I Became a Hero With a Lot of Experience

26 – 026: Shall We Go Meet Them Slowly (3)

As we approached the area adjacent to the orphanage, the surrounding scenery began to change rapidly.

As dilapidated buildings and aging public facilities, neglected for a long time, dirtied the view, Penny couldn’t take it anymore and closed the door.

Buildings aside, what left the deepest impression on the mind was the people randomly scattered along the main road.

Those with empty eyes, devoid of any sign of life, simply stared at the sky blankly.

Seeing the evidence of vivid desires engraved above the heads of those who had given up on life made me feel even worse.

＜Experience Points: 18＞

＜Experience Points: 7＞

＜Experience Points: 9＞

“What a filthy city.”

Shaking with strength in my waist, was the lack of strength to find a job the reason?

Truly a disgusting city. I fully understood why Penny couldn’t bear it and closed the door.

However, separate from that, the non-virgin smell was too strong, so she opened the door again.

Every time Penny closed the door multiple times, she gave up, clenched her fist, and turned her head away.

“Slowly, huh….”

As the carriage’s speed gradually decreased, I sensed the arrival and told Penny.

“Hey, from now on, I’ll tell you about the things you need to be careful about at the orphanage, so listen well.”

“…What do you know that you’re telling me about? (Experience Points: 1)”

“There were some circumstances in the past.”

Back when he was on Earth. Due to an unfair court decision, he was sent to the orphanage for forced labor under the pretext of volunteer work.

Honestly, the judgment still didn’t make sense to him, but what could he do?

Following the law, one has no choice but to obey willingly.

“Well, first of all…”

Anyway, she tried to offer advice while recalling the hellish 300 hours of memories for the sake of the maidens, but there wasn’t much to teach after all.

Do not sympathize just because she’s an orphan.

Be careful with words so the child doesn’t harbor unnecessary hope.

Don’t always accommodate tantrums.

The most important thing to be cautious about was these three, but it was an unnecessary worry.

Well, it’s only natural. After all, can a person without the maiden’s modesty treat a maiden kindly?

Thinking for the same reason, she gradually erased the advice she had thought of.

“Just don’t touch the kids.”

“…Why? (Experience gained: 1 person)”

“Because the non-virgin is contagious.”

Right after finishing her words, she easily dodged the incoming fist, proving once again that there was no maiden’s modesty in her heart.

A short cry of horses and a carriage stopped, and we looked at the orphanage after getting off the carriage.

The building with a small spire on the shabby building resembling tofu was undoubtedly a dismal place where one might wonder if people could live.

Whether they noticed our arrival or not, the door of the orphanage opened, and a priest in a black robe appeared.

＜Experience gained: 6 people＞

Smirking at the relatively lenient feeling, perhaps due to being too immersed in a rag, she approached her with a sneer.

“Wow, I heard stories from the vigorous management. I am Melina, in charge of this facility. The…swordsman needs children for training, right? (Experience gained: 6 people)”

Whatever the management explained, Melina seemed embarrassed, smiling awkwardly.

A priest with rare blue hair, unusual to see on Earth, looked like my peer or even younger than me.

Despite having a higher value than Penny, the girl who did not show the discomfort typical of non-virgins wiped her forehead with her sleeve as if wiping off cold sweat and spoke.

“The Goddess of Purity is the daughter of the Goddess of Patience. Even considering that connection, the desire to help is like a chimney, but still, doing harm to the children… (Experience gained: 6 people)”

“It doesn’t matter what that guy said. I have no intention of doing anything weird.”

Saying that it’s fine to handle her just like an ordinary volunteer, she raised both hands as if apologizing.

“No matter what, causing trouble for the swordsman and princess… (Experience gained: 6 people)”

“It’s okay. I used to be a cook until recently, not just a swordsman. She’s a princess in name only, and she’s a non-virgin, so you can handle her roughly.”

“This bastard for real…!! (Experience gained: 1 person)”

As a tense atmosphere flowed between me and Penny, Melina intervened.

“Um, um… First, let’s see the children. Everyone is looking forward to your visit, Swordsman. (Experience gained: 6 people)”

Since there was nothing to gain from arguing here, we followed her guidance and entered.

The moment the door opened, I involuntarily closed my eyes tightly at the refreshing fragrance that was beyond description.

A sweet, pure maiden scent without a hint of impurity. Ah, I never thought I’d encounter such a fragrance in this cursed city.

Taking a deep breath with all my might and opening my eyes, there were six children in that place.

There was nothing written above them.

Like the beautiful purity felt in the white space before the creation of the universe, I inadvertently expressed my thoughts.

“Wow, look at the blank space.”

“Blank space? What nonsense… (Experience Points: 1 person)”

“I don’t know. There’s a realm incomprehensible to non-virgins!!!”

“Hey, hero… Please refrain from using such explicit language in front of the children. (Experience Points: 6 people)”

Certainly, if I showed unnecessary interest in non-virgins, it could lead to an irreversible situation, so I nodded my head for now.

Contrary to the children expecting the arrival of the hero, they didn’t seem eager to show their faces, hiding behind Melina.

“Sorry, sorry. The kids feel embarrassed… (Experience Points: 6 people)”

“It’s because a stranger has come. Oh, I know an interesting joke. Shall I lighten the mood with that?”

“An interesting joke? (Experience Points: 6 people)”

“This is a joke I wrote…”

When I drew the thin blade at my waist, for some reason, Melina clapped her hands and said, “Oh, it’s sword dance! Kids, the hero is going to show us a sword dance! This is a rare opportunity! (Experience Points: 6 people)”

The children who had been hiding behind, showing little interest, now stepped forward with some curiosity.

