Chapter 162
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162
“It isn’t much, I’m afraid.”
The village chief, who had led us inside, poured warm tea for each of us. A fragrant aroma wafted from the faintly pink-hued liquid.
“Not much? This is wonderful.”
I took a sip. It wasn't black tea or coffee, but seemed to be an herbal blend brewed from plants gathered in the mountains. As I savored the taste, the village chief spoke.
“I hear you’ve returned to the territory for the school holiday?”
“Yes. I plan to stay here for a day before heading to the main castle. Are there any suitable places to stay?”
At my question, the chief’s expression hardened. “I will have a house cleared out for you immediately.”
Why would he clear out a house? What about the people living there?
“There’s no need for that. A couple of empty rooms will be more than enough. I hope that’s not too much to ask.”
“...Understood. However, in that case, it may be difficult for all three of you to stay in the same lodging.”
“That doesn’t matter. As long as we have a place to sleep, it’s fine.”
It would be rude to show up unannounced and demand luxury. I’d be more than grateful for just a bed and a roof to keep the rain out.
“Thank you for your understanding. I will have it prepared for you before it gets late. And...”
The chief awkwardly fumbled for a box and placed it on the table.
“I was not aware that you would be visiting, Lord Roen, so I could not prepare properly. It is a humble offering, but…”
What’s this?
I opened the box. Inside was a small amount of silver and a few cheap jewels.
“What is this?”
At my question, the chief glanced at Freya and mumbled his words.
“It’s… a small token of our sincerity.”
Sincerity…
Hearing his words, I finally understood the situation.
Roen, you absolute bastard. You’d even squeeze blood from a stone.
I’d heard that Roen had a history of touring the territories under the Devalis family to extort money and goods. Judging by the chief’s reaction, he must have done the same in this village. I looked at the silver coins—the literal blood and sweat of the villagers—and frowned.
Why on earth did Roen do this?
The family would have given him more than enough money to spend lavishly. Why would he steal the meager possessions of commoners? Was it really just to enjoy the suffering of others? I still wasn't sure.
I sighed and pushed the box back toward him.
“What sincerity? I don’t need this. And.”
I opened my suitcase, took out a gold ingot, and handed it to the chief.
Thud.
“This is for our stay tonight. Consider it payment for lodging and dinner, and use the rest for the village.”
“...!”
This was a dwarven-made gold ingot.
“Before you sell it, take it to a large city to have it appraised. You should be able to get at least a billion for it.”
“Th-thank you, Lord Roen.”
“Don’t thank me. It is I who should be sorry for my past actions. You don’t have to worry about things like that happening again.”
I didn’t know exactly what Roen had done in this village, but I hoped this would soothe their feelings, even if only a little.
“...”
The chief’s hands trembled uncontrollably as he held the gold ingot. I wasn’t sure of his exact thoughts, but he seemed overcome with emotion.
“I understand. Thank you for your grace.”
“Of course. Well then, I’ll be in your care for our lodging and meal.”
*
While we waited for dinner and our rooms to be prepared, we looked around the village.
Moo—.
There was a small vegetable patch growing crops that looked like cabbage and radishes, and a barn housing cows, pigs, and chickens. There was a well for drawing water and a village hall where the people gathered. It was a small village, but it had everything it needed.
There was no market, but they said they purchased daily necessities and spices whenever traveling merchants passed through. If they needed something urgently, they would travel all the way to the walls of the main castle.
Ciel and Freya seemed accustomed to such scenery and didn't appear particularly impressed, but I was different.
This is fascinating.
Having only lived in the developed city of Union, seeing the lives of commoners in a medieval environment was incredibly interesting. Every tool they used, every building made of stone and logs—it was all new to me. It felt like I had stepped into a medieval-themed game.
Well, I guess I really did step into a game.
As I looked around with sparkling eyes, Ciel and Freya whispered behind me.
