episode_0089

“Sir, are you really an adventurer?”

“Mister? Kid. Did you really call me mister?”

“Huh? Aren’t you an old man?”

“I can’t believe it. How can you call him an old man when you see such a handsome face? It seems like the people in this town have a problem with their eyes.”

“Haa… Please, just stop and get out.”

Ian continued to visit Eram’s house.

Although Eram chased him away every time he came, he was helpless against the nimble Ian.

In the end, Eram, who had both hands and feet raised, half-accepted Ian’s visit.

“Eram, don’t think too deeply. Worrying unnecessarily can cause illness.”

“That worry and concern is because of you.”

“Haha, what are you to your friend? Call me Ian because you’re affectionate.”

“This is driving me crazy.”

When did we meet and act so friendly already? Ian threw a sack in front of Eram, who sighed.

“What?”

“This is a return for the food I gave you before. I dug this up in the forest, so I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

“Hmm… Thanks for that. But what is this?”

“What? Meat. You’ve never had meat before, have you?”

“We’ve eaten meat too. It’s just not common.”

“Whew… That’s a relief. I was worried that I might not be able to cook it.”

“Did you get it to eat?”

“Eram, delicious things multiply when shared.”

“And the amount of food is reduced.”

“Then all we have to do is hunt again.”

Eram, who was taken aback by Ian’s confident actions, sighed and checked the condition of the meat he had offered.

It had not been long since slaughter, and I could see the muscles moving.

“So what kind of meat is this? It doesn’t look like rabbit meat.”

“That’s giant boar meat.”

“Giant Boar?”

“Don’t you know? If you go to the forest over there, they’ve laid out a child.”

“I know. Aren’t they vicious?”

Giant boar.

It was a wild boar the size of a house that lived in the outskirts of the Dark Forest, and was the most hated monster in the village.

Unlike other monsters that raid villages, they are omnivorous and prefer crops over people.

If an adult giant boar attacks a village, that year’s crops are devastated.

“You mean you hunted that giant thing?”

“You can’t really call it hunting. I just killed it because it was right in front of me.”

“Oh, you’re that strong, mister?”

“I told you I’m not Mr. ”

‘Isn’t that you, sir?’

Ian’s age was estimated to be twenty-five based on his appearance.

As a man, he was already old enough to start a family, and considering the age difference with Eram’s young daughter, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to be called uncle.

But Ian seemed to dislike being called uncle, and he patted the head of Eram’s young daughter, Colleen, and warned her.

“Where can I find such a handsome old man?”

“Here?”

“Oh! That’s right, but then I can’t use it.””

Eram was dumbfounded by Ian’s behavior as if he was his uncle, but today he pretended not to see Ian’s antics.

Because I gave you meat today.

After all, meat is the truth.

. . .

“Eram, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a while now.”

Ian offered Eram a drink as he gradually became accustomed to Ian’s antics of recklessly drinking alcohol at other people’s houses.

“What?”

Eram didn’t really want to drink with Ian, but he thought it would be wiser to consume it himself rather than have it all taken away by the ruffian in front of him, so he started accepting the drinks.

“I’ve known you for a month, and you haven’t shown me your wife. Are you hiding her because you think I’ll steal her from you?”

“Died last year.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“You are unnecessarily interested in other people’s family affairs.”

“Well, I’ve been living a life of useless rambling until I got here.”

Ian, who started drinking first when offered alcohol, started muttering as if he was a little tipsy.

“It was all for nothing. What on earth could Hope do?”

“I didn’t ask about your past?”

“Oh? That’s right. Oh… Hahaha, I’m sorry about that.”

A look of pain flashed across Ian’s face as he began to laugh cheerfully, hitting his own head.

Looking at that figure, Eram thought that even a man like that had a painful past.

Well, it’s just a useless story about an affair.

“Is it because of the story about seducing the lady I told you about last time? Excessive passion is a sin.”

“Hahaha, what can I do when I find a lonely married woman the most attractive?”

“You crazy guy.”

Eram hated scoundrels like Ian. He looked pitiful because he lived only for the present without thinking about the future.

