Chapter 56: When I find you (3)
k73In the carriage leaving the convent.LLHy
Z4MF9kThere was a red-haired girl sitting quietly in a shaky carriage with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.DK197h
Ct6f9cSeeing him holding less than a bundle of luggage against his chest was something that would elicit sympathy from anyone who saw it.A9UYZ
rm0“Did you have difficulties there?”MxG
xM8j“…More or less.”1IFDtl
M9hkvo“Were you not fed well? Why are you so thin?”yRSm1c
adO0lv“…I just told you.”DP2N
yOyZemina continued to avoid Vlad’s gaze while briefly answering the questions that arose along their way.H6NM
J9SRrD“Why are you doing that?”UlyO7sj
NvQ“Why…”apy1Oy
w04KCK“Why are you looking at me like that?”z9ep
gsAS1“…”CrUQvPC
udNysZemina couldn’t easily make eye contact despite Vlad’s questions.ulivNFv
BYF6SdIt was a scene the girl had dreamed of for so long, but when she actually found herself in the situation, there was only an uncomfortable atmosphere.Y68U
69PU“Are you uncomfortable because we haven’t seen each other in just half a year?”Xb3z
TpNXPKiVlad was somewhat annoyed by Zemina’s subtle reaction, but he couldn’t help it.X7BG1yr
G7UFUA‘…She has changed a lot.’NlmWp
CKCwIEven the parents who gave birth to them were unaware of the subtle emotions of a teenager.Sdw
HFHThe subtle difference in emotions was partly Vlad’s fault, as he arbitrarily deviated from what the girl knew.pFuYSN4
6lfr6fp‘He looks like a true noble.’c6ypmE
BZQjZemina thought as she looked at Vlad, who gazed back at her with a bitter look in his eyes.1BICK
27CmqrHis blond hair, once popular among streetwalkers, now even lost its shine, making him look extravagant. The clothes he wore, his armor, and everything else displayed the appearance of a proud knight.zPgj
8GFT“…”ZUE
WWxSiIn contrast, her pitiful figure sitting in front of someone so bright.8Wof
P568ZSJZemina quickly grabbed the end of her frayed sleeve, fearing Vlad’s gaze might catch her.QtZ
JjBEven if she did that, her pitiful appearance wouldn’t be completely hidden.9nFu
hl11ZXPWhen they were together in the alley, they had nothing but a ragged blanket, but the sight of the boy now seemed distant, making Zemina feel sad.aqNJ
IgO“I felt like they wouldn’t even allow me to be with the boy anymore, so I just lowered my head into the bag I was holding.”nE9pIm
9C23“Hey!”k3s4
7J5gf“Yes?”YgEZmVv
oyESLAt Vlad’s sudden call, Zemina raised her head.lb3fjsk
IBVoocCShe opened her eyes in surprise as she felt something suddenly flying into her open mouth.7RNNTx
f1eH8XI“Eat this and come to your senses. You’ve been downcast since before.”d4fXn
UM2XEnE“······.”fvBR0
D7pZemina silently lowered her tongue as she felt the sweet taste spreading in her mouth.4jw
i597“What is this?”9Jstk
NDT“Candy. I got it from a knight I know.”FiOvB
1apqz“How did you get this expensive thing? You didn’t steal it, did you?”Q6NTx
pSIb4bm“······Think what you want.”OpTw
eC6YLMWith those words, Vlad looks out the carriage window as if he no longer felt like talking.itTdRP
ji47zjYSeeing Vlad’s indifferent profile, Zemina recalled the image of the boy from before.kPglL
LI8HFHe had been the same back then.YtT
ptTAbeEven during the days when he struggled to survive, Vlad somehow managed to get a piece of bread for the girl.jpKB
TUxfznAnd then acted indifferent as if nothing had happened.CTIwsp6
IoNRamcJust like now.RGspKm
G7WQquc“Sob······.”z3JA
ptoWCwThe salty taste of falling tears, and the sweet taste of the candy she tasted for the first time.ycZH0
YMNAa7Feeling the taste of reunion spreading to the tip of her tongue, the girl let go of the tears she had been holding back.LbFNVgJ
j6A9gq“Why are you crying again? Seriously.”S0sHNe9
hVyuC“You came too late!”Wpq
14At1SHFinally seeing the girl releasing the tears she had been holding back, Vlad only frowned as if he found it annoying.wjG
eLRIn the changed Vlad, Zemina found the image of the boy she knew, and only then could she release her tears with relief.6UNfss
3yCnMsThere were things that wouldn’t change even with the passage of time and changes in circumstances.ZuKJ
ONJEvyZemina was very happy about that.qziRd6
fBHiQH***CcOSn
ukCm57EIn a corner of an alleyway.JxD0BB2
