Chapter 02

Imperial Special Guard

"What a bunch of fucking assholes..."

Tud, tud

I walked helplessly down the street.

The paper in my hand remained the same no matter how many times I read it.

"These damn bastards..."

Mumbling to myself, I walked aimlessly.

The paper in my hand remained the same no matter how many times I read it.

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[Order Regarding Transfer of Personnel]

Captain Rael of the Third Guard is transferred to the Imperial Special Guard.

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The Imperial Special Guard.

A terror to the guard, a hell where once you're taken, you come out a lunatic.

And now, a righteous guard captain like me is being transferred to the Special Guard.

I recalled the night a few days ago that led to this situation.

'It doesn't make any sense. How can that pig be a noble?'

In this world, nobles are revered for their strength and proficiency in wielding weapons. Self-discipline is a must for nobles.

When that fat pig started causing trouble, I thought he was the son of a wealthy merchant and gave him a lesson or two, but I was completely wrong.

He was just a good-for-nothing brat from the Viscount's household.

"No, and if he's a noble, he should've said something. Ugh... It felt so uncomfortable."

That bastard didn't say a word until he got punched in the face and ran away drunk.

If he had said something then, I wouldn't have hit him.

'But I can't just beat up nobles, damn it.'

The Imperial Guard is similar to being a knight in terms of duty.

It's not about pledging loyalty to a specific individual but to the empire itself.

In other words, you can't just quit whenever you want.

There are consequences for leaving, just like being in a tight spot.

''So the empire is betraying me in the end."

Could it be that the idea of wealth redistribution didn't sit well with those in power?

Perhaps the beggar who had taken the fairy tale was a nobleman's pawn.

Contemplating the future of the empire earnestly, I opened the door to the inn.

"Rael! You're back?"

As I entered the inn, Sara, with her hair tied back, approached me as if greeting her husband returning from work.

She used to be quite a beauty in her youth, but wrinkles were starting to form around her eyes these days.

This woman is not my wife, but rather the teacher from the orphanage in my childhood.

She runs the inn and tavern at night and volunteers at the orphanage during the day, a true woman of this era.

I've been staying at this inn for a long time thanks to our connection.

"Yes, Miss Sara..."

"Why the long face? Did something bad happen during patrol? I'll heat up some stew for you, just wait a bit."

"Thank you. Please put in lots of meat."

I slumped into a corner seat.

Honestly, this inn may not have fancy facilities or stand out, but the atmosphere is pleasant, and I can see Miss Sara.

The orphanage and this inn are the only places where I feel at ease in this shitty world.

"The kids come here often too."

I grew up in the orphanage.

Being strong from a young age, I took on the role of the leader there, and as a result, I'm very popular with the kids.

Thunk.

A warm bowl of stew was placed in front of me.

I immediately picked up my spoon.

I liked that there was more meat in this stew compared to what they serve at other inns. With this much meat, I could have a piece with every bite.

"Rael, so what's going on?"

"A few days ago, I got into a fight with a guy causing trouble after drinking, turns out he's a noble's son."

"What? Isn't that a big deal?"

"Yeah. That's why I got transferred."

I handed the transfer order to Miss Sara.

Sara diligently read the transfer order, but it seemed she didn't quite understand it, so she set it down again.

Her reading comprehension skills were like those of an ordinary citizen in a medieval fantasy world.

"I don't really understand what it means to be transferred to the Special Guard. I'll pour you a cool cup of tea."

"Yes, with ice cubes."

As I watched Miss Sara's back as she went into the kitchen, I turned my head.

Today, there seemed to be more customers on the first floor than usual.

Honestly, this inn wasn't particularly outstanding compared to others, and most of the customers were usually mercenaries who came to throw their weight around at Miss Sara.

But today was different.

'They must be mercenaries after all. Are those guys from Jaide's gang?'

The city's guard captain and mercenaries indeed have a close relationship.

These guys live from hand to mouth, so they often get into trouble.

Judging by the patterns on their swords, they seem to be from the Jaide faction, the same guys I often dealt with.

I looked at the mercenaries laughing heartily.

"Miss, I want to believe in God, but since I haven't learned anything, it's hard to believe. So, I want to learn a way to believe."

"God is always with us. You just need to practice your faith in your own way."

Among the rough mercenaries, there was a woman with a beautiful appearance.

Like me, she had a close relationship with Miss Sara, which is why she came to this inn.

"Here, Rael, your favorite honey tea. There's not much left, so drink it slowly."

Thunk.

At that moment, Miss Sara brought out the tea.

I raised my teacup, keeping my gaze fixed on the mercenaries.

They continued to chuckle and chat amongst themselves.

"That's true, but wouldn't it be nice if you could come to our hideout and give us some detailed examples? Like, how to pray or what it feels like to welcome God. Huh?"

"Ah, sure, shall we do that? When would be a good time for you?"

To an outsider, it might seem like they're planning a hunt, but there's no hunting in this world. If anything, it would be more like kidnapping or extortion.

You can't expect these guys to have any sense of decency.

"Trash just keeps coming out no matter how much you clean up."

"Huh?"

"Look over there. The Jaide gang is causing trouble for the priest."

