After shaking the dirt off my feet at the entrance, I let out a long sigh—the kind you only give when you finally get out of an old wagon that seems to have been built to torture the spine of any living being. The constant rocking, the bumps on the rocks, and the wood creaking as if it were about to break at any moment... Yes, I survived. And my mood improved so much with the end of that torture that I began to hum an old tune softly, almost without realizing it.
I followed the boss down the long hallway of the house. The wooden boards under my feet creaked softly, and a pleasant smell of soup and old paint mingled in the air, strange but welcoming. As we passed through a half-open door, I heard children's laughter, running footsteps, the sound of something hitting the floor, followed by excited giggles. My eyes turned to him with curiosity.
The boss noticed and, without stopping, responded to my gaze with his deep voice:
"The children's class is over. They're playing before they go home."
I nodded slowly, taking in the scene. It was strange—and comforting. A place where children study, play, and go home safely... It seemed so far removed from the chaos I had been witnessing until then. The simplicity of it almost moved me.
But, of course, I was still in that village with its mafia movie atmosphere. So I continued on in silence, still alert, but with a slight smile on the corner of my mouth.
Then, before I could react to anything else, the door in front of us simply flew off its hinges with a bang, thrown back by a blow that did not match the delicacy of a classroom. An eight-year-old child rolled out of the room in a surprisingly well-executed move, and as soon as she touched the ground, she spun her body and threw a "stone bullet" that whizzed past me, aimed with deadly precision into the room from whence she came.
At the same moment, something whistled through the air—an "air blade" flew through the open door, coming straight at me, cutting through the wind as if to say, "Welcome to school."
Wow, they really know how to play here! And to think that when I was a kid, my biggest thrill was building a pillow fort and skipping math class. Here, if you blink, you lose your head — literally.
But there was something important now: a golden opportunity to impress the kids. If I was really going to teach these little devils later, I needed to make a lasting impression — preferably one that didn't involve being cut in half right off the bat.
The magic blade approached, slow compared to what I had already faced — maybe five times slower than the wolves that ambushed me days ago. To me, it was almost like a dance. I took the newly acquired knife from my belt, let time almost freeze around me, and in one quick, precise movement, I cut the blade in midair, breaking the spell in midflight. Then I returned the knife to its previous position naturally, as if nothing had happened.
To anyone watching—especially impressionable children's eyes—it would have seemed as if the blade had simply disappeared as it approached me, overcome by some kind of invisible magical field.
A surprised silence spread, and I just raised an eyebrow with a restrained smile.
Yes, children... the new teacher has arrived.
The chief gave me a stern look, the kind that seems to weigh a ton, and then turned his attention back to the children standing there. Silence fell, and they swallowed hard, one by one, beginning to sweat coldly as if they had just faced a beast. Then he softened his expression, patted me on the shoulder, and spoke in a low voice, almost a beastly growl:
"This is Art. He's going to work here. If you disturb him while he's working..." He paused, and for a moment a strange sound, a guttural and horrifying "yaki," escaped from his lips. It was as if that simple word carried a thirst for blood, a silent threat that seeped into the air, making the skin crawl. His gaze grew darker, and for a brief moment, it seemed that this small village hid secrets far darker than I could imagine.
I had to make a huge effort not to let the mask of simplicity fall from my face, while the urge to simply cut off his head right then and there—with his back turned—grew like a fire. I took a deep breath and controlled myself.
I introduced myself with a different name to maintain a minimum of secrecy. Not that I believed anyone would come after me there, but you can never be too careful.
Meanwhile, the children—six in total—gathered together, formed a line, and in one voice said:
"Greetings."
I looked at him suspiciously. Had they rehearsed this? It sounded a little scary—like a scene from a marching army. I scratched the back of my neck and waved back, trying to look natural. After that, we walked down the hallway.
The boss showed me where I would sleep—a simple but clean room—and invited me to share his meal. I didn't even have to think twice: free food is something I always welcome with open arms.
During the meal, he showed me the books I would have to copy and rewrite. I nodded, saying I could handle it. With a full stomach and a tired body, I went to bed, already planning how I would start work the next day.
[POV Toy]
My name is Toy, I'm an E-level adventurer, and I met a strange guy on my way to the village. At first glance, he didn't seem strong or rich — too simple, even too open, as if he had nothing to hide. I noticed how he looked at me with a mixture of fear and curiosity when we first met. A look I've seen many times before, but one that never ceases to be intriguing.
Accustomed to seeing everything, I didn't pay much attention to his ordinary appearance. When he asked me about work, I offered him the chance to rewrite some books we had in the village. I explained that his power rune seemed weak — white and red at most — which indicated that he was not suited for manual labor around here. He accepted immediately, seeming satisfied with the opportunity.
But it was during that episode with the children that I was really shocked. I, an E-rank adventurer, couldn't even see the weapon he used to cut the "air blade"! It was as if the movement had been a simple, almost imperceptible gasp that completely deflected the spell's trajectory. And considering that blade must have been a magical weapon, I would have taken serious damage if I hadn't reacted in time.
I realized I had underestimated that guy. Now, I'm thinking it would be better to hunt in the forest with him, to really understand what he's capable of. I don't like surprises — and in this case, it's better to be prepared.