A Quiet Life at the Edge of the World
It doesn't matter. What difference does it make? I'd rather boil up some spicy fish stew and wait for the end of the world.
Pangaea continent, the farthest western village: Yohannes. Being the place in the entire continent farthest from the Demon Continent, the people here live in complete peace, entirely unconnected to the war against the Demon King's army. Of course, as a remote backwater far from the capital, it's not exactly wealthy. But for someone like me who wants to stay hidden, it's the perfect spot.
The folks here don't even know the emperor's face or name, and they treat anything happening outside the village like it has nothing to do with them. Oh, but they do know the nickname "Octopus Head." Strangely enough. I guess the rumor that the emperor was actually bald hit them that hard. Honestly, even I got a little solemn when I first heard it.
"Did you hear the news? The hero's party set out to stop the Demon King's army."
"Ah... They say the hero was incredibly confident."
"What happens to Lydorphia if they lose?"
"Nonsense! How could the hero possibly lose?"
Hmm... So the Demon King's army has invaded. Of course, that has nothing to do with me. I've already settled into life here.
A picturesque cabin built on a mountainside a short distance from the village—that's my sanctuary. It has a wonderful view overlooking the village. A stream flows behind it, so I can catch fish whenever I want. Since it's a rural village untouched by pollution, the stream water is clean enough to drink straight from, and there are so many fish that it's almost too much for one person. When I go hunting in the mountains occasionally, I never run short of meat either.
Even if I work all day, it doesn't take more than two hours. The rest of my time is spent quietly listening to the requiem that time plays against the backdrop of nature's scenery, slowly drawing closer to death.
...Come to think of it, I've lived far too busily. After dropping out of high school, I never slept more than four hours a day while being worked to the bone. The only places that would take someone like me were rough workplaces full of people who'd lived hard lives, so curses and beatings were everyday occurrences. Naturally, my body and mind wore down.
Life as Werther wasn't any easier. Even when I helped people around me with my skill buffs, all I got in return was contempt and expulsion. I waited on the hero party hand and foot just to meet my little sister, but in the end they stabbed me in the back. Taking care of five whole hero party members was exhausting beyond words. There wasn't a single moment to rest from morning till night. The second I woke up, I'd prepare meals, wake the party members, wash the dishes after they ate, pack up the tents, carry all the luggage myself, tank the monsters when they appeared, gather information when we reached a village... Sigh. The list goes on forever.
In contrast, my recent life... I quite like it. Peace. Something I haven't had in a very long time. Though the sense of loss from losing my sister still pierces my heart like a thorn, I figure I can spend the time until I reunite with her in the afterlife watching the setting sun with a lonely feeling. A quiet, comfortable life. Yeah. Not bad at all.
First of all, it's nice not having to deal with human relationships. The cabin is quite far from the village, so no one wanders over by mistake. The villagers were wary of an outsider settling nearby at first, but when they saw I just quietly caught fish and kept to myself, they let their guard down. Plus, I occasionally sell leftover fish or venison at the market for a very cheap price, which minimized any friction with the locals.
"Whoa! The man from the cabin caught another deer. Fresh meat! This should fetch at least three silvers, right?"
"One silver is fine."
"One silver? That's too cheap... Hey, being this uninterested in money makes me suspicious."
"I just don't want any trouble, so don't say anything else."
"Hmm... Alright. Say, how about joining our merchant guild? If you want to do business in Yohannes, it's better to be part of the guild."
"I don't need that either."
"Why not? Joining the guild doesn't cost anything. Zero risk, all benefit."
"I swore I'd never join any organization or party ever again."
"And why's that?"
Because it always ended badly.
"Heh heh. There he goes with that meaningful smile again. What a mysterious man you are."
"Enough. If you want to give me more, throw in some chili powder and green onions."
"That's easy enough. You sure do love your chili powder."
"It's perfect for spicy fish stew."
The market is always noisy, and merchants never shut up. Still, I've learned how to keep an appropriate distance. As long as I offer my goods at a cheap price, they don't push for more than that. In that sense, merchants are pretty convenient.
"By the way, with all the invasion news lately, even this rural village is getting noisy. Well... no matter what, the Demon King's army won't come all the way here. War is someone else's problem for us. People are even running betting pools on whether the hero or the Demon King's army will win."
