episode_0047

The flags of the vigilantes, engraved with a bird of prey with outstretched wings and three swords extending in a fan shape, flutter in the wind on each wagon entering the city of Maibaon. Citizens who welcomed the wagon procession began to gather one by one, and Ray, who was riding in the saddle at the front row, waved to the onlookers and greeted them.

“Everyone is so welcoming! I guess we’re popular.”

Ray said with an excited expression, sitting with his knees folded to one side ‘culturedly’.

“Yes, of course, because we are helping them a lot.”

Kyle, the direct agent who was sitting next to Ray and pulling the horse, pulled lightly on the reins to slow the procession.

‘It’s nice to be out. I’m glad I said I’d follow you.’

This morning, Ray, who had been urging Mila to go with him to the scene, was refused, and unable to overcome his boredom, decided to go out on a mission to distribute winter firewood in the morning. Then, the members who received this news informed the city of the prince’s appearance before the wagon set off, and the results were explosive.

“She really looks like an angel, just like the rumors say⋯.”

“You just made eye contact with me!”

“It has a completely different charm from the rough Memerlang⋯⋯.”

Ray didn’t notice anything unusual, but there were more female onlookers with more selfish eyes than usual on the streets of Maibaon. Kyle, who was driving the reins, trembled involuntarily at the sight of their blatant gazes and turned his head to the side in worry, but Ray still smiled brightly and greeted them.

“Ray, you have such a kind heart.”

Even though it was a job that was well-received by the citizens, she thought Ray was truly amazing for not losing her smile even in the face of such disgusting women.

“Yes? You all like it! Nice to meet you~.”

Ray gave a short answer and then turned back to the whistling crowd and waved.

“Those are⋯⋯.”

“Why should we pay taxes to you?”

“That’s right, they only look like a bunch of thieves with different colored hoods.”

“Aren’t you planning to change your mind at any time if things go wrong?”

“This is something the regular army should solve!”

In the early days of the vigilante movement, the city’s mobs, who had been rebelling for some tedious reason even when they were in immediate trouble, now made such a face just because they made eye contact with Ray. As always, it seemed as if Memer’s suggestion, which had been dubious at first, was once again proven right, and Kyle smiled bitterly.

Of course, the fact that the number of members increased rapidly after Mila became the leader was largely due to the value of Arshul’s name, but as those who had been suspicious said, Ray’s contribution was also significant in that the vigilante group, which had been nothing more than an armed private organization, was able to approach the southerners as a friend. Although he himself did not notice it much.

“Here, here. Here’s the firewood we’ll be using this winter.”

Ray personally carried a pile of firewood in both hands and handed it out to citizens who had come out to receive rations, and he also went back and forth with his cart and knocked on the closed doors.

“Kyle! You keep giving me food in return, is this okay to accept?”

Kyle couldn’t help but laugh as he saw Ray carrying a bundle of meat, dried vegetables, and a large sack of food. Those people who told him to leave it in front of the door and get lost when they brought it to him.

“It’s hard to refuse everything. We already have food, so we can just collect it and use it to distribute it again.”

Kyle responded, hoisting two bundles of firewood onto his shoulders.

“I see.”

“Let’s finish the rest quickly and go eat.”

“What do you think? What are your thoughts after watching this far?”

Memer asked Dice Kyung while they were having a late lunch together with the citizens in the main square of Maibaon.

“It’s exactly the same as what I heard. These people truly believe in you.”

Dice answers, spooning the now familiar, coarse grain porridge into his mouth.

“The wood for firewood is only available far away, so our rations are a great help in getting through the winter, especially during this time of high security. This is the second time since last year.”

Memer hugged his knees and continued to talk, rocking back and forth. Princess Amel glanced at him, and when Memer glanced at her, she quickly turned her head away. Amel, who was entering her early teenage years, had a strange feeling in her heart whenever she saw him, a type she had never seen before when she lived in the palace. While she wanted to see the prince she had left behind, she could not forget Memer, who kept smiling at her.

“Hey, Mr. Memer? Mr. Memer came with you too?”

The teenage girl Amel’s gaze turned to the direction where the voice was heard. If Memer was the type of man who had somehow become engrained in her mind and kept coming to mind, the boy who suddenly appeared before her eyes had a charm that literally made her five senses sparkle from the very first time they met.

