In a clearing on a high mountain, a chubby three-year-old boy with blue-green hair was panting heavily, taking step by step forward.
A thick rope was tied around him, pulling behind a stone nearly as big as himself. If an adult were here, they would absolutely stare wide-eyed in amazement at the strength erupting from that small body.
"This should be far enough."
Leo wiped the sweat from his forehead, satisfied looking back at the long trail he had dragged out today. Just about to untie the rope to head back, he noticed something strange under the corner of a tree.
"What's this? A lamp? Do people make lamps like this?"
He walked to the base of the tree, picked up the bronze oil lamp and examined it carefully. The lamp, though lacking any gems, had exceptionally intricate patterns, its value was probably not small.
Looking at the mud and dirt stuck to the lamp, he wiped it a few times with his hand when suddenly the lamp moved. A stream of illusory smoke poured out from inside the lamp, startling Leo, who threw the lamp and jumped back.
His gaze was wary, watching the lamp. Even though he had heard this world was full of all kinds of miracles, this was his first time encountering one, so he wasn't sure if this was good or bad.
The smoke condensed into a figure, none other than the newly appointed genie—Michael.
"I am the genie, now you have one wish. Wish for whatever you like, but think it through carefully." Michael put on a mysterious, mystical air, imitating the manner of the previous genie.
Whatever you say, he was a deity now, not putting on a bit of an act to intimidate mortals felt utterly uninteresting to him.
Leo tilted his head, his gaze fixed on the strange thing before him. He didn't reply, didn't speak, and no one knew what he was thinking inside.
Only now did Michael see who had summoned him. A chubby child but dressed in rags. His clothing compared to a beggar's could only be better, not worse.
"System, what is this? Can a child make a wish too?"
He vaguely felt something was extremely off about this. Children usually aren't evil, but their wishes can sometimes be extremely fantastical.
If he had to accept a wish that challenged every scientific law in the world, he'd probably go insane.
[Ding! Successfully checked the opponent's information.]
[Name: Leo Dawn (current) – Nameless (previous life)]
[Identity: Former holy knight of the liberation army in a previous life, sacrificed when perishing together with the enemy. His soul crossed over to become the son of Raphael Dawn, a level ninety-one contractor in a severely injured state.]
???
Michael looked incredulously at the child before him. This small, round thing was actually a transmigrator.
'Wait, isn't this like a main character type?' he thought to himself, then continued assessing the chubby kid in front of him.
"You explain clearly to me. What are you? And what's this wish thing?"
The immature voice trying to sound firm gave people a somewhat funny feeling. But Michael couldn't laugh under that intense stare.
"I am a genie, a type of deity who grants wishes. Whoever summons me gets one wish from me. Of course, completely free, no side effects."
Michael replied calmly, he learned from the previous genie, always speaking half-truths. None of the important cautions were mentioned.
"Can I wish for anything?" Leo asked with a suspicious look.
If it were real, of course he would wish. After all, a free wish didn't look like a bad thing no matter what.
"Of course, it's real." Michael nodded, waiting to see what Leo would say.
"Then I wish for this world to be without injustice."
Leo declared solemnly this was the ideal he had pursued his entire life. A pity he died before seeing that day.
"Huh???"
Michael was dumbfounded, feeling his brain wasn't sufficient. How was he supposed to fulfill a wish like this?
'Fuck, I really am an unlucky guy. A damn wish like this encountered right on the first try.' He cursed silently while quickly contacting the system for help.
[I think you're overthinking it. Just answer according to your own understanding. After all, the genie doesn't necessarily have to think the same as the wisher.]
Hearing this, Michael's eyes lit up. Regarding fairness, he had his own interpretation. At least he was certain he didn't need to accept this vague wish.
"Wish for something else, this is already an obvious thing so no need to wish for it."
"Huh???"
This time it was Leo's turn to be dumbfounded. Fairness is obvious? How come it doesn't match what he thinks at all?
"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"Of course."
"Nonsense, since when has this world been fair? I've lived for decades, don't try to fool me."
Leo didn't hide it but directly revealed it. After all, the other party called himself a genie so surely knew who he was.
"I'm telling the truth. Everything is always fair, being a king seems good but actually isn't really good. Above the crown, there's always a great sword waiting to fall on one's head. Kings have the sufferings of kings, and commoners have the sufferings of commoners. But they're all the same, they all exist following natural laws. Have you ever seen anything that exists contrary to natural laws? Even if you're unwilling to believe it, the truth remains the truth."
Michael had long understood this matter, which is why he didn't think anyone's life was better than anyone else's. What's good, what's bad—everything is defined by oneself.
Being a hero sounds like a good thing but forcing an ordinary person to bear that responsibility is torture. Being an ordinary person, working, playing, and living comfortably day by day is also good, but for some people, it's a waste of time.
It's hard to say who's right and who's wrong. It's hard to say what's good and what's bad. Everything depends on what reference system one uses.