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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter: 160
A fugitive.
That's what they must think I am, given the circumstances. A criminal who's fled to this place...
"Hmm."
What should I call them? Civilized? The old man and the child didn't seem like savages.
Of course, being a savage doesn't mean you just dig holes in the ground. The bloodline of Wolhan and other northern tribes were once called savages, after all.
Anyway, the fact that a fugitive could wander in here meant there must be a sizable village nearby. A large city would be even better, but it didn't make sense for a big city to be close to a small village isolated in the wilds. I shouldn't get my hopes up.
I stepped outside. The old man, Jawoon, had given me permission, so I planned to sit on the veranda and wait for him to return.
There wasn't much else to do but sit on the floor, lean against the veranda post, and stare blankly into the distance. I could have swept the yard or chopped firewood while waiting for Jawoon, but there was already a neat pile of firewood in the yard and I couldn't see a broom. I thought about looking for one, but then I remembered Gon. If Gon caught me sweeping here, I'd get an earful.
So I just stayed still.
I also felt like I shouldn't poke around too much because the house was so old. The pillar I was leaning against was in relatively good condition, but the other pillars supporting the house looked like they would collapse at any moment.
And yet, strangely, I found peace in that. The fact that the wooden pillar was so rotten meant that no major crisis had occurred in the meantime. It was as if a cozy curtain was draped over the house, softening the dark and harsh energy of the wilderness.
Aro followed me out to the veranda and sat about a step away from me. Kneeling on the floor, she cupped her chin in her hands, her gaze fixed on me.
"How old are you?"
Her gaze was so intense that I couldn't bear the awkwardness without speaking.
"I'm seven."
"You're young. I expected as much."
"I'm not young."
"You are."
"Hmph. How old are you, Uncle? Are you older than Grandpa?"
"Old man Jawoon?"
Aro nodded.
I shook my head in response.
"But... is there a village nearby?"
"Yes."
"I see. Do you know why the owner of this house lives alone?"
There was no answer, but instead, an innocent gaze seemed to pierce through my skin. Of course, that couldn't be, but it felt like a silent threat telling me not to ask anymore, so I changed the subject.
"And you? Do you live with your family?" I asked cautiously, worried I might sound like I was interrogating her, but Aro replied as if it were nothing.
"Yes. I live with my mother and father."
Was she too young to be suspicious? Had her parents never warned her about being wary of strangers? If what Jawoon said was true, and fugitives often wandered into this area, then they should be even more cautious of outsiders. It was scary to think that a child of only seven was wandering around the wilds alone, chatting fearlessly with strangers...
"Aren't you afraid of monsters?"
Of course, she would be. What a stupid question to ask. It was a conversation starter, but even so, it was too random. But instead of nodding as I expected, Aro just stared at me.
What had I done wrong? I quickly added, "Well, not necessarily monsters. Aren't you scared to wander around alone?"
Aro turned her head and looked at the dense forest beyond the yard. I followed her gaze.
The dark trees were shrouded in a thin mist. The mist looked bluish in the distance, deepening in color with the distance. Faint sounds of birds and other creatures could be heard from within.
"Are you scared, Uncle?"
Aro looked back at me. I wasn't scared, but not everyone was like me.
"Not really... why?"
But no matter how many times I asked, Aro just continued to stare at me. For some reason, I felt uneasy. If her gaze had any power, it would have pierced right through my skin.
And then Jawoon returned. His expression was still as cold as ever, but I was relieved to see him. It was better to be under the old man's dry gaze than to be scrutinized by this strange child.
"You're out here. Don't you want to rest more?" Jawoon asked.
I nodded.
"I was only poisoned, there's no other serious injury."
Jawoon frowned.
"No way. I clearly saw your arm was torn to shreds."
He stepped closer, as if to examine my wound. I rolled up my sleeve and revealed the injury. But it was shallow.
The problem was that it was shallower than I thought. It didn't look like a monster bite at all. No matter how you looked at it, this wound was too insignificant. A monster's jaws had clearly clamped down on my arm, and I had felt considerable pain. And there had been a lot of bleeding... before I passed out. Was my memory of the final moments wrong? I was starting to doubt my own memory.
When I awkwardly showed him my injury, Jawoon seemed even more surprised. He examined the wound and then stepped back, scanning me from head to toe.
"It's hard to believe you have a condition where bleeding doesn't stop easily."
If I had such a condition, I would have died long ago. I chuckled awkwardly.
"I've always thought I was normal..."
"Hmm. I should show this to the village chief."
The village chief? So the village was big enough to have a leader. I didn't know if it was good or bad news that the village was larger than I expected.
"You don’t seem too injured to travel, so let’s head to the village."
“So I’ll be meeting this village chief?”
“Of course. We need to ask the chief if you can stay in the village.”
A sense of dread washed over me.
“So... if the chief says no, I have to leave?”
“Leave? Where would you go?”
Jawoon scoffed, as if I’d said something absurd.
“Probably somewhere far away from the village..."
Jawoon looked at me with a pitying expression, as if I were a fool.
"Isn't that obvious?"
“If the chief doesn’t want you to stay, it means he considers you dangerous. And do you think the villagers will just let you escape? They won’t just stand by and watch you run away to a distant place.”
I was taken aback.
“So, are you saying they’ll... kill me?”
Jawoon nodded.
“That’s the easiest way to avoid trouble.”
"... Is there anything I can do to get on the chief's good side? Give me some advice."
“There’s nothing you can do. He’ll just judge you by appearances.”
Judge me by appearances?
After a moment's thought, I asked,“Can I wash up before we go?”
"...That wasn’t what I meant, but if you want, go ahead. Though I don’t think washing your face will help much."
Well, it was better to look presentable than like a beggar. I washed up at Jawoon’s place and followed him to the village.
Aro trailed behind us, looking as innocent as ever.
* * *
"I thought the village was nearby, but it's quite a distance."
The dark forest I had seen from the veranda was the path to the village. The mist, which had seemed thin from a distance, was much denser up close. I could barely see a few feet in front of me.
Yet, unlike me, Jawoon and Aro walked confidently along the narrow path through the trees, without any hesitation.
"Old man, does this child walk this path alone?"
I couldn't believe it. Jawoon glanced back at me and said, "Yes."
"No... that can't be right. What if a monster attacks her?"
"There's a lot you don't know. I can't tell you now, but you can ask the chief."
"... If I can get on his good side, that is."
"Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that."
We walked for what felt like hours before the village finally appeared. The mist had grown even thicker, enveloping the entire settlement. Scattered among the trees were small thatched huts. There were no people in sight. The houses were so close together that you could probably hear someone sneeze from the next one over.
"Now I understand why the old man lives alone."
It was no wonder he preferred solitude. The houses were packed so tightly together, it was almost claustrophobic. Still, it was comforting to see signs of human habitation. It had been so long since I'd been around other people. Even though this village seemed harsh and isolated compared to the cities I had known, I felt a sense of relief. Of course, I was still worried about what the village chief would think of me.
"That's the chief's house."
Jawoon pointed. It was just like the other huts, but the other houses seemed to be clustered around it, as if protecting it.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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