I Became a Hero With a Lot of Experience

30 – 030: Castle Siege (2)

Nobles and commoners.

Over the past few weeks, due to encountering the extremes of the social hierarchy, I had come to distinguish between nobles and commoners to some extent.

Nobles and commoners are entirely different.

Just by looking at the condition of their hair and skin, without even considering the clothes hanging on their bodies, it’s clear whether someone is a noble or a commoner.

Furthermore, the affectation called dignity, overflowing in every gesture, makes the distinction endless if listed one by one.

Although the man covered his face, his gestures and the glimpses of his skin couldn’t be hidden.

The man is a noble. Faced with the undeniable truth, my attention shifted elsewhere.

No, not attention, but rather the conditions this man would propose to me. My interest lay in those conditions.

“Hero, if it’s not too much trouble, could you spare me a moment? I believe we can have a satisfying discussion for both of us. (Experience Acquisition: 13 people)”

“I’m currently on duty, so wait until tonight. It might take longer.”

In response to an answer that showed no trace of courtesy, the man replied with a smile.

“Yes, of course. I apologize for visiting so suddenly. Then, tonight… (Experience Acquisition: 13 people)”

Saying that, the man nodded and left as if nothing had happened.

Does the noble aiming for the throne not respond to such provocations?

While smiling at the appearance of a figure worth some anticipation, Yuna asked.

“Is it okay to let that person go like that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… he looked like a noble. I was wondering if it’s okay to just let him go like that because he seemed like a noble.”

“I might have forgotten, but I’m a hero.”

Even though I’ve sprayed water on the king’s face, issuing a challenge to a noble can be considered a mere trifle.

Yuna, who always called me a hero, seemed to momentarily forget that fact, and her expression became somewhat embarrassed.

“Sometimes, Hero, you forget that you’re a hero.”

“Isn’t it better than needlessly raising a fuss?”

Yuna nodded as if annoyed.

But how did Yuna recognize that man as a noble?

That man concealed many things, including his face.

Above all, covering his face made him appear suspicious, as if he were just a shady man.

Curiosity struck for a moment, but Yuna couldn’t easily open her mouth, unsure of what might touch her wounds.

However, even though she concealed her words, it seemed she couldn’t hide her gaze, as Yuna, who noticed the gaze, spoke.

“My father was a knight. I often had the opportunity to see real nobles because I had to play with the young ladies of that household.”

“…I didn’t ask.”

“Weren’t you curious?”

Unable to say no outright, she continued with a wry smile.

“It’s a story from three years ago, so it’s okay now.”

“Is that so… Well, since we’re at it, can I ask you one thing?”

“What is it? Oh, it’s not about my height or age.”

“Why?”

“My sister said that if the priest knows the specific numbers, the hero might become unkind.”

“….”

I thought I had built some trust by showing my face frequently over the past few weeks, but it seems that was just my own misconception.

It’s even more frustrating that there’s no point to refute.

“You seem to follow Melina exceptionally well. Is there any reason?”

“…She’s like a mother to me.”

The story that followed was so dark and heavy that the death of her father seemed almost trivial.

As you can tell from the earlier conversation, Yuna is not originally from the royal capital.

She comes from the northern region, where the invasion of the Demon King’s army began, and she came to the royal capital after losing her hometown and father due to the invasion.

“At first, my mother was with me.”

Her mother did everything for her only remaining daughter.

When someone asks for a favor, they often present conditions along the lines of “anything.”

Having had that experience a few times, I was somewhat dismissive of the phrase “anything.”

However, in this world, especially in this slum, the phrase “anything” is never light.

Yuna’s mother did anything to save her daughter.

Sure, literally everything.

Yuna expressed her illness as a lump, but when thinking about what a woman could do during war, it was easy to imagine what that illness was.

Dirtied in body and soul, she did her best, but in the end, she couldn’t protect her daughter.

Although she somehow reached the royal capital with the body of a child, there was no proper support for refugees, and she had no relatives in the capital.

