My Disciples Think I’m Strong

“I think I’ve recorded enough.”

Although I wasn’t sure if these events would truly unfold, I wrote down the trials the heroes would face and the locations of relics on a parchment.
Just in case, I wrote it in Korean instead of the language used in the Pretium Empire. Since Korean doesn’t seem to be used in this world, it would appear as an ancient script to others.

“Phew… My hands are covered in ink.”

Feeling regretful that this wasn’t the modern world, I dipped the quill back into the inkwell.
I read through the listed items on the parchment one by one and sighed.

“Is this really the game world?”

The more my memories from playing the game matched the memories of Praus who lived in this world, the more I realized this world was indeed the game world of ‘The Three Heroes of Pretium.’

“There’s so much we have to endure going forward.”

These were things I never gave much thought to while playing the game. I just followed along as I progressed.
But in reality, if I didn’t take the initiative, I would be caught up in events without being able to respond properly.

Of course, the best outcome would be if none of these events occurred, but if this world was the ‘Three Heroes of Pretium’ game world I knew, then these events were inevitable.

So I should prepare, but not assume for certain.

I packed my belongings.
Mainly money, spare clothes, emergency rations that could be eaten anytime, and a sword for self-defense.

I drew the sword and checked the blade’s condition.
This world, unlike the modern one with laws, was a place where life could be easily taken. I had to protect my own life.

However, unfortunately, Praus was someone who hadn’t even gone through basic training in his 19 years of life.
In other words, he was someone who couldn’t even protect himself alone.
The Intimidation skill was practically just a bluff, so if the opponent ignored it and attacked, I could die.

As for this issue, I planned to come up with countermeasures after rescuing the three heroes first. Because if I couldn’t gather the heroes, we would perish regardless.

I sheathed the sword and strapped it to my waist. I slung on a bag.
My body wobbled slightly. I had stayed up all night writing the contents on the parchment, so I felt fatigued.

But I couldn’t rest now.
There was something I had to do today.

Shaking my head vigorously, I left the house.
I locked the door handle and departed.

As I walked while looking around, the scenery with nothing but nature felt very unfamiliar after being used to seeing towering buildings and countless cars passing by.

“Praus? Where are you going?”

A farmer harvesting wheat in a field at the village outskirts called out to me. I looked at him.

[Skill ‘Intimidation’ is activated.]

Here we go again. The hologram message appeared before my eyes, just like in the game.
The farmer flinched. It seemed my skill was causing trouble again.
How could a skill that activated simply by looking at someone be practical?

“Pr, Praus, don’t look at me like that…”
‘Ah, I’m sorry.’
“Sorry.”

What’s with the casual speech?
He’s clearly older than you. What kind of rude way of speaking is this…?

“I need to go to Pretium. Don’t ask why.”

This is insane…

“I, I see.”

The conversation ended there. The farmer hurriedly fled somewhere, so I couldn’t continue talking.
It seemed the farmer tried to speak politely, but my words and actions didn’t allow for it.
I’m really sorry.

“…Praus, is it?”
“Yes.”

I spoke to the coachman wiping down the carriage in the stable. Did he forget how to use honorifics?

“You, you insolent brat. Just because you’re a little powerful, you, you don’t show any respect to your elders?”
“Respect… You want me to show it?”
“…No, i, it’s fine.”
“I see.”

I nodded. Was respect for elders generous in this world? Come to think of it, the main character in the game also spoke half-casually.

“So, so why did you come see me?”
“I’m going to the capital.”

I spoke while turning my head away. Intimidation seemed to only affect living beings within my line of sight, so this was to have a more comfortable conversation.

“Money?”
“Plenty.”

As I jingled my money pouch, the coachman forced a smile over his tense expression. He seemed satisfied.

“It’s sixty copper coins to the capital. I won’t take you if you’re unhappy with that.”
“I’ll give you one silver coin. But in return, go as fast as possible. I may need to stop once on the way, and there could be another passenger. Can you do that?”
“…Alright.”

Considering one silver coin was worth a hundred copper coins, from his perspective, he could earn over 1.5 times the usual fare, so he likely didn’t care about any additional conditions.
I handed him one silver coin.

“Get on right away. We’re departing.”

I nodded.
I climbed onto the carriage with a canopy.

“By the way, what’s your reason for going?”

Sorry, but I can’t tell you.
Alright, I just thought of it. I only need to say it.

“None of your business.”

…Damn it.

“You tactless brat.”

The coachman snorted and didn’t say anything more.

Thump!
The carriage’s interior shook violently, as if the wheels had hit a rock.
Ah, I missed cars. I missed paved asphalt roads.

As I reminisced about the world I lived in, I thought about the issue I would face two days from now.