MboKahFacing the slowly flowing river, Harven and Vlad sat with a bottle of liquor beside them, sharing a conversation.PYpNQo
bFVj“How is it possible that among all those boats, there isn’t one for me?”XXAabyH
HqlIcs“······.”03OxP9
J7C9The boats were gathering at the dock to avoid the sunset.GI8
axpFrom small fishing boats to large ships responsible for the logistic distribution of Soara.Cu7WMW
KBzK7XLooking at the boats docked in order according to their size and position, Harven sighed not out of admiration, but out of despair.hrm
FtSj“You know it too, right? That my original dream was to be a guard.”ipifD
uHy“I do.”DG4Bt
dpm6IVHarven was a straightforward man who used to speak his mind, but when he had alcohol in his mouth or saw boats, he showed a different side from the usual.uRx
JTYWAnd the blond boy was the one who had seen that facet the most.tIzXQn
i2K5vI“Now, obviously I’ve deviated from the path of being a guard. With these legs, how can I climb a mast?”al8f
aiE“······.”uIeH5
DpHMncUpon hearing Harven’s words, Vlad picked up a stone and threw it into the river.iOMEZI
hx8Because he knew that one of the reasons why Harven’s dream had been frustrated was himself.Dn38
2jREjp“So lately, I’ve been learning to read maps and recognize constellations. When you think about it, being a guard is too tough.”xs1HNJ6
N2f“It seems like you haven’t changed much…”PDwMj
bsumvVlad turned his head in an indifferent gesture and started laughing while looking at Harven.fQ9kV
fUFFrom the voice, to Jager, Joseph, and Jorge.3upW6
h6YUkGThere were many people who taught the boy knowledge, skills, and life directions, but perhaps the brown-haired man sitting beside him at this moment was the first of them all.ukgrr
znTaPxHarven’s attitude, always seeking a way out in life, no matter how much the environment changed, had clearly had a great influence on the boy.1GVWFI
N5Y7“So Marcella and Zemina are still there, in the inn in the city center?”AyW7SNn
oYfz6w0“We can’t let anyone else besides us bother them.”t3oy
ERRPeX“Yes.”oWW9sM
6aVy33ABordan, who was organizing Jack One-Armed’s property, handed Vlad a receipt related to the smile of a rose.GHFYQ4i
0oRwhTIt was the boy’s legitimate right to revenge, but it was also Joseph’s wish.AT0o3y
1rAJAnd that receipt was now in Marcella’s possession.bSSn
mTHxrVrThe boy did not forget the favor of that day.JZUJ
wOopT5Y“Marcella is still managing the inn on the corner.”HjtxqX
5BXPLn“I’m not sure.”WH6N2
zoL“Sometimes, she enjoyed drinking under your name.”KQc
KkrjfListening to the memories of the past coming out of Harven’s mouth, Vlad took a sip from the bottle of whiskey in his hand.9nfGxm1
XUEag1wThe cheap whiskey that passed his throat so easily made Harven feel an innate desire to drink.8ddBVo
kvgRDA“······Is it good? Do you want to swap it for mine?”g3hUgh
gLxl1L“······Are you kidding?”7rEa
OYQBbehThere was no reason to swap expensive whiskey for cheap rum, but Vlad passed the bottle to Harven anyway.A7KPghj
JSWU5fIBecause he also owed something to Harven.BXD
wZZP3“Damn! You can tell when it’s good whiskey just by the smell!”UHp
EgNbx1E“······The same goes for bad whiskey.”vIqg
Tz3eVlad wrinkled his nose at the stench emanating from the cheap rum and slightly tightened the bottle cap.RxRMifD
uM3N“······.”8bXXIAl
U4yHarven, with his long sleeve covering his forearm even as summer approached, watched the scars on his arm as Vlad raised the bottle.U7zb2U
H3ePGMpThe new scars that had formed on Harven’s arm were the price he paid for secretly taking out a ship for Soara when he was trying to escape.s9j
9iKx69m“…Somehow I didn’t die.”2wdNCF
Fn6UH“I only half died.”0oj57
CWDl0Harven’s smile, illuminated by the twilight, seemed sad to Vlad for some reason.DuVMTOU
C0ghdIn an alley where the only thing they had to offer was their lives, Harven did his best for Vlad.ufL6fn
t8cHaven, a member of a gang, hijacks the boat of a boss and floats it on the river.DbfWl81
1ca4If Jack One-Armed’s men who saw that scene hadn’t rushed to the dock, it might have been a member of another organization, not Otar, who blocked the boy.DXn
WBB“They say it’s surprising that a cripple can bring out a boat on his own. The boss liked that. That’s why I’m half-dead.”BnT5eFL
