Chapter 75: Another Beginning of Misfortune (1)

[75] 11. Another Beginning of Misfortune (1)

Act 1, An Unpleasant Encounter

Lighting: Pale blue of unripe spring, soft yet cold.

(March 1st, Nicolai Year 64, Hapnis)

(Hapnis is a city on the edge of the continent. To the east of the city, a vast, empty ocean stretches as far as the eye can see, and to the west, a mountain range stands tall, blocking the path.

As is typical of a frontier town, the roofs are low, and the sky is high. Unsightly buildings are scattered here and there.

But there’s a single building that looks relatively new. Beneath a red roof, a signboard with the words “The Silence of the Lambs” hangs.

When you step inside, what’s displayed catches your eye. Tools of bizarre shapes, their purposes unclear, almost resembling farming tools. It’s an unsettling sight.

However, the rest of the building is incredibly ordinary. There are stains on the ceiling, and cobwebs hang in the corners. This dissonance makes the place even stranger.)

(Rem enters, opens the door, and stands in front of the counter.)

Rem: Damn it, I want to quit this business.

(Rem grumbles as he picks up a broom. He sweeps the store a few times, then he collapses onto a chair behind the counter. As if daydreaming, he rests his chin on his hand and looks at the sky.)

(Narrator enters)

Narrator: Two years ago…

After having his memories manipulated by Sage, the Tower Master, Rem set out for the east. It was a long journey.

How could a man, who had abandoned his loved ones after having his sins erased, possibly have a quick pace? It was perhaps inevitable that he would only stop once he reached the edge of the continent.

But, in the end, he decided to settle down in a small town on the edge of the continent, Hapnis. It wasn’t a difficult decision. After all, he had the money Sage had given him.

Not knowing that it might be the price for his memories, Rem used that money to open a magic tool shop. And with that, he began his new life as a magic tool merchant.

Thus, two years passed.

And with that, Rem found peace.

For the first time in his life, he was free from life’s hardships. He no longer suffered from poverty or hunger, and he was no longer consumed by violent passions.

He simply lived, like all other ordinary people. And his life didn’t have beautiful girls or evil villains.

There were only simple country girls and devilish little neighborhood kids.

Of course, at first, Rem had trouble adjusting.

Even in the most peaceful of everyday life, he would fear misfortune. Delusions plagued him during the day, and nightmares plagued him at night.

Back then, his appearance when wandering the streets really did look like a walking corpse.

But the peace of the small town eventually softened him.

The walking corpse turned into a man with a lazy, listless expression, and his fear vanished, melting into the boredom of everyday life.

After 20 years of misfortune, our protagonist, Rem, had finally found peace.

…Of course, it didn’t last long.

(The Baron enters, opening the shop door.)

Rem: Ah, Baron, you’re here again.

Baron: What a reaction, you sound like a bar owner greeting a regular drunkard.

Rem: It’s essentially the same, isn’t it?

Baron: Damn it, do you really have to attack me with the cold, hard truth like that?

(They both laugh. The Baron sits down, and Rem brings him some tea.)

Baron: (with a suspicious expression) It’s not one of those strange potions again, is it?

Rem: Again, that was something the Baroness had planned; it wasn’t me.

Baron: And yet, you laughed so hard when you saw the bunny ears that appeared on my head?

Rem: Why did you even cheat in the first place? No, why did you get caught in the first place?

(The Baron coughs awkwardly, frowning. Then, downing the tea in one gulp, he looks at Rem.)

Baron: More than that, I actually came to see you today because I have a matter to discuss.

Rem: If it’s about me becoming your personal mage, I decline. I’m not qualified, nor am I interested.

Baron: Don’t worry, I’m here with a different offer.

Rem: A different offer?

(A sly smile appears on the Baron’s face. He suddenly grabs Rem’s arm.)

Baron: Rem, how old are you this year?

Rem: I think I’m 21.

Baron: Isn’t it about time you get married?

Rem: I guess you could say I’m a bit late.

Baron: Good, very good.

Rem: (Shaking off the Baron’s hand) What’s good about it? And why are you smiling so creepily?

(The Baron stands up and takes both of Rem’s hands in his. Looking at Rem with a serious expression, he asks,)

Baron: Rem, would you be interested in marrying my daughter?

(Rem is taken aback. His mouth opening and closing repeatedly. Finally, he speaks.)

Rem: This is… an unexpected proposal.

Baron: It is? I thought you already knew.

Rem: About what?

Baron: About my daughter liking you.

(Rem is shocked again. This time, he even stumbles back.)

Rem: Me?

Baron: Yes, you. Judging from your expression, it seems you were truly unaware.

Rem: (in a confused voice) Why?

Baron: You’re intelligent, cultured, and kind. Three traits you can’t find in these countryside men.

Rem: But, I’m… look at me!

(Rem stretches out his prosthetics. The Baron looks at them with an indifferent expression.)

Baron: You should ask such things directly when you meet my daughter. I’m not the one who’s been talking about you nonstop, day and night.

Rem: But… (A moment of silence) I need time to think about this.

Baron: (Standing up) Don’t worry, I was expecting you to say that. But just know this: No matter what you decide, our family welcomes you.

(The Baron leaves the shop. Rem stares at where the Baron was sitting with a dazed expression. Then, he starts pacing around the shop with a serious look.)

Rem: The Baron’s daughter wants to marry me? Why? I only remember having a few conversations with her…

(Rem grimaces.)

Rem: No, it doesn’t matter why she likes me. I can just ask her myself when we meet. The real problem is…

(Rem stops)

Rem: Can I even do that?

(He starts walking again, faster than before.)

