Chapter 37 - A Talk With the Chief
On his way towards the village, Jae noticed the severe disparity in magic energy between the villagers and the girl in his arms.
Is it a human village...? I think it’s a bit far-fetched to assume they’re related to those bandits, but since they’re so close by, I should remain cautious.
Aside from that, there was also the bigger problem of racial discrimination―Although Jae wasn’t as clued in as the rest of his old classmates as to the extent of Seronia's hatred towards Demons, it was only natural for him to assume that there would be at least some kind of tension between humans and Demons, especially in a fantasy world like this. Even if it wasn’t the case, it would serve well to keep the possibility in mind.
Hopefully, it’s a normal place. I don’t want to send this girl off to a place where she’d be in danger... But, at the same time, I can’t just take her back with me to the Dungeon, either...
Well, he could, but if he did that, would he really be any different from the ones who abducted her in the first place? Even if the conditions were unarguably nicer, he would still be withholding the girl’s freedom and keeping her in a place she should not be, away from her family.
I can't do something like that. Besides, what would Aphy say?
With her scary expression coming to mind, there was no need to even consider it further.
“Ideally, I’d like to try and find her parents, but even that is...”
A Demon and a Spirit.
Jae figured he was still somewhere in Seronia since he could communicate with the bandits without issue, but aside from that, he had no idea where in the world he was right now. Let alone locating Rena's parents, he didn’t even know what continents or countries the Demons or Spirits resided in.
“Haa... It’s tough...”
The real world was tough. In some ways, tougher than any kind of training he had done over the past three years.
Well, not in the physical sense, but you know what I mean...
All he could do was try his best―and that’s exactly what he planned on doing.
It was already deep into the night by the time Jae had arrived at the village.
Huh... It’s really just a normal, isolated village...
Somehow, he half-expected to stumble across something like a den of bandits, or a village of peculiar people, but fortunately, nothing like that was what he found. Rather, the quaint village―that seemed much smaller than he thought, more like a hamlet―was quite pleasant on the eyes.
Oh, over there.
As he approached what looked to be the main entrance, where two young men stood on duty, the apparent older of the two called out to Jae.
“Stop there. Please present your identity.”
“Yeah, who the h--”
“Robin, be quiet.”
As if acting out a comedy skit, the younger guard showed an immediate hostile attitude as he was interrupted by the other, but even with the shoddy spear in his hands, it wasn’t intimidating in the slightest.
Damn it.
Staring blankly at the two guards, Jae cursed internally.
Identity? What am I supposed to show? Even if I showed my Status, they would never accept an Undead, would they?
“Are you an adventurer? There haven’t been any quests submitted to the Guild recently, so what business brings you here? Perhaps you are a traveller? Though you carry no belongings aside from that thing on your back, so I find it unlikely. Also, what is that girl? You don’t appear to be a Demon, so why do you carry their kin with you?”
Hit with a sudden barrage of questions, Jae felt stunned for a few seconds. At the very least, that guard didn’t appear too bothered by the appearance of a Demon―a good sign.
Envy. Oh, they’re brothers? Hm... ‘Suspicious’. Well, I guess that should be expected. Maybe, just being honest would be for the best?
Of course, he would never reveal his true identity or anything, but giving some half-truths mixed with lies might work.
“This girl needs a home.”
Instantly, the guard brothers flinched. Although still wary, their caution waned, and the older of the two, Reddek, continued his questioning.
“...Might you be her father?”
Even though Jae very clearly didn’t have any horns, it seemed there was still reason to ask.
“No. Actually, I want to look for her real parents, but it’s hard to travel whilst taking care of her.”
Of course, whilst Jae did plan on at least having ‘find the girl’s parents’ in mind, he had never really taken care of a child before, so he had no idea what it might entail or how difficult it could be, but at least he had heard stories of what it was like; it was true that he thought it would be too much to handle.
Reddek nodded.
“I see... Although there is no orphanage in this village, I'm sure some households unable to conceive would be willing to take in a child... However... I’m sorry to say this, but whether they would consider taking care of a Demon child... It’s a different story altogether. I'm sure you can understand. Is this all you came here for?”