jlj“He likes everything.”bU0mv
Bvt“That’s why I lived. Thanks to you, I can drink such good drinks.”j1c
JnNM2Vlad silently shouted as he watched Harven gulp down the whiskey as if it were good medicine.FALs
vrmf“What do you plan to do next? Are you going back to Sturma?”UuJPUNr
L2uxgl“For now, I’ll stay here. It’s like a state of waiting.”ZXsdvL0
CF5omN“It seems like a great view. A man obeying the orders of a noble. You’ve thrived.”fIfTmIK
5FR732VThe boy ignored Harven’s words, dismissing them as the words of a drunk person, saying that Zemina would be sad if he left so soon, and that he should take her with him when he goes up.txuBym
2jA“In the meantime, I’ll be looking for people around here.”mxxwM9
pxFQQ“Who?”sGiG
B1KWatching the sun gradually set to the west of the river, Vlad took another sip from the bottle.4buSP
m4XyvszFor someone, it might be a signal of the end of the day, but for the alley people, it was a signal of the beginning of the day.URES
zf7bdf“I have to search for Jack’s hidden properties and what was left unrecovered. The money worms are digging everywhere.”mHY
riQe“If that’s what you’re looking for, it might be useful.”ugDBB4V
PPTe“Heh. This whiskey isn’t free.”5vG
AT6yKqLooking at Vlad’s sinister smile directed at him, Harven toyed with his cane.7ZD
PRHFor some reason, the cane that the young man had given him today looked reliable.SLeoez
m45“And Marcella seems to want to look for other prostitutes.”YCSnK7
HfzE0V“They’ve probably already sold all of them.”cvvvQmi
IWjF“They’ll be somewhere around here.”IkHtsS
vfC730“Hmm.”xXhLiG
PFdJoseph wanted to find even Jack’s hidden dust in the alley.iBE
M2X3vAnd Madame Marcella also wanted to find the prostitutes who had disappeared because of her.HgEzD
4NacoMoney and prostitutes.0UF
pUGrFollowing in the footsteps of the prostitutes sold by usurers, they would surely earn shiny gold coins made with their tears.5qUl
CELAq2oAmong missions and requests, Vlad, Bayezid’s squire and knight of the last remaining courtesans, knew exactly what he had to do.g6FoMK
lczJ9“I guess both have something in common.”QLV
YKaQ“Still, I think it’ll be a headache. I did a quick search, but some of them showed no trace.”I3HR
pjWS“Who?”vvIReZ
oLrnvAi“It’s Anna. Besides her, there are a few more people.”Bh5K0t5
e9vVlad remembered the prostitute who had been beaten by a man calling himself a mercenary.FG3pr
WxOv4WzAs she started with many debts, he thought they would have sold her to a harder place, but he had no idea she would disappear without a trace like this.hJTu
xfil“I see. It’s a bit unusual for there to be no trace.”u3O
FPKafKHarven frowned when he felt that Vlad’s words were not empty words.w1OHfDb
5nRWhen Jack One-Armed roamed the alleys, he saw many things that shouldn’t have happened.JN0P
WklTndY“Call me if you need help. The organization has shrunk these days, so I may not be of much help.”A6Pqd
9eKeJ“Alright.”Uwa9b
rkk8rHarven strengthened his cane, managed to keep his balance, and stood up.bb4
1P8F5mgAlthough he felt quite uncomfortable, seeing Harven fulfilling his duty somehow gave young Vlad a lot to think about.JoxCI8
vuf“I’ll be going.”oRt6fMI
AvWJ5wn“Okay.”Re6r
kSiVlad waved a hand and watched Harven as he went back to his work.4yT
TCvThe crimson twilight cast long shadows over Harven.EPQ2
yN6f3SaHis shadow, which is even more amazing than before, probably isn’t simply because he’s drunk.J1unCc
2D4X“I have to pay you back the money.”puaLWM
DK0vA0rJoseph had said.b4vNIO3
VNTWhen you owe a favor or a grudge, you should at least repay it twofold.CRc
jgxkA single bottle of whiskey won’t be enough to thank Harven for his kindness.Y2bgKDZ
aYR“I guess I should come by here sometime.”db5ZhYi
1eKQEVlad turned around and started walking in the opposite direction of where Harven had gone.JYmg2mb
Nn0wThe boy heading towards the alley well remembered Joseph’s words.dbt
dS4Life is a series of payments.Rhj
sQFWYAnd the boy knew that it was his turn to pay.XGKeL4w
MY41IThe boy’s hair fluttered in the dim lights of the back alley.FzZeP
pSuCKThe color was livelier than anything else.uKgsbZ
oMwV8J1***BTcf18
