59 – Pinecone (7)
The kitchen was completely empty. The lukewarm water was all that remained.
Even after searching the shelves, there was nothing to eat. Empty seasoning bottles. An empty jar with nothing inside.
Even the small container that appeared to have held oil was completely empty.
Did they eat everything?
I dropped a few potatoes into the lukewarm water.
“Where are your parents?”
“…They’re not here.”
I didn’t delve further. It seemed that only these siblings lived in this small house.
The interior, which had not been cleaned at all, was not just filled with simple dust accumulation.
There was a hole in the ceiling. In one corner that looked like it had been hit by artillery fire, broken pieces of furniture and piles of dirt were gathered.
“Aren’t you cold at night?”
“…It’s cold.”
The boy sniffled behind his little sister, trying to hide the cold.
“But it’s okay. Look at this. If you wear multiple layers of clothes, it’ll be fine.”
“…Wouldn’t the people in the village help separately?”
“Everyone is busy taking care of themselves. We know that too. Everyone is not well-off. But occasionally, the village chief visits our house. So does Kiara, the older sister.”
“…Kiara?”
“She’s an amazing older sister. She’s incredibly strong.”
The younger sister chimed in.
“Brother likes Kiara unnie.”
“Me, when?!”
“Your face turns red every time you see her. You’re completely smitten.”
“Oh, no way!”
Watching their bickering, I couldn’t help but laugh.
Is this what it means to have siblings?
I stirred the water as the steam began to rise. After a little while, I took out the potatoes.
The siblings stared wide-eyed as they hesitantly put them in their mouths.
“I-It’s delicious!”
They ate hurriedly, holding one potato each in their hands. Their mouths moved diligently, but their eyes clearly showed that they were watching me closely.
“Brother, you…aren’t you eating?”
“I’m good.”
I put down more red potatoes in front of the child than I had originally planned to share.
“When you want to eat, just follow how I showed you and boil them. Don’t eat them raw, they taste bad. Can you do that?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Keep it a secret that I shared them with you.”
I stood up with the cooking pot in my hand.
I lightly patted the boy’s head.
“Just do as you’ve been doing. Got it?”
“…….?”
The boy gulped down the potato.
“W-What, what is it…?”
“Take care of your younger sister.”
Don’t become like me— I swallowed the words.
Because I couldn’t find a reason to spit it out.
“Like an older brother. Understand?”
“Yes…”
…
“Oh my…in the world…can, can I really accept this?”
“Well…if there was something like this, why didn’t you give it to me yesterday?”
“…It doesn’t have any poison, right?”
“Who are you to tell me to keep a secret?”
The reactions varied. The underlying emotion was suspicion.
I didn’t receive any good looks even after distributing the food. It seems that the accumulated emotions had deep roots.
The person from the village who received the red potato stumbled back. At least it was a somewhat decent reaction.
I walked towards the last house.
…
You can tell at a glance. This is the oldest house in the village.
The exterior wood was partly rotten. It didn’t look like it had been bombarded, but parts of it seemed to have collapsed.
A hut that would break if touched. Like representing the history of the village called Pinecone, the door was also worn out.
Through a gap that wasn’t completely closed, the sound of the wind leaked out.
I lightly knocked on the door.
“Is anyone there?”
…
With a creaking sound, the door opened.
An old man appeared before me.
His eyes staring at me were sharp. His emaciated body was slightly withered, yet still very threatening.
It felt like looking at a mercenary who had lived a rough life.
He spoke up.
“Why have you come here?”
“I’ve come to distribute food.”
…Food?
He glanced behind me, looking at the sack.
His brow furrowed.
“Suddenly, why…”
“May I come in? It’s something that should not be noticeable.”
The man stepped aside.
“Please come in.”
The interior was tidy. It could also be described as well-organized.
A completely different atmosphere from the house of the young siblings. On one side, there was an old gun hanging. A weapon with an ancient and outdated structure that seemed to have been out for a long time.
Perhaps it was for decoration.
I took out a red potato from my bag.
“This is…”
“A red potato. You can eat it.”
The man examined the red potato closely.
“It certainly is a red potato. Where did you get this…”
His tone implied that he knew about this crop. I felt a sense of discomfort in that place.
It was usually an unfamiliar food. Not only was it considered a high-grade ingredient, but it was also known to be difficult to find.
Ordinary locals wouldn’t know about it… Or could it be that they had tried it before? In any case, I handed him all the remaining red potatoes.
“I heard you’re the village leader.”
“I apologize for the late introduction. I’m Ned Moore.”
A different affiliation. We wouldn’t have any connection once I left this place.
Naturally, honorifics came out of my mouth. The reason was simple. While resistance fighters could deal with things by force…
They had to resolve matters through conversation with civilians. The resistance fighters wouldn’t harm civilians. That was the resistance fighters’ primary principle.
“I’m Drakan.”
I briefly revealed only my name. His gaze swept over the horns above my head.
He didn’t say anything extraordinary. He just nodded heavily.
I placed the remaining red potatoes on the floor, the amount left after distributing them.
“If you could distribute these red potatoes to the villagers who I don’t know, I would appreciate it.”
“Understood.”
He didn’t add anything unnecessary. He turned around, looked at me, and asked only one question.