I said as I sipped the tea Miss Sara handed me.

It's called honey tea, but it's practically sugar water, with hardly any honey in it.

Then again, those "honey" snacks I had in my past life were just sugar lumps.

"Uh, uh, Rael. Rael! It's not the time to leisurely drink tea! Hurry, let's go and help!"

"That's right."

I downed the tea in one gulp and got up from my seat.

Luckily, as an elite guard captain, I know how to handle guys like them.

"Maybe you didn't understand, but I clearly told Jaide to keep quiet here in this inn. Is your memory failing because you didn't get an education?"

I sighed and walked slowly through the mercenaries.

The guys who were laughing at the woman now focused their attention on me.

Some of the more hot-headed mercenaries stood up from their seats.

"What did you say? This guy...!"

Perhaps they were acting this way because they were heavily drunk.

Or maybe it was the typical male pride that surfaced only in front of women.

The guys who were usually cocky were now ready to throw down, their hands resting on their swords.

"Draw your swords, you bastards."

"This guy! Who said we can't draw?!"

Amidst the mercenaries who were about to draw their swords, I slowly raised my hand to the hilt of my sword.

At the same time, the mercenaries froze in their tracks.

"W-What's this...?"

“Living, living... is great.”

The mercenaries' shoulders began to tremble.

After a moment, starting with the one closest to me, they dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

Watching them, I couldn't help but feel that my standards had lowered by associating with them.

"Tsk tsk. Keep blabbering. Keep it up. If anyone saw it, they would think you have met a dragon."

I chuckled and patted the trembling heads of the mercenaries.

"Eek!"

Finally, the mercenaries relaxed and collapsed to the ground.

Some, their pride stung, belatedly drew their swords with flushed faces, but a mercenary from behind grabbed their shoulders, staring fixedly at me.

"Hey, hey! Are you insane?! Don't mess with the crazy guard captain!"

"Shit! You should have told us sooner if the lunatic guard captain was staying at this inn!"

"Are you seriously thinking of monopolizing the women in this inn? Ugh. I should inform the Mercenary Guild immediately!"

I chuckled sarcastically and glared at the asshole who had just opened his mouth.

"So, you're the bastards spreading false rumors?"

I wondered why a kind guard captain like myself was being called a lunatic, but it was clear that these guys were the problem.

'That's why you can't have a decent conversation with uneducated bastards like them.'

From my perspective, with my overwhelming high school diploma, the medieval bastards were too barbaric for my liking.

Since I've already been demoted to the special guard, there's nothing left to lose.

I immediately swung my fist at the face of the guy who said he would go straight to the Mercenary Guild.

"Kaaa...!"

The guy couldn't even muster a defense and collapsed, his eyes rolling back in his head. I gestured to the fallen mercenary and waved my hand.

"Get that guy out of here right now. I remember his face, so if I see him around here again, he'll regret it. Oh, and leave some money before you go."

The chatty mercenaries reluctantly took out their purses and placed them on the table, glancing at me cautiously as they slowly exited the inn. Indeed, beasts only listen when they're beaten.

"Thank you for saving me, Captain Rael."

"You're welcome, Sister Cecilia."

I belatedly showed respect to Cecilia, who had been among the mercenaries, lowering my head towards her. She smiled without batting an eye at the violence that had just unfolded before her.

Cecilia. She is a priestess of Gaia, the largest religion on the continent and the official religion of the Empire.

We became acquainted when she volunteered at the orphanage.

'And she's a top-tier character in the original work.'

The reason I show respect even to a low-ranking priestess like her is simple: she is a character from the original novel.

Though she's just a low-ranking priestess now, she will later receive a divine revelation and be revered as a saint.

'So, she's like the Bitcoin of medieval fantasy, huh.'

Knowing her future rise in importance, I'm cultivating a friendly relationship with her from now on.

I maintained a faint smile as I spoke.

"Doesn't the Church's teaching say in Chapter 10, Verse 2 of the teachings of the church, it says, 'Do not turn away from those in need of help.'"

"Oh my... I didn't expect you to have memorized the teachings of the church. Your faith is truly remarkable, Sir Rael!"

It was a verse I had memorized to make a good impression when I saw the top-ranked saint visiting the orphanage.

I don't know any other verses.

I cautiously spoke as I looked around the quiet first-floor inn.

"...And don't mingle with those kinds of people. They're not interested in the divine, anyway."

"Oh no. While many in this world may deceive others, I believe in clinging to a glimmer of hope that they might need my help someday."

Seeing her sincere faith and warm smile, I felt like a bad person for cultivating a friendship with her while knowing about her future rise in importance.

"Speaking of which, I heard unintentionally that Mr. Rael was transferred to the special guard."

"...Yes. That's how it turned out."

A guard captain demoted to the special guard for offending a noble. It wasn't something to boast about, so I awkwardly chuckled.

"If it's you, Sir Rael, you can handle it. You're the kindest guard captain I know. If you ever need someone to talk to during tough times, you can always come to me for advice."

"Thank you. If I ever feel the urge to commit suicide, I'll come find you."

