I Became the Guild Leader in Exile

20 – 4 # Children of the Gods (6)

A few days later.

“That’s not it! Come on, let’s try again!”

A shabby building located right next to the Steel Shield Guild. In this place, hastily removing cobwebs and cleaning the traces of impurities, an unusual education was in progress with the children as opponents.

The person directly teaching the children was Sofia. As a half-elf, she had already filled her mind with various knowledge and expertise before stepping onto the battlefield.

Of course, there were many shortcomings to call her a teacher. But she was at least able to teach the children basic knowledge. And among the children sitting on worn-out chairs, familiar faces could be seen.

“Why do I have to be here?”

A few days ago, the children saved by Isaac from the Tears of the Moon were there. Diego pouted his lips and mumbled. Hearing that, Hertz, who was diligently focusing on the class, smiled and said.

“Why? Isn’t it good? Knowledge is something that’s good to accumulate.”

“….”

“It’s not that I dislike it, it’s just…”

Sasha, sitting right next to him, looked at Diego with a pleading expression. Seeing that, startled Diego quickly began making excuses. Thanks to him, Diego became Sofia’s target.

“Hey, you. You’re making a lot of noise, aren’t you?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“Then why don’t you come up and try solving this problem?”

“hehehe! Cheer up, Diego!”

“I’ll show you later.”

Helplessly watching Hertz teasing Diego, Jick sighed. Even when I’m with the master, what am I doing here?

“Sister, is there anywhere that hurts?”

“Genie, what did I tell you to call me outside?”

“I told you to call me ‘oppa,’ unnie.”

“…Sure, just remember that.”

Thinking it was getting strange to talk any further, Jik continued to smile and ruffled Genie’s hair. Sophia had been personally educating Genie for a while now—managing the guild’s ledger, handling commissions, and so on.

“Train her from the beginning to make her useful as a guild employee!”

“As long as she wants to.”

“Isn’t it too harsh on Genie?”

“No, this is Genie’s own wish.”

Sophia firmly replied to Jik’s concern. Genie hoped to be of help to her older sister. Her sister had sacrificed a lot for her in the past. She wanted to be of assistance in any way possible.

“Unnie, can’t you stop pretending to be a man now?”

“….”

“No one is forcing you to be a man for anyone now.”

Like everyone in this era, especially Jik’s parents, they strongly desired a boy. But all that came was a daughter. So, they raised Jik as a boy reluctantly.

“No, I can’t.”

“Unnie…”

“Class is starting. Let’s focus.”

Jik forced a smile and continued to ruffle Genie’s hair. She couldn’t reveal the fact that she was still a girl. The Master thought of her as a boy. But what if he found out she was a girl?

“You have disappointed me.”

‘No, not that…!!’

That was the reason Jik hid the fact that she was a girl. Everyone around her had wished for her to be a boy since her childhood. Those memories had left trauma for Jik.

Sophia’s classes always started in the morning and ended at lunch. Then, the kids who came to the school were provided with free lunches. Currently, there were about seven kids attending the school, excluding Genie and Jik. All of them were children of gods. Naturally, Jik had some dissatisfaction. Was it okay to treat those who attacked the guild so well? Wouldn’t it make them look foolish?

“…Hey, you might get your face punched in if you keep that up.”

“I wish that would happen.”

“Well, it can’t be helped. The first impression wasn’t good.”

“Surprisingly.”

“What now?”

“I thought adults would be unbelievable, but they seem to be all talk.”

Even though Diego had said something to Jik, he immediately shut up at Hertz’s word. It did feel like he didn’t deserve such treatment.

“Unexpected.”

“What now?”

“They say they can’t trust adults, but they’re still talking nonsense.”

“Hey! That…!!”

“Hmph! Just now, that really felt like Diego!”

Herc was openly boasting. Diego, who was unexpectedly slapped by Zig as a fact, was so flustered that he couldn’t respond right away. Soon, Diego cleared his throat and said,

“You can’t suspect someone who saved you twice.”

He had rescued Sasha first, and then he even saved himself. How dare anyone doubt him? That’s why Diego was currently peacefully attending school.

