Volume 1, Chapter 36 – The Slums

Fia was walking through the streets of Aurora City with Claire.

It was eight in the morning, and the streets were already crowded. Though the bustling scene wasn’t enough to overwhelm Fia, it could still be considered lively.

However, as the two progressed, the number of pedestrians dwindled, and the houses grew increasingly dilapidated. Some were little more than shacks propped up with sticks and tarps. The streets narrowed, and the stench of sewage filled the air.

“So this is the slums…”

Fia murmured softly beside Claire. The two had come here because someone had asked Claire to treat a patient. As for Anastasia, she had said she wanted to investigate the Unsinkable Moon, so she wasn’t accompanying Fia.

Claire, carrying a bamboo basket, nodded lightly.

“Yes, this is the largest slum in Aurora City. There are two others like it. The city has too many people and too few jobs. Those who can’t find work end up living here, and because they live in the slums, they’re looked down upon, making it even harder to find jobs—trapped in a vicious cycle with no way out.”

“Of course, such pitiable cases are in the minority. Most are people born into the slums. Their parents were usually escaped slaves or outright criminals with records.”

“No wonder their gazes feel so strange.”

Careful to avoid the puddles of murky water, Fia occasionally glanced at her surroundings. By now, sturdy stone houses had given way to crude tents made of tarps and wood. People shuffled in and out of the grimy tents, their gaunt frames and disheveled appearances making their malnourishment obvious. Nearly everyone who spotted Fia fixed their eyes on her, their leering stares sending a chill down her spine.

Disgusting.

Fia, her white side ponytail swaying, slipped a hand into her dress pocket and channeled magic into a crystal.

『Wind of Exploration』

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A faint breeze swept past as Fia’s ruby-like eyes turned cyan.

Soon, her vision shifted into something akin to a thermal image—non-living objects marked in blue, while the people on the street appeared as faintly bluish-purple. According to Anastasia, who had given her the crystal, the first-tier 『Wind of Exploration』 marked observed subjects in different colors based on the rainbow spectrum. The closer to red, the higher the mana reserves and strength; the closer to purple, the weaker, with ordinary people registering as deep purple.

Here, everyone was an ordinary person without even first-tier abilities.

People with mana really are rare.

Fia sighed inwardly.

In this world, mana reserves weren’t determined at birth but required continuous effort to develop. Killing monsters, casting spells, practicing combat skills, or even studying magic to inscribe knowledge into one’s mind could increase mana reserves—though the efficiency varied. After millennia of trial and error, killing monsters had been widely accepted as the fastest method.

Additionally, since 『Wind of Exploration』 was only a first-tier detection spell, it couldn’t perceive those more than three tiers above the caster. Last night, Anastasia had used it on Fia and concluded she couldn’t sense her at all—meaning the gap between them exceeded three tiers. This was strange, given that Anastasia, as a seventh-tier elf princess, should have been able to detect Fia. Yet, it was the truth.

Just like when she’d used the 『Wind Blade』 crystal yesterday, Fia felt a momentary dizziness before her mind conjured an AI-like simulation. By the time her vision cleared, she had already mastered 『Wind of Exploration』.

『Hypercomputation』 was a terrifyingly convenient ability.

“Fia?” Claire stopped and looked at her in surprise. “Are you using magic?”

“Yes. I wanted to see if there was anyone noteworthy here.”

“No need to worry. Though gangs run rampant here, they’re just men slightly stronger than ordinary people. They wouldn’t dare provoke a magic caster.”

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“Not even a first-tier one?”

From what Fia had learned, first-tier casters were beginners, only capable of low-level spells like fireballs or water bullets—hardly a threat.

Claire waved her hand dismissively.

“Of course not. Unless it’s a sneak attack, a magic caster could incapacitate an ordinary person with a single fireball or ice spike. If their nerves are steady, a first-tier caster could even lead a platoon of thirty soldiers in the army.”

“Huh.”

That was unexpected.

“Noble young lady… please, spare some food…”

Suddenly, a gaunt man crouched by the roadside dragged himself into their path, trembling as he stretched a bony hand toward Fia. His life had clearly been harsh—his hair was nearly gone, his left arm bent at an unnatural angle, and his lower body seemed boneless, limp against the ground.

“I haven’t eaten in days…”

“Hmm.”

Fia hesitated.

Normally, she’d give alms, but she had nothing to offer—she carried no money, only magic crystals.

“Anything… just something to eat, please…”

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The man craned his neck toward Fia like a zombie, his murky eyes filled with desperation.

But just as Fia considered telling him to wait while she exchanged a crystal for food, Claire frowned and pulled Fia back, stepping between them.

“Do you have a death wish? Do you know who she is?”

Her voice was sharp with warning.

“Claire?”

Fia was taken aback—Claire didn’t seem the type to ignore suffering. Yet what surprised her more was the man’s reaction. The moment he saw Claire, fear twisted his face, and his supposedly paralyzed legs suddenly sprang to life as he scrambled upright.

“M-monster!”

With that, he bolted without looking back.

He was faking it.

Fia realized immediately.

Had Claire not intervened, the man might have tried to rob her. Of course, given her current physical ability, she could have pinned him down easily—but the near-miss still made her click her tongue in annoyance.

“Understand now?”

“Yeah. He pretended to be pitiful to steal from me. Does this happen often, Claire?”

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They resumed walking.

“It’s routine in the slums. Some even break their own arms to swindle nobles visiting for the first time. It used to be worse—until a wealthy man came to flaunt his generosity and vanished within hours. The Holy Kingdom sent knights to investigate and found his corpse picked clean by flies. After that, the knights beheaded every gang leader here, bringing some semblance of order. Though ‘order’ just means the slums now have a single leader who sets the rules.”

“I’m surprised you can stand being here.”

Fia would’ve wanted to stay far away.

Claire shook her head with a smile.

“My curse isn’t all bad—at least beggars like that don’t dare approach me. And if anyone does try, the slum’s leader handles them. The light of the Goddess of Life only shines on the wealthy; no priests come here. So as the only healer, I get special treatment.”

Her tone was almost cheerful by the end.

“Does the leader remember you?”

“He does. The curse weakens over time with exposure. He often sends for me to treat people, so he remembers me better than most—at least, he doesn’t forget me after a few days. We’re here.”

Claire stopped before a low tent, its entrance flap tied open. Inside, a man covered in black markings was being pinned to a bed by five or six others, writhing and howling in agony.

“Doctor Claire, you’re finally here!”

A burly man hurried over, his face tense with worry.