we work for?! We’re from r—”

Before he could finish, the butler gently punched him, knocking him out.

“It’s done, young master.”

“Ah… g-good. (I’ve never seen the butler fight like this… this is new for me too.)”

Kondo opened the cage.

Girls came out one by one—elves, beast-race kids, all terrified.

Kondo was shocked.

(Elves… dog-girls… cat-girls… Beast races… They’re all beautiful… I must control myself. But… who’s that girl? Why does she look so different?)

The girl he was referring to had long hair and faint pink lines starting under her eyes, going down her neck.

Kondo was staring when the butler approached from behind.

“Butler, inform the nearby guards.”

“Yes.”

The butler dashed away—jumping from one roof to another like a ninja.

(I didn’t know he could move like that…)

“Wait… you called him ‘Butler’? So his name is actually konjo Butler?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Did you just say… THAT Butler? The one who defeated the Demon King’s Commander Gyard?!”

Kondo blinked.

“I didn’t know he was that famous—

Wait. What did you say? Demon King?! Hey—listen—”

But the girl panicked, holding her head.

“Ab-ab-ab… (Could he be…? The boy around my age… Butler’s master… Is he… Mr. Sam’s son?)

Are you… are you Kondo?!”

“Yes, I’m—”

Before he could finish, the girl dropped to her knees and apologized.

“Please forgive me, Kondo-sa! I slapped you earlier!”

“H-hey, it’s fine. Stand up, please. I don’t like this kind of thing…”

The other girls watched quietly.

Kondo asked,

“What’s your name?”

“My… my name is Shin. Thank you for saving someone like me…”

“No, no—”

The butler returned.

“Young master, I informed the guards. They’ll arrive soon. We should leave.”

“You’re right… but can we really leave these girls alone?”

“Don’t worry. I checked the area. No danger remains. And we shouldn’t get involved further… or Mrs. Lawine will be angry.”

Kondo stiffened.

“EHHHH— you’re right! Let’s go!”

He turned to Shin.

“Shin… I’m sorry. Because of me, your mother’s medicine was ruined. I… can at least help this much.”

He pulled out five gold coins from his pocket and handed them to her.

“W-what?! Five GOLD coins?! This is too much—this could pay for a whole year’s expenses… and the medicine too!”

“(I didn’t know they were worth that much… but I can’t take them back now.)

Just keep them.”

“Thank you so much… My house is close. If you’d like, you can come with me.”

“Hmm… there’s still some time before evening. Let’s go, right Butler?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Thank you… please follow me.”

They followed her.

Kondo watched her and thought,

(She was crying so much earlier… now look how happy she is.)

After walking a bit, Shin pointed at a small hut.

“That’s my house. We’re here.”

She entered.

“Mom! I’m home!”

Kondo walked in behind her.

The house was tiny—one room that served as kitchen, bedroom, everything.

His eyes fell on a woman lying on a cot. Shin approached her.

“Mom, we have guests. This is Kondo-sa.”

The woman tried to sit up.

“Forgive me… I can’t get up right now…”

Kondo felt a sting in his chest.

“It’s alright. Please rest.”

Shin rushed to the corner.

“Wait, I’ll make tea!”

She lit the stove.

Her mother said softly,

“My daughter is smart… but she never listens.”

Kondo touched his cheek.

“You’re right…”

Her mother continued,

“She took the entrance exam for Levianth School. We can’t afford tutors… but her elder sister sometimes gives her books and money. She works as a maid. But… all our savings go to my illness.”

Shin came with tea.

Kondo took the cup.

“Thank you, Shin. So you took an entrance exam today?”

“Yes! And I will definitely pass. I studied so much!”

“I hope you do pass.”

“Yes!”

Kondo finished his tea and asked the butler,

“Can your healing magic help her mother?”

The butler thought for a moment.

“Only expert healers can cure such illnesses. My magic can only heal normal injuries. Serious illnesses require large mana capacity.”

“Just try once.”

“…As you command.”

The butler placed his hand near her mother and chanted:

“O divine goddess of healing, show your miracle and free her from this pain.”

A faint green magic circle formed—

then shattered.

Shin looked at Kondo with desperate hope.

“I’m sorry, Shin… I can’t heal this.”

“No… try once more! Please!”

“…Alright. I’ll try. But don’t laugh if I fail.”

“I won’t! Promise!”

Kondo stood up, extended his left hand toward Shin’s mother, and closed his eyes to focus.

Suddenly—

everything fell silent.

When he opened his eyes again…

he was in a completely different place.

Total darkness.

“What…? Where am I?”

A man was standing far ahead—crying.

But the moment he noticed Kondo, he stopped.

Kondo asked,

“Who are you?”

The man smiled, voice deep and heavy:

“DO YOU WANT POWER .”

Kondo frowned.

“You didn’t answer my question. I asked again—who are—”

But the man vanished.

Kondo looked around nervously.

Suddenly, the man appeared behind him.

He grabbed Kondo’s neck and whispered:

“From now on… you must be careful.”

He laughed.

Kondo struggled.

“Who ARE you?! And what do I need to be careful of?!”

The man whispered:

“ME… I AM YOU.”

A green light appeared before Kondo.

He grabbed it instinctively—

And back in the real world, the entire room exploded with a giant star-shaped magic structure.

Blinding green light filled the house, visible from far away—people outside could see it clearly.

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Character Note

Shin

• Hair: Black

• Eyes: Blue (like diamonds)

• Age: 10