Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 11

The children swarmed around him. The old man, who was sitting in front of the fountain in the village square, chuckled. He was the grandfather of the village chief and the oldest person in the village.

What? What story?

The old man put his hand to his ear and asked. He was very wise, kind, friendly, and smart, but he had a problem with his hearing.

The leader of the children shouted again.

The hero! The story! Please tell us!

Oh, the story of the hero?

Yes!

The children gathered around the old man and sat down. The old man was not only smart, but he also had a knack for telling stories in a very interesting way.

Thats not a very old story, you know.

But youve lived for so long, grandpa! Mom said youre a wizard!

The old man had experienced those things just the other day, but the children knew how old the story was.

The old man pretended not to hear, or maybe he really didnt, and continued the story.

When I was a little younger than you, the village was very peaceful. There were no monsters for years. It was a very peaceful village.

The old man was lost in his old memories.

When I went to play in the nearby forest, I found a small wooden box under a tree. I thought it was very pretty, so I quickly picked it up and brought it to the village. The villagers also admired the pretty and curious box. But then the box suddenly opened with a bang. What was that?

It was a monster, a mimic.

But the villagers didnt know what it was. Inside the opened box, there was a tiny tooth and a tongue the size of a hand. On the lid, there were two round eyes. The people wondered what it was. Then they heard a rumbling sound from the wooden box. I quickly went and brought my snack and gave it to the box.

After that, the wooden box lived in the village with the name Mimmy.

At first, the people gave it the food they ate, but soon they started to give it the food they couldnt eat and threw away instead of burying it in the ground. Mimmy ate it very deliciously.

Sometimes Mimmy pretended to be a box, and then I really wanted to open it. I was very curious and wanted to have what was inside the box.

But that was Mimmy!

Yes, whenever I opened the lid, it was always Mimmy. Sometimes I gave it as a birthday present. It was a very fun prank.

The old man laughed very happily. Then he lowered his voice.

And a few years later, a very scary monster appeared.

The old man still couldnt say the name of the monster. He was the only person who had survived that incident and lived until now.

The old man remembered it very clearly. It was a very high-ranking demon.

He didnt know why such a terrifying demon appeared in this small village. He was just a village elder.

The hero, who was chasing the demon that flew with a cackle, was covered in blood. Even the great hero couldnt defeat the demon.

Fortunately, the day dawned and the demon hid in the darkness. The hero received treatment from the villagers.

What kind of monster was it? An orc? A troll?

A werewolf!

Well, it was a very terrifying monster.

The old man didnt reveal the identity of the monster for a long time. He was afraid of being cursed if he said it. The children were curious, but they soon gave up.

The hero said, Help me. We have to get rid of the monster right away.

The hero said so, but what could these bumpkins do?

The only thing the villagers could do was heal. Thats when it happened.

Mimic! Mimimic!

It was a mimic, Miming. The startled hero shouted.

Mimic?! Why is there a mimic here!

The villagers tilted their heads. To them, Miming was just a wooden box for disposing of food waste. The hero, who had drawn his holy sword, explained.

Thats a monster. It lives only in the dungeons of the demon race, in the very depths! How did it get here?!

No! Miming is very nice!

The old man who was still young cried out. He quickly hugged Miming with both arms. The hero yelled.

Put it down right now! Thats a very dangerous monster!

No! Miming is! Miming is!

The villagers blocked the childs front as they watched the quarrel between the hero and the child. The village chief at that time, the old mans grandfather, said.

Hero. The important thing right now is not this child.

The hero, who had frowned at the chiefs words, sighed.

I see. I understand.

The hero put away his holy sword and nodded. He could deal with the mimic anytime. The problem was the marquis-level demon.

Then, the mimic jumped out of the childs arms and bounced to the front of the hero.

Mimic! Mimimic!

What?

Miming closed the lid and turned into a wooden box.

The hero, who had the purpose of defeating the demon king, felt it.

This Why is it so pretty?

The small box was very shiny and glossy.

What was inside, what did they put in such a beautiful box? He was curious. He wanted to open it.

The hero, who was lost in the box, reached out his hand.

Hero!

!?

The hero came to his senses at the chiefs call. The hero was at his wits end. He shook his fingers and pointed at the mimic.

What the hell is that!

He had destroyed many dungeons and eliminated all kinds of mimics, but There was no mimic that had tempted him to this extent.

As if it knew the heros mind, Miming opened and closed the lid, shaking with excitement.

Mimic! Mimimic!

But why has Miming been acting like that since earlier?

Thats right. Its usually quiet

Miming jumped up and turned into a box again in front of the hero. The hero, who knew the temptation of the mimic well, had no choice but to succumb. The hero realized it after being tempted three times.

I see. This mimic is

The hero suggested to the villagers. Lets lure the monsters with Miming. And he would get rid of them while the monsters were distracted.

Miming is in danger!

Monsters are scary!

The children screamed, even though they knew the story. The people passing by smiled and looked at the children. They had been like that too.

The villagers loved Mimic very much and hated the plan. But brave Mimic decided to side with the hero.

In the end, the villagers entrusted Mimic to the hero.

The hero placed a small box on the table and said,

I dont know if you can understand me. But I think this is why you came to me. I will bring the duke here. When he comes, I want you to use a skill that will tempt him. I will get rid of him while he is distracted.

The hero hesitated a bit and continued.

