Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: A Quiet Hamlet
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"It's a quiet place."
Lander sat down on the chair in front of the inn. It was a chair made from a trimmed tree stump. The seat was smooth and shiny.
"Not many people pass through here. Only hunters like me who know this back road, peddlers with their bundles, or mercenaries familiar with the terrain come this way. The locals make their living off those visitors."
"It's a village that might vanish if the young folks leave."
"That's the future for any hamlet. Still, there's enough influx here that it won't disappear anytime soon. Even some hunters I know have settled down and are living here."
He said this as he looked toward the path leading into the village.
"I noticed the fields are well-tended on the way in."
"It's not private land. If they were serious about collecting taxes, they'd scour places like this, but they leave it alone most of the time. The yield isn't much, but it's enough to get by since there's nothing to take. Plus, the community spirit is strong—they look out for each other."
"You know this place well."
"I stayed here quite a while once. Feels like a second hometown. Don't you have a place like that?"
"Most of my time was spent on battlefields, so I don't have anywhere I'd call a second home."
Guchi held out his hand.
"Try one of these. They're something I used to eat here a lot—great for when your mouth feels idle. Dried seeds."
He picked up one of the black grains that had fallen onto his palm and popped it into his mouth. It had no real flavor. But it was crunchy, so the texture was nice.
"Where's your hometown?"
"The Holy City."
"Figures it was a prominent family."
"Not really."
"What do you mean?"
"The one who took me in ran a fabric shop in the Holy City. On a rainy day, he found me abandoned in front of his store and saved me."
"I see. You don't know your birth parents?"
"Not at all."
"Rotten people."
"Maybe my personality formed this way because of it, but I don't miss them or hold any grudges. Everyone cares most about their own future. The ones who bore me probably didn't have the means to raise me."
"You say it so matter-of-factly, I don't even know what to say."
He mentally counted how long it had been since he'd talked about his origins.
It felt like the first time since telling his wife—easily over ten years. After his achievements were recognized, no one ever questioned his background.
"You really don't want to see them?"
Inebil squeezed in between them. The chair was too narrow for three adults, but she wedged her hips in and sat in the middle.
"It's cramped."
Guchi said.
"This is fine. Make room for me too."
Guchi stared at Inebil for a moment, then chuckled and scooted over to give her space.
"I overheard a bit. You said there's no way they just ditched you, right? You were looking out for me?"
"Ran was glaring at me, like hurry up and take care of the master..."
"Thanks. For not abandoning me and waiting."
Inebil, now settled, asked Lander.
"Your birth parents. Have you never wanted to see them?"
"Looking back, I don't think I've ever really considered it. My days were too busy to dwell on the past."
"You're extreme, Lander. You got so scary when I touched your wife's diary, but you seem to have no feelings for your birth parents."
"Feelings are proportional to the time spent together. There's a saying that the bond from raising trumps the one from birthing."
"Still, I think everyone wonders about their birth parents at least once. What they look like, why they abandoned me, and what kind of people they were. Don't you?"
"There must've been a reason to abandon me. They figured it was better to ditch me than raise me, so they left me in front of that fabric shop."
"Sure, but doesn't that make you angry? Parents shirking their responsibility."
"I only get mad about things I understand and accept as my own. I'm not selfless enough to rage over stuff that doesn't concern me."
"That's something to think about. Anyway, you're more rational than you seem, Lander."
"Do I come across as emotional?"
Inebil nodded vigorously.
"You definitely were when you clashed with our soldiers. You mentioned Anke's side. That's why I thought you liked pranks and were emotional."
"There were several reasons, but first, I wanted to see your skills, Inebil."
"My skills?"
"I saw potential. I was curious about your current level. Someone who can learn on their own grows from even a simple trigger. I thought you were that type."
Inebil blinked and asked again.
"You were thinking that in the moment?"
He put a few dried seeds in his mouth before replying.
"I'm a formal sort of person. I've lived by the rules. Provoking you was just an extension of what I've always done. Training good fighters, selecting good soldiers. I wasn't talented at teaching, so I didn't achieve much, but I tried my best."
"Your old job. You mentioned Schola before—were you an instructor there?"
"I couldn't teach like those people."
