episode_0090

Creak. Creak.

She climbed the old stairs.

A grating noise echoed with every step.

Reaching the second floor, she threw open Fosao’s bedroom door.

Creak.

The moment her mud-covered boots stepped inside the bedroom’s threshold.

“Ugh…”

She felt it.

The presence of a powerful ‘memory apparition’.

It was proof that a sinister past pervaded this entire bedroom.

She looked around.

The room was neatly organized, everything exactly as Fosao usually kept it.

If anything seemed a little out of place, it was a glass bottle sitting in one corner of the room.

Strange.

That’s a glass bottle from my pharmacy…

Why is it here?

The moment she picked it up, curious.

A rush of images!

The remaining memories unfolded one by one.

* * *

Tia was in the pharmacy.

Thud.

After looking through the bookshelf for a long time, she found a book and immediately pulled it out.

She read the title.

.

Ritsu had told her to consult this book just before he collapsed.

Rustle.

She flipped through the pages, searching for the desired section.

Soon, she truly found ‘A Medicinal Method for Blood-Vomiting Symptoms’.

It was a surprisingly perfect remedy for the current situation.

At first, she was excited with the expectation that she could quickly cure Ritsu.

She immediately checked the remaining ingredients in the shed to make the medicine.

“…No.”

Too many things were missing.

All of them were medicinal herbs she had seen in the book at least once, but they were so rare that even Ritsu had difficulty handling them.

Other ingredients could be easily obtained if she went down to the lower village.

But these… what should I do?

No, no. Let’s think calmly.

No matter what, I just have to get them.

She decided to organize first.

She made a list of necessary ingredients and excluded the ones that were relatively easy to obtain.

“The main ingredients are Asgera stamens, white-tailed flowers…”

These were also difficult herbs to find, but she might be able to get them by rummaging through the market.

The real problem was something else.

“Cheonjinju.”

It was the herb Ritsu had been searching for to make medicine for the Village Chief-nim.

She heard it had incredibly potent restorative properties, but it was extremely difficult to obtain.

We had to cross beyond the boundary and search Dragonez thoroughly for two days to barely find one.

Cheonjinju was said to be even rarer because it only grew in the mountains, in places difficult for humans to reach, like cliffs.

It might be found in Deseo, but the possibility of it being in Taildon was naturally low.

Moreover, it was winter now, so gatherers weren’t out and about.

It would be even harder to find medicinal herbs in the snow-covered mountains.

“Still, just in case.”

Tia immediately went down to the lower village.

First, she sought out Taildon’s apothecary and asked if there were any remaining ingredients.

She secretly held onto hope, but the answer that came back was shocking.

“I’m sorry. I can’t give out any more medicine.”

“…Why?”

“It’s a bit sensitive to explain why. Hmm, but since it’s you, I’ll tell you specially.”

The apothecary stroked his chin worriedly.

“It seems a big war will break out in the near future. Lord-nim has ordered us to prepare emergency provisions with all remaining ingredients.”

“War?!”

“Shhh. Quiet.”

The apothecary, who had cautioned her to lower her voice, nodded with a stern face.

“Yes. The atmosphere these days is no joke. This is also a secret, but a few days ago, five mercenaries were found dead near here. Lord-nim ordered them to be buried without a word, so everyone is keeping quiet. Something ominous is definitely brewing.”

“…”

“Any news from the upper village? Well, I suppose there wouldn’t be much to say, right?”

“Not yet. This is the first I’ve heard about preparing for war.”

“I’m telling you again, don’t tell anyone yet. Lord-nim seems to be waiting for the upper village chief to arrive. But if rumors spread first, it’ll be troublesome.”

“…I understand.”

Tia went outside.

Synthesizing the words she had just heard, a general flow became clear.

The aftermath of the ‘noble rebellion’ started in Deseo had reached this far.

Goldburg, having heard the news earlier, had attempted to make contact with Taildon.

She couldn’t be sure, but the sight of an unusually large number of private soldiers gathered, and the situation of all medicinal ingredients being turned into ‘military emergency provisions’…

It was clear that ‘Dragonez’ was preparing to rebel against Deseo.

Rattle- rumble-.

A tent-covered cart passed right beside her.

Through a slightly parted gap in the tent, she could see clumps of iron.

They were rusty and misshapen, but Tia could clearly recognize them.

What was loaded on the cart were ‘weapons’.

And where the donkey was headed was the mercenaries’ house.

It was the ‘contact point’.

“…War.”

Tia numbly repeated the word.

No thoughts came to her mind.

Even though it was no different from her having caused that ‘war’ which had driven people to their deaths decades ago.

She felt no new emotions, no crushing sense of responsibility, nor any guilt.

The only feeling that seeped in was powerlessness.

She didn’t want to care whether a war happened or not.

All of this was just to save Ritsu; she had no political ambitions.

Rather, she lamented her inability to obtain ‘medicinal herbs’ because of the war.

Tia went to find Mister Marvin.

The moment she cautiously brought up her desire to ‘go up the mountain’.

“Is that something you should even be saying right now?”

As expected, good words did not return.

People had already decided that ‘Tia’ and ‘the mountain’ should never be together.

Tia bowed her head and accepted it.