“Is this perhaps Roen’s first time in a small village like this?”
“No, he frequently patrolled the territories and plundered the wealth of the poor commoners.”
At that, Freya clenched her fists and muttered coldly. “I knew it. The chief’s reaction earlier was strange.”
“...”
“But why is he acting like this now? He looks as happy as a puppy seeing snow for the first time.”
“I’m not sure either.”
I ignored their conversation and continued to look around, until my eyes fell upon a large boulder near the village.
What’s that?
A huge rock was stuck right in the middle of a field. Not only was it an eyesore, but it was also taking up space that could be used for crops. Just then, a young boy wandered nearby, so I called him over.
“Hey, kid. Come here.”
“Who are you?”
The boy was dressed in shabby clothes. He looked at my attire, which was vastly different from the other villagers, with curiosity. He didn't show any hostility, so it seemed he didn't know about Roen's notoriety.
I patted the boy's head and asked kindly, “My name is Roen. Do you happen to know what this rock is?”
“Roen… Oh, that? There was a landslide a while ago, and it rolled down then. It’s too hard to move, so we just left it there.”
“Is that so? Everyone would be happy if it was gone, then.”
I immediately drew my Azoth Sword and transmuted the house-sized boulder.
Crackle—!
The rock disintegrated into dust with a flash of blue lightning.
Swoosh—.
The boy’s jaw dropped as he watched the boulder crumble into particles of sand.
“Whoa! Mister, are you a magician?”
“An alchemist, to be precise. Is there anywhere else that needs help?”
“Umm, our village has two wells, but one of them is clogged and no water comes out.”
“Hoh, excellent. Lead the way.”
Might as well go all in on building up goodwill. I decided to help with everything I could.
*
And so, Ciel, Freya, and I went around the village, solving various problems.
We removed the boulder from the field and unclogged the well. With Ciel’s help, we moved a pile of heavy logs, and with Freya’s assistance, we chopped firewood for the winter in advance. They were small tasks, but I felt a sense of pride knowing I was helping the villagers.
After finishing the chores, we headed to the chief’s house. When we arrived, a delicious-looking dinner was ready. The ingredients weren't anything special, but there was a savory, fragrant soup and fresh bread.
“Lord Roen.”
Before I could touch the food, Ciel tasted my meal first to ensure it was safe.
“You may eat.”
“You don’t have to go that far.”
It’s not like they’d try to poison me.
Only after Ciel had finished her check did I begin my meal.
Crunch.
“...”
It wasn't the soft, white bread I was used to—it was a bit gritty, as if it contained traces of stone—but it was edible enough. It seemed that milling technology hadn't reached a mountain village like this.
After the meal, the chief approached. “Was the meal to your liking?”
“Yes, it was quite good.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I heard from my grandson, Jimmy, that you went around the village and took care of several things for us.”
Jimmy. That must be the name of that scruffy boy. He was the chief’s grandson?
“I just had some time to kill. There’s no need to thank me.”
“Still, how could we simply ignore it? Thank you, truly.”
“...”
As I looked at the chief, who was holding my hand and smiling warmly, I felt an unexplainable sense of unease.
“Your beds are ready, so you may go up and rest whenever you are ready. We’ve also drawn a bath at the village hall, so you can warm yourselves up.”
At the mention of a bath, Ciel’s and Freya’s eyes lit up. It seemed commoners didn't bathe often, and since there were no separate bathtubs, they used the village hall. I didn't particularly need to wash up, but Ciel and Freya, who had been moving logs and chopping wood, certainly did.
The chief continued, “For your reference, there is one room here in my house, and one at the village hall. This one is a single room, and the one at the village hall is a double.”
“Understood. I’ll take the single room here. What will you two do? I don’t need to wash up.”
Ciel and Freya exchanged glances and answered in unison. “We will go to the village hall.”
“Alright, have a good night.”
I bid them farewell as I climbed the stairs, and the chief replied politely. “Yes, may you also have a peaceful night, Lord Roen.”
