episode_0130

If you continue east along the great river that flows through the empire, you will soon come across a small village.

An old windmill turned by the wind, a mill that runs constantly. A serf who works hard to pay rent to his lord.

This is Alpine Village, the hometown of Dyers’ colleague Fur.

Considering the underdeveloped infrastructure and small population of about 200 people, it is appropriate to call it a rural place among rural areas.

Most of all, I liked the quiet and clean air. So much so that I wouldn’t mind living with Pur in the future.

‘I didn’t come here to have fun.’

On the outside, it looks like a peaceful place without a single cloud, but the reality is still unknown. Dyers was soaked in the atmosphere and regained his distracted vigilance.

“Confucius. It’s all there now hehe. You came earlier than expected, right?”

The coachman who traveled with him to Alpine Village bowed his head and smiled broadly.

It wasn’t a long time, but he was a very affectionate person. This is because every time we camped, we solved the story in an amazing way.

Of course, Dyers didn’t listen to the story for free either. He took care of all the bandits and various monsters that targeted the carriage.

Thanks to the customers, we have overcome several crises, so it is natural that the coachman’s smile never leaves.

Dyers took out a bag of gold coins from his pocket and opened his mouth.

“You had a hard time for two full days. Thank you for your hard work.”

The simplest way to express gratitude was with money. Since I had enough money after conquering the 13th floor, I could express my gratitude this much over and over again.

When the coachman saw the gold coin, he was surprisingly surprised and refused.

If you listen to the story, he was a married man with a son and daughter who was obsessed with money, so why did he do this?

“Wow..! Why are you like this, Confucius? I really can’t get this money.”

“Why am I not receiving this money?”

“That’s right, Confucius saved my life at least twice! This is the first time I have almost died so many times while driving a carriage, but thanks to Confucius, I survived!”

The coachman repeatedly shook his head and refused to take the bag of gold coins. After refusing repeatedly, Dyers had no choice but to take a step back.

Well, this money has become something that has to be ‘passed over’ somehow.

“Now – Now, please put the money in for a moment… If you don’t want to break up right away, how about we go to the market together, Confucius? It’s been a while since I’ve been to Alpine Village.. Huh!”

“That’s okay.”

I coolly persuaded the friendly coachman of his suggestion and moved on.

While walking along the road, he told various stories about Fur’s hometown. It was once a prosperous territory with over a thousand people living there, but it fell into ruin after the monster invasion.

The lord called in mercenaries to stop the monster, and the amount to be paid to the mercenaries was entirely covered by taxes from the people of the territory and the serfs.

In the end, the residents, whose lives became difficult, voluntarily left Alpine Village, and the distracted lord repeatedly squeezed out the remaining serfs even more.

Just like that, Pur’s hometown was destroyed.

As if to prove the coachman’s words, the scenery I saw while walking along the road was nothing short of miserable. The bodies of the people I encountered occasionally were reduced to nothing but bones, and there were empty houses everywhere.

“Oh my.. I’m even more ruined than when I arrived. The market was very large, but now we can barely get two hind legs of a pig.”

The coachman frowned as if he felt sorry.

After saying that, the two did not have any conversation until they returned to the carriage.

Even though we were having a pleasant conversation, the atmosphere was so depressing, and when we were having a heavy conversation, I didn’t want to decorate the ending.

“Hehe! Confucius, then I’ll just leave! Because my fox-like children and my rabbit-like wife are waiting for me!”

“……”

I wonder if I can’t bear to part ways.

Perhaps it was because the scenery we passed by was such a depressing sight.

If not, is there something else you can see?

Just a little, but the coachman could see the sadness in Dyers’ expression.

Although Confucius saved his life, he is a very sensitive person. Even if you prick it on the outside, not a single drop of blood would come out.

Even as the coachman was puzzled, he suddenly thought of his own son. Will that 10-year-old nosebleed guy at home become such a handsome young man when he gets older?

‘No matter how much he is my son, that seems like a no-brainer, huh!’

He smiled and continued.

“Don’t be too sad, Confucius. If there is a meeting, doesn’t that mean there is a separation? Next time you have to ride a carriage again, please call me. I will take you there for free.”

“……”

“Wow, the time has already passed… Confucius?”

After saying hello, the coachman was ready to leave, but he couldn’t help but be embarrassed again.

Because before he knew it, he had a bag of gold coins in his hand.

“I really can’t take this money, Confucius!”

The coachman was reluctant and tried to return the money, but Dyers was stubborn. I had no choice but to be stubborn.

It may be new, but I feel it again today.

