Although She is a Blind Saint, She Can See

#4. The Angel of the Slums (3)

Cedric was twice as wary as the other children.

But time spares no one, right?

The longer we spent together, the rough edges of his personality gradually softened. Now, three years later, he seemed to genuinely care for all the children living under the same roof.

[Virtue Points: 102,214]

‘I’ve gathered quite a lot of points.’

I had finally surpassed 100,000 points.

I had spent quite a few on various skills along the way, but there was one thing I wanted the most.

[Extra Life: 100,000p]
A one-time ability to revive after death.

This was it.

‘An extra life is crucial.’

Although I had managed to survive in the slums by avoiding conflict as much as possible, I could never be certain when I might die.

To be blunt, it wouldn’t be surprising if I were suddenly kidnapped and killed in some back alley one day.

Of course, this wasn’t the only thing I wanted.

‘Analgesia, Heal, Clairvoyance…’

Most of the essential survival skills in this world could be purchased from the shop.

The only odd thing was that there were absolutely no combat-related abilities. It was to the point where I could believe I had been assigned a priest-exclusive character.

[Main Quest]
Save 1 billion people.

Current: 731 people

“My main quest isn’t progressing at all.”

The number hadn’t increased much compared to three years ago.

But that couldn’t be helped.

The number of people I could save in the slums was limited.

Not to mention, if someone I had already saved ended up dying, the count would go down. And in Kieto, knife fights broke out at the drop of a hat.

It was the kind of place where you’d wake up in the morning wondering what had happened the night before. If people were going to accept my help, I wished they’d at least try to stay alive for a while.

‘Is it even possible to complete this mission?’

If I wanted to join the Hero’s Party in the future, I had to become someone worthy of it.

The problem was figuring out how Cedric had become a mastermind ruling over the underworld, just like in the comic.

Right now, at fourteen, he was still just a kid.

“…The reason I built Shadow Paradise? There was an event that triggered it. But I’d rather not talk about it.”

That was all he ever said in the comic.

Since the original novel had been heavily adapted and edited to focus on the protagonist’s perspective, Cedric’s backstory had been left vague.

‘What exactly was that trigger?’

What could have transformed an ordinary boy like Cedric into an underworld boss in just a few years?

‘Could it have changed… because of me?’

That would be a serious problem.

If Cedric doesn’t protect the protagonist early on, the protagonist will die, and the story will come to an abrupt end.

I clutched my head in distress.

‘Cedric is the type to cherish those around him.’

Shadow Paradise.

The dark organization he founded with his childhood companions was a group Cedric considered as precious as family.

Among fans, it was widely accepted that the ‘kid’ Cedric referred to was one of the founding members of Shadow Paradise.

‘Then… does someone have to die?’

Perhaps so.

After all, the turning point for a main character’s awakening usually involves someone’s death.

‘One of those kids…’

Thinking about it left me feeling unsettled.

At first, I had only seen them as a way to earn points, but… living with them, I must have grown attached without realizing it.

My gaze shifted to the status window.

[Extra Life: 100,000p]

‘If someone has to die anyway…’

Wouldn’t it be fine if that someone was me?

***

And that day arrived much sooner than I had expected.

***

“Hello, Mr. Andrew. One loaf of bread, please.”

“Oh, Yus, it’s you.”

When I stopped by the bakery on an errand, the shopkeeper, Andrew, greeted me with a warm smile.

“Here, this one’s on the house.”

“Thank you!”

I accepted the apple he handed me with a bright smile.

This was one of the perks of maintaining a good reputation.

‘Of course, it also helps that this place is safer than the depths of Kieto.’

The slums of Kieto.

A district known as the dumping ground where all the world’s trash gathered, it had its hierarchy.

Among them, the area where we lived was relatively stable—District 1. That was one of the changes from the original story.

Originally, Cedric had come from the most rundown and filthy District 4.

“Well then, have a good day!”

“You too.”

I should give this free apple to the kids.

Just as I placed the groceries in my basket and turned to head home—

“……Was it?”

“Ah, right. I heard about it too.”

I overheard the unsettling conversation between two men. My ears involuntarily perked up.

“Recently, the country’s been desperate to take the orphans from Kieto.”

“Why specifically the kids, though?”

