The Return of the Prodigal Son (2)
A night where even the clouds hide the moon.
The malicious intent clinging from everywhere is sticky.
“Huh, huh…”
Every time I exhale harshly, the flowing blood slides along my forehead.
However, the old knight, who had become senile, no longer had the energy left to lift his hand and wipe it away.
Time was especially cruel to old people.
“······this.”
The old knight finally reached a dead end and sighed.
They cut down and ran to open a path, but in the end they were led to their intended destination.
“I wish you could just rest in peace.”
A man approaches through the men surrounding him.
“Didn’t I even let you retire just for that?”
The moonlight finally appeared, shining on his appearance.
“······A noble person has arrived.”
Blonde hair and blue eyes.
His sleek appearance would have appealed to anyone, but the power he holds in his eyes makes him more vicious than anyone else.
“You must have had a hard time coming all the way here just because of this insignificant old man.”
“It was something worth taking on.”
Grumbling-
At the man’s gesture, the men surrounding Auguste drew their swords.
In a polite manner, as if it were a final courtesy.
“Aren’t you thinking too easily of me? “The teeth may have fallen out, but the claws are still sharp.”
Auguste’s eyes were burning coldly as he prepared for the end.
Although he retired, there was one last mission he wanted to complete.
Now that the elves had been blocked, if only he could hand over the evidence he had brought to the imperial family, he would be able to inform the world of the harm done to Absilon.
It was a mission that only had to be done that way.
“No way.”
However, the man in front of him did not lose his composure even in front of the old knight who was trying to burn his last flame.
“Isn’t that why I came myself?”
Mirshea, the leader of the Dragon Slayer Knights.
With his words, the tips of the knights’ swords were raised towards Auguste.
The murderous spirit of the dragon slayers was pouring coldly towards the old knight.
“It’s not a big deal, but I hope you like the retirement ceremony we prepared.”
The ferocity hidden within the blue eyes stirs.
When he drew his sword, he looked like a noble knight, but when he pointed it at himself, he looked like a beast with its teeth raised.
‘Blonde hair…blue eyes.’
And cruelty.
A strong personality that started out noble but blossomed into cruelty at the end.
That individuality was now looking at him with blue eyes.
‘iced coffee.’
Flashes of malice are approaching.
Toward the tired and old lion.
Seeing the most shining malice among them, Auguste recalled the young knight he had met in the elf forest.
‘It wasn’t personality.’
I was mistaken.
The traces of that child who had a noble beginning but was cruel at the end.
The cruelty that Vlad showed was not a self-developed personality.
It was a predatory instinct that runs through sticky blood.
The clouds hid the moon again.
The movements of someone slowly falling apart in the darkness without even moonlight.
Inside, green tea leaves were fluttering mournfully.
The truths that someone came to were being scattered so fleetingly.
※※※※
City Marcia.
The only city in the Barony of Rosmitz.
This city, which was neither particularly old nor had anything to boast about as a territory, was truly an ordinary place.
And now Vlad and Goth were walking towards the city of Marcia… but they were not there.
“Thank you, Captain.”
“Well, I was thinking of going back anyway.”
Vlad answered hesitantly as he saw Goth expressing his gratitude to him.
That’s because the group was not heading to Marcia, but to a remote village four days away.
The place, which had no proper name and was simply called Wisteria Village, was also the hometown of Goth.
“How long has it been?”
“what? Have you left home? Let me see. I think it’s been about 6 years.”
“It’s been quite a while.”
He was a goth who looked to be in his mid-twenties, so if it was six years ago, he probably ran away as soon as he became an adult.
Or maybe it was something that came before, like Vlad.
“I’ll just make sure my mom and younger siblings are okay before I leave.”
“······.”
The leader of the group was ultimately Vlad, and Goth was merely a squire.
If the two had been an ordinary knight and squire, Goth wouldn’t have even dared to ask them to stop by his hometown village.
So even now, Goth was watching Vlad carefully.
“Is your mother good at cooking?”