Make it quick and stay safe. Be careful.

Mimic!

As the sun set, the hero lured the monster that was hiding. Mimic was on the table in the center of the village. The monster that was chasing the hero saw Mimic.

Mimic! Hang in there!

The hero and Mimics plan was flawless.

Oh, what is this?

The duke-level demon was mesmerized by Mimic. He had never seen such a box in his hundreds of years of life. He wanted to open it and see what was inside. He wanted to have the thing in the box.

Hahaha! These worms have offered me such a treasure! Good! I will kill you all very comfortably!!

The demon shouted. The people trembled in their houses. The demon was more terrifying than they had imagined.

The demon lifted the box with both hands. He carefully opened the box with his large and sharp hands.

Then.

Something sprang out of the demons chest. It was a white holy sword. It pierced the core of the demon that was shining in the center of his chest.

Die! Duke!

The hero pushed the sword with force.

Snap.

The crack became clearer.

The demons head turned back. The sharp eyes of the duke and the hero met.

This this was a trap

As his vision blurred, the duke straightened his head. He looked at the box in his hand.

What is this

Even as he was dying, the duke wanted to have what was in the box. He knew it was a trap, but he was curious. What did they put in there that made him so tempted?

The duke clenched his hand. He didnt care about the box. The contents were important.

Snap!

Mimic!

Mimic. It was Mimic. The duke sneered as he saw Mimic screaming in pain.

Just a Mimic. A lowly monster that couldnt even become a noble, let alone a knight. He was tempted by it. The duke felt ashamed and gave more force.

I will kill you too!

The hero swung the sword up. The dukes head was split in half.

The dukes hand lost its strength and Mimic fell to the ground.

The old man who had come out of the house ran and caught Mimic as he fell.

Mimic!

The villagers also came out quickly.

Mimics body was torn and tattered. It seemed like it would break if touched. Children and adults cried.

The hero, who had finished off the duke, walked slowly and knelt down in front of Mimic, who was held by the old man.

The Mimics eyes turned towards the warrior, and a soft whimper elicited a nod from him.

Mimic

Yes, its done. Ive incinerated it completely, leaving no ash behind, not even with holy power.

The Mimics lid rattled, and the warrior and villagers thought it was Mimic smiling.

The old man, who first met Mimic and brought it to the village, continued to weep.

Youve done well. Thanks to you, the villagers are safe, and I was able to deal with the Count. Thank you.

Mimic

The warrior knew, unlike other monsters, this small one was special.

In the warriors lifetime, such a kind monster as this Mimic was the first and would be the last.

The breath of the Mimic grew faint. Something rolled out from the broken body of the now-dead Mimic.

Seeing it, a child burst into tears. It was a small, round stone the child had given as a gift to Mimic.

And so, Mimic died at the hands of the monster. The warrior and villagers built a fountain and a statue in the place where Mimic lay, as a token of gratitude.

Mimic, thank you!

Poor Mimic!

The children sobbed. The old man smiled, reminiscing about a long-lost dear friend.

Behind the old man, atop a beautifully spraying fountain, stood a statue.

It was a statue of Mimic, with its wooden lid open and a bright smile.

The once-small village had grown significantly since then. The warrior had defeated the Demon King and settled in this village.

He was granted a title and a large tract of land that included the village as his domain, which he governed peacefully ever after.

Lady Elizabeth is here!

The children sprang up and ran towards a carriage adorned with the emblem of a wooden box.

They were eager to see Elizabeth, the warriors great-granddaughter.

As the carriage window opened, a young girl peeked out.

The old man chuckled, reminded of the warriors face by the girls visage.

Then someone sat down next to the old man.

Its been a while.

Indeed.

You always come here. Every year on this day.

The middle-aged man with flecks of white in his hair smiled gently. He felt at ease whenever he visited this village, this place.

Today is the day Mimic died, isnt it?

The middle-aged man, the warrior, looked at the old man. The once-small child had aged so much.

The warrior, aging very slowly by the grace of the gods, kept his identity hidden and roamed around, but every year on this day, he returned to this village.

Yes, its already been that long. Time flies as you age.

The old man laughed. The warriors gaze turned to his great-granddaughters carriage. Seeing the emblem of the wooden box, he felt a sense of pride.

The king had asked, What would you like for your emblem?

The warrior had replied, A wooden box.

Unable to say Mimic, the wooden box wrapped in laurel became the warriors emblem.

That little one was truly special.

Yes, a very kind and good friend.

The warrior looked up at the clear blue sky, feeling uplifted.

I wonder what the gods have in store for it in its next life?

Another life, huh The old man chuckled.

Perhaps its charming others just as it did us.

Yes, that sounds about right.

The warrior smiled, remembering the precious bond with the Mimic, however brief it had been.

The Mimic, having charmed both the warrior and the high-ranking demon, is now preparing for its next enchantment.

Seo Jun, lets get ready for the shoot!

Seo Jun clenched his tiny hands, determined to sell out completely.

So, the next life

The old man chuckled.

Are you still tempting other people?

Yeah. I guess so.

The hero smiled as he remembered Mimic, a precious bond he had formed in a brief encounter.

Mimic, who had seduced both the hero and the marquis-level demon, was now preparing for another temptation!

Seo-jun, Ill get ready for the shoot!

Seo-jun clenched his tiny hands and vowed to sell out his book.