CH 159

‘Is this forest particularly safe?’

Keira didn’t find any traces of large beasts all the way here, only moving plants or four-winged birds.

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to go with me? There’s food and a place to sleep. It would be much better than sleeping in a place like this.”

“…”

It certainly was. There was no way she could get proper rest sitting on the dirt floor.

‘Besides, she looks really weak…’

When a person reaches a certain level, they acquire a sense of judging their opponent’s abilities.

Keira looked closely, but the woman in front of her was quite ordinary. If anything happened, she thought she could subdue her with one hand.

Advertisements

Keira: “I’d be grateful for your hospitality.”

“That’s great! We want more people, so don’t feel pressured. Oh, by the way, I came out to get some water. Please wait a moment.”

Then the woman ran to the water. The big wooden bucket looked too heavy for a vulnerable person like her.

Keira: “Let me.”

Keira lifted the wooden bucket for her.

“Wow! You’re stronger than I thought.”

Keira: “I get that a lot.”

“By the way, my name is Ella. What about you?”

Keira: “Um… it’s Kira[1].”

Ella: “That’s a beautiful name.”

Ella chattered nonstop as they walked.

Worried they might attract the attention of demonic beasts, Keira suggested Ella lower her voice.

Ella answered with a smile.

Ella: “Hey, there’s nothing like that here.”

Keira: “No?”

Ella: “Uh huh. It’s not that there aren’t any small beasts, but they don’t attack humans. They only eat the plants growing here.”

Keira: “Hmm.”

Ella: “Actually, we didn’t even think about going down this mountain and going back to the human world. We don’t know what dangers may be outside this mountain… so it’s better to live in a safe space than take risks for nothing.”

Keira: “I see.”

Ella “Ah, we’re almost here. There it is.”

Advertisements

As she turned to the place Ella pointed, she saw several flickering lights.

It was a village–if you could even call it that–with a few sloppy, tiny houses clustered together.

“Ella? Who is the girl next to you?”

The first to find the two was a middle-aged man lounging outside. He looked startled when he saw Keira.

Ella: “We met at the creek. This is Miss Kira. Oh, and this is Uncle Perry.”

Perry: “Nice to meet you, Miss Kira. Did you also get caught up in the gate and come here?”

Keira: “Yes. I don’t really remember what happened, but… I guess so.”

Perry: “You must have been very scared and nervous, but I’m glad you met Ella.”

At that moment, another voice interrupted their conversation.

“Oh? Perry, who’s that?”

The villagers who heard Keira’s voice started coming out, looking puzzled yet delighted. There was no fear or wariness to be found.

‘It would be common to be wary when a stranger enters the community…’

Was this proof that it was frequent for people to join them and that the forest was safe? Keira tilted her head.

The villagers, who had come close, flocked to Keira’s side.

“Are you a noble? Your clothes look good. It’s a bit dirty, but…”

“You must have been terrified, but I’m glad you found us. Oh, what would you like to eat first? Are you hungry?”

“Hey! Do you have any leftover stew?”

“Come this way!”

The atmosphere was more favorable than Keira had imagined. 

‘Oh? Oh?’

In the meantime, Keira was dragged into the house, where one of the women placed a blanket over her shoulder. A ten-year-old boy even handed her a warm bowl of gritty stew.

Advertisements

“You must be hungry, so please eat, noona.”

Keira: “…thank you.”

“Hehe, welcome to our village.”

The boy’s bright smile reminded Keira of Zeke from when he was young. Keira smiled a little and drank the stew the child had given her.

It was a stew with vegetables and some meat.

It was a taste she wouldn’t usually consume, but she emptied the bowl at the thought of saving up stamina.

As Keira put the bowl down, she was handed a teacup by a woman from the village.

“It is a tea brewed with herbs. Drink it to help you relax.”

Keira: “Oh, I… thank you for the hospitality.”

“Don’t mention it. Everyone’s in a similar situation. I know how scary it was when I first fell here.”

“This area is safe. Don’t worry too much.”

Everyone smiled warmly and looked at her Keira. They seemed delighted that they had one more villager.

The boy shoved Keira’s side and asked.

“Noona! Where did you live? Are you from the capital?”

Keira: “Yes, I lived in the capital.”

“Wow! Tell me about the capital! It’s been my dream to go there one day, but since I came here…”

“Ben! Ask about that later. Kira must be very tired today.” 

When one of the women stopped him, the boy named Ben pouted. Keira stepped forward in embarrassment.

Advertisements

Keira: “No. I’m not that tired, so it’s okay.”

The boy reminded her of her brother. Keira told Ben about the squares, shopping streets, and the Imperial Palace.

He listened intently, eyes twinkling, and as the night deepened, the child nodded off, drowsy.

Keira: “Are you sleepy, little one?”

Ben: “No… I can hear more…”

“Ben, don’t be stubborn. Just go to sleep.”

One of the women took Ben and went outside.

“How about sleeping for a while, Miss Kira? There is an empty room available. Please sleep there.”

Keira: “Thank you.”

“Oh, my name is Claire.”

Keira: “That’s a lovely name.”

The two of them stepped outside. As they walked to the empty room, Claire glanced up at the sky and said.

Claire: “Looks like it’s going to rain.”

Keira: “Rain? How can you tell?”

Claire: “You can’t see any stars. It means there are clouds.”

Keira: “Oh.”

There wasn’t a single cloud until the sun went down, but maybe because it was the Demon Realm, the weather was constantly changing.

Keira was led to a small hut in the middle of the village. It was just big enough to accommodate two people.

Claire: “The room hasn’t been used in a long time, so it might be a little dirty. I’ll clean it up tomorrow. Just wait a day.”

Keira, who was planning to leave after only staying for one day, couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.

Everyone might be sad if she told them she was leaving tomorrow.

Claire: “Sleep well then.”

Keira: “You, too.”

The woman took a blanket out of the warehouse and left for another place.

‘Since I’m here, should I just stay and wait for Erez to find me? It might be dangerous outside the forest…’

Keira was full and sleepy. She should take a nap and think about it later. With that, she set up her sword on one side of the wall.

‘She said they haven’t used it for a long time, so it’s really dusty.’

It was so bad that Keira kept coughing, so she tried to open the window to ventilate the room.

“…?”

Advertisements

But the window wouldn’t budge. Rattle, rattle–. It only made a rattling sound even when she applied force.

It was only after she looked closely at the window that she realized that the window sill had been nailed shut.

Keira: “Did they shut the window because they haven’t used it in so long?”

She felt a little uncomfortable, but it seemed like she should just sleep today. Keira took off her robe and carefully folded it over the chair.

Keira: “Hmm?”

Then the wall hidden behind the chest of drawers caught her eye. Of course, she wouldn’t have noticed if it had been a little darker.

It was a brown stain that had been splattered like some kind of graffiti. Ben’s face flashed in her head.

‘I think that kid was playing a joke.’

He seemed to be the only age in this town to do graffiti like this.

‘But how did you get the paint?’

At that moment, a thought suddenly ran through her head– blood turns brown when it hardens.

“…”

In an instant, a chill rose up her spine.

‘Did they chop off their prey here?’

The stew she ate also had meat in it. She didn’t know if they hunted low-level demonic beasts in this area.

The thought that she might have eaten those beast’s meat made her feel slightly nauseous, but Keira tried not to think too hard about it and lay on the bed.

Well, it was more hay than bed, but now wasn’t the time to focus on the specifics.

‘What should I do next?’

Keira felt drowsy while thinking about it. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep.

[1] Keira introduced herself as 키라. Her name is spelled as 키이라. She used the same alias early on.