Sebastian was not the kind of creature who enjoyed the murmurs of women or their admiring gazes.
And yet, throughout the long road, women of every race looked at him with unmistakable fascination.
The market was chaotic, but the streets were wide enough to allow carriages and people to pass without crowding. To his right stretched the shore of an enormous lake, its breeze carrying the scent of perfumes through the air.
They were following the boy in secret.
Pluto—that was his name.
The hero Pluto.
He had been summoned a year ago. Just a child… yet like all heroes, his power was absurd. Fortunately, he was among the least dangerous—and the least cruel.
Unfortunately, Sebastian himself was far too eye-catching.
Most of the gazes were directed at him.
He glanced briefly at his reflection—a tall, muscular young man with black hair and elegant attire.
They weren't wrong.
Some beautiful girls giggled, their faces flushed with excitement.
He paid them no attention.
His focus was entirely on her.
The mysterious girl who covered her face.
She still hadn't given him her name, but he had overheard whispers—
Yuta…
Who is he?
Is he her secret lover?
For some reason, a tightness formed in his chest.
It had always been this way. Summoned beasts were fused with their masters, becoming extensions of them. As long as one lived, the other would remain. That was why heroes were forced to bond with beasts—to amplify their already overwhelming power.
And every beast was a reflection of its master… just as the master reflected the beast.
Which meant—
His own overwhelming beauty was a reflection of hers.
So how beautiful must she be?
It made sense that she hid her face.
Sebastian had learned something early in this brutal world: power could belong to anyone—good or evil.
But that idea was flawed.
Absolute good and absolute evil were rare among humans.
Most lived in shades of gray.
Many harbored dark desires but never acted on them.
Many held principles and morals—yet were willing to bend them if it benefited them.
But she…
Sebastian smiled darkly.
She was a monster.
A heart as black as his own.
Someone who would commit the worst acts… without needing to justify them.
That didn't mean Sebastian lacked standards, nor that he was cruel without reason. But he understood one truth well:
The first kill was always the hardest.
Especially for new heroes.
They came from worlds that taught them killing was unnatural—disgusting. They weren't like the people of ancient eras, of kings and endless wars, of Europe's battlefields or Japan's blood-soaked history.
These modern humans were not used to killing.
For days, they would remain in shock.
Barely eating.
Needing support—even if the one they killed had been worthless.
Strange.
Sebastian had heard about their world. Their politics. Their crimes. Their easy access to information.
He could swear it was one of the worst eras morally.
So many crimes.
Even accounting for exaggeration—tens of millions of victims within just five years.
An absurd number.
Are they humans… or demons?
How deeply he despised them.
Yet he smiled as he watched her.
He saw her arguing with a merchant, anger blazing.
"You filthy bastard!" she shouted, grabbing him and shoving a rotten apple toward his face.
"Give me my money back!"
The fat merchant, his face turning pale blue, struggled to break free.
"My lady, it wasn't my goods—this trash—! I deeply apologize for my foolishness!"
In this world, everyone apologized.
Even when they weren't at fault.
The environment had shaped them that way. If you argued with someone stronger than you, you would only make things worse for yourself.
Sebastian didn't step in to stop her.
Why would he?
She was serving the plan perfectly.
Pluto wasn't far.
He sat beside a blacksmith—a fat dwarf with a massive white beard. His belly protruded forward, yet in his hand he held a heavy hammer with incredible strength. The dwarf was so focused on his work that he didn't even glance at the commotion… or perhaps he was simply used to it.
Pluto was the one who moved first, slipping past the indifferent crowd.
Sebastian observed him carefully.
Pluto—the modern hero.
A year had passed since his summoning. Though only twelve, his body looked like that of someone who had trained for a year—defined muscles, visible scars. Blue hair, soft pale features, and eyes that hovered somewhere between brown and gold. Freckles dotted his face.
He was about 159 cm tall—tall for his age.
His clothes were simple: a shirt made of linen or cotton, leather trousers reaching his ankles, fastened with a belt. On his shirt was a strange image—a black figure with a white face and exaggerated round ears, wearing red pants with white dots.
What was that?
It looked ridiculous.
More like a farmer than a hero—that's what most people would say. Just a simple, kind boy.
But to spiritual beings like Sebastian—who saw the world on a higher level, through souls, energy, and the structure of the body—
This child…
Was a terrifying monster.
Just like the other heroes.
Why does my lady need him?
What is her goal?
He stopped, glancing toward her.
She had already left the first merchant and was now inspecting vegetables at another stall, completely ignoring both of them.
Pluto passed right beside his mistress.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed.
…That's unexpected.
Strange.
"Is there a problem, my lady?" Sebastian asked.
She didn't even look at him. She was busy bargaining aggressively with another vendor—a man with a thick mustache and neatly combed hair. A single cucumber cost half a silver coin, while oranges, garlic, and eggs each cost one full silver.
The girl only had a coin worth half a gold piece.
(In this world, one gold coin equaled one hundred silver coins.)
"What is this, my friend?" she said irritably. "Can't you give a discount to a beautiful girl?"
"No," the man replied calmly, stroking his mustache. "My mother didn't raise a simp."
Behind him, his fat brother trembled.
An odd reaction.
But judging by his build and presence, the mustached man seemed like a former adventurer—or perhaps a mage. It wasn't uncommon for adventurers to abandon that life and settle into ordinary work. He looked to be in his fifties.
Sebastian dismissed the thought and stepped forward.
His pride wouldn't allow anyone to argue with his mistress.
Still, out of habit, he asked first.
"My lady… shall I discipline him?"
"No," she replied simply.
The usual answer.
Everyone said that at first.
"I will discipline him myself."
Sebastian blinked.
…That's new.
She raised her hand.
The mustached man stood calmly, watching her, while his brother tugged at his shoulder desperately, urging him to apologize.
But the man only smirked.
"My mother didn't raise a coward."
…This was bad.
People around them began watching nervously.
She was completely unhinged.
Sebastian leaned in slightly, about to whisper—
But then he heard her.
"Let's play rock, paper, scissors," she said, raising her fist.
Silence.
That was the last thing anyone expected.
Even the vendor froze in shock.
Then she added casually:
"Or what? Your mother raised a loser?"
The man's eyes lit up with excitement. He raised his hand.
"Three rounds. If you win, I'll give you a discount."
She wasn't insane.
But she wasn't sane either.
She was… unpredictable.
And strangely charismatic.
Eccentric.
Fun.
But Pluto—
They were supposed to be watching him… or approaching him.
Just then—
A loud scream echoed.
"Zarameel."
That foolish bird came running, throwing itself into the girl's arms.
"Ahhhh! That was terrifying! Why did you send me there?!"
The bird hid inside her clothes.
"I found him there," Pluto said as he approached, smiling shyly. "Please… don't leave him in a roasted chicken restaurant again."
The bird glared at him angrily.
"He tried to take me!"
"I'm really sorry," Pluto said softly. "He's just… cute."
He absentmindedly touched the strange image on his shirt.
"Hm… you're very kind for helping me," the girl said in a soft, feminine voice.
Everyone looked at her.
Even Sebastian.
In disbelief.
Wasn't this the same person who was about to tear a man's head off over a potato just minutes ago?