Childhood
005. Inspection, Race.
I parted from the peddler when I left the restaurant.
I would be walking alone on the way back, but since I had already planned to do so, there was no problem. But the peddler made me promise to travel only while the sun was still up, and hide myself at night and not to talk to anyone I meet, and also not to take my hood off.
I'm 12 now, and I'm not going to let my guard down like I did with the boar. Thanks to the village, I should say, I am well aware that sometimes humans are scarier than beasts.
The peddler uncle especially reminded me to always be on the lookout to see if I was being followed. Luca's appearance made him vulnerable to kidnapping. Peddler uncle also reminded me that this town was not a bad place, but the bad guys don't give any warning when they are coming. That was why I should not take off my hood. It is true that the hood does not hide Luca's silvery white hair from the front, but it is a little better than being seen from all directions. Besides, when the sun goes down, people won't be able to tell the difference from the lighter blonde hair. The only thing that can't be helped is that Luca's skin is extremely white, but that's only seen from his face and wrists down.
(And if the need arises, I can just escape by using <Teleport>.)
That's right. Teleport is extremely strong for escaping. As long as I don't die instantly, I'm confident I can flee. In fact, Luca was planning to enjoy the town as much as possible on his way home, stay overnight at a cheap hotel, and then return by <Teleport>.
Thinking so casually, Luca got in line with the children who would undergo the same inspection at the town's place of worship.
The line moved smoothly, and it wasn't long before it was Luca's turn.
The children enter the place of worship one at a time, so the others would have to wait outside the entrance.
The child in front didn't seem to notice Luca lining up behind.
As Luca entered the place of worship, a dark green carpet extended straight from the entrance, leading to the podium at the back, and then to the statue of God at the far end. On either side are rows of seats for worshippers to sit on. The structure is similar to that of a village house of worship, but the area is larger and can accommodate more people.
There is a desk in front of the pulpit, on top of which is a white stone slab. And there's an Official dressed in dark clothes and two soldiers wearing armor arranged to sandwich the desk. Though their helmets were placed carelessly on the desk of the believers' pews. On a day when children are subjected to an examination four times a year, it must be a day of great distraction.
"Oh, a devil's child? What a surprise!"
"Hey!"
The soldier standing to the left made a discriminatory remark about Luca's appearance. Luca simply scrutinized the soldier with his pale purple eyes. People like Luca, who are lightly pigmented and generally white, are called "devil's children." It was believed so long ago. It is a very rare occurrence, but because of its appearance in a famous fairy tale, the discriminatory term is known all over the world.
I don't care what they call me. And the fact that they can say it so clearly and without sarcasm makes it highly likely that they do not even recognize it as a discriminatory term. It's strangely infuriating.
"I'm sorry," apologized the Official who rebuked the soldier. I thought that he would be more arrogant.
"It's fine."
The soldier who slipped up was also scratching his head in a clumsy manner. The soldier on the right glared at his partner. He tried not to get involved on this matter.
The Official then urged Luca on, and made him put his hand to the stone tablet - the sacred stone.
<Travel>!
Luka was able to see the word <Travel> on the tablet. Luka could read some of the words thanks to Wolf, and rolled his ey3at the resultes.
(E, I think this is a bit rough...)
"<Travel> huh? Do you run fast?"
The frivolous soldier from earlier asks in a broken tone.
"Hmmm..., maybe amongst my age group."
<Travel>. Either way, Luca didn't bother telling them what they haven't asked him.
"Then you might be suitable for a soldier or something."
The soldier pointed his thumb outward and said, "let's have a race and see."
"E?"
Luca glanced at the Official, who was staring diagonally up at the sky with a look that said, "since it's <Travel>, I'm okay with it."
I wonder if the working environment is harsh. If this is okay.
The frivolous soldier waved at the Official and the other soldier and pushed Luca out of the chapel.
"Alright, let's do it this!"
With that, the frivolous soldier took off the rest of his armor as well and piled it on the lawn. Perhaps, he just wanted to take off his armor.
Nevertheless, Luca also wanted to get some after-lunch exercise, so he decided to follow the former's lead. He would run as fast as he could around the chapel building. It was a short run, as it was one lap. There was probably not enough time or reason to do long distance.
An uncle who seems to be the attendant of a child somewhere was called out by the soldier and asks him to judge the finish line. They then place the rope that had fallen on the side straight on the grass and use it as the starting line. After the race start, the rope would be lifted and first to break the rope first win.
"Well, sorry... Don!"
I ran as fast as I could, but I lost by about two belts. (1 belt = 1 second).
Luca would run around the mountain every day and is confident in his legs, but in the end he's still a child. He could not beat a young soldier whose body was already mature.
Incidentally, right after the start of the race, the Official came out to observe. There's still a line but rest is important, so it can't be helped.
"Well... he's fast, but it's normal," said the Official.
"I guess so." The soldier replied.
"I'm sure it's fast for a child," The Official replied.
The soldier nodded.
"But I wonder if it's good enough for him to get a scholarship to get into an academy," says the Official.
"......"
"......"
As for Luca, he couldn't say anything. Both the soldier and Official were beginning to give off the air that it was time to go.
"Well, when you turn 15, you can apply for the volunteer army, so you still have a chance to become a soldier!"
The frivolous soldier encouraged Luca on his own initiative, even though no one had said they wanted to be a soldier. In other words, this means you can go back to your village.
"I understand."
Since this was the outcome I had hoped for, I decided to accept the unwanted encouragement.
They said there was no particular certificate of completion of the inspection or anything like that. The Official just wrote something in the ledger book in his hand when the letters appeared on the sacred stone.
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