But I really liked the experiences he confidently shared.

Because the stories he told about love, courage, and challenges were far removed from the village of Lugeron.

“When I first decapitated an ogre, it emitted a golden aura the same color as my hair.”

“Auror? The knights’ exclusive possession is that miracle, you? If you boast too much, it becomes a lie.”

“It’s true! I can’t show you because I’m not feeling well right now, but I did handle the aura.”

“That’s ridiculous. Next to the fact that your childhood friend who had a crush on you was a princess, that’s the most absurd thing.”

“I’m telling you, it’s true!”

I especially loved stories involving adventure.

Ian’s stories of experiences from all over the world indirectly led Eram out of the village of Lugeron, who had never left the village.

“In the Holy Kingdom, there is a tangy drink called Coke. Once you taste it, you can’t forget its taste.”

“There’s such a drink? How is that possible?”

“Haha, I don’t know the principle either. The great scholars at the Tower of Wisdom put their heads together to create it, so how could I know?”

“If you listen to the story, the Holy Kingdom seems like some kind of magical country.”

“It is indeed a magical country. It is the only country led by nymphs, who are mythical beings.”

“Are Nymphs such a great race?”

“Tsk tsk, this is why country bumpkins are no good. They don’t know the greatness of nymphs.”

“I don’t know about nymphs, but I know when your head will be crushed by a goblet.”

“Keep on joking. If you don’t study theology, it’s obvious that you don’t know the greatness of nymphs.”

“So, how come nymphs are such a great race?”

“Nymphs are a race sent to the human world by Hestia, the goddess of love and family, who took pity on wandering humans.

“Wandering humans? Are humans from the past different from those of today?”

“Well, I don’t know exactly, but it’s said that in the mythical era, the boundary between the divine world and the human world was closer than it is now, so the gods easily answered the prayers of humans. On the other hand, it seems that it’s not like that now. Haven’t you ever prayed earnestly, but the gods didn’t answer? There’s a reason for this.”

“Of course.”

Is there anyone among the villagers of Lugeron who has not prayed?

I wish I had never been harassed by monsters, even just once.

But what if the gods don’t hear our prayers?

“No matter how much we pray, is it meaningless?”

“That’s why Hestia sent nymphs to the human world. To lead humans on their behalf.”

“Then, will the nymphs hear our prayers?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why aren’t the nymphs here? They’re supposed to be the gods’ representatives?”

“Hmm? Are you angry at the nymphs? Because the gods didn’t answer your prayers?”

“I just asked because…what you said was wrong.”

“Sorry. My explanation was short. Nymphs have their own circumstances. When they first appeared, the old kingdoms were hell-bent on hunting down nymphs.”

“Humans hunted the agents sent by the gods?”

“Yes, because I coveted the divine disc, the source of miracles that the nymphs possess.”

Ian took a sip of his drink and said what he thought, not really liking the story.

“If the old kingdoms of the past hadn’t hunted the nymphs, this village would have become a town like the Holy Kingdom.”

“Then what you’re trying to say is that the reason my life is miserable is because of the people of the old kingdom?”

“I apologize if it sounded that way. But it’s true. If only those rip-offs hadn’t existed, I wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble for a trust!”

“Oh, is that so?”

Eram felt embarrassed to get angry at Ian, who was drinking heavily, perhaps because he had a grudge against the old kingdom.

“But what about a trust?”

“Did you forget? I am a chosen warrior of the Order of Light.”

“That’s what you mean by delusion? I didn’t know the story would continue.”

“It’s not a delusion, it’s real!”

Now, seeing Ian start to talk nonsense, as if he was completely drunk, Eram tried to forcefully end the drinking party without saying anything.

‘At this rate, I’ll be drinking until morning.’

Eram, who was barely able to hold back his dizzy head from the alcohol, tried to throw Ian out.

“Let’s stop for today and go.”

“Sleep, weren’t you supposed to let me sleep today?”

“When did I do that?”

“ You did. I remember it well. You clearly said with your own mouth that tonight I… ”

“Wow, wow!”

I woke up from my drunken stupor with a start at the sound of screams coming from outside.