chapter 11
11 – What I carried – 2
When I arrived at the meeting place, Elan was waiting for me. Dressed in her comfy-looking clothes, she leaned against the wall and stared at her surroundings.
“What are you looking at so closely?”
“Ah. Are you here? Whoa. It’s a natural thing to do as a security officer.”
“If you look at me like that, people will be scared.”
“Magic officers are always hated. Rather… You became the owner of that artifact.”
I think Elan knew too. She looked up and down the suit I was wearing and smiled.
The blonde, green-eyed elf’s smile was quite beautiful, and no matter how plain her attire, she caught the attention of passers-by.
“I think the lord likes you quite a bit? That was something other people asked for before, but he never gave it to anyone.”
Huh?! Really?
Could this be something pink?
When I was in midfield, goodwill always led to assassination, so I never thought of such a thing, but this is a different world.
Then it occurred to me that this favor might really be tinted pink.
“Isn’t the lord single?”
“…What is it? You said it as a joke, did you take it seriously? Hmmm…”
For a moment, a look of doubt entered her green eyes. I laughed and shook my head.
“Since I have hardly had a relationship in my life…”
Before becoming the first person in the world, I only trained, and after becoming the first person in the world, almost every day was a day of fighting.
Whether I take it or the enemy takes it.
As a result, there were few opportunities to have a good relationship.
On rare occasions there have been similar vibes, but it always ended badly.
“Hmm? Yes? Unexpected?”
“I think so too.”
As expected, the pacifist line seems to suit me well.
Look. Unlike the days in the midfield, where only fights and fights were fought every day, did not the other world gain people’s favor as soon as it arrived?
He seems to be a pacifist by nature.
“Anyway. Then let’s go. But aren’t there any foods you can’t eat?”
“Hmm… Worms are a bit reluctant.”
“I don’t like that?!”
Okay then.
She looked at me in bewilderment and took me with her.
It was a small building not too far from the meeting place.
Is it like an inn?
When I opened the door and went inside, there were several tables in a fairly large space.
“If you don’t have anything special to cover, it’s okay if I order it, right? Give me two dark beers and a set meal!”
“Yes!!”
A voice came from inside. After a while, a glass that seemed to be made of bronze was placed in front of us. What was dripping inside was a black liquid.
“What is this?”
“Stein Reishi’s special dark beer. Try it. It will be delicious.”
It’s dark beer. Where…
Hmm?
Hmm?!
“Ohhh!! I didn’t know you’d be drinking cold sake at a time like this?!”
Bitter yet refreshing taste. Besides, today was hot weather for autumn, but such a cold drink.
In midfield, only those who use ice balls can do it, and most of those who use ice balls are arrogant, so they don’t make the drink cold.
But no one here uses ice balls, so how did you make it so cold?
As I looked at it in surprise, the owner who brought me the beer chuckled.
“How about it? The taste of Stein Reishi’s special dark beer!”
“Awesome. I never thought I’d get a drink like this. How can I…”
“This is all thanks to the lord!”
The giant who seemed to be the owner laughed and shouted. The other drunkard, who laughed at his shouts, also raised a bronze cup.
“You rented an artifact here so we could drink this cool dark beer after work!”
“Long live the lord!”
At the praise of the drinkers, Elan’s expression was filled with pride. It’s not like I’m praising myself, but I really like it.
“How is it? It’s hard to find a territory like this anywhere.”
“I don’t know anything else, but I do know that the lord cares about the land quite a bit.”
“Yes. So…”
Her green eyes twinkled as she casually tapped my arm.
“Let’s work together for a long time.”
“That’s a welcome story.”
If it’s a peaceful place and the beer is good, there’s no reason to leave.
“I will live today, so eat as much as you want!”
“Ha ha ha! Let’s do our best to eat!”
I did my best to eat and drink, but Elan got drunk.
Leaving her drowsy, I tipped her bronze goblet again.
“My God! How many drinks have you had?!”
“James fell out too!”
Somehow, I got into a drinking contest with the drunks at the store.
I accepted this challenge because there was no reason to avoid it, and I raised my hand, still sober until I sent the third drinker away.
“Here’s another drink.”
“Hyung, why don’t you stop drinking? There’s a saying that you can drink but don’t get drunk.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a drink in such a relaxed atmosphere.
But since everyone is holding back, shall we stop drinking today?
“Let’s come again next time. Oh. And the calculation…”
“Don’t worry, Elan did it earlier. Oh. Also, there’s a drinking contest on the last day of every month, so join in then. Young friend. hahahahaha! I didn’t expect to meet someone who can beat James here!”
