WYPSO 14

Chapter 14

Picking Up a Suspicious Victim

Elaina was special, but not extraordinary. Her strength was enough to rival anyone, but she had no confidence in actual combat.

The reason was simple: she had never fought before.

In the village, she had been subjected to harsh discrimination and bullying. But they never did anything to physically harm her.

Once, as a child, she had been hit by a stone thrown by an ignorant kid. When she returned home crying, her parents saw the wound on her forehead and, naturally, were furious. They stormed off to the other child’s parents.

• “How can a child throw a stone at someone else?!”

• “Kids might not know any better.”

Even though they knew their own child was at fault, the parents responded curtly.

• “Does not knowing mean they can do anything? They should have been taught not to do such things! The injury could have been worse!”

• “Well, kids make mistakes sometimes.”

• “It’s not a mistake!”

• “My child made a mistake!”

• “Now, now, both of you calm down…”

• “Calm down? Look at our daughter’s forehead! This wound!”

• “So why did you bring such a child into your family…”

As the argument dragged on, one parent grumbled and blamed Elaina instead of their own child.

• “Bringing a strange kid into the village just ruins the atmosphere, tsk.”

• “Yeah, if we hadn’t taken her in, the village kids wouldn’t be scared.”

Other parents nodded in agreement.

• “Finished talking?”

• “Why, did we say something wrong?”

• “Exactly! Why did you bring that monster here?!”

In the village, just existing was a crime for Elaina. As a child, she had been terrified that the tense atmosphere was her fault. She just wanted to go home without angering her mother any further, to be with her loving parents.

The hostile stares from the village adults were unbearable. Even the kids who threw stones looked at Elaina with fear, blaming her for the chaos.

Elaina couldn’t bring herself to call for her mother, only clutching at her clothes. Her mother shielded her with her body and shouted:

• “I told you not to say that! Elaina is just a child! How many times must I repeat it?!”

• “The fact that a newborn was safely at the village entrance doesn’t make sense. The fact she wasn’t eaten by a monster proves it!”

Disgusting. A monster. Despising eyes poured from every direction.

• “Don’t give our child that look, and don’t twist the discussion. It was your kids who threw the stones!”

• “Well, kids just playing…”

• “Playing? Can throwing stones happen while playing? Should I step in myself?”

The villagers stiffened. Everyone knew the couple who ran the general store were not to be trifled with.

Even villagers who had intended to let the matter slide were angered and joined in:

• “Aren’t you overreacting to a kids’ quarrel?”

• “It’s something we could have just let go.”

• “Some people are just inflexible.”

• “Isn’t that too much? We’re all from the same village—what can we do?”

Elaina’s mother, no longer able to tolerate the narrow-minded, selfish villagers, snapped:

• “Do what? Our family will just move! Enjoy your precious little village! Honey, go pack!”

Her father, watching the situation, started heading back to the general store without looking back. Only when they truly began packing did the villagers realize their predicament.

The village had long relied on the couple for outside goods. Hunting spoils were entrusted to them, avoiding dangerous trips to other villages.

If Elaina’s family left, the villagers would have to take over, risking both trouble and danger. They didn’t need Elaina, but they needed the store couple. Exchanging glances, they murmured among themselves.

• “Hmph, just overreacting, that’s all.”

• “What? Leaving just over that?”

• “Yes! We are leaving! We can’t stay where our child could be hurt!”

Shouting and turning away, finally an elder stepped in to mediate:

• “We’ll make sure the children never throw stones again. Everyone, understand?”

The kids, wary of their parents, answered hesitantly:

• “Yes.”

• “We won’t do it again.”

But words alone weren’t enough.

• “And?”

• “And what else is needed?”

• “An apology! You hurt her, you should apologize!”

• “Ahem, ahem. Yes, kids, you must apologize if you hurt someone.”

The children, glancing nervously at the adults, apologized:

• “Sorry.”

• “Sorry for throwing the stone.”

• “My bad.”

Except the one who first threw the stone and actually wounded Elaina didn’t apologize. Seeing this, the child’s parent stepped in:

• “Sorry. Our child is timid and overdid it a little.”

The reluctant apology ultimately blamed the act on fear of Elaina.

Such tiresome people. Their narrow-minded, selfish attitudes were all too familiar, yet seeing it in person was infuriating.

Despite speaking firmly, Elaina’s parents didn’t plan to leave the village entirely. Wherever Elaina went, incidents like this would happen as long as she couldn’t control her strength.

“Places with too many people are best avoided,” they thought.

Her parents had to accept this grudging apology:

• “This is the last warning. If our child gets hurt, we won’t hold back.”

• “Understood. We promise on that.”

After that, the village kids no longer hurt Elaina.

• “Elaina, don’t hang out with her.”

• “Hey, kids…”

• “Let’s go!”

Instead, the children openly avoided her—at least until the villagers were convinced Elaina was just an ordinary child hiding her strength.

“Being different from others is truly sad,” Elaina thought.

So she decided to be ordinary. She desperately suppressed her strength to fit in.

Having restrained her power since childhood, her abilities couldn’t develop. Naturally, a gap formed between her potential and what she could actually use.

That’s why, though she had excellent senses, she only realized Jaden was lying in the home garden after discovering him herself. Visitors to Jaden also noticed only after seeing him.

The reason she noticed the approaching magical beast so late was the same. Instinctively, she sensed danger, but recognition came only after seeing it.

Her heart thudded at the sight of the beast.

• “Grrr…”

Now she understood why it was called a magical beast. Surrounded by an ominous, flickering black aura, it was unlike any monster.

If not for the golden eyes revealing its presence, she wouldn’t believe it was alive.

The beast rolled its eyes and stared at Elaina, focused as if observing something curious, showing no immediate signs of attack.

“Maybe it sees me as easy prey,” she thought.

Elaina moved slowly to avoid provoking it. Its bright yellow eyes tracked every movement.

• “Grrrr…”

She observed the beast as it observed her. Roughly three meters tall, just as she had estimated from its footprints—it wasn’t fully grown.

Its eyes gave nothing away, making emotions unreadable. When its vertically slit pupils narrowed further, the black outer layer beneath its eyes split, revealing sharp teeth.

• “Kraaaah!”

Its mouth curved into what seemed like a predator’s smile. It had finished examining this new presence.

Then, the beast lunged.

Elaina’s heart raced wildly. Fear surged at the unfamiliar danger.

Suddenly, the world seemed to slow down. Her heartbeat, too, seemed to slow.

It was strange.

The closer she got to the beast, the greater the danger—but despite the violent aura threatening to tear her apart, Elaina was not afraid.

Through dreams, she had witnessed many lives, including those of so-called heroes.

Heroes did not simply fall from the sky. They endured endless trials, fought countless battles, and only by winning could they earn the title of “hero.”

Elaina had seen all those battles. It had been an age of despair, when magical beasts rampaged and humans were mere prey.

Heroes killed beast after beast to save people.

From witnessing these lives, Elaina knew where the beasts were weak. Though the types varied, their weak points were similar.

Her innate body allowed her to mimic some of the heroes’ techniques.

Elaina drew a dagger from her side.