episode_0009

“Don’t you feel like someone is chasing us?”

“Hey, Johnson, I know you’re sensitive because you haven’t been able to sleep lately, but you’re already having a hard time because of the war. Don’t be such a bitch.”

“No, I think someone is really chasing me.”

“Ha… Think about it. Johnson. Who would want to come to our remote and remote village?”

“Yes, but.”

As winter approaches.

The war ended, and the conscripted young men from the village returned to their homes.

Of course, the steps were not light. As the war was long, there were many casualties, and even those who survived had difficulty leading a proper life due to severe injuries.

“Leon, what do you think?”

“Me?”

A soldier asked a boy from the same village, and the boy answered with his blonde hair flowing.

“I don’t know. How do I know?”

“Everyone is really great.”

“Okay, let’s go quickly.

“Wait a minute. Jace, don’t you know your leg is uncomfortable? Let’s go slowly.”

“Oh, sir, there isn’t much food left. And if we don’t arrive within today, we’ll all have to spend the night near the Dark Forest.”

“Still… .”

“Who is coming over there?”

“Huh?”

Two people were seen approaching with a small carriage in front of the soldiers who were returning to the village.

“Hey guys. I came out to meet you.”

“Uncle Tom?”

Let’s look at Tom, the only blacksmith in town.

The soldiers rushed to him, exhausted and happy to see him.

“Everyone worked hard!”

“Haha, Tom, you’re still correcting it.”

“Nice to meet you. How is my mom?”

“Is there anything going on with Selnia?”

“Didn’t our kids cry because they didn’t have a father?”

Tom’s heart began to hurt as he saw the village men asking about his family’s well-being.

In a small village of only about 100 people, the number of men forcibly conscripted was 40.

Among them, approximately 20 soldiers returned to the village.

More than half of them lost their lives in the war and could not return to their hometown.

“My family is all healthy, so don’t worry too much. And get in the carriage. I’ll give you a ride to the village.”

“Thank you. Even prepared a carriage for us.”

In response to Tom’s words, Carlson, the oldest of the soldiers, expressed his gratitude as a representative.

It was a painful way home because there were many injured, but thanks to the carriage, we were able to travel comfortably.

“Haha, no. This friend expressed his opinion and the village chief promoted it. Say thank you to this friend, not me.”

Tom pointed to the man who came with him.

The man, who was a head taller than a sturdy knight and had a muscular body that looked strong to anyone, was looking into the distance, not at the village men returning from war right in front of him.

“Excuse me, who was following you?”

“Yes?”

Carlson was unable to answer the black-haired man’s sudden question.

“What do you mean? I didn’t really see anyone like that.”

“Then it means that he is a skilled ranger. Tom, it looks like what you were worried about is happening.”

“I’m going crazy. So what are you going to do first?”

“There is nothing we can do right now. Even if we take care of that guy, if he got this far, the location of the village would have been roughly exposed. It would be better for us to go naturally without them knowing that we are there.”

“Got it. Let the injured get into the carriage first.”

The soldiers were unable to follow Tom and the man in black, but they did as Tom told them to do and got the wounded into the wagon first, and the wagon started heading back toward the village.

The soldiers were curious about the black-haired man, who had an intelligent appearance that contrasted with his strong appearance. On their behalf, Carlson asked Tom.

“Hey Tom. Excuse me, but who is that person?”

“Oh, don’t you know?”

Tom, wondering if he should tell me this first, scratched his face and answered the absurd question.

“It’s Sian. He’s the son of that hunter Ian.”

“Ian’s son?”

. . .

The sight of the soldiers returning to the village was not very good.

Everyone looked tired and in pain because of how hard and difficult the war had been.

‘But isn’t that a joke?’

Strangely enough, the quilted armor the soldiers were wearing looked like the quilted armor from military supplies.

“I will help you too.”

“Hmm?”

As I was pushing the weak donkey from the back of the carriage, a handsome blonde boy came up to me and started pushing along with me.

‘How can you tell whose son it is just by looking at his appearance?’

He was Sylvia’s son Leon.

But it’s smaller than I thought? Slightly bigger than Chloe?

“Are you Leon?”

“Do you know me?”

“Yes. It may be confusing, but he says he is Sian, who married his younger sister, Chloe, two months ago.”

“Ah, you… ”

Leon didn’t seem surprised. They just looked at me with some curiosity.

“You’re not really surprised.”

“Yes. Because Chloe is already past the age at which she should get married. However, I didn’t know that I would marry Ian’s son. The village chief doesn’t usually accept outsiders.”

“I was also surprised by the village chief’s choice. Oh, you can stop talking. He is one year older than me.”

“Yes? Was he younger than me?”

Why are you more surprised by this?

“Do I look that old?”

