How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game

The older kids, Rekun and Mohen, were 16 and 17 years old respectively. They only exchanged brief greetings and headed to the cafeteria first.

That was the end of the warm welcome.

Rekun smiled at me, but Mohen seemed a bit sharp.

There was something rigid about him, similar to Marhan.

Was it because of that?

From what I could gather, Mohen didn’t seem very close to the other kids my age.

It could be due to the age difference. When you were that age, you sometimes didn’t want to hang out with kids.

Denif seemed to notice my gaze and shrugged his shoulders.

“I get it, he’s on edge because he’s about to graduate. His personality is already shitty, so just try not to bother him.”

I didn’t bother asking him what graduation was. Maybe it meant leaving this place and becoming an official spy.

In the first place, the atmosphere surrounding the kids my age was different.

I was surprised by Denif’s rough way of speaking. He said we were the same age, so he should be around 13 years old.

I guess the imperial terrorists were different from the start?

“Yeah.”

Anyway, if someone with such a rough personality…

It would be better not to get involved with Mohen from my perspective.

As we headed towards the cafeteria, Denif led the conversation. That surprised me a little.

This infamous, or not yet infamous, future imperial terrorist had a surprisingly friendly side to him.

Was he this sociable? If I had to administer an MBTI test, he would definitely score high on the extroversion scale.

“Did you know? I was an orphan too.”

Whether he had heard about me in advance or not, Denif suddenly whispered to me.

I was slightly taken aback by his genuinely happy expression.

“…Really?”

“Yeah. How did you survive on the streets?”

“Just, you know, pickpocketing, begging, stealing food and stuff.”

“I did that too! Sometimes I got caught and beat up pretty bad, you know?”

“Is that so?”

“Have you ever had a broken bone?”

Had I been hit to the point of breaking bones?

Indeed, it was a good thing I was immediately run from the muscular guy. I recalled memories of Earth and answered.

“Here. My left arm was broken.”

“As I thought! Experiencing a broken bone confirms that you’re a true orphan.”

What did he mean by “true orphan”? The conversation had lost its context, and I couldn’t make sense of it.

Perhaps it was also due to that sense of familiarity as fellow orphans.

After that, I simply smiled lightly and played along.

Since I hadn’t personally experienced it, I talked a lot and found it a bit unfamiliar to interact with kids as an adult.

‘I’m tired because of the trait.’

The cafeteria was not far away. Denif slumped down on a chair. Orhen sat next to him, seemingly a bit cautious.

She seemed more introverted than disliking me.

Before I sat down, I didn’t forget to use Winds to clean the chair and desk.

The two in front of me noticed the effect of the Winds and widened their eyes in surprise.

“What’s that? Is it Mystic, by any chance?” 

Denif exclaimed loudly. The kids who were dining nearby glanced in our direction.

I deliberately ignored their gazes.

“Yeah.”

There was something strange.

Denif seemed more surprised than I expected. The Imperial terrorists I knew had definitely possessed Mystic abilities.

The chances of having two different Denifs were extremely slim. Perhaps his unique traits were that rare?

Or maybe Denif hadn’t manifested Mystic powers yet.

“There’s a reason why the father brought you here. You’re soon going to become a ‘Godchild.'”

“Godchild?”

I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

 “Father recruits talented individuals as Godchild.”

Godfather and Godchild. I couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

Well, could there be a means to elevate the human relationship when you were not blood-related?

“Aren’t you surprised? Not just anyone can become Father’s Godchild. Rakun and Mohen over there couldn’t become Godchild.”

Denif whispered cautiously as if revealing a secret.

I understood the underlying meaning of why Denif had become an Imperial terrorist. It was likely due to the fall of Haisen and the duke’s death.

Should I protect the duke? I pondered that thought as I felt an intense gaze directed toward me.

It was Mohen, the one Denif had warned me not to mess with. His sharp gaze held a hint of hostility.

‘He didn’t look like this earlier.’

Denif’s voice was mysteriously loud.

Hmm, I could roughly discern the situation.