Ah...
Jae blanked for a moment at Reddek’s words.
Understand? Understand what? Of course I don't understand, you...
Of course, he had somewhat expected it, and Reddek himself did appear somewhat saddened by his own statement, but it wasn't like that mattered. There was nothing that could be done to change it; realising this, Jae felt like sighing.
“...If it’s possible, could you let me speak to the village leader? I’d like to ask some questions.”
“Sorry, but I’m afraid it is too late for me to allow that today. However, if you present your Status or some other form of identification, then you are free to return tomorrow.”
Tsk, of course... Well, I’m obviously not going to show you my Status, am I? Then, maybe I should just leave with Rena and--
“―Oh, there’s no need to worry about something silly like that.”
All of a sudden, a new voice spoke from behind the guards. Jolting where they stood, they exclaimed.
““Chief!””
With the abrupt appearance of a middle-aged, perhaps slightly older man, the situation had flipped 180 degrees in an instant.
“Reddek, Robin. I’ll be speaking with this man in my home.”
“But--”
“Ai, ai ai. Kids, you aren’t tellin’ me you would turn away a little girl in need of a home? Besides, these days, anyone living in this country who takes care of a Demon kiddie can’t possibly be a bad person. Be at ease, okay? At ease.”
“...I understand.”
Finally, he turned to Jae with an almost cheeky smile.
“Then, please follow me.”
Inside the house of the village chief.
Having stood the dragon’s tooth-- or rather, 'the greatsword', by the entryway, Jae sat on a long piece of furniture; an amalgamation of wood, straw and leather. Using his lap as a pillow was the still-unconscious Rena, cocooned in the wyvern’s fur. He immediately noticed upon entering the house that there was another, smaller presence in one of the rooms, but they appeared to be sleeping.
The chief, setting two cups of liquid on the table, took his seat on the opposite side.
“Well then,” He started. “It’s a pleasure. My name is Gadeun, and as you saw, I am the Chief of this Bahgwud Village.”
Bahgwud, as Gadeun introduced it, was a small place out in the middle of a forest clearing. More specifically, the Plaentic Great Forest.
Of course, I’m still in the same god-forsaken place as before...
In an effort to distract himself from the sad reality, Jae took the steaming cup from the table and held it still to peer at its contents as he introduced himself.
“Likewise; I’m Jae. You probably heard it earlier, but I’m looking for a safe place she can stay at, even if just for a while.” Saying so, he gently patted the girl’s head on his lap, to which she quietly groaned in her slumber.
For some reason, Jae noticed that Gadeun looked slightly off as he introduced himself, but he pretended not to notice; instead glancing down at the cup in his hands, moving it in a circular motion to swirl around the liquid within.
Is my name strange? It’s probably uncommon around here, right? It was like that even at school. Well, whatever.
Jae continued. “If possible, I’d like it to be a pleasant place. Somewhere without discrimination against Demons would be ideal, of course. I couldn’t find any other villages around here, but if you know of anywhere that fits the criteria, please let me know. I only found her earlier today, so this is my first shot at looking for a place...”
His words trailing off near the end, he shot a meaningful glance towards Gadeun.
“And, if possible, I’d like for it to be the last.”
Unexpectedly, Gadeun smiled softly in response to the words that could be taken as being quite ominous. “Naturally. You might not be aware of it, but Bahgwud is rather a special case for the kingdom, so no doubt you won’t be finding any other villages residing in this forest.”
What, really...?
Hearing that there were no other villages in the entire forest was a shocker, but when Jae thought about it a little more, there was no need to be concerned.
Resolving himself to take on the responsibility of looking after Rena by himself if the need arose, he maintained the belief that the best path to take would be to leave her in more capable hands until that inevitable time came.
At least, until I find her parents. A Demon and a Spirit, huh...
Jae’s hand swishing the cup suddenly paused, letting a warm aroma waft out.
...Hm. Smells like Coke. Is it tea?
