episode_0002

When he opens his eyes, he kicks the door open, chews grass, and prepares for training.

So, I tried to start another day that seemed to fit into a factory mold.

…if this guy wasn’t in front of me.

* * *

I don’t know exactly how much time has passed since I was trapped in this mountain.

I could only guess that ‘decades must have passed,’ but I have my own reasons for expressing it so vaguely.

“Hmm… Let’s see where.”

During the first year after I came into the mountains, I also counted the days diligently.

This is proven by the lines drawn on the walls of the cabin I built.

However, once I started practicing in earnest and got into the groove of the practice that was initially chaotic, I became so absorbed that I lost track of time.

I don’t know the exact passage of time.

Well, there’s a saying that goes, when you focus on something, you can’t properly perceive the passage of time… right?

Perhaps, while I was immersed in my training, the so-called final boss of this world could have been defeated long ago.

Anyway, why am I talking about time that has already passed so suddenly?

The reason is simple.

Because I haven’t met a single person since I came into these mountains.

The bandits that often appear in novels also do not exist in this mountain.

If I had to guess the reason, I think it’s because it looks so scary that the creatures living in the mountains don’t even dare to think about staying there.

That’s understandable, because I too was trembling with fear when I first entered this mountain.

No wonder I regretted coming to this mountain.

… It’s not because I’m a coward, I think anyone else would have been scared enough.

Think about it, the first creature I encountered when I entered the mountains was a wolf three times my size.

The large bear we met next had a strong wind pressure every time it swung its front paw.

Who wouldn’t be scared in that situation?

No matter how much I love fantasy, I still get dizzy when I feel threatened by him.

Some people might hear me say this and ask, ‘Why are you here?’

As I said before, I also regretted it when I first entered this mountain.

Well, every animal I encountered had that shape and appearance, so I was going to run away right away.

But there was something I overlooked.

I was quite the road warrior.

In addition, because I was running around like crazy, I didn’t know where I was or where the exit was.

Well… This is all in the past. It’s all just memories.

Aren’t you living so comfortably now?

Besides, I even got revenge on the animals that threatened me last time.

Although the meat had a fishy smell, it was edible.

… I think the story has gone off on a bit of a tangent, but anyway.

As I explained before, this mountain is really dangerous.

So, there was no way there would be anyone in front of me.

“Huh… .”

By the way, what is this guy lying in front of someone else’s house with such good fortune?

If you see a regular rise and fall of the chest, it is most likely not dead.

‘…Who could it be?’

I squinted my eyes and examined the guy’s appearance.

“Black hair… ?”

Her dark black hair, which was rare here, was long enough to cover her entire body, perhaps because she had never thought of cutting it or had never had time.

A child with gaunt arms and legs that looked like he had starved for several days, wearing a tattered rag that looked like it could be used to clean the floor as clothing… .

How on earth did we get here?

“Um… .”

Judging by the uncommon black hair here, he might be a character from a novel.

Usually in these fantasy novels, even if the main character isn’t black-haired, at least the main characters will have black hair.

Well, this is just a guess.

‘What should I do…?’

I am naturally timid, so I am careful about my actions.

If I help this child now, I don’t know what kind of butterfly effect it will have.

How have I extended my life so far?

Didn’t you just stay in the mountains and live a miserable life day after day, trying to avoid influencing others as much as possible?

But is it really necessary to take such a big gamble now, to help a child who might be a character?

…but.

If I only worry about my own well-being and don’t help this child, what will happen to this child?

“…”

The worry didn’t last that long.

Unfortunately, I’m just too timid to ignore a child who doesn’t look in good condition.

‘… Let’s send it when the child’s condition gets better.’

I can only help you up to that point.

Rationalizing my actions to myself, I lifted the child who had fallen to the floor onto my shoulders and dragged him back to the cabin.

“… It’s lighter than I thought.”

Thanks to that, I realized that the child’s condition was more serious than it seemed, and I thought that I should wake the child up quickly and feed him.

“No.”

It’s annoying to wake up and act up for no reason.

I decided to put off feeding him and just take off his dirty clothes.

“… Hmm.”

It might sound a bit impure to say that you’re taking off the clothes of a child who has passed out.

I also had to check if there were any wounds, and if the body was dirty, wouldn’t the condition not improve?

First of all, washing it comes first.

“Is it a girl?”

Seeing her long, unkempt hair, I was a little worried that she might be a girl.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter.”

Well, I’m a woman too.

So, with somewhat complacent thoughts, I took off the child’s clothes and let out a sigh of relief when I confirmed that it was a boy.

“Thank goodness.”

I said it like that, but if it was really a girl, I think I would have felt like I was doing something wrong… .

Still, it’s fortunate that he’s a man.

I wet the towel I had brought with me when I entered the mountains and slowly wiped the child’s body.

“There are no wounds.”

I’ve already wiped every nook and cranny of her body with a towel that looks like it was washed six times.

So, I spent a long time rubbing the areas that were not easily erased to erase the dirt.

“… Is this enough?”

He pretended to wipe the sweat from his forehead as he looked at the cleaned up child.

“Let’s see… the leftover clothes… .”

Since I can’t keep taking them off, I should at least put on some spare clothes.

The boy’s original clothes were in such bad condition that I decided to dress him in my usual clothes.

“Hmm, that’s okay.”

Now, apart from the messy hair, he looks pretty presentable.

“If only I could fix that hair, it would be really neat.”

The thought occurred to me, ‘Should I just cut it off?’

Because if this world is steeped in Confucianism, there might be a saying, “Hair is also another part of our body given to us by our parents!”

