"Fine, you idiot boy! On your head, go be about it!" Lizzie Bareare sounded profoundly angry, like a snarling, irate bull, when Nfrea had hurriedly told her about his intentions to travel on that very instant. But Tatsumi was able to discern just a bit of care and concern hiding in her eyes. Especially when they turned to him. "At the very least, I don't need to be too concerned about your well-being, since this one's coming with you." Beneath all that worry was a form of relief—and perhaps it was confidence in his ability as an adventurer. He felt flattered, but a pressure to do well settled on him.
Tatsumi scratched the back of his head. "Er, thanks for the vote of confidence, ma'am."
"And mind that you take these as well, Tatsumi. As a form of thanks, and to support your escorting my idiot grandson." With strength belying her age, she pulled out a satchel that constantly clinked, making him wonder how many things made of glass were inside.
Nfrea's eyes widened. "Grandma, you're giving away the whole set? But that's—"
"Perfectly reasonable my boy," Lizzie replied, making a "begone with you" gesture with her wrinkled hand. "The only thing I'm really giving away is my time. And if that time lost is able to ensure that you're kept safe, then it has already been spent well. Herbs grow back, animals can be killed, and gold can be stolen—if we really need to—but lives… Lives can never be replaced, my boy."
"I know," Nfrea said quietly. "Still, I think some ingredients in those flasks might've come from animals that might be extinct."
She scoffed. "No they aren't. Who's the master here, me or you, apprentice?" She looked to him again, lifting up the satchel for him to take. "Now be a dear and take it, my good sir. My price for some of these is the continued safety of my grandson, as you already know."
"I swear I won't let you down," he replied, taking it up. He was momentarily surprised; the clinking bag was a bit heavier than he'd expected. He turned to Nfrea. "You can wait here a bit longer and say your farewells, or whatever else you still want to do. I need to retrieve my horse."
"If you don't mind," said Nfrea. "I'm going to head to the jeweler first. Do you know where it is?"
He searched his memory, then nodded. "Yeah, I think so."
"Okay. I'll see you then." He bowed to Lizzie Bareare. "Thank you once again, ma'am."
"Safe travels to you," Lizzie said.
It didn't take long for him to retrieve his faithful steed (who had been fortified by the stablemaster with some magical beans and oats that he'd paid for) and then seek out the jeweler. There were several jewelers in the city, but Nfrea had told him he would be going to the one closest to the apothecary. He arrived just in time for Nfrea to emerge, where he saw the other man slip something in the pocket of his robes.
"Yo," Tatsumi said. "Alright there?"
"Yeah," Nfrea replied, nodding shakily. "Let's not waste any time."
"As you wish," Tatsumi said, dismounting his horse and securing Nfrea's luggage to her back.
His mount was to be used as a baggage mule instead of a ride for the duration of the Quest. Normally, according to the Guild, when taking up escort Quests: adventurers could not take on the Quest in the first place if the client stipulated the presence of a mount and the adventurer did not or could not ride one. It was a common thing for the client to offer to buy or rent out horses out of their own pockets, but it was never required. As far as he knew only those who were desperate to get to where they were going made such offers, as not all adventurers were eager to pay for the care and feeding of horses.
As this was a personal Quest, and he had not seen it in the dossier, Tatsumi had to ask Nfrea if he had his own horse.
"No, and I'm not going to get one either," he had said. "I'm alright with just walking, if it pleases you. I shan't be carrying a lot."
"Okay then. I have a horse, and I'll be bringing her to carry our stuff. And as an emergency." Technically, Nfrea could have offered to rent a wagon to hitch to his horse, but he didn't mention it and Tatsumi didn't push.
Presently, Nfrea looked at all the bags that were weighing down his girl. "Are you really carrying all that stuff?" Unsaid was the implication that Tatsumi was carrying more than even his own.
He looked at his horse and patted her over her head. "… It's to do with my way of fighting." Ever since he had acquired his mount, he had realized the difficulty of matching it with the way he fought, with Incursio completely activated. He could never afford to be caught out without his armor on, which meant that being able to carrying a knapsack of some sort was out. And forget about carrying it over the armor, which would only hinder him at a crucial moment. Therefore, almost everything that he needed out on the field was carried by his mount. He made sure to pack light, but with all the essentials he needed, it was still some bulky stuff attached to her body. It was no wonder she had been irate at him the first time he had abused her service, and was perhaps why the stablemaster had been pissed at him—and still was to this day. Ever since then, he took care to minimize how much he brought with him, and didn't strain her with too much travel.
"I'll show you later, when we're out of the city," he said, nodding to Nfrea. "Shall we go?" The other man nodded, and they all started to walk, with Tatsumi leading his mount by her reins, her hooves making loud clopping noises on the stones.
The city seemed to have "woken up" after the nightmare that had been the graveyard incident. Still, there were certain signs all over the place indicating that the incident wouldn't be forgotten for a while. He could still overhear scattered talk and mutterings pertaining to Zuranon or the undead. He could see a certain fear in people's eyes as they passed, as if they were dreading some unknown disaster in the distance. And most of all, he could sense a palpable sense of unease, looming like a dark cloud over everything.
It was the same impression he got from Nfrea. The man was completely silent, almost morose and brooding. Twice, Tatsumi had the impression that he'd wanted to say something to him, only to subside. He debated with himself if he should be asking about that. But he decided that his business was his own.
Once they had left the vicinity of the city gates, the general oppressive feeling faded, replaced by a calm, soothing silence. It was as if they had been walking through a dark, gloomy tunnel, and had only now emerged into brilliant sunlight.
Tatsumi looked around, then nodded to himself. "Okay, Nfrea. I'm going to show this off now. This is how I usually operate outside of the city." (And inside the city, if the situation called for it) Incursio slammed and knitted its scales together over him, forming the same familiar armor.
"Ah, it's that armor," Nfrea said, nodding to himself as he scrutinized Tatsumi. "I should have realized it myself." He glanced at his horse. "Yes, it would be kind of… awkward to carry much stuff, huh?"
Tatsumi crossed his arms, as his steed stared at him with something like wry amusement. "With this, I could very well carry the load myself. But it makes it difficult should the need for battle come." And while he had yet to experience it himself in this world, in Night Reid he had been accustomed to the notion of springing into battle at any given time. And without Night Raid, he really couldn't afford to be wasting a full load of supplies without consequence. Beneath the armored shell, he was still a man. His earlier privations in the Forest of Tob were a testament to the necessity of always watching his needs.
"I getcha," Nfrea said. "I'm sorry you can't ride your horse though."
"I'm used to walking," Tatsumi said. "Though… there is something we need to establish now, Nfrea." The other man seemed to notice his serious tone of voice, as he'd straightened his shoulders. "Please stick close to the horse, as much as you can. By the way, you… can ride horses right?"
He nodded. "I've driven a cart several times."
"That's good. If, and if there is danger, I'll be watching to see how terrible it might be. And if I see that it's something that's going to be a lot of trouble, you have to get up on her and start running for it, as fast and as far as you can. Away back to E-Rantel, if possible. We're gonna agree on several code words, alright?"