“Is this something that needs to be kept secret?”
He beat me to the punch and said the words I was about to say.
He’s quick-witted.
“Yes.”
“I understand. Thank you for your help, Drakan. “
“Not at all.”
After a brief farewell, she tried to leave immediately. However, the door in front of her creaked open, as if it was being pushed without being touched.
A small girl covered one of her shoulders with a robe. When her eyes met mine, she immediately revealed her suspicion.
“Who are you…?”
“Kiara. I’m a guest.”
Her gaze fell on the resistance-marked insignia on my shoulder.
Her expression wrinkled. Her words were sharp and bitter.
“Why did you come here?”
“I have something to give you for a moment…”
“To give, or to steal?”
“Kiara!”
“… “
A prayer that didn’t match her small stature.
I quickly stole a glance at the black fox ears on her head. The tips were black, but the ends were a reddish hue. The inside of her hair color was closer to red than black.
She seemed somewhat immature. However, the tightly clenched fist indicated that she was well-trained and measured the distance between us.
Should I engage with her?
Just as I was hesitating, the fox person called Kiara let out a sigh. She immediately passed me and went into the room.
I smelled the scent of machinery in the air. However, there was only a small axe in the woman’s hand hidden under her clothes, and no other machines were visible.
…Could there be something hidden beneath her clothes?
“I’m sorry, Drakan.”
“It’s okay.”
“I won’t go far.”
A clear warning. I nodded my head.
After a few steps, I turned around and looked back at the building.
…That was undoubtedly a clear sign of hostility.
If it weren’t for Ned Moore, the village head, I would have charged in immediately just because I was a member of the resistance.
…
“Ki
The village chief of Pinecone, Ned Moore, closed the door after confirming the retreating Drakan.
“I told you not to act like a fool.”
“…Hmph.”
A distinctive black-furred fox.
Kiara muttered.
“But… it’s too shameless… Sir, don’t you think so too?”
“I only came to distribute food.”
“But they took away the food we were supposed to have from the beginning. They didn’t distribute it properly and now they show up like nothing happened!”
“Kiara!”
Ned Moore wiped his face. What if he had shown his annoyance and discomfort?
The opponent is the resistance. Armed with firearms, their numbers have also increased now.
It’s different from before. Before, it was like holding a small bomb that could go off at any moment…
But now, facing a predator that requires careful attention.
“The more you behave like this, the more innocent villagers will suffer…”
Ned Moore coughed. Blood stained the handkerchief he held against his mouth.
Kiara was taken aback.
“Please, rest. Sir. I’m sorry for acting foolishly…”
“Forget it. It’s unnecessary. Go and take care of other townspeople.”
Having already been in poor health for a long time, Ned Moore’s body weakened due to lack of nutrition.
He staggered to his feet. He opened the curtain slightly and looked at the broken train in the distance.
…The resistance is on the side of civilians.
There’s no doubt that’s amusing.
This is why we need to be more vigilant.
We need to keep the enemy closer than our allies, to watch their moves.
“Kiara. Let me say it one more time, don’t provoke the resistance recklessly.”
“…Yes.”
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Silence followed. Ned Moore turned his head abruptly.
“The food?”
“This is all we have.”
Three rabbits were placed on the table.
“Sir, there are no more beasts in the forest. Maybe… this could be the last one we can catch.”
“……. “
It would be appropriate to first mention the phrase “You’ve worked hard.”
However, Ned Moore turned away from her instead of praising her. The notion of inner feelings, strangely enough, took on a different form when spoken aloud.
Moreover, they don’t have a typical family relationship.
It’s only right to keep a distance once a line has been drawn.
That way, even if the moment of parting comes later, they can part ways cleanly.
“If we can’t rescue them, then it’s fine. Since the resistance’s food situation seems to have improved a bit, we can endure with that for a while.”
“…What’s next?”
“When the train is repaired, we can leave this town as well. If we board the train and move to the city, we can survive.”
“…Can you trust them, sir?”
He couldn’t trust them.
But nonetheless, he had to believe. It was the only path left.
“Prepare the rabbit and distribute it to the people in the town. It’s a difficult time. We must all endure together.”
“…Yes, understood. Please rest, sir. I’m sorry for acting on my own.”
“Remember to always maintain composure.”
“…Yes.”
Ned Moore lay down in bed. He didn’t know how long his cold body could survive.
If he were to leave, what expression would that girl make?
Ned Moore coughed softly. His condition was worsening.
At least until this body leaves the town, he had to hold on.
He couldn’t leave her alone in a place like this.
…
Tetis Libra carefully inspected the inside of the train.
Time was passing quickly. The provisions they brought along were already running low, and everyone had become extremely sensitive.
Two weeks in a small town.
Although the broken train was still being repaired, it seemed like there was still some time until it was completed. They would have to stay here for at least two more weeks.
“Tetis Libra, so-called.”
At the call, Tetis Libra leaped out of the train. She saluted her commanding officer.
“You called, sir. Lieutenant.”
“Back there, he was doing something funny. Did he distribute food as he pleased without reporting to me?”
Tetis Libra paused.
The leader of the special dispatch unit, Edan Valf, cast a sharp glance ahead.
“Does it seem like I look like a blind executive in your eyes?”