Denif’s mentioned relationship might be the cause.

Younger kids became the duke’s Godchildren, but Mohen couldn’t become one.

Considering he was only 17, it was understandable to have a reasonable sense of jealousy.

Of course, judgment was a separate matter.

‘Is he really stupid?’

He was not doing himself any favors by making a scene like that.

I thought he’d be different, being raised by the duke, but he was still a kid.

Well, maybe he was brought in for his talent and his character wasn’t up to par.

Not that I cared, Denif said he was graduating soon too.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Only Orhen and I became godchildren. I heard there were a couple more besides us, but it was a long time ago.”

He seemed too composed, so I acted surprised. Besides, Orhen was also a godchild.

It implied that Orhen possessed a talent similar to Denif’s.

Soon the food arrived. It wasn’t ordered individually; it seemed there was a predetermined menu. Probably because we were in our growing years.

However, it wasn’t meager by any means. It might not be a lot compared to yesterday, but it was quite abundant.

The conversation continued during the meal. Denif mostly talked, and I responded. Orhen simply listened.

As for me, I was cautious even with my questions. Newcomers were best to stay quiet and observe.

When the plates were somewhat empty, I thought I should get up to brush my teeth. The afternoon training would soon begin.

But…

“As for the afternoon training, the duke will be present for observation. Everyone, gather in the training grounds.”

My anticipation was shattered by Marhan, who entered the cafeteria.

“Yes!”

The kids responded loudly and immediately stood up. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor was sharp.

I reluctantly got up a little late and sighed.

Brushing my teeth…

I wanted to do it.

But unless I was crazy, I couldn’t possibly bring up the topic when Duke was coming. I made a resolution as I followed Denif out.

From now on, I had to eat quickly, no matter what.

To some, it might seem like a trivial matter.

But to me, it was a serious issue.

* * *

When we arrived at the training grounds, the duke was already there. Following Marhan’s instructions, we lined up in front of him.

Although it had been a while since I was discharged, it felt strangely uncomfortable to be doing something similar.

“Is everyone doing well? It’s been a while.”

“Yes!”

“Did Duke also have a good trip?”

After the kids’ enthusiastic response, Denif smiled bashfully. It had been a while. Well, as the Chief of Intelligence of a nation, he wouldn’t stay in one place.

Duke chuckled lightly.

“Yes. I had a good trip.”

Judging from Orhen’s well-behaved demeanor, it seemed that Denif’s personality, along with his relationship as a godchild, added to his friendship with the duke.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t like he referred to him as “Godfather” in empty spaces.

‘Hmm. Did I worry too much in a negative way?’

The duke looked quite different from the image I had in mind. As the Chief of Intelligence of a nation, I expected him to be cold and sharp.

Although it might have been intentional, he appeared very humane to the kids.

Anyway, it was a little bit of a coincidence. It was a situation where I was picked up on the way back from an external appointment.

I wondered if the existence who sent me here had intended it.

Amidst the stillness, the duke spoke up.

“I always say this, but the most important thing for a spy is versatility. It’s good to excel in one particular area, but you need to be able to adapt to all situations.”

It was a somewhat unexpected remark, but the duke glanced at me at the end of his statement. It meant that he was specifically addressing me.

He wouldn’t say it for no reason. I wondered if it had something to do with me having a Mystic.

‘It probably means not to rely too much on Mystic or focus solely on its development.’

I pondered his words.

It wasn’t an incorrect statement.

One of the reasons why playing Stratagem was challenging was because of this. Stratagem required not only combat skills but also intelligence and charm. It was difficult to gain experience points, resulting in slower growth.

“Yes!”

The duke frowned playfully as he looked at the children answering.

“These brats are already getting tired of this. Alright, enough talking. Let’s have a one-on-one session after a long time. Rekun, come forward first.”

As the duke finished speaking, the kids quickly spread out and created space. I followed Denif and moved along.

It was the moment when the sparring in the morning turned into coaching.

The duke dealt with each and every kid effortlessly. However, it was clear that he put in effort to bring out everything the kids had.