"Um.. sure." Though the man did look uneasy.
He sighed. "Look, it is my job to keep you safe in this Quest. And while you might think I'm formidable, I am the only one here, with only one pair of eyes and one body to fight. And that is why, before anything else, I need to establish how best I can protect you." He nodded to him. "And part of that is establishing a contingency for the very worst possible scenarios. Are you following me?"
"Yes. Alright. I think I understand the need," Nfrea said.
"Don't think of any heroics," Tatsumi continued. "I give you full permission to think about your own skin first before me. Got that? Think of it like this: at least you won't need to pay me when I'm dead."
Nfrea chuckled nervously. "I'm… I'm sure it won't need to come to that, surely, Tatsumi."
He shrugged. "We always hope for the best, but the worst can always find us." Just like that incident in the graveyard, and Clementine. He wouldn't mention it to Nfrea, of course, since he still seemed shook up; but no one, not even Tatsumi had ever expected Zuranon's plans, nor less anticipate someone like that blonde bitch showing up.
Nfrea opened his mouth, as if to speak, then shook himself. Tatsumi cocked his head, waiting for the man to continue, but he said nothing, forcing him to continue.
"...That said, since Carne Village is a bit close by, I am hoping for a relatively smooth trip," Tatsumi said. They were close to the Great Forest, which had tendrils of woodland stretching past Carne like the grasping fingers of a giant. In his study of the maps during his spare time, he had seen the main road cutting a way to E-Rantel from Carne and trying its best to avoid the fringes of the forest, but they still came close at several portions. It made him wonder why the founders of the Village ever thought to build it there, too damned close to a forest filled with things like those awful goblins.
"Here's hoping huh?" Nfrea said, with a brittle-seeming smile.
The road to E-Rantel from Carne was reasonably short—on horseback. With their own two legs, Tatsumi estimated about at least a day's worth of travel—and that was as long as they weren't waylaid by any danger along the way. It was his first time traveling with someone alone in this world. Gazef had been surrounded by his troops, and after that he had been riding alone on his Quests.
For a while the pair traveled in companionable silence, all the way through the road until E-Rantel was barely a dot on the distance. Tatsumi seemed to sense that Nfrea was a quiet sort of person, not given to idle talk. And Tatsumi would have engaged the man in conversation regardless, but refrained when he considered Nfrea's experiences. Being the victim of a nefarious plot, along with almost being used in some way—up to and including death—would have taken its toll on anyone. He wondered if Nfrea had been informed by the Guild about that.
And then, when they had walked a fair distance for an hour, Nfrea was the one who spoke first.
"Tatsumi, may I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Do you… or did you happen to catch what those Zuranon bastards wanted to do with me?" he asked.
Well that answered that question, Tatsumi thought. He shook his head, a grim look settling on his features. Tatsumi wondered if this was what had been eating at the man ever since the city.
"I don't know the specifics," he admitted. "I only heard what they were boasting to me, when I was fighting them. They were never really clear what exactly. And I'm not exactly the sort who would know what those bastards wanted. I assume it was something magical, so it's out of my realm of expertise. Were…" He hesitated, glancing at the man. "...Were you not told by someone in the Guild?"
"I had been informed that I had been kidnapped for the express purpose of their foul ritual," said Nfrea, his eyes taking on the look of a frightened lamb. "But for what purpose exactly, they did not tell me. Perhaps they wished to spare me the burden of knowing. Gods know I will be having nightmares just knowing how close I had been to a terrible fate. At least I can be live with the nightmare of getting my throat cut."
Tatsumi could say nothing to that for a few moments, before he said, "Well, maybe the Guild didn't really know. Perhaps it's some sort of um… advanced magic?" While magic did not exist in his own world, he still knew that people could have quite different capabilities according to the knowledge they had accumulated. In his home that could mean anything from a wise scholar who could discern the ability of a teigu from a glance—or a madman who could invent new ways of torturing a mind on the daily.
"I guess…" Nfrea replied. He took a deep breath. "On the other hand, I did learn all about you, Tatsumi. I'd only caught glimpses of when you came over to visit, but you really are an amazing warrior, huh?"
"Huh?" He shook his shoulders up and down. "I—I mean I guess?"
Nfrea beat his fists together, his eyes now taking on the look of wild admiration. "I mean, from what I was told you took down a dragon! An undead dragon, to be sure, but it was still a dragon! And though it might have lost much of its power, being undead meant it was dangerous in other ways! And you took it down!"
"Oh… Well, is that how it works?" He still wasn't sure how this "undead" thing worked, as a concept.
"Well, I only know what I read and heard—a dragon is a creature that requires immense skill to defeat, nor less kill. And if it somehow got reduced to the point that only its bones remained, it would still have been a powerful being on its own right, replete with negative energies and the all-consuming hatred of all that lives. That you managed to best it still makes you a warrior with few equals. I guess that's why you were promoted."
He glanced down at where his plate would be, buried beneath Incursio. Put like that, the decision to promote him did make sense.
Nfrea had continued, without missing a beat, still talking fervently. "And beating the dragon by itself would have already been a remarkable achievement. But I was then told that you also fought several agents of Zuranon, most of whom were powerful magic casters in their own right! And I'm told you fought them at the same time—as the dragon! That's seriously badass!"
"It was still… a difficult battle." He noticed that Nfrea made no mention of Clementine. In hindsight, she was less dangerous than the bald dude or the undead dragon. Yet in the heat of battle, his instincts had told him that she was always going to be the most dangerous one to overcome in his mind.
The fact that she alone was confirmed to have been absent from the aftermath of the battle meant that she was still out there, and would therefore continue to be a persistent threat.
"But you managed it all by yourself, I heard!" Nfrea gushed. "Going at it solo before the rest of the Adventurers could arrive. And you managed to overcome them still!"
"Again, it was a very difficult battle. It could have honestly gone both ways. As you said, there were a bunch of them all, together. And that dragon." He could still see the battle in his mind, could almost still feel the pressure on his muscles, his senses driven to overdrive, and the burning sensation in his head, like his brain was being boiled in a cauldron.
Seeming to sense something in his voice, Nfrea subsided. "I—I apologize for saying it like that. I know it must have been a harrowing experience." He hesitated. "And again, I'm… I'm grateful for what you did for me. It's a debt I can never repay."
Not wishing to belabor the point and bring the mood even further down, Tatsumi nodded. "I'm just glad I was able to get to you before anything happened. That was my real goal, ever since I saw you get abducted."
Nfrea looked at him again. "Yes, I did hear about that. They told me that you were the first one on the scene because by some miracle you were able to see my captor first. That was a very lucky break, thank the gods. That you should go far and risk your life for just that…" He took a deep breath. "And that's why I chose you specifically to escort me for this trip of mine to Carne, Tatsumi. I felt like out of every adventurer in that city, you were the only one who has proven to be the most who represents the Guild's tenets. The kind that embodies the heroes true, in the stories. And I am thankful that I can bear witness to true heroism with my own eyes."
