Chapter 37: Plague Village, Luxen (2)
“Yes, for now.”
"at present?"
“The old sheikh does as he pleases. He may close the door in our faces.”
"What?! What do we do then? What do we do?"
What does “what do we do” mean? Simply put, we hope Edwin will interest him.
“Would he like me?”
"Don't worry. I intend to take him with us whether you like it or not."
I left the confused Edwin behind me and turned toward the door.
It was a door so small that a grown man would have to bend down to enter it, and it had a big yellow “X” on it.
“Thank God, since the mark is yellow, it means he is not dead yet.”
"sign?"
“Haven't you seen a lot of doors marked with (X) on our way?”
“Yes, I saw.”
"The yellow mark means that the resident of the house is still alive despite being infected with the epidemic. If he dies, it is replaced with a red mark. It is a deliberate misleading method."
The guards who sometimes patrolled the village always avoided the houses with the yellow sign, claiming that they were inauspicious.
“A secret code? This is so cool!”
Edwin's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Unlike his extreme fear when we arrived, he now behaves like a normal-age child.
'Wasn't he shaking a while ago? Are all children so moody?'
I shook my head and looked at the door.
But I hesitated, raising my hand to knock.
'Behind this door is Killa Angel's past.'
I knew I had to confront Ian eventually, if only for revenge. But I never wanted to meet any of the others.
Especially those who might turn into a weakness for me.
'Why?'
Because I feel bad... like if I open this door, I won't be able to stop.
As if those broken ties would creep into my new life to devour it.
“Rachel, is something wrong?”
"…nothing."
But what is the benefit of hesitation now? I promised the prince that I would find him a teacher, and I was the one who brought him here.
There is no way to return empty-handed.
Knock knock knock—
“Oh this! Sheikh!”
Knock knock knock knock—
"Rachel! Stop. Maybe he went out for a moment? We knocked a lot and he didn't answer."
“No, he's inside.” I answered with certainty.
Edwin scratched his head. “Is this guy really worth it? That much?”
“Yes. At least, he is the smartest man I have ever known on this continent.”
"truly?"
“Yes. So smart that people hated him because of his intelligence. That’s why he lives in hiding here.”
Aren't smart people supposed to be respected? Why is he hated for this?
Confusion appeared on Edwin's face.
“He now pretends not to hear us. This is his habit.”
Knock-knock-knock—!
“Rachel, isn't it rude of us to keep knocking—”
Bam!
“It's okay...do whatever you want.”
Edwin blinked, watching me bang on the door as if I was going to blow it up.
'What's the old man doing inside?'
I was about to break down the door when—
Suddenly, the door opened violently.
“You bastard—!”
Edwin panicked and hid behind me.
"What crazy person knocks on people's doors like that?! Are you looking for death? Who the hell are you?!"
An old man came out, with white hair, wearing a worn-out robe.
But despite his worn appearance, his height was close to two meters, and his sharp eyes did not resemble those of a helpless man.
We looked around nervously, then he growled: "What is this? Not young men, but two children with running noses! You came to beg?"
Even though I was still covering my head with my hood, he recognized me immediately.
'His tongue is still as sharp as ever.'
His voice grew harsher when she remained silent.
"What now?! You knock on the door and then stand silent? If you don't have a job, get out or I'll pour sewage on you—"
“Viscount Sage Reel.”
The moment I said his full name, the angry expression on his face disappeared.
“I have come to pay the debt on your neck...the debt of your life.”
There was silence.
“What… how do you know this?”
His wrinkled eyes widened until they almost burst.
“How did you know that secret—no, that exact phrase?”
“Let's go in first, then we'll talk.”
"What?! Do you think I'm going to have a stranger come in and knock on my door madly?"
A suspicious old man... but perhaps this is what has kept him alive until now.
“I don't care, but my companion is tired from the road.”
He snarled contemptuously—then his eyes fell on Edwin.
When he met his innocence with his eyes, his features changed with disgust.
“Damn it...that's why they say don't open the door to beggars with children.”
He clicked his tongue and said, “Okay! Come in before I change my mind!”
I entered without hesitation, while Edwin hesitated a little while looking fearfully at the old man, then he followed me.
The house was as it appeared from the outside: a low ceiling, a narrow space, half covered by a huge table with herbs and dried animal entrails on it.
Its pungent smell overcame even the mustiness of the village outside.
“Sit wherever you want! Or on the bed if you like!”
I sat the hesitant Edwin on the bed, then took off my hood.
I turned to Sag and found him staring at me intently.
“Come on, talk. Who the hell are you?”
“I—”
“Save your words! That cursed woman must have sent you, and you are talking about the religion of life.”
That old man... still puts the answers before he hears the questions.
“So what do you want in return for this debt? That cunning witch Kayla does nothing for free.”
He scratched his ear boredly.
"Come on, speak. If it's something I can give, I'll give it and that's it."
“S—”
“Suspicious? Of course! But it doesn’t matter. That woman won’t reveal my location to any stranger.”
I always knew he hated me from our first meeting. Or maybe he didn't want to admit otherwise.
“Let's be clear then.”
“Okay, let's get this over with quickly.”
The old man nodded, not caring.
But I interrupted him: “Please...be a teacher.”
“Teacher? What?”
He furrowed his brow as if he hadn't heard well.
“What nonsense is this?”
“Not nonsense. Please become a teacher.”
“Without introduction?” He exhaled indignantly.
“Hah! Didn’t that woman tell you that I might die the moment I leave this place?”
“I know. You have earned the enmity of the empire’s trade guilds.”
Of course I know. Indeed, the union leaders asked our organization to assassinate him.
“And they are not the only ones. The Church Kingdom also treats me as if I killed their god. And yet you ask me this?”
“Don't worry. You will be taken to the safest place in the empire.”
“The safest place? There is no such place! Nonsense—”
“Imperial Palace.”
As soon as I said the word, silence fell.
“…Imperial Palace? Did you say Imperial Palace?”
He repeated the phrase several times and then looked at me sharply.
“You ask me to be a teacher, and the palace is a party? Don’t you say that the student is a prince?”
“As I expected, your intuition is strong.”
"Stop nonsense! Do you think I'm going to step into that hell?!"
“You will go.”
He narrowed his eyes as he studied my features.
“You look a lot like Kayla. Those smug green looks, that condescending tone of voice… just like her.”
She smiled silently instead of responding.
He let out a long sigh. “Damn… I can’t believe I ever made a deal with that damned witch.”
Then he suddenly got up and walked towards Edwin.
The boy was confused and backed away, but the old man did not care.
"Well... maybe I'll change the atmosphere. Teaching a child in the palace might be better than suffocating here. Most likely no one remembers me anymore."
He muttered as he studied Edwin for a long time.
“Sending a child to a plague village...shall I call it boldness or foolishness?”
He made a disapproving sound when he spotted the black cast on Edwin's arm.
“What is this ridiculous disguise? Did Kayla suggest it to you? Her style never improved. The gatekeepers would have easily discovered you. Very poor.”
After he finished mocking, he turned to me again.
“But, is this boy really a prince? He seems too slow to be one.”