Chapter 56
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: From the Same Town
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It would take time to gather information about spirits.
Ju Jisan had initially scoffed, "A blacksmith spirit? What kind of nonsense is that!"
But once I exercised my VIP authority, he quickly quieted down and mumbled that it would take about a week to look into it.
So, I decided to take a short breather.
The Monarch had suggested it, too, so I decided to go down to my family home and see my mother.
My hometown was a remote village in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, once called Hocheon by the elders.
A place where you could see the sea in the distance and a small field out back.
A typical countryside house.
After losing my father in an unexpected accident, my mother settled here, where my maternal grandfather lived, with me, a one-year-old, in tow.
“This place hasn't changed a bit.”
Just after arriving at the village entrance, following a winding paved road.
Getting out of the taxi, I looked around and muttered quietly.
The house, which I hadn't visited in years, was still the same.
An old-fashioned house with a slate roof.
The air was deeply scented with the smell of burning firewood.
Despite the distinctly winter weather, green sprouts were budding in the vegetable patch behind the house.
“What do you think, Sage?”
This was the very hometown where I was born and raised.
The place that held all my childhood memories before I moved up to Seoul.
[The Sage cannot help but marvel at how truly beautiful the scenery is here.]
To the left of the house stood a family burial mountain, lush with trees and plants.
Over a small hill to the right, the sea was visible in the distance.
It was a place filled with a pastoral atmosphere.
“The problem is, that's all there is.”
As a child, I found it incredibly boring.
There was nothing to do for fun.
Calling it a village was a stretch; it took at least thirty minutes to walk to the nearest neighbor's house.
Naturally, no other student at school lived in such a remote place, so I always walked to and from school alone.
It was the same after school.
I couldn't really hang out with friends either, because I felt bad leaving my mother to work in the fields all day by herself.
So I always came straight home after school to help her.
Though she herself always insisted I shouldn't.
[The Sage is moved by your kind heart. (*ฅ́˘ฅ̀*)]
The Sage bounced a few times before landing on my shoulder.
But I just chuckled and shook my head.
“It wasn't anything special. We had to do it to survive, after all.”
Back then, the world still hadn't fully recovered from the shock of the Great Cataclysm.
The government was struggling to deal with the aftermath of the worldwide disaster and couldn't function properly.
Powerless commoners had to find their own ways to survive without government support.
My mother and I were no different.
Poverty.
It was a label that clung to me relentlessly throughout my childhood.
“Oh.”
As I walked slowly, a round boulder at the entrance to the mountain path leading to the family burial site caught my eye.
“That rock is still here, too. I used to sit there every day, waiting to see if any Hunters would show up.”
During my childhood, filled with poverty and boredom.
My only pleasure was watching the Hunters who came on expeditions near my house.
Deep within the family burial mountain, there was a dungeon that's now gone.
Hunters would raid that dungeon as often as once a month.
I remember it being a D-rank dungeon.
The ones who came on expeditions were probably low-rank Hunters, around C or D-rank on average.
[The Sage giggles, saying those Hunters were nothing compared to you now.]
“They were good people.”
Hunters back then were filled with a sense of duty.
It was probably because it hadn't been long since countless people had died in the Great Cataclysm.
If today's Hunters are more like celebrities basking in the spotlight,
the Hunters of twenty years ago were like firefighters rushing into flames.
“They seemed so incredible back then.”
One time, a Hunter even patted my head and said,
- You have to help your mother, study hard, and be a good son. If you do that, you'll become a great person like us someday.
That's when I started dreaming of becoming a Hunter.
My mother supported that dream.
She was an ignorant country woman who knew nothing about monsters, dungeons, or gates.
Perhaps that was why she believed in me.
Even when I received my E-rank license at Hunter's Den and was ridiculed by everyone,
she, in her ignorance, hugged me as I came down from the stage, proud that her son had successfully completed the course.
“Oh, my dear son!”
