A Cozy Country Village
"Sir Rix. Stay by my side forever and protect me."
Silvia murmured the words quietly. There was a sticky, clinging obsession in her voice.
Well, I did save her life twice. From a noble's point of view, of course she'd want me.
From ancient times, royalty and nobility had lived in fear of assassination. They kept food tasters to take the first bite of every meal, used silver tableware to detect poison — every precaution imaginable. I had successfully predicted two assassination attempts and saved Silvia both times. To a noble terrified of being murdered, I was nothing short of an irreplaceable asset. She would want me at her side even if it meant kidnapping me.
I understood the feeling. That didn't mean I planned to stay with her.
I declined as politely as I could.
"Lady Robbins. I intend to remain here. I may leave someday, but not anytime soon."
"Why not? If you come to my estate, I'll give you the finest food and the finest rooms. I promise to treat you with the utmost care."
Delicious meals and a comfortable bed. Following Silvia would guarantee a life of leisure where I never had to work again. Even so—
"I appreciate the thought."
"Surely living at an estate would be far better than staying in a place like this! What's your reason?"
"I don't want to be bound to anyone."
"…What?"
The reason I worked as a shaman. The vow I had carried since my days in Korea had not changed even after falling into this romance-fantasy world.
When people face problems they cannot solve alone, I borrow the power of the gods and resolve them.
"I want to live helping all kinds of people," I told her, looking her in the eye.
I was a tool of the gods, and the gods were tools of mine. Yongwang-shin and I cooperated — each of us using the other. The wicked deserved punishment, and the good deserved blessing. That was our creed. Borrowing divine power to punish the evil and save the righteous. Stepping in to set right the things humanity turned a blind eye to — that was my duty.
"Lady Robbins. I have no intention of binding myself to a single person and using my abilities for them alone."
If I had wanted to serve under someone, I would have become the Imperial Prophet long ago. That position would have earned me treatment every bit as lavish as living in Silvia's estate. I hadn't taken it.
"I'll use my abilities however I please. I have no interest in taking orders from anyone."
You cannot control a god. Just as Yongwang-shin was free-spirited and impossible to rein in, I too lived as I saw fit. Being tied down to one place did not sit well with me.
"And I've grown rather fond of this country village. I'll be staying here for the time being."
"…Fond of a backwater like this? You have rather peculiar tastes, Sir Rix."
"Haha. People live here just the same as anywhere else. We even finished the water and sewage construction not long ago — the bathrooms are much better now."
"…Well. That's good to hear."
The moment I mentioned improved bathrooms, Silvia managed a reluctant look of approval. She must have truly despised medieval toilets.
I had declined politely. That should have been enough for her to take the hint.
"Sir Rix…"
She called my name, then let the silence stretch.
"You seem to be under a misconception."
"…Pardon?"
A faint smile rose to Silvia's face. She was clearly smiling, and yet something about it sent a chill down my spine.
"Kidnapping is, by nature, something that happens by force. Just because you object doesn't mean a kidnapping won't take place."
Uh.
That was not the reaction I had expected.
"P-please remain calm, Lady Robbins. Kidnapping is a crime."
"Ahaha! I'm joking."
Silvia covered her mouth with one hand and laughed.
"Honestly, Sir Rix. Can't you even take a little joke?"
"…So it was a joke."
A joke, my foot. The atmosphere a moment ago had been anything but playful. If I wasn't careful, I really might end up getting kidnapped.
Being too competent is a problem in its own right.
During the Joseon Dynasty, Chief State Councillor Hwang Hui had petitioned the king for retirement time and again, only to be refused every single time and forced to keep working. Competent people never got left alone. I was going to have to make Silvia give up on me.
"Lady Robbins. Would you care to take a walk through the village with me? There's something I'd like to show you."
"Hmm. Rather sudden."
She seemed to consider it for a moment, then nodded.
"I don't know what you're scheming, but very well. Lead the way."
"Thank you for indulging me. Shall we head outside?"
I rose from my seat and left the room. Heading toward the central hall on the first floor, I found Hanna diligently cleaning.
"Hanna. I'm going out for a walk through the village. Keep an eye on the house."
"Young Master, let me help you get ready."
Hanna quickly brought over a coat, and I finished preparing with her help. A maid also stepped forward to assist Silvia. The face looked familiar.