I had no intention of giving up just yet. I couldn't escape right away anyway, and if I did, the first ones to suffer would be the orphanage and Miss Sara.

"If you're worried, I'll offer you a light blessing. They say those who come out of there often have many mental issues."

"No, there's no need to do that..."

"It's okay. It's not a difficult task."

Without even listening to my protests, Cecilia bestowed her blessing upon me. As the light permeated my body, I widened my eyes in surprise.

"Oh, I feel refreshed. Thank you, Sister Cecilia."

"Huh? It seems like the blessing didn't work properly..."

"This is the blessing of the church. Ah, indeed, you're truly remarkable. I should increase my donations to the church from now on."

I exaggerated my movements, flexing my muscles for display. Cecilia blinked as she watched me.

"No, Sir Rael, that's just a placebo..."

"Please, let it be, Miss. Rael seems happy about it."

"...Oh, I see. Alright then. If the Rael is happy, I suppose it's fine."

I seized the opportunity to express my gratitude to Sara, who intervened at the right moment, and chuckled heartily.

"Haha! I feel so refreshed and happy! I'll go to bed first. Have a good night, both of you."

Before Cecilia could sense anything strange, I turned away. I hoped she wouldn't notice the peculiarities of my body.

"It's strange that the blessing didn't resonate with the soul... Perhaps I should pray more."

Ignoring Cecilia's murmurs from behind, I made my way upstairs.

The next morning,

I stepped out of the inn, feeling uneasy.

The location marked on the map for the Special Guard was unfamiliar territory to me.

'From District 2 to District 5... What an unbelievable demotion.'

Normally, I patrolled Districts 2 and 3, so this sudden transfer was absurd.

Unlike the affluent nobles and wealthy commoners residing in Districts 2 and 3, most inhabitants of District 5 were beggars and paupers.

With its high crime rate, life in District 5 would undoubtedly make the job of a guard even more challenging.

"The noble gift of Gaia. This book is the Soul Purifier, which purifies the tainted souls of those who have committed sins. If you wish to repent and cleanse your soul, donate now for the Soul Purifier..."

The voice of a lower priestess echoed through the streets.

To an outsider, it might seem like a business pitch, but it was clearly a product being sold by the clergy.

Soul Purifier.

I'm not sure why it's written in Chinese instead of English.

This world itself is just fundamentally chaotic.

When I first heard about the Soul Purifier, I thought it was some kind of nonsense, but it's essentially like indulgences.

"Charlatans peddling religion have always existed, no matter the era."

As I looked at the Soul Purifier, memories of the blessing I received from Cecilia last night came to mind.

She mentioned that the blessing didn't quite take hold in my soul.

'I was almost branded a heretic by the next saint.'

The concept of the soul.

To me, a modern person, it's an abstract and conceptual term, but in this world, it's common knowledge.

All living beings in this world have souls.

Being born and living itself is a blessing from Gaia, and in the process, souls are imbued into bodies.

But I was different. Unlike the people of this world, I didn't have a soul in my body.

I learned about the nature of my body a few years ago when I happened to encounter a sorcerer.

The sorcerer cursed souls, causing bodies to decay.

To kill him, I needed the protection of a high-ranking priest, but I cut his throat without any resistance.

'Things have been strange since then.'

While everyone else's bodies were decaying, I remained unaffected, so I sought out a cheap priest.

There might be an incubation period for curses, after all.

However, realizing that the priest's blessings didn't work on me, I understood that there was something wrong with my body.

'Well, it's not that big of a deal. There aren't that many sorcerers cursing souls rather than bodies.'

Rumor has it that beyond the veil of magic, demons and devils devour souls just by encountering them, but as a mere captain of the guard, it didn't concern me.

I passed by a priest selling soul purification kits and glanced at the map.

"Damn, why is the road so complicated?"

The destination marked on the map was tucked away in a corner even in Zone 5.

Starting with the hassle of going to the Special Guard, now even the streets were getting on my nerves.

"...No, let's think positively."

I sighed and recalled stories about the Special Guard.

It was rumored that most of the guards transferred there went insane, but it wasn't entirely true.

They said only the newly transferred soldiers went mad, while the founding members of the Special Guard remained sane.

"Although Chris was sent away not too long ago... there are still some people left,"

Two soldiers who had recently transferred had managed to endure for over six months.

Once I got acquainted with them, I could learn anything from them.

As I pondered this, two soldiers mentioned in the orders rushed past me.

"Damn! It's an emergency! We need to find a priest!"

"Earlier, they were at the place distributing the soul purification pamphlets! If they say two guys from the Special Guard came, you'll understand immediately!"

"Is he the worst case we've seen so far?"

"He's only been out for half a year this time. Maybe he's just barely holding on?"

I scanned the faces of the men rushing out of the building.

The way their mouths hung open and their eyes rolled back, they looked like they'd seen a ghost.

It's probably... the two soldiers I was planning to visit.

'...Holy Shit.'

How can you crush my hopes in one second?

It's a fucked up world.

"Still, seeing them rushing over from there means they're finding the way just fine..."

Sigh.

There's no turning back now, so I might as well go and see what's going on.

I tried to maintain a positive mindset as I headed towards the Special Guard.