“Tch, useless brat.”

“No, I mean, why on earth?!”

“You should complain, I won’t comfort you, Master.”

“He doesn’t seem like the type to seek comfort…”

While Herc smirked smugly and pointed it out, Zig casually ignored him and tore a piece of bread, feeding it to Zinni. The lunch served consisted of soup and bread, the most basic food.

To the children of the gods who scavenged for scraps, it was nothing short of a feast fit for royalty. Sofia sighed, briefly glancing at the children who were hastily eating.

“At first, it was fine to buy an unused house and turn it into a school. But is this really allowed?”

“What’s the problem?”

“The school, Hades Guild strictly prohibited it.”

In truth, in the past, the children of the gods received much more help than they do now. There were more people willing to assist them when they first appeared. However, the story changed as Hades Guild gained control over Gideon. It became survival of the fittest, dog-eat-dog. Free schools were banned by the Hades Guild, who wished for only the strong to survive.

Of course, teaching schools for money is legal. It’s just that providing free education or offering food was prohibited for the children of the gods. Isaac snorted at those words.

“There’s no problem at all.”

“Are you out of your mind? It’s Hades we’re talking about. The strongest guild, Gideon.”

“The strongest is me.”

“Ugh, please!”

“…Hey…”

Isaac turned his head. Finally, Sofia noticed that the children had approached when she heard the voice coming from behind. Her mind was so confused that she didn’t immediately realize it.

“What’s the matter?”

“Can we talk for a moment?”

“As you wish.”

“…Thank you.”

Diego bowed his head unexpectedly and expressed his gratitude. Naturally, the eyes of the children who knew about him widened, but Diego casually ignored them. They went outside for a while.

Diego, who had taken a position behind the school, paced awkwardly and organized his thoughts in his mind. Isaac, arms crossed, patiently waited for the boy.

“What should I say… um… you don’t have to go through all this trouble.”

“Is there some kind of problem?”

“No! There’s no problem. If anything, I’m grateful. But we need to know everything.”

There was a time when an elderly couple helped the children. Thanks to them, the kids could eat warm bread for a week. However, after that, they were gone. Because they were all captured and executed.

“It’s not too late now. What you’ve done so far is more than enough. Just as I said at the beginning…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What?”

“The Hades Guild? What’s that all about?”

Diego came here with a firm resolve. He didn’t want to lose any more benefactors. Just knowing that they had someone who helped them. He believed it would be enough to endure the rest of his life.

“Do what you want. Don’t despair, have dreams.”

It was a first. Among all those pleading for everyone to do nothing and quietly die, it was the first time someone told them to live and have dreams. Isaac placed his hand on Diego’s shoulder.

“You guys can still do it.”

Choi Kang-in permits it.

* * *

Fate.

A destiny predetermined by gods or an unalterable absolute. According to that fate, Diego was destined to lose all his cherished friends and become a monster.

However, the wheels of fate that were supposed to cruelly turn seemed to have broken down. Was it because of that? Diego still remained human and breathed, alongside his friends.

Diego looked at the graves in front of him. It was the tomb of the elderly couple who had given them warmth for the first time. A grave made by salvaging and barely piecing together the abandoned bodies with his friends.

“How long has it been since breathing stopped hurting?”

“Indeed. We met truly good people.”

“…”

“Tell us quickly. So even in heaven, they can rest assured.”

Behind Diego stood Hertz and Sasha. He had told the other children as well, but Hertz and Sasha were the only ones empathizing with Diego. It couldn’t be helped; one couldn’t force compliance.

Why was his heart trembling like this? Diego took a deep breath to steady himself. Yet, the not entirely unpleasant palpitation lingered. Finally, Diego spoke.

“I have something I want to do for the first time.”

Dreams were a luxury. Life was about surviving each day. They almost lost even their only friends. However, for the first time, they met someone asking them to live.

“A hero.”

Yes, like that person. A hero who could confidently stride anywhere and protect what was precious. A boy who almost became a monster, resenting the world after losing his friends.

“I want to walk the same path as that person.”

That boy’s destiny had just changed.