by SOW
“Milly, you’re making a big mistake if you think calling me pretty will cover up whatever else you say about me!”
Marlene’s eyes were moist but she was laughing as she said this to Milly.
“I thought maybe Sven could help. You know, she seems capable of doing anything!”
Marlene suggested this, looking at Lud.
Sven was a very skillful waitress, who handled customers, accounting, and sales. Marlene thought it would be easy for Sven to improvise being a singer.
“I don’t think that would work.”
Lud’s expression was impenetrable as he answered.
Heidrig wandered around Organbaelz.
“It’s peaceful.”
That was his impression of the town.
During the recent Great War, Wiltia had absorbed Pelfe, where Organbaelz was located. A lot of damage remained along the eastern border, which had served as the main battleground against August, the large nation to the north. But this was in the west, near the border with Wiltia, and because it had already seemed like a part of Wiltia since the start of the war, it hadn’t incurred much damage.
The people passing by and the children running around town showed no sadness.
It’s too bright...
It wasn’t just that Heidrig couldn’t handle strong sunlight after living in a dungeon.
He squinted at the sight of people living honest lives. He pulled his bandana further down.
“What a nice town!”
He had heard that the mine in Organbaelz had been established half a century ago through the merging of several neighboring villages. Most of the townsfolk were miners, families of miners, or employees of surrounding businesses.
Since the economic boom for heavy industries had ended with the war, the demand for minerals and coal had decreased. However, because Wiltia introduced a conciliatory policy with Pelfe, there was large-scale construction of public works. So, the town wasn’t suffering from a poor economy. Homeless children weren’t sleeping in the back streets.
And that’s good enough...
Heidrig had grown up in a slum of Berun, the royal capital.
During the war, people thronged to the city in search of jobs, but many could only find daily employment. Most people became homeless, giving rise to slums in the outer wards of the city. These were places where people sold and purchased stolen items, hired illegal prostitutes, and even boiled and ate wild dogs.
Here in Organbaelz, everyone—men, women, and children—were all preparing for the town festival.
“Let’s take a short break. Here’s some tea.”
An old woman was serving young men who were setting up decorations on the rooftop of a house.
“Oh, is it already that late?”
“Man, I’m exhausted!”
The young men wiped their faces and descended from the rooftop to enjoy the tea. There were also biscuits in a can atop the wooden box serving as a table.
Anyway... that man... Why is he letting me run free?
Heidrig wondered as he watched the scene before him.
Hilde wasn’t with him now. If he wanted, he could escape. But then what?
Someone would be sure to follow. Someone from the military.
And there were plenty of reasons.
The deal between Heidrig and Hilde had been to set him free. But not by exonerating him from his crimes. It would happen by creating a false death certificate and obtaining a new census registration. Heidrig would fake his death, obtain different registration, and live like a free citizen. That was the only way.
What Wiltia feared most wasn’t Heidrig’s existence. It feared him being alive in the government records.
How did all this happen?
Baelz Mine was the main business in Organbaelz, and its workers were regular patrons of Tockerbrot.
Being a miner is difficult physical labor. Eating plenty of good food greatly improves a miner’s efficiency.
“Come on, bring them in faster!”
“I know! Uuumph!”
Sven and Hilde were making a regular delivery to the mine, and were unloading the bread from the rear bed of the truck.
“Ugh! This is heavy! Hey... you can lift that?!”
“Aw, this is nothin’!”
The trays packed with bread were certainly not light. While Hilde could barely carry three trays, Sven was effortlessly lifting a stack of trays that was her own height.
“Uargh! I can do that, too!”
Always competitive, Hilde tried to carry more trays.
“Don’t try to carry too much. I don’t care what happens to you, but I couldn’t stand it if you flipped over a tray of bread that my master baked!”
Sven warned Hilde as she kept walking, a cool expression on her face.
“W-Wait!”
Hilde followed her quickly.
At Baelz Mine, the digging was usually in the first mine. The second mine was closed. The second mine was a strictly regulated no-entry zone, and due to a recent incident, the neighboring military base had sent soldiers to guard it.
“This place sure brings back memories, eh?”
Sven’s tone was sarcastic.
It was here that Hilde had tried to kill Sven and Lud with a Hunter Unit, but had been totally defeated instead.
“Urgh...”
Hilde again groaned in frustration.
“Huh? Did you bring me here to be mean?”
“No. I don’t have time for that.”
As long as Lud had some plan in mind for handling Heidrig, Hilde was a nuisance for Sven to take care of. So Sven brought Hilde to make the delivery so she could keep an eye on her.
After walking for a while, they came to the mine cafeteria. They delivered bread through the service door in the back of the building.
“Hey, Sven. You look as energetic as usual. Is that girl a new employee?”
“Uh, yeah. She is working for us.”
Cheerfully, Sven answered the cafeteria cook.
“The bread from your shop is popular with the men. But there’s a problem. They never used to complain about the food here as long as I added plenty of salt, but now they’ve tasted really good food, they aren’t satisfied with ours.”
