Chapter 23 – Chapter 2: What Only I Can Do
It’s been a while since I came down to Taildon.
As expected, a lot has changed in that time.
Even when I came down every two weeks, it felt a little different, but when I go back as the seasons change, it feels like a completely different village.
“Hyung Ritz!”
Vincent notices first and shakes his hand.
The guy cried and came running.
“Bro! It’s been a really long time! Are you feeling better?”
“What. “Did you know that too?”
“Then! Everyone here knows! Ritz’s glorious wound-!”
Then, he took a position as if he was scratching his chest with his fingers.
The children next to us were also talking loudly.
“Hero, hero!”
“I heard you attacked a bear to protect Tia!”
“… Huh?”
I was wondering what that meant, but it seems the rumor was distorted to say that I got hurt while fighting a bear to protect Tia.
The reality is that Tia smacked her bear and chased it away.
There was no need to properly correct it, and I didn’t even have time to do so.
I guess I’ll just leave them to think for themselves.
“Brother! “Can’t you just show me your scars once?”
“No.”
“Ah-Ritz tongue-uh-. Jebaal-.”
I tried to ignore it and go, but Vincent grabbed my pants and dragged them down.
Wow, these people must be crazy.
Ugh. I guess I’ll just show it briefly.
“Now.”
She rolled up her top to show her scar.
The children gasped and were scared when they saw the ugly, cracked skin.
Then he poked me with his finger and asked if it hurt.
What can I say?
After showing everything, she put her top back on.
“Okay? “I’m going.”
“Brother! It’s really cool!”
“The best! Hero-!”
I entered Taildon receiving meaningless praise.
The first place I visited was a tall spire in the middle of the village.
It is said that this was a castle in the old days.
There are hardly any traces of it now, but it doesn’t seem like a lie considering it was built with sturdy stone.
A special person lives in this stone house.
He is ‘Lord Kinthorpe’, the only nobleman in Taildon.
I don’t know the detailed identity.
I think I heard somewhere that he is distantly related to the Lord of Gordburg.
However, it was not important information as it was a trivial story that ordinary people like us did not even need to know.
All you need to know is that Lord Kinthorpe is the lord who rules over Teildon.
A servant was sweeping the yard in front of the house.
At first, he didn’t seem to know me very well, but when I introduced him as ‘Ritz’ from Brisden, he looked surprised.
After the story was relayed to the lord and I waited a bit, I was given permission to come inside.
The first lord’s room I encountered was shabbier than I thought.
The desk was littered with papers, as if he had been writing a letter all this while.
Lord Kinthorpe was an old man who appeared to be well over sixty.
Wearing nice clothes, all her hair has fallen out, with only a little hair left on her sideburns.
It was impressive to see the long beard beneath her chin.
“Sit down.”
Following her guidance, I sat down on the chair.
The servant gave me bright red wine.
I didn’t drink it but put it aside for now.
“Are you the son of Amon?”
“Yes.”
The lord looked at me closely while mentioning the village chief’s real name.
“My deepest condolences on the loss of Brisden’s great tree. With this, the supreme Dragonez Mountains will become a little more shabby.”
As expected, the nobleman’s words are difficult because they feel like they are twisting things around.
“Thank you for allowing me to meet you, my lord.”
“No. Amon told me that his sons would come visit me one day. “I am rather happy to confirm that that one day is now.”
“…”
“I said you were seriously injured. Seeing that everything is fine now, I guess that royal medicine is amazing.”
“Yes. “I came to say thank you.”
Sir Kinthorpe chuckled.
“If you can owe Amon a debt, why would you refuse? However, I didn’t know that he would pass away first. Haha. By the way, I guess you didn’t come all the way here just to say thank you?”
“Yes.”
“I felt that way when I looked at your eyes. I can see the young man’s energetic spirit. “Say it comfortably.”
I swallowed my saliva.
And then he spoke out the words he had been preparing.
“Respected Lord of Taildon. “I would like you to lend me five barrels of firewood for our village.”
“Firewood? Hmm, I see.”
The old man twirled the wine glass as if he was thinking for a moment.
“Do you think this winter will be difficult?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, that’s what happened.”
I think the story will go faster.
Indeed, the lord clearly saw the situation our village was in with just one request.
Perhaps that keen sense made Taildon richer.
Lord Kinthorpe stroked his beard.