Looking at me just like she was now.
“What's this, showing up without a word?”
Her slightly wrinkled face was full of a warm smile.
That was the kind of person my mother was.
This time, I could hold my head high and face her with pride.
It was a triumphant return home.
***
“Aigoo, you should have told me you were coming. I would have bought something from the market.”
“This is more than enough, Mom.”
I said with a smile.
“Aigoo, still... I haven't prepared anything special...”
“No, really, it's plenty.”
The table was so laden with food it seemed ready to break, filling the small room of the country house.
Most of it was seasoned vegetables and different kinds of kimchi, but who cared?
These were the delicacies that would soothe a palate tired of living alone.
After the meal was over.
“Has everything been alright?”
I asked while peeling some fruit.
“Nothing special. Every day is the same.”
“Are you still planning to work in the fields?”
It was something I'd been saying for a while now.
Ever since I escaped poverty with the viewers' donations and on-site work.
That she didn't have to toil in the fields anymore.
That she didn't need to struggle any longer.
“Aigoo, I have to. What would I do all day at home otherwise?”
But my mother gave the same answer as always.
“I'm telling you, just come up to Seoul and live with me.”
“No, I don't like Seoul. It's too crowded and complicated. I like it here. Besides, if I leave, who will look after the family mountain where our ancestors rest? And I don't want to be a burden on my son. You must have enough trouble living on your own...”
“You don't have to worry about that.”
Her puzzled eyes turned to me.
I smiled brightly and continued.
“I'm making a lot of money now. I was recognized for my abilities as a Hunter, got my rank promoted, and I can go on many expeditions. Please take this.”
“Huh?”
My mother's eyes widened as she took the bankbook I handed her.
She had just seen the enormous sum of money recorded inside.
The payment for clearing the Ogre's Sanctuary, issued by the Association headquarters.
It was originally paid to the Pungbaek Guild, but Choi Kangwoo had deposited the full amount into my account.
Along with a bonus from the guild.
“Wh-where did all this come from?”
“I told you. I was recognized for my abilities. I'll make sure you live in comfort from now on. All you have to do is accept it.”
“No, but still. This is...”
An amount of money she had never seen in her entire life.
But this time, too, a different emotion seemed to outweigh her joy.
“So, you've decided to work as a Hunter full-time?”
“Yes.”
“Being a Hunter... I don't know much about it, but I hear it's very dangerous...”
Worry for her child.
Her wrinkled eyes were focused solely on me.
The bankbook with over two billion won had long been forgotten.
“Don't worry. I'll take care of myself.”
Still, when I said that,
“...Alright. Mom believes in you, son.”
In the end, she would say those words with a warm smile.
Just as she always had.
***
After lunch, I took a look around the house and the fields.
And I made a momentous decision.
“The house needs some repairs here and there. And the fields need to be tilled.”
The tin roof, which had endured for many years, was a mess.
The main gate's paint was peeling, and it was so rusty it was hard to close properly.
There wasn't much firewood left, and the large field was neglected and overgrown in places.
It was a total disaster.
“That's true, but who would come all the way out here to work? It's fine as it is.”
“It's not fine. I'll do it.”
“Huh? How long are you planning to stay? Forget it, just get some rest while you're here.”
These were tasks that would take at least a week to finish alone.
But of course, I had no intention of doing that.
“It's okay. I won't be doing it alone.”
“Then?”
“Mom, you've seen monsters before, right?”
My mother was from the generation of the Great Cataclysm.
Even living in the deep countryside, she had seen a few monsters.
“...A few times, yes. But that was a long time ago.”
“I'm going to bring some friends over now.”
“Friends?”
“Yes. They're good friends who protect me. They look just like monsters, but they're all my friends, so they'll be good to you. Still, they don't look human, so please don't be surprised.”
My mother tilted her head.
But only for a moment.
Poof!
Her eyes went wide as Gono, Odolph, and Jen Karuk appeared one after another in the front yard.