Mari came along too.
She was the same maid Silvia had brought with her last time. She must have been truly cherished.
"My lady. Are you certain I need not accompany you?"
"It's fine, Mari. With Sir Rix here, nothing dangerous will happen to me."
"Understood. Then, as you wish, I shall wait here."
"Mm. Wait for me."
She's leaving her maid behind.
Just like that, I found myself taking a walk alone with Silvia.
"Sir Rix, I'm ready."
Silvia held a parasol elaborately decorated with lace and silk. It carried the unmistakable dignity of nobility.
"Let's go."
Together we left the manor and set off down the road. Our footsteps passed through the estate garden and headed toward the village.
"Sir Rix. Where are we going?"
"It's a secret. These things are more fun when you keep them hidden."
"Heh. Is that so? Then I'll look forward to it."
The manor I lived in sat on the outskirts of the village. As we made our way toward the center, the lively bustle of people going about their day came into view. A middle-aged man spotted me and broke into a bright, welcoming smile.
"Teacher! Good morning! I did exactly as you told me last time, and the pigs really recovered!"
"Glad to hear it. If anything else comes up, feel free to come find me anytime."
"Thank you so much!"
As I spoke with the man, Silvia sidled closer with open curiosity.
"Why do they call you 'Teacher,' Sir Rix?"
"I've helped the villagers a few times. At some point, everyone started calling me that."
I had used my shamanic abilities to help them, sure. But even without those powers, there was plenty of work that needed doing. A rural village had no shortage of people who couldn't read. Simply reading letters aloud for them was enough to earn the title of teacher.
"…So it wasn't only me you were helping, Sir Rix?"
"If someone's in trouble, I help them. Over time I've aided all sorts of people — not just you, Lady Robbins."
I was about to keep walking when—
"Teacher! Wait just a moment!"
The middle-aged man who had gone back inside came scrambling out again, carrying something large wrapped in beige cloth.
"Here — it's not much, but a token of thanks for your help."
He pulled the cloth away to reveal a ham of pork.
"It's made from the hind leg."
"Oh, that looks delicious. I'll enjoy it gratefully."
"Ah, I'm the one who should be thanking you. Without you, Teacher, every last one of those pigs would have died of disease."
Even after handing over the ham, the man kept pouring out his gratitude.
"But… the lady beside you — who might she be? Your sweetheart, by any chance?"
"Nothing of the sort. This is Her Grace Duchess Silvia Robbins. She's simply out for a walk."
"I-I beg your pardon! I didn't recognize you! I'm an uneducated man and I've committed a grave discourtesy!"
At the word "Duchess," the man nearly jumped out of his skin and scrambled to apologize. Silvia, for her part, didn't so much as react — as if it weren't worth her attention.
"Take care, now!"
With the man's farewell at our backs, we left and moved on. Everywhere we went, villagers I had helped came forward with thanks. Each time, they pressed cabbages, onions, and all manner of vegetables into my hands as tokens of gratitude. Before long, both my arms were full of gifts.
"You're quite popular, Sir Rix."
"That's why I like it here. The people are kind and full of warmth."
Silvia had assumed I would hate a country village. My plan was to show her that rural life could be perfectly pleasant — and that I genuinely liked it here.
"It may look like a worthless backwater to you, Lady Robbins, but I happen to be fond of this place."
"…"
Silvia's lips twitched as if she meant to say something, then pressed shut again. She looked one step away from being convinced. I was about to drive the point home when—
"T-Teacher!"
A young man came running up in a panic.
"What's the matter?"
"Hah… hah… Please help me — my mother was swindled!"
Even gasping for breath, he forced the words out with desperate urgency.
"Some con man is selling weird rock fragments and taking gold coins for them! My mother fell for it and bought more than ten of the things! At this rate, our entire fortune will be cleaned out. Please, help us!"
A con man. The kind of scum who preyed on others and stole the money people had earned with their own sweat and blood. Personally, I considered fraud every bit as vile as murder.
"I'll help. Don't worry."
"Thank you!"
Con artists ranked high on the list of people I despised most. I was going to make thorough work of this one.
"Sir Rix… might I watch from the side as well?"
Silvia seemed curious.
"Watch as much as you like."
Time to go thrash a swindler.