*** Reginald POV ***

If he were asked his opinion on humanity, he would articulate that it represents the culmination of all evil manifested in a living, breathing form. At least, that was his earlier perspective at the tender age of twelve.

Born as the illegitimate offspring of a Marshton Marquiss Family in the Holy Empire, he found himself bereft of love from both his father and mother. His father's indifference rendered him practically invisible, while his mother's disappointment stemmed from his failure to inherit his father's knightly prowess.

His mother, having borne a child for his father, was taken in as a concubine, thrusting him into a familial abyss akin to hell. Servants, mirroring his father's apathy, showed him no respect and often subjected him to cruel pranks such as withholding food, deliberately causing him to stumble, and mocking him incessantly.

Despite his mother's insistence on rigorous swordsmanship training and noble education, her concern lay solely in his performance, neglecting any semblance of care for his well-being. Consequently, the torment inflicted by the estate's servants only intensified.

Deprived of sustenance, his energy waned, impacting his swordsmanship prowess and exacerbating his mother's ire. He yearned to confront her, to question why she couldn't see his malnourished state, why she failed to recognize his emaciated figure. Shouldn't a modicum of care prompt her to investigate his plight?

As his failures mounted, his mother appeared to relinquish hope in him, turning her attention to seducing the Marquiss in a desperate bid to conceive another child. And her efforts bore fruit. His younger brother emerged as a prodigious talent from the moment of his birth.

From the instant he entered the world, his brother amassed a staggering amount of mana, astonishing even the midwife. The revelation of his brother's extraordinary mana reservoir prompted the summoning of a wizard. It soon became apparent that while his brother lacked prowess in spellcraft, he possessed unparalleled skill with the sword, achieving one with the sword mastery at the tender age of five.

His brother's prowess captured the Marquiss's interest, resulting in his mother's recognition as a legitimate wife within the estate. One might assume this would improve his circumstances, yet it only fueled the jealousy of other family members, who directed their resentment toward him, exacerbating his torment.

Despite his desperate attempts to seek solace from his family, he found no refuge. Not from the indifference of his father, not from the disappointment of his mother, nor from his brother’s apathy could he find solace. When he mustered the courage to confront his mother one last time, he was met with a chilling sight.

The look in her eyes was chilling, not borne of anger, but of pure disdain. "Mother, am I not your child?" he dared to ask, only to be met with silence, a silence laden with rejection and scorn.

During his tenure within the estate's confines, he often sought solace in the library, immersing himself in tales of familial love and unconditional affection. But as he observed the callous gaze of his father, the disdain of his mother, and the indifference of his brother, he questioned whether such love truly existed.

The world felt like an unyielding crucible of pain, yet despite his agony, he harbored a deep-seated fear of death.

"Pathetic," he scoffed inwardly. "Always lamenting the pain of existence, yet lacking the courage to embrace its end."

But he couldn’t allow the situation to persist any longer. The constant threat of starvation or a prank taken too far by the servants meant he faced a grim fate. Thus, with resolve firming in his heart, he clandestinely prepared for his escape from the estate. Days passed in meticulous planning until finally, he slipped away unnoticed. No searching eyes, no concerned inquiries—his absence went unnoticed, a testament to his insignificance.

Yet, amid the uncertainty of his newfound freedom, survival became paramount. Uncertain of his prospects in the city's slums or his chances of admission to the city’s orphanage, he grappled with the harsh reality of his circumstances. Admission to the city’s orphanage hinged on demonstrating some form of talent, a requirement that left him apprehensive.

He understood the unspoken truth: the orphanage had no place for the talentless. While the orphanage wouldn’t openly reject a child for lacking talent, applicants underwent discreet assessments, and those deemed lacking were consigned to a special dormitory, where they endured physical and psychological torment until they found the courage to flee.

In contrast to the notorious city orphanage, the one nestled in the village carried a gentler reputation, known for its leniency in accepting children from all walks of life. Despite both being funded by either the church or the Empire, their stark differences in treatment seemed strange, but he didn’t have time nor benefit in pondering about this matter. With survival at the forefront of his concerns, delving into the intricacies of institutional disparities was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

Despite being aware of the kinder reputation of the orphanage in the suburb, for a child without means, venturing to another city or to the countryside village was an impossible feat. Left with no alternative, they were compelled to eke out an existence in the unforgiving slums. This harsh reality explained the presence of children in the impoverished districts. While life in the slums was undeniably arduous, it still offered a modicum of freedom compared to the torment endured within the walls of the city’s orphanage.

He gleaned this information from one of the children in the slums, exchanged for a meager piece of bread. It served as valuable insight into potential shelters once he escaped the confines of the estate

Fortuitously, due to his noble lineage, despite his status in the estate, he occasionally received meager allowances, which he squirreled away with utmost care. Scraping together every coin, he followed a caravan to the countryside, determined to find sanctuary.

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Upon reaching the village orphanage, he mustered the courage to register, relieved when they welcomed him into their fold. His remaining stash of coins lay hidden in the nearby forest, a lifeline should he ever need it.

Life within the orphanage proved tolerable, despite the perpetual hunger gnawing at his stomach—a sensation he had grown accustomed to enduring.

Now liberated from the constraints of the noble estate, he allowed himself small indulgences, utilizing his clandestine funds to ease his hunger pangs. The orphanage's relaxed atmosphere afforded him the freedom to sate his cravings, albeit cautiously.

No longer willing to subject himself to the same deprivation he endured before, he savored the sensation of being full, even if it meant risking the depletion of his secret stash.