*
After Roen went upstairs and the two girls left for the village hall, the atmosphere shifted.
Creak— creak—.
The village chief, leaning heavily on his cane, quickly exited the house.
“Hah, hah.”
He staggered along at a brisk pace, as if someone were chasing him. Only after he was a good distance from the house where Roen was staying did he gasp for breath and begin to retch.
“Cough, cough, keugh!”
The chief coughed and gagged violently, as if he were suffering from consumption.
“Haaa… haaa…”
He leaned his back against a wooden post, wiped the saliva and stomach acid from his beard, and gritted his teeth.
Roen… that bastard. I could chew him to pieces…
He was so disgusted with himself for having to smile at that filthy face. After catching his breath and cursing Roen, the chief gestured toward the darkness beyond.
Step.
A middle-aged man emerged from the shadows. The man had a sturdy build, sharp eyebrows, and a stern expression.
“Chief, the preparations are complete.”
At the man’s words, the chief grabbed his hand tightly with trembling fingers.
“Yes… the chance for revenge has finally come, Duron.”
When he first received the report, he hadn't believed that Roen had come to the village. It was too sudden, too out of the blue. Why would Roen, who had gone to study on some distant island, come here?
But when he looked through the window, there was no mistaking him. The presence of his attendants, Ciel and Freya, confirmed it.
Grind.
No, he didn't even need to confirm it. The chief had never forgotten that bastard’s face for a single day. How could he forget that vicious monster who would show up whenever the village started to get back on its feet just to take everything of value? If Lord Kaiser hadn't helped them, the villagers would have all starved to death long ago.
And that wasn't all. There was another reason for the chief’s profound rage.
“My daughter… Amy.”
Roen was the one who had killed his daughter, Amy, the apple of his eye. He gritted his teeth so hard they threatened to break and threw the gold ingot he had received from Roen onto the ground.
Clang!
“Duron, that bastard gave this to me.”
“...”
The chief trembled with rage as he stared at the dirt-covered ingot.
“He apologized for the past as he gave it to me.”
He had tossed it over magnanimously, as if it were the price for his daughter’s life. But the truly sad part was that, for a moment, upon seeing the gold, his heart had wavered.
The man called Duron spoke calmly as he picked up the ingot.
“An apology… If only that could bring my wife back to life.”
Crrunch!
Duron squeezed his hand, and the gold ingot was crushed by his powerful grip. Seeing this, the chief was certain. Duron was the strongest warrior in this village. For him, killing the weakling Roen would be a simple matter.
Just in case, he had made sure Roen’s guards were far away at the village hall.
The chief gripped his cane tightly. “The oil is ready. I’ll spread it at dawn. Kill him and get out. I’ll burn the house down to destroy all the evidence.”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
Of course, even if they burned the evidence, they wouldn't be able to escape the Devalis family’s inquiry. The heir to the family would have died in an "accidental" fire.
But it doesn’t matter.
The chief clenched his jaw. If he could kill that bastard, he was more than willing to offer up his own life. What would happen tonight was a small charade for that purpose. Though hastily planned, it would be enough.
“With this… Amy will finally be able to rest in peace.”
*
Dawn.
Beep—.
As I slept in the chief’s house, I was awakened by the faint alarm of a boundary stone ringing in my ear.
“...”
Creeak—.
Creeak—.
Listening closely, I could hear the wooden stairs groaning. Someone was coming up to the second floor at this early hour. The creaking was heavy—the footsteps of a grown man of considerable weight.
I deployed the Aegis Shield and sat quietly on the bed. After a short wait, I sensed that whoever had come up the stairs was now standing right in front of my door.
The person stood there without a word.
“...”
Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes. He didn't move, no matter how long I waited. What did this silence and waiting mean?
After observing the situation for a moment, I slowly spoke.
“Don’t just stand out there. Come in.”