Just by seeing the children who had hidden in fear suddenly emerge, it was evident how much trust she had gained from them.

“Hey, wait a moment… (Experience Points: 1 person)”

As I took a step forward to show the prepared act, Penny, who was beside me, called me over.

“You… You were a cook in your hometown, but do you know how to perform a sword dance? (Experience Points: 1 person)”

“Do you think I know how to perform a sword dance just because I was a cook? Think before you speak.”

I may have had some skill with a lance, but being a mere ordinary cook, I certainly couldn’t perform a sword dance.

When I pointed out this obvious fact, Penny exclaimed in surprise.

“What?! Then why did you bring the sword?! (Experience Points: 1 person)”

“Shut up. I’ll show you something amazing, so just watch.”

As the children eagerly anticipated the sword dance, I knelt on one knee and straightened my posture.

Since my eyes were on the ceiling, I couldn’t see the expressions of the children and the two people, but their bewildered reactions were as clear as day.

I carefully grasped the hilt of the sword and opened my mouth wide, gingerly inserting the blade.

“Hey, what are you doing right now?! (Experience Points Gained: 1)”

“Sir, the hero?! (Experience Points Gained: 6)”

Though there were murmurs of surprise around me, I paid no attention because this stunt could result in serious internal injuries if done incorrectly.

Suppressing the urge to vomit rising in my throat, I continued to push the sword in.

The impulse to retch immediately surged, but even for the sake of the children anticipating an amusing spectacle, I couldn’t end it here.

“Ugh, ugh…!!”

After relentlessly pushing the sword, the entire blade, excluding the hilt, was finally stowed inside my abdomen.

This was the trick I had prepared.

The magic of swallowing a sword that I learned from a former circus member in prison.

“……J-ja, jajaan!!”

Spreading my hands, I exclaimed in admiration, but there was nothing but a cold silence flowing around.

However, that too was momentary; the frozen, eerie stillness shattered into joyful voices of the children.

“Ki, kikeeek!!!”

“This can’t be!! This can’t be happening!!!”

“Oh, Akumadai…!!!”

The sound of them collapsing to the floor, seemingly unconscious from the amusement of the stunt, echoed consecutively.

hahahaha, they seemed to enjoy it.

It was worth suppressing the urge to vomit.

*****

Perhaps the sword-swallowing stunt was so memorable that the children seemed to think I was not human.

Children might not like me, but they appreciate purity like that maiden’s.

Even in a world where magic exists, the grace of it hadn’t spread to everyone, and dispelling the misconception that I was a devil was not easy.

Unable to entirely dispel the doubt even from Melina’s words, I reluctantly took out the caramel I had intended to give as a gift and showed it to the children.

“Hey, kids. Do you know what this is?”

Shaking the caramel squared off, the children remained silent.

As if determined not to be fooled by the devil’s tricks, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

“Uh… This is called caramel. It’s candy from the world I came from. Do you know what candy is?”

“……. (Experience Points Gained: 6)”

With no response even to the mention of candy, Melina, who had been observing, stepped forward with a sigh.

“Can, can-dies? Oh, the noble warrior has brought such a precious gift! Shouldn’t we all express our gratitude? (Experience points: 6 people)”

“Don’t be deceived, priest!! The devil is trying to deceive you!!”

However, regaining lost trust was not easy.

Suddenly, a girl with the pinkest hair among the children stepped forward and pointed at me, shouting.

“That’s a devil!! It can’t be human!!”

“Oh, a devil… because this person is a warrior? (Experience points: 6 people)”

“No! That’s a devil! If it’s not a devil, how could it swallow a sword and still be fine!!”

“W-Well, even if that’s true… (Experience points: 6 people)”

Although not entirely a devil, she seemed to regard me as something other than human, as she glanced at me briefly before quickly averting her gaze.

But that was brief. Melina, with a determined expression, swallowed her saliva and approached me.

“If it’s okay with the warrior, may I try this caramel first? (Experience points: 6 people)”

“Umm, huh? There’s no harm, but…”

“Oh, no! Don’t do it!! It might kill you if you eat it!!”

Ignoring the girl’s outcry and offering the caramel, she hesitated for a moment before eventually putting it in her mouth.

“….?! (Experience points: 6 people)”

Perhaps experiencing the sweetness for the first time in her life, Melina’s expression softened.

“Ah… (Experience points: 6 people)”

For a while, Melina forgot even to prove the safety of the caramel to the children and simply savored its taste.

With expressions rich with the perceived sweetness, even the girl who had stepped forward couldn’t resist imagining its taste and was drooling slightly.

“Phew….”

Melina opened her mouth again only after the caramel had completely melted inside.

With a sweet breath, she smiled vibrantly and said, “Everyone, the caramel is safe! You can eat it without worries! (Experience points: 6 people)”

Confirming that the children’s wariness had eased, I handed the caramel to the pink-haired girl in front.

“Uuh…!”

She hesitated for a moment before taking the trembling caramel in her hand.

Carefully placing the caramel in her mouth, the once rigid expression swiftly began to melt away at the rush of sweetness.

*Slurp. Slurp.*

The sound of the child greedily sucking on the caramel echoed throughout the building.

“Do I still look like a devil to you?”

When I asked the girl who was eating all the caramels, her face flushed red and she glanced away shyly, saying,

“Ah, no….you’re not a devil….”