EP.80 Katarina
Katarina woke up from her stunned and stared blankly at her arm. It is padded with a splint and neatly wrapped with a bandage.
She continued to look at her arms.
There was no sense of reality at all.
From her point of view, it was inevitable.
On the way home happily after receiving a daily wage.
She bumped into something that suddenly jumped out of the fork, flew away, passed out, and when she opened her eyes, she was like this.
“Aww..!”
As she moved the cast arm, she felt a tingling pain. At this point, even Katarina had no choice but to admit that her arm is broken.
‘Now what…’
The girl’s head, Katarina, had five younger siblings to look after.
As a 3rd grade dancer, the best thing she can do is not starve her younger siblings.
But now she can’t even get it.
Who the hell use a dancer with one arm?
It was time for Katarina to let out a deep sigh in the harsh reality.
“Hey… I’m sorry.”
The man who bumped into her apologized.
Katarina narrowed her eyes and looked at Cloud apologizing. He was a very handsome man, but to her who she is now, he was just her enemy.
“No, why in the alley… haha… no.”
She stopped trying to shoot something.
‘It’s an accident, not intentional.’
He’s very sorry, isn’t he?
She tried to erase the Cloud from her mind and go back to the real world.
“Here… if it’s okay with you, take it.”
A small pocket appeared in front of her.
It was what Cloud gave her.
Katarina tilted her head and took the pocket and opened it.
There was money in the pocket.
She opened her eyes and counted the coins in her pocket.
‘This is enough so I don’t have to starve my younger siblings!’
No, it might still be a little bit.
Will you ever be able to do savings for the first time?
Katarina, who had a bright expression on her face, was in vain! She came to her senses, and corrected her expression with a coughing cough.
“Ugh! What is this money?”
“It looks like you are a dancer, but because of me, you have been unable to work for a while. I’m here to take responsibility for that on my own. Please do not decline by all means. That puts my mind at ease.”
Was the word responsibility originally such a sweet word?
Katarina nodded, holding back her lips trying to wobble.
“Then… there is nothing I can do about it. Thank you. You don’t have to worry about my arm. Then just…”
It was just as Katarina was about to turn her back with a smile.
“Ah, over there.”
Cloud’s voice caught her.
Did he say something less? Katarina stopped her turning and waited for him to speak. She thought for a moment, he said.
“I have some circumstances, but… can I stay in your house for a while?”
“Yes?”
For a moment, Katarina wondered if her ears had become strange.
But Cloud’s voice was serious.
‘Are you crazy?’
We don’t know each other, and we met for the first time today. Would I like you to stay at my house?
That’s nonsense.
Katarina cut it off and refused-
“It’s small, but I’ll pay the price.”
Cloud pulled out his money bag.
Katarina’s eyes fluttered slightly.
* * *
If a stranger today asks you to stay in your house for a while, how many will respond?
There will probably be few.
Especially if you have a family to take care of.
Therefore, the process of convincing Katarina was very difficult.
He describes what he experienced and how harsh an inn in Oulheim was for tourists.
He declare that he is not a dangerous person.
She accepted only after confiscating weapons, helping with household chores, and paying for the stay.
“It’s in a pretty shady place.”
The place where I and Katarina were walking was a slum in Oulheim. She strode through the dark streets, seemingly fearless.
“Isn’t it dangerous to stay in a place like this?”
Katarina chuckled at my question.
“It may look like that from the outside, but it is a more livable place than you think. Quite a lot.”
“Do you have a lot of affection?”
I looked around.
It was full of lambs spitting spit and beggars with broken bones.
Those seeds who will turn into robbers any time they have a sharp knife and a chance.
Admiring her courageous remarks, we proceeded through the slums. I then found a shabby house in the corner of the street, she steps towards it.
Katarina pulled the doorknob of the shabby house.
– It’s sticky.
The hinge holding the door fell off.
“Ah, here it is again. I’ll use it… Do I have to borrow another hammer from the blacksmith?”
In a familiar manner, Katarina picked up the hinges and nails that had fallen off.
“It’s very shabby, but please come in.”
“Excuse me.”
I followed Katarina into the house.
Unlike the shabby exterior, the interior was quite nice. Brazier, pot, bed and so on. Because everything was there. it’s very old.
“Sister!”
A small child, barely reaching my waist, ran and hugged Katarina. Starting with that child, the other two children ran and hugged Katarina.
What was not embraced were the older brothers and sisters who seemed to be going through puberty, and the elderly who looked like a couple.
The old couple widened their eyes as they looked at Katarina’s cast.
“Why are Katarina’s arms like that?!”
“Whoever hit you?!”
Katarina smiled awkwardly and shook her head.
“It’s not right. I took the wrong step on the stairs and sprained a little.”
Katarina hid what happened to her.
Maybe it was because I didn’t feel any discomfort while I was here.
“I have someone else to introduce.”
“Who would you like to introduce? Huh?! Maybe it’s your boyfriend?! Can not be done! I cannot accept this extra expense!”
“It’s not like that! Anyway, Grandpa makes a lot of fuss whenever I does.”
“I’m nervous because it’s worth the fuss! You don’t know, but all men are wolves, wolves! Add a guy with a smudged face like that. How many girls must have cried with that face? You never fall!”
“It’s not like that, really… That person’s name is Cloud, and he’s a tourist who came to see the festival, but due to various circumstances, he decided to stay at our house for a while.”
“What, what?! A virgin who hasn’t even gotten married wants to sleep in the same house with a married man?!”
The old man jumped and jumped. Catarina sighed as she looked at it.
