Chapter 18: Winter Preparations(1)

While Lucy and Elif were in the city’s Exchange, their eyes gleaming with greed as they plotted the auction, Avalli, the one who had provided the magic stone, was—

‘This is quite a sight.’

Leisurely watching Arsene teach Hans swordsmanship in a clearing a little distance from the village.

“Huff… huff…”
“You can’t get tired already! Even if your legs are shaking, keep your center low and heavy! Your eyes always forward! A real sword is much heavier than that wooden one. Yes, never forget that posture, no matter the situation!”
“Understood…Sir.”
“Your voice is too quiet.”
“Understood, sir!”

Village Chief Arsene, usually kind and gentle to everyone, was quite strict with Hans right now.

According to Arsene, he had taught guardsmen in a fairly large city.
Although he didn’t have the talent to become a knight, he was said to be unmatched among those who couldn’t wield Aura.
Before finding Avalli, when demonic beasts frequently appeared in the village, Arsene and Bern had worked together to fend them off.

“Gyaaaaaaaaak!”
“It’s good to yell when you’re tired, but your center is wavering! Fix your posture!”

They weren’t actually sparring.
Although Hans had been looking forward to it, Arsene knew it would be a waste of time.

Sparring without a solid foundation was meaningless.
If Hans had a natural talent for the sword, it might be different, but… in Arsene’s eyes, Hans was far from a genius.

“Good. Take a short break.”
“Pant… pant…”

After practicing basic stances for a long time, Arsene finally called for a break.

Hans, completely exhausted, collapsed onto the dirt floor, and Avalli trotted over with the water pouch she had prepared.

“Here, water.”
“…My… my arm won’t move.”

Avalli chuckled and poked Hans’s cheek.

“If you’re this tired already, how are you going to become a knight?”
“Shut up. Just give me the water.”
“Say ‘please’.”
“…Please.”
“In a more polite tone.”
“Hey!”

Hans scowled at the playful Avalli, but… to her, he just looked cute.
There was no way she could dislike the sight of a boy pursuing his dream with such dedication, especially after her previous life of being worn down by the realities of the world.

“Avalli.”
“I know, Chief. I was just teasing him.”

Avalli said so and opened the water pouch.
She placed Hans’s head on her lap and started giving him water, little by little.

“Drink slowly. You’ll choke.”

Arsene, taking a drink himself, watched with a warm smile as Avalli cared for the exhausted Hans.

‘They look good together.’

It was a sentiment that would have made Avalli shudder if she had heard it.
But most of the villagers shared Arsene’s thoughts.

Hans had been a bit lazy, but after the Paladin’s visit, he had become a dedicated young man.
Avalli, despite her playful nature, was a mature and kind girl.

As the two oldest children in the pioneer village, everyone expected them to become the core of Asha Village’s next generation.
Arsene had thought the same until a few days ago…

‘…It can’t be helped.’

On the day Kyle returned to the village with the priests, Avalli would leave for the Holy Kingdom as a saintess.

She was the Goddess’s miracle, the first to appear on the continent since Saint Eriph 400 years ago.
There was no way she would end up with an ordinary boy like Hans.

‘A knight.’

It was unlikely, but if Hans really did grow strong enough to become a knight…
Perhaps he could ask Kyle to help him walk the path of a paladin.
If Hans could endure the harsh training of the Holy Kingdom’s training camp and become a paladin—

‘It would be better for Avalli to have someone she knows nearby, rather than going to the Holy Kingdom alone.’

That was all he, a simple village chief, could do for Avalli.
Therefore, even while busy with the village’s winter preparations, Arsene made time to help Hans learn swordsmanship.

“Are you rested, Hans?”
“Yes, sir!”

Hans sprang to his feet with a determined shout at Arsene’s words.
He resumed his stance without being told.

Although Arsene didn’t know it, his thoughts were perfectly aligned with Avalli’s.

“Let’s start again.”

Hans was working tirelessly to achieve his dream.
Even if the boy’s dream seemed a bit far-fetched, as an adult, he couldn’t help but support him.

Late at night, at Arsene’s house.

“That’s unexpected. I thought he would have given up after a day.”

Arsene smiled warmly and shook his head at Envel’s words.

