episode_0367

“Please come in.”

Low-pitched voice.

He is a male Rectalian.

“Excuse me.”

When I grab the doorknob and twist it, the loose hinge screams.

It was a big house.

The big house was full of taxidermy and chemically treated leather.

The ceiling was approximately 20 cubits high, but the entire ceiling was covered with leather, giving the house a fairly dark feel.

The man looks at us.

“···Are you here to buy leather?”

Rectalian was sitting a bit far away, making taxidermy.

They inserted something like tweezers into the bird’s head and ripped out the brain and flesh, and all the flesh seemed to be thrown away, mixed with the intestines and other things in a bucket.

“Yes. You need a large piece of leather.”

“Sleeping bag?”

“Yes.”

The man put down the tweezers and stood up.

“Are you two going to sleep together?”

“No.” “Yes!”

···.

“No──” “That’s right!”

Yo snout!

Anne’s mouth was blocked.

“Ubeep!”

“This person will use it alone.”

“Huhuhu···.”

The corners of Rectalian’s mouth rose slightly.

“Seeing that you are looking for a sleeping bag, it looks like you are going to the north, but the north is not a place you can go with that kind of attitude. In winter, even if you sleep in a sleeping bag, some people freeze to death.”

···It’s hard to imagine.

Even though it was extremely cold, which was the coldest training I’ve ever experienced, it wasn’t enough to freeze me to death.

“···Is that so?”

“That’s right. Don’t regret it and take the big one.”

I don’t have the sense to tell lies.

Although it is still early fall, the place we are going to go is bitter cold and covered in snow 365 days a year.

It’s Freya.

‘···I can’t help it.’

I’ll buy a sleeping bag, but I’ll have to ask Sterry to sleep with Anne.

“A white bear was caught a month ago. There’s no way to know why the guy from the far north came down here, but I’m sure there’s no hide as warm and big as his.”

“How much?”

“1,200 solidus.”

Three gold coins.

The leather of a carnivore is worth the price.

“I need to make clothes for this person to wear. Could you recommend some reasonably light and warm leather?”

“Ah, if that’s the case, there’s one thing that’s perfect.”

Rectalian stands up and raises his cane.

My eyes naturally turned to his feet.

There was no leg.

A man with crutches resembling a cane on his left leg glared at me.

“Do you need one too?”

“No.”

Looking at it this way, I saw that he was a person with many wounds on his body.

He must have lived that long.

Probably, she is the same age as Lexi.

“Have you ever participated in the Great War?”

“It was a long time ago. I also lost this leg then.”

The land where it all began.

Here, we need to understand at least a little bit what the servant means.

All we can know for now is that servants are for ‘all’ demi-humans.

“It was before I was born, but I am personally really interested in the Great War.”

“Human? It’s unexpected.”

I was worried that he might react sensitively, but it seemed insignificant.

“Isn’t this the biggest thing that has happened in almost a century? I looked into it personally, but there are a few things I don’t understand.”

“What are you curious about?”

“They… are barbarians who eat people. Even if we assume that’s what happened, why did Hosott, who was a neutral human, attack the cradle?”

Rectalian shrugs.

“Who knows? It may have been close, or it may have been a disease of convenience from the beginning.”

Um… I guess so.

It’s probably something that most people don’t know.

“What is certain is that they hit the cradle.”

There are many things I don’t understand about the cradle.

The cradle is literally the cradle and foundation of the Rectalians.

Therefore, it is located in the center of Prezaville, and even if the opponent were to advance, there would definitely have been time to block it.

-It should have been so.

“I don’t know the history of Prezaville, but I don’t understand why the cradle collapsed in the first place. Geographically, it is located in the center of Frezaville, and Fredin and Freia would never have sat idly by and watched barbarian raids.”

‘There is only one case where that is possible.’

There is just one case where that can happen, though…

“They didn’t hesitate.”

okay. That’s all.

‘Attack Land’, like something out of a game.

The death-defying struggle and advance of an emotionless game unit.

It is the most efficient and most impossible thing to do.

