"No, not familiar."
"...Look. You dare to interrupt our conversation, you must got enough wisdom and experience that can give valuable suggestions to us, right?"
I can also talk like this. Thanks to Karl. The tattoo blind called Tyburn made a smile with his blind eyes.
"Because you asked a wrong question."
"Huh?"
"Rather than familiar with Dragons, you should say that I am familiar with Magics."
"You are a wizard?"
"Oh? So you are same as me? I'm glad to meet you, blind comrade."
What he meant should be: "You saw me dressing like this, yet you didn't realize I am a wizard?" But I've never heard that a wizard must be full of tattoos, wearing a black robe and running around.
"Karl, tell him I am not blind, please?"
"That's right. This young man is not a blind. He just can't see anything with his opened eyes."
"That would be worse than a blind."
Because Karl allied with Tyburn, I became a blind with fine eyes. Karl heard my snort, he smiled and went on to say:
"I have not seen you in this area. My name is Karl."
"You already know my name. If you ask me the purpose of coming here, I can only say, I am just an elderly who is looking for a place to spend the rest of my life."
"The rest of your life?"
"Ah, I'm tired of travelling around with my blind eyes, I want to find a place to settle down, meanwhile choose a cemetery, mow a bit. So I have a request for you, please tell me what this village looks like?"
"Our thane is Viscount Heltant, a very good person. If he gets to know you've traveled around the mainland, thane His Honor will definitely invite you, ask about your great wisdom, or interesting customs from faraway places. Unfortunately you came at a wrong time."
Tyburn nodded.
"Even if you didn't say, I found that it's very noisy everywhere when I arrived. I was considering about leaving immediately. But people to my age, will avoid making reckless decisions. If you are free, can you take me to a tavern? I will pay for you two's drinks, you should be able to give me some advice."
In contrast to his frightening appearance, Tyburn's temperament seems to be very mild. He found out the situation, then politely requested our help. And he said "You two", of course I am included. I 100% agree. Karl looked at my face, noticed that there is no need to ask me "You busy?", we began to move.
※
When we were walking to a tavern called "Sindirella's Song" in the village plaza, Tyburn surprised me.
On the way there are many puppies, as many naughty children who are as lively and naughty as the puppies, and there are pits and muddles created by livestock and carriages. But Tyburn could walk easily like he could see. Actually, we could think that's because he's wearing long boots, so he can walk causally without any hesitation, but that's not the fact. Tyburn is dodging those things naturally while moving forward. Maybe his hand holding the cane is really sensitive.
Long boots? Looking closer, it's even quality. I suddenly feel the sand fell into my wooden shoes, began to stare at Tyburn's boots with envy. Unwittingly, we have arrived "Sindirella's Song".
In the tavern there are many people, who've just seen Catheslprime's departure and came for a drink. It is really noisy inside. They are likely discussing how many times Catheslprime waves her wings in one minute. Currently the majority voted Six. So it's simply once every 10 seconds But actually, she can wave whatever times she wants.
Karl helped Tyburn to sit down politely. The tavern proprietress Auntie Hanna saw me far, and laughed loudly.
"Oh you, they said that you are used to drink the forest secretly, and runs to the valley when you are drunk. Now you come to the tavern publicly?"
Come on, what happened yesterday for the first time, how did it become my habit? I pointed to my companions with my chin, said angrily:
"They took me here."
"Sure. This two will drink beer, you will drink milk?"
"Three cups of beer!"
"No, I want red wine. Do you have Merloc Cabernet?"
The old wizard Tyburn said. Proprietress changed her face. What's wrong?
Proprietress is looking at Tyburn with surprised eyes.
"Well, there is. Ah, but...That..."
Tyburn smiled, handed into his chest, and took out a coin.
The thing appeared in front of our eyes, is reflecting the morning sun shone into the tavern to all directions. It is a glittering gold coin. As it's too bright, I almost had to shut my eyes. Under the shiny light, those who have been discussing about then number of time Catheslprime's wings waved, are all surprised and watching here. Auntie Hanna is a bit panic, looks like she is not confident enough to pick that thing up, she simply caught that thing with her skirt. Her trembling hand finally picked up the thick gold coin on her skirt.
Auntie Hanna nervously said:
"That, sir, you sure you did not give a wrong one?"
"Ah? Is that not enough? Isn't that 100 Purcell? Looks like I am too old. Hand touch becomes dull."
Tyburn handed into his chest again, Auntie Hanna said quickly:
"No, you're correct. This is 100 Purcell."
"Is it? Haha. So my hand has no problem. Great, you order too."
Karl still ordered a beer, but I am only a 17-year-old boy.
"Merlot Canetber!"
Auntie Hanna stumped the back of my head.
"It's Merloc Cabernet! You dumb."
"...Beer."
Auntie Hanna shook her head and then walked away.
"Oh, bad. It's been 7 years. Losing one bottle again. Now there are only two bottles left."
So we are now drinking two cups of beer and that....Whatever. Anyway, a bottle of strange wine was placed on the table. Auntie Hanna are sighing that this was left for her son-in-law in the future, left for her grandchildren, while running to the windows, showing the gold coin under the sunlight, gazing at it with praised eyes. People in the tavern also ran to Auntie Hanna and looked at the coin, started to esteem it.
"The feeling of this tavern is great."