The first hero was living as a slave under a construction worker.
During this period, labor was mobilized outside Pretium Castle to build windmills, and when the ten-year-old hero was forced to work, an accident occurred that caused his master’s daily wage to be docked.
Enraged by this, the worker beat the hero, and in the process, a broken rib pierced an organ, leading to his death.

That was the first hero’s death episode.

So if I acted carelessly from the start, I wouldn’t be able to save that child.
It was an event that would unfold right before sunset on October 1st, 990 of the Imperial Calendar at the construction site, so I had to reach near Pretium before then.

Considering the timing and schedule, it wasn’t too rushed.
But there was also a possibility the event could occur sooner, so it wouldn’t hurt to arrive early.

“Ugh. My back hurts…”

Trying to sleep in the carriage for two straight days made it impossible to sleep properly, and my neck and back ached terribly.
Traveling at a fast pace on unpaved roads was unforgiving on the body.

“You awake?”

I nodded.

“But aren’t you going to tell me when to stop? You need to tell me so I can decide whether to stop or not, you brat.”
“They’ll be building windmills near Pretium. Stop when we get there.”
“Well, well. You tactless brat. Why are you going to a construction site?”
“None of your business. Just drive the carriage.”

This way of speaking really…
I’ve just resigned myself to it now.
I knew that continuing to speak this way would only make more enemies, but what could I do? The skill was like this.

Praus would have definitely been beaten to death by the villagers before meeting the main characters.
The fact that I was still alive was a miracle in itself.

By the time we reached the point where Pretium’s castle walls were visible, the sun was still up, and I could see workers carrying stones near the walls.
It seemed we weren’t too late.

“Stop and wait here.”
“Got it.”

The carriage stopped at the coachman’s response.
I placed ten copper coins next to where he was sitting. Although unintentional, it was an act of apology since those were ultimately my words.

“What’s this for?”
“For your hard work.”

“But I’ve already been paid the agreed amount?”
“A tip. You’re clueless.”

The clueless one is my mouth, it seems.

“Heh… You’re so generous with money because of your father. You’ll go broke quickly at this rate.”
“That’s none of your business. I’ll handle it myself.”
“You tactless brat. But money is sinless, I suppose.”

He guffawed. It seemed his mood had improved, which was a relief.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

I got off the carriage and walked towards the construction site.
Since multiple windmills were being installed at once, I had to look around to see which one the first hero was attached to.

As I walked and looked around for a bit, I realized there wasn’t just one or two windmill construction sites. At this rate, it would take too much time.

Since the first hero could already be getting beaten at this very moment, I decided to hurry.

I entered the construction site. A figure who seemed to be a supervisor overseeing the workers noticed me and approached.

“Hm? Who are you?”
“I came to find someone. Is there a worker named Polder among them?”

I spoke while keeping my gaze down.
Polder. The worker who enslaved the first hero.

“A young man, it seems. But your speech is rather rude.”
“…Don’t say unnecessary things, just answer.”

I felt like I would go crazy if I had to deal with his roundabout way of speaking, so better to keep it simple.
“Ha… Young—”

I raised my gaze from the ground.

“Ugh!”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Wha, what…”
“Where is the man named Polder?”

As I looked at him, his jaw tightened audibly. Too afraid to even speak. I sighed and looked down again.

“Huck! Wh, who are you…?”
“You talk too much. Just tell me where Polder is.”
“…Ov, over there, past that corner of the wall, there’s a windmill numbered 3. Polder should be there.”
“I see. Got it.”

As soon as I got the answer, I turned away. I was already getting tired of the misunderstandings that piled up every time I spoke.

“I don’t know what this is about, but don’t cause any trouble.”
“Don’t worry.”

I replied without turning back, to the concerned voice from behind me.

By the time I reached the windmill numbered 3 that he pointed out,
I saw a man forcibly dragging along a little girl with protruding white fox ears.

“Found him.”

I hurried over.
What could I say to persuade him? Was it even possible?
How much money would I have to offer for him to hand her over?
Pondering how to resolve the situation, I entered the woods without hesitation.

“Hey you bastard!!”

Thwack!
A dull sound followed the man’s shout.

“I’m sorry! I’m sor—Ughh!”
“Do you know how many days’ wages I lost because of you?! You weak runt who can’t even carry materials!”

Thump!

“You slave brat! You made your master lose money! You’ll pay for it! Fuck!”
“I’m sorry… Ughh! Sp, spare me…”

Thwack! Thwack!

The clearer the sounds of beating became as I got closer, the quicker my steps became. But I never ran.
I had to maintain distance. I couldn’t fight.

Rustle. My clothes brushed against the leaves.
Hearing the sound, the man looked this way.

“Stop that.”
“Who are you—”
“Unless you want to die.”

Shhing. I glared at him as I drew my self-defense sword.