62 – Finecone (10)
From Noble mtl dot com
“Drakan. Hey, you. What have you been up to lately?”
“What?”
“You go out every night and come back. Huh? Do you think I wouldn’t know?”
Abakusa chuckled.
“You locked eyes with a village girl, right? Who’s the unlucky guy? Don’t keep your mouth shut and just say it.”
“Turn off your mind.”
“What the hell? When have I ever told you to turn off your mind?”
“Because it’s not a love story. So just turn it off.”
“Then what is it?”
“Are you a stalker?”
“Dammit! Don’t cast doubt on me!”
‘What the hell’ he said.
I kicked off my foot. With my body in motion, I dove into his body like a whip.
An attack that was still incomplete. But even with just that, the rushing air cried out in screams.
If this was the basic skill of Naga Kurtar’s sword dance, which was still unfinished.
This was like an ultimate skill that condensed all the power into one momentary strike.
The preparation was long, and the movement after the strike was significant. Indeed, if there were extraordinary advantages, there would also be disadvantages.
Still, this hidden move would undoubtedly be helpful someday. If I polished it a little more, it would transform into Naga Kurtar’s martial arts.
Of course, it was still a long way off.
Abakusa sighed.
“How is it possible to hear the sound of a person being defeated without wearing armor in the air… you crazy monster… So, what is it? Why are you keeping it a secret and not saying a word?”
“I’m not keeping it a secret. There’s just no need to say it.”
It was clear that this wasn’t an ordinary relationship.
The teacher and disciple bond was too short-lived. It was merely a relationship where she provided some help.
Once they left the village, they would probably never meet again. She would walk the mercenary path in her own way, and I would walk a different path of my own.
They might meet by chance someday. But does that mean they have such a close relationship to show off their friendship?
I wanted to say no.
That’s why I just didn’t say anything. It was just a “trivial” matter.
“What about Blanca?”
“She got tired of the potatoes and went to search for grass.”
“Are the supplies really running that low?”
“They hardly distribute rations anymore.”
Abakusa snorted.
“Still, I’ve heard that the train is entering its final phase. But are you really not going to tell me?”
“Hey, are you seriously… interested in me?”
“This f***! I won’t ask for water again! You son of a b****!”
Morning training.
Afternoon light patrol.
When there was spare time, searching for food to scavenge.
The days here were monotonous. Harvest was only encircling, not engaging in separate activities, as if waiting for something quietly.
I intensified my patrols because I was afraid of that silence. However, despite carefully scanning the surrounding terrain, I found no trace of Harvest.
It seemed like they were observing from a distance.
“…Seems so.”
I found Tetis Libra.
“We should be careful when moving the train.”
It was a simple guess. Eliminating possibilities one by one and choosing the most likely option.
Tetis Libra seemed thoughtful. They somewhat agreed with my opinion.
But we differed in a crucial aspect.
“The purpose of this mission is solely to escort the train. Even if there are traps hidden, overcoming them and proceeding forward is the key.”
Those were valid words. We were stationed here to carry out that escort.
So, the alternative I wanted was in another aspect.
“Before moving the train, how about using the escort vehicles to check the railway once?”
“…I already brought up this matter once. But it got rejected.”
Tetis Libra sighed.
“The Commander believed that minimizing our movement exposure is more important than anything else. They said it could provoke premature actions. And I think their statement wasn’t entirely wrong.”
“……”
“And perhaps, Harvest’s encirclement might have been triggered just because someone provoked them reflexively.”
“Who said that?”
“Lieutenant Rotten Miller.”
Probably referring to the commanding officer of the garrison border guards who were originally stationed here.
As a mere soldier, you couldn’t question the decisions made by the headquarters. I had to follow, it was my role.
“Drakhan, tonight you eat among yourselves. Don’t wait for me.”
“What’s the matter?”
“The Commander invited me for dinner. It seems like a celebration for the almost completed train repair.”
Did they bring alcohol during this time?
“It’s impressive in a different way.”
“Understood.”
However, contrary to their response, I too couldn’t have a proper dinner. It was because someone had come to the house I was staying at.
“…Long time no see.”
The village chief.
It was Ned Moore.
I lightly greeted him. I ignored the people watching from behind with a mixed expression of curiosity.
“Have you been well, Chief?”
“Yes, of course. If you haven’t had dinner yet, why don’t you come to our house?”
“…Really?”
“I have something I want to say. I hope you accept the invitation. I’ll be waiting.”
Ned Moore, who spoke cleanly and briefly, turned around and left. Abakusa growled.
“What’s that supposed to be? Did you make friends with the enemy? Let me tell you, you shouldn’t easily trust others. Drachan.”
