Starting with Fireflies, Speedrun the World

"Are you going again? But we already went yesterday. Are you sure you want to start from the bottom?"

Clara was surprised to hear Tatsumi's words. Could it be that he was really going to start from the bottom? Actually, Tatsumi was quite strong. He was born with the talent of an assassin and also had the qualifications to become a general.

He received training from a retired military instructor in his village when he was a child, and has a certain foundation in martial arts and forging.

He has hunted giant dangerous species with his sword skills, and can easily take down level one dangerous species.

He would be a figure even in the military, which is why he was confident in his abilities and went to the Ministry of War. He thought he would at least become a squad leader.

However, because he lacked social skills and connections, he was kicked out.

"Hmm~!"

"I've figured it out, I want to make my hometown a better place."

"I will work even harder. So what if I start as a soldier? I believe in myself."

"I think Sayo and Iyeas think so too."

Tatsumi gazed at the starry sky, his youthful face filled with hope for the future. Even starting from the bottom, he was certain he could make it big.

"..."

Clara listened to his words in silence. As for the other things, Tatsumi was right. Those with abilities would rise to prominence sooner or later.

But this is an empire that has been completely corrupted.

To stand out from the crowd, one must possess abilities like Esdeath's, relying solely on one's immense power to defy any rules.

Even high-ranking officials tried to win her over and cooperate with her.

Otherwise, without connections or sufficient financial resources, upward mobility is virtually impossible, unless one encounters a benefactor who can lend a helping hand.

"...Clara believes in you."

Although she didn't think much of his decision, Clara didn't know how to persuade him. Should she suggest that he join the resistance and rebel?

Moreover, compared to other places, the Ministry of War might be a little better.

But if that's the case, wouldn't Tatsumi be out of the running for night raids?

Clara's mind was in a mess; she couldn't make sense of it anymore.

Should she let Tatsumi follow the original storyline or support his current actions? Oh well, let nature take its course.

Deliberately adhering to the original work is too much of a stretch.

The world is constantly changing, and even if things are done the way they should, it doesn't necessarily mean they'll go her way.

"Thank you, Clara."

With Clara's support, Tatsumi felt more confident. He then packed his things, said goodbye to Clara, and headed to the Ministry of War once more.

Clara watched his departing figure, hesitated for a few seconds, but still said nothing.

Because I didn't know what to say.

Forget it, I might as well go and find out for myself which noble family likes to lure country folk who come to the capital from other places to make a living into their home, and then torture them to death.

As for Tatsumi's situation, we'll consider it later.

Clara shared her thoughts with Mr. Schwarz, who simply told her not to overthink it and to do what she believed was right.

He was always by Clara's side, protecting her at all times.

Having made her decision, Clara strode into the bustling street.

Looking at the pedestrians around her, Clara felt out of place. This was a commercial area with many people coming and going.

Many of them were wealthy merchants and nobles traveling by carriage, but there were also many commoners; there were no poor people among them.

Clara felt it would be easier to find out information about that company here, so she started asking around.

However, most people either dismiss her advances with disdain or are averse to contact with her, seemingly believing that it is a mistake for these country bumpkins from the capital to get close to them.

Or perhaps they were jealous of Clara's looks and skin, and when they noticed she didn't even have shoes, they looked at her with disdain.

Of course, there were also some lewd guys who, upon hearing Clara's question, not only didn't answer but also tried to grope her.

Then Clara quickly dodged it...

I always feel that there isn't a single good person here. They all have an innate arrogance, even though they're not rich. Just because they're locals from the capital, they still think they're superior.

That kind of inherent arrogance is very unsettling; you'd think he was a Celestial Dragon.

After hitting a wall several times, even Clara began to doubt herself. Could it be that there wasn't a single normal person in the capital?

It wasn't until Clara met a kind-looking old woman that her attitude changed drastically from that of the others.

Chapter 13 Wasting Resources, Unbearable

While Clara was asking the old woman for information, she didn't realize that she was being watched again and danger was approaching.

Of course, it could also be a danger to someone else.

The girl was listening obediently to the old woman's story when a carriage stopped not far away as it passed by.

