The Price of a Quiet Life
Waking up late, Huran scowled, his face twisting into a mask of pure agony.
“Ughhh! My head is splitting.”
His squinting eyes and furrowed brow were testament to the fact that his hangover—following his shift as the night duty officer—was far beyond what one might call “moderate.”
“You certainly slept like the dead.”
After gauging the time by the position of the sun streaming through the window, Huran shook his head and donned his uniform. He was technically off-duty today, but given that he was currently under scrutiny for his ties to the Sun Temple, it was better to be seen keeping up appearances.
Needing to settle his stomach, Huran grabbed a plate and approached the cold hearth.
The leftover meat stew from the night before sat in a pot on the extinguished stove, sloshing pitifully. Huran downed the cold soup almost like water, washed the plate roughly with sand and water, and stepped out of his house.
“Hey, Huran. What’s the occasion? You’re in full uniform and still home at this hour.”
As he walked down the quiet street toward the Guard Headquarters, a familiar voice called out to him. Huran sighed upon seeing who it was.
“Don’t talk to me, Arotte. I’m dying of a hangover.”
The woman with curly red hair, known as Arotte, covered her mouth and giggled.
“Oh my. A guy who can’t even hold his liquor—what possessed you to drink that much?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Huran replied irritably. The two were old friends. Having leaned on each other through hard times since childhood, Arotte only offered a mischievous smile in response to his sharp tone.
“Oh, really? Then I suppose I shouldn’t tell you this news. It’s got nothing to do with me, after all.”
“What is it? Did the Guard send a message?”
Despite the throbbing headache, Huran couldn’t help but pay attention. Occasionally, Arotte would act as a messenger for things the guards found difficult to say directly, using their friendship as an excuse. Especially on days like today, when he was off-duty.
Because of this, even though neither of them had ever considered marriage or even dating, people often assumed Arotte was the woman who would eventually manage Huran’s household.
Whatever they thought, to Huran, Arotte was just an old friend. Moreover, knowing who had ordered him to handle yesterday’s business, he was even more on edge than usual.
“What is it? Tell me, quickly.”
“Say you’re sorry first.”
“What?”
“Say, ‘I am sorry for the rude remarks I made to the kind, beautiful, and lovely bride-to-be, Arotte.’ Then I’ll tell you.”
“I am sorry for the rude remarks I made to the beautiful, lovely, and kind bride-to-be, Arotte.”
“You got the order wrong.”
“Ah! Just let it go!”
Finally, after Huran barked at her, Arotte burst into laughter and shared the message.
“A young man with a staff came to the Guard Headquarters. He said he came to see you about last night’s business, and when I told him you were off-duty, he asked me to tell you he’d wait… Hey, wait! Huran!”
Huran ignored Arotte’s voice trailing behind him and started to run. His hangover had long since vanished.
“Oh, you’ve arrived, Captain?”
One of the soldiers greeted Huran warmly as he reached the headquarters.
“Yeah. You said there’s a guest waiting for me?”
“Yes. He’s in the reception room. Arotte must have delivered the message well.”
“She delivered it a little too well for my liking.”
Huran didn’t care for the soldier’s smirk, so his reply was a bit sharp. The problem was that the soldier’s thick skin was quite impressive.
“But seriously, Captain, when are you getting married? Arotte is one of the most beautiful women in the village, you know.”
“Stop the idle chatter and stand your post properly. Unless you want a pay cut.”
Under Huran’s threat, the soldier finally straightened his posture… only to open his mouth again.
“Oh, right! The village has been noisy since earlier. Did you see anything on your way here?”
“I’m off-duty, and you’re asking someone who just rushed over? Why don’t you go find out yourself?”
“Oh! Can I really?”
The soldier beamed. For the guards, patrolling the village meant they could pick up all sorts of snacks along the way.
Leaving the cheering guard behind, Huran headed toward the reception room. After taking a few deep breaths, he opened the door and stepped inside.
“Excuse me. I heard you were looking for me, sir.”
In the reception room, a man sat lightly leaning on a staff. It was a staff in name only; it was long and sturdy enough to be classified as a weapon. And as far as Huran knew, the number of people in Cellabris who carried such a staff could be counted on one hand.
A Gravekeeper. The Feanus family.
“Are you the Guard Captain?”
The man in the white windbreaker, Arnat, spoke. His tone was cold and businesslike, causing Huran to instinctively snap his heels together and offer a sharp salute.
“Yes! Huran, Captain of the Cellabris Mirvis District 3 Guard!”
“My apologies for the sudden visit. I am Arnat Feanus.”
“Not at all!”
‘Not only did I keep the Gravekeeper family waiting, but I’m receiving an apology from them? What kind of sins did I commit in my past life?’
Huran felt as if the meat stew he’d eaten earlier was about to come back up.
The Gravekeeper spun his staff, laid it across his knees, and spoke.
“I heard you were on duty yesterday. You pursued a child all the way to the river, did you not? I wish to hear the details.”
“Ah, yes. Before that, if you don’t mind, may I offer you some tea?”
“Just give me the explanation.”
“Understood. Then, just a moment… I’ll use the map.”
Huran began his explanation, cold sweat dripping down his brow. Arnat leaned forward, listening to the circumstances and the approximate time Huran had discovered the boy—Prince Akasa.
“‘The boy jumped into the river himself,’ you say.”
“Yes. I speculated that he thought he might die if he were taken to the National Soul Festival.”
“How did you anticipate that?”
“Pardon?”
“I heard a few reports from other soldiers before you arrived. A soldier named Moror said you predicted the direction the boy would take to escape.”
Flustered, Huran made a silent vow that no matter what kind of hellish situation he faced in the future, he would never drink to escape it again.
“It was luck.”
“Explain it.”