“How should I know? Probably some high-ranking official’s twisted hobby.”

The two men chuckled as they walked off in the opposite direction.

I fell into thought.

‘The country, huh.’

In the world of , there are five main countries.

The Earth Country, Terra.

The Water Country, Aqua.

The Fire Country, Flamma.

The Air Country, El.

And lastly, the Holy Country, Aegis.

‘Among them, Terra had a huge impact early on.’

That’s because the reincarnated protagonist is from Terra, and it’s also the country where they start their adventure.

‘Anyway, human trafficking… I need to warn the kids about this in advance.’

Human trafficking was a common occurrence in Kieto, but it never hurt to be more cautious.

I swung my basket and turned down the alley toward home.

“Kids, it’s time for dinner—”

The cheerful words I started to say were cut off.

‘What is that!’

Our house was on fire.

I froze in panic, but when the boy saw me, he came running, teary-eyed.

“Y-Us. What should we do? It… it started so suddenly…!”

“Calm down.”

I grabbed his shoulder to steady him.

There wasn’t time to be shocked.

“Are the kids inside?”

“My sister and brothers said they’d bring the babies out….”

“Thanks, Chase.”

I smiled at him with effort, then rushed into the smoke-filled house.

As expected, the inside was chaotic.

The older kids were at least managing to run outside, but the more timid or scared ones were huddling in the corners, trembling.

“Tia, come to me!”

I grabbed one of the kids and carried them outside. As I repeated this a few times, the wooden house was visibly collapsing.

‘This…!’

When I finally grabbed my seven-year-old younger sibling’s hand and made it outside, I heard a cracking sound from the house.

“Is everyone out?”

First, I had to account for everyone.

I counted the kids with my eyes.

‘Forty-nine, fifty… fifty-one.’

…One is missing.

“Luca! Luca’s not here!”

Tia shouted at that moment. She was the girl who always hung out with Luca.

I quickly spoke.

“I’ll go in.”

“What?”

“I’ll be right out, it’s okay.”

“Wait, Yus…!”

Cedric, who had been beside me, tried to stop me. But there wasn’t time to hesitate.

I hurriedly ran back into the house.

“Ugh!”

Even though I covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve after spitting, a fit of coughing broke out.

“Cough, Lu, cough, Luca!”

No one was on the first floor. Maybe upstairs?

I rushed up the stairs. Luca wasn’t on the second floor either.

‘Where are you!’

Just as I started to panic.

“Ugh…”

I heard the terrified sobs coming from inside the closet. I quickly ran over and opened the closet door.

“Luca, hurry and come out!”

“Sis!”

Luca, who had been holding his breath and sniffling, saw me and burst into loud sobs.

Creak.

I heard the house creaking again as it collapsed. I quickly grabbed Luca and held him in my arms.

“Don’t worry. I’ll save you, I promise…”

My whole body, scorched by the fire, was burning with pain.

Boom!

As I was rushing down the stairs, a pillar fell right behind me.

My heart was in my throat. If I had been even a little slower, I would have been crushed by the pillar of flames.

But the exit was right in front of me.

‘Just a little more…!’

The wind blew in through the wide-open door.

Ten more steps.

If I could just take that much more, I would be out.

But, as always, my luck was terrible.

Creeeak-!

The entrance began to collapse.

I felt it instinctively.

‘I won’t make it.’

If I were running alone, maybe I could make it, but with a five-year-old in my arms, there was no way I could reach the exit in time.

‘I can’t abandon him.’

That was not an option.

But if I tried to push forward as I was, both of us would end up dead.

‘…I have no choice.’

I made a quick decision.

The simplest option in this situation, is the one that would bring a happy ending to everyone.

“Luca, go out first!”

I threw Luca out.

With my weakened strength, I could only push him a meter or so, but that was enough.

As Luca made it out, the entrance, which had been barely holding on, collapsed.

Anyone bigger than a small cat wouldn’t be able to get through.

“Yus, no!”

I heard Cedric’s desperate shout through the small opening.

That’s when I realized.

“…The reason he founded Shadow Paradise? There was an event that served as a turning point. I don’t want to talk about it.”

This was his turning point.

It was the event that transformed Cedric, a regular boy from the slums, into the leader of the underworld.