“Oh, no. I’m very sorry about that.”
“Well, at least now when the food is tasty, they say as much, so it’s encouraging, too.”
Sven smiled at the cook, who spoke happily despite what he said.
Sven’s smile wasn’t just her sales smile. The miners were enjoying something made by her beloved master. And that gave her great pleasure.
Hmf!
Hilde seemed bored, with no place to go, as she listened to their conversation.
Six days had passed since she had started work at the bakery, but she was still frustrated and kept asking herself, “Why am I doing this?” It would all be over if Heidrig would just hurry up and bump off Lud.
Then she could leave this boring town. The exciting city awaited. She could put this ridiculous place behind her. And she could enter her dream world.
Why are they dragging on with this stupid chitchat?! Just finish up and—
While she was silently grumbling, bells started ringing around the mine. It was a sign that the miners would come to the surface after packing up for lunch.
“I’m exhausted!”
“Aw, man! I’m pooped! Whew!”
With the sound of banter and boisterous laughter, men covered in dirt from the mine entered the cafeteria.
“Hey, it’s the bakery girl!”
As soon as they spotted Sven, they waved and smiled.
“Oh my! Good work, everyone!”
Sven carefully plucked the corners of her apron and daintily curtsied.
“It’s hard work, but when you drop in every now and then—it’s a sight for sore eyes!”
“I’ll say! But she’s scary on the inside!”
They laughed raucously, and Sven giggled and exclaimed, “Oh, you guys!”
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Then another miner showed up.
“Good work, Boss!”
“Well done!”
All the miners bowed welcomingly to Laurel, the leader who bound them together.
“Hello!”
Although he must be getting on in years, Laurel was even brawnier than Lud. The glare in his eyes was like that of a raging bull.
“Thanks for your business, Mr. Laurel!”
Sven welcomed him with a smile.
“Oh, the bakery, eh? As usual, you’re working hard today!”
Laurel raised an eyebrow as he answered and caught a glimpse of Hilde.
“That outfit... Does she work at your place?”
“Yes. She’s a new staff member. Sort of.”
Sven answered vaguely since it was too complicated to explain the circumstances behind Hilde’s employment.
“..................”
Laurel’s expression was strained.
“I’m just guessing, but... is she like you?”
“Like me? Oh, don’t worry! She only possesses average physical strength.”
“I s-see...”
Sven had once quarreled with Laurel and solved it through arm wrestling. It had ended in an overwhelming victory for Sven.
Even a man with a miner’s superior strength couldn’t defeat a humanoid Hunter Unit. Laurel was a mature man, so that didn’t bother him anymore, but the experience of a slender girl overpowering him with superhuman strength was still shocking.
“Hey, girl. What’s your name?”
“..................”
Laurel asked Hilde the question, but she didn’t answer. She frowned and looked away.
“Oh dear! I’m terribly sorry! You! A customer is speaking to you. Answer him!”
Sven was quick to scold her, but Hilde bit her lips and ignored them like a pouting child.
“Oh, never mind. Everyone has that kind of day.”
Laurel didn’t seem to mind and even sounded concerned for Hilde.
“Well, being the new help can be difficult.”
He raised an eyebrow and remained jovial.
The Baelz mine had once been just a mountain, but now people from all over gathered to work as miners. Among them, many came, not from choice, but because they couldn’t stay in their home towns.
Laurel was used to seeing new faces who were unhappy or angry with their new surroundings.
“Hey, girl... even though you’re not used to your new job, you still gotta do your best. If you do your work carefully, the people around you will notice.”
Laurel didn’t intend his comment to be deep, and just wanted to encourage this sulky girl, who was new to her job and having trouble.
“Your boss used to be like you.”
However, these last words struck Hilde’s heart.
“Wargh!”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
After screwing her face up painfully, Hilde ran out of the cafeteria.
“Um... did I say something wrong?”
Laurel had only tried to cheer her up, as he would a new hand at the mine, but realized that maybe it was the wrong way to deal with a young girl, so he just scratched his head in vexation.
“No... but thanks for your kind words.”
Sven thanked him politely.
“It’s just... those words were too bitter for that girl to swallow.”
Until recently, the workers at Baelz Mine, including Laurel, had avoided Lud even more than the other townsfolk. In fact, they had hated him. And yet now they admired Lud as a great baker.
That was because Lud always worked honestly and seriously. And that’s why he mentioned Lud to Hilde, but Laurel had no idea that Lud was the source of Hilde’s unhappy employment at Tockerbrot.
“Excuse me now. Have a nice day.”
Sven bowed and followed after Hilde.
As Hilde ran out of the cafeteria, she had tears in her eyes. She wasn’t sure why. It could be frustration. It could be anger, or even outrage. But, much bigger and harder to bear was pity.
She was from a noble family, albeit a fallen one, chosen to join an elite unit, and had lived in a special, privileged world. But she was still an object of sympathy and pity.
However, that wasn’t the only reason she felt pitiful. Something much more powerful shook her heart.