"You'd be better off betting on the Demon King's army."
"What?"
"That way you could make a lot of money."
The merchant rested his chin on his hand and fell into thought. I wonder if he actually placed his bet like I said. Well... not my problem. The only thing that matters to me is that the chili powder he brings is top quality and reminds me of home.
"Fresh-caught trout, kelp, chili powder, green onions, and crown daisy. Boil it all together and it's surprisingly delicious."
Spicy fish stew isn't a difficult dish. It's basically a rustic home-cooked meal anyone can make. But when you cook it with fish caught straight from the stream, the flavor is absolutely perfect.
"It'd be perfect if I could add some ramen... Well, I can't expect that much."
It's a shame there's no ramen, but there's a special delicacy I can enjoy because of who I am. Fresh raw river trout sashimi. Normally, you should never eat raw freshwater fish because of parasites. But I've got the Rune of Immortality, don't I? Parasites are no threat to me at all.
"Peel the skin, slice the fillets, cut along the spine... and that's how you make sashimi. It's not that complicated. Mm! Delicious! So fresh. Nothing beats sashimi from fish caught minutes ago... Huh?"
I was enjoying my delicacy alone in the cabin when an uninvited guest showed up. The villagers would never come all the way out here. A very tall gentleman. Wearing a uniform you wouldn't see in the countryside. This guy isn't a villager. Wait... I actually know him.
"...What brings you all the way out here? Did the emperor send you to kill me?"
"I imagined you'd look much more worn out, but you're surprisingly well."
"I've lived a pretty rough life. I'm strong when it comes to hardship. But what brings the Guardian Duke like you to a remote village at the edge of the world?"
Werther recognized him immediately. Zero, the Guardian Duke. The second most powerful man in Lydorphia after the emperor. There was supposedly a chancellor, but he was just a figurehead—the real power was Zero. Well over 190 centimeters tall. A slender build. Aristocratic monocle. He looked like he was in his early thirties. More like a researcher than a warrior, yet he gave off an impression that made it impossible to underestimate him. I'd heard he was the empire's greatest mage or something. Not that it had anything to do with me.
"The emperor must be furious. Sending even the Guardian Duke to kill a mere criminal."
"It seems there's a misunderstanding. I came here of my own will. The emperor knows nothing about it."
"Hmm... Behind the emperor's back? That's pretty suspicious. What exactly is your purpose?"
Honestly, this visit wasn't welcome from my perspective. The fact that the Guardian Duke knew my location was already burdensome. I just wanted to grow old quietly.
"I've heard the general outline of your circumstances. I met with each member of the hero party individually and figured out what kind of person you are."
"I'm sure they only badmouthed me."
"Even from people who dislike you, there are things to learn. If you have the wisdom to filter what you hear."
"So what's your purpose in coming to find me? This is the second time I'm asking."
"...If you came to this place intending to spend your remaining years waiting to die of old age, then I'm afraid it's in vain."
Zero, the Guardian Duke, said this while looking around the cabin and its surroundings—something more suited to a retired old man.
"The Rune of Immortality is a kind of curse that doesn't even allow you to die of old age."
"What...?"
What the hell is this bastard saying right now?
"Ah, you don't need to acknowledge it. I'll simply proceed with the assumption that you possess the Rune of Immortality, so just listen to what I have to say without confirming or denying."
"........."
"Those who have absorbed the Rune of Immortality don't age. Their cells regenerate every day. Aging doesn't occur. You'll have to keep living for a thousand, two thousand years. Even after this cabin rots away, you won't be able to go to the afterlife as you wish. You'll have to keep living here, catching and eating river fish."
"............."
"However, it's not entirely without hope."
"..........."
"I apologize, but I've learned about the reason you came to desire death in the first place. You lost your little sister... I understand. The death of family is always hard to accept. I can only imagine the wound it left on your heart. I lost family during the war as well."
"........."
"There was a time when I couldn't accept that my family was gone from this world, so I searched for forbidden tomes of magic, trying to escape reality somehow. That's when I discovered them. Transcendent items called runes. Among them was definitely... the Rune of Resurrection."
"...What?"
"The Rune of Resurrection that can bring back even the dead. If you use that, couldn't you bring your little sister back to life?"
"Wait a second."
What the hell is this Zero bastard trying to pull with me?