“Pardon? You want me to explain luck?”
“People who use the word ‘luck’ fall into two categories. Those who use it without knowing what it means, and those who use it as a cover for their own experience and reasoning. You are the latter. The soldiers seem to trust you quite a bit. You must have had some sort of hunch, which is why you were able to track the boy, right?”
“It’s really nothing special, but…”
“I’m listening.”
He was immovable. Huran sighed and spoke.
“It’s not special. It’s just my personal theory. That special events call for other special events.”
“Special events call for other special events?”
Arnat looked at Huran with a puzzled expression. Huran hesitated before continuing.
“It happened when I was young. I was foolish enough to try and pick a flower from the middle of a waterfall to give to a friend. It was the waterfall of the Laoras River near here. I finally found that special flower and succeeded in picking it. But the rock I was standing on collapsed, and I was swept away by the current. As it happened, some beautiful older sisters were bathing in the shallow part of the river below.”
“That sounds like a good experience.”
As Arnat chuckled, Huran said sheepishly,
“Well, it was. The story ends with me losing the flower while being swept away, and later getting a sound thrashing at home.”
“Regardless. You were able to track the boy because you applied that theory?”
“A person escaping the National Soul Festival is a special event. The fact that it was a child was also special. Sometimes, adventure is more helpful than sound theory.”
“It has merit. Even if it lacks rationality.”
Arnat signaled to Huran. Huran understood the signal and closed the door.
As the sounds from outside were cut off, an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Arnat spoke to Huran.
“I came here not only to obtain information, but because I was looking for someone like you. Huran.”
“Pardon? Me?”
As Huran panicked, Arnat raised a hand slightly.
“I don’t have much time, so I will be brief. His Highness Hartras has passed away, and His Highness Erdil has ascended to the throne. This will bring great change to Cellabris.”
“I, I don’t quite understand what you mean…”
“Listen.”
“Yes!”
Huran immediately shut his mouth.
“I am already aware that you have some connection to the Sun Temple. For the sake of my father, who failed to complete his duty, I must leave this land by tomorrow. In the meantime, the Sun Temple will pressure our family under the King’s authority. The documents I send out officially will surely fall into the hands of the Sun Temple. Therefore, I need someone like you.”
“Someone like me?”
“Someone who can receive an ordinary letter. I want you to be the contact who delivers it to my older brother in our family.”
“A contact… I, I can’t. I can’t do that.”
“Why are you so averse to it?”
Huran gulped. He spoke cautiously, afraid of offending him.
“Sir. I am a man who believes in living moderately. My goal in life is to handle everything smoothly. I try to handle the affairs of high-ranking officials as cleanly as possible because that is how I keep my life smooth. But you want me to take on work that opposes other factions? That’s the same as telling me to die.”
“But whether you like it or not, you are already involved. In fact, if you continue to use such half-hearted excuses, you might be disposed of eventually.”
If anyone else had said it, he might have called it nonsense. But the man before him was one of the most central figures among the high-ranking officials Huran had ever seen.
Huran asked, his voice trembling without him even realizing it.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because the boy you tried to catch is a prince.”
Thunder seemed to strike in Huran’s ears.
Arnat watched Huran’s reaction with an intrigued gaze. Huran opened and closed his mouth several times before he could finally speak.
“W-w-wait a minute. A prince? What are you talking about, sir?”
“What? You didn’t know? I suppose that old loach Hamses hid that from you.”
“I only knew that the one who escaped the National Soul Festival was a servant’s child!”
“I didn’t say anything else. And I would appreciate it if you didn’t raise your voice.”
Huran breathed heavily. His head was throbbing so hard he couldn’t help but be agitated.
“Damn it, why is my life like this…”
“Listen well, Guard Captain Huran. The current King does not look favorably upon the National Soul Festival. Because of that, he needed to complete this final National Soul Festival more carefully than ever to end its status under his own authority. But it failed because of the Prince’s escape. Yet, until just a moment ago, you firmly believed that the one you chased was a servant’s child. Do you understand what this means?”
“Don’t tell me…”
“The King has no intention of announcing that the Prince has escaped. Can you not tell, seeing as even I, a member of the Gravekeeper family, am being chased away without a sound? Do you really think you, who know even a part of the truth, will be safe? Here, where the royal family’s influence reaches directly?”
Huran slumped into his chair, powerless. Now, Arnat looked like an envoy who had come to collect the price for the moderate life Huran had lived.
“In a few days, I must follow the King’s will and go to catch the Prince. Officially.”
“…What would you have me do?”
It was a declaration of surrender. Arnat smiled and said,
“As I said, just deliver the letters. My brother will handle the rest. Our family will certainly protect your life, so have no worries.”
“Sir, one more thing… I have a personal condition.”
“What is it?”
“There is a woman named Arotte. She is the only woman in this district with curly red hair…”
“…I will make sure that friend of yours is protected as well.”
“Thank you!”
As Huran bowed his head deeply, Arnat stood up and said,
“Good. Then, I will ask for the first task immediately.”
“Yes?”
“You were off-duty today, so you’ll be going home, right? Please entrust this to the Gravekeeper family.”
Huran accepted the letter Arnat held out, his expression dazed.
“When you go to the family, tell them you’ve come to deliver a letter to my brother and explain the situation. At the very least, you won’t have to worry about your life here anymore.”
“T-thank you, sir.”
“I trust you. Oh, and leave a little later. Someone might get suspicious if they see us coming out together.”
With that, Arnat left the Guard Headquarters first.
“Come, let’s go.”
Arnat, mounted on his camel, looked up at the vitality of the desert people and the smoke rising from the houses preparing dinner.
It was a peaceful scene.
With a bitter smile, Arnat pulled his windbreaker up to his nose and began to follow the tributary of the Laoras River across the village.