“Our small farmers started cutting down trees early. “We are now at the beginning of the winter storm, and five carts seems like an unreasonable request.”
“Yes. Of course, you are worried. But please look at it a little more broadly. If we cannot survive the winter, it will be very difficult to complete the bridge by next year.”
“I know. I heard that the person in charge ran away due to some unfortunate incident? But isn’t that your village’s problem?”
“Listen, my lord. If the bridge is successfully completed and the Dragonez Mountain Pass is wide open, the traffic in Taildon will naturally increase, just as the river flows downward.”
My purpose was here.
It emphasizes that the mountain road expansion project is not just for Brisden, but is a common benefit that should be enjoyed together with Taildon.
“You can levy tariffs later, or you can build facilities for peddlers. Either way, your land will gladly enjoy the glory.”
“… Heh, heh, heh, heh! He is indeed the son of Amon. You’re bold, and you know how to say things quite convincingly. Yes, please forgive me for testing you.”
The lord smiled with satisfaction.
“Actually, that project was what I had hoped for. Joseph also greatly agreed with my suggestion. It may be a bit fanciful, but Brisden has the power to do so. But Amon didn’t think so. I was afraid that if the mountain pass was opened, the Dragonez would be eaten by Deseo.”
“Yes. I heard it from my father. He said we must be on our guard against Deseo.”
“It’s not wrong. If you know Deseo’s situation accurately, he may have thought similarly to Amon.”
The moment I heard those words.
I felt like there was so much I didn’t know.
The chief, Uncle Joseph, and Lord Kintoff.
As I was talking with these people, it seemed like they knew a much wider range of things than I could understand.
It was like that in reality.
Knowing the reality of Deseo, each person tried to prepare for it with their own beliefs and methods.
A place a long way from here.
The city is like a completely different world.
Why do they keep talking?
I had a gut feeling that if I didn’t ask right here and now, I would never know.
“I’m sorry, but when I say ‘the situation in Deseo’… What are you talking about?”
“It’s something I’m cautious about even daring to mention. Let’s end this story here…”
Crunchy.
While the lord said those words, he simultaneously wrote something on the stationery with a quill pen.
[Usurpation of the throne]
“… !”
In other words, it refers to ‘rebellion.’
I finally realized it.
In front of a four-letter word that makes me feel afraid to even look at it.
Putting aside what these small villages can do, I have already realized that this is a trend that cannot be reversed.
I am reminded of the words I have heard so far.
‘Now Tia is involved in a serious incident. Deseo’s soldiers will soon come to this village. We have to get them out before they come.’
‘Once the bridge is built and the road is maintained, many people will soon come and go. You, who have just become the village chief, will have a lot of burden, and you will feel dizzy. But… Still, we have to protect Tia.’
‘It was really dangerous. Suddenly, bandits attacked me and I almost died…’
It was still just vague words with no real meaning.
Those words must have been a sign that a storm was coming soon.
The wind of desire that devours everything.
The village chief had warned about that.
That’s why they decided to lock up the village and wait until everything was over.
Lord Kinthorpe asked in a low voice.
“Brisden… Are you ready?”
“Ah…”
You need time to think carefully. A lot.
But we need to give an answer right now.
Now that we know that the throne of Deseo is unstable, we can no longer pretend not to know.
The lord is asking.
Is Brisden ready to share fate with Taildon?
Are you ready to jump into the wind of madness that is about to blow?
If so, I will grant your request.
“I still…”
“You’re young? I just came here out of youthfulness and curiosity to ask for a favor? Haha. “No.”
Lord Kinthorpe shook his head quietly.
Even that action felt like a nobility, not light at all.
“You are the son of Amon and the chief of Brisden. “What else is needed?”
His hands were shaking.
Is this important issue that depends on people’s life and death… Can I make a decision without even having a baptism?
The lives of all my villagers depend on my tongue.
There is no one to help me now. Even Tia, who was always by my side.
Because… Because this is something only I can do.
I decided with a trembling breath.
“Yes. We are ready.”
“Haha! As expected, you are full of courage. Still, my heart must have been very heavy before I said that.”
Lord Tail Dun held out his hand.
“That’s what ‘responsibility’ means. I crossed the man’s bridge. Congratulations.”
“… Thank you.”
I got down on his knees and said thank you to his wrinkled hands again and again.