“Aigoo, wh-what is this.”
Gono and the Lizardman High Priest looked flustered, encountering a human other than me.
“...”
Odolph also seemed a bit surprised at first.
But like the intelligent ogre he was, he quickly grasped the situation and bowed his head.
“My Lord.”
“Odolph, introduce yourself.”
Without any further explanation, the ogre knelt on one knee before my mother and spoke.
“This humble servant greets the mother of the King of All People.”
“Ki, kiet?!”
“Ki, kiruk?!”
As if understanding his words, Jen Karuk started in surprise and immediately prostrated himself.
Gono followed suit, bowing low.
“Aigoo, what is all this.”
This time, it was my mother who was flustered.
I could see her eyes swirling with confusion.
It was understandable.
Monsters had appeared out of nowhere and were bowing to her.
“Everyone, please get up. Aigoo, really. Who am I to deserve such a fuss.”
Her small frame was fidgeting nervously in front of the giant ogre.
I spoke with a smile.
“That's enough.”
The three monsters rose to their feet.
“There are about twenty more besides these guys, but I'll introduce them later. If I summoned them all now, they'd have to line up outside the gate.”
“These children... are the friends who protect my son?”
“Yes. It's all thanks to these friends that I was able to be recognized as a Hunter.”
“I see.”
My mother studied each of them carefully and nodded.
Fortunately, she didn't seem frightened by the ogre's menacing muscles, the goblin's wide, slit mouth, or Jen Karuk's lizard-like appearance.
Looking at her like this, she was truly a person without prejudice.
“Alright, now then.”
It was time to give orders.
“You guys, let's do some chores with me today.”
***
Where the vast sea met the high, deep mountains.
At a remote country house, barely touched by human presence, an unusual scene was unfolding.
“Kiruk, keruk!”
Bang, bang, bang!
The sound of a hammer echoed from atop the blue tin roof.
Expanding my vision using the Sage's 'Spying', I could see Gono repairing the roof, holding nails in his snout.
“My Lord, I have brought firewood.”
Turning around, I saw Odolph carrying a massive bundle of logs on his shoulders.
“Odolph, you've worked hard, but...”
This is too much.
This is enough to last us through next winter without a worry.
Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, Odolph just gave me a thumbs-up and grinned.
Well, the more firewood, the better.
The problem was.
“How's the wood-chopping going?”
“Kiiit...”
Not far away, Jen Karuk was chopping firewood.
Odolph was one thing, but the other Lizardmen were also too strong for the job.
They were supposed to split the logs, but they ended up smashing them to bits.
In the end, our High Priest, who had the lowest strength stat, was tasked with chopping the wood.
“Hahaha! You're working hard, High Priest.”
Thud, thud, thud!
Odolph laughed heartily as he stacked the firewood he'd gathered next to Jen Karuk.
“Siiiit...”
The High Priest's yellow eyes darted back and forth.
But the poor guy couldn't even get angry.
“Aigoo, just leave it and rest. You look so thin and frail... I'll do the rest. Okay?”
My mother, who had been watching, had tried to take over with a look of pity.
“Ki, kiiit?! Kiit, kiit!”
At that, Jen Karuk would shake his head frantically and swing the axe like an energizer bunny.
I watched him for a moment before saying with a smile,
“Mom, just take it easy and rest.”
“Aigoo, aren't you tired? I'm grateful, but all this fish...”
A pile of various fish was stacked in a corner of the yard.
The Lizardmen had caught them in the sea.
My job was to clean them and hang them up to dry.
Recalling my childhood experiences, I quickly got the hang of it.
“Siit!”
The Lizardman Captain came through the gate, holding a few fish that looked like gobies.
When the rest of the Lizardman legion filed in, the small yard quickly became crowded.
'Come to think of it, this is a first.'
This little country house being so bustling.
The sea breeze carrying the sunlight was warm.
The scent of burning firewood was cozy.