I'm no hero, he wanted to say. "Well, I appreciate that."
"I do apologize for the inconvenience."
"No, put it out of your mind; it wasn't an inconvenience at all." He said, waving his hands. "Actually, you saved me the effort of having to go to another city to find more Quests. This promotion thing got me clear out of the reach of E-Rantel's current crop." It was either that or wait in the city for a while, he'd thought moodily. It wasn't as if he was in need of gold, particularly with the King's reward still being a substantial amount in his possession. "And it is because of that fact, that I am in turn, grateful to you." He paused and swept a deep bow towards Nfrea.
Nfrea smiled and chuckled. "So in that sense… I guess we're both grateful to each other then. Though, you will admit that if it were put on my grandmother's scales, one vastly outweighs the other."
Tatsumi shrugged. "Ugh, fine. It is so."
"It is so!" The other man looked away, a wistful look on his face.
For a couple hours after that, their conversation tapered out into small, petty remarks and observations; and questions about the city and other subjects. It was also because Tatsumi had become a lot more tense, his senses peaked, watching his surroundings carefully with the meticulousness of a predator expecting trouble. They had already traveled very far down the road from E-Rantel, which meant that the danger of their travel was now very much pronounced.
Each time he saw a cloud of dust in the distance coming down the road in front of them or from behind, he had to pause to keep watch, holding himself ready for any complications. His vigilance continued even as the cloud became a person on a mount or riding a wagon. He was only able to relax after their fellow traveler (or travelers) waved with varying degrees of friendliness and passed them by on their way to their own destinations. Tatsumi only then relaxed his grip on his horse's reins when their fellow had disappeared, leaving them alone on the road once more.
This went on for a while as the sun kept pace with them in the sky above. When it started sinking ahead of them, Tatsumi started to make some plans. He took out his map and consulted it, including his scribbled notes about the road to E-Rantel. These were landmarks he had noticed, to gauge the distance as they walked.
He saw that they were less than halfway to their destination, and he estimated that at their current pace they only be about three-fifths of the way when the sun would begin to set.
He told this to Nfrea, who listened seriously. "… And so, we should start to look for a suitable campsite. I don't wish for us to travel at night. It is ill-advised. Look, I know you're eager to get to the village, but with our pace we can't make it far enough. So—"
"Okay," Nfrea said, interrupting him. "It's fine. I believe you. I trust in your judgment, Tatsumi."
He was momentarily taken aback by his ready acquiescence. Seeing there was no deception in the other man's expression, he nodded, both to himself and to Nfrea.
"Okay then. By the looks of it, we'll only have a few more hours before the sun sets. I know a good spot just ahead. If we set off early tomorrow—at a brisk pace we'll reach Carne Village at midday tomorrow. Sounds fine, right?"
"It does. I'm okay with it," Nfrea said. For a while he looked at him closely, wondering if he was just assuring him for propriety's sake.
After a moment's silence, he remarked, "Well, we're rather fortunate that nothing's happened." He recalled some adventurer back in E-Rantel state that Quests were Nothing Happened were usually the best ones; and even better if one managed to nab some "loot" without needing to work at all.
"Thank the gods for that."
The day steadily bled away through the afternoon hours. With the sunset approaching, Tatsumi was gratified to see their prospective campsite. It was near a defensible little gullet, hidden from the main road, and surrounded by thick, tall trees, which also served as makeshift walls to hide their presence. Both of them started to settle in and make their impromptu camp: preparing the fire, choosing and sweeping up their sleeping spots, and hitching up the horse. They had certain provisions that made the fire unnecessary, but fire would be appreciated for the oncoming cold regardless.
After they settled in, all they could do was wait for night to truly come, when they could eat their supper and tuck in for the night. Tatsumi kept watch from a vantage point he had chosen specifically for himself. While someone on the road would only be able to see smoke, that was only during daytime. At night, the fire's glow would only be very noticeable for someone stalking the forest close to them. He wouldn't discount danger coming from behind, but the forest was the greater risk, and thus the greater focus.
As the embers began to soar from their little fire, and the wood crackled, the forest seemed to awaken with a dozen different noises. Above, the blue sky had given way to the great, starry firmament, and gazing up at it filled Tatsumi with the same silent wonder as before.
They spent the first few minutes of it in relative silence. Nfrea was silently chewing on some of the provisions he had brought with him. Tatsumi wasn't keen on eating yet, but he let the man do as he pleased.
He was wondering what sort of topic to bring up, to start a conversation. It felt like they'd pretty much exhausted most of everything, and all that was left was to delve into more intimate stuff. It made him self-conscious, reminding him that the two weren't really that close, less than friends even. And there was also the concern that Nfrea might not be up to speaking at all, especially considering his very recent and difficult experience.
"Tatsumi, would you mind if I asked a question?" Nfrea asked. Never mind, Tatsumi thought. It seemed like he hadn't needed to fret at all.
"Sure." He shifted on his seat, so he could face the other man partially, while still able to keep an eye on the forest.
Though it would be hard to see someone's features clearly with only the light from the campfire, Tatsumi could still sense the tension that had wound itself around Nfrea like a snake. "...I've been working up the courage to ask. I mean, I know you told me that the village is fine, and that you helped defend it. I… From the moment I heard that, I felt my heart stop. And my mind… My mind just couldn't take it… It absolutely refused to face my fear head on. If I had only asked you at the start, maybe I wouldn't have bothered continuing. I'm a damned fool, waiting until this very moment, when I'm already on the road, so far away from the city." He heard a hitching in the man's voice, and then he saw his shoulders shaking. His voice was now thicker, as if his mouth was filled with water—or with tears. "Please, Tatsumi… please tell me… Did people die in the village?"
He didn't know why he was asking this, but he was compelled to answer, from the way the man seemed—as if he were on the very edge of his rope. "Yes. I was… too late. I arrived in the middle of it, and…" He felt a stab of pain his heart, reminded by the possibility that he might have saved a lot more of Carne's villagers if he had been a little earlier. He had already come to terms with it, but being reminded of that still stung. "A lot of people died."
Nfrea sucked in a deep breath, and shuddered. "Please tell me then… Do you know if someone named Enri Emmot survived? The Emmot family?"
He recalled the face of the pretty blonde girl, and her family, who had taken him in for some days. His face brightened, despite the fact that Nfrea still seemed like a wreck. "Oh, yes, they did survive." And only barely, as he recalled. The father had been just about to be killed by bandits. If he had been a minute late, then the mother would have been threatened next. Even more minutes later and both parents dead, and Enri and her sister now being menaced by the bandits. "I—"
Whatever he'd been about to say was drowned out by Nfrea's loud cry, piercing and shrill, the sound making Tatsumi sit up and look around anxiously, wondering if it would summon something. "Oh thank the gods!" The other man buried his face in his hands, now completely succumbing to the tears. He could just sit there, awkward but patient, knowing he needed to give the man his time. To laugh at him was the furthest thing from his mind.