“Argh! Argh!! Argh!!!”
Something indescribable aggravated Hilde’s mind.
In a fit of emotion, she kicked a drum can in front of her. The empty can echoed—klong, klong, klong—which further irritated Hilde, who felt as if she was mocked.
“Why are you being so foolish, you silly girl?”
Sven, who had followed Hilde, looked angry.
“Don’t be rude to customers! What if this causes trouble for Master?”
But this time, Sven didn’t speak with her usual withering tone. It was more casual, as if she were simply warning an inexperienced girl.
“Argh!”
However, that further irritated Hilde. She felt as if she was branded a troublemaker who must be coddled and placated.
“Uaargh!!”
As she screamed, Hilde grabbed a nearby sledgehammer and swung it at Sven.
“Hey, what are you doing, you twit!”
The hammer could injure or even kill Sven. However, Hilde didn’t have much strength, so it looked like the hammer was swinging Hilde rather than the other way around. It was doubtful she could even make contact with Sven.
Sven dodged easily, and in a flash, she seized Hilde.
“I knew you were stupid, but what are you trying to do now?”
Sven wasn’t even angry.
She would get angry at someone for endangering Lud’s life, or her own, but she wouldn’t get irritated every time a spoiled child lost her temper.
“Aaa... agh! Urrrgh!”
Hilde’s arms were twisted behind her back and her shoulders pushed down. Sven smashed her flat to the ground and she couldn’t budge.
Hilde cried. Was she so pitiful that Sven didn’t even consider her a problem? And on top of that, her nose was running!
“Dammit!”
Hilde screamed the howl of the defeated.
“You don’t know anything about me!! I wasn’t born to do chores like this!”
She was having a tantrum, screaming and raging and crying.
“I’m from a noble family! I’m different from commoners like you! I’m elite! I’m one of the chosen! Don’t mix me up with cheap dirt like you!!”
“.....................”
“The only thing you think about every day is how to secure your wages, right? Well, I’m different! I have more noble tasks than you riffraff!”
While Hilde was screaming, Sven remained silent and stared at Hilde. Her cold gaze was fearsome and somehow observant. Perhaps it was the coldest expression Hilde had seen since coming here.
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
“W-What—”
Finally, Hilde realized, with her cheek to the ground, that Sven was acting differently.
“I knew you were dippy, but it’s worse. You’re a total dipstick!”
“What?!”
Hilde’s anger caught fire again and she struggled, but Sven’s hands were so tight that she couldn’t move.
“Noble? Commoner? Special human being? You have a shallow mind.”
As Sven said this, she was remembering how she had once been.
It was right after she started working at Tockerbrot. She had just changed from Avei to her new identity as Sven. Lud had grown angry with her when she insulted the miners, even though it was because they were unkind to her beloved master.
After Sven took on a humanoid body, she had only a superficial viewpoint. She had been created as a weapon, so she had only known the battlefield. She was programmed with common-sense knowledge but lacked actual experience.
Her emotions and sensibilities remained stubbornly thin and weak. She had no talent for activities that required
more, such as art or any creativity. She was unable to tell stories, draw pictures, or sing songs. Which was understandable since a typewriter, printer, or stereo speaker doesn’t have emotions and imagination.
“You think you’re a special person? You don’t know anything about people!”
Sven continued speaking to Hilde in a matter-of-fact tone.
“You place others beneath you, because you don’t know who you are. You figure if everything in the world is worthless, then at least no one can look down on you!”
After becoming Sven, she had no guidepost. She was uncomfortable and awkward in a way she hadn’t been as a weapon.
A weapon was considered good enough by achieving victory in war. She had only needed to execute the orders of her pilot.
All that was left after she abandoned that were her feelings for Lud. So Sven had nurtured those feelings at the expense of everything else. She placed the whole world beneath Lud so that she, who loved Lud, wouldn’t be inferior to others.
“I don’t care about nobles or elites. You just want to make yourself look good by holding on to shallow authority!”
Without realizing it, Sven’s voice was rising.
Hilde’s pitifulness embarrassed her, as if she were looking at herself. She had used her beloved master as an excuse to look down on others. As she had when she insulted the miners.
“If you abuse people who work and sweat blood for their families, then are you really noble? If you mock people who live as honestly as they can every day, then are you really elite? You don’t even know how to be proud of yourself unless someone chooses you!”
Sven released Hilde’s hands, as if casting them away.
“SOB... SOB... SOB...”
Hilde, however, didn’t stand up. She continued crying in shame, still on the ground.
“So basically... you don’t have anything, do you?”
Sven had finally realized. The revulsion she felt at the sight of Hilde was self-hate.
Lud had been so angry with Sven that day because she had trampled on something important that everyone, including him, possessed. And that had deeply saddened him. Afterward, he had knelt to apologize to the miners Sven had insulted.
Sven had shamed someone important to her.
Admiring something important doesn’t make it necessary to look down on something else. Doing so can damage what is important.