“My home recipe; it’s 'Moiya Tea' with a little extra spice of mine.”
Jae nodded. So it is tea. Isn’t it a bit sweet to be tea? It’s not poisoned...
Taking a sip, his brows raised slightly. Its taste wasn’t at all like its scent, but it wasn’t bad.
I guess people who aren’t used to drinking so many sweet drinks would find it a lot more impressive.
Thinking that, he still went in for another gulp.
Well. It isn't something to scoff at, anyway.
“Mm. It’s good. Why don’t you ship it as a commercial product? Surely you’re aware of how well something like this would sell?”
At Jae’s sincere commendation, Gadeun simply chuckled. “Haha... Thank you for the praise, but no. Certainly, it would no doubt bring profits, and maybe even help to grow the village some, but... It’s a personal desire of mine not to sell it.” As Gadeun spoke, his tone softened along with his eyes, giving the appearance of a lonely man.
“It’s selfish, I know, and I’m aware that the moment I die, someone else will simply come along and pick it up for some handy coin themselves. Even so, the thought of being the world’s sole village chief able to drink such a thing―whilst I’m alive, I’d like to at least keep that going for me, haha...”
He ended with a bitter smile. “Isn’t it rather pitiable? Such an insignificant feeling of superiority.”
“...Well, I wonder.”
It’s not like I’m in a position to judge anyone. Besides, if it’s your product, you can do what you want with it.
Jae set the now-half-empty cup back on the table.
“I don’t think you should laugh at someone else’s desire, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem. Everyone values different things differently, after all. Have you heard of the phrase, ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’?”
At that, Gadeun's expression lit up like never before. “Oh...! Now that’s a new one! Haha, I like that philosophy, young man! Aren’t you quite the sophisticated lad? Say, you don’t come from this country, do you? Not to mention the lack of concern for the girl’s race, but the name itself is quite foreign, no?"
Hm? This...
“I could say the same about you, you know?”
“Haha, I suppose so! Well, perhaps you come from a place much more diverse than little ol’ Bahgwud.” He gestured towards the greatsword leaning against the wall. “I didn’t even know creatures that size existed.”
Not knowing what to say, Jae simply scratched the back of his neck and laughed awkwardly.
“A-ahaha...”
Yeah, well, kinda? Technically, they don’t exist in this world, but elsewhere...
“Hm. Is it ‘dragon bone’, perhaps?”
At his question, Jae froze.
“...What?”
“Isn’t it? I have heard stories through travellers that some high-ranking adventurers like to make equipment out of such rare materials.”
“......”
...No. There must be a misunderstanding somewhere. Dragons don’t exist outside of the Pride Dungeon, and Aphy even confirmed it. If they did, the world surely would've been destroyed, or at least a few countries. Maybe they encountered a mutated wyvern or drake or something, sure, but definitely not a dragon.
“No, yeah, it's dragon bone...”
Well, it's actually a tooth, but that's basically the same thing.
“I see. Such a powerful adventurer... I understand why you can’t take a child along with you on your travels, but if you don’t mind me asking, Jae... What did you do?”
Huh?
All of a sudden, an odd question was asked.
“What do you mean?”
‘What did I do’? What did I do?
“Oh? You... are not aware?”
“Aware of what?”
Seriously, what is it? Did something happen while I was gone?
“...Ah. I see...” With a troubled expression, Gadeun slowly rose to his feet. “Allow me to fetch something.”
“Oh, sure...”
Click-!
As Gadeun walked over to another room, the door quietly closed behind him, leaving Jae in a silent bubble of concern. Under his breath, he muttered.
“What the hell is going on now...”
“Mmh...”
“......”
As if in response to his murmur, the sleeping Rena groaned. Gazing down at her with a head full of worries, Jae really felt like sighing.
At least her nightmare appears to have gone away...
It was one ray of light in the middle of a storm, but it was better than nothing. Before long, Gadeun returned with a paper scroll in hand. “I don’t know what you have done or if something else is going on, but Jae, if you are truly unaware, then you should take a look at this.”
Oh, God, what is it...