XIlcTfxIn front of a ramshackle and mud-filled blacksmith’s shop, an elderly blacksmith, as unkempt as his humble store, sat dejectedly in front of his forge.gziEz3f
ydq2DThe only occasional customers were mercenaries seeking rumors and unattractive street thugs.XPN3U
PUggZV“…”Q7OUD
fz9LbXNThe elderly man, whose life didn’t have much time left, felt disheartened watching his life fade away like this.7Fn
K9mNo matter where you’re born in this world, everyone deserves to have at least one star in their heart. However, getting the star you held to appear in the night sky was another problem.WEpq
as4“Should I close today?”YrNnd0u
K8VtOThe increasingly demotivated elderly man rose with a groan reminiscent of his age.jwxdMB
fdqTblHe had been arranging furniture for a while when he stopped upon seeing a nail driven into the highest point of the blacksmith shop.INj
PH3eA sword was hung there.bR8gabX
u9RhIWAnd the old blacksmith remembered the boy who had gazed at the sword.yaj
31wwDOMWhere and what would that sword containing his unrealized dreams be doing?6JtP
P8SsWZWould the boy be alright?a52
etCD4oO“He must be.”1sMcCKx
qmbPWNnAware of the world’s cruelty, the old man had already accepted that his star might not shine so brightly.dbv
svcCJHe just hoped it would be in a night sky better than this lamentable place.6Laq
Yfs“Are you closing already?”Gqzb
lyr“Yes. Come back later.”bqrRfuu
ues“I can’t, I’ll be busy.”csJSCHl
r2KHThe old man chuckled softly at the voice behind him.e138yVi
0fZQpIBusy.KpC4
Q65nhH“Do you think you need my keen skill to push someone with a butcher’s knife?”0A29F9q
Ijh“This sword needs repair. It’s been a long time since the last one.”d5AQ
NG5“…What?”NRWUlh
4ClWAZvThe old man reacted to the words he had just heard.oNb
j6tJTqClearly, he had heard the word “sword.”LaBt
J6ibbRl“Other blacksmiths can’t fix this. Only you can.”6VN1
UNMLl“…”GBvjLn
DVwLCThe old blacksmith dropped his tools and slowly turned back around.Ao2zv
nsl“Oh…”3Aq
5Bf5Just by standing still, bright blond hair appeared in his numbed eyes.Puh
it26RDhThat was the color he had brought into the world with the girl that day.5bH5FAU
TikJGL“Is it not?”IXjV
u1ZjRbn“No, no, it’s okay. Will you do it or not?”fqoDYa
mXUSeeing such a beloved customer after so long, the old blacksmith lit his forge.jyogGJR
c0BlThe fire revitalized the old man’s passion, which seemed like it would extinguish at any moment.Xh3
HZIF7f“Have a seat here.”8aDwSkM
iIgIdThe old blacksmith offered the boy a seat and took the sword carefully.Obawc
qpFh314Fshh-FGvHUGQ
cxhP6“That’s it.”CK1MM
D34eKThe old blacksmith smiled as he looked at the sword with marks here and there.I0pJsK
zdfMjHe always felt proud of the things he had made as a blacksmith. Especially if he had created them himself.atK
QNUtPWp“Where did these scars come from?”sSnQ
rxE2J“These are from when I fought a goblin. I wasn’t familiar with the sword back then, so…”86KDTj
MV8kN“And these?”rjZDADr
3N35pn“These are… when I caught the death worm. I was used as bait and… scraped the ground to get it out.”RAbTie
H2KurGAVlad continued explaining the scars on the sword as the old man smiled.Sl5
q3ftN6He didn’t need to justify anything.r4WKy
3d2CAC“Goblin… death worm…”qhUtUx
7ToflPThe old man wasn’t scolding the boy; he was moved by what the sword he had created had achieved. It was faithfully fulfilling its duty.Dovuc
qpcEDifferent from him, who was rotting away here.oFHM
O0m1GLThe blacksmith of that day remembered the boy endlessly staring at the sword he had made.wMeZe
mdJdzHowever, the blacksmith of today smiled as he looked at the scars on the sword that had been created by the boy.oylO
CCE4“Wait. I’ll fix it for you.”KRtqa
8boThe old man quickly closed the shop and devoted himself exclusively to work for the boy.OXJZ
INM61WwThe sound of the old man’s hammer hitting resonated in the alley as it mingled with the boy’s voice.Hukik
cDH“Then he struck the shield there and said my name.”pYEa
Jp1tMbE“And then?”GOACGHA
Y66The old man dreamed of those sounds.BjFf5DP
4AltThe boy’s eyes looked at him, and he saw himself standing in view of what the sword had done.j23T
v2b4tChThe old blacksmith, excitedly looking at the visible landscape between the sparks flying, smiled.0Ip
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