Rem: After everything I’ve been through, after loving someone so desperately. Can I really marry someone else? Can I be a good husband, a good father?

(Rem stops once more and looks down at his hands.)

Rem: Can I truly forget them?

(The brats appear, peeking at Rem through the window. They carefully enter the shop. One of them picks up a magic tool from the display shelf. Rem, who’d been lost in thought, suddenly turns his head and sees them.)

Brat 1: We’ve been caught! Everyone run!

Brat 2: Walking Corpse is coming!

Rem: You little shits! Stop right there! This time, I’m really going to break your legs…!

(Rem chases after the fleeing brats and exits.)

(The sun sets, and the moon rises. The moon sets, and the sun rises again.)

(The Baron’s daughter appears. Carefully entering the shop, she places wildflowers on the counter, and then hurriedly leaves.)

(Rem enters. Opening the door and discovering the wildflowers on the counter. He picks them up and smiles.)

Rem: Right, maybe it’s time to let go. To bury the past and move on. Four times is more than enough novel-like events for one life.

(He places the flowers in a vase.)

Rem: From now on, I’m going to live a normal, ordinary life. No more getting involved in weird incidents.

(Rem smiles.)

Rem: Right, I’ll live such a boring life and then grow old gracefully…

(Rosalia enters.)

***

*Crash-*

Rem felt his heart jump to his throat when a red-haired woman crashed through the shop wall, landing on the display shelves.

The magical tools he had painstakingly made all night,

all those precious items were shattered and scattered across the floor.

He could practically see the damage bill.

But his scream never escaped his throat.

*BOOM-*

Because this time, a black-haired woman crashed through the shop wall.

The woman, her eyes cold as ice, immediately charged at the fallen red-haired woman. She raised a massive axe and brought it down on the red-haired woman.

*Crack-!*

But the red-haired woman rolled out of the way. It was the shop floor that took the brunt of the attack.

The new floor that Rem had just replaced three days ago.

Rem felt his legs give out.

But his misfortune didn’t end there.

The two women, black-haired and red-haired, clashed with a terrible roar.

Sparks flew as the axe and sword met, and sickening crunching sounds filled the air as limbs clashed.

It was a fight to the death, and the level of skill was high. The sword and axe were nothing but blurs, and the offense and defense shifted in an instant.

If there had been anyone who knew anything about martial arts, they would have been mesmerized.

But Rem was a merchant, not a martial artist.

All he could see was his shop and his magic tools, being destroyed.

His last sanctuary,

the one he had painstakingly built over the past two years.

In that moment, panic gave way to rage.

He instinctively picked up a magic tool, and a spell came to mind.

If he were to act now, while they were distracted by their fight, he could subdue them both, and make them kneel on the floor and compensate for all of this.

After all, Rem, despite everything, was still a mage.

‘Life…’

But eventually, Rem chose to lie face down on the floor. Even while gritting his teeth, he crawled.

When humans get used to something, they develop a ‘sense’ for it. It’s like unconsciously predicting the future through accumulated experience.

Misfortune is no exception.

Rem, who had been through all kinds of shit over the past 20 years, instinctively knew.

This was a turning point.

He didn’t know why they were fighting. He didn’t even care.

But he knew that if he got involved, his life, his newfound peace, would be shattered, never to be the same again.

And Rem absolutely did not want to lose his current daily life.

Because he now only wished to grow old gracefully and die,

So, gritting his teeth, Rem crawled towards the exit.

Thankfully, it wasn’t that far.

*As soon as I get out,* I thought, *I’m going to run away. I’m not even going to report it to the guards.*

*I’ll just pretend that today never happened…*

*BAM-*

The display shelf right in front of Rem’s eyes.

The black-haired woman who had been hit in the stomach crashed into it.

The woman cursing as she got up.

And then, fate mocked him once again.

Her eyes turned towards Rem.

“Oh.”

“Ah.”

Their eyes met.

One made of steel,

and the other like ice.

And suddenly, it was the icy eyes that softened.

“There’s something good.”

Everything happened in an instant.

“Feya Danderlion! What do you think you’re…!!”

“Can’t you tell?”

The other woman’s legs, that were about to rush in, halted. Feya, pinning Rem down with her knee, placed the axe on his neck.

“I’m holding him hostage, you bitch. Drop your weapons if you don’t want to see his head roll.”

The woman’s face contorted mercilessly.

“Do the Derin have no honor?! Taking an innocent civilian as a hostage!”

“Isn’t that a bit rich coming from a thief who stole the Imperial treasure? Rosalia?”

“Shut up! I…”

“And I said drop your weapon, you bitch. If you don’t, I’ll chop off his head off, got it?”

Hesitation flickered in Rosalia’s eyes.

Then, they met Rem’s.

Rem could see the emotions swirling in her eyes:

Hesitation, anguish, sorrow, and guilt.

Rosalia’s eyes hardened.

“I apologize. I’ll repay this debt in hell.”

She tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. Feya’s face crumpled.

She raised her axe, and said through gritted teeth,

“If that’s what you want.”

Then, she swung the axe down with all her might.

[trconlo]

“Huh…?”

Or rather, that was the plan.

Feya’s eyes, trembling, looked down at her frozen arm. It wasn’t just her arm, her entire body was frozen. She couldn’t even move a finger.

“Ma, magic…?”

It seemed she wasn’t the only one.

Rosalia and Feya exchanged confused looks.

And then, a moment later,

[ravigty]

*BAAM-!!*

Feya and Rosalia’s heads slammed into the floor with a thunderous sound.

Rem, finally free, sat up, his eyes welling up. He threw the shattered magic tool away and shouted,

I just want to live in peace, why is this happening!!”

… It was practically a scream.