The concept of levels exists in this world.
All of the living beings started from level 1; it's possible for them to raise their levels by obtaining experience values.
The experience values can be obtained by defeating monsters who dominate this world. However, not everyone is capable of defeating them because they are very dangerous.
Only the people who have strong attack skills are capable of defeating them.
Sometimes we already have skills after we are born, special powers gifted from G.o.d. Everyone has one or more and they live by using them. Therefore, people who have more than one skill are usually called the G.o.d's chosen ones.
I learned that from my deceased Father.
And so, the skill that I received is . It's troublesome skill that that makes me constantly feel hungry. In the village that I was raised in, I was called a good-for-nothing and often got bullied.
I'm an unnecessary man in this world—- I have nothing.
Thanks to this useless skill, after my father, who was my only relative, died because of sickness, I was driven out from the village. I went to Royal Capital Seyfat. In the big city like that, there should be something that I can do, was the my high expectation in my chest.
However, I was unable to find a decent job and ended up in the castleguard as a daily labourer.
Whether the day is raining, windy, or snowy, it's a job where I cannot move from the front of gate. Moreover, the wage is very low too.
Normally, it's not a job for commoner like me, but the Holy Knight who serve the castle.
However, because of the thing called 3K (It's severe), (it's dirty), (it's dangerous), the higher-ups employed the daily labourer like me as their subst.i.tutes.
[Oi, have you been guarding well as our subst.i.tute?]
The voice came from the young Holy Knight-sama who covered his body with dazzling armor. He is my employer, one of the three siblings from Brenix Family, one of five n.o.ble family on this kingdom.
The one who is arrogantly talking to me is the eldest son, Rafal. The man on his right side is the second son Hado. Their youngest sister on their back is Memir.
They are three siblings with the same frozen blue hair color. And also, all of them are excellent Holy Knights.
What is the Holy Knight? They are people who have outstanding ability in Holy Attribute among the warriors. It's an honorary t.i.tle given for those who have been acknowledged by the Kingdom.
In this world, by leveling-up the strong skills, we can increase our status. Therefore, for those who have Holy attribute skills, the Holy Knights who can raise their level by fighting against the monsters, they are people from a different dimension compared to a person like me.
If I made them angry, I don't know what will happen to me.
[Yes, Rafal Burnex-sama]
I kneel and bow my head down to them. Even though these fellows are irritating.
[Here, your daily wage]
Rafal throws several copper coins to my feet. The other two behind him smile scornfully at me.
[Now, pick it up. Your wage today will decrease if you didn't quickly pick-it up]
Even if he didn't say that, it's important money for me to live. I pick the coins up quickly.
And, when I was about to pick-up the last piece, my hand was stepped on by Rafal.
[Oops sorry. I didn't know there was a hand in place like this. It was so dirty that it didn't catch my eyes]
He laughed hard while stepping on my hand. Obviously he did that on purpose.
[Do not forget, we are willing to hire trashes like you. We can find your replacement as many as we want. Do you understand that? Is that difficult for low intelligence person like you?]
[Yeah, you seem to be slacking off lately. You are doing an honorable job in exchange of us. Usually a job like this doesn't need to be paid, so you should appreciate being given money by our mercy. Do you not feel worthless picking it up?]
[It is as my older brothers have said. If you make a mistake, it will inconvenience us. I'll feel bad executing you~]
This is an educational guidance from Rafal's group to me. They try to firmly remind me where my place is. They told me that I'm a low level being, who does anything to keep staying alive, is what they drive to my core.
If I don't nod obediently, they won't allow me to pick-up the last piece. If I oppose them, they will fire me from this gatekeeper job. Furthermore, they will likely consider this as rebellion and then kill me.
Dammit. It has been five years, and yet their att.i.tude of looking down at me like a slave hasn't changed. If, I were resign from this guard job, I'm sure Rafal will rage and accuse me of some false charges.
The irritation that matured and built up over five years welled up inside me. Anger as to why I have to obey them, and resentment towards my own weakness that made me only able to do so. And, only during these times does the skill awaken and make my stomach roar out in hunger.
Rafal thinks that I cannot eat well; he starts scolding me with severe expression.
[What a pathetic guy. You seem to not be doing your task as the gatekeeper well. We are feeding you food! Don't embarra.s.s the Burix Family!].