Certainly, the duke was far from being a threat and violence. It was a good thing for me.

“Carlyn.”

“Yes.”

And finally, my turn approached. As I walked up to the duke, I scratched the back of my neck.

I had nothing to show or demonstrate because I hadn’t learned anything.

“Are you satisfied with your life here?”

“Yes. Even though it was only for a day, it was incomparable to my life up until now.”

Although I used the polite form of speech yesterday, I changed my tone and made an effort to portray a satisfied expression.

Acting wasn’t that difficult. I was genuinely satisfied with myself.

The duke didn’t show much interest.

He simply nodded and followed it with a satisfied smile.

“That’s good. Although there isn’t anything you learned here yesterday, would it be okay if I take a look?”

I hadn’t learned anything, but there was no reason for me to refuse and give off a bad impression.

“Yes.”

“Attack me.”

I immediately took a stance. Without a sword, I roughly imitated the posture that the other kids had taken based on a rough estimate.

In a way, it resembled a Taekwondo stance.

Extending the left leg and turning the left shoulder toward the opponent, hands placed in front of the sternum.

I felt a bit clumsy myself. No, rather than clumsy, it was more like awkward.

I kept feeling it, but as I tried to move in earnest, the heaviness of my body became even more pronounced.

It was because of Worst Condition.

‘It means that I don’t have as much strength as I think.’

Even when simply raising my arm, I had to exert more force than I had imagined to move it to the intended position.

It would probably take some time to get used to it.

“Ha.”

Holding only my fists without any weapons made me feel uncertain. No, even if I had a weapon, it would have been the same.

Still, it was time to move now, even though the duke was waiting for me.

‘Since I’m in an unfamiliar situation anyway, I might as well not waste time and receive a better evaluation.’

I used Winds. It wasn’t anything grand. The winds surrounding my body helped to slightly increase my speed of movement.

In contrast, the mental fatigue caused by using my Mystic power overwhelmed me.

Inhaling sharply, I struck the ground without any preamble. The distance was closing in. What should I do?

Would a kick from this small body be effective?

Since I hadn’t been thinking and moving from the beginning, my head was quite muddled.

‘I have to consider the height difference.’

Instinctively, I threw a punch. The right hand, which received less resistance from the winds, surged forward towards the side under the ribcage.

Thud— As expected, it was blocked too easily.

The duke didn’t even bother grabbing my fist, as the original purpose was instruction. I moved my body here and there.

Since I didn’t know anything, my movements were purely based on instinct.

I didn’t delve deep into thinking. There was no need to, and I didn’t have the capacity.

It was more like finding openings. Whenever I felt there was a spot to strike, I extended my fist toward that area.

I didn’t forget to use kicks either.

Even though my muscles were screaming in agony from the exercise I hadn’t done before, I did my best.

Because everything would be reflected in the evaluation of me.

Still, my attacks didn’t land.

During the repetitive cycle of meaningless attacks, a shiver ran down my spine for a moment. My vision reversed from color to a black and white with a flicker of red.

It was a warning from Death Avoidance.

“Kkeuheub!”

I let out a strange scream and rolled on the ground. It was an instinctive action before thought.

Somewhere, I could hear a snicker.

It was from the big guys. Most likely Mohen. But I didn’t have the energy to care.

In a hurry, I raised my head, and the duke was looking at me with a smiling face.

‘What’s this? He seemed like he wanted to kill me just a moment ago.’

It was certain that it was a warning from Death Avoidance.

Before thinking deeply, the duke approached me and extended his hand. I grabbed that hand and got up from the ground.

The duke’s expression looked more than satisfied. The recent threat seemed deliberate.

The duke spoke in a low voice.

“You have a good sense of danger. It’s a great talent for a spy.”

As expected.

“…Thank you.”

I nodded my head respectfully.

He brushed off the dirt from my shoulder.

“Keep up the effort. I’ll visit again soon.”

“Yes.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

The duke said that and turned away. Hmm. He was looking forward to it?

It felt like a heavy burden had been placed on me.