All of this. The reason Ritsu was injured by the bear, the Village Chief-nim died, the villagers suffered, winter became hard, and Ruyef left the village…

It was all because she herself wanted to go up the mountain.

Mister Marvin furrowed his brow and asked.

“Let’s hear your reason. Why do you want to go up the mountain?”

“Ritsu is very sick. He vomited blood. To cure him, there are medicinal herbs that can only be found in the mountains…”

“Then, if something else happens on the mountain, what do you expect us to do?”

Mister Marvin pointed to the storage shed.

“Now there’s no one to go with you. Ruyef ran away, didn’t he? While you’re gone, digging up herbs or whatever in the mountains, how are we, who know nothing, supposed to take care of Ritsu? We’re all busy working and don’t even have time to listen to frivolous talk.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I’m not saying this to hear you apologize.”

Mister Marvin sighed deeply and crossed his arms.

“I know you’re anxious because Ritsu is sick, but for now, let’s just observe his progress. Just because someone vomits blood doesn’t mean they’ll die, does it?”

“Ah, no! Ritsu asked me before he collapsed. He asked me to make medicine. But there aren’t enough ingredients to make that medicine… I asked the lower village, but they said they couldn’t give any…”

“You’re just making trouble again.”

At his sharp voice, Tia’s tongue went dry.

“Please grow up, child. How long are you going to live like this?”

“…”

“Do you still not know why Ritsu ended up like that? It’s because you kept making trouble, causing unnecessary risks with things that didn’t need to be done.”

No matter what Tia said, she was always rebutted like this.

Because his words weren’t wrong, the girl remained silent every time.

Like an eternal shackle.

She was tormented by guilt, bound by her neck and ankles.

Tia walked aimlessly up the hill.

Whistling!

The knife-like winter wind brought snow.

White flakes clung to the edge of her wrapped cloak.

There was no medicine in the lower village.

She couldn’t go up the mountain where the herbs were.

“…”

Looking up at Dragonez’s mountain, which had turned completely white, Tia realized there was only one place left to go.

She clutched her cloak tightly and walked.

Without a word, she left Breeze-don and headed downwards.

Snow piled softly on her red hair, and frost settled on her shoulders.

“Haa- haa-.”

Through her misty breath, a single house became visible.

A lonely store standing isolated in the snowfield.

To Tia’s eyes, its appearance… seemed to reflect her own miserable situation.

At the same time, as if it could melt the frozen body of the girl.

Its warm light captivated her red eyes.

[Modaless General Store]

As if drawn by an invisible force, she entered the yard.

Crunch- crunch-.

Snow crunched under her boots.

But her steps were becoming so light that the sound was barely audible.

“Haa…”

She lifted her pale hand and leaned against the door.

She hesitated for a moment, then, as if making a decision, slowly knocked.

Tap. Tap-tap.

A knocking sound only two people could understand.

And a sign of presence from inside.

Thump. Thump.

The sound of a large bear running echoed.

Her heart pounded.

The moment the bear that had attacked Ritsu flashed into her mind, making her briefly hold her breath.

Creak.

The door opened, and a familiar face appeared.

Always with a kind face. And a gentle voice.

He welcomed Tia.

“Oh, welcome. Tia.”

The warm air emanating from the general store washed away the loneliness and fear that had seeped into her.

Her chest felt as if it would melt.

“…Hello, Mister.”

Tia stepped inside the general store.

Clack.

The door closed firmly.

This place… was truly a different space.

Though it was on the border of Breeze-don, its atmosphere was completely unlike that of the village.

Unlike that place where she always had to keep her head bowed, inside the general store she could look up confidently and meet the man’s gaze.

A small laugh escaped her.

“Why, why are you like that? Is there something… on my face?”

“No!”

Her voice returned with confidence too.

Looking back, she had somehow always been trailing off her words and speaking disjointedly.

This bright and cheerful voice, this was her real voice.

“It’s very cold, isn’t it? H-have this, at least.”

“Wow- Thank you!”

Mister Fosao offered her a ginger biscuit.

She took it excitedly and bit into it.

The tension released, and her body relaxed.

Tia leaned back in her chair and made a contented sound.

Mister Fosao asked.

“But w-what happened?”

“Hmm- I’m sorry, but I have a favor to ask of you, Mister.”

“I-it’s okay. Just tell me!”

“Well…”

She explained the situation in detail.

Without ignoring her, without scolding her.

With a consistently serious expression, Mister Fosao listened to her until the end.

Mister Fosao took the list of medicinal herbs and nodded.

“So… you n-need these, right?”

“Yes.”

“Ugh- Ch-Cheonjinju… that’ll be a little difficult…”

“Ah… right? Hehe- I’m sorry.”

“No! I-I’ll try to manage somehow.”

Thud.

Fosao said confidently, placing a hand on Tia’s shoulder.

“…”

In the past, she would have flinched slightly at his close behavior.

But now, knowing how warm this touch was…

She accepted it.

“…Thank you.”

“Don’t w-worry too much.”

Smoothly.

Mister Fosao’s thick hand came to rest on her pale thigh.

She felt a slightly sweaty warmth.

As if to warmly embrace her legs, which had been tirelessly running to find the herbs.

“Just t-trust me.”

Tia nodded blankly.

“…Yes.”