episode_0024

I still remember the ranch lady’s embarrassed face.

It was natural, since hundreds of villagers brought carts with more than enough meat to eat.

Even though he was a white person, he only weighed about 60kg, but that wasn’t just one cart. He went back to the village and brought a total of two carts.

“Your father won’t come in person?”

“That’s great.”

Because he could not enter the village, the virtual father was being harshly criticized by the villagers.

When we came back, we took all the alcohol in the village in a cart.

As a bonus, I even learned how to collect yeast to use in bread and alcohol.

‘Yeast was the bacteria in the flower.’

Thanks to that, I had to pull a cart all day and go pick flowers at Jules’s house.

The villagers had quite a bit of alcohol.

Perhaps because the supply of meat had been cut off for a long time, most people readily agreed to exchange.

Most of it was beer or milk, but you could often get properly aged wine or fruit juice.

I was able to get several bottles of distilled liquor, which is famous for its strong taste.

The owner of the distillery was the farm owner whose egg Jules ate.

He seemed like a person who needed to get drunk.

“Wouldn’t it be heavy? Let me help you.”

“It’s okay. I can go alone.”

“You said you would help me?”

‘I can’t help you!’

Kind-hearted people even gave up their work to help me pull the cart. It was difficult to refuse such sincerity.

Because my imaginary father was pricking his ears from afar.

In the end, a drinking party took place in broad daylight.

The hosots, regardless of age or gender, got drunk and fell into an early nap.

The plaza was filled with the smell of alcohol that even the waterfall could not sweep away.

The Dvergers shook their heads or sighed.

I think they now realize that they also have to make alcohol.

“Uuuu…!” “uuu!

“···My head will break!”

Fortunately, the hosots’ envy of alcohol was quickly shattered.

The hangover cracked my head.

There are some hosots that hold their head and vomit, and some even vomit while sleeping.

Dberg shakes his head from afar.

You will also have to clean up the things you vomited up.

···If you’re going to make alcohol, I’ll have to help.

“Seollang released poison into the village───!”

“Such a crazy guy.”

Sigh!

When Juul hit Hueso on the back of the head, Hueso fell down.

Of these, the only one who is fine is Juul.

Heilang was feeding water to Shir, who was on the verge of death, with his temples pressed down.

‘···Why are you giving a child alcohol when it’s not even Roman times?’

“Sihyeon.”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything left?”

“Yes. A few bottles left.”

“Let’s eat together.”

Because that’s distilled alcohol, I left it out on purpose.

The alcohol content is so high that I might die if I eat it.

─In the dictionary sense.

I didn’t even like alcohol to begin with.

What are you thinking about asking a child to drink in the first place?

Seeing the mischievous smile on his face gives me chills for no reason.

If I try to get over it, I might shove some distilled liquor in my mouth and pour it down my throat. If you do that, you will really die.

“Young humans can die if they drink alcohol.”

I glared at Jules with a straight face.

“Truly, I am so weak…”

One of the hosots fell into the river while trying to drink water from the river.

I felt like I was seeing everything.

It’s shallow, so no matter how drunk you are, you won’t drown.

You won’t do it, right? ···You’re not waking up?!

Just as I was about to run to get him out.

“Keuk!”

Fortunately, someone rescued Hosott from the water.

He was a priest.

The priest was very embarrassed, looked around, and stood in front of Jules, the culprit of this situation.

“Daughter! What on earth happened?”

“Well, I just drank some alcohol.”

Jules smiled shyly.

The priest glanced at me, then back at Jules.

“I see. It’s the smell of human alcohol that I haven’t smelled in a long time. Did you bring it with you?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“He received it through barter from the human village.”

Jules pulled me in.

Thanks to you, I was deeply hugged.

The priest looked at me, following Jules’ chin movements.

“You didn’t bring it.”

I thought you were going to ask something else, but the point you’re asking is strange.

“Well, that’s how it goes.”