Accepting the scroll, Jae unfurled it with high tension.
☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩
《 BOUNTY REQUEST 》
- - - WANTED ALIVE - - -
- - NAME : Jae Kang - -
- - RACE : Human / Demon - -
- - REWARD : 100 White-Gold Royals - -
- - REQUESTED BY : Seronia Royal Family - -
☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩―☩
You’re kidding...
“...This is real?”
“You didn’t know this was put out? It's been quite a while now.”
“No... I didn’t even do anything, so how could I expect there to be something like this?”
Oh my g--... Ugh. At least it doesn’t have a picture of my face?
Although Jae’s face had also grown throughout the recent years, he would still be recognisable to the people who knew him. At the very least, he could be thankful for this small amount of freedom.
Actually, what does everyone else think about this? Do they even know it’s going around?
If he ever met his old classmates again, he would be sure to ask.
Anyway, what's this about being a Demon? Are they insane...?
“You said it's been a while? How long has this thing been out for?”
I swear, if he says it's been out since the beginning...
It wasn’t a huge deal since Jae never planned on returning to Seronia in the first place, but it was certainly annoying.
“This village only received the notice a few weeks back. Because of our remote location, we generally receive such news quite late. Considering the severity of the bounty, I think it is safe to assume that every city in the nation, minor and major, is aware of this issue and is actively searching for your head as we speak.”
“Wha--...”
Those bastards... They killed me once, now they want to do it again? I bet it was that damn princess, huh... No, wait, does this mean they know I’m alive...?!
At the very least, it wasn’t a good sign. Wondering something, he pointed towards the stated reward.
“By the way, how much is this worth? You called it severe, so is it a lot?”
100 coins couldn’t possibly be that much, right...?
Unfortunately, Gadeun’s expression hardened at the question.
"That much coin... It’s enough for a man to live a few lifetimes in relative comfort, and then with some to spare."
“...Oh.”
Of course it is. Well, no one’s gonna be cashing the reward out anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter how much they offer... If they think I’m dead, then this is only a precaution and they don’t actually intend to ever give out a reward, and if they think I’m alive, then it just shows how concerned they are. Although, I don't get why they'd be so concerned.
Either way, the bounty was out there, and Jae had to deal with the consequences.
But, if it’s such a large amount of money...
“Then, why aren’t you taking advantage of it? This could provide for the entire village, couldn’t it? And it would come in an instant. Instead, you’re warning me about it.”
Jae spoke with a hint of wariness towards the elder, but Gadeun simply scoffed.
“Bah. It never would’ve garnered a reward in the first place. If I decided to cash in, then what? It takes days to even report an incident to the palace, and even longer for them to respond, if they ever even do. By the time anyone arrived to take care of the matter, it would be far too late―you would have either left the village or burned it to the ground.”
“Besides, I’ve seen who you are by now; I’m not the kind of person who would sell out a good person like you, and especially not for some disgusting individuals like the royal family, so something like a bounty sum is worth nothing more than gobby droppings.”
Jae sat on Gadeun’s words and contemplated. He had a point; if the royal family truly thought that Jae was alive and on the run, they would probably be more proactive than merely sending out a bounty notice.
Logically speaking, they would know that the last place I was seen was the forest since that was where they killed me―or well, that’s where they dumped my body. In that case, if Bahgwud is the sole village in the forest, wouldn’t it be one of the first places they check? But, seeing as they haven’t left so much as a single knight here... Can I take it as a good sign?
On the other hand, if the royal family was convinced they killed Jae on that day, then there would be no need to send men out to look for him. Or maybe they did, but they saw no need to send excessive force.
Even if I somehow survived that day, wouldn’t a normal person have starved in the forest?
After all, unless Gluttony forced him to do otherwise, Jae never would have eaten a goblin even if it killed him. Further, a normal person, even if they could muster up the courage to go that far, would simply fall to the subsequent hurdle of food poisoning from all the toxins inherent in goblin flesh. It was only the existence of Gluttony that allowed Jae to survive through all that.