“Abakusa is right. You shouldn’t trust anyone easily. Moreover, the representative of the villagers who have always shown hostility toward the Resistance invites you? Something seems strange.”
While the two were on guard, I had a clue.
Kiara.
It must be about her.
“Never mind. If they were targeting, isn’t it more reasonable to target the commander rather than a lowly soldier like me?”
“But…”
“You guys can have dinner together.”
“I don’t want to eat with that calf.”
“Who cares what you want!”
Leaving the growling pair behind, I headed towards the chief’s house.
. . .
Abakusa glared at the flickering bonfire. On top of it was a simmering red potato porridge.
It tastes good. It’s undeniably delicious. But, that’s not the point.
No matter how delicious the food may be, a person gets tired of it if they keep eating it.
“Don’t you have any seasoning?”
“I ran out a long time ago. Just eat it as it is.”
That woman is quite irritable, anyway.
Avakusa chewed on the potatoes. He was now tired of their sweet and refreshing taste. He disliked boiled potatoes as well as roasted ones.
“As soon as I go out, I’ll start chewing on meat.”
“…Should I ask Drakan for some?”
“That’s a good idea.”
While munching, Avakusa glanced at the soldiers in a jerky manner, who were also having dinner with the engineers accompanying him. However, their expressions were much brighter than before.
Blanca spat something on the ground while chewing on a peeled potato.
“Ugh. sh*t. A bug.”
“What a waste of protein!”
“Even if you’re in a rush to consume protein, eat something like that. Not me, my calf. But what are you looking at?”
“Those bastards… Why do their faces look so bright?”
Blanca looked up.
“Yeah… They look quite bright. Is the train repair finally done?”
It’s good news. Avakusa snapped his shoulders. It’s truly excellent.
Finally, he could escape from this tiresome potato party. One month of outdoor training had been too long.
The potatoes tasted slightly sweeter. As his mood changed, the taste seemed deeper as well. Avakusa put the remaining red potato into his mouth.
Chewing, he suddenly spoke his thought.
“Do we have to ride in the escort vehicle when we return?”
“I guess so. There doesn’t seem to be any other way.”
“Hmm…”
He felt a slight discomfort.
What is it?
“What about the soldiers who were already here?”
“I think they will ride along somehow. Otherwise, they might get on the vacant cars of the train.”
“That makes sense.”
He glanced at the distant train. Its body made of steel. Now it had become a splendid transportation vehicle that resembled an ordinary train.
But…
Are there any vacant cars?
“Hey, Blanca.”
“What now?”
Blanca responded irritably.
“Was there a spare compartment?”
“Yes, there was. Only one. It was empty.”
“Is it big?”
“It’s narrow. But I think we could squeeze in if needed.”
“Really?”
Abakusa found a sense of discomfort in the silence.
“Is it big enough for the whole village to fit in?”
“Yeah. Damn. Since when were you so righteous? Suddenly acting all….”
Blanca stopped speaking. She stared intently at the potato she was chewing.
“…It’s narrow. There’s no extra space.”
“What about hanging things from the ceiling?”
“…Probably not.”
Blanca muttered to herself.
“Trains have engines, right? I heard that these engines have a limit to their power. I heard engineers saying that.”
“What did they say?”
“They said that it might be necessary to unload some cargo. Even if the engine is repaired, it might not be strong enough to handle the weight.”
“…In that case, even more people won’t be able to board. Unless we unload some cargo.”
“I’ve never heard such an order. Damn.”
Blanca cursed.
“These damn resistance fighters…they never even planned on carrying civilians in the first place, did they…?”
. . .
The smell of meat wafted through my nose. I glanced around the kitchen.
Chiara was not there. Ned Moore, who had brought the pot, opened the lid.
A simmered meat stew that looked like it had been kept for a while.
I looked at him silently, taking in the aroma of the well-cooked meat.
Meat is precious. Especially in this situation.
“The hospitality is great.”
“We can’t help it. Guests are the same.”
He must have known.
I lifted the meat lightly. It tasted especially sweet to my palate, weary of potatoes. It didn’t seem to be contaminated with anything peculiar…
“Was a simple word of thanks all there was?”
“Is it to your taste?”
“It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad. I didn’t know my last piece of meat would come in so handy.”
“…I’ll stop eating.”
“Just kidding.”
Ned Moore laughed. Amidst his laughter, he quickly covered his mouth as a cough burst out.
“…Are you sick?”
He asked, even though he knew. Ned Moore nodded his head.
“It’s not a terminal illness. It can be cured. But I heard it takes a lot of money to treat.”
“…….”.
