CH 21

Five days had passed since they arrived in this village.

During that time, the pair thought of what they could do to help out in the village, and each of them did so in their own way to earn money, food, and other resources.

Seto accompanied Ryodou Anacondell and had him teach him how to hunt.

In contrast with Ryodou who taught him in a dispassionate manner, Seto silently but surely learned from his job.

Having gained an interest in his attitude, Ryodou served him lunch at his place.

There was a variety of dishes featuring meat from deer hunted in the forest, as well as vegetables and fruits grown in the village.

[C… Can I really have all this?] (Seto)

[Yeah, dig in. A growing kid like you oughta eat lots.] (Ryodou)

The meal between men began.

The living room was filled with the smell of well-smoked tobacco pipe or something similar.

The sunlight streaming into the dimly lit room and the ruggedly decorated interior made Set feel a little more grown up. 

It was the presence of the heroic figure in front of him that turned this feeling of exaltation into a certainty.

The man himself hated being called a hero, but being a child, Seto could not help but admire him.

[You’ve got a good memory, kiddo. Made it easier for me to teach ya.] (Ryodou)

[Really…? But you’ve also been a good teacher.] (Seto)

[Still, you gotta fix that bad habit of tripping many times over whenever you carry stuff. And don’t drop what you carry so many times either. …Seriously, how come you’re so good at caring for your bow and arrows and setting traps, yet so bad at doing chores?] (Ryodou)

[Don’t underestimate my clumsiness. If I felt like it, I could even break one wooden dish after another like it was porcelain.] (Seto)

[What kinda talent is that!? Is it something to brag about!?] (Ryodou)

[Ugh… I’m sorry. ] (Seto)

He sipped the soup made by simmering vegetables and meat.

The vegetables were moderately tenderized and sweetened, making them easier to eat than a regular salad.

The deer meat melted on the tongue, and the juice spread to the back of his mouth with each bite.

Ryodou smiled a bit as he watched Seto devour the meat with so much appetite.

[You can find much tastier meals in the royal capital, but… they’re way too pricey.] (Ryodou)

[Are they that good? …I wish I could go and try them.] (Seto)

[Sure, you should go there and eat with your companion sometime. They’ve got a dish called beef stew. It’s incredibly good.] (Ryodou)

[Beef stew… The name alone makes it sound delicious.] (Seto)

Seto suddenly remembered the sumptuous food he had in the city of Clay Shut.

As of late, every meal he had did not only fill his stomach, but also his heart.

Thanks to his new diet, Seto was now able to be more active than ever before, and his movements had become even more dynamic.

He could feel the sensation of shifting from being a soldier to being a human being permeating into every cell of his body.

[Welp, thanks for your hard work this early in the morning. I’ll have to go somewhere else this afternoon. I know it’s a bit early, but let’s call it a day.] (Ryodou)

[Ah, are you sure? Then I’ll be off. Thanks.] (Seto)

They both finished their meals, and as Seto stood up from his seat, he caught sight of something.

A portrait hanging on the wall depicting a woman and a little girl.

[…You’re curious about that?] (Ryodou)

[Ah, no, sorry. I didn’t mean to pry into…] (Seto)

[Hahaha, don’t be so tense. I don’t mind. …Although, it might be a bit too early for you to understand the full story behind it, kiddo. All I can say is that it’s a grown-up business.] (Ryodou)

[Is this… your wife? And wouldn’t this girl be your daughter…?] (Seto)

[I wish they were. …Or maybe not so much. It’s complicated.] (Ryodou)

When he said that, he showed a much more tender smile than when the boy first met him, sat down on the sofa, lit his pipe, and started puffing tobacco smoke.

Seto thanked him and left his house.

Noon-hour had come, and the village was now in the mood for a break.

Those who had been working in the fields or tending the orchard were now gathering in groups, chatting and eating lunch.

Cattlemen and shepherds have stopped their work, and the sound of hammering iron could no longer be heard from the blacksmith’s shop.

This time of peace and quiet passed along with the wind.

A mountain range was visible in the distance behind the village.

It seemed to watch over the village, towering over it as if piercing the verdant sky.

I wonder how many more places like this there are in the world? …I’d like to visit them.

As Seto was on his way home, lost in thought, he met Kilim, who was on patrol in the village.

This was a remote workplace in a remote village, but she was doing her job with the discipline of a soldier.

[Oh, Seto! What’s up? Are you already done with work?] (Kilim)

[Yeah, Ryodo had some business to attend to this afternoon. He also treated me to lunch today.] (Seto)

[Seriously? You two have become friends already? Whenever I try to talk to him, all I get is a curt greeting.] (Kilim)

[Aren’t all heroes like that? I like his maturity, though.] (Seto)

Seto smiled as he shrugged his shoulders.

Kilim did not seem convinced, and had a sullen look on her face.

[…I’ve finally come across a war hero, so I wish I could be friends with him too. But he’s been giving me the cold shoulder from day one!] (Kilim)

[What did you try to talk about with Ryodou?] (Seto)

[I asked him if we could drink together.](Kilim)

[…He must’ve thought that it sounded like a pain.] (Seto)

Apparently, after the first attempt, she boldly invited him out several more times. 

But he turned her down at every turn.

[He’s the kind of guy who likes peace and quiet, after all. I don’t think he and you would have good chemistry.] (Seto)

[Mrrg, I see. …Maybe this is also why that man disappeared on me.] (Kilim)

Kilim was slightly depressed.

When he heard her mutter that, Seto got a little curious and decided to ask.

[When you say ‘that man’… are you talking about someone important to you?] (Seto)

[Yeah, there was a man I fell in love with. But he ran out on me… and after everything I did for him, goddammit!] (Kilim)

[Sounds like you had it rough.] (Seto)

[You can say that again. His food, his booze, his gambling, and the list goes on! I had to work my ass off to pay for everything!] (Kilim)

[…Hm?] (Seto)

[But, you see… I know that the profession of mercenary gives its fair share of anxiety due to how unstable it can be, so I thought I shouldn’t nag him too much about it… Besides, he’s basically hopeless without me. He takes his job seriously, but he’s just no good at everything else. He’s crude and sloppy in all the wrong areas. But… he’s got the kind of coolness that even I, who was serving as a corps commander at the time, fell in love with. Ehehe…] (Kilim)

Kilim smiled absentmindedly as she recalled the past, and Seto smiled awkwardly at that.

[So not only did you burn out your own paycheck, but you also borrowed other people’s money?] (Seto)

[Oh? You could tell? I got one hell of a scolding when they found out. …It was then that I lost touch with him. I don’t even know where he is right now. …But I’m sure he must be in trouble at the moment, now that I’m not with him.] (Kilim)

[I may not know much about the world, but even I think that guy must be the worst…] (Seto)

The moment Seto muttered that, Kilim’s face turned red, and she yelled at him.

[Hey! Don’t badmouth my soulmate! He may not look like it, but Holmes is a great man!] (Kilim)

[Ho-Holmes!?] (Seto)

[Wait, do you know him!?] (Kilim)

[…Ah, no, sorry! I don’t!] (Seto)

Seto ran away at once.

Behind him, Kilim was shouting something while waving her hands in the air, but his best option for now was to retreat.

[…That old timer. What the heck did he do…?] (Seto)

He muttered to himself as he made his way to his house, where Satis had yet to return.