“Grandpa please… I’m exhausted from going through so much today. Can’t you just give me a break?”
“Girl, the inspiration was making a fuss, but this is an important issue. The safety of you and your children is at stake.”
The old woman clasped Katarina’s hands with her wrinkled hands and said softly.
Katarina laughed a little.
“Thank you for your concern. It’s okay though. He decided to leave the weapon to me, and I have the confidence to protect myself and my younger brothers.”
“Katarina, think again…”
The old couple persistently persuaded them, but Katarina’s determination was firm. At her insistence, the old couple had no choice but to back down.
“Whoa… I see. Who will break your stubbornness? We don’t go away. Anytime you need help, talk to me.”
“Look carefully to see if that wolf isn’t doing anything stupid!”
The old couple left the house only after each uttered a word.
“Who are they?”
“There are people who live around here. When I go out to work as a dancer, in the meantime, take care of my younger sisters.”
“hey are good people.”
“Did I tell you? It’s a very friendly neighborhood.”
Katarina pulled out ingredients such as cabbage and carrots from a large basket.
“I’m going to have soup for dinner, but Cloud, are you going to eat too?”
“I think we’re the same age, but you can talk informal to me.”
“Yes? Then you too. Would you rather eat with me?”
“It’s good. But is it possible to cook with one hand? May I help you?”
“It’s okay. One hand is enough to make soup, so the customer is resting.”
Saying so, Katarina cut the vegetables on the chopping board. If you have your own know-how, you can cut it well with one hand using a wrist snap.
I did something to just rest, so I picked up the hinges and nails that Katarina had placed on the table.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
I asked the teenage girl who had been staring at me for a long time. The girl is perplexed and points to herself with her finger.
“M, me?”
“Yeah yeah you. What is your name?”
“Brenna…”
“Yes, Brenna. Wait, can you help this brother?”
“Yes!”
Brenna came with frequent steps.
“How can I help you?”
“If you fit the door into the gap, hold the doorknob and make sure the door doesn’t fall over. Can you do it?”
Brenna nodded vigorously.
“Then, when your brother gives you a signal, catch it. one. two. three. now!”
Brenna grabbed the doorknob and started holding on. In the meantime, I put the hinges and nails on the door frame.
＜Glyph of the Ogre>
Place your thumb on the nail and press firmly. Then the nail went in as smooth as a fork through jelly.
All the remaining nails were driven in the same way.
“Would you like to open the door?”
Brenna opened the door and widened her eyes.
“Wow… is it really fixed? Brother is great.How strong is it that you drive a nail with your finger?”
“Your brother is a little strong.”
After fixing the door, it was time for dinner.
Brenna drank the soup and exaggeratedly recounted how I fixed the door.
Katarina’s eyes widened sharply upon hearing the story.
.
.
.
.
.
“Honestly, isn’t this a little bit much?”
“From the beginning, we decided to confiscate weapons. I realized after hearing Brenna’s story. Your whole body is a weapon.”
“No, no matter how much you tie my wrists and ankles… How do you sleep like this?”
“Noisy. Thank you for tying you up at night only.”
Katarina turned her back, as if she would not listen to any further objections. Thanks to this, I had to crouch like a pupa on the ground by myself.
After a while, it wasn’t until Katarina fell asleep that the knot was untied. It is not difficult to untie a knot tied by a beginner.
When I went out, two people with their faces covered with masks were waiting for me.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. It took so long for Katarina to fall asleep.”
“Why did you approach Katarina?”
Let’s get straight to the point, shall we?
That’s good though
“Why don’t we take off that stuffy mask before we talk? Grandma, Grandpa.”
“…”
They quietly took off their masks.
The faces of an old couple we met at Katarina’s house during the day were revealed.
“…Since when did you find out?”
“From the moment I first saw you.”
The flow of muscles and qi was not that of an ordinary old man. A body that cannot be created without being highly trained. This meant that they were no ordinary old-fashioned couple.
“It feels good. I heard that the Hero of Prona Kingdom was completely different from before, and the rumors were true.”
The old man nodded. Soon after, he said with life in his voice.
“I showed my face as requested, so answer the question. What did you intend to approach Katarina?”
“I have no special intentions. I was the only one who broke that arm, and I was just trying to help out a little bit out of pity.”
“Don’t be silly. As a Hero, you had enough power to heal Katarina’s arm. You wouldn’t have had to come to the house because she was old. Tell me your true intentions.”
“No.”
“…”
The life the two old men exuded deepened.
“I won’t say it, but I promise this. I’m not going to let the sun go down for Katarina. So tell her not to worry about her daughter.”
“How do you say that… wait what?”
The two old men’s faces hardened.
“…How much do you know?”
“All. don’t worry. I have no intention of disturbing you.”
“…”
“If you can’t believe it, there’s nothing I can do.”
The two old men put on their masks again when they started to loosen their hands lightly.
“…I hope those words are sincere.”
After saying those words, the old couple jumped up onto the roof. After they go far away and I called her.
“Shedia.”
“Yes.”
Shedia escaped from my shadow in the moonlight. In her hand was the head of the vampires that followed us.
“Did you take care of everything?”
“I killed all but the two I let go.”
Shedia put her head down on the floor and reached out to me with a look of anticipation.
“No. It’s not all over yet.”
Shedia put on a sullen expression.
* * *
“Is it. I don’t care… I see.”
She nodded and the two old men left.
Having let them go, she looked at the stone statue in the center of her room.
A stone statue of a beautiful dancer performing a sword dance.
She murmured in a faint voice.
“Anelliese.”
In the past, the name of the best dancer in Oulheim.