"When we talk about taverns, we think of this place."
"Ah, it's really a nice village. The thane's reputation is also not bad."
"It should be more accurate to say he is weak."
"Not a bad thing. What about Catheslprime?"
"She came because of Amurtaat."
"I heard somewhere in the Central Avenue has been being devastated by the Black Dragon."
"It's here."
"Really. This is bad. Such a beautiful village is actually suffering so much."
"You reversed the causality. We should say because of Amurtaat, our village became beautiful."
"Is it? But that's also possible."
Karl exchanged with Tybur the strange questions and answers that I can't understand. Although I shut my mouth, but after hearing the last sentence of Karl, I can't stand. I am excited and recklessly interrupted.
"Well, may I ask what does this mean?"
Karl seems to have forgotten my existence. He looked at me with confused eyes, and then explained to me with a friendly expression.
"Our village is very strong, while very calm, Nedval. On the entire continent you can not find a place like our village. Our village does not have the confusing and complicated relationships that a metropolis has. Although we are all afflicted by Amurtaat, that's the reason why everyone here can live together peacefully."
I nodded. This is one of the topics I and Karl often share.
"I have heard that from you before."
"Right. The people of our village are tempered very strong because of the pain of living, but they are also equally passionate. Here, even a small soldier can deal with five Orcs at the same time. Your friend Sanson Percival, although I feel pity for him, I feel a bit wasted him, but anyway, he should have enough strength to duel an Ogre? Even so, he continued to be a simple countryside youth. In case he was in a big city like the capital, he would have long been drawn into complex relationships, aimed to become a head of knight, turned into a person who chases for fame only."
I agree with this sentence. Not because he is my friend. If Sanson is really putting on his shoulders the cloak of Knights, waist with a great sword, standing in front of the King His Majesty... It is very unsuitable. Well, Sanson is still more suitable for hiding in a waterwheel mill, impatiently waiting for his lover.
"So?"
"Nothing else special. The people of our village are very strong, but still it's a warm and quiet village. We could say we achieved certain kind of harmony with Amurtaat. But now Catheslprime has came."
"Catheslprime?"
"If Cathesplrime defeated Amurtaat, the location of our village is very nice, it will soon be greatly flourished. You should know? Our village stands on the highest potential part in the Central Avenue. If you want to enter the unexplored West, our village is an essential checkpoint. Whatever you say, at least this is a village where you can see Merloc Cabernet.
"Is this wine really rare?"
"What are you talking about? It's rare as hell. Even our King His Majesty might not drink this arbitrarily."
My mouth suddenly opened surprisedly. What? Actually ordered a wine that even the King has no way to enjoy, who is this Tyburn guy? Karl continued talk:
"If Amurtaat is gone, that our village won't be able to maintain it's current look. It will flourish."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Well, what will it become after that?"
"Huh?"
"So, number of people coveted our village will increase. People will learn to compete for interests. Even though our thane's heart is good, but if the village gets a bunch of greedy people, can he keep his seat? Now who would want a village like Amurtaat's backyard? So a fair man like our thane can continue sitting in the seat."
I managed to understand what he was saying. In order to understand it, I must consumed a whole cup of beer. Karl added:
"So our village's position is great, the land is fertile, nevertheless doesn't draw any attention of anyone on the continent, people can quietly live with love here. These are all Amurtaat's blessing."
"Stop kidding!"
I kicked the table. Karl seems not very surprised, only Tyburn was shocked, he is moving his eyes which cannot see?
"Do you want us to thank Amurtaat that bitch? Do you mean that, our village becoming a paradise, is because of Amurtaat! Because of Amurtaat, everyone here are fighting with the desire of survival, living diligently and honestly? The monsters came because of that damn thing, got bored and killed the weak people, so now the survivors are all strong, you want us thank it because of that?"
Looks like I can't drink continuously within 12 hours. Although it's been half a day since yesterday, my tipsy feeling surged up suddenly again.
"You say because of that thing, so our village can't development even with topographic advantages, then becomes an idyll place, is a thankful thing? If Tyburn said that, I can understand, but how could you say that? Didn't you often see those tragedies? There must be one or two people die in a month, the look their families cried didn't you see that all? No, now you go to the river immediately and see. Culler who came back after four years as a dead body, you go to tell his family what you said!"
The rest of the people in the tavern, including Auntie Hanna and all the people next to her, are surprised by and looking at me. But I didn't give them a glance, just stared straight at Karl. Karl raised his cup, said to me:
"I've heard about that, Nedval -"
Karl swallowed a gulp of beer, said:
"Your words are right."
Then Tyburn opened his mouth carefully.
"Well. Your name is Huchi isn't it? From my point of view, this Karl has a bit age, so he has been disappointed with people, but teens in your age are still full of love towards people, so for you, his words might not be understandable."
"Bullshit! What do you know, you are just someone we met today aren't you?"
"But it's not the first time I meet people like you."
Then Karl spoke.
"Tyburn, stop. Nedval, this is all my fault, please forgive me."
Karl slightly smiled, and said:
"Those were all drunk words. Please don't mind, Nedval -"
I angrily looked at the two, and then stood up from the seat.
"Nedval?"
Though Karl called me, I ran out without looking back. Damn, once out of the tavern, the morning sun hit my face without any mercy.
This damn Sun.
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