“······then! “The potato stew my mother makes is on a different level from the one served at most inns.”
“okay?”
The weather was warm and the wind was cool.
Since I found a clue about the voice in Aussurin and have a goal for what to do in the future, I can finally feel like a vacation for a while.
“If it tastes that good, I could stay for a day or two.”
“······flaw!”
Vlad treated others coldly, but this was not the case for everyone.
When Jorge looked at Vlad and commented that he was a guy who would be the leader in any alley, he was not just saying that because of his outstanding skills.
“Over there.”
Goat’s fingertips were trembling slightly as he pointed to his hometown, which he had not seen in a long time.
Green leaves falling down next to the village entrance.
The flower buds, which would soon turn purple, were welcoming the village’s prodigal son, who had returned after a long time.
※※※※
“stop!”
A guard with no special weapons, but fierce eyes, blocked the path of Vlad and Goth.
“Who are you? “What brought you to our village?”
It was a small town at first glance, so of course it was not a standing army.
Perhaps one of the young men in the village was acting as a vigilante, but he seemed quite skilled at stopping strangers.
“Thompson. “I’m a goth.”
“who? Goth?”
The guard tilted his head as he saw Goth waving happily at him from the horse.
“Hey. “Mill house on the hill.”
“iced coffee. That goth!”
A subtle smile appeared on the face of a guard named Thompson, who had now recognized Goat.
“It’s been a few years. “Where have you been all this time?”
“Just something here and there.”
Vlad was quietly caressing Chat Noir’s neck as they watched the two chatting loudly.
The two look awkward even though they are talking.
And even the sight of other guards standing silently around.
‘I don’t think I’m particularly welcome.’
Vlad, who always checks the atmosphere whenever he comes to an unfamiliar place, realized that the attitude of the people greeting Goth was lukewarm.
Apparently, there was something wrong when I left the village.
“Are my mother and younger brother okay?”
“yes. “Nothing happened.”
However, Goat did not seem to care much about their reactions.
Vlad quietly scratched his chin at Goth’s seemingly familiar attitude.
“It’s nice to be back after such a long time. Are you going to be quiet and leave?”
“······I’ll be there soon. “About a day or two.”
Goat tried to smile as he looked at Thompson, who was more wary than happy to see him after a long time.
“Stop by the village chief and say hello first.”
Goth walked quietly among the guards who had put away their spears, bowing his head.
“stop.”
“······?”
However, the windows soon block the road again.
Even though Goth confirmed his identity, the guards were once again blocking Vlad’s path.
“hey. Thompson. “He is my guest.”
“Still, I have to check.”
“Thompson!”
This was something guards in a big city would naturally do, but this was a small town and they were just vigilantes.
Got, who was a resident of the village, vouched for his identity, so it seemed like he would just overlook it, but the subsequent reaction was only cold.
“What is your name? “You look young.”
“······ha.”
Goth was being ignored.
In front of the village where he was born and raised.
The boy from the back alley inside Vlad felt the unpleasant yet familiar air and raised his eyes fiercely.
“My name is Vlad.”
Vlad pulled back the cloak given by Oksana and placed his hand on the sword hanging at his waist.
The sparkling swords of the spirits showed that the person in front of them was an unusual person.
“Bayezid’s knight. “Vlad.”
Blonde hair and blue eyes.
And the force of a ferocious predator contained in those eyes.
Thompson’s back was covered in sweat as he felt like a rabbit standing in front of a wolf.
I touched this wrong.
“I don’t want anyone like you to ask my name again.”
“sorry!”
Thompson, who was finally freed from Vlad’s bane, bent his back sharply and lowered his head.
For a person with a personality as ferocious as the knight in front of them felt, it would not have been surprising if the sword was swung right away, which would have been rude.
Vlad, who easily overpowered the guards with just his momentum, looked at Goth with irritated eyes.
“Sorry. Leader.”
It wasn’t annoyance caused by the guard blocking the way.
Goth was always smiling brightly, but now he only had a bitter smile on his face.