Days of scavenging through garbage, Yuna’s heart gradually deteriorated as she fought with others over the leftovers in the shop.

For the sake of her mother, who sacrificed herself for Yuna, she struggled to survive even if it meant eating her own body, but soon that too reached its limit.

Whether it was food poisoning or simple malnutrition, Yuna, losing vitality, collapsed on the ground, just waiting for death, endlessly shedding tears.

What was she thinking as she watched a horde of rats eagerly eyeing the opportunity to devour her own body?

I couldn’t bring myself to ask, and Yuna, as if she didn’t want to say, avoided my gaze.

“While waiting for the day to just die, it was the priest who drove away the rat horde and helped us.”

Melina took care of Yuna with utmost sincerity.

She mentioned having illusions of being embraced by her deceased mother when her mind was hazy, so Melina’s care must have been truly exceptional.

The reason Melina cared for Yuna so sincerely might have been because the situation was severe, but perhaps it was also because she was the first child she had taken care of.

Thanks to Melina’s caring, Yuna barely regained her health and managed to survive.

“The one who gave me life is my mother, but the one who rescued me and allowed me to continue that life is the priest. So, you are like my… mother.”

So, Yuna said shyly, wanting to repay the favor even a little.

I gently stroked Yuna’s head, saying, “Yuna must be happy to have two mothers.”

“…Am I being scolded now?”

“No, not at all.”

Talking about parents seems to be sensitive here too.

*****

Helping with various tasks, I inadvertently found myself surrounded by the darkness of the world, and the promised time with that man arrived.

Honestly, disputes over the dirty authority of the nobility have been beyond my interest for a long time.

Except for the possibility of washing Penny’s dishes, I had no complaints, so I had no intention of fulfilling the man’s request.

However, that didn’t mean I could just send the man away like this.

Even when refusing, it’s necessary to know what kind of person he is.

If someone is aiming for the throne, it’s better to at least see their face, as it might be useful for the future.

‘As soon as it’s over, I’ll have to report to the king.’

With that determination, as I staggered through the alley, a somewhat shabby but perfectly functional carriage approached.

“Sir, you’ve truly worked hard. It may be humble, but I have prepared the carriage. Now, let’s go together. (Experience Points: 13)”

It was him.

Although he wasn’t wearing a mask this time, I could instantly recognize him by the experience points above his head.

As we silently boarded the carriage, it started moving before the man could say anything.

“…… (Experience Points: 21)

Inside the carriage, there was not only a man but also a woman. Judging by her age, she seemed to be the man’s daughter, similar to Penny.

Without saying a word, I immediately opened the window due to the piercing smell of a wet mop.

After a while of silence, the man, scratching his head as if in embarrassment, spoke.

“hahahaha… This child is my daughter, Aria. Now, Aria, greet the hero.”

“Uh, nice to meet you, hero. (Experience Points: 21)”

Blushing as if shy, Aria, like Penny that day, was wearing a considerably revealing outfit.

It was so revealing that it seemed like her chest would spill out if she didn’t hold it with her hands; there was no need to say more.

‘…An unusual display of shyness.’

She blushed with embarrassment, stumbled in her speech, but looking at the experience points above her head, it was clear that this was an act.

Would a woman who exposed herself to 21 men before marriage blush because of a slightly revealing outfit?

‘Acting so naturally shy…’

Perhaps her acting skills were on par with or even surpassing Penny’s.

Frowning at her blatant display, I turned my head away, and the man interpreted it with a knowing smile.

‘Why the hell is he smiling…’

I want to kill him right now.

But causing a scene here could reveal who these people are and who is behind them.

Now is the time to endure and observe the situation to prevent any unexpected incidents like a rebellion.

After a short wait, the carriage swiftly reached a mansion not only far from the slums but also away from the main road.

Although it was morning, the mansion, built in the nearby forest away from the royal road, exuded an unusually gloomy atmosphere.

It wasn’t that it was poorly maintained; in fact, considering its location in this forest, it was quite splendid.