Reincarnated As The Hero Ring Chapter 4: System

"Tell more about this Destroyed Era. What exactly happened back then?" I asked eagerly.

Vicar shifted uncomfortably. "...I don’t know much. Sorry."

"...What do you an you don’t know? It’s your world’s history!"

He gave a bitter laugh. "People like ... we don’t get to learn much about the world."

"...People like you?" I tilted my nonexistent head in confusion.

He hesitated, then finally explained. "I an the poor. The nobles call us slum dwellers."

That hit like a truck—well, technically I was hit by a bullet, but you get the idea. I rembered his ho earlier, the alleys, the people huddling in the dark. Of course. I should’ve realized sooner.

Vicar went on. "Only nobles can attend the academy or schools. They’re the ones who get to study history, magic, geography... everything. For us, the only history we know is what’s common knowledge."

"...Man." I sighed. "That sucks."

I actually felt bad for him. In my old world, I might’ve skipped class all the ti, but at least I had the choice. Here, soone like Vicar never even got the chance.

"Hey," he said suddenly, brightening a little. "You never told your na, Mr. Ring."

"Oh! Right. I’m Chase."

"Chase, huh? Nice to et you." He smiled faintly, then asked, "What about your owner? Do you rember her na or what she looked like? That might help return you."

I perked up. "Yeah! She’s a beautiful girl with long red hair. Her na’s Aliss."

The mont I said her na, Vicar froze. His eyes widened. He stopped walking entirely.

"...Aliss Steensiws?" he whispered. His voice trembled.

"You know her?!" I exclaid. "Great! Then hurry up and take back to her!"

But Vicar’s face went pale, and dread pooled in his eyes. Sothing was seriously wrong.

"...Vicar? What is it?"

"I’m sorry, Chase." His grip on tightened. "I... I can’t take you back to her."

My core went cold. "What are you talking about? Of course you can! Just walk to her place!"

Instead, he pulled off his finger.

"Vicar! What are you doing?! Stop!"

Without answering, he hurled into the street and bolted. His footsteps echoed against the stone road, then vanished as he disappeared into the crowd.

And just like that... I was alone again.

"...Seriously? What the hell just happened?"

I replayed it in my head again and again. The way his face twisted when I ntioned Aliss’s na. The fear in his voice. The way he ran without explanation.

Was there sothing about Aliss that scared him? Did she do sothing? Or was it her family?

Hours passed as I lay there, abandoned in the dirt, my thoughts chasing themselves in circles. But no matter how I tried, I couldn’t piece it together.

Eventually, the sky darkened. My vision dimd. For the first ti in ages, exhaustion hit . Rings aren’t supposed to sleep, but I couldn’t fight it anymore.

When I ca to, I felt sothing brush against . My vision snapped open—only to find a stray cat pawing curiously at .

"...Really? A cat? Here I was hoping it’d be a cute adventurer girl picking up."

I was about to drift off again when sothing strange caught my eye. In the top-right corner of my vision... a tiny red dot blinked faintly.

"...What the heck is that?"

I focused on it, narrowing my attention. Slowly, it expanded, unfolding into a translucent screen.

[Notifications]

– System Install Complete –

My nonexistent jaw dropped. "...Wait. System?!"