“Oh my, my fate.”

After quietly washing the child with water, he was left lying on the floor, having changed beyond recognition.

“Ugh… .”

Then the child curled up and frowned. I thought it was because his hair wasn’t dry enough and he was cold.

“… I guess I should at least give you something to cover it with.”

He placed a few shabby rags over the child’s body and sighed deeply.

“Is this okay?”

I also didn’t bring any bedding when I climbed the mountain, so I just filled a leather pouch I made myself with leaves and used that.

‘It’s a shame it’s not a warm blanket, though.’

… it’s better than nothing.

Above all, since the child has such a relaxed expression on his face, it will be okay.

“Wake up quickly”

After patting the child’s head once, I went out of the cabin again.

Even though he was an unexpected guest, he was my first housewarming guest, so I should at least treat him to something to eat.

Because there’s nothing for that child to eat at home.

I threw myself into the bushes to hunt for some game that the child could eat and gain strength from.

*

“Did it take too long?”

Looking at the sky, the blue sky before the hunt was dyed red.

It may have been quite some time since the child came to his senses.

“Tsk, why do you live so far away”

There are no animals worth catching and eating near my house, so I came far away.

I never thought time would pass this quickly.

“I have to go quickly.”

-thud!

After the hunt, he dragged an animal that was much larger than a bear along the ground and walked toward the cabin where the child would be.

* * *

The boy looked blank and blank.

I just stared blankly at the blazing fire.

‘Was I, was I that wrong?’

My resting place, my beloved’s treasure trove, is being consumed by fire because of me.

The house I live in is burning down because of me.

‘Even so, was it really necessary to do this?’

Beyond the pillars of the house that had begun to collapse, the arm of what was supposed to be the boy’s mother is visible.

‘Really? Is this normal?’

In his eyes that had lost their color, he saw his family being engulfed in a fierce flame.

“…”

This situation didn’t feel real.

“Is this the house the lord was talking about?”

“Yeah, it’s burning really well.”

When I turn around at the sound of the voice, I see the knights and guards protecting this village.

There was no pity in their expressions. There was no pity. There was no sympathy. There was no guilt.

“Tsk, why are you talking back”

There was just a cold gaze, a contrast to the blazing fire, looking at the flames like trash.

“… Talk back.”

After hearing the knight’s words, the boy began to think again about what he had done.

but.

“Why did you do this…?”

The boy’s mind was still full of questions.

“Huh? What are you, you spoiled brat?”

A spoiled brat, that would certainly be the word for the boy.

The boy was naturally fearless and would say whatever came to his mind right away.

Adults would call this boy honest, or at worst, a spoiled brat.

The boy liked it.

Even the adults called him a spoiled brat, but giving him an extra piece of bread made the boy happier.

It seemed as if the boy’s actions, thoughts, and values were telling him that he was right.

The boy’s mother also told him that honesty was a virtue.

The boy’s father also told the boy that he was cool and special.

but.

“Oh my… Why, why did you do this… .”

The adult’s words that he was rude at this time were like an awl stabbing the boy’s heart.

“Tsk… Just think of it as a mistake.”

After that, the guard kept saying this and that, but the boy didn’t hear it.

Things like money, taxes, and land prices were too early for the boy to know.

And, even though it was done as an example, it was incomprehensible to the boy’s values.

The boy’s head started to spin and he started to feel faint as the guard continued to speak.

“My family really didn’t have any money, ugh… .”

What the boy said was true.

The boy’s family consisted of a father who went hunting to find food to eat right away, and a mother who went to the market every day to sell the game her father brought in at a slightly higher price.

They worked so hard to earn their keep, but instead of putting it all in their own mouths, they gave it all to the boy. They may not have much money, but they were rich in spirit.

Because that was the kind of family it was.

The guard who heard the boy frowned and avoided eye contact.

“… You shouldn’t openly oppose the lord. You were talking nonsense about his authority being lowered”

“Authority… ?”

The boy did not understand such difficult words.

However, in context, I only understood it as something similar to pride.

“You were so fearless that you yelled at the lord… Tsk, follow me. The lord himself called you.”

So, what this guy is saying is:

Are you saying that you burned down our house because of the lord’s proud pride?

really?

Just for the sake of your pride?

Your parents are the ones who sold their pride and worked hard to support you?

“Follow me quietly, and the lord may show you at least a little mercy.”

The guard closed his mouth as if he had said all he wanted to say, and began to reach out to lead the boy to the lord.

“Don’t be a jerk… .”

The boy felt an inexplicable sense of disgust at the hand reaching out to him and roughly pushed it away.

“This guy?”

“No matter how much I think about it, I didn’t do anything wrong”

I thought long and hard about whether it was wrong for me to shout so fearlessly, but it wasn’t at all.

He simply did as he was taught by his proud mother and father.

What the boy saw and learned from his parents.

“That son of a bitch, that fucking lord, didn’t it hurt your mother to get his hands on you?”

Always put your family before yourself.

Just as a mother takes care of her father.

Just like my father protected my mother.

“I, I just stopped that guy because my mother looked sick… Was that, was that so wrong that it would kill everyone?”

No, he was not wrong.

No matter how much the boy thought about it, the one who was at fault was the damn lord of this place.

He was the problem.

◦ No, it’s a guard to protect us.

The guards, no, everyone is a problem.

“You are not human.”

A person who falls behind like a coward and does not know how to raise his voice is not human.

“Just a beast that’s busy wagging its tail at its owner, nothing more or less.”

In the boy’s opinion, it was no different from the beast that was trapped inside us.

“Get out of here, you son of a bitch.”