This is because everyone values their own life.

How much more so, not for a temple or pride, but to slaughter children?

‘Why did you do that?’

no.

I know what they were given to.

“They burned the cradle, and in the end, it disappeared into ashes like a burning cradle. It was never because we were weak.”

···.

“Then there must have been a reason.”

Rectalian’s hand, which had been picking leather, suddenly stopped.

What did you think of?

Soon golden eyes looked at me.

“My leg is like this, can you help me?”

“Yes.”

He lifted the skin and gently took out the white bear skin.

“It must be heavy.”

His expression was calm, but his eyes showed deep interest.

Now, I think he will answer anything I ask.

“Did you face them directly on the day of war?”

“The cradle was on fire when I got there.”

It is quite a wide and large piece of leather.

I guess two of Sterry can stay in?

“It’s so big.”

Anne laughs when she sees the leather that is half the size of her body.

Where do you get your strange imagination?

Imagine that while sleeping with Sterry.

“This leather will suit you.”

Rectalian brought a particularly white leather.

Is it a wolf skin?

I can’t say it’s that warm, but I have no choice because I have to choose something that isn’t heavy.

“Wow! The leather is so white!”

Anne stretched out the long leather and laughed heartily.

“Even if you try it on right away, it will fit your body to some extent. My skills aren’t that good, but I can cut it for you.”

How much does it fit even if I put it on right away?

‘What kind of leather is this?’

The white skin that Anne unfolded was as beautiful as that of an arctic fox.

The lining leather seems to be of a different kind.

However, it was not my favorite leather.

“Do you have any other leather?”

“There is.”

“Why? I like this.”

no.

─That’s an iron kalpa.

How many times have you seen it?

Humans sweat a lot, and leather has evolved to be efficient at discharging sweat.

In other words, it is considered a clothing lining.

Thanks to this, I have seen thieves wearing human skin several times.

I never thought I would see human skin in a place like this.

“When the barbarians of the snowy plains see that skin, they will try to kill it.”

“You will be scared at the same time.”

Are you saying that?

“? What is it? Is it the skin of a very scary animal?”

“It’s a long time ago.”

“What is that?”

“It’s called human skin.”

Jaan looks at me, then looks down at the leather in his hand.

“Hee profit…?!”

Anne threw the leather away as if she had a wheel in her hands.

“···It’s difficult to handle leather.”

“Sorry. This is because the group is not yet accustomed to this culture.”

He gently shook off the leather and held it out.

It was only then that I realized what the smell that had made me feel anxious was.

This house is full of irons everywhere.

The leather of the mannequin seen in the distance is also leather.

The work leather on the table, the shoes, even things that haven’t yet turned pale.

The man who read my rolling gaze eventually picked up the soldering iron.

“···There was only one, Hosot, whom I killed with my own hands.”

His eyes seemed to be making excuses.

It’s as if he wants you to understand him like this.

There was still anger in his eyes that could not be eradicated even after 100 years.

“When I lost my leg and arrived at the cradle limping. Do you know what I saw in front of my child’s corpse?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hosot, who strangled my child to death, was crying.”

“You seem crazy.”

“That’s right. He was crazy. I was so angry that I immediately drove the spear into his heart.”

Rectalian lazily folded the leather and shoved it into a closet.

“But sometimes, I wonder why he was crying while killing my child.”

I can answer that question.

Because it seemed like I was finally seeing the clues to the case.

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Because I don’t know what kind of shame they could have for doing something like that. Nowadays, there are some people who say that such scoundrels are descendants of the white wolf.”

The man looks at Anne.

There was only loneliness and guilt in his eyes.

“I’m sorry. The old man played a trick. I only recommended it because it is the right leather for you. There were no strange feelings.”

Rectarian said with a smile, but Anne got scared and hid behind me.

Pharyngeal gyeop is surprisingly common.

Ain’s hairless leather is thinner and brighter than pig skin.

Plus it’s lightweight.

The color of the leather is no different from the skin color of a corpse that has turned yellow due to loss of blood, but that can be done by pickling it in dye.

