episode_0087

“Hyuna···Nara···.”

·

·

·

·

·

·

“Sihyeon. Wake up.”

When I woke up, the smell of food stimulated my hunger.

Jules brought breakfast. Felic is glaring at me, as if he doesn’t like me for oversleeping. I guess fatigue had built up in my body after walking for a long time. When I remember what is happening today, the drowsiness disappears.

“Trial, the trial is today, right?”

“They said there was a trial in the morning, so it was postponed to lunch.”

Come to think of it, I remember you didn’t stop by the court yesterday.

“Once you arrive, shouldn’t you report it first? You didn’t stop by the court yesterday.”

“I already did it.”

Jules speaks in passing.

already? But a day trip won’t work, right?

“When?”

“Yesterday evening. The consul was sipping fruit wine alone in a corner of the inn. I reported it informally on the spot.”

Oh, so you went out last night.

“By the way, do you usually drink alone?”

“No. But he drinks.”

“······.”

He is a very great person. Drinking alone goes beyond eating alone.

“Why don’t we have a drink together.”

“You idiot. A person holding a public office cannot drink alcohol with someone related to his or her work in a private setting.”

Felix clicks his tongue and looks at me with a dissatisfied expression.

“I didn’t know. What kind of person is the consul?”

“Half elf.”

ah.

They said that children can be born between elves and humans.

Juul once told me that people like this are called half-elves.

By the way, why are you drinking alone?

“Don’t you usually go home and drink alcohol with your family?”

“Half-elves are infertile like me, so they have no family.”

Although elves and humans are similar, they are actually different species.

It is said that they are incapable of reproduction, like mules.

The breakfast Jules brought was simple grilled skewers of vegetables and meat. The mild skewer scent of bird meat stimulates the nose.

Let’s eat it up… What is it? This familiar source.

Goosebumps ran up my spine.

“Where did you buy this?”

“I bought it from a nearby street vendor.”

“···Isn’t this human meat?”

Jules wrinkles his eyebrows.

“Are you crazy? That guy is blatantly doing business somewhere else. They put up a sign that said, ‘A human meat restaurant where even humans can eat delicious food.’”

What a crazy guy. ······If there was a sign here, it would have drawn a picture of me eating people. That’s a good thing. Because what came into my mouth was not human meat.

“Isn’t human meat a disgusting food? Why are you trying to commercialize human meat?”

“People who eat it don’t eat it for the taste either. You eat it because you hate it. According to literature, during the Great War, each side ate each other.”

“······.”

“Excluding the head and intestines, we ate the meat and boiled the bones to make soup. I fought while eating it. Those people can never forget that war. It seems like all the humans on the Drekkar side are dead and forgotten, but not them.”

It is difficult to understand the emotions.

Because I have never experienced that war.Jules looked at me intently.

“Sihyeon, there are things in this world that you shouldn’t understand.”

“I know.”

Jules prepared my meals and gave me a piggyback ride.

Unlike Korea, the Union Alliance is a high-trust society. Therefore, even non-disposable items can be lent in this way, and it is natural to return them.

“You’ll probably get whipped.”

“What kind of beating?”

“You will be hit on the buttocks and back with a whip or a stick. Since it doesn’t hit your head, you can hold your breath. At most, it would end in a broken bone or torn flesh.”

A broken knee and torn flesh, that’s all?

What kind of life have you been living?

“Can you bear it?”

“I’ve been in worse situations.”

I wish you wouldn’t say such scary things so easily.

After returning the skewers, I sat down in the shade and stared at the sky.

“The consul gave us two options.”

“What do you say?”

” Either charge Yusria and you together, or bury you together.”

“Well, I say it’s done.”

Those who commit sins must be punished.

The court appears to be inside Ymir’s tomb. For some reason, there was a patrol to prevent people from getting close to Ymir’s tomb, but seeing that there were stairs inside and outside of Ymir’s tomb, I thought it was a place where a high-ranking person lived.

“It must hurt, right?”

“It must hurt.”

“Fuck.”

Jules ears flutter and he glances in my direction.

“Shouldn’t I?”

“No.”

“······Once inside, I will take care of everything, so don’t say anything.”

“Yes.”

As I was sunbathing and looking up at the ridiculously tall trees, I realized that there is no difference between people living here and on Earth.