“Rest well.”

The priest passed Jules and began to climb the stairs.

He is a person whose intentions are difficult to understand.

Jules’ eyes were following the priest’s back.

I felt like I was sober. Or maybe he wasn’t drunk in the first place.

“I’m sleepy. Let’s go in and sleep.”

“Yes.”

I was just tired from hard labor.

Because Juul suggested it first, I didn’t have to turn it down.

Thanks to this, the three of them lined up and went up the stairs, with the priest ahead of them.

“Father.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“Teach my slave to read.”

“Don’t you know the text?”

“Because my father is better at teaching.”

“Teaching is also something you must learn.”

Jules shrugged.

“Shisha will take care of that.”

“What do you plan to do if Xu Xia dies?”

‘Wow, do you even hear that as an example?’

Jules was also upset and kept his mouth shut.

Of course, there are very few Ajin people who enjoy their entire life here and end their lives here. Compared to Earth, death is closer, and as death gets closer, the way we deal with it also changes.

Of course, being annoyed is a different matter.

It was clear that Juul’s annoyance was growing every time the priest made old noises.

“Teaching students is another practice.”

“Yes, yes. I understand. I’ll take care of it.”

Jules’ voice is gruff.

This person is also upset.

“Can I just take one book from my father’s house?”

“That’s a book kids should read.”

“No! To that extent──!”

“The children of the tribe should watch and learn first.”

“He’s a kid too.”

“Before that, we were human.”

“Do it in moderation! What’s wrong with that one book?!”

···I think I asked you to tell me the article for no reason.

Why were so many people in ancient times illiterate?

Because there was no place to learn.

‘This is why I couldn’t ask my parents to teach me how to write.’

Jules seems a little excited because of the alcohol.

“You never know. That is, if your slave is recognized by Xu Sha.”

Jules’ eyes twinkled.

“Be sure to keep those words.”

“If your slave is recognized in person.”

“···Yes? What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

My heart was pounding.

Did you notice that I told Jules that I wanted to learn to read?

No, there’s no way you would say something like that if you hadn’t noticed.

“Priest.”

“──────?!”

Jules eyes widened and looked down at me.

But in contrast, the priest was calm.

It was ironic.

This person seems to have no aversion to humans at all.

Only I knew.

This person is truly trying to accept me.

Because I know that if I don’t receive recognition, I will eventually turn aside.

“Thank you.”

“······It would be better to get permission as soon as possible.”

The priest just walked up and went up.

To be exact, Juul stopped walking and the priest moved away. Juul looked back and forth between me and the priest, then frowned and glared at me.

“You.”

“Yes.”

“You are my slave, not someone else’s.”

“Yes.”

“There is no need to listen to other people.”

When I didn’t answer, Jules followed my gaze and waited for me until the priest walked away.

Only after seeing that was I able to open my mouth.

“I am human. I am not a member of this place, nor am I a slave working for the members, but a slave of Jule.”

After spending a while, I can understand.

Even though I came in as a slave and it’s only been a few days since I arrived, Jules doesn’t treat me like a slave.

There was no sign of drawing.

If so, the hosots have no choice but to recognize me as an insectivore.

“Why is that?”

“In every relationship, you should receive as much as you give.”

“You don’t have to do that?!”

Jules’ voice rose.

···This is why I’m scared of people who drink alcohol.

I get excited too easily.

Most people were drowned out by the sound of the waterfall, but some of the drunken hosots woke up and were looking at Jules and me.

“You have to distinguish between public and private matters.”

Attention starts to come from all over.

I wasn’t happy about it.

“I’m not likable and I’m an outsider in a hostile country, and I can’t control it either. Plus, it’s been a little over three days since I came to the village.”

It was selfishness that made me want to learn how to read in the first place.

“I am Jules’ slave, not this place’s slave. You won’t be able to see it even if it’s the same demi-human. You can’t give away the village’s assets to teach unhelpful people.”