“I see what you’re saying. Plus, from their perspective I’m long dead, so to actually put any effort into finding me would be a waste.”
Of course, the palace would still like to know where his missing body had gone, but that wasn’t his problem.
“Thank you. By the way, you’re a lot more reasonable than those guys who live in the palace.“
Putting the scroll away to the side, Jae moved on. However, Gadeun smiled wryly at his ‘praise’.
“Unfortunately, that has become the case... Say, would you listen to an ol’ story of mine? It won’t take too much time, and I think it would help you understand the deeper reason behind the royal family’s... ‘Behaviour’.”
Context? Well, it couldn’t hurt. It’s not like I’m on a time limit, anyway.
“Alright.”
“I appreciate it. It started about thirty years ago...”
Thus, a tale of Gadeun’s past began.
I am Gadeun.
Currently, I serve as the official Chief Leader of Bahgwud Village, taking up the position in succession from my late father.
Once upon a time, I had a son named Gabriel.
Sadly, Gabriel’s mother passed away when he was young due to a horrible disease that ran rampant at the time, claiming the lives of roughly half the total village population. It was a truly terrible time, and only the lucky few survived.
The disease only ended when one day, the Legendary Saint, Saint Julian suddenly appeared and saved us from our malady.
By that time, two-thirds of the village were no longer with us.
To this day, I do not know why the Saint abruptly showed up at our doorstep, but I will forever be thankful, for at least Gabriel remained with me.
Years passed, and eventually, Gabriel turned 15 years old. At that time, another disaster struck in the form of a bandit attack on the village.
Now, bandit attacks themselves weren’t all that uncommon, especially for small and isolated villages like ours, so we were roughly prepared and knew what to do to deal with it. However, the problem lay elsewhere.
At the same time the bandits launched their attack, the royal family were visiting the village for their ‘royal excursion’―an event in which the royal family travel around the nation, visiting various cities, towns and villages in order to see how the citizens were living.
It was something introduced by the current king to try and deepen the relationship between the royal family and the people, but in this case, it severely backfired.
It was an unbelievably unfortunate coincidence, or perhaps the bandits had planned it from the beginning.
This time, it was only the First Prince, Prince Dexter, and the Second Princess, Princess Eleanor, who were coming by the village, but maybe it was exactly who they were aiming for.
Of course, they were protected by many guardian knights, who swiftly took care of the attacking bandits, but―
“...?”
It wasn’t enough.
Unbeknownst to everyone, there was a hidden warrior amongst the bandits who had been concealing his presence with some kind of magic.
Slash-!
Only revealing himself after it was already too late, the man’s sword flashed.
“...Ah...?”
Alongside the confused, flat-toned mutter of a young girl, a thin, twig-like arm, soared.
“Eleanooorrr...!!!”
A tremendous cry came from the prince, and the guardian knights burnt the bandit to a crisp in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but a pile of ash and two horns. However, it was already too late, as the severed arm and its trail of blood in the air fell splat on the ground.
It all happened so quickly I could barely comprehend it, but instinctively, I knew nothing good would follow, and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach at the gruesome sight.
In all my life, I had never come across such a situation.
In all my time as village chief, nothing like this had ever happened.
Of course, there were times during past bandit attacks when villagers fell or lost limbs, but this was the royal family.
The magnitude of the incident was completely different.
“Gadeun...!”
The young, maddened first prince called my name, and as he did, I knew my fate was set.
The culprit was revealed to be a Demon, but that changed nothing.
“How will you pay for this disgrace...!?”
In the corner of my eye, I saw the second princess, who appeared to have fainted unconscious from shock, having her arm reattached by a healer, but that didn’t change the fact the incident occurred in the first place.
And, as part of my rule as Village Chief, it is down to me to take responsibility.
If it was only me, I would be alright with that. I had resolved to pass on the duty of managing the village to Gabriel; he was a smart lad, so I knew he’d do well even without me.
If only... It was my responsibility to bear alone.
...
......
In the end, I had no one.
All my life, I was taught that Demons were the bad ones, but...
That day, I realised the truth.