“I invited Mr. Drakan today, not to talk about this illness but because I want to ask something before expressing gratitude. Mr. Drakan.”
He sat in front of me. He stared at me intently with his fingers interlocked in front of a dim candle.
“Why did you help her?”
Of course, this question came up.
But I had only one answer for that.
“I had time at night.”
“…Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
Silence followed. Ned Moore loosened his interlocked fingers.
From Noble mtl dot com
“…Thank you.”
It was an honest expression of gratitude. But I raised my fork without saying a word.
I chewed the meat lightly. Though it tasted good, it had a rough flavor.
It tasted similar to when Father cooked for me when I was young.
“…Isn’t being a mercenary a dangerous job?”
So, I asked.
I was simply curious. I wanted to know why he supported his adopted daughter.
“It is dangerous.”
“…Then why?”
“I tried quitting. Already. But she wouldn’t listen. I retired and became a hunter to settle down in this village. I revived old memories and relied on an old rifle. I was a coward. I quit being a mercenary because I was afraid of the battlefield… Fortunately, the skills I accumulated came in handy somewhere.”
Is it talking about that old gun hanging on the wall?
“He liked it the most when I brought back a beast to the village. Maybe that’s why my worn-out gun was aimed at her. Of course, I didn’t give it to her. It’s also broken and needs repair… As you can see, the situation is such that I can’t even go out for repairs.”
Ned Moore smirked.
“Isn’t it natural for a child to learn from adult’s back? I believed that by following the way of life I showed her, the little one would become a great hunter. But instead, she wanted to go to the battlefield. Her attachment to the name ‘mercenary’… maybe it’s because of my illness. She’s a good kid, that’s why. Despite being young… she grew up as an adult.”
“……. “
“But isn’t the battlefield dangerous? So, to scare her and give her some fear, I told her stories of what I experienced. I exaggerated and added some bluffs, but… strangely enough, it stimulated Kiara’s greed.”
Ned Moore leaned against the chair.
“My mediocre battlefield had transformed into an adventure inside her. I tried to reject that absurd imagination… but the talent she possessed was greater than I thought.”
“……. “
“All she carries is a small hand axe. But she throws it and brings back prey. I’ve been with her once and it was like facing a wild beast. Although I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old, I simply couldn’t keep up.”
Ned Moore rubbed his hands anxiously.
“At that moment, I thought. Isn’t it too cruel to decide this child’s future solely as a hunter… considering the talent she has?”
“Hoping for a daughter to be successful should be every parent’s wish.”
“Since then, I taught her various methods to support her dream. Although small… I also taught her the combat techniques that once saved my life. But I’m not very eloquent, you see. I couldn’t properly teach her. Isn’t it ridiculous that someone like me, who has always lived as a mere mercenary, teaches someone else?”
“She learned exceptionally well.”
“…Just hearing those words is comforting. Drakan, thank you.”
He coughed and cleared his throat. He wiped the blood off his mouth.
“I don’t have much time. I don’t know how long Drakan will stay here… but at least I wanted to have a face-to-face conversation again.”
“……”
“You’re the first person to appear who supports her dream after me. Everyone was too busy mocking the one-armed werewolf. The only one who accepted her as she is, is you.”
Just a dream.
“…If there’s another path…”
“If there’s another path, maybe there will be. After all, when the child who dreamed of being a mercenary actually goes out into the world… she might want to do something else.”
Ned Moore pondered briefly.
“But still, I want to support her no matter what she does. I want to be on her side, no matter what job she chooses.”
“You’re a great father.”
“Thank you again, Drakan.”
Ned Moore’s voice was earnest. But he was smiling wider than usual.
“For guiding my daughter, thank you… Thank you so much. You are my savior… no, you are like a savior to my daughter.”
I looked down at the flesh of life.
A thin body that shows through the clothes. A pale face that looks desperate for nutrition.
There is more meaning in this flesh than meets the eye.
That’s why, perhaps.
It didn’t go down well in the throat.
“…Have some together.”
“It’s fine, Draco. Eat to your heart’s content. And aside from what you just did, I have one request.”
“If it’s a request…?”
“Just in case something happens to me tomorrow… Won’t you take care of her until she can at least leave this village?”
It was a heavy request. I nodded my head.
The village chief, Ned Moore, smiled bitterly.
“…I apologize. I spoke too heavily.”
“……”
“Isn’t it natural for a parent’s heart… to want to do something more for their child?”
“For that matter, it felt like drawing a line from the way you address her.”
“At first, I tried to draw a line. Because adopting that child was not an act of kindness.”
Ned Moore looked out the window.
“…But in the end, it turned out this way. Kiara is my daughter. Not by birth, but embraced with my heart.”