Days passed, the sun was shining brightly before noon, within the city, somewhere at the edge of it, a construction of a building was being held, and Henry Val can be found working himself there.
"Woah, look at that, that's what they call a Conqueror right? I only ever see some of them in the TV, but seeing them up close."
"Awesome, despite being so skinny, he sure could lift a lot."
The attention of the workers around the construction site was all pointed towards a particular black haired young man.
Henry with multiple stacks of sacks of concrete mix across his back, despite his skinny arms, he was able to carry multiple sacks which no normal human could ever achieve in hope of doing so.
After getting fired from his job, Henry found himself working on a construction site, trying to get himself admitted to office work jobs might get him fired again with the ever looming threat of Mary's influence throughout society.
So he's currently stuck, but he doesn't seem to feel bad anymore about it, as long as he can work and earn some money in the process, he didn't mind.
"Done!" Wiping off the sweat on his forehead after putting the sacks from one position after another, he let out a sigh.
"Hey newcomer, don't work a little too hard now, otherwise, we might lose this job a little too early, hahaha!!!" A middle aged bearded coworker of Henry approached him and tried to initiate a conversation to befriend him.
"I- I try my best, sir." Henry tried to answer, but only a soft muffled stuttering voice came out as he's still recovering.
"Hey, c'mon now, I was just joking."
The guy tried to make a light of himself, another coworker of their come into view.
"Stop it, you idiot, you're scaring the new guy, Henry, right? Don't worry, this guy might appear ugly, but he's a definitely a good person, so you can trust him."
"Ugly?!" He exclaimed, yet was ignored.
"We're all friends here now, if you ever in need of something, feel free to talk to us."
Henry was momentarily in a daze as he found the scenery almost alien like for he was subjected to coworkers who always talk behind his backs and hurled insults towards him.
"Yes." Henry still answered weakly.
The two person in front of him was showing a bit of concern despite only knowing each other for a few days
—
As hours passed, the sun descending into the horizon, stars appearing one after another across the darkness that's slowly creeping throughout the sky.
Henry leaved the construction site, walking down the street by himself, counting some cash at hand.
(1, 2, 3... Hmm, this will do.) Even though his current paycheck doesn't equal to his previous office jobs, he found glee in satisfaction that somehow still managed to keep himself afloat while still waiting for his accumulated back pay from the company.
(Hmmm, what should I eat tonight? Roast beef? No, Mom already bought some yesterday, we're gonna have roast beef tonight, what about some light drink, Dad would be delighted for sure, but nah, it would be disastrous.) Henry pondered over such normal everyday thoughts in a long while, seemingly to escape and forget about the past, all in hopes in the process of guilt not to swallow him anymore than he already is.
These seemingly normal thoughts was the best way to do that.
Finding clarity in his life, his thoughts slowly clearing, and returning to normalcy, he basked himself in peace and serenity.
The calmness it brings brings made the burden he's been carrying for a very long time be lifted bit by bit, not all at once, but slowly but surely, it's lightening his mood as a result.
Along the way, passing by some billboards advertising products, with Mary as the face of it, after all this time, Henry got the courage to finally look up, and his eyes laid upon the image of a beautiful red haired woman.
(Mom is right, I should forgive myself first and foremost if Mary is not willing to do so, she can hate me for as long as she wants, but welling over these thoughts is useless and bad for my psyche, it would just consume me over in the end, and as a first step to make that kind of progress, forgetting and letting go of the past is the best course of action.)
Back then, due to the guilt swallowing him like a tidal wave, Henry was stuck and unable to make a progress in his life, as such, he suffered for years under torment, and incapable of properly maintaining his self and worth as a person.
But now, with the truth out of the bag, the efforts he made, the unspoken wishes Mary wished upon, there's no need anymore to comply, as such, he's willing to be hated still, but not keep himself anymore as a stuck up, and chooses to make an improvement over his life he's been vexing ever since.
While he continued to walk, headed for his home, he spotted a particularly different building amongst the rest, it appears more guarded and crowded, with people coming in and out, with various outfits distinct from one another, some can be seen with a noticeably large weapons, such as a large axe or even swords behind their backs, some of the female was wearing dresses, held a staff or wands on their hands, akin to Mary's figure, as it appears to be a standard outfit.
(Conquerors? Now that I think about it, I used to idolized being one so much, and when college hits, I somehow awaken as one, the joy i found during that moment was almost incomparable to any other points in my life, ugh... What a life.) Henry sigh as he reminiscent with these thoughts in his head.
(Due to me cheating on Mary, the relationship I destroyed, her resentment towards me, her rise to the top, I somehow plummeted to the very bottom, lacking opportunity as there's no Guild seemingly wanting to take me in, or even the government not giving me a license to participate in dungeon exploration, wait- Now I just realized, it was also due to her influence that not only I keep getting fired over and over various jobs that I tried so hard to applying in, these guilds must've been influenced by her to never take me in, even the government too, what a hassle.) Henry tried casting his gaze away, scratching his head, but then.
(But still... I still really want to become one! I still wanted to become a Conqueror! That opportunity feels so close yet so far away at the same time, Mary did really screw me over, juh, screw you, Mary, screw you!) Henry stood on his spot, frozen in place as he contemplated over himself, but is left powerless, unable to do anything.
—
The next day, back at the construction site, as Henry was working just like any of his coworkers, but with his presence and physiology, the appearance of a younger person lightens the mood of everyone, and his physiology as a conqueror really makes all the job much easier.
"Henry, help me a little over this one!"
"Right away sir!"
Henry approached the man asking for help, and did so easily.
"Huff... Thank you, it's really a blessing to have a Conqueror by our side, huh, all the works have been much easier."
