The Village Chief's Call
Lily looks at me with worried eyes as I can't sit still on the chair, my legs trembling.
“Oppa, you still look anxious?”
“Yeah, probably not a situation where I can relax.”
“I've never seen you like this before. Ah, there was that time...”
“When?”
“Why did you suddenly collapse, have a nightmare, and wake up back then?”
“Ah, that's the dream where Floris came out, right? I was really shocked then.”
“Ah, I remember.”
“Yeah. How about you just sleep? If Clotine and Maisha-unnie come, I'll wake you up. You're also sleep-deprived now.”
“No, I'm staying awake... No, I should sleep.”
“Yeah. Don't try to hold on too hard, rest when you're tired.”
Lily points to the makeshift bed in the corner, signaling me to lie down.
“That makeshift bed is hastily installed, so it won't be as comfortable as a real fluffy bed. Still, it's fine for sleeping.”
Well, if I can just lie on my body, it's fine. I pull my heavy body to the bed and cover with the blanket. But...
“Lily.”
“Yeah?”
“I can't sleep.”
“You've passed the age for saying such things?”
“Yeah, but I still can't sleep.”
“You said you're tired.”
“I'm tired. My eyes are closing... but I can't sleep.”
“You're worrying about unnecessary things again. I'll make you sleep.”
“How? Can you do that too?”
“Of course. I helped you last time too, right?”
“When?”
“Why, I told you earlier. When you had the nightmare. I held you then too.”
Lily climbs onto the bed and says.
“Ya, this is a makeshift bed, if you climb up too, it might break.”
“It's okay~ I'm light.”
Lily, who has claimed my side, wraps her arm around my waist and holds me.
“How is it? Warm, right?”
“Ah, uhn. Yeah, it's warm...”
“See, your expression is much more relaxed now. You'll fall asleep soon, right?”
“Ya, you can't sleep too, right? You said you'd wake me up later.”
“I'm leaving. Just watching you sleep.”
After that, Lily holds me. As she said, like magic, peaceful sleep comes soon.
“Kyle. Wake up.”
“Uhn...”
“Kyle, it's me. Wake up.”
“Uuu, is it Lily.... Just a little more.... I'm tired...”
“Lily? Kyle, it's me. Maisha.”
Suddenly, with a surprise entry, I snap to attention and sit up.
“Ah, Maisha, it was you.”
“Hmph. Haha, pretend you didn't see that.”
“No, don't laugh. It's embarrassing.”
“Haha, it's fun, right?”
“Seriously...”
“Hmph. Anyway, Lily, I mean Saintess, I roughly heard the situation.”
“When did you start calling us by name? You became close when I wasn't around?”
“Well, that's right. We've been together here all the time.”
“So, you heard the situation? You think leaving is the right thing to do?”
“Yeah, I already talked to Clotine. This is the sanctuary we found after hardships, and there's no guarantee we won't find such a place again, but according to your words, this place is too dangerous. It seems like leaving is the right judgment.”
“Then the question is when to leave.”
“You, how much has your body recovered?”
I move my injured shoulder a bit. No pain as severe as before, but a bit uncomfortable, and range of motion is reduced.
“It's not perfect. Still, no problem moving.”
“Good. Then it's better to leave right away.”
“No. Going at night is better.”
“Why?”
“While talking to the village chief, I realized that the rooster was the village chief's son, so the village chief might have learned something about me.”
“You know I'm the criminal?”
“Even if not to that extent, he's probably suspicious that something's off. If we suddenly leave, that suspicion will become conviction.”
“So, leaving at night, when no one is watching?”
“Exactly.”
“Definitely makes sense. Let's do that. Then I'll pack my things so I can leave immediately when the time comes.”
“Ah, yeah. Thanks.”
“Ah, Kyle.”
Maisha calls me before leaving the lodging, turning her head.
“Kyle, I thought I wouldn't see you again. I'm glad you're looking this healthy.”
“Well, that's the same for me.”
“Yeah, thanks for worrying.”
And she leaves.
But immediately after, another guest comes.
“Th, Hero-nim...”
“Clotine? Is it you?”
These guys are coming one by one like a relay.
“Yeah, I heard you came back.”
“Yeah. I came back.”
“Huu, huuug...”
Eh? Why is she suddenly like this?
“Huaaang!”
“Ya, why are you suddenly crying...”
“No, I was so worried, huu, seeing you like this, I feel relieved and sorry...”