Inside the carriage sat a tall, thin, and frail-looking middle-aged man, whose attire suggested he was a typical member of the powerful and wealthy class.

He had only casually lifted the carriage curtain to peek outside, but he immediately spotted a white-haired elf who seemed to have descended to earth.

It immediately captured his full attention and made the driver stop.

The girl in front of me was not as voluptuous as those mature women; she was much smaller, but she was not quite a little girl either; she was much older.

She could even be described as a girl like a string bean, but this budding mystery brings endless anticipation and gives her boundless inclusiveness.

This makes men who have had their fill of other types of women feel a sudden flutter in their hearts.

More importantly, she has a sweet and lovely appearance, especially her slightly messy hair, with two strands of white hair playfully hanging on her shoulders, revealing the naivety of a young girl who doesn't yet know how to take care of herself.

Then her droopy eyes gave her a lazy and cute look.

Not to mention her bare feet, which were completely exposed from the very beginning and were comparable to a perfect figure.

However, although it was indeed very beautiful and tempting, he found it somewhat unbearable that the other party would so casually expose that rare treasure to others, a treasure that should only be enjoyed by him alone.

More importantly, how dare she step on such a perfect creation on that dirty ground? It's the greatest insult to food.

Such a waste of resources is intolerable!

Doesn't she take care of her own body at all?

Not to mention the potential for contamination of that rare treasure, if it were accidentally scratched, wouldn't that directly destroy this creation that the Creator painstakingly sculpted?

That's such a pity. Why didn't they know how to take better care of their bodies?

Given his status, he had seen countless beauties, some more developed than her, some younger, and some with great figures.

But never before has he felt so excited and impatient as he does now.

It's just an inexplicable longing...

Unable to bear it any longer, the nobleman knocked on the carriage window, and a moment later, a servant approached him.

"Master, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Go and find out who she is. If she doesn't have any connections in Kyoto, I want to see her at home tonight."

"What if it's a big shot from somewhere else..."

"Can't you understand what I'm saying? Send them all over unless they have some powerful background here."

The nobleman interrupted impatiently, saying that as long as it wasn't related to those people in the capital, he wouldn't care even if it was related to a local official like a prefect.

Although those prefects held power comparable to local tyrants, and though the emperor was far away, they were still at the mercy of others in the capital, and even had to offer themselves up to him.

"Yes."

The attendant, upon hearing this, said no more and then turned to make the arrangements.

However, before they could do anything, another person had already set their sights on Clara and taken action.

And this person happens to be none other than Arya, the noble lady Clara was trying to find out about—a girl with a cute appearance but a vicious heart and a wicked personality.

Arya had just finished shopping and was about to pass by when she noticed Clara and immediately felt a little annoyed.

She didn't like girls who were even cuter than herself.

Of course, she was just annoyed at first, but she didn't have any other thoughts.

After all, there are many people in this place, including nobles like her, so she can't afford to provoke others.

However, when she noticed Clara's attire, she realized she didn't seem to have a powerful background, and she was also tired of the two toys she had brought back earlier.

If you don't check on them for two or three days, they might already be dead.

It's time to get a new toy...

The white-haired girl in front of her looked so repulsive to her. If she wasn't someone she couldn't afford to offend, she'd just treat her as a new toy.

So she said a few words to the guard beside her, and then the guard walked up to Clara.

Clara had just finished thanking the old woman when she turned around and saw the approaching guards.

However, the guard did not show any arrogance; on the contrary, he was very polite.

"Excuse me, my young lady would like to invite you over."

"Your lady?"

Clara was taken aback by his words and subconsciously looked in the direction he was pointing, and then she saw Arya in the carriage.

This made Clara feel awkward. She was just trying to find out where she was, but the person in question actually appeared right next to her.

What a coincidence...

That's fine, though, because it saves us from all that trouble.

"Don't worry, my young lady means no harm. You're probably not from the capital, are you? Many people know that my young lady is very kind and often helps those who are in trouble."

"No matter where you come from, whether you're from the countryside or anywhere else."

Seemingly worried that Clara might be on guard, the guard quickly praised his young mistress's kindness.