The moat around Ymir’s tomb is a kind of castle wall, and the people who live above it are wealthy people, and the elves who guard the moat are—- apartment guards?

widely!

The window halfway up Ymir’s tomb opened.

Soon, someone held the window with both hands and stuck out their head. It was Yusria with long brown hair.

Yusria begins to scan the surrounding village with her eyes.

Eventually, I and Jules made eye contact, but I lowered my head and looked away.

“If you go to trial, will the sentence be executed immediately?”

“Citizens have a grace period for sentencing. Appeals are possible, but there is no grace period for slaves. Punishment will be carried out immediately on the spot.”

“Yes.”

I glanced up again and immediately made eye contact with Yusria, who was looking in this direction. I avoided my gaze, pretending not to see him, and looked at Jules again.

“Do elves have good eyes?”

“Good. Among the southern demi-humans, I like it second only to Siren.”

I glanced at him and saw that he was still looking this way.

Are you looking at something to see?

“Now let’s go in and wait.”

Jules got up first and walked quietly behind him.

At the single entrance to Ymir’s tomb, two elves stood like mannequins holding spears.

The armor is boiled leather armor and a cape dyed red.

The helmet is pressed so deeply that the face cannot be seen properly.

The atmosphere is like the British Royal Guard. If you put your hand on it, ‘Get away from Ymir’s guards!’ Wouldn’t they scream?

“Stop. Anyone other than the relevant person or person with permission from the relevant person may enter.”

It doesn’t seem that hard. I can’t tell who is speaking because my face is obscured.

“My name is Juyul. He is an executive officer. After receiving a summons order from Consul Douglas, I escorted the criminal and came to participate as a defense attorney.”

The elf looks at Juul and me.

“In the list delivered today, there was a story about Executor Juriul’s slave, but the Executor was not allowed to accompany him.”

······what?

Jules wasn’t allowed to accompany you?

“What are you talking about?”

“This is an order from Consul Douglas.”

“There must be something wrong.”

“Then, I will post a message after work is over. Could you come back tomorrow?”

“The trial is today.”

“······In that case, you only need to allow that slave to enter Ymir’s tomb.”

······Is it coming out like this!

Jules tilts his head.

“Why can’t the owner participate in the trial of my goods?”

“The trial schedule has been set, but a lawyer has not been appointed. Jyuyul’s slave must defend himself.”

“···I want to postpone the trial schedule.”

“Because the trial is scheduled for the same day, it cannot be postponed.”

“What if I refuse to participate?”

“Failure to attend trial will result in the maximum sentence.”

In other words, it means the death penalty.

Jules touches his temple. The eyeballs visible from below are overflowing with ear energy and are extremely blue. ···I’m angry!

“This is absurd. 어이가 없어, 더글라스 이 개새끼가.”

The hand began to point towards the curved sword, and the unique ferocious atmosphere made the skin tremble to the point of numbness.

Even I get goosebumps at the unfamiliar sight.

“Executive officer. We advise you to calm down.”

Thanks to that unique atmosphere, all the elves patrolling around came running towards Zul with spears and bows.

“You must not draw that sword.”

“Really?! That’s what’s coming out of your mouth───!”

I grabbed Jules’ hand.

Jules pauses for a moment, and his gaze naturally moves from my hand to my face. I shook my head at the look in my eyes that seemed to ask me what I was doing.

It hasn’t even been two months since we met.

When someone gets angry about something on your behalf, you tend to let go of your anger. Would you like me to throw away my emotional trash instead? Thanks to this, I was able to make a really calm judgment.

I am so happy that you care so much about me. This is what I started in the first place. Because Jules has too much to lose to stand in for me.

“I’ll go in alone.”

“······What are you talking about?”

“Why are you scaring people with a straight face? Can someone please carry me?”

“I will escort you.”

As the person concerned passed away, the elf also gained momentum and approached me. Jules was frozen and staring at me.

“See you later.”

It looked like a mannequin and didn’t look like a person, but this person was still a person. As I crossed the moat on my back, all thoughts of arrogance came to mind. What happens if you get seriously injured and don’t get treatment in time? Do you release him immediately after hitting him?

“Sihyeon Lee—! Do you think this situation is right?!”