After a while, Nfrea's crying subsided, and he wiped his face with a kerchief. "I… my apologies… I was…"
"No need to apologize to me," Tatsumi said quietly. "It is understandable."
Nfrea stared into the fire, his hands clutching the wet cloth tight. "So she's… she's still alive… She's safe… Thank the gods…"
Tatsumi waited again, for a few more moments. He even wondered if the man had fallen asleep directly, still seated in front of the fire.
"Please tell me how it was…" Nfrea said. "From the start, if it pleases you."
"Alright then. But in my experience, this sort of thing needs a drink to stiffen up our nerves." He descended from his position, and took off Incursio. He felt vulnerable, but he felt that he owed it to the other man to commiserate with his troubles. He took a closed tankard filled with his supply of hard liquor, and poured out a portion for himself and Nfrea on wooden cups. "Might not be much, but it shall fortify us through dreary talk and anything that chills the bones."
"Thank you," Nfrea murmured, accepting the proffered drink. They each downed their shots in relative silence, giving Tatsumi a few moments to formulate his thoughts.
Then he nodded. He poured out another portion. "So it went like this..."
And so, Tatsumi regaled him with the tale of how he had saved Carne Village, obviously omitting the part where he had arrived in this world by that man's teigu, deposited deep in the Forest of Tob and forced to fend for himself. He only said that he had arrived at the village right as they had been in the middle of a raid. He had saved the majority of the villagers just in time. Then he told of how he had met Gazef Stronoff, Warrior-Captain, and of how they had fought off another group that had wanted to finish off where the raiders had started.
Tatsumi tactfully refrained from mentioning the role of the Slaine Theocracy. That would have made Nfrea ask for an elaboration, which he could not give, as he wasn't really sure about that information himself. Gazef was an honorable man, and he should have little reason to doubt. But this was not his world, and his trust could not be given whole-heartedly.
By the time he had concluded with the farewell feast that the villagers had thrown for Gazef, the tankard had been emptied, leaving him with a pleasant buzz in his head. Nfrea sat there, clutching his cup, clad in silence once more. A faint breeze wafted above their heads, making the blond's hair sway lightly.
"So it seems…" Nfrea said. "That I must thank you once again, Tatsumi. Once, for saving my life back at the city. And another time, for saving the life of… the people I love. That is a debt twice over, much more than I can easily repay. I fear I shall spend the rest of my life seeking to balance the scales between us."
"Ahhh come now, let us not talk of grim things. Celebrate instead, that you are alive, and that many more lives were saved." Truth be told, he really didn't like holding a debt over someone else, but just like Lizzie, Nfrea had his uses for him while he was stuck in this world. His gratitude would be quite priceless going forward.
"I agree, but I feel like such sentiments needed to be said," Nfrea replied, with a sigh. "You have given me back hope, and had even done me a great service without my knowing. Bandits, raiding Carne? Surely not…?"
He cocked his head. "Is it that strange?"
"Yes, an isolated village like that is certainly a tempting target," Nfrea said. He frowned. "But there have never been bandits whose sole purpose it is to pillage and destroy. At least, not that I have heard. They will certainly exert their influence, demand tribute, and even make an example through bloody means—but outright slaughter would only bring the King's justice on their heads. As it has surely done in this instance, with Gazef Stronof himself appearing."
"I see your point."
Nfrea huffed out a sigh. "I can make no heads or tails of it, which perplexes me. But never mind that." He turned to him. "I feel that I owe you an explanation, at least, of why I set out so soon, for Carne Village."
"If you want," Tatsumi said gently.
Nfrea went back to staring into the flames.
"There's a girl… that I was very fond of… No, let me start at the beginning." The blond hissed out a sigh. "When I was younger, my grandmother used to live there. At Carne Village. I don't know the exact circumstances, and she doesn't really like to go into why she lived there for some time. I grew up with a girl, whom I grew to… to like… very much. I have many happy memories of the village. With her. To this day, I hold them to be the happiest moments of my life.
"When I had to leave Carne, together with my grandmother, I made a promise to myself that I would come back, once I had become older, wiser and stronger enough to take her to the city. Or… maybe set up a branch of the family business at Carne, I didn't really think about it too deeply as a kid. And even now I'm still unsure of my future.
"But that vow.. that promise… That has continued to sustain me for a very long time. They kept me looking forward to the next day, even if the previous day was shitty. But the road to my goal was yet long. And sometimes I despaired of ever reaching it—in time for me to fulfill it. Would I end up some bearded stranger before my grandmother can proclaim me a full-fledged apothecary? Would many years have to pass before I could fulfill that precious oath to myself? To t-t-take that girl as my wife, and make a family with her?
"And that is why this attack… This near death experience at the hands of Zuranon… It gave me a shock to my soul as if I had been struck by a spell of lightning. That I had been so close to death… So close to leaving this life with my promise unfulfilled… I was terrified, Tatsumi. I became desperate. I couldn't just wait anymore. What if something else happened to me? Something I couldn't anticipate, just like Zuranon? What if something happens in the workshop, and the whole place explodes?" He buried his face in his hands, his voice muffled. "I just want to be happy.
"And then… I hear from you that Carne Village was attacked. I hesitated to ask you if she survived. Perhaps you didn't even know her name, I reasoned to myself. But most of all, I feared to face the horrible truth. That perhaps she had been killed… Or worse. That's why I took so long to ask. Somehow I didn't want to hear the truth from you. I wanted to see it with my own eyes.
"But now… Now I am glad that she survives still. No words, no oaths, can ever truly encompass my gratitude to you, Tatsumi. For saving her… For saving me…"
Tatsumi nodded silently, acknowledging the blond's words. His outpouring of feelings had been a literal deluge, but he got the gist. And it was rather understandable, for him. He had his own dreams, which currently seemed impossible to fulfill.
"So this girl… It definitely is Enri Emmot isn't it?"
Nfrea looked like he was blushing; in the campfire's light it wasn't clear. He nodded. "Yes."
Tatsumi whistled. "You haven't seen her in a while, right? Aren't you scared she's become an old lady?"
Nfrea spluttered. "How could—That's impossible! We're the same age!"
He chuckled. "I'm just joking with you." He tapped the man on the shoulder. "But I'm rooting for you. I wish you the best with your happiness."
"I… Thanks, Tatsumi. That means a lot, coming from you."
The two fell into a companionable silence. With Nfrea having bared some of his feelings to him, Tatsumi now felt obligated to at least see to his success. It felt like watching a friend try for something difficult, and he would secretly wish for their triumph.
"Alright. I think we should take an early rest. We need to keep watch, after all, and try to get an early start on the morning," he said, Incursio once more being worn. "You sleep first. I'll wake you at two turns of the glass, and we'll take it from there." A watch would be necessary, as he was protecting Nfrea. By himself he could have slept with Incursio on with little worry.
"Very well."
As evidence of their strange, but welcome fortune, nothing happened during the night. In hindsight, it was something to be glad about. But each time Nfrea had to take the watch over Tatsumi, the latter had to fall asleep with one eye open, as it were; making him wonder, when he had to take over again, if he had ever slept at all.