Indeed, home was the best.
***
“Hmm.”
Odolph, who had been tilling the wide field, took a breath and sat on a rock.
The sky was already tinged with red.
“So this is my Lord's hometown.”
It was a peaceful place.
So peaceful, it was hard to imagine it was the hometown of the Lord who commanded everyone with a cool head even in the face of death.
But considering how he had protected Pygmalet with his entire being and rushed about trying to hatch the Phoenix egg, it made sense.
The earthy scent here resembled the warmth dwelling within his master.
“Aigoo, you must be tired, right? I feel so bad about this.”
A voice came from behind him.
The ogre hurriedly rose to his huge feet.
A small woman had come, carrying something wrapped in a cloth.
This was the mother of the King of All People, her round eyes full of warmth.
“Not at all. I was just admiring the scenery. It's a beautiful place.”
“It's just a humble countryside, but thank you for your kind words.”
The woman approached and handed him the small bundle.
“You must be tired. Have some of this.”
“Thank you. I've never seen this food before.”
Steamed rice was packed into a long roll, wrapped in something like black paper.
Next to it was a liquid with white, square pieces floating in it.
“Really? You've never seen gimbap before.”
So this food was called gimbap.
Odolph carefully picked up a few rolls of gimbap with his large fingers.
They were quite large, but being an ogre, it looked as if he were picking up pencil lead.
Odolph tossed the gimbap he'd picked up into his mouth.
“Ooh, it's delicious.”
Honestly, it wasn't a large enough bite to even taste.
But he said it with admiration.
Then he drank the liquid with radish floating in the small bowl.
This was cool and refreshing.
“Aigoo, you like the dongchimi, too.”
So this is dongchimi.
Unlike the gimbap, this had a cool, tangy, and interesting flavor.
As Odolph smacked his lips, the woman asked with a smile,
“You're not from around here, are you?”
?
Odolph's eyes widened.
'A person from our country.' What did that mean?
Even with his vastly increased intelligence, it took him a moment to process.
And after deep consideration, he realized one thing for certain.
This woman didn't have a single shred of prejudice.
No matter how you looked at him, he wasn't from Earth, no.
She was asking a monster, who didn't even look human, if he was from the same town.
“There is no way I could be of the same noble origin as the King of All People or you, his mother.”
“Aigoo, there you go again. But you are my son's friend, right?”
A friend.
The ogre pondered once more.
He was not a friend.
He and Kim Hanul had the relationship of a king and a subject, a master and a servant.
If Kim Hanul ordered him to die, he would die. If he asked to be killed, he would do that as well.
Absolute obedience.
That was the covenant he had made with the King of All People.
But.
“Those who stay together and protect each other are friends.”
The woman said with a smile.
This ignorant country woman was wiser than he, who possessed the wisdom of a great magician who had once commanded the world.
And so, the ogre nodded his head.
“Hanul had a very hard time since he was little. Because I wasn't good enough.”
“That is not true.”
To say she wasn't good enough was utterly absurd.
“You are a greater person than anyone.”
“I'm not that great of a person. If anyone was great, it was Hanul's father.”
“His father...”
“He passed away before he could even see Hanul grow up. He was the kind of person who would smile and say he just wanted our Hanul to grow up healthy, without a single scratch...”
“I'm sorry. I have touched upon a sore subject.”
“Not at all. Maybe it's thanks to his wish that he's grown up so wonderfully, with such good friends by his side... He's been blessed, our Hanul.”
The woman smiled gently.
Then she spoke quietly.
“Thank you so much for being with my son. And...”
The woman's small body bowed low.
“Please continue to take good care of my son.”
Odolph stood up awkwardly, a bewildered expression on his face.
Who was he, for this precious person to bow and ask him so earnestly?
But when he recognized the deep maternal love underlying her actions, a warm emotion even an ogre could feel,
“Yes.”
The close friend of the King of All People answered quietly.
“I will do so without fail.”