TRPM 419

chapter 419

I handed out character-themed school supplies to the kids entering or already attending elementary school, and plain, non-character school supplies to the kids entering middle and high school, then stepped out of the room.

“Wow….”

I didn’t expect character school supplies to be this popular. I had guessed that elementary school kids would like them, but even middle schoolers were eager to grab some. Some high school students also wanted them, but they seemed to hold back for the younger kids.

As the high schoolers restrained themselves, the middle schoolers naturally followed suit, yielding the character supplies to the younger children, and thanks to that, the school supplies were distributed without any disputes.

“I thought these characters were only popular with kindergarteners or elementary kids… but even middle and high schoolers like them…”

I thought that as I looked at the staff member who had come out of the room with me.

“On weekday evenings, the lower-grade kids always watch that anime with those characters. The middle and high schoolers watch it together too, and they find it fun,” the staff explained.

“Hmm.”

So they found it enjoyable because they watched it together.

“Honestly, that anime isn’t childish at all. Even as an adult, I find it fun.”

They personally even bought some merchandise to decorate their room. The staff made a peace sign with their hand as they spoke. So the anime wasn’t just popular with the kids. I didn’t really know much about it.

“Anyway, is there anywhere else you want to see?”

“Where did they move the chapel?”

The staff and I wandered around the remodeled Shinse Church building.

The remodeled Shinse Church looked very different in many ways compared to before. The convenience facilities inside were barely recognizable from the old layout.

“A gym, a library, an arcade…”

Although the scale was small, the facilities were quite decent. And anyone—Shinse Church members or employees of companies housed in the building—could use them for free.

“…Seriously, how much are you making from Shinse Herbs?” I asked.

“Haha. From what I know, we’ve already recouped the cost of building the cultivation facilities.”

“……”

I knew it had cost quite a bit to build the cultivation facilities. And they only recently started selling the herbs in earnest…

“Of course, I don’t know what’ll happen once competitors show up. I’ve heard other companies are spending a lot to hire foreign sorcerers and magicians to build similar facilities.”

“…I suppose that makes sense.”

Until now, Shinse Herbs had been essentially a monopoly, but there was no guarantee that would continue.

“Still, the herbs we sell are always in demand, so we won’t go under. Our income might drop a bit if prices fall, though.”

At that moment, a siren blared.

“Wha—!”

Reflexively, I turned to check the nearby fire hydrant. But the siren wasn’t coming from it.

‘What’s going on?’

I focused my senses to try to locate the source.

“Ah, wait a second?”

Before I could, the staff member pulled out their smartphone and silenced the siren.

“…Wait, that was an alarm?”

“Yep. Dinner time alarm.”

“…Why is it a siren? And why is it so loud? I thought it was coming from the fire hydrant.”

“The herb cultivation area requires protective suits that cover your head for hygiene. The suits are thick, so you can’t hear small sounds.”

After missing the first few meal times, they made the alarm this loud.

“…Doesn’t anyone complain?”

“It’s fine. Here at Shinse Herbs, I’m the highest-ranking person anyway.”

I just…

“Anyway, let’s eat,” they said, leading me to the Shinse Church cafeteria.

“?”

I was surprised at how large the cafeteria was.

“Surprised?”

“No, why is it so big?”

“Because there are a lot of people.”

I looked around and saw the diners: children and staff living in the Shinse Church building, and…

‘People in suits, with thick coats draped over the backs of chairs.’

There were two other types of people. Observing them, I could guess why there were so many diners.

“Do employees of the companies in this building… and those working at Shinse Herbs eat here too?”

“Right. There aren’t other restaurants nearby, so everyone eats lunch and dinner here. Some even eat breakfast here.”

“Let’s line up quickly, then,” the staff said, guiding me toward the serving area.

‘Hmm… the food looks normal.’

I hadn’t tasted it yet, but judging from the menu, it seemed balanced and nutritious. A professional nutritionist likely planned it.

“How much is a meal?” I asked, holding my tray.

“Well, everyone here eats for free. But they charge outsiders. Hold on,” the staff said, asking a woman resting in the kitchen.

“Ma’am, how much is a meal ticket?”

“A meal ticket? About 4,000 won per meal.”

Not bad for this quality. The value seemed excellent.

“Wait, is the student an outsider?”

“No, this student is the son of Master Han Jaehee.”

“Oh, the boss’s kid? Then just let him eat.”

“Understood~.”

The staff and kitchen lady seemed friendly, probably because they saw each other often.

“Let’s eat quickly!”

“Yes.”

We took some food onto our trays and looked for a good place to sit.

“Hmm?”

I noticed a few kids quietly eating, different from the others. They had a gloomy aura, and people kept their distance from them. Had I seen these kids earlier?

“…Ah.”

The staff noticed my gaze.

“These kids recently lost their families. Some were among the others we saw, but these ones rarely leave their rooms except for meals after school. They receive regular therapy, but the shock hasn’t fully passed. They don’t have the confidence to be cheerful around others.”

Some even blame themselves for their families’ deaths.

“Others respect that and keep a distance during meals. They might say the wrong thing if they try to chat.”

“…That’s sad.”

The staff’s words hit close to home. Before my regression, my mother suffered and died because I was a martial artist.

“Just don’t talk about family in front of them. It could trigger trauma.”

“I know.”

Of course. I remembered nearly losing control when family was mentioned after my first experience with Shinma.

“Let’s quietly eat.”

Their situation is unfortunate, but compared to before my regression, it’s much better. Many orphaned children couldn’t all enter orphanages; only a select few could. Those orphanages didn’t receive much funding, so many kids escaped. Many survived by working part-time, staying in jjimjilbangs, or sleeping at school at night or on weekends. These kids were vulnerable to crime, either as victims or being lured into it.

Living in a facility like Shinse Church is a blessing in comparison, though these children might not feel that way.

‘…But one kid is concerning.’

I observed a high-school-aged boy eating quietly, and thought:

‘His eyes aren’t just sad from losing his family.’

They were the eyes of someone who had made a decision.

“Decision?”

“Yes. Keep an eye on him.”

I didn’t know what decision he had made, but it didn’t seem like a good one.

After eating, I decided to head home. I had only come to see Shinse Church after noticing the Shinse Herbs brand, but I had stayed too long.

‘Honestly, I’m not feeling any better.’

Seeing the victims of the Black Fog didn’t help my mood. I don’t laugh at other people’s suffering.

‘…Though I might laugh if it were my enemy suffering.’

But these kids are just victims of the disasters caused by the Black Fog and monsters. It’s tragic, not amusing.

“Phew…”

Breath visible in the cold, I walked. I had originally planned to take the bus home, but I changed my mind.

‘I should clear a few dungeons before heading home.’

I flew using Neunggong Hudo, targeting dungeons with low yield relative to difficulty—no one would complain.

“….”

While browsing my phone for suitable dungeons, I didn’t notice that one of the kids I had seen during dinner had been watching me fly out of the window, nor that the kid then packed up and left the Shinse Church building through the window.