"What kind of garbage is this?!"

Bang!

The unshaven man forcefully flung the plate in his hand, sending it crashing to the ground, scattering food everywhere.

"Are you looking down on me?! Huh? You actually fed me this garbage!"

"You actually delivered this kind of garbage that even dogs wouldn't eat to me?"

Lake-like, grayish-brown food spilled down, miserably covering the ground.

"Do you even know who I am?!"

"I am a nobleman, a great nobleman, do you know that?!"

"A great nobleman!"

!

He roared furiously, the veins on his neck bulging, and his entire body, from his face to his neck, turned red.

The child's wide eyes were bloodshot, and he reeked of alcohol. Apart from his decent clothes, the man showed no trace of the "aristocrat" air he claimed to possess.

But at this moment, even his relatively good clothes were torn in several places, and he was also emitting a sour smell.

It's clear he's been showering and resting for several days now, living like a zombie.

"You want to lock me up in this cage called a refuge? What do you want from me?"

Why aren't you saying anything?! Huh?

Not getting the response he wanted, the man became even more agitated, stomping his feet to assert his presence.

Thump thump thump!

"Say something! Why aren't you saying a word?"

"Do you all look down on me?!"

"Yes or no!?"

Hahahaha!

!

He paused for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, pounding his chest triumphantly:

"I know! You must be scared, right!?"

"I knew it!"

But after only a couple of laughs, his expression turned ferocious again, and he roared:

"I know you've always looked down on me! You even kicked me out of the family!"

"Aaaaaah!"

!

...

...

The dejected man was venting his frustrations, while a group of people watched him with sighs not far behind him.

Watching him roar at the air...

Behind them, the meticulously groomed, elderly butler bowed respectfully to the patrolling Watchers and said:

"I'm sorry, my husband has caused you all trouble at work."

"Ever since he heard that news, the master has been... somewhat mentally unstable."

"Please forgive him, he has lost all his family members and the family he was once so proud of."

The operator frowned, then looked at the man who was screaming at the wall, hesitated for a moment, and then said in a low voice:

"You need to keep a close eye on him, ensuring his safety and preventing him from bothering others. Remember to compensate for any damage he causes."

This man couldn't handle the pressure and has gone mad...

"Please rest assured, we will keep a close eye on him, and we will compensate for any damage."

The butler looked up, gratefully grasped the operative's hand, and shook it up and down.

"We will never forget your kindness."

After pulling it out, the operator sighed and waved his hand:

"It's not that serious. Just take good care of him. Have you seen a doctor? Maybe they can find a better treatment."

well……

His expression turned bitter. The butler looked helplessly at his master, whom he had served for many years, and sighed:

“We took the adult to see a doctor immediately, but the results were not ideal.”

"The doctor said the adult isn't able to accept reality yet and needs to rest for a while; maybe they'll get better, maybe..."

What he might not have said was clear to everyone present.

With his lips slightly parted, the Watchers member, after pondering for a moment, couldn't help but ask:

"Don't blame me for being nosy... but you're just planning to keep taking care of him like this?"

"The Silver Council has been destroyed, and the nobility is now just a name without substance. There's no need for a retainer like you to persist any longer, is there?"

Blinking, the butler glanced at the operator, then at the man who was now crying hysterically, and gave a complex smile:

What else can we do?

“I have been taking care of him since he was a child, more than forty years ago.”

"To me, he is an adult who needs to be served, but also a family member I cannot sever ties with."

“The adults who used to take good care of me have all passed away, and he is now the only family member I have left.”

As she watched the man's retreating figure, tears welled up in the butler's eyes, but she didn't let the operative see, secretly wiping them away with her hand.

"...Since you think there's no problem, then I have nothing more to say. When you change your mind, you can seek help from the Watchers."

"We have always welcomed ordinary people like you who have ventured into the world of Awakened Ones."

"...Whether it's you or your former master, we welcome you."

The operator patted the butler on the shoulder, gave a wink to the team behind him, and led the group away.

"Let's go."

Watching the silent procession, the butler, his eyes reddening, bowed deeply to them.

"grateful!"

Straightening up, the butler first cleaned up the mess on the floor, then walked to the man's side and grabbed his arm, ignoring his filth.

"Sir, we should go now. Let's not cause any more trouble for others outside."

The man did not resist, and his attempts to break free stopped halfway. He stood up with the help of the butler, who half-supported and half-dragged him.

The butler, somewhat surprised by Anjing's quiet demeanor, spoke with a touch more emotion in his voice, saying gently:

"Okay, let's go home."

Step by step, the two of them supported each other as they walked into the distance.

After a long silence, the man suddenly asked in a hoarse voice:

"Home? Do I still have a home?"

Home?

The Silver Council has fallen, the family has been wiped out, and all relatives are dead... Only he, who was driven out of the family years ago, is still alive.

Is there still a place for me in this world?

"...Yes, sir."

Tightening his grip on her arm, the butler said firmly:

"As long as we are alive, there is still hope behind us, and we still have a home."

"……Yeah."

The two of them helped each other as they walked away toward the small dwelling they had been assigned in the shelter.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble over the years."

"I didn't care. It was just what I should do. Please don't take it to heart."

"……Thanks."

"You're welcome."

...

...

This is one of tens of thousands of shelters, a microcosm of the world at this moment.

What the gods bring to this world is far more terrifying than people imagine.

He was not the only man to break down and lose control like this; they lost far too much in the disaster.

But life is not over yet.

Those who survive have only one choice.

That means looking forward.

Live on.