Everyone was already showing tiredness and sweating their backs halfway through their working hours, but Henry wasn't even showing an ounce of exhaustion, as if a new person just clock in, fresh and full of energy.
Break time
Henry can be seen eating alone within the building, with packaged food by his parents.
Chomp Chomp Chomp
Lounging by himself, in silence, Henry ate the food succinctly, enjoying the taste.
"Oi, Henry, what are you doing here alone, come eat with us, it's not right to eat by yourself, the food's taste gonna feel dull you know that."
"... But, won't I just destroy the mood, I appreciate the offer, but i can't afford to do that to everyone, sorry." Henry paused for a moment before tried to reject his offer, in consideration of everyone.
Henry grew gloomy overtime ever since he made that mistake, this in turn made him susceptible to his coworkers from his previous job to make fun of him, and tried to stay away from him as far as possible, but, currently right now, Henry was a bit surprised at the sudden offer, he of course rejected it kindly, not wanting to ruin everyone's perception of him and everyone's mood, yet.
"What are you even talking about, ruin everyone's mood? You're funny, come here!"
Henry was suddenly dragged away along with his food, although he is much stronger than him, he doesn't want to hurt him, and was left powerless as he just got dragged away.
"Everyone, I finally found Henry!"
At one particular spot, a group of people was seen together, happily chatting and eating their lunches together.
Hearing those words, and garnering everyone's attention.
"Oh, Henry, come here sit!"
"We were wondering where you've been?"
"Come eat with us."
Henry found himself a bit overwhelmed by their greetings and warm welcome, not wanting to dissapoint them, he took the chance and the courage to act in accordance with their words.
He sat down beside some of the more familiar ones, a bit scared and shy by everyone's gazes all pointed towards him.
"Don't be shy, we won't bite." Some tried to make fun of the situation to lighten the mood.
Indistinct chattering between each other was initiated again like earlier, minutes passed, Henry was left in silence before everyone's attention is turn back to him once again.
"So, Henry, tell us, why is a Conqueror like you working this measly construction job, with your physiology and powers, you should've been exploring dungeons and drowing in riches by now!"
"We- well..." His words stuttered a little.
"Hey, have some consideration, that might be a sensitive topic you know!"
(Everyone is so kind...) Henry was clearly taken aback due to everyone's behavior towards him.
Due to cumulative series of events and action that he took upon himself back then, his cheating incident led to his break up with Mary, that made him sad and gloomy, which in turn made him suspectible by the people around him, and often the center of insults and gossips from his previous coworkers.
But with that gone out of the way, some of the burdens finally lifted, unwilling to stay anymore in his gloomy phase, the coworkers easy going attitude and tendency to make friends with the newcomer, Henry was then given the opportunity to make amends with himself, a big leap towards self forgiveness, by making friends with his coworkers.
And that allowed him to finally speak confidently, like he used to.
"No, that's alright."
"See, he doesn't mind, cmon, Henry, Conquerors are just really cool, so it's kinda upsetting in some ways to see one working this kind of job."
Finding some similarity amongst this circle between him and them, like how life seems to fucked them over, as such, these people was left with little to no opportunity, and with nothing, they're force to work construction, just like Henry's circumstances right now, this allowed him to recount his story truthfully and wholeheartedly where his life had gone wrong due to his own doing.
As a form of venting, to let out words he's been wanting to say out loud to other people to gain some form of sympathy, yet, he didn't twist any of it like other people would, Henry was momentarily aghast, and felt a little bit of guilt right after, because it look like he's just then asking for validation from everyone.
(Crap, did I make a mistake, this Is a mistake right? Why is everyone so silent? Say something dammit!) Sweat protruded over his forehead after recounting his past, and everyone was silent after intently listening to the drama.
It was akin to listening TV drama one might think.
When silence dominated for a few second, the person beside Henry spoke.
"Henry, you're pathetic!"
"Yeah, what a cheater, betraying a woman's trust, it's despicable!" Someone followed up.
(Uhhh... I shouldn't have said that, but...) Henry didn't sense some hints of clear hostility from their tones, but instead.
"Cheating on your partner is bad, really bad, it breaks trusts, and trust is very hard to repair, but-" Saying something coming from his heart, sincerely towards his view on the situation, another coworker cut him off.
"When did suddenly become an expert in this, did you also perhaps cheated on with your wife? Huhu..."
"Shut up, man, let me finish!"
"Henry, you cheated on your childhood sweetheart, all those years of spending time together was broken in one night, I wouldn't say your ex is not right to retaliate to get back at you, but the fact stands you're willing to make things right and see the mistake you did, self forgiveness is not the act of making things right, it's the act of taking on responsibility, but seeing how you've been suffering this whole time, yet you were never given the opportunity, yes, this is a little too much, rather than to get back at you, it's more like just hatred more than anything coming from her."
Those remarks were no different from the same words he heard from his mother back then, but hearing it from another person made him feel even more sure of himself, even with a little guilt on through validation, he was thankful and glad.
"Thank you, sir."
"Just don't go cheating around again, well, if you're still willing to get a girlfriend! Hahahah..."
Henry then found himself able to laugh at those words, even more burden was lifted off of him, he find it hard to believe he could be laughing like this like he used to.
"By the way, I'm curious, other than your ex status as high caliber Conqueror, it's still hard to believe she got that much power of influence even ranging to the government, who is it anyway?" A different co-worker made a question which made everyone's curiosity peaked at that moment.
Waiting for his answer, Henry didn't falter or stutter, answering tersely.
"Mary Red, Red Haired Princess, the Princess of the Royal Family in this country."
As Henry uttered those words, everyone around him was left agape, completely shocked with their mouths hanging open