The time came to restart their journey. They ate their small breakfast, with Tatsumi appreciating the honey Nfrea shared with him, into which he dipped his flatbread. Then they buried their campfire, dusted away the remnants of their presence, and returned to the road. The sun rose for them when they had been walking a good while, which seemed a good omen for Tatsumi.
Their conversation became a lot more light-hearted than the day before. Tatsumi felt like it was his imagination, but it was like some imaginary hurdle had been bypassed between them. Perhaps it was a result of Nfrea baring some of his feelings to him by the campfire, leading him to understand the man just a little bit.
Accordingly, Tatsumi felt compelled to share a little bit more of himself, as if he were trying to reciprocate the man's trust in him. Thankfully, he didn't divulge that he came from a different land. But he talked a mile about his misadventures with the horse, with the steed even seeming to be aware that it was the subject of the conversation. And he talked up a little bit about his goal of learning a bit of herb-lore and potion-making, alluding to a fictional ambition involving the training of an entire "adventurer group"-which was true in a sense. If he did end up returning to his world and carrying some of his knowledge back, he was in the perfect position to teach Night Reid.
The sun was again high in the sky, again just as it had been when they had left the city of E-Rantel yesterday, when they finally spotted the small dot of civilization just on the horizon. Nestled close to an endless line of green, the distant village almost looked like it was about to be swallowed by the forest.
When they got closer, Tatsumi was able to spot something new that he hadn't seen on his last visit. There seemed to be a layer of what looked like a fence, or a wall, jutting out of the ground around the village like crumbled teeth, over which many people were laboring with hammer and shovel. They could now hear the distinct noise of busywork carried over the wind: of steel scraping against stone, the shouts and grumbling of men at work, and a steady, rhythmic thumping.
"I don't believe it…" Nfrea remarked, as he beheld the same thing as Tatsumi. "It's worse than I could have imagined. All this time and they're still rebuilding what was destroyed."
Tatsumi blinked. "Um… rebuild? Nfrea, that's not something they're rebuilding."
"O… Oh, Oh really?" Nfrea scratched his head. "So it's a…"
"They're actually building it up from scratch. A proper wall. It wasn't present when I was last here."
"Ahhh, I see. I just thought… Well, with how long it had been…" Nfrea sounded embarrassed. "It was a natural assumption that they'd already built a wall. I think I recall people talking about it when I was here." He sighed, and looked back at the distance. "But that was a long time ago."
Their approach seemed to have been marked, as a small delegation came riding down the road towards them. Off in the distance, Tatsumi could see the people working on the wall stop, as if they too had seen their arrival.
As the riders got closer, Tatsumi could identify them as the villagers he had met before. Curiously, one of them was Enri Emmot's father, now wearing some sort of leather gambison, several plated armor pieces and a spear. Knowing about the man beside him, his presence seemed like the unlikeliest of coincidences.
His eyes could see that the riders' faces looked dour and thin-lipped, as if they were expecting trouble. However, that seemed to change when they recognized them—or rather him. He could sense the tension ooze out from their bodies as they neared, their spears now lowered with the pointed tip down and their gallop slowing to a steady canter.
"Tatsumi!" one of them said. "Is that you?"
"Yep," he called out, waving.
"It's good to see you again!" Enri's father said, waving.
"And same to you!" He stood there, waiting in front of Nfrea and his horse, as the villagers dismounted. Looking to the others, they were also wearing various forms of armor like Mr. Emmot—though it wasn't all uniform.
He shook hands with the group one by one, exchanging the initial pleasantries and greetings.
"It's good to see you're all well. Everything's alright in the village I trust?" he asked.
"We've been managing since you left," someone replied. "And we've been doing other stuff—everyone in the village agreed that we needed a big change in our lives."
"Hm."
"What about you?" Mr. Emmot asked. "What have you been up to? I'd have thought you'd taken up with that Gazef bloke. I certainly didn't expect you to come back until at least a year! Or more. You seemed destined for larger things."
"You're exaggerating," he replied with a scoff. "I've been doing jobs for the Adventurer Guild. It's pretty much why I'm here." He jerked a thumb behind him. "An escort Quest."
"Someone wanted to come here?" they asked. The villagers shifted their gazes to the man behind him. "Is he a merchant or something?"
He turned to the side and gestured for Nfrea to approach. "No. Allow me to introduce Nfrea Bareare. I understand he used to live in your village. He has… some business here."
"How do you do," Nfrea said, giving a slight bow to the villagers. "It is nice to meet you all again, though I confess that I do not recall all of your names."
"Bareare… You're that little runt of Lizzie's ain't ya! I remember you!" Mr. Emmot punctuated that with a loud, boisterous chuckle. "You've certainly grown up a bit, lad, though you still look rather young. I think you need some more meat on your bones!"
Tatsumi could only glance at Nfrea, whose face had flushed. This was rather awkward, for the father of the object of his attention to be making some not-too-kind words for him. Tactfully, Tatsumi didn't remark about that, but instead thought to rescue his acquaintance by changing the subject.
"We've been walking for a good long while from E-Rantel. Have you heard the news?"
"No, our usual merchant isn't expected for another week or so."
He gestured to the village, leading them all to start walking back to it in a group, as Tatsumi took the lead in talking.
He told them of what had happened at the city, and of his involvement. He didn't boast of it of course; and neither did he mention Nfrea's involvement in it. That was his own business; and he had no intention of making it his own. And thankfully, Nfrea seemed to have no intention of correcting his words: that he had been the one at the center of fighting off Zuranon, and not just someone who had been "involved".
"That's some pretty damned frightening news, Tatsumi," the villagers said, once he'd completed his abridged retelling.
"Imagine that. Fucking Zuranon at a city close to us. And that with the bloody bandits that scarred us plenty just a few weeks back?" He could sense
"It's like the whole Kingdom's going to the dogs," another one proposed. Though it was understandable for the man to feel that way and say such things, a part of Tatsumi felt a little peeved. This man did not know what a land that had fallen to the dogs really looked like, or of how differently their lives would have been, under the Empire's iron boots. He swallowed that bile, remembering where he was.
He decided to ruminate on lighter matters. He gestured towards the villagers who were working on the skeleton of the wall. "So I see you've started building a wall. It seems sensible."
"Aye," said a villager. "We shan't be caught out with bandits just running into our houses and taking us by surprise. Not anymore!" And surely it would also keep horrible things such as goblins away, thought Tatsumi, though he didn't say it.
"It's hard, back-breaking work, though," said Mr. Emmot, shaking his head ruefully. "And we all have to take turns keeping watch."
"But think of how it'll be when it gets done," said his fellow villager. "We can look to our own safety… And the safety of our families, with little to fear from intruders and raiders."
