I ran into those kids again—the party of the small boy and two girls. Wait, can I even call them a party? It’s not like they’re mercenaries.
I’m curious about them. Actually, I can’t get them out of my head.
At first, I thought I was just worried about them, which I am, of course. Kids that young fighting in the deep layer is just too reckless. But they seem stronger than I gave them credit for. I can tell by the way they move. Sounds like something a master would say, right? Well, I kind of am one now. Not through training—it’s just what the god did for me. The swordsmanship theory the god installed in my brain when I was reincarnated automatically made me a master. Apparently, being a master means you have a keen eye too. I can judge one’s level of swordsmanship just by their posture or subtle movement; I don’t even need to see them swing a sword.
I used to know nothing about swords, but now I catch myself sizing up mercs and thinking, “That one’s good.” It’s almost funny.
From what I can see, those kids are amateurs. They’ve trained a bit, sure, but they’re barely above rookie merc level. Still, they’ve got some strong mana hidden inside them. They can use magic, that’s for sure—there’s no way they could’ve made it this far otherwise. Their martial arts skills are basic, but their mana surpasses that of most sorcerers. Plus, the girls are both rare races of beastfolk. I doubt they’re bait slaves like some scummy mercs use... I can’t figure out their background at all.
I just couldn’t stop thinking about what they were.
But I think it’s more than curiosity. I don’t even understand it myself, but I just can’t get them out of my head.
Especially the black-haired boy. It’s not just because we have the same hair color. Whenever I see him, I can’t look away. Something stirs inside me—a strange, hazy feeling.
I couldn’t even tell if this feeling was goodwill or malice.
It’s just an endless curiosity I have for him. But why?
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t find an answer. So I decided to observe them. But that turned out to be harder than I’d expected.
They were sharper than I’d thought. Even from a distance, they sensed me. Beastfolk must have incredible hearing and smell. I got spotted and ditched more than once. Eventually, I figured out I could tail them if I was far enough that I couldn’t hear them...but then I couldn’t really tell what they were doing. I did confirm they used magic—I’d expected that they’d all be sorcerers.
Is there even any meaning to what I’m doing?
As I pondered the reason behind my own actions, one day, I ran into the children in the most unexpected place. I was genuinely shocked—I hadn’t thought they’d venture that deep.
It was an area in the deep layer filled with extremely strong magical beasts. I’d never seen another mercenary there, and even the ones from Erunst didn’t seem to know about it, but not because it was hidden. My guess was that anyone who’d made it that far got killed. That’s how suddenly the levels of the beasts spiked.
But that probably meant there was a good chance it was the correct path forward.
Seeing those kids step into such a deadly zone... Even though mercenaries act at their own risk, I felt like I should stop them. But after all, I was just a stranger. I had no right. In the end, all I could do was watch from the shadows.
I told myself I’d step in if things got too—
Then it happened. That must have been what true shock feels like.
The kids took down a vicious hard shell bug like it was nothing, like they knew exactly how to kill it.
But that wasn’t the most surprising part.
It was the boy’s mana.
“That mana...”
It seemed to contain dragon power—very similar to the heaven dragon, as a matter of fact.
Was it just my imagination? But that was...
Still confused, I kept tailing them.
They were alarmingly strong. They wiped out a killer treant in an instant, then did the same to a swarm of paralyze eyes, all without so much as a scratch. It was hard to believe how strong they were, but it made sense. I could feel dragon mana from them, and it was definitely the same kind as the heaven dragon.
Especially from the black-haired boy. When he breathed fire like a dragon, all my suspicions were confirmed. That mana that had swelled inside him and erupted from his throat was just like the heaven dragon’s breath.
But why those kids?
I kept watching, slowly growing more and more frustrated with them. They defeated ferocious monsters and laughed together. They would high-five each other in celebration.
They were reveling in the happiness we’d lost.
“Can I really let this go?”
Of course not. My teammates lost their lives bringing down the heaven dragon... They’ll never smile at me again.
You guys stole the heaven dragon’s power from us—no, did those kids really take the heaven dragon’s core? But there’s no doubt they’ve gained its power. I can clearly feel the core’s power too.
“There’s no other explanation. They must’ve stolen it.”
Yeah... They stole it! The reward we risked our lives for!
But can you really obtain the heaven dragon’s power just because you have the core? Or is there some special method? No... There’s no way those kids could—
“But who else could it be?”
No, that can’t...be true.
“No, it can be true.”
Can it? But...
Ugh, my thoughts are a mess. It’s like a black shadow is swallowing my whole body.
“Uh...”
“It makes me livid! Seeing those kids all happy!”
That’s...
“I wanna destroy their happiness! They have something I don’t! I wanna rip it into shreds!”
Yeah... I’ve worked so hard. No way those damn thieves should be happier than me!
Don’t laugh like that! Stop looking all happy!
You’re supposed to be beneath me! If not, then everything’s wrong!
No, this is bad. I can’t take it anymore. Even my heart is being swallowed by this ugly, black shadow.
“Aaaagggghhhh!”
What are you thieves laughing about?!
Why are you smiling so happily?!
You twerps...don’t deserve...to be happy!
“Gggaaahhhh!”