"Then what did you do, Lander? I should've asked that first, but things were so hectic."
Before he could answer, Guchi cut in.
"He's a retired soldier. We checked the proof medallion, remember? That's all you need to know."
"I did check, sure. But a simple label like that doesn't explain who Lander is."
"It's for your peace of mind."
"Peace of mind about what?"
"Don't pry. Don't keep digging. This guy's the type who'll spill everything if you ask nicely... I'm not ready to handle that yet."
Inebil narrowed her eyes.
"He must be someone amazing."
He smiled and replied.
"Not ordinary, no."
"That just makes me more curious. With skills like that, he must belong somewhere—a famous mercenary band? A renowned knight order? Or maybe a famed swordsman for a First-Class Noble?"
Guchi dumped some dried seeds into Inebil's mouth. She chewed them like a hamster with her cheeks full.
"I told you not to ask. The past doesn't matter. The present does. That's the mercenary way."
"You're right, Uncle—the present is what counts. But I'm still curious. About who Lander is. He doesn't seem authoritative, so probably not highborn... Wait, no. Thinking of Silder, not all nobles are like that."
Lander divided the remaining seeds in his hand, giving half to Inebil, and asked.
"That Silder must be a good person."
"Silder?"
Inebil crossed her arms. Just recalling him softened her face.
"He's someone I like almost as much as my master. Silder's a real noble. Not the type who just pays lip service to the citizens—he actually works for them and sacrifices himself."
"Never met a showboating noble without dirt behind the scenes."
Guchi said. Inebil scowled—not playfully, but genuinely annoyed.
"Don't say that. You can insult me all you want; I deserved it. But Silder is a truly good person. You couldn't have seen him even once in person."
"Alright, alright. My bad. Stop glaring like that. I've got history with you threatening my life."
Inebil's lips twitched as she looked away from Guchi. She whispered under her breath, something like, "Saying it like that leaves me nothing to say."
Inebil, looking sheepish with a chuckle, continued.
"Silder's kind of an idiot, really. He treats self-sacrifice as a given if it's for others. And so naive. Watching him makes me anxious—will he get played by bad guys? Will he get hurt over something pointless?"
"If Inebil says so, he's definitely rare."
"Yeah, one of a kind. Sometimes he seems caught up in heroics. If one person's pain or sacrifice can save someone else, he acts without hesitation. Because of that personality, we who follow him are always on high alert. To keep our lord safe while he does the right thing."
Inebil stood up. She tilted her head back to gaze at the sky.
Lander followed suit, lifting his chin. A flock of birds was flying west. The lead bird cleaved through the darkening sky, guiding the others.
"Silder has capable people around him. We gathered for different reasons at first. Honestly, when I first met him following my master, I was puzzled. Why pledge loyalty to such a frail-looking guy? But now I get it. Money, honor, ideology—those are secondary. We all stayed because we fell for Silder himself. Me too."
When Inebil spoke of Silder, she seemed like a girl in love or a knight swearing fealty. Her expression alone showed how much she cherished him.
"If you care that much, shouldn't you stay by his side?"
Guchi asked.
"I've held out for half a year already. Anyone who knows me would know that's a big deal. But it's fine now. Master's coming back soon. With Master guarding Silder, someone like me isn't needed. Silder knows that too, so he won't look for me. He'll figure I'll come back after I've had my fun."
"Or maybe he's thrilled that annoying lump finally fell off."
Inebil clamped her mouth shut and stared at Guchi. It wasn't anger or resentment—more like sadness.
"What if he really is?"
Caught off guard by her reaction, Guchi floundered.
"It's a joke. Let it slide."
Inebil's face scrunched up like she might cry, then she burst out laughing with a "Pfft!"
"I'm joking too. You think I'd cry over treatment like that? I'm not a kid."
He gave a small smile. Inebil seemed to have figured Guchi out in just two days.
"If I talk to you again, I'm not human."
"Don't say that. I really enjoy chatting with you, Uncle. Let's all get along from now on."
Inebil sat back next to Guchi and hooked her arm through his. Guchi coughed awkwardly and pulled away. Finding his reaction amusing, Inebil kept teasing him.
He watched the two bicker, then turned his head. In the distance, he spotted a woman running toward them in a hurry.