Are you referring to one of the weeks we drank together earlier? I drank well, but my opponent was bad.
Anyway, it was a fun place. I tried shaking Elan to wake him up, but he didn’t want to wake up.
I can’t help it.
“Excuse me.”
I lightly carried Elan on my back and headed for the mansion.
When I returned to her mansion carrying her on my back, I ran into Cecil, who seemed to have just washed up. Looking at Elan and me alternately, she smiled and shook her head.
“How much did you drink?”
“I didn’t drink that much.”
“Really? But it seems like we’ve gotten closer than I thought.”
“Because I like good people.”
“Really? That’s fine…”
“Your lord seems to be a good person too.”
Just like what people were talking about at the bar earlier.
No, actually experiencing it makes me think that he is a really good person.
But at my words, Cecile only smiled strangely.
“A good person…”
“Am I wrong?”
“Well. In the end, it’s just a difference in perspective.”
In her short answer, there was as much bitterness as the dark beer she drank earlier.
Why is that?
***
A good person.
After returning to her room, Cecile took a sip of the red wine from her wine glass.
Do you really deserve to be called a good person like Cheonyoung and Yeongji say?
She saw her own hands. White and beautiful hands.
It is a hand that has to follow in the footsteps of parents and take care of the estate, but most of the things that this hand touches are experimental tools and magic.
In other words, they are only doing their own work while leaving their duties behind.
The artifacts brought to the manor from time to time were merely a by-product of the experiment.
And yet…
“A good person… I mean.”
With a short mutter, she took a sip of her wine and shook her head.
“There’s no reason for a lord who doesn’t even carry out his duties to hear such a thing.”
However, a faint smile hung on her lips as if she couldn’t deny that it was a pleasant sound.
***
Dawn. The two moons disappeared in the sky and the owner of the sky was rising.
The dawn in the other world was not very different from the dawn in Jungwon where I was in the past.
The chirping of birds awakens the spirit, and the cool air of dawn awakens the body.
Even if it was early in the morning, the servants had to be busy in the morning.
In order to take care of the people staying inside the mansion, you have to be busy from dawn.
Overloaded laundry, or preparing for breakfast, or cleaning.
I sat cross-legged as I saw them busily running around for their assigned missions.
Minister was busy at dawn as well.
Sunrise.
The dawn rising from the eastern sky has long been known to contain powerful energy.
This was especially so in the other world, where the strength of energy was strong.
Even though I am able to use the power of nature through the metamorphosis of my bones, it would be a waste to just throw away that mighty energy.
So when the time came as usual, I sat down in the garden facing my room.
And meditation.
I just passed the entrance to the realization of the realization of the last time, but I did not hold the whole thing in my hands.
Even if you take the pacifist line, strength is essential.
The truth that only those who are prepared can hold happiness in their hands will not be much different from Jungwon or here.
There are any number of people who want to break the peace I want. Just like the black alchemist I saw yesterday, it is said that it is not uncommon for monsters to attack the Stein estate as if it were in the monster forest.
Especially as the harvest season approached, the monsters’ attacks could become more frequent.
In order to prepare for it, you must always sharpen your strength.
He who wants peace. Prepare for war Isn’t there a saying
“Oh, Cheonyoung. Are you awake already?”
I heard a clear voice that broke my meditation.
When I opened my eyes, it was Lucy. Dressed in a pure white outfit, she looked at me and smiled bitterly before continuing her words.
“Didn’t your sister give you new clothes?”
“hahahaha. I got it. But it’s a waste to wear it for training. It might get dirty.”
“Those clothes. They don’t get dirty because they’re artifacts, right?”
“Huh?! Really? That’s possible?!”
“Because it’s magic.”
The magic is so good.
“It seems that unnie didn’t explain. Actually, unnie has that side.”
“Still, it seemed that he was trusted by many people. When I went down to the village yesterday, everyone was praising the lord.”
“Is that so? Huhu. Definitely so. Unlike me, my sister is a very great person.”
“Lady Lucy is also a great person.”
“Yes?”
“You hired me.”
It’s not normal to be able to hire the best person in the world like this.
“Ahahahaha… I just did it because Atram recommended it…”
“Weren’t you in a position to decline that recommendation?”
“Yes, but…”
“That’s it.”
Lucy, who seemed to think for a while after hearing my words, shook her head slightly and smiled softly.
“Thank you. For saying so.”
“Say something.”
Thank you for everything.