Ch.265EP.60 – How a Knight Deals with Beasts (1)

When merchants, mercenaries, scholars, or adventurers from other continents first enter the southern region, what surprises them most is none other than the “weather” and “environment.”

More precisely, the varying weather and environment from region to region.

For example, while one southern territory they visited just the other day might have consistently bright sunshine and refreshing breezes, another territory might suddenly be filled with clouds, with nearly three hundred days of the year corresponding to the rainy season.

There are mountain villages that feel as warm as spring, while other villages, despite having neither coastlines nor even rivers nearby, are endlessly hot and humid.

This environment was only possible in the south, blessed with [Mystery], which is why travelers visiting the south for the first time would sometimes collapse, unable to adapt to the weather and environment.

Well, some scholars claim that these chaotic environmental factors are why knights from the south are particularly stronger than knights from other continents, but nothing has been clearly established.

Thus, although the south had the cycle of four seasons, it didn’t necessarily mean that each region had an environment matching that season.

No one could know what mysteries had come and gone in each region or village.

In that sense…

Whoosh…!

It wasn’t particularly strange that there was a territory filled with fog all year round.

Splash, splash.

With fog present throughout the year, the territory always had a twilight-like dimness even during the day.

To exaggerate slightly, it was so difficult to find one’s way without a lamp, and once it rained, water would pool on the ground and not disappear for a fortnight.

For this reason, the territory’s residents always took up shovels or brooms the day after rain to clear the standing water, and it wasn’t unusual to see many people engaged in this task.

Looking at it this way, it might seem like a truly terrible land, but it wasn’t without its advantages.

“I heard the cherry harvest was good this year?”

“Not just cherries, the grape harvest was amazing too.”

“Oh! I’m looking forward to this year’s wines.”

“Later, let’s celebrate with some grilled trout and wine.”

“Let’s do that. I’ll bring some bacon and vegetables too.”

A land where farming thrived extraordinarily well.

Common sense would dictate that farming should fail due to the lack of sunlight from the fog, yet strangely, harvests in this territory were always bountiful.

They say it’s because the territory’s fog absorbs only the beneficial energy from the sunlight and distributes it to the vegetables and fruits being grown?

There were many such stories, but nothing was certain. What was clear, however, was that good harvests were a blessing to the territory’s residents.

Especially this summer, thanks to the new high-quality fertilizer spread by Crown Princess Isis, the crop yields were even more abundant, and the territory’s residents went so far as to worship Crown Princess Isis whom they had never even seen.

“We should present the best wine to the royal family.”

“Who would disagree with that?”

Wales.

A territory of Modred, famous for being closed off, but one of the territories producing the highest quality wine in the south.

Particularly, the grape varieties grown here couldn’t be cultivated elsewhere, making Wales wine so expensive that the price was whatever they asked for it.

Thus, Wales had many wine artisans and oak barrel craftsmen, but…

“Hello!”

“…Ah, it’s you.”

“You came again today?”

“Yes, looking at today’s weather, I thought the fish would be biting well.”

There were also quite a few fishermen.

Of course…

“Good luck with your fishing.”

“…Would you like some grape juice?”

“Thank you!!”

It would be rare to see such a young child as a fisherman.

The child received grape juice from the adults, smiled brightly, and walked away with small steps, while the adults watched with complicated expressions.

“Only eight years old and yet…”

“So determined.”

The adults couldn’t help but give complicated looks to the little fisherman who was marching determinedly with a fishing rod much taller than their own height.

Because the child was both pitiful and worthy of encouragement.

* * *

Wales had a river flowing alongside a fairly large waterfall.

The fog made it difficult to see the waterfall clearly, but on the rare days when the fog cleared, the waterfall was magnificently imposing, and when the fog wrapped around the waterfall like clouds, the scene couldn’t be more mystical.

It was even more beautiful when a rainbow appeared.

The villagers often visited the river to see such a waterfall, but in the child’s case, they weren’t merely there to admire such beauty near the waterfall.

Swoosh!

The child skillfully cast the fishing line.

A self-made fishing rod and bait.

Following exactly the method taught by an elderly person who had once cared for the child, and not long after casting the line…

“Hup!”

With a tingling sensation in the hands, a trout revealed itself.

Normally, a child of this age, especially a girl, would be terrified or repulsed by the sight of such a wriggling creature, but the child instead looked lovingly at the trout and skillfully dropped it into a net made of branches.

