Chapter 139 (1/2)

Since then, there have been many battles. There were various monsters as well as the angry monkeys. There were wooden monsters with bizarre faces. The ‘screaming ents’ was one of them. They threatened us with sharp roots rising from the ground. However, they had the wood attribute and the sun’s flames were their natural enemy. We simply moved forward, dominating them.

Finally, Helena opened her mouth, “We’re here. This is Garbage Village.”

I looked in the direction she pointed and saw a shabby village reflected in the subtle moonlight. It wasn’t full of garbage or anything like the name indicated. It was just an ugly little village. There were crossbow posts stationed around the village and they seemed to be intended to prevent a monster invasion.

Nevertheless, it was shabby. It was really different from Fortren. The entrance was also guarded by someone. The guard shouted vigilantly as we approached, “Who is it?!”

A spear pointed at us. The even sadder thing was that the tip was rusty. Their skeletal appearance made them look like those experiencing a famine or refugees that I had only seen on TV.

“Uncle Delma! It’s me, Helena!”

“No, you...? Why are you here?

“I’m sorry but there’s no time to explain. Let me see my father.”

“A-At this time...?”

“It’s urgent. It involves the lives of the villagers.”

“Uh, y-yes. Please wait a minute.”

Perhaps it was due to her eyes but Delma quickly ran somewhere. After a while, we were able to enter the village. The lights started to turn on one by one. Some people rubbed their eyes because it was late but some were places that were noisy due to children waking up. Yet they welcomed us without any wariness. I thought it was a place full of affection.

“Helena, how long has it been? Have you suffered in the meantime?”

“Wow, Sister Helena is completely beautiful!”

“I’ve never seen her before. She’s so beautiful. Haha.”

The villagers were busy welcoming Helena. They might be lacking materially but mentally, they seemed richer than anyone else. During the conversation, the group suddenly split apart and a person appeared. It was an old man holding a cane with a gray cloth around his eyes.

“Father, I’m here.”

“Ohhh, Helena!”

They embraced each other the moment they met. Then the man started crying. “I’m sorry. Sob sob... I was forced to do so for the sake of the villagers...”

“No, Father, it’s fine. I’m really okay.”

Both father and daughter burst into tears. I saw it and my nose got a burning sensation. I heard her story in Metheus but tears still filled my eyes. A blind father who had to sell his daughter to preserve the village and the wise daughter who accepted it. The two of them were showing a sad scene from a movie.

“Father, I have to leave now.”

“What does that mean? Why do you have to leave so suddenly?

“In fact...”

Helena’s long story followed. Then the villagers started making a ruckus. Helena’s father spoke, “T-That...”

”I'm sorry. I’m doing everything at my own pace but I think they can be trusted. He promised to help settle the people of our village. If we run away overnight then Aidan won’t know.”

No, I had never made such a promise...

She noticed my expression and started to cough. I let out a small sigh.

Meanwhile, Helena continued, “They are very strong. They’ll probably be able to protect the people of our village. I saw it myself.”

She was a completely willful woman. I said I would bring them back but I never said I would protect them.

Helena’s father gripped his cane and spoke, “It isn’t possible.”

“Huh? Father. But...”

“If we leave then he will be in trouble.”

He...? Who was he talking about?

“You know that as well. He secretly supported us despite his status as a nobleman. We have been able to eat and live because of him. If we leave then he’ll be in trouble during this election.”

I didn’t know what he was saying but I understood one thing. Helena’s father decided to stay here and all the villagers seemed to feel the same. I could tell just based on Helena’s expression.

“Still, I don’t know what Aidan will do. We can’t live like this forever. Father, please think again. Please...”

The villagers all bowed their heads. They seemed unwilling to leave even though they could be at risk. I was curious about the identity of this ‘he’ that they were talking about. Who the hell was he? How did he get such sincere loyalty? I didn’t know who it was but I wanted to meet him once.

”My daughter, we won’t leave here. Don’t you know? We are protecting this place. We still have to wait.”

“Father, please... forget about that old superstition. It is a really ridiculous story...”

Just then, my super sensitive hearing heard the harsh sound of metal. It was the sound of weapons colliding with each other and iron boots stomping on the ground. Based on this, it wasn’t unusual that they made a lot of noise. Based on their busy footsteps, they would be here soon.

I interrupted the two of them. “Hey, I’m sorry but I think soldiers will be here soon.”

The villagers started to murmur.

“S-Soldiers? What do you mean?”

Helena asked me and I was about to respond. However, it was too late.

Rattle. Rattle.

Everyone’s head turned at the sudden sound of metal. Torches appeared one by one at the entrance of the village. Holding them were soldiers armed with solid armor and weapons. Helena frowned as if she knew them.

“This... They are Aidan’s soldiers. Indeed, they came here first...”

They finally entered the village. They seemed quite fierce as all of them were releasing a terrible pressure. Then someone stepped forward.

“Helena, you really are here.”