His slight plumpness didn't escape the notice of his peers, who, driven by envy and curiosity, demanded to know his secret. But he remained tight-lipped, unwilling to divulge his source of nourishment. In retaliation, they resorted to physical and verbal abuse, actions he had grown accustomed to enduring. Reflecting on his past experiences in the noble estate, he noted the comparative professionalism of the servants, who inflicted pain without leaving visible marks.

Seeking recourse, he appealed to one of the orphanage sisters, presenting the bruises on his body as evidence of the abuse he endured. The orphanage's disciplinary measures eschewed physical punishment, opting instead to withhold food—a form of retribution that proved more agonizing to the perpetrators than any physical altercation. With the threat of hunger looming over them, his tormentors ceased their physical abuse, no longer daring to subject him to such cruelty.

While the physical abuse ceased, verbal barbs persisted, but he found solace in their ineffectiveness, especially compared to the cutting remarks delivered by the servants in the noble estate. The taunts from his peers failed to elicit any significant reaction, for he had grown immune to the sting long ago.

In hindsight, he began to entertain a different perspective on his past tormentors. Paradoxically, their actions led him to cross paths with the remarkable individual who would later become the saintess. In those days, before she was taken away to fulfill her duty, she bore the name Clarice—a beacon of popularity, beauty, and kindness within the confines of the orphanage.

Clarice possessed a rare combination of beauty and kindness, earning her adoration from all who knew her. While his bullying initially involved only a select few boys, their verbal attacks gradually escalated to include the entire orphanage population during daily chores.

Though others joined in without malice, merely following the herd, he refused to allow himself to be perceived as an easy target. He retaliated with verbal jabs of his own, asserting control over the situation and deeming it harmless.

However, Clarice perceived the situation differently, viewing him as a victim in need of rescue. Initially dismissive of her intervention, he suspected her actions stemmed from pity, equating it with insult. He remained skeptical, convinced her interest would fade once the novelty wore off, leaving him to face the same torment alone.

Despite his initial skepticism, he found himself drawn to observe Clarice's actions closely, intending to uncover any hint of hypocrisy. Yet, to his surprise, her kindness proved genuine and consistent. She possessed a moral compass, offering assistance only to those truly in need, adhering firmly to her principles.

Moreover, Clarice's unwavering support persisted, as she consistently invited him to join in games and included him in conversations with her circle of friends. Despite his initial reluctance and guarded demeanor, he couldn't deny the innate yearning for connection and companionship that stirred within him. Clarice's persistent kindness gradually eroded his defenses, unveiling the vulnerable child beneath his protective facade.

Over time, he found himself willingly opening up to her, seeking her out during breaks and gradually integrating into the social fabric of the orphanage. Through Clarice's unwavering kindness, he not only found friendship but also discovered a sense of belonging among his peers.

Through Clarice's influence, he underwent a profound transformation, learning to see the world through less judgmental eyes and embracing forgiveness. While her belief in the inherent goodness of people may have initially clashed with his own views, he came to appreciate the wisdom in seeking out the good in others.

As his secret stash dwindled, he turned to hunting as a means of sustenance, capitalizing on his swordsmanship skills to procure food. Engaging in this physically demanding activity not only ensured his survival but also resulted in a gradual shedding of excess weight. As a result, he became less conspicuous among the other orphanage children, who began to view him with a newfound acceptance.

Yet, he kept his side job hidden from his peers, aware that revealing it could breed resentment and lead to discord within the orphanage. Instead, he quietly repaid Clarice's kindness by sharing his hunting spoils with her, grateful for her unwavering friendship.

Each day brought a sense of contentment, surrounded by friends, sustaining himself through his side job, and cherishing the camaraderie he found in Clarice's company.

So, the sudden departure of Clarice shook him to his core. Returning from a hunting trip to find her gone, whisked away to the grandeur of the church orphanage headquarters in the capital, left him reeling with a sense of loss and emptiness.

He already couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding as he observed Clarice's exceptional aptitude test results. Typically, children with promising results would be offered the opportunity to move to the orphanage in the city, where they were promised a better quality of life, including improved food, accommodations, and education. Given this prospect, most children eagerly sought to relocate.

However, to his relief, Clarice appeared content with her life at their current orphanage and declined the offer to move to the city. Little did they anticipate that news of Clarice's exceptional aptitude would not only reach the city but also the headquarters, prompting her forcible selection as a saintess candidate. The sudden upheaval shattered their expectations and thrust Clarice into a destiny she had not chosen for herself.

Though he tried to convince himself that she would find happiness in her new surroundings, the void left by her absence weighed heavily on him. Life without her felt dull and listless, devoid of the vibrancy she had brought to his days. Even the simplest joys now tasted bitter, and the camaraderie of his friends failed to alleviate his loneliness. Clarice had been the beacon illuminating his world, and without her, he found himself adrift in darkness.

The revelation that Clarice had resisted fiercely upon leaving the orphanage only deepened his concern for her well-being. Desperate for news of her whereabouts and eager to remain by her side, he entertained the idea of pursuing a path as a paladin.

Rumors circulating in the nearby town hinted at the possibility of magic knights applying to become paladins, serving directly under the pope or the saintess, with the added benefit of a generous wage. While the promise of financial reward held little appeal, the prospect of being in close proximity to Clarice as a paladin ignited a spark of hope within him.

Though uncertain of the validity of the rumors, he resolved to seize this opportunity, recognizing it as his best chance to reunite with Clarice. Entrusting his fate to the winds of destiny, he embarked on a journey fueled by determination and love, determined to traverse any obstacle standing between him and the saintess he held dear.