Tatsumi thought that the wall, while a sensible thing for a frontier settlement like this, would not have deterred the force that had arrived to kill Gazef. People were clever, and evil people even more so. A wall back then might have served to delay, but it would not have stopped the truly greedy and bloodthirsty from taking their fill. And that was not to mention that no walls would have stopped those angel things from merely flying over the wall and wreaking havoc. It seemed to be a bygone conclusion that many things in this world would be too much for even the earnest efforts of an entire village to protect against; if they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But at least they were making an effort by themselves. And perhaps something small and insignificant could still matter somehow, in the long run.
By this time they had reached the "entrance" of the village, though it was really just the place where the outermost houses were located. From here, Tatsumi could see the full extent of the wall being made—which was supposed to encircle the whole of the village.
"Tatsumi, is that you?" came a familiar voice. He turned to see the village leader approaching, smiling warmly as he shook his hand. "Back so soon, my boy? Come to visit?"
"No, here for a Quest." He nodded towards Nfrea who bowed slightly.
"You won't believe it, elder," said Mr. Emmot. "It's Bareare's boy!"
The leader stared for a moment before his features lit up with recognition. "Ah, so it is! Er… What was your name, lad? I don't know if you remember me, I was rather younger back then when Lizzie left the village."
"Nfrea, sir," said the blond politely. "Nice to meet you. Again. Though please do forgive me if I have… forgotten you."
"Ah, don't mind that," said the leader, waving his head and laughing. "It really was a long while ago, and you were a wee child. I can't even remember what food I ate during Gazef Stronoff's farewell feast!" And strangely enough, Tatsumi didn't remember either. "So what brings you here, my boy? And without your grandmother, too? Are you here to set up a shop?"
"No… Well I'm thinking of…" Nfrea glanced quickly at him, before he swallowed. "I… first of all, I have some business here. Personal stuff."
"Personal…?" repeated the leader, falling silent as if to encourage the man to speak more.
Tatsumi intervened, and said, "We've been traveling on our feet for a while, both us and the horse. Could I bother you to…?"
Both the leader and the villagers who had met them exclaimed and muttered in a chorus of agreements and apologies and welcomes. Tatsumi was immediately directed towards a communal turnstile, where other horses were tied and drinking from a trough. The others dispersed, with Nfrea melting away.
"Please come over to my house, Tatsumi," the elder said. "I'll go prepare some refreshments for you. Camp provisions can't have been too pleasant to eat for even a day. No, no, no, our important heroes deserve the best!"
He smiled. "Much obliged, elder."
The repast was certainly good, and welcome, and better than what he had been eating since they had departed E-Rantel. The ale was the same sort that had been offered during the feast, which prompted Tatsumi to not request another tankard. As they ate, Tatsumi made another retelling of the events of E-Rantel.
"It is news like that which makes our new decisions seem like prescience," the leader said, once they were done.
"Do you mean the wall?" Tatsumi asked. He recalled Mr. Emmot and the others who had bore arms and strange armor. "And the villagers becoming guards?"
"Yes, we deemed it a necessity back then, when all of us decided. And now, with trouble just a road away, it has become all the more vital." The elder had proclaimed that with grim certainty.
"Walls are a good start. A good sturdy set would work wonders," Tatsumi observed, as he took a sip of his drink. "But aren't they kind of… expensive? Not to mention that it'll take longer to build…"
"Aye, that is true," the leader replied. "Which is why we've been using the nearby forest as a source."
"Oh really?"
The elder nodded. "We've made a small quarry where we get the stone, and take turns on a team hauling it from there to the village. We've got several quarries we rotate by the day. And there's the wood, too, to strengthen the wall's foundations. We've used some copses." He sighed. "It is… dreadfully slow work. But it helps save us gold having to order the materials from E-Rantel or somewhere else."
As the leader had already said, that did mean that progress on the wall would be very slow. That must be the reason why it looked almost ruined and dilapidated. The tallest portion he'd seen only going up as high as a person's head—when it should be built at least high enough to hide their houses completely. Tatsumi was no builder, but he could see the wall being completed after a lot of months—even perhaps a year, or two.
"And we have also heard it said," the leader continued, "That 'No wall may be built so thick or so high can ever hold, without men to hold fast on them'. It is very sound advice, and that is why we've also been having all of our able-bodied men start practicing with weapons anytime they're free from work. Strictly speaking, it's a volunteer only task, but there's been no man in the village who has not refused to take part." The man patted his own chest. "And I would join them, myself, if I were younger."
Again, Tatsumi rather doubted the efficiency of people teaching themselves how to fight. While it was true that it took no imagination to pick up a spear as Mr. Emmot had done and try to think of the best ways to stick it into someone; the real meat of soldiery lay in hard, thankless drudgery typical of the profession. The villagers could grow into the lifestyle—but like the walls, they would need time to become a proper militia like they intended.
"All in all, I think it's good for you guys. At the bare minimum it keeps out any associated riffraff coming from the forest, and then it also discourages—"
"My pardons Tatsumi," the leader said, interrupting with a gentle smile. "We have nothing to fear from the forest." He laughed. "I mean, if we had concerns, our forebears would not have built a village so close to it. Who knows how many fearsome things lurk beneath its many boughs? But no, we of Carne know that we are safe from the forest, because we are protected by the Wise King."
"The Wise King?" Tatsumi repeated.
"It is some sort of creature… Well, no one knows what it actually looks like. But there is a guarantee passed down in the village, from parent to children, that we all have nothing to fear from the denizens of the forest. And that is because the Wise King of the Forest lives very close to us, and keeps such dangers away." He rubbed his chin. "Obviously, it would not stop humans sneaking through the forest to attack us."
He rather doubted it was true. Did not the goblins he had met indicate that they had been allowed to live with impunity? Or did this "Wise King" protect those goblins too? "Do you really believe this Wise King exists?" Tatsumi asked.
"It surely must," the leader replied. "Or Carne Village could not have lasted for many decades now. It might not have been obvious to you, as an outsider, but we have spent our lives here in relative peace and security for a very long time. And that is why that recent attack was like a bolt from the blue, shattering our world completely. We had been living so long in quiet solitude that we had never expected danger and chaos to come to our small village."
Or perhaps the village and the villagers may have just been extremely lucky, Tatsumi thought, but did not say. He let it be, and shared various guesses about the Wise King's identity with the village elder as their welcome meal wound down.
While leaving the elder's house, with the elder walking beside him, Tatsumi caught sight of something that he had seen before on his first view of the village, though he hadn't given it much attention. Near the center of the village, there were several people working on something flat, like some sort of circular structure made of stone.
"Another project?" he asked idly, indicating the work.
"Oh, right, I had nearly forgotten to mention it," the leader replied with a wide chuckle. "I thought it would be a surprise for your return way later, but perhaps it is better that you know now before you leave again." He drew himself up in an officious manner, reminding him of the King back in the Capital. "Tatsumi, for your brave efforts in defeating the bandits, and furthermore defending Carne Village and all its people from the enemy afterwards, we have decided to make a bronze edifice in your likeness." He relaxed, and gazed at him with a solemn look.
"A statue?" He repeated, amazed. He sputtered. "I—I mean you shouldn't have—Wait, bronze? Isn't it going to cost a lot?"