It’s sad to see the dead.

It’s really sad.

“Next time we meet again, I want to learn how to hunt.”

“, why are you suddenly speaking politely to me..?”

The coachman was once again taken aback by the unexpected remark. Dyers continued speaking without paying any heed.

“Next time we meet again, it would be nice if I could learn how to fish and how to cut down a tree.”

“……”

“If we meet again next time.”

The coachman closed his mouth and listened to the words of the young man in front of him, as if he felt something. It wasn’t because I wanted the bag of gold coins.

“If there is a next life, please teach me how to drive a carriage in that time. I really wanted to learn it at least once.”

Because I couldn’t understand what this young man was saying. On the contrary, I had no choice but to listen.

In the end, the coachman seemed to be possessed and received a bag of gold coins.

Dyers opened his mouth as if he had come to his senses again.

“If we are meant to be, we can see each other again next time.”

“Of course.”

“You’d better keep that money safe.”

“Yes.”

“Because there will be something to spend that money on someday.”

“Don’t worry, Confucius. I will never waste this money.”

Seeing a ghost is a very sad thing.

Dyers muttered briefly as he watched the carriage leaving.

“The spirit of my dead son has come here.”

It is said that the coachman’s son died shortly after his father left to find work driving a carriage. The cause of death was ‘cold’.

After entering Dyers’ body and finishing what he wanted to say, the ghost briefly expressed its gratitude and then disappeared.

What he gave to the coachman was the cost of the funeral.

The deceased son deliberately did not announce his death because he was concerned about his father’s condition.

Dyers opened his mouth as he looked at the carriage that had suddenly become a small dot.

“Next life..”

If we meet again next time.

If there is such a thing as a next life.

At that time, please. May you spend more time.

I hope the remaining seats on the side of the carriage are filled.

After the spirit disappeared, I prayed briefly into the haze that remained.

.

Alpin Village is a quiet place.

So the rumor that a handsome young merchant had arrived was able to spread faster than anything else.

The number of local residents who came out to see the foreigners who had visited for the first time in a while still exceeded twenty. Dyers gave each of them a gold coin and searched for Pur’s house.

The territory residents, who were initially wary, opened their minds when they saw the gold coins. Money has always been the most important means of conversation.

“Aiko, was this a young man that Purne knew? For some reason, he is this tall and has a pretty face… He didn’t study at the academy and created a man.”

“Now that I think about it, Puro also came early this morning. Could it be that they came to say hello to their parents?”

“It seems like we just met, but are we already getting married..?”

When it comes to rumors of a relationship between a man and a woman, enthusiastic local women diligently open their mouths.

While they were observing them with interest, a young woman spoke quietly.

“But as far as I know, the mother of the house… the lord started the fire… and the husband can’t wake up yet…”

“Write! You’re saying something that will get you arrested if anyone hears it! I told you not to say that?! Do you want to be trapped in the dungeon of Yeongju Castle and not even be able to eat a piece of bread??”

“S-sorry… I just… yesterday I heard Pur come back and talk…”

The young woman lowered her head as if she had made a mistake. But Dyers didn’t miss those words.

“What does all that mean?”

He caught the young woman. After putting ten gold coins in my hand, I was able to hear the whole truth.

In the past, Dyers had sent money that was more than enough to raise Pur’s family, and more than enough money to revive Pur’s father, who had collapsed from overwork.

Not long after that, she received a letter saying that Pur’s father had woken up, and she was able to continue her life at the academy with peace of mind.

The letters were all fabricated.

All the money sent was stolen by the lord, and the letter was intercepted and sent by copying her father’s handwriting.

Pur’s family waited for their daughter’s letter to the academy without even knowing about it, and learned the whole truth last night when she returned.

Her father never woke up. Still down. It is said that the condition worsened due to malnutrition.

Her mother had burn marks on her beautiful face. This is because the son of a lord, who was famous for being a fool, drank alcohol and accidentally set fire to her house.

It is said that her younger siblings are still enduring hunger and surviving day by day.

After hearing the whole story, Dyers felt cold sweat running down his spine.

“…Where is your home?”

“wife, young man. Just calm down first…”

Then, Purr found out the whole truth.

Wouldn’t Odium, a slayer who enjoys killing people, be able to turn into a boss who dies miserably after being subjugated by the main character, Xena?

“Where is Pur’s house?”

The women, overcome with fear, eventually gave up their location.

Dyers was finally able to go to Pur’s house. It was an old and shabby house.

“Entering.”

There was no time to waste, so he opened the door straight away.