“Don't cry for such stupid reasons. And what reason do you have to apologize to me?”
“Help, hu, couldn't do it...”
“Ya, that's not your fault. Come here.”
I take out a handkerchief from my pocket and wipe Clotine's tears.
“Ya, don't show tears so easily. There are so many things to cry about in the world, if you cry every time, you'll get too tired.”
“Hehe, you seem like an adult.”
“I'm an adult.”
“More than that, Hero-nim seems super mature for your age. Talking, it reminds me of our grandfather.”
“Ya, is that a compliment?”
“He. Can I call you senior?”
“Suddenly?”
“Yeah. Just like a life senior, something like that.”
What? That honorific that sounds like someone who treats you well.
“Well, call me whatever. It's your heart.”
“Yeah, senior.”
Senior, senior. It's been a long time since someone called me senior.
“I heard that when you, senior, and Lily disappeared... you said you wouldn't give up, right?”
“Maisha told you?”
“Yeah. And she said she was trying to give up, sorry...”
The guy is again regretting unnecessarily.
“Maisha is not at fault. That was the right judgment.”
“I know that too. I'm not blaming Maisha-unnie, but I think senior is amazing.”
“What's amazing about it. It was just my stubbornness.”
“It seems like something too precious to just let it be stubborn?”
“So it's stubbornness. Whether precious or not, in the end it was just a lost emotion? It didn't help you at all. It might sound cold, but that useless will is just stubbornness.”
“Still, I wish senior had been more stubborn.”
“Even if you don't wish, you'll see a lot of it. That's just how I am.”
“Hee, senior seems to think he knows himself well.”
“Well, that's right. Who else would know me but me?”
“No, senior doesn't seem to know himself well yet.”
“Even if you say so...”
“Senior knows that you are a very kind person, right?”
“Yeah. Actually, I'm trying to be that way.”
“I know. It's better not to know, it's cooler.”
“It's a shame.”
“Yeah.”
A short silence flows. Still not awkward or embarrassing. The air is light yet tense, warm but like a cool breeze tickling.
“Talking to senior makes me feel at ease.”
“Me too. It feels good.”
“I think we are good friends.”
“Probably.”
“Actually, besides senior, Maisha-unnie, Lily, they are all good people.”
“I know. All good friends.”
“Yeah. I think this is the happiest time in my life. Just laughing like this, talking, eating together, living like that.”
I felt the same. In my previous life, those few years I traveled with these guys and the party were really the most enjoyable time.
Of course, it's enjoyable now too.
“Even if swept away in mud, lost the way? Still the happiest now?”
“Yeah.”
“Jealous, having such conviction.”
I can't think like this anymore.
Perhaps because I was betrayed by someone I loved too much, I can't enjoy the pure things given to me so purely.
So, the purity of this child laughing in front of me now makes me envious.
I wanted to protect that purity and have it.
“Hey, Hero-nim. Sorry to disturb.”
The flow of thoughts was broken by a unfamiliar voice. Probably a village resident, or rather a beastman, so village resident.
“The village chief is looking for you.”
A word that breaks the peaceful atmosphere and changes the air with discomfort and anxiety.
“Wh, what is it...”
“You didn't tell me. Just said you wanted to see me immediately.”
It came. It might not be, but the ominous feeling hasn't been wrong before.
“Yeah, I'll finish up soon, I'll follow right away.”
“Please hurry a bit.”
“Yeah.”
Clotine and I exchange quick glances. Probably she has roughly grasped the situation now.
“Clotine.”
“Yeah.”
“Tell Maisha and Lily a bit, Maisha probably packed, but if there's any remaining luggage, prepare immediately. We'll leave as soon as we report the situation.”
“Yeah.”
“Then I'll bring it.”
“Just a moment!”
Clotine grabs my sleeve and stops me from going.
“Why?”
“Isn't it dangerous? Leaving alone...”
“The village chief called only me. This is rather good. Because you guys aren't suspicious.”
“Still...”
“I know what you're worried about. Still, he won't kill me right away. He wants to talk to me.”
“Can you be sure of that?”
“No. People can't see even an inch ahead. How can I be sure? Still... since I'm your senior, try believing me once.”
Then Clotine lets go of the sleeve and looks at me.
“You can't die.”
“Don't die. I'll go and come back.”
Yeah, people can't see even an inch ahead. Still, he won't die just like that.
Perhaps...