“Oh, it’s not like that. There were rumors that I was better than I thought, but I was younger than I thought. It doesn’t make you look old at all.”

“It’s a joke. There is no need to overreact like that.”

“Ah… ”

“And please stop talking comfortably. Brother-in-law.”

“Phew… okay. But if I just do it comfortably, it’s a little uncomfortable. Make my brother-in-law feel comfortable too.”

“Okay. Leon.”

“???”

Why are you so surprised again? I told you to stop talking.

“What’s the problem?”

“Oh, no, I don’t have one… ”

Leon, who couldn’t say anything to my point, muttered in a low voice, ‘Did I get hurt?’

As Chloe’s older brother, he had a cute side.

. . .

Let’s arrive at the village.

The soldiers, and indeed the village men, had a tearful reunion as they saw their families who came to meet them.

It was the same for Leon.

“Uh, no oppaaaa!”

Clia came running first, covered in tears, and then Sylvia Chloe hugged Leon.

I left the place slightly.

“You worked hard.”

“I’m back. Mom.”

“Oppa, you worked hard.”

“Chloe, congratulations on your wedding. And I’m sorry I wasn’t at the wedding.”

“No. I’m really happy that my brother came back safely.”

Of course, not everyone had such a happy ending like Leon’s family.

“Ah, no. No! That can’t be possible!”

“Son! How did you first… ”

“Daddy can’t come?”

Some lost their husbands, some lost their sons, and some lost their fathers who were responsible for them.

I just turned my head away at the tragic sight.

“Thank you to those who returned safely, and expressed regret to those who did not return. But today, rather than missing those who left, let’s be happy that they came back alive. Let’s talk about the difficult and painful stories tomorrow.”

After the village chief came out and gave a short speech, everyone returned to their homes carrying the wounds of war.

And it was the same for my family.

“W-what is this?”

“At home?”

Leon seemed a little emotional, as if he wasn’t happy with his new home.

“Isn’t that a black neck? Why did you make a fence with that?”

“It’s a wall, not a fence. I prepared for the unexpected.”

“Why is the house so big? What are you going to do with heating in the winter?”

“I’ve already prepared for that too. So brother-in-law, don’t worry and just check your room.”

“Is this my room?”

Was the concept of one’s own room unfamiliar? Leon seemed more burdened than pleased.

“I don’t like it?”

“That’s not true, but can I really take it? My brother-in-law worked hard to make this.”

“Of course I should get it. Because you are the older brother of my beloved wife.”

I reached out to Leon for the first time.

“I’m a little embarrassed about this now, but let’s do our best together as the heads of the same family from now on.”

“As the head of the household… Yes, Sian. Please take care of me in the future!”

Leon didn’t hesitate to hold my hand.

I was puzzled by the unusually soft skin of his hands, but I was pure joy at having a comrade who would bear the weight of the head of the household.

. . .

To celebrate Leon’s safe return, tonight’s dinner was a little grand.

Meat of the Giant Boar that appears in the Dark Forest. In other words, they took out the pork.

“The pork belly is nicely grilled.”

“So much meat… ”

Leon swallowed his saliva as he watched the pork belly being grilled on the grill, but he was just watching.

“Eat some Leon. I prepared it for you.”

“No matter what, I can’t eat this much meat by myself… ”

“Even if you eat that alone, there’s a lot of meat, so don’t worry.”

“There is a lot of meat?”

An earthquake occurred in Leon’s pupils, as if he were experiencing culture shock.

“Xian is right. There’s a lot of meat, so don’t worry and eat it.”

“Mom, wasn’t it usually possible to eat a little meat only on special occasions?”

“Leon, don’t you know who your brother-in-law is? He is the best hunter in the empire.”

“Silvia, not to that extent.”

“Hehe, there is nothing humble about it. Sian.”

“That’s right. Brother Xian is the best hunter. The meat is delicious!”

“Clia, eat some vegetables. You have to eat well to grow healthy like your sister.”

“To a subject with big breasts.”

“What did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

The evening was really noisy.

Of course, it was a hundred times better meal time than eating alone.

“Still, I think it will be difficult to eat.”

“Why?”

“We all suffer together in the war, and we all go through difficult times together, but I eat alone… ”

“Leon, you really worry a lot for no reason.”

“Huh?”

“We are from the same village, but we are still strangers anyway. We just have to worry about our family.”

“Still… ”

“And if you are having a hard time, you will ask for help. When that time comes, I think about it. Worrying about problems that didn’t come up first means you’re in trouble.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s it. So eat some meat.”

I think I developed a sense of camaraderie during the war, but that doesn’t help.

“Okay. Just like Xian said, I will eat it deliciously.”

“I finally understand. And take turns eating and baking quickly. I also want to eat pork belly now.”

“….”