“Of course not!”

I reflexively answered Jules’ question.

He is a living saint.

It is to the extent that favor cannot be accepted as favor.

You say I’m nice, but in reality, you’re the nicest and stupidest. It’s been barely two months since we met. There is no reason for you to do this to me.

The fact that you came forward for me is strange in itself.

A high-ranking public official committed a crime because of slavery. You’re destroying the stronghold you’ve built your entire life for the sake of one slave? That’s just self-destruction. And even causing a ruckus in this situation?

If you think about it, it was strange from the beginning. The same goes for priests.

I thought it was because I was a good person, but the way to love things and the way to love people are different.

Jules’ angry anger flowed from behind.

The gatekeeper walked halfway into Ymir’s tomb. From the middle, the bag was turned over and placed on the head.

Occasionally I could hear footsteps around me, but when I got closer, no one said a word. How far did you walk in that way?

“This is the waiting room. First, once the ongoing trial is over, the court will come looking for you. In the meantime, never take off your eye patch and wait here.”

I have come to realize what I think is right, but my heart is beating furiously. Humans seem to be creatures that only realize something when they reach it.

“I emphasize this again, the moment you take off your head covering, you feel like you are summarily executed. Please do not take it off.”

“Yes.”

The sound of footsteps began to recede.

I ended up rolling around like trash on the floor somewhere. However, I didn’t feel like trash. ···Smells good. Should I say that it is a scent that relaxes the mind?

The sweet smell that feels like I’ve smelled it before calms me down.

Where did you get it? Hmm… it smells like honey mushrooms. Is it possible that all plants blessed by the Earth Mother give off this smell?

When I smell this scent, I feel at ease.

I turned over and lay down with my arms cut.

thud! thud!

Perhaps because my head was touching the floor, I felt someone coming from somewhere. Naturally, my body became tense.

Soon the footsteps stopped.

“···Who is that person rolling around on the floor?”

“What about you?”

“I am a resident here. ······I’m very embarrassed. Is there a special reason why you are lying on the floor?”

The voice is thin.

Rather than a woman, she looked like a boy who had not yet reached the age of transformation. Just like a kid my age.

“I can’t move anything below my waist. I came for trial.”

“Ah, it’s you.”

The voice of the child who was doing what he knew sounded excited.

Do you know me?

“Why are you being tried?”

“······Yes?”

“I heard. Aren’t you only fourteen years old? Even in human years, he would not have reached adulthood.”

It was a very refreshing statement.

However, I didn’t feel any malice.

“I am a slave.”

“Then you will be sentenced to death.”

A stranger approaches me.

Before long, the sound of footsteps began to approach me.

Good profit───

I could hear the chair screaming in front of me.

“This is my hobby, so I hope you’ll join in. What crime did you commit at such a young age?”

“The weapon was pointed at a person.”

“Oh, that’s scary behavior. Why did you do that?”

“Because the other person aimed at me first.”

“Wasn’t there a reason before that happened?”

“I got angry because people were not treated like people.”

“Were you treated harshly?”

“The one who suffered damage was the neutral child who helped me.”

“Yes? So, are you saying you’re angry that neutrals aren’t treated like people? A slave?”

“Yes.”

The child laughed. We are all kids, but we are not like kids.

There was a connection somewhere between the other person and the other person. I wish I could see ahead.

“You are very stupid.”

“That’s right.”

“Why did you act like that when you knew it was stupid?”

“Even if you feel stupid, that is polite and proper.”

“I mean, they are neutral people. They are no different from other animals, so why do you do justice to them?”

“Because we are the same person.”

“What is your duty?”

“The sunny path that we as humans should walk.”

The child lets out a strange moan.

“······The conversation with you was impressive. You gave me enlightenment.”

enlightenment?

“What did you realize?”

A moment of silence draws my attention to my ears.

“People with strange beliefs die quickly.”

No, that kind of crazy person…!

“······Phew!”

I can’t refute it because it’s true.

It just makes me laugh. The child also giggled and laughed.

“I have to go now.”

“Is that so.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you. You seem tired. Please rest now.”

Take a good rest?

I suddenly felt drowsy. Very light and refreshing. Like the drowsiness that comes after climax. My body felt weak, so I decided to close my eyes for a while as the child said.