‘It’s annoying.’
It’s been a while since I returned to my hometown. Why am I so withdrawn?
Vlad didn’t like that look at all.
“listen.”
“huh?”
Goat suddenly saw a white object flying towards him and quickly caught it.
“······Why is this?”
A white flag fluttering in the wind.
The patterns of numerous nobles and organizations engraved within it were looking at Goth.
“You take the lead. “This will never happen again.”
It was an indifferent tone of voice, but it contained consideration for Goat.
I don’t know what you look like when you leave, but shouldn’t you look confident when you come back?
“······I will guide you. “Lord Vlad.”
“good.”
Vlad nodded slightly as he looked at Goth, who quickly understood his intentions.
A flag filled with honor.
The eyes of the young people in the village were growing distant as they looked at the flag bearer raising the flag.
“Excuse me. Sir. welcome!”
A wooden fence slowly opened, welcoming the two people.
An honorable rider carrying a shining flag.
The prodigal son of the village who left in insignificant form has now returned to his hometown as a standard-bearer holding a shining flag.
With a ray of smile, the chest of the lead Goat was slowly expanding.
※※※※
Who is that? Who said he became successful like that?
He’s there. The second son of a mill family.
Is that Banpoon back? Wow, it looks like you were successful outside.
A small town where only people come.
Therefore, the news that a new stranger had arrived was spreading quietly but quickly through the village.
“Was it half a penny for you?”
“······.”
“Well, it’s better to be a swindler than a half-penny.”
Vlad, who confirmed Goth’s assessment of him from the murmurs he heard, smiled slightly.
If he was too vicious or had a complicated past, I wouldn’t have been able to keep him by my side for a long time.
But if it’s about half a penny, it’ll be fine.
“If you go this way, it’s the village chief’s house…”
“Let’s go from your house first.”
“huh?”
Vlad clearly realized what kind of position he was in by watching and learning from Josef’s side.
This meant that Vlad could now act as a proud knight rather than a shabby back alley boy.
“Ask the village chief to come to your house. “Because it’s a hassle to get there.”
Excessive courtesy only humbles oneself.
In order to be treated appropriately, you had to know how to behave appropriately for your position.
“okay.”
“Don’t go yourself, grab someone and tell them.”
“huh.”
Anyway, the whole town came because of the goths.
So, it might be a good idea to give him a little boost while he’s here.
“Hey, it’s on the hill over there.”
“Go see.”
Chat Noir, who did not like having other horses in front of him, was quietly following Goth this time.
The knight and the horse confirmed each other’s intentions through the world they encountered.
“······I guess I’m preparing lunch.”
“I know.”
There is a lonely house in front of you.
Smoke was rising from the chimney of a house with an old mill that seemed to be no longer functional.
“mom······. mom. I’m here.”
Banpoon carefully opens the gate on the fence.
Goat’s voice gradually subsided as he saw his hometown look the same as when he left.
“mom.”
A woman came out of the kitchen at the sound of the door opening.
She looks tired.
The scarf tied tightly over her head was clean but badly worn.
Her face has wrinkles from time that cannot be hidden.
These must be deep wrinkles that my poor son couldn’t smooth out.
“Goth? Gotni?”
The spatula the woman was holding fell to the ground.
“Oh my gosh!”
“mom.”
Although everyone in the village was ignoring her, she was welcoming Goth with open arms.
To some, he was a prodigal son who caused accidents, but in this woman’s eyes, he was more precious than anyone else.
“······Is potato stew for lunch today?”
Seeing the two mother and son embracing each other with tears in their eyes, Vlad patted the ground for no reason.
“Now that I think about it, it’s been a long time since I had a home-cooked meal.”
Vlad lifted his heavy eyes and saw smoke rising up the chimney.
The spicy smell wafting out from the kitchen seemed to bring back old memories that I couldn’t even remember.
Vlad’s lunch today will be a warm stew that his mother serves for her son.
It must be a taste I haven’t felt in a long time.