Although many leathers have pores and look bad, Ain’s leather is smooth.

“Do you have any other leather?”

“There is reindeer skin. It may be heavy enough to be cumbersome, but it will be the warmest. How about it?”

“Give me that.”

Because it will be lighter than bearskin.

“How much is reindeer skin?”

“For both of them, give me only four gold coins. I won’t accept money to make the robe.”

It’s not bad.

Because I’m not good at things like sewing or using scissors.

When the four gold coins were handed over, the Rectalian put them in his pocket, tied the leather on both shoulders, and walked towards his chair with difficulty.

A snowy barbarian who eats people.

They made some kind of deal with the servants.

That is why he sacrificed his life and burned the cradle for his descendants.

‘How sweet would it have been to throw away one’s life to do something like that?’

Maybe it’s not a transaction, but a command from the Creator.

For those who don’t know the situation, the only thing that is clear is that their children and their memories have been burned.

Anne could not take her eyes off the iron comb that Rectalian had folded neatly.

In the end, it’s all because of the trashy servants.

What on earth are you so dissatisfied with that makes you do something like this?

why?

“You said you were heading north.”

“Yes.”

“The barbarians in the snowy field are on the move. You better be careful.”

“Why are they acting like this?”

“Because winter is coming soon. When winter comes, even the reindeer move down to the central and northern regions, leaving them with nothing to eat.”

This means that they commit looting to stock up on food.

Of course, the easiest one to target is the top.

“Thank you.”

I needed to report to Jemmy Drucker.

* * * * * *

“I expected something like that.”

Jemmy Drucker smiled and shook his head as if it was nothing.

“In the first place, the place where we will operate is between Freia and Fredin. Unless they go crazy, we will never meet them.”

“Is that so…?”

“Yes. The barbarians are always on the move at this time. Fredin and Freya also start to be wary of barbarians at this time.”

The tone of voice is that it is not a big deal.

It’s my first time coming to the North, so I don’t know much about it…

“Okay.”

If someone like the acting manager said that, it would be correct.

It doesn’t seem like I have anything to hide.

“I’ll just get up now.”

As I stood up, Jemmy Drucker also stood up.

“If you need anything or have any questions, please visit us anytime.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

As I opened the tent, Anne, dressed in a leather robe, approached me with childlike steps.

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s nothing special.”

As Anne clings to me, the other carriage members stare at me.

It’s not a very pleasant look.

“I think we’re dating.”

“I keep saying this, I’m dating someone.”

“Where is it? Shouldn’t you feel blessed if someone like me likes you?”

‘Suddenly.’

But it’s worth it.

···okay. You are so pretty.

This is my first time seeing red eyes since I was born.

This is a world that has not yet mastered color.

Therefore, the aesthetics of this world, which cannot escape from the primitive play of colors, make Anne look very mysterious.

White skin and platinum hair are also rare to see.

Since ancient times, the price of white-skinned white sex slaves has not been the highest among all races for no reason.

“My lover is prettier than you.”

“Ugh~?!”

Anne looks up at me with a distressed look on her face.

“And if you happen to be caught like this, you and I will both die in the blink of an eye. ”

“Yes?”

Anne, who did not understand what I said, wrinkled her forehead and looked up at me.

Lexi is a monster that kills people by throwing arrows like darts.

“···Why do you meet someone like that?”

“I don’t know either.”

“How did you meet?”

‘Why are you asking so much?’

Anne’s eyes were full of jealousy.

I feel like I’m really upset.

“I received a notice of murder from her. After that, I cut off her collar, and she impaled me on a spear and kidnapped me.”

“Yes? What, what… are you kidding me again?”

Anne blushes and glares at me.

It’s not? He really got a murder notice and was grilled like a barbecue.

“Really?”

“···Ha, I feel stupid.”

Although I was just telling the truth, Anne got very upset and glared at me.

Then, as if he was angry, he walked back to the carriage.

‘What on earth is the problem?’

I was just telling the truth.