“⋯? Oh, hello.”

Ray tried to recall her memories, wondering if she knew him because he was staring at her with such blank eyes. Princess Amel tried to say hello, but eventually she lowered her face, which had turned even redder than before.

“Yeah, I was showing off what we do to the guests. You didn’t ask me to do it, but you’re helping out today. Even though it’s winter, if you stay out in the sun for too long, your skin will get tanned. Come here to the shade.”

Memer said, pointing to the seat next to Amel.

“Who is this kid? I’m seeing his face for the first time.”

Ray said as he sat shoulder to shoulder with Amel. Her gaze narrowed and her heart began to beat like crazy. She curled her legs up and started to crack the grains in her porridge.

“Yeah, princess.”

Memer answers in a calm tone.

“Princess? Which of our daughters are you? Hey, what’s your name?”

Ray speaks to her in a friendly manner, without even dreaming that she is literally the princess of this country.

“Ah⋯, Amel⋯⋯.”

The princess mumbled in a barely audible voice.

“Huh? What’s your name?”

There were times when Latia was like this too, and Ray felt cute towards her, who was licking her lips while thinking the same thing. Of course, it was more the kind of cuteness he felt towards someone his daughter was, rather than the kind he felt as a romantic interest.

“⋯⋯Amel Arsul⋯.”

“Okay, okay. If you stare at me like that, I’ll be embarrassed. Look at your blushing face.”

Memer naturally intervened, burying the princess’s words. Ray didn’t hear the last name, but he definitely heard the name Amel.

“Ahaha, you must be really shy. Did you finish eating? Do you want some more of this?”

Ray said with a big smile on his face as he placed a piece of bread on Amel’s porridge bowl. This kind of thoughtless kindness had once made Latia lose her whole life, and it was too much for a girl who was not used to the opposite sex to handle.

“You like kids?”

Memer blurts out an unusual line. Ray looks at Memer in surprise, but is relieved when he realizes from his face that what he said was not what he had thought.

“Just, isn’t it cute?”

Ray can’t talk about his daughter, so he tries to muddle through.

“Please give me one.”

Memer learns and imitates the jokes of mean women. Ray blushes when he understands what she means.

“It’s not like that with Mila yet, right?”

“Not yet? Hehe.”

Memer giggled. The princess, who was caught between the two, had accumulated enough knowledge to understand all the jokes of such adults, but she desperately rolled her eyes here and there, pretending not to understand.

“I like children too. I want all the children in the world to grow up happily.⋯Unlike others. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing smiles on children’s faces while doing this work.”

Memer said, resting his chin on his hand.

“He was a good person, Mr. Memer.”

Ray speaks as he looks at him again.

“Um… It’s sad to say, but I’ll forgive you because I did something.⋯And I’m not that dedicated. I just live however I can.”

Memer still felt sorry for Ray, who was like a younger brother to him, for almost stealing his lover. He leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky of Maibaon, where clouds were floating faintly.

At that moment, a woman dressed in the uniform of Memer’s unit came running from afar, kicking up dust.

“Report!”

“What’s going on?”

Memer asks, looking up at her as she gasps for breath.

“News from the scouts. We discovered a small bandit camp in the southeastern mountain range. It looks like we’ve managed to subdue them.”

“Really? You mean you went into the mountains? Did the scouts all return?”

Memer scratches his chin.

“No. Only some of them returned with the prisoners, and the rest of the people said they would look around the area a bit more. Uh, and⋯. In the process, they rescued the group that was being held as prisoners, and they are said to be the mother and daughter of the Songrad family.”

Songrad, the name that came out of his mouth made Sir Dice raise his head from where he was scraping the bottom of his porridge bowl with a wooden spoon, and Memer jumped up from his spot.

“Is that true? This is a big deal. I was taken prisoner by bandits.”

Ray raises his head at Dice’s words.

“What do those people do?”

“They are the most powerful family in the southern region. Even if a group of bandits were to rise, I thought they would be safe.”

Sir Dice continues speaking.

@⋯ Where are you now?

Memer, his emotions aroused, shouts in a voice full of anger.

“Mr. Memer⋯⋯?”

“Execution? What are you talking about!”