Prologue 7 – To a New Village
Everything ended.
The next morning, Yuuto began his preparations.
The Alraune was caught, and the villagers strung up for nourishment were saved by Yuuto. He who had collapsed from injury and fatigue, was carried back to the village by them.
After determining the cause of the disappearances and getting rid of it, the men of the village were brought back. As for the result, it was a great success. But at the end of it things came to a close in quite an idiotic manner, as he was rescued by the very people he had rescued.
It should be called a small success instead. However, because a success is a success, I was paid in full for the request. With a jingling noise from the leather pouch full of coins, Yuuto put the pouch into his bag and fastened it to his back.
This village’s requests were all mostly finished. What he was feeling now was probably the so-called feeling of loss of interest. The only thing left to do was leave for the next village and go accept an errand there.
Preparing his baggage, Yuuto carried it over his shoulder and opened the door. The current time was evening, with the evening sun shining through the window. He descended the stairs to pay the inn fee.
Creak, creak. Creaking noises rang out from the old stairs. As Yuuto reached the ground floor.
“Ah! Hey, ya woke up!”
It was Ashidaka.
“Hoho~ To think that the herbicide ‘ah made was that strong! it was a blessin’ in disguise wasn’t it.”
” I actually really don’t want to admit it but… Well, it saved me, alright?”
Walking along a small path, Yuuto and Ashidaka left the village. It seems all of Ashidaka’s business at the village was finished and he was heading to the next village.
Since they were heading down the same path, Yuuto took up Ashidaka’s offer to go together partway.
“By the way, how far are ya goin’?”
“Who knows? For the time being, a village that has a guild, probably? I haven’t decided yet”
sigh, Ashidaka stroked his chin, probably thinking about something. For a little while, the two of them walked in silence till they arrived at a forked road.
Then, Ashidaka’s facial expression changed for a brief moment as he said to Yuuto,
” ‘Ahm headed towards Hero’s town Rein, if yer were to head to Rana, than that’d be mighty wonderful.”
“Huh?”
Looking at the erected signboard at the forked road, there was an arrow pointing at a direction, “Hero’s Town Rein”. The other direction was an arrow pointing at “Rana Village”.
“I wonder if there’s a guild at Rana?”
“Ehh, ‘ah heard about that village. Ruffians have taken control of the village, and in order to suppress the trouble, they want to hire someone to take care of it, or so ‘ah heard according to rumors”
And… he continued the talk,
“If yer goal is to travel then go to Rana Village and burn the scenery there into yer mind, brother. Though it’s filled with thugs, when talkin’ ‘bout the scenery alone, even the castle town can’t hold a candle to it.”
“Is that so… Okay, Rana Village, huh?”
Certainly, this was a journey without an objective. If there’s a village with such a major emphasis put on by Ashidaka then he would really have to at least see it once. Yuuto selected the direction of the arrow pointing at Rana and walked towards it.
“Well, I’ll be doing that, Ashidaka. I’ll head towards Rana”
“Yeah. Then, we’ll part here. Stay well, young traveler”
“It’s Yuuto. Family name… Can’t remember it”
“Yeah, then stay well, Miste’ Yuuto.”
The two of them separated and headed toward their respective routes. Walking along the path, Yuuto reached into the bag straddled on his back and grabbed a piece of dried meat. Yuuto then held it in between his teeth, slowly chewing.
Before long, evening came, and the shadows of the two people could no longer be seen on the road anymore.