He kicked me in my stomach. Even though he didn't do it seriously, the status between Holy Knight and commoner like me is like heaven and earth.
The impact of the kick was like my internal organs jumped all the way out of my mouth. While repeatedly vomiting, I could not breathe and hit the ground.
[What is that, like a maggot. It's stinky and filthy]
Although my consciousness is faint, I heard the girl's voice who is likely Memir thorugh my ears.
[Oi, get up. If you're not standing guard as gatekeeper, we will get criticized by the other Holy Knights]
Rafal tramples my face while I am still lying on the ground.
[Get up quickly!]
There is no way I can get up. As long as he doesn't move his leg aside, I cannot get up because of the differences in our strengths.
Of course, Rafal knows about it. He seems enjoyed watching me struggle under his foot.
When he puts more power into his foot, an acute pain runs in my head.
That time when I thought I might gonna die, I was saved by a dignified voice.
[Rafal, stop it. He will die. He is one of people that we need to defend so you should not do that, that's an act unworthy of a Holy Knight]
[Tsk… Today is Roxis Heart's shift, huh?]
The one who saved me was Roxis Heart, a Holy Knight that held a strange ideology among her peers; to crush the strong and save the weak. Roxis Heart's golden hair flutters in the wind, a perfect complement to her brave nature.
Heart Family is also one of five n.o.ble Families- on this kingdom. It's a good Family that honors Justice.
Therefore they are adored by people, of course I am her fan too.
After being glared at by Roxis, Rafal's group ran away while cursing her. At that time, Rafal looks at Roxis and laughs fearlessly.
I know that face. Rafal is tenacious after all. He thought Roxis disgraced him so he is most likely thinking to take revenge on her]
She ignored that and went forward, took my hand and raised me up. She wiped off blood flowing from my forehead with a handkerchief.
[Are you alright?]
[Yes, it's just like usual. Thank you very much for your help, Roxis-sama]
[It's alright, we are gatekeeper comrades so it's natural. Then, let's change the shift]
I bow deeply and pa.s.sed the spear embroidered with the flag of Royal Family emblem to Roxis.
This spear is a proof as gatekeeper. She is different from the other Holy Knights because she properly does the job of gatekeeper by herself.
That Roxis look worried to me as I released her hand.
[If they try to do something like that to you again, then leave it to-]
[No, I don't want to cause trouble for Roxis-sama. I'm already alright, so I'll get going now]
Roxis seems want to say something, but I hurried ran away from that place.
More than this, I might gonna cause her trouble with the Burix Family. Based from their characters, I don't know what kind of dirty tricks they will use.
If, she would act like that only for me, I won't feel any more despair. I just want Roxis keep walking on her way without hesitation. It will definitely bring happiness for the people of the kingdom.
To distract myself, I decided to go toward my regular drinking bar. The moon had risen high up in the sky when I entered the bar.
During the midnight like now, there are merchants, prost.i.tutes, travelers, etc siting on the seats. Their faces were reddened because of the alcohol.
When I sat at the counter which was like my reserved seat, even if I didn't say anything, a gla.s.s of red wine was served.
It's the cheapest wine in this shop. It's not delicious and the taste is very sour since this is only for me to get drunk.
[Master, bread and soup]
[Gotcha]
It's burned hard bread which being baked a long time ago. The soup is tasteless because it was boiled vegetable from the other dishes. This is my dinner. I haven't eaten meat for 5 years. The last meat I ate was small piece of dried meat.
Well, I have forgotten the taste anyway.
Since I'm always hungry because of the skill, but I don't have enough money to satisfy it. So, I have to eat the meal in front of me slowly and distract myself from being hungry by even a little.
While I ate and drink the wine little by little, the bar owner talked to me.
[How is it, the work as gatekeeper?]
[It's severe]
[Is that so… I hope you won't ended up like your predecessor]
I didn't answer him back. The predecessor who had been employed by Burix Family, I heard he died because of overworking.
To have obsessive bullying and severe working hours, the status of the predecessor was as same as me. He gradually become thinner, suddenly fell down and died.
After that the bar owner witnessed the master of the Burix Family stepping on the body of my predecessor who died during patrol and as such was no longer of any use to the house. He says that even now the scene is still burned bright into his eyes, with him, never able to forget it.