A Fated Encounter
The old man’s eyes shook violently.
Jeron had expected that everything happening right now would feel like a dream to him.
Suddenly crossing over to another world was shocking enough, but then the name of Mr. Kang the blacksmith had come out of Jeron’s mouth.
“You… who on earth are you?”
“There is no need to be afraid. I am not a suspicious person.”
“It is not fear. Only a fool would fear their savior. It is just… hard to accept the reality of it all.”
“I was also born and raised on Earth. I died about five years ago in Earth’s time and was reincarnated here. It has been eighteen years since I was born in this world.”
“My word, what kind of fairy tale is this?”
The old man looked even more incredulous, but looking at what was happening right before his eyes, he had no choice but to accept that Jeron’s words were true.
The ability to cross dimensions, and his fluent Korean.
After contemplating for a long moment, the old man finally came to a conclusion.
“I have no choice but to believe you.”
Jeron carried the collapsed, unconscious girl and laid her down on the bed.
She looked to be around Jeron’s age, but she was terribly emaciated.
He figured anyone surviving on Earth would look like this. Chronic malnutrition was practically a default state for them.
Jeron turned back to the old man to resume their conversation.
“Mr. Kang will be able to verify my identity.”
“I believe you. I have no choice. Everyone who survived on Earth carries some form of mental illness, but perhaps because of the years I’ve lived, this old mind of mine doesn't break easily.”
At the very least, it meant he wasn't consumed by paranoia.
This was how a normal person should react. It was Kang Yu-jung and Mr. Kang, who had remained suspicious until the very end even after crossing over, who were the unusual ones.
“I am glad you understand.”
“I want to thank you once again. Thanks to you, we have been given a new chance at life.”
“If you wish, you may live here. If you can provide a little assistance, I will take care of your food, clothing, and shelter.”
“Food, clothing, and shelter… Looking at this room, it seems incredibly luxurious compared to the landscape outside. What is your status here?”
“This is a feudal society with a medieval level of technology. Among the ranks of duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron, I am a lord holding the title of viscount.”
“...!”
The old man was startled once again.
In a medieval society, the influence of a noble was beyond imagination.
Naturally, it meant Jeron had more than enough power to protect the old man and his granddaughter if they relied on him.
If he ruled an entire territory, they couldn't possibly find a safer place.
The old man’s pupils trembled unsteadily.
“I heard from Mr. Kang that you are highly knowledgeable in engineering, Elder. Of course, that isn't the only reason I saved you. Those human-eating scum didn't deserve to live anyway.”
“I do not misunderstand your intentions.”
“This is a society with extremely low scientific development. If you could offer a little help, I will ensure that you and your granddaughter can live out the rest of your days in comfort.”
“Sigh, this really isn't a dream, is it?”
“You can hear the details from Mr. Kang when you meet him at the main castle. For today, you can look around the territory with me to see if my words are true.”
The old man nodded slowly.
There was absolutely no reason for him to refuse Jeron’s offer.
As morning dawned over the territory, Park Dae-sung followed behind the man who claimed to be the lord of this land.
He looked like a boy no older than his granddaughter, yet he was the ruler of a vast territory. At first, it was difficult to wrap his head around that fact.
But seeing his fluent Korean, his understanding of Korean culture, and even his deep knowledge of history, it really did seem like he was the reincarnation of a Korean.
Whether it's true or not doesn't matter.
Park Dae-sung put his mind at ease.
Just being pulled out of that hell was a debt of gratitude he could never repay in his lifetime.
He had followed his savior today simply to see how he might be of use.
He is truly a mysterious individual.
If he was indeed a noble of this world, it was safe to say he had shown them immense goodwill. He acted completely opposite to the people he had seen on Earth.
Having made his judgment on their savior, Park Dae-sung looked around at their surroundings.
Though it was medieval, there were well-paved roads, houses undergoing repairs, high castle walls, and well-trained soldiers.
The hygiene is a bit of an issue, but it is infinitely better than Earth, where we had to risk our lives every single day.
As the young lord passed by, the soldiers and knights saluted him.
“Loyalty! We greet the Lord!”
“Is there any chance of the rebels stirring up trouble?”
“There are no signs of that at all, my Lord!”
“Keep up the good work.”
“Yes, sir!”
Park Dae-sung witnessed a rather striking scene.
The class system, which had vanished on Earth, was clearly and strictly enforced here.
The youth before him was truly a noble.
Actually, calling him a youth felt somewhat incorrect. His face looked young, but his build was no different from that of a fully grown man.
He might be considered a boy by Earth's standards, but here, he would have already had his coming-of-age ceremony.
As various thoughts crossed his mind, Park Dae-sung noticed a slight sense of disorder in the city.
The city seemed quite prosperous, yet it felt somewhat chaotic.
“You must have guessed that the state of this place is a bit unusual. We had a territorial war not long ago. This place originally belonged to another lord. We won the war and are currently annexing it, which is why things are a bit hectic.”
“I… see.”
It was one shock after another.
Everything the young lord had said was true. This was a completely different world from Earth, and since he was a noble and a lord here, they wouldn't have to worry about their livelihood.