Jules’ excitement seems to be subsiding, as if he can’t bear to get angry at the right words.

“You can’t learn writing by yourself, and books are really expensive things. The priest has no obligation to invest in me.”

“I am contributing to this village. It’s not so light that you can’t borrow a book.”

Jules’ voice subsided.

“Let’s go in and talk.”

The eyes of the hosots, including Heilang, are heavy.

I don’t want to be seen as presumptuous.

Jules entered the house and sat down on the bed.

I pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Jules.

···Let’s not be mistaken.

Juul only gives me special treatment because he knows that I have received Dragonia’s blessing. Actually, I am a worthless person.

In fact, even that blessing is a lie.

“Written─.”

“You don’t need a book. I will teach you how to write myself.”

Just as I was about to open my mouth.

Jules interrupted my words and hugged me and buried herself in the bed.

My body naturally followed suit.

‘···why? Why do you show me like this? ‘Because there was alcohol involved?’

“I understand what you mean. I also understand the desire to be recognized. But you are too young.”

Confusing.

Because the priest and Juul do not see me as a slave, but recognize me as one person.

These people would invest this much in me — they aren’t even an investment.

There is no need to sacrifice.

My head is spinning.

The only possibility is ‘attraction’.

The devil said that some of the thinking of living things relies on gravity, but I am from another world. There is no point of contact at all.

Weren’t you even warned that your presence would fade?

But the priest and Juul care for me more than I need.

As if being drawn by a force of attraction.

“······That’s right.”

“Hosot holds a coming-of-age ceremony at the age of twenty. I’ll put it there somehow.”

There are still a little over 6 years left.

They say you look after them now because they are young, but when they become adults, it will be difficult to forgive them for mistakes or interference.

···In the meantime, we have to learn about the world.

“How do you hold a coming-of-age ceremony?”

“It’s simple. It’s over when Hosott catches game that can be eaten raw.”

In that case, what is happening in the village now is part of the coming-of-age ceremony.

“It’s not that difficult.”

“If you catch something small, you will be looked down on. If you want to catch the big one, you have to practice steadily from now on.”

“I’ll try my best.”

There are more than one or two parts that immediately bother me.

How should we accept the fact that we are already preparing for a coming-of-age ceremony that will only take place six years from now?

Should I think of it as a complaint made while drunk?

I am convinced again and again.

Jules doesn’t treat me like a slave.

In fact, he treats me emotionally like he treats his own child.

‘The problem is that it only applies to Juul.’

To other demi-humans, I am Juul’s slave, not demi-human.

Even if you want to be friends, it’s impossible.

Just like before, only Juul becomes a strange person.

In order to get along with someone, you can’t lag behind or get ahead.

We must go together.

Meanwhile, the priest gave me the opportunity to mix in here as I wanted, so I accepted it, but the very idea of being recognized was abstract.

Let alone, I have no idea what to do.

It’s natural for Jules to be angry.

‘Do you want to be recognized as a tribesman by a slave?’

The priest also sees me as a person, not a slave.

─Only two people in this village.

I touched the arms that were holding me gently but firmly.

It would be best to ask him directly, but I don’t think he is that close. In the first place, he himself did not answer.

‘It’s only been ten days since we met.’

Let’s give it a little more time.

Right now, I’m just a pet that can talk.

My stomach ached and I felt sleepy quickly.

The sound of Jules breathing evenly in my ear doesn’t sound like he’s sleeping.

Contemplation is good, but most drunken contemplation is bad.

Especially when it comes to Juul analyzed by my own standards.

“If you drink too much, you will get sick.”

“I know.”

“I have some good alcohol set aside, so drink it slowly.”

Because of the loss of strength, Jules’ arms feel heavy today.

You may experience muscle pain when you wake up.

We exchanged meaningless small talk with Juul, who didn’t seem to be sleepy yet, and slowly fell into sleep as if melting away.