"It surely will," the leader replied, nodding sagely. "But the reasons for raising such a statue is not just to thank and honor you for your heroic deeds. It shall also be a reminder for us, that we may never forget the events of that fateful day. It shall exhort us to try our very best to defend what is precious to us, even when all seems bleak. After all… that is what you told us, in a way, isn't it, lad? Right before you confronted the enemy with Gazef."
Tatsumi realized his mouth was still open, before he shut it off. "It's… I don't know what to say. It is an honor." And quite more than he had expected. And if he was being honest, it was more than he deserved. "Though, with bronze? Isn't that expensive? Adding on to what you're doing with the walls…"
"Well, the bronze hasn't been bought yet," said the leader, smiling sheepishly. "Everyone's still chipping in to get a shipment of it… But we're going to make our mold already, so it'll be quick once we get it… Our smiths know their business… And for the value that it shall bring us, no value can be truly placed on something that shall be a great part of our history."
For once, Tatsumi was truly left speechless. He stirred himself and bowed. "Again, I am honored. And I shall hope that all my future actions shall be worthy of the great honor you have accorded me."
The man smiled warmly. "I am sure you will always be worthy."
He rubbed his chin in thought. "And also, could you… make it so I'm doing some sort of cool pose when you carve it?"
After the leader took leave of him, he spent some time looking at the pedestal over which his statue was about to be built. Learning about it had struck him dumb, and got him to brooding in his head.
However it would happen, he would return to his original home, to his comrades, to his original mission. He didn't know how long it would take, or what sort of sacrifices it would demand for him. But he was going to return, that was certain.
Seeing these villagers setting up a statue to commemorate him was a sobering reminder that all his actions had consequences. Setting aside the bad, the good that he had done—and would continue to do—would leave behind long-lasting effects on these lands. One day, far into the future, when he was dead and buried somewhere in his old home, the people of this village would look upon his carved visage and wonder what sort of man he had been, that their forebears would deign to record him for posterity. He wished that such a simple fate awaited this village—and that his statue would not be knocked down as some unknown force finally succeeded in burning it to the ground.
He would surely be leaving such ripples everywhere he went. Carne was but one of the many places he would have to visit; its people only a handful of the multitudes he was sure to meet.
A part of him felt a little pride, and a little melancholy, to know that some piece of him might endure here long after he would return to Night Reid. In here or in any other place he would have left his mark as Tatsumi, the Adventurer. Even if he lay, drowning in his own blood, defeated by Esdeth or anyone else, he would be able to smile; knowing that he had left a part of himself in Carne and in all the other places of this strange land. That he had achieved something, though his goals would be unfulfilled.
He let the pedestal be, traveling the village as he tried to soothe his sad and lonely thoughts. He greeted each villager outside their house, exchanging pleasantries and accepting their thanks. He inquired about their health, and extracted a promise to take care—just as they made him promise to take care as well.
He went to the crew building the wall, and did some of the work. He conversed with the workers, once again repeating the news about E-Rantel to a rapt audience. In turn, they made light complaints about the work they had to do; or that it would take quite a bit more to finish it. They did not begrudge the work; but rather the time it would take to finish everything. They wished, rightfully so, for the walls to be complete before some other danger came for the village first.
He observed the soldiers—or rather, the militia that the village had organized for itself. They performed some sort of exercise drill, running in laps and practicing with their weapons against straw targets. Tatsumi could tell that they were a very rough work in progress—their movements were sluggish and halting, and they moved in haphazard groups. It would take many more months of work before they could be a militia worth the name. Either that, or someone who could train them up proper-like.
He ventured into the forest, having volunteered to take some supplies to the men working the quarries. He was greeted with much fanfare, both for the food and his presence. As he assisted them with digging out the stone and gravel, he once more related the news from E-Rantel. It prompted the workers to work all the harder, their reason being the pressing need for the wall to be raised, in order to protect their families from even Zuranon. He smiled at their enthusiasm.
Returning to the village, he chanced by the Emmot house. He had a feeling of deja vu; and then recalled that this was exactly the route he had taken as he'd walked from the forest towards the village—and from there had seen the bandits.
As he neared the Emmot house, having saved it for last, he heard the hints of voices being raised from within. At first fearing some sort of assault, he dashed forward. Yet before he could approach, he heard the back door open, and saw Enri rushing out, her younger sister hot on her heels. She was stalking away, and he could sense her agitation from the way her body was trembling from head to foot.
A moment later, her mother came rushing out the same door.
"Enri!" she cried. "Enri, come back! We still need to talk!" She hiked up her skirt, and ran after her daughter, the latter oblivious, or willfully ignoring, her mother's calls.
He stared after them, puzzled, before he heard voices once more from within the house. He recognized one as Mr. Emmot's—and the other was clearly Nfrea's.
It took him a while to follow the conversation, considering that they were muffled.
"I promise to be able to do my very best for your daughter. Please believe me, sir." That was Nfrea.
"I refuse. My daughters are the most precious things on this world to me. If I am going to give them up to a man, they must prove that they can take care of them better than me. And what are you? I had expected you to have established a business all on your own. But you're still an apothecary's apprentice—meaning that your grandmother is still holding your purse strings."
"I have a salary. And I have learned enough to be able to found my own business. But there are… other factors to consider."
"Hm? Other factors? Very well. Name them."
"It is… difficult to say, Mr. Emmot."
"Let me guess. You don't have the coin for it."
There was an awkward pause, and he could imagine Nfrea grimacing, as if Mr. Emmot had struck at the main point.
"I knew it."
"That isn't the only thing!" Nfrea said in protest. "There are a lot of things I have yet to learn from grandma, and it would've been foolish to found a new shop in the same city just to be close to her. When I said that I could make a business, I meant in some other city, where there won't be a competition to our own apothecary."
"Well, you just admitted it. You still have much to learn. I cannot let my daughter marry an untested, unproven man; it's like you're still a godsdamned child! Tell me, if I were to let my daughter come back to the city with you, how would you be able to put her up? Would she need to join you in your apothecary, taking up space like a useless lump, or maybe forced to keep the house like some maid? In the village, I only need wait for the responsible man to build a house, and I would be glad to give Enri to him." There was a short silence. "And you can't even give her that."
"Mr. Emmot, you have to believe me that I already have the ability to give Enri a house, even in the city as you say! I do have enough, and I'm going to continue working hard so she can continue to live in comfort and peace."
"I have only your word for it, young man. Though you lived in this village, it has been a long time since you've left, and I do not truly know you. You could be spinning up some lies this very moment, putting poison in my daughter's ear so she'll follow you, only for you to turn around and sell her off for a pretty bag of gold."
Nfrea's voice got a little more heated. "That's absurd! I would never do that to her! I am not a criminal, sir!"
Tatsumi had heard enough. He went to the front door and knocked. After a long pause, Nfrea opened the door.
"Tatsumi?" He looked shock to see him there. As he entered, he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do. It really was none of his business: Nfrea's desire, or Mr. Emmot's reluctance, not to mention how Enri was feeling. He was content to let them be; for they had their own reasons, and they were all valid in his eyes.