Afterward, the child cast the fishing line again and repeated the process of catching fish.

Looking at just this, it might seem really easy, but appearances are deceiving—it was an extremely dangerous activity.

The river current was already quite strong, and there were many spots where one could easily slip and fall into water deep enough to drown.

Especially since trout are quite strong, there was also the risk of getting hit in the face while fishing, which could easily injure delicate skin.

It was literally like walking a tightrope, and a series of tasks far too precarious for an 8-year-old child.

Yet the child…

Swoosh!

Just silently continued fishing, and as soon as the net was somewhat filled with trout and other fish species, immediately began to gather them up.

“With this much, I might be able to get a silver coin…”

After about two hours of fishing in the fog.

In a way, it was fishing that risked one’s life, but thinking about the amount of money that could be earned through it, the child, satisfied beyond measure, smiled brightly and left the river.

While it might be a life-threatening task for some, for the child, there was no more satisfying way to make money than this.

‘I need to earn as much as I can before it gets cold.’

Even now, the weather wasn’t exactly mild enough to be fishing in water.

The child’s feet were probably numb, though they wouldn’t admit it.

Having been in ice-cold water for over an hour.

If the child weren’t stronger than others and didn’t have such extraordinary determination, they would have been in tears long ago, saying their feet felt like they were breaking.

Yet the child didn’t even complain about the pain.

They just silently did their work.

Above all…

“Ma’am, how much will you pay for these?”

The child had a reason to grow up quickly, so it wasn’t difficult at all.

…Not at all.

* * *

“Hehe, a silver coin!”

The child was excited.

A day when a whole silver coin came into their hands.

Since there had been fewer people fishing for trout lately, the innkeeper’s wife had paid a higher price, and the child could smile brightly at obtaining such a large amount for once.

However…

Step, step.

As the child walked, the smile faded, and sorrow appeared in their eyes.

The closer they got to home, the gloomier the child’s heart became.

‘I don’t want to go…’

The child momentarily hesitated.

Not wanting to go home like this, wanting to run away right now…

“Miss Louise, what are you doing there?”

“!!?”

“You were playing outside again, I see.”

“……”

“Sigh! You should just stay quietly in your room. Why do you keep going out…”

“……”

The girl called Louise shrank at the sight of an old maid scolding her.

She was tense, wondering why they had to meet in such a place, and her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst at any moment.

That’s how scared the child was of this old maid, and just as she squeezed her eyes shut…

Whoosh.

“Pleased to meet you, miss. I am Santa Rihan.”

“…??”

A very gentle voice was heard, and Louise’s eyes flew open involuntarily.

And what the child saw was…

“…Wow. You’re pretty.”

The face of a very handsome man.

“Pardon?”

It was an appreciation that came out unconsciously, and at this remark…

“Ah…!”

Louise couldn’t help but cover her mouth.

It was an almost instinctive comment, but she immediately sensed it was a mistake.

However, he…

“Haha, thank you for that. Being called pretty is a compliment I’m hearing for the first time in my life.”

He merely grinned as if grateful, and Louise quickly blushed.

“R-really, first time?”

“Yes, it’s the first time I’ve heard such a remark in my life.”

“That can’t be right, you’re really pretty…”

No matter how mature, a child was still a child, and Louise showed her inexperience at hiding her honest feelings.

Normally, the maid should have been angry, but…

“Hoho, it’s not wrong. I too have never seen such a pretty man as you.”

“I’ll… take that as a compliment.”

“It is a compliment. So very beautiful. If you were just a bit shorter, you could have been employed as a maid.”

“…That’s fortunate then. At least I’m tall.”

“Ohoho!”

The old maid laughed while covering her mouth, and Louise blinked her eyes.

It was the first time she had seen the mean old maid, worse than a witch from fairy tales, laugh like that.

So she asked:

“W-who are you?”

It was a question with multiple meanings, and to this question, Santa Rihan replied, still wearing a refreshing smile:

“Please speak more formally, miss. As of today, I am merely a servant who has become a proud worker of Modred.”

“……”

His bold and refreshing statement made Louise think:

‘He doesn’t look like a servant, but more like a knight.’

…A knight far more splendid than the knights in her household.

“Pretty knight…”

“Miss?”

“Eep?!”

“……”

Louise hurriedly closed her mouth.

…And hearing this assessment:

‘I just compressed my muscles and frame a bit… This feels strange.’

He merely felt awkward at the continued remarks about being pretty.