“He’s surprisingly persistent. I’m starting to doubt if he’s the same frail boy.”
“Karls’s wife doesn’t seem too pleased, though.”
“She probably just said that because she thinks he’s bothering me. It’s alright. Even in the city, it was rare to find someone with such passion. It’s rewarding to teach him.”

“Do you think he can become a knight?”

Arsene shook his head.

“Normally, it would be impossible. Whether or not he can wield Aura is purely a matter of talent. But—”

If he became a paladin, it might be possible.
Kyle would rise to a high position thanks to the merit of discovering Avalli.
With his help, perhaps even Hans could…

“—No, that’s thinking too far ahead.”

But this was something he couldn’t even tell his wife, Envel, yet.
He was the only one in the village who knew that Avalli wasn’t an ordinary child.
Lucy, whom he had met on his way back to the village, seemed to have noticed something too, but… she wasn’t foolish enough to spread someone else’s secret around.

“What is it? Don’t be so cryptic.”

Envel’s slender fingers poked Arsene’s cheek.
Arsene endured her playful teasing, then wrapped an arm around Envel’s waist.
The couple in their prime gazed into each other’s eyes.

“…Avalli might hear us.”
“It’s alright. Avalli will understand.”
“Oh, please. How am I supposed to face Avalli tomorrow?”

She said it as if she disliked it, but Envel’s gaze was just as passionate as Arsene’s.
As they undressed and embraced, their muffled moans began to fill the air—

“They’re at it again.”

Avalli used ‘magic’ to block the sounds of passion coming into her room.
Lately, the village chief couple had been having these passionate nights every two or three days.

It had been less frequent when they first took Avalli in, but… now that they were used to her presence, they seemed to have rediscovered their love for each other.
Not wanting to be a burden as a guest, Avalli pretended not to notice.
Or rather, sometimes she eavesdropped—

‘But I’m not in the mood today.’

Lately, Avalli had been engrossed in reading.
Thanks to the magic Lucy had taught her, she could finally read.

She had avoided reading like the plague in her previous life, but… in Asha Village, where content was scarce, it was like a godsend.
At this rate, it would take her less than a month to read all the books Arsene owned.

‘…Should I ask Lucy to get me some books?’

But that would make her too indebted to Lucy.
Why had Lucy so desperately refused to examine Avalli that day?
There had to be a reason… but Avalli felt uneasy about receiving help without offering anything in return.

“I’ll ask her directly later.”

Avalli muttered to herself, closed the book, and turned off the light.
It was only polite as a guest to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, for the sake of the homeowners.
It would be awkward for them to know she was awake while they were enjoying their passionate moments.

Even though she wasn’t particularly sleepy, she drifted off as soon as she lay down.
Asha Village had been busy with winter preparations since Arsene’s return.

Yesterday and today, they had been building a charcoal kiln under Karls’s direction.
As a girl, Avalli didn’t do the heavy lifting like the men, but she helped Envel and Karls’s wife prepare meals for the workers.

The food she diligently prepared had been very well-received.
To be precise, it was because Avalli’s care and effort had imbued the food with a ‘magic’ of its own.
It was also quite fun to tease Hans when he shyly admitted that it was ‘delicious’.

In any case, Avalli, who had been craving stimulation, had been enjoying her days lately.
She diligently did her best in any task assigned to her, mindful of her position as a guest.
Of course, Arsene and Envel already considered her family, but… as someone living under their roof, Avalli couldn’t help but be mindful.

‘What will we be doing tomorrow?’

Around the time the sounds of passion next door reached a fever pitch, Avalli closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

And the next morning, Arsene left early with the village men to cut down trees.
Breakfast, now a familiar scene between just the two of them.
Sipping her soup and glancing at Avalli, Envel hesitantly spoke.

“Did you sleep well last night, Avalli?”
“Yes. I fell asleep quickly.”
“Really? Around what time?”

Avalli chuckled inwardly and answered Envel’s question.

“As soon as I went to bed. I must have been tired.”
“That’s right. You should sleep early when you’re tired.”
“By the way, Envel unnie, your skin looks particularly radiant today.”
“I…Is that so?”

Envel blushed slightly and then quietly continued her meal.

‘The village chief has incredible stamina.’

A murderous schedule of a passionate night followed immediately by chopping down trees.
As a former man, Avalli couldn’t help but be impressed.