The young lord was rising as a figure of considerable power in the kingdom, and he had promised to grant them the status of vassals if they helped him.
Park Dae-sung didn't have many years left to live, but his granddaughter did.
She had so much of her life ahead of her, and he couldn't leave her to live it on Earth. Here, she would be able to live a normal life.
“You are up early, my Lord!”
“Sir Garcia, you are out early as well.”
“A lazy man has no right to live, does he?”
“Hahaha! You are finally becoming a proper human being, Garcia.”
The young lord conversed with an exceptionally handsome man.
Judging by his attire, he was a knight, and he seemed to hold the status of a vassal. Of course, since they spoke a different language, Park Dae-sung couldn't understand the contents of their conversation.
“By the way, my Lord, who is this elderly man? He looks to be of the same race as Lady Yu-jung.”
“You have a sharp eye. He is an engineer from the East.”
“Oh! Is that so!”
The handsome knight strode over to Park Dae-sung and offered his hand.
“Pleasure to meet you. As an experienced engineer, your skills must be extraordinary. I am Garcia.”
It seemed Garcia was his name.
Park Dae-sung shook his hand.
“Hahaha! Nice to meet you. I am Park Dae-sung.”
“Ah, Sir Dae-sung. I shall remember that.”
Even though the language was different, they could understand each other to some extent through expressions and gestures.
Sir Garcia seemed busy, as he quickly took his leave.
Looking closely, Garcia was currently directing workers to clear away waste.
“Originally, the hygiene here was at the absolute worst level. You can think of it like medieval Europe.”
“It must be cleaned up to prevent diseases from spreading.”
“The Farrow Territory, which I rule directly, is not like this. In time, this place will change to look just like it.”
“A territory ruled by a modern person. I have high expectations.”
“It is just a place where people live.”
After finishing the inspection with Jeron, Park Dae-sung returned to the lord's castle.
However, having experienced so many things today, his mind was in a whirl. To go from a hopeless life to such a paradise so suddenly was overwhelming.
The young lord gave special instructions to bring them chicken soup.
The chicken soup contained garlic and various vegetables, making it taste quite similar to Korean samgyetang.
“Does garlic exist in this world as well?”
“I found it while farming on Earth and planted it here. Currently, Offrin wheat, onions, garlic, ginger, and flowers are growing in the territory.”
“Are you planning to sell them as specialty goods?”
“Exactly.”
“I see.”
Park Dae-sung was a man of the modern era. He was over sixty and had run his own business, so if he had crossed over to this world and possessed the power to open dimensional gates, he would have gone farming just like this young lord.
The youth had not lied to him once.
Furthermore, he possessed enough power and leeway to show goodwill to others.
“I thank you once again.”
Park Dae-sung bowed deeply to him.
Jeron quickly helped the old man stand straight.
“Please, don't do this. Though this is a strict class society, you only need to be careful in public. In private, please just think of me as a young man from South Korea.”
“Well, they say when in Rome, do as the Romans do. How could I lose my manners like that?”
“The Kang father and daughter settled in the Farrow Territory behave similarly.”
“Haha, is that so? I will think about it. Ah, and I was too flustered earlier to ask, but did Mr. Kang find his daughter?”
“Fortunately, I found her first and reunited them.”
“Ah, I see. That is wonderful.”
Park Dae-sung looked genuinely delighted.
Mr. Kang was a pure and honest man, a rarity among those who survived on Earth. He was one of the few kind-hearted people Park Dae-sung had met.
To think that such a man had formed a connection with Jeron since their time on Earth was truly wondrous.
Once he felt safe, fatigue began to wash over Park Dae-sung’s body.
“Please get some rest.”
“Is it… really alright?”
“We can talk more later.”
For the first time since the fall of Earth, Park Dae-sung fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Jeron spent several hours handling documents in his office.
It was past noon when Park Dae-sung and his granddaughter finally woke up.
Jeron sent maidservants to help them bathe and provided them with clean clothes. He also had a feast prepared in the castle.
It was grilled pork, a delicacy rarely tasted on Earth.
It wasn't cooked in the medieval style, but grilled over charcoal and served with various vegetables.
The crowning touch was the ssamjang.
It was something Jeron had salvaged while farming, and he had been saving it for a day like today.
After shaving and changing into new clothes, the old man and his granddaughter looked like completely different people. Although their emaciated frames were pitiful to look at, their nutritional deficiency would gradually improve.
The girl greeted Jeron.
“Thank you. I was too out of it earlier to greet you properly.”
Her eyes shook with anxiety.
Her cautious, scanning gaze was a typical trauma response shared by Earth's survivors. This, too, would get better with time.
“Please eat first. You must be very hungry.”
“Then we shall not refuse.”
They ate in silence. Park Dae-sung ate calmly, but the girl, who introduced herself as Park Ji-eun, shed tears as she ate the meat.
She probably never thought a day like this would come again.
Life on Earth really is devoid of dream and hope.
Now that the atmosphere had settled, Jeron decided to have a proper talk.
“Elder, have you thought about it? Settling down in our territory, I mean.”
“Thought about it? There is no need to think. I will do everything in my power to help you until the day I die.”