But he felt compelled to speak up for his friend, and not only because he had poured his heart out last night. Tatsumi felt it only fair to give his own frank opinion. He wasn't out here to convince or coerce anyone. He was just going to say his piece.
He turned to Mr. Emmot. "Look, sir, I know it's really not my place to say—this is a family affair and all." He turned to Nfrea. "And Nfrea, I know your decisions really aren't my place." He put his arms on his hips. "I just want to offer my observation, and you can decide from there."
He faced Mr. Emmot again. "Sir, I have been working as an adventurer in E-Rantel for many days, and I've used the Bareare apothecary almost exclusively. I have been able to observe how Nfrea works—and let me tell you, he is no lazy gadabout! He's an earnest worker, who's also knowledgeable enough about his craft that I rarely see his grandmother come out! I know she's working hard inside her workshop, but that doesn't mean that Nfrea's part in the family business is no less important. He takes care of the inventory, greets customers, and has a vast array of knowledge concerning herbs and potions." He nodded at Nfrea. "If I could bring a host of adventurers here before you, they would swear up and down that the Bareare apothecary is the best in the city. And it's not just because of the products—which are good—but the service as well. There is Lizzie Bareare, who toils hard to produce what many of the Guild needs; and there is Nfrea Bareare, who ensures that the business keeps moving, who remembers each customer, and the orders they made, who can offer suggestions and advice through his expertise, who is quick to correct mistakes, and even does the heavy lifting all around the shop. Now I do not know if this fulfills your criteria for being a man worthy enough of your daughter, and I certainly will not force you to believe me at my word alone."
He clapped his hand on Nfrea's shoulder. "But know that I, Tatsumi, can definitely confirm that Nfrea Bareare here is a good worker, and on that account he is truthful. I can even make a vow to that extent; for I know that I am right."
After his long tirade, silence fell over the whole house. Nfrea stared at him in wonder, while Mr. Emmot could only look at him in bewilderment. He stood there confidently, though secretly he wondered if he had gabbed too much and inserted himself somewhere he didn't really belong. Well, he'd said his piece, and he'd never take back any of it.
"I… I see…" Mr. Emmot blinked, as he looked towards Nfrea, giving him a pensive look. "Well now, when the Savior of Carne puts it as reasonably as that, it's hard for this old man to give a suitable rebuttal. Alright, Mr. Bareare, you've convinced me: to invite you to talk some more here in our house. And Tatsumi, please, you are welcome here as well. You may stay here for as long as you wish. And join us for dinner too."
He bowed. "Thanks, sir. I need to go out and help some more, but it's a given I won't miss dinner later!" He glanced at Nfrea, who seemed to be shooting him a look of gratitude. He turned around and waved.
Good luck Nfrea, he thought. From here, it's your mission to win.
"You cannot be serious, lad!" The elder exclaimed. "You wish to give all that gold.. to us?"
It was morning. He'd spent the night at the Emmot house, where he and Nfrea had stayed over as guests. Tatsumi had some of that time contemplating his next moves, as a plan had started percolating in his mind ever since he'd started going around the village.
"I'm entirely serious," Tatsumi said, with a serious face. "I wish to aid you, get your village the help it needs. And I think the gold will allow you the means to get it done quickly, no?"
"I—" the leader stammered. "W-well, perhaps…"
Tatsumi raised a finger. "It can get you the materials you need, without needing to dedicate a time to send men to the forest for stone and wood. And with that, you could devote the rest of your efforts to building the wall itself. You could also hire more workers to help, but that''ll probably be too much." He raised another finger. "You can entice veterans… instructors in the art of war, and have them train your villagers for a period of time." He raised the third finger. "And then, you can use whatever's left to add something more for the security of the village. Maybe some sort of watchtower would help, to allow you to see distant threats? Or maybe you could have a stockpile of weapons and other things. I can only give my opinion. Whatever it is you want will be entirely up to you."
"I…" The man still looked bewildered, as if he believed he was still dreaming. He wiped his forehead. "This is still rather too much…" He shook the bag of gold in his hand. It felt heavy, and the coins jingled in their multitude. "It is… far more than we ever expected, Tatsumi. How can we ever repay you?"
He waved his hand in dismissal. "Like I said, if you were building a statue, perhaps you could make it do like a cool pose or something. That'd be enough for me."
"Well, certainly, I…" he paused, looking at Tatsumi's expression, which was playful. After a while, the man chuckled. "...We were right to commemorate you. You are not a man that one expects, friend Tatsumi." He laid a hand on his shoulder. "Know this: for as long as we all live, Carne's doors shall ever be open for you. We shall never forget this debt, and you can be assured that we shall always treasure your memory." He rose. "Now, I must announce this to everyone!"
He cocked his head. "Why?"
The elder raised one eyebrow. "So that no one can say that the elder has kept all the gold to himself. And so that all can know of your generosity." The elder left, and soon enough, bells rang in the village, summoning the people to the space in front of the chief's house.
His thoughts once more returned to the statue, and of the legacy he would be leaving in this world, even after he'd returned. His decision to give the gold had not been an impulsive thing; though he could sense that it was born out of a distinct selfishness.
Last night, as he'd been strolling around in the forest, watching Enri and Nfrea talk outside of the Emmot house, he had thought about his plan to leave a decent amount of gold with the village. The gold would not be missed, as with his skills he would be able to earn more. And honestly, he'd had something of a soft spot for Carne Village, the first place he had ever visited since coming to this place. And as luck would have it, his journey thus far had led him right back to the village, so he could feel the implacable and invisible hand of fate guiding his steps.
Of course, he knew that far beyond just leaving the gold with the village, he had also left other tangible forms of legacy. The nascent couple standing in the distance was proof of that. He didn't know how they would live from that point on, but he would wish them the best all the same. These were two people that Tatsumi had saved, and had circumstances been different they would never have had the chance to reunite, nor less agree to become one. It was a beautiful thing to consider, that he had helped make something bloom, like a farmer carefully tending his field. They would be his legacy all the same, even when disaster only awaited him in his inevitable battle with the Empire.
Idly, he had wondered if he could be the same as Nfrea, and find some happiness with someone here as well. It was a foolish thing to think about, considering all that he had to do. He wondered if he would be able to put a ring on a woman's finger, as Nfrea had done to Enri.
But as with this visit, one could never know what the future would bring. And he would welcome it, bask in the triumphs and endure the hardships.
Presently, a voice called out for him. "Tatsumi! Come out here!" It was the elder.
He smiled and walked out of his house. A wave of noise greeted him as he appeared beside the elder, as the gathered villagers—including Nfrea and Enri at the very back—all thanked him with full-throated voices.
"Thank you Tatsumi!"
Chapter commissioned by The Silver Dragon Emperor, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.
If you'd like a story commissioned, feel free to contact me here, or on archiveofourown under "RHoldhous", or message